[Notice: Once you leave the Starter Village, you will be unable to return. Do you wish to proceed with the teleportation?]

  "Confirm."

  Kael understood the System’s personality all too well; there was definitely no "hidden loot" or secret quests left in that desolate starter zone. He felt zero nostalgia about leaving it behind.

  Based on the name, Frontier City was clearly the designated safe zone for the second major map: The Wraith Warrior Frontline.

  As the light of the teleportation array faded, Kael found himself standing in the heart of an ancient, battle-scarred town. Frontier City was exactly what the name implied—a massive military fortification. Colossal stone walls stretched between two towering mountain ranges, creating a formidable chokepoint that looked nearly impossible to breach.

  Behind these walls lay a city that had stood for centuries. Unlike the ghost-town feel of the Starter Village, Frontier City was teeming with System-generated NPCs. There were blacksmiths, alchemists, border sentries, and city patrols. As for their specific functions, Kael knew it would be up to the players to discover them one by one.

  In this new map, the enemies weren't scattered monsters but "enemy soldiers" stationed outside the walls, constantly launching skirmishes against the pass.

  "So, the dungeon entrance is right in the middle of the enemy encampment," Kael noted. After a brief tour of the city, he had climbed onto the battlements to scout the horizon. The familiar black vortex—the dungeon portal—sat at the center of the enemy's patrol range.

  Fortunately, there was a small safe zone immediately surrounding the portal, meaning players wouldn't be forced into the dungeon while exhausted or wounded. The real challenge, Kael realized, was simply fighting one’s way to the entrance.

  "Satisfactory enough for now," Kael murmured before logging out of the New World Mode. He had no desire to grind his way through an army alone only to find out he didn't have enough party members to enter the dungeon. It would be far more efficient to bring a group the following day.

  Late that night, the City Lord’s Mansion was still ablaze with light. Inside his study, Qin Ming sat under the steady glow of a magic lamp, reviewing the mountain of paperwork that came with managing a city as prosperous as Cloud City.

  Cultivation could improve one's physical constitution, but it did nothing for one's raw administrative capacity. Even though his spiritual energy made him less prone to physical fatigue, the mental strain of governance required deep focus and sharp thought.

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  A series of frantic raps on the door broke Qin Ming’s concentration.

  "City Lord! I have urgent news to report!" an anxious voice called from the hallway.

  Qin Ming frowned, his voice calm yet firm. "Enter."

  The door swung open, and a soldier rushed to his desk.

  "City Lord..."

  "What has happened to cause such panic?" Qin Ming asked, resting his hands on the desk. He couldn't hide a trace of annoyance at the soldier’s lack of composure.

  "It’s about the Young Master, sir!" the soldier gasped, trying to catch his breath.

  "What? What has Qin Shi done now? Has he caused another scene?" Qin Ming’s voice rose an octave. Despite his outward "hands-off" approach to his son, Qin Shi was his only child. It was impossible for him not to be worried.

  "No! No, sir! It’s good news! Today, the Young Master went to the City Guard training grounds to practice... magic!"

  "What did you just say? Repeat that!" Qin Ming stared at the soldier, certain he had misheard.

  "It's true, sir. The Young Master is currently at the training grounds, practicing spells."

  "Take me there. Now." Qin Ming stood up instantly, leaving the scrolls on his desk completely forgotten.

  Back at the City Guard camp, Qin Shi was still refining his newly acquired Fireball spell.

  The mana he had gained from the New World Mode put him roughly at the level of a Rank 2 Mage. To a talented cultivator, such a low rank was laughable, but to Qin Shi, it was a miracle he hadn't dared to dream of. A basic Fireball didn't consume much mana, allowing him to practice the casting motion repeatedly. If it had been an advanced spell like Great Fireball, he likely would have collapsed after a single cast.

  It was this persistent practice that allowed him to be caught in the act by his father.

  "Father? What are you doing here?" Qin Shi’s tone was one of shock rather than a simple question. His father was usually buried in work; unless it was a scheduled military inspection, he never had time for the training grounds.

  "I came to see exactly what you’re doing here," Qin Ming replied. He looked at Qin Shi’s palm, then at the scorch marks on the Mana Testing Stone. His voice was a volatile mix of excitement, wonder, and skepticism. "Was that... the Fireball spell you just used?"

  "That’s right! It’s a Fireball! I just learned it today," Qin Shi exclaimed, his excitement boiling over.

  "Does this mean... you can finally cultivate mana?" Qin Ming’s heart hammered. His son’s lack of aptitude had always been a silent ache in his heart. He never expected the boy to solve the problem so suddenly and quietly.

  "Is there any doubt? Look, Father!"

  Qin Shi held out his hands, channeling the very last drops of his mana. A tiny spark ignited in the air.

  "Fireball!"

  The spark expanded rapidly into a fist-sized orb of flame.

  "It really is a mana fluctuation... Shi'er, you truly can use magic!" Qin Ming watched the flames, nearly moved to tears. "Quickly, tell me—how did you fix your aptitude?"

  Once the initial shock passed, the strategist in Qin Ming took over. If there was a way to fundamentally alter a person's cultivation talent, it would change the world. At the very least, the national power of the Aranyuan Empire would skyrocket.

  However, at the mention of "aptitude," Qin Shi scratched the back of his head and offered a polite, if somewhat awkward, smile. "Actually, Father... my aptitude hasn't changed at all."

  "What?! Then that Fireball just now was—?"

  Qin Ming stared intensely at his son, trying to read his expression. Qin Shi maintained that same sheepish smile. Seeing that his father was struggling to grasp the situation, Qin Shi began to choose his words carefully.

  "To be honest, it’s a miracle from a very mysterious little shop..."

  He then began a long, detailed explanation of the miraculous effects of the New World Mode.