Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100

Chapter 118 Middle Domain

It was the next day, and Max headed out to meet Ralph.

He had spent the entire night, almost, alternating between deep contemplation and rigorous practice, tirelessly working to merge his Sword Aura and Flame Aura. Although no groundbreaking progress had been made, the effort was not in vain.

With each attempt, he felt the faintest hint of clarity, as if he were on the verge of discovering the missing link.

The process was arduous, requiring intense focus and precision. Every time he tried to blend the two auras, the energies would either clash violently or fizzle out entirely. Yet, he could sense that he was close—so tantalizingly close—that he could almost grasp the answer, but not quite.

Despite his lack of tangible results, Max wasn't discouraged. He could feel it in his core: the solution wasn't far off. What he needed now wasn't just more practice, but patience and more time to let his understanding evolve.

'Although I've practiced for years in Sword Aura and Flame Aura, my understanding remains very limited,' Max thought, frowning as he entered Ralph Thorne's personal hall.

Inside, he saw two individuals talking and laughing. Max was familiar with both of them. One was Ralph Thorne, the leader of the Thorne Family, and the other was Garrison Ashford, the grandfather of Lily Ashford.

Max frowned upon seeing Garrison and turned to Ralph with a questioning look.

Ralph smiled reassuringly and said, "Out of the four families, the Ashford Family remains neutral when it comes to you. They've long decided not to interfere in the affairs of the Voidwalker."

Max raised an eyebrow at this revelation. He was genuinely surprised to learn that the Ashford Family had chosen to remain uninvolved. "Then what is he doing here?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Ralph gave a wry smile and replied, "He's the doctor who will be checking on you."

Max's expression turned puzzled as he shot a questioning glance at Ralph.

Clearing his throat, Ralph elaborated, "You might not be aware, but Garrison Ashford is considered one of the best doctors—if not the best—in the Eastern Region. While the Ashford Family is renowned for their expertise in runes, Garrison has taken it a step further. He's combined his knowledge of human physiology with runic science, creating groundbreaking advancements in medicine. That makes him unparalleled in his field."

Max's surprise deepened as he processed the information. Turning to Garrison, his demeanor shifted to one of respect. He quickly straightened up and said, "Ahem, we meet again. Forgive me for my earlier behavior."

The heavily built old man with yellow hair turned to Ralph. "Told you this kid is shameless. He nearly made Lily cry the first time he met her."

Ralph smiled shamelessly and said, "I've heard, but since you're here, why not check on him? He is just a kid, after all."

Garrison glanced at him deeply and sighed. "I forgot how shameless you can be when the situation calls for it." He then turned to Max, his eyes glowing with a green hue.

"Give me your hand," he commanded in a firm yet clinical tone.

Max hesitated for a moment, still somewhat wary of the towering figure before him, but he ultimately complied, extending his hand toward Garrison.

Garrison took his hand in both of his and did something that caused rune lines to appear on his hand.

Max's eyes widened in surprise at the sight.

But that wasn't the end. The runes spread from his hand to his entire arm and soon covered his whole body in just a few seconds.

Garrison's eyes glowed with a deep green light. Only after a minute did his eyes return to normal, and he released Max's hand.

"You're a good kid," he said to Max.

"I am?" Max was taken aback. He had been certain something was wrong with him—after all, it wasn't every day one passed out for three full days without reason.

Ralph also frowned and asked, "What about the weakness that caused him to pass out for three full days?"

Garrison turned to him and said, "Whatever it was, I can't detect anything from his body. From my point of view, he's fine."

He added, turning to Max, "Passing out from overwhelming weakness only means one of a few things: either you've exhausted your body or your mind. Otherwise, I see no problem with your body, kid. In fact, you appear to be in better shape than most humans right now."

Max glanced at him and said, "After I woke up from my three-day slumber, I felt refreshed. It was the best sleep I've ever had."

Garrison pondered for a moment before saying, "Either the problem is what I mentioned earlier—exhaustion of body and mind—or…" His expression turned serious. "It's related to your soul."

"My soul?" Max frowned, a bad feeling rising in his heart. He recalled the missing black part of the Tai Chi diagram at the entrance of his Soul Palace. 'Could that be related to my problem?' he wondered.

Turning to Garrison, Max bowed again. "I am very grateful for your checkup, uh, Doctor Gramps."

Garrison glanced at Max deeply and said seriously, "If this condition ever happens again, come to me."

Max nodded at him, feeling that he wasn't that bad after all.

"But whether I check on you thoroughly will depend on my whim," Garrison said smiling.

'No, he is indeed super bad,' Max thought wryly.

Garrison turned to Ralph and said, "I'll be going then." With those words, he left the hall and disappeared.

Ralph glanced at him and sighed. "He left without even staying for an hour, as usual." He gritted his teeth in frustration.

Turning his attention to Max, he said assuringly, "Don't worry about your problem. You're fine, and the chances of having a soul issue are like a drop of water in an ocean, so forget about it altogether."

Max nodded, though he couldn't shake the thought from his mind, not after realizing that something seemed off with his entrance to the Soul Palace.

Ralph asked, his curiosity evident. "By the way, why did you suddenly request all those golem-related books in the middle of the night?"

Max shrugged casually, a faint smirk on his face. "Oh, that. I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd do some light reading on golems." He paused, his eyes gleaming with interest. "I have to say, your research is remarkable. The intricate details you've written about lava golems and rock golems—those were especially fascinating."

Ralph nodded, a touch of pride softening his usually sharp demeanor. "Runes, illusions, and golems all require a profound understanding of soul force to master. Back in my prime, I was captivated by each of them. But despite my fascination, I could only reach the pinnacle of illusions. Runes and golems…" He let out a soft sigh. "They're vast, complex fields of study, each demanding a lifetime of dedication."

Max smiled as he handed the books back. "Your work has been invaluable. I've learned a lot from it, and it's given me ideas I wouldn't have thought of otherwise."

Ralph raised a brow, holding the books carefully. "So, what's next? Are you leaving already?"

Max nodded, glancing at him. "I have to," he said, his expression thoughtful. "Say, Uncle Ralph, what is the Middle Domain, or should I say, where is the Middle Domain?"

Ralph glanced deeply at Max and sighed. "The Middle Domain is the place all the people of the Valora Continent desire to go. It's the dream of everyone living on the continent, but only a few ever manage to get there."

Max frowned and asked, "What makes the Middle Domain so important? Why can't people go there?"

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Ralph's expression turned thoughtful as he explained. "The people of the Valora Continent, no matter how hard they practice, can only reach up to Expert Rank: Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Seeker, and Expert. That's the limit of power one can achieve in the Valora Continent—or, should I say, in the entire Middle Domain."

His eyes shone as he continued. "However, there are rumors of a place beyond the Forsaken Wilds… Legend has it that in that place, Master Rank is just the beginning, and there are many more ranks of power for people to reach."

He sighed. "But to go to the Middle Domain, one would have to cross the Forsaken Wilds, and that would be suicide. Those who have ever ventured deep into the Forsaken Wilds never returned, including those with ambitions to enter the Middle Domain."