As Marcus stood before the temple, he found himself thinking about Dreamland Temple. Not because he had known anything about it before.

In fact, until recently, his knowledge of the Dreamland Continent had been embarrassingly limited. Ever since he had asked Alana about Stone Milk Nectar and Earth’s Divine Water, she had apparently decided his education needed immediate intervention. Over the past several days, whenever he was out grinding monsters, Alana would send him private messages filled with history lessons, legends, geography, and common knowledge that everyone else seemed to know. Just that morning, she had spent nearly an hour explaining Dreamland Temple, and for once, all that information was actually useful.

"Brother," Amber asked curiously, "is the Saintess of Dreamland Temple beautiful? Why isn’t she on the Most Beautiful Women rankings? Is she some five-hundred-year-old grandmother or something?"

Marcus almost laughed. That had been one of the first questions he’d asked Alana.

"The Saintess is considered the Goddess of Dreams’ representative in the mortal world," Marcus explained. "She’s the highest-ranking priestess in existence. Her position is far above something like a beauty ranking. No matter how beautiful she is, they wouldn’t include her."

Jade immediately jumped into the conversation. "Then the Goddess must have ridiculously high standards, right? They’d choose the most outstanding woman possible to become Saintess."

"Probably." Marcus nodded. "According to Alana, almost nobody ever sees the Saintess in person, and even fewer have seen her real face. But there are plenty of rumors. Most people believe she’s one of the most beautiful women on the continent, supposedly comparable to Glacia, the Frost-Veiled Maiden."

He paused before adding, "Apparently that’s also why people still talk about Malice. Five hundred years ago, he supposedly became obsessed after seeing nothing more than the Saintess’s silhouette." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Jade’s eyes widened. "That’s ridiculous."

Then she immediately brightened. "Marcus, do you think we’ll ever get to visit Dreamland Temple?"

Marcus certainly hoped so. A place that powerful and mysterious naturally piqued his interest.

Before he could answer, however, Jade had already become distracted by something else. Or rather, someone else. She skipped over to Professor Tina, slipped an arm through hers, and grinned. "I wonder if the Saintess is as pretty as our Tina."

Professor Tina froze.

Marcus nearly choked. Even Jade, who was proud enough to compete with anyone, openly admitted that Professor Tina’s beauty was exceptional.

Marcus glanced toward Tina. The professor stood there with her usual elegance and composure, her long silver hair framing a face that could draw attention anywhere she went.

"A woman more beautiful than Professor Tina?" Marcus shrugged. "There probably aren’t many."

At least none that he had met. The thought slipped out more honestly than he intended. Professor Tina was intelligent, graceful, kind, and beautiful enough to make people forget what they were talking about halfway through a conversation.

Unfortunately, Jade heard every word. Her smile widened instantly.

"Tina, you’re so beautiful that I honestly can’t think of anyone except Marcus who’s worthy of you."

Silence ensued. Complete silence.

Professor Tina immediately lowered her head. A faint blush spread across her cheeks. The others turned to look at Marcus. Every single one of them.

Marcus suddenly felt as though he had walked into a trap. ’That little devil.’

A moment later, a private message appeared. Amber. "Brother, I was thinking exactly the same thing."

Marcus didn’t even need to look up to know she was smirking. His face twitched.

"We’re already here," he said quickly. "Let’s go inside."

Without giving anyone a chance to continue the topic, he pointed toward the temple gates and started walking. The women followed behind him.

Notably, Marcus never denied Jade’s statement. Neither did Professor Tina. Neither of them seemed eager to revisit the subject, but the fact remained, and everyone noticed.

---

The interior of the temple immediately captured their attention.

Massive wooden pillars supported soaring rooftops covered in intricate carvings. Elegant railings lined the walkways, while polished stone paths stretched through spacious courtyards. The architecture carried the grandeur of the imperial palace while maintaining a distinctly sacred atmosphere.

The moment they stepped inside, the noise of the city seemed to fade away. Everything felt calmer. More solemn. Even Marcus found himself unconsciously lowering his voice.

Several enormous marble screens stood throughout the courtyard. Each one displayed a detailed carving of a legendary hero from humanity’s history. Men and women whose deeds had shaped entire eras. Warriors whose names alone once struck fear into demons, cultists, and monsters. Standing before those monuments, it was impossible not to feel a sense of admiration.

The first figure that caught Marcus’s attention was a sorcerer wearing flowing crimson robes. The man held a blazing staff high overhead.

Marcus read the inscription beneath the carving.

Flame Arch-Sorcerer Fire Wuya.

Three thousand years ago, he had been recognized as the strongest sorcerer on the Dreamland Continent. According to the records, even the Four Demon Sovereigns had been reluctant to face him directly.

His greatest achievement was the creation of a forbidden spell known as Meteor Shower from Beyond. When cast alone, it was already devastating. When performed alongside the elite flame sorcerer corps he personally trained, the spell transformed into a catastrophe capable of annihilating entire armies. Countless burning meteors would descend from the heavens and engulf the battlefield, and even the Demon Clan’s heavily armored cavalry formations could not withstand it.

Over time, the spell earned a second name. Fire Wuya’s Heaven’s Wrath.

Beyond his military accomplishments, Fire Wuya also founded the Flame Magic Academy in his hometown of Ironstone Citadel, often called the City of Mountains. Even today, it remained the most prestigious comprehensive magic academy on the continent. More than sixty percent of the continent’s famous sorcerers could trace their academic lineage back to that institution.

Marcus moved on to the next monument. This one depicted an enormous knight clad in scarred and battle-worn armor. Though his face remained hidden beneath a heavy helmet, the sculptor had somehow managed to capture the intensity of his gaze.

The inscription read: Dragon-Slaying Champion, Dragon Sha.

Marcus stopped immediately. This was a name he recognized.

Dragon Sha’s legends were famous throughout the continent. After founding a legendary mercenary company, he spent decades hunting dragons that threatened human settlements. By the end of his career, he had personally slain twenty-three dragons. Among them were three Ancient Primal Dragons, eight demonic dragons serving the Demon Clan, and two Bone Dragons belonging to the Ghost Race.

His accomplishments shook the entire continent. The wealth he gained from dragon hoards alone was enough to bankrupt kingdoms. The dragon materials he collected became treasured artifacts, legendary equipment, and priceless resources sought after for generations.

To countless knights, Dragon Sha represented the ultimate ideal. His achievements became a standard every future dragon hunter dreamed of reaching.

Marcus stared at the carving. The sculpted knight radiated an almost tangible killing intent. Even frozen in stone, he looked dangerous.

What drew Marcus’s attention most, however, was the weapon in Dragon Sha’s hand. A narrow dagger. Simple and deadly. The legendary Dragon-Slaying Dagger.

Marcus looked at it for several seconds, then sighed. He couldn’t help feeling a little envious.