Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

In the mornings, he continued his work at Runes Hall under Ann's supervision. Afterward, he spent some time studying in the Library and cultivating with Mary. His afternoons began with a visit to Electa, followed by practicing rune creation before meeting with Grace. In the early evening, after dinner, he focused on studying for his escape and eventual hideout, then spent time with Nance.

Finally, he trained with Thal'Korr before sleeping.

Despite his packed schedule, these were some of Liam's best days in the sect since arriving at headquarters. With the Leopards and Enos keeping their distance, he didn't have to worry as much about his safety.

Meanwhile, Electa completed the translation of the incubus' book, and Mary advanced to 7-Star.

On the fifth day after the Arcane Symposium, it was the eve of the certification exam for Second Class Runemasters!

That day, Liam successfully created his first enchantment using only Second Class runes and managed to create two of them consecutively. Although he wasn't yet ready to test Third Class enchantments, this achievement boosted his confidence for the upcoming exam.

...

The night before the exam, Virginia and Giles found themselves in a bar in City Thirteen.

Seated at a small table, the two contenders wore apathetic expressions as they stared at large glasses filled with a red drink, surrounded by several empty ones. The strong smell of alcohol hung heavily in the air, and their speech was slurred and occasionally stuttered.

"Giles… I should kill you, you know. The next test would be easier without you in it," the red-haired girl said, attempting to focus on the man in front of her but strangely seeing multiple sets of eyes.

"Kill me? You should be more worried about Fred. That wretch is your biggest competition. I'll have to wait another six months for my certification," replied the boy with short brown hair, sounding rather sad.

He had worked hard for nearly two months under Ann's supervision, but now, on the eve of the promotion exam, he couldn't help but be realistic. He was the weakest of the four under Ann's guidance and likely faced several more months of tutelage.

Virginia sighed deeply, acknowledging not only Giles' predicament but also her own. "Sigh! Nothing can help us now. Only if Liam and Fred were to disappear tonight would we be better off."

"Liam withstood the pressure even from the Emerald Owls, so who could kill him? We certainly can't." He shook his crumpled face.

"What about Fred?" she asked, a strange glint in her eyes.

"Fred could handle both of us with one hand tied behind his back. But he's probably figuring out how to deal with Liam. Let's hope they destroy each other tonight, and tomorrow it'll just be us left," he said.

"You're giving me another reason to kill you," she replied, considering the possibility.

"Instead of killing me, why don't we head to my room?" he suggested cleverly. "It's better to spend a fun evening with me than to be alone and endure the mental torture of waiting until tomorrow."

"You're smarter than you look," she laughed as she stood up. "But you're right. Just know I'm not opening my legs for you."

"We can just talk, if that's what you want," the young man offered, feeling a bit of sobriety return and seeing an opportunity.

Leaving payment for their drinks on the table, they walked together, arms around each other's shoulders or waists, making their way with difficulty to one of the dormitories.

While they appeared to be two drunk friends heading home, chatting and laughing, Fred passed by them, much more serious and somber. Liam's image kept flashing in his mind as he clenched his teeth.

Ignoring the two drunken idiots who posed no danger to him, he continued with his latest plan to get his certification.

'Bloody Liam! You escaped the Emerald Owls' attempts, even when I warned them you had 'become' a Second Class Runemaster. But it won't stay that way. Let's see if you can make it to the Runes Hall tomorrow!'

He moved on, not to Liam's dormitory to look for trouble, but to Liam's enemies!

...

Later, at the dormitory on Street Thirty-Seven, the moon gleamed in the starry sky, unobstructed by clouds, offering a beautiful night view.

Outside Liam's room, four members of the Leopards stood guard to ensure his peace throughout the night.

Although these guards were not stronger than Liam, dealing with four peak Spirit Lords in such a confined space could be challenging. With many eyes on the area and Officers nearby, the Leopards served as witnesses to deter potential trouble.

While they might not prevent a fight, they could alert others to any incident involving Liam, discouraging anyone from taking action against him.

As the four men maintained the peace, a hooded woman stopped at Liam's door and discreetly slipped an envelope under it. The guards did not intervene, recognizing her as merely an errand girl, and continued their watch.

Inside the room, a blue-haired woman noticed the envelope.

"Hey, someone just dropped that in here," Nance said, sitting at the end of the bed.

Initially, she hadn't planned to get too involved with Liam while he was entangled in city troubles. However, after spending days with him, she set aside her rational side and found herself returning to him daily. She had just gotten dressed after their things and was talking to him when she saw the message under the door.

Liam picked up the envelope and read its contents, a message from Ester.

{... Get ready, they're going to take action against you and stop you from taking your Runemaster exam.} Ester finished her message, talking about the Abyss Matriarchs and the Crimson Rebels.

Liam's eyes narrowed as he saw that these two groups were finally moving against him.

'You want to kill me during the hunt for the Silver-Winged Leopard, but you'll also try to sabotage my professional endeavors?' Liam understood Ester's message, having heard about the slight change in plans from the two groups.

They still intended to attack him during the hunt for the Silver-Winged Leopard, as it would be outside the city and both groups would already be confronting the Leopards. However, Ester had informed him they had learned about his exam the next day and were interested in disrupting his plans.

Ester warned him about potential roadblocks and problems he might face on his way to Runes Hall the following morning.

The certification exam was scheduled for the next day between 8 and 9 a.m. on the second floor of Runes Hall, in room 211. Anyone arriving over ten minutes after 8 a.m. would be barred from taking the exam and would have to wait another two months for the next opportunity.

"What's wrong?" Nance noticed the concern on Liam's face.

He didn't hide it from his blue-haired companion. "The Abyss Matriarchs and the Crimson Rebels are planning to stop me from taking my Second Class Runemaster certification exam tomorrow… And since they're going to act, it's likely that the Emerald Owls will move as well."

Nance understood Liam's situation, already knowing that these three factions had had problems with him since he joined the sect. Her group had also thought about recruiting Liam, but they were not as quick and decisive as those groups.

She thought for a moment and said, "If you're willing, I can help you get to Runes Hall tomorrow without any problems." She smiled at the plan she had quickly come up with. "But you'll have to spend the night with me, haha."