Kaelan stands beside Li Xueyao on the palace steps, just below the throne, watching rows of ministers and officials bow beneath the dawn-lit hall.
Their gazes cling to him—curiosity, fear, resentment—but he wears an easy smile, unbothered, as if their opinions are dust floating in sunlight.
Li Xueyao's voice rings out, clear and sharp against the marble pillars.
"Court begins. If any of you have matters to report, step forward."
A man in the front row moves to the centre.
Li Xueyao leans slightly toward Kaelan and whispers, "Gu Zheng, Food Minister."
Gu Zheng bows deeply.
"Princess, I have a report."
She nods, granting permission.
"There are only two weeks' worth of grain left in the royal granary."
Whispers explode through the court like dry leaves in the wind.
Li Xueyao freezes, shock flashing in her eyes.
Then rage ignites.
"How is that possible? By royal decree, the capital must maintain a five-year reserve!"
Her aura bursts outward, a tidal wave of pressure rolling through the hall, peak Wizard Apprentice force shaking the banners as Wood essence flares around her hands, thick emerald light trembling on the cusp of becoming true mana.
While Li Xueyao interrogates the food minister, Kaelan watches calmly, already planning to train her after court ends, intending to guide her through the first official Wizard stage—Bronze Wizard—and urge her into seclusion, where the vast life force stored in her body will rocket her through all the official wizard stages in no time.
The food minister bows deeper, voice trembling as he says, "Princess, I am newly appointed, so I do not know why the former minister failed to store the required grain."
Li Xueyao lets out a sharp breath through her nose, green light around her fingers rippling as she snaps, "Do you take me for a fool? The previous food minister was from your clan, and by blood, he would be your uncle."
The minister stiffens and speaks with forced dignity, "My uncle was loyal and righteous—he did not share state matters with the family."
Li Xueyao's gaze turns frost-sharp, and Kaelan senses the killing intent curling beneath her calm like a sword pressed under silk.
He hears her draw a slow breath to steady herself before she asks, "Then as Food Minister, do you have a solution?"
The minister swallows and answers, "At present, we can only purchase grain from private merchants."
Li Xueyao lets out a weary sigh and murmurs, "Then we will do that for now."
A voice rings from the front row, "Princess, I have a matter to report."
She glances toward Kaelan and whispers, "Wang Ruyan, the Finance Minister."
Li Xueyao lifts a brow and jokes dryly, "Finance Minister, don't tell me the treasury is empty as well."
Wang Ruyan lowers her head and remains silent.
Li Xueyao exhales, resignation in her eyes. "So the treasury is empty."
Officials behind Wang Ruyan exchange tense looks, some biting back smirks, others studying the princess like wolves scenting weakness.
Wang Ruyan finally speaks in a low voice, "Princess, there are only six thousand gold coins left—barely enough to pay the capital's officials and royal guards."
Li Xueyao does not berate her; instead, she turns her gaze toward the next in line. "Prime Minister Tian, do you have a solution to our food crisis?"
Prime Minister Tian bows and says, "Princess, the royal prefecture holds secondary granaries—send the royal guards to seize and secure them at once."
Li Xueyao falls silent for a heartbeat, then replies, "The royal guards must protect the capital; they cannot be detached—what if I raise a second army?"
A ripple of whispers runs through the ministers.
Prime Minister Tian answers stiffly, "Only the king may lawfully form an army."
Li Xueyao's eyes flash.
"This is an extraordinary time—how can we cling to procedure while people starve?"
Prime Minister Tian meets her calmly.
"Because in extraordinary times we must uphold the law; without it, how do we punish those who break it?"
Li Xueyao turns her gaze across the hall, then speaks with hard resolve, "Fine—use the royal treasury to buy grain for now; court is adjourned."
The ministers bow and file out in ordered rows.
As the hall clears, Li Xueyao murmurs, "They don't want me to sit on the throne."
Kaelan answers, "They refuse you because you offer them nothing."
She meets his eyes and says, "They already enjoy power second only to the royal line; if I give them more, the royal family will be enslaved to them forever."
She begins walking, and Kaelan follows a step behind.
"I have to find a way to solve the food problem," she says, half to herself. "If I can handle that, I'll have leverage in the next court. And if merchants catch wind of the shortage, they'll raise prices—the treasury won't last more than a few months."
Kaelan listens in silence, thoughts spinning. He needs to help her, but without understanding the kingdom's laws, any advice he gives might backfire.
He's also seen the court's unity—too neat, too coordinated. It must be fractured.
"Can you do two things for me?" he says suddenly.
Li Xueyao pauses and turns. "What things?"
"First," Kaelan says, "give me the book where the kingdom's laws are written."
Li Xueyao nods. "That's simple enough."
"Second," Kaelan continues, "spread word that I'll be accepting students—children between ten and fifteen. I'll teach them my Wizard path."
Li Xueyao raises an eyebrow. "Then hundreds will come. You can't manage that alone."
"To be my student," Kaelan replies with a small smile, "they must pay five low-grade spirit stones or five thousand gold coins."
Li Xueyao thinks for a moment, then nods. "Thank you."
She turns to issue his orders while Kaelan returns to the snow-dusted garden.
Sitting on the stone bench, he watches the snow drift down in silence, mind circling back to his earlier thoughts—how to refine mana faster, how to strengthen the Bronze Wizard's combat power without disturbing its foundation.
While standing over the kingdom earlier, an idea had come to him—building a magic circuit inside the body.
He closes his eyes and begins.
A faint glow flickers beneath his skin as he weaves the invisible lines of energy through his organs and dantian, linking them together like veins of light.
With his cultivation already a great stage higher and his precise control over every fibre of his being, construction comes easily.
Hours slip by in silence.
When he opens his eyes again, the sun has already sunk beyond the palace walls, and the night sky gleams faintly above the snow.
He circulates his mana through the circuit.
Because his cultivation has reached the second stage of transcendence, the circuit cannot refine what is already pure. Yet, it greatly increases the speed at which he absorbs spiritual energy.
For a few seconds, the surge is immense—his combat power soaring.
He exhales softly, satisfied.
The cultivation path for the Bronze Wizard stage is now complete.
Next comes the Silver Wizard stage. While the Bronze stage corresponds to the initial to mid levels of the first stage of transcendence, the Silver Wizard stage spans from mid to late levels of that same stage.
In the Bronze stage, the magic circuit forms a loop through the organs and dantian. Now, Kaelan ponders what should be added to the Silver stage. Since this phase focuses on further refining mana rather than altering its nature, he decides not to add anything entirely new—only to evolve what already exists.
After some thought, he deduces that in the Silver Wizard stage, a second loop of the magic circuit should form, running through the entire body and connecting back to the dantian through the first loop.
He opens his eyes before beginning the construction, noticing a book resting beside him—Li Xueyao must have left it at noon. Reaching for it, he opens the cover and begins to read under the soft moonlight, his mind splitting focus between the words and the formation of the second circuit within him.
By the time dawn breaks, the second loop is complete.
Outside the palace gates, a long line stretches across the snowy courtyard—nobles and wealthy merchants sending their children to become his students. Few dare to send all their heirs; most cannot yet gauge the worth of his wizard cultivation path.
Kaelan meets the group and leads them into a large chamber where four vast visualisation maps glow faintly upon the walls.
Today, he will teach them the Elemental Path of Wizardry—the easiest to enter, a door to understanding.
Once inside, they can choose to remain, walk other paths, or even cultivate several together.
Kaelan watches as the children sit cross-legged before their chosen maps, eyes glowing faintly with focus. He doesn't need to guide them into meditation—these are the offspring of nobles and merchants, already trained in martial cultivation and familiar with calming their minds.
Five minutes pass before he claps his hands. "Alright, stop for now."
The children blink awake from their visualisation and stand. One boy steps forward. "Teacher, I can continue to visualise."
Several others echo his words, eager and restless.
Kaelan smiles faintly. "I know. But you've only just begun the wizard's path. You must be careful. Wizards cultivate the spirit. If your spirit is injured, it may block your path forever."
The children fall silent, nodding in understanding.
Then a small girl, He Shoumei, raises her hand. "Then what should we do, Teacher?"
Kaelan says, "Now, meditate for a few minutes, then visualise another elemental map."
He Shoumei frowns slightly. "Teacher, I like the Water Visualisation Map. I don't want to choose another."
Kaelan's tone softens. "What you like and what you're attuned to are not the same. You must visualise all four maps. The one that feels easiest to connect with—that will be your chosen path."
The children nod, accepting his words, and sit again to meditate under the quiet hum of energy.
By noon, their session ends. Kaelan dismisses the children, and one by one they leave the hall, their faces filled with curiosity and wonder.
Li Xueyao steps in as the last of the children leave, her voice calm but curious. "How is it?"
Kaelan replies, "In a month, it'll be clear who has talent and who doesn't."
Li Xueyao studies his face. "What will you do with those who can't become wizard apprentices in a month?"
"Not everyone has the talent to walk this path," Kaelan says. "If they can't reach the apprentice level in a month, their chance in the future is nearly zero. I'll let them go, let them practise at home. If they manage to succeed later, they can return."
Li Xueyao nods, and they walk together through the quiet corridor toward their chambers.
"Thank you," she says softly. "The gold coins you gave will help immensely."
Kaelan nods. "Helping you is helping me. Once a few children become wizard apprentices, the nobles and merchants will see the results. They'll start sending their main heirs. When that happens, you'll gain their support too."
Li Xueyao sighs. "I don't know about the nobles, but the merchants will act once they see success."
As they step into their room, Kaelan says, "Oh, I found a way for you to raise an army after reading the kingdom's laws."
Her eyes brighten. "How?"
"As the Prince Consort, I'm allowed a personal guard of five hundred men," Kaelan explains. "You can raise a small army under my name. It won't be enough to control the royal prefecture, but it'll help us solidify control over the capital."
Li Xueyao nods firmly. "I'll start tomorrow."
Kaelan sits down, his tone turning thoughtful. "What's the Demon Hunter Association's reaction?"
"They're quiet," Li Xueyao says. "No word from them yet. They're waiting to see who wins before showing their stance."
Kaelan chuckles faintly. "They're confident that whoever sits on the throne will still have to listen to them."
The tension fades as they speak of lighter matters, the rest of the day passing in calm conversation beneath the pale winter light.