The Sovereign of All Realms

I Have Three Phases

In the Grand Xia Kingdom, in the Tian Shu County.

In the city of Southern Wind in June, the sun blazed like fire, scorching the earth.At the Southern Wind Academy.The spacious and bright training ground.Many young boys and girls, their faces still youthful and full of vitality, sat cross-legged around the area in their training uniforms. Their eyes were fixed on the center of the field, where two figures were rapidly sparring, the wooden swords in their hands clashing with crisp sounds that echoed throughout the training ground.The two in the center were both around fifteen or sixteen years old. The boy on the right had a tall, slender figure, a handsome face, and sharp eyes. His physique and demeanor were both outstanding. Even without considering anything else, just his top-notch looks alone were enough to attract the bright eyes of some girls around him, who gazed at him with shy admiration."Go, Li Luo!" A bold girl even shouted out in encouragement.Standing opposite Li Luo was a burly boy. His face was rugged, his skin tanned, and compared to Li Luo, he looked like a human and a black bear standing side by side.So when he heard the girls cheering for Li Luo, he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous, and he grumbled before shouting, "Li Luo, I'm not holding back anymore!"He stepped forward, the ground shaking slightly under his foot, and the wooden sword in his hand sliced through the air, faintly carrying a whistling sound as it slashed toward Li Luo.As the sword came down, Li Luo's eyes flashed. With a light tap of his toe, his figure swiftly darted out of the way, moving as nimbly as a sparrow, easily dodging the heavy and powerful strike."That's the Sparrow Step!" someone in the crowd exclaimed in admiration. The Sparrow Step was a low-level technique, and though many knew it, few could execute it as skillfully as Li Luo.Li Luo's figure, like a sparrow, quickly closed the distance between him and the burly boy. The wooden sword in his hand suddenly drew out in a swift motion, and for a moment, it seemed as though a flash of light streaked through the air as he stabbed toward the burly boy's chest at lightning speed."Little Spark Sword!" someone else gasped. Li Luo's strike, quick and fierce, was like a flash of light, and they couldn't help but marvel at how the number one prodigy of Southern Wind Academy truly lived up to his reputation.As the sword strike rapidly approached, the burly boy's expression changed. However, his strength was not ordinary either. In the critical moment, he forcibly steadied himself, stomping his foot as he quickly retreated several steps.At the same time, a faint silver glow appeared on the surface of his body, and the hand holding the wooden sword seemed to transform into a blurred silver bear paw.A low bear-like growl faintly emanated from the burly boy's body.Seeing this, the students in the crowd immediately exclaimed in surprise, "That's Zhao Kuo's Silver Bear Phase, a fifth-grade phase! Looks like he's serious now!"Amid the many exclamations, Zhao Kuo stepped forward, cracking the ground beneath his foot. His heavy sword, imbued with fierce, brute strength, whipped up a gust of wind as it slashed viciously toward Li Luo.Silver light surged from the wooden sword, and the whistling of the wind echoed sharply."Violent Slash!"The burly boy roared as the heavy sword slashed down, clashing directly with the swiftly stabbing sword shadow.Bang!In the next moment, the two wooden swords collided forcefully.　　In the intense collision, the wooden sword in Li Luo's hand nearly shattered upon impact. A force as overwhelming as a rampaging bear surged through, and the entire sword was forcefully shattered into pieces.The powerful shock sent Li Luo staggering back over ten steps.After steadying himself, Li Luo looked down at the shattered sword in his hand, smiled helplessly, and said, "Alright, Zhao Kuo, you win.""Sigh."As soon as he said this, some of the girls in the crowd let out sounds of disappointment, while many of the boys snickered. After all, being young and full of energy, they couldn't help but feel envious and jealous of how popular Li Luo was among the girls."It's such a pity. Li Luo's attacks were obviously more fierce, and his mastery of techniques is far superior to Zhao Kuo's. If it weren't for the fact that he lacks a phase, he would have definitely won this match," someone commented."Yeah, Zhao Kuo has a fifth-grade Silver Bear Phase, which gives him incredible strength. His phase force is likely at the five-seal level. No wonder he's currently the strongest in our Second Division.""Li Luo's talent and comprehension in cultivating techniques are indeed impressive, but he's born with an empty phase, which is a major flaw. Without strong phase force to support it, no matter how proficient he becomes in techniques, it's not going to make much of a difference.""Haha, don't pity him too much. Li Luo is the young lord of the 'Luolan House,' one of the five great houses of the Grand Xia Kingdom. His parents are the youngest titled marquises in the kingdom, and in just ten years, they've built Luolan House into one of the five great houses. Their reputation isn't just limited to the Grand Xia Kingdom; they're well-known even beyond its borders.""Well, that was all in the past. Ever since Li Luo's parents disappeared in the 'Marquess Battlefield' three years ago, Luolan House has been on the decline. From what I've heard, there's now significant internal strife within the house, and it might even split apart in the future. Li Luo may not remain the young lord for long.""Oh? Is that so? But isn't Senior Sister Jiang Qing'e currently in charge of Luolan House?"At the mention of this name, the eyes of all the boys present grew much brighter. After all, in the Southern Wind Academy, that name was legendary.However, when they recalled the relationship between this legendary senior sister and Li Luo, they couldn't help but look at him with somewhat peculiar expressions.While the boys and girls in the crowd whispered among themselves, Zhao Kuo, who was in the arena, walked over to Li Luo and patted him on the shoulder, grinning as he said, "Are you alright? Don't blame me for using my full strength."Li Luo smiled. Zhao Kuo was straightforward and had a good relationship with him. There was nothing inappropriate about Zhao Kuo's actions.After all, being born with an empty phase was his biggest weakness. He couldn't blame Zhao Kuo for that.At the edge of the arena, a middle-aged man withdrew his gaze from the two in the center. His name was Xu Shanyue, a teacher in the Second Division.His eyes were also filled with regret.Li Luo's comprehension was extraordinary. Any technique he practiced, he could master faster than others. In this regard, he clearly inherited the talents of his exceptional parents, perhaps even surpassing them.But the unfortunate reality was... Li Luo was born with an empty phase, making the cultivation of phase force difficult for him.Human cultivation relies on one's phase, the fundamental element of cultivation.Through one's phase, one absorbs the energy of heaven and earth, which then forms phase force.Human phases come in countless varieties, but they are generally divided into two major categories: elemental phases and beast phases.Elemental phases encompass the many elements of nature, such as water, fire, wind, and lightning. Beast phases, on the other hand, are said to have originated from the ancient times when supreme beings, seeking to strengthen humanity, infused the spirits of myriad beasts into the bloodlines of humans, thus giving rise to the so-called beast phases.Both elemental and beast phases are ranked according to their quality, typically categorized from first to ninth grade.When a human child reaches the age of about ten or so, an aperture will naturally open within their body. This aperture is called the phase palace.When the phase palace emerges, it will naturally give rise to one's phase.For example, Zhao Kuo's phase palace awakened a fifth-grade Silver Bear Phase, a type of beast phase.This phase is characterized by immense strength, and when combined with his phase force, its destructive power is formidable.But the problem with Li Luo lies in the fact that when his phase palace opened, no phase emerged from it; it was completely empty. This is why he is known as one of the rare individuals with an empty phase.Without a phase as the fundamental element to absorb and refine the energy of heaven and earth, Li Luo naturally finds it difficult to cultivate powerful phase force... which is the fundamental reason why he lost to Zhao Kuo.Because his phase palace lacks a phase.The issue of Li Luo's empty phase has been examined multiple times within the academy. Due to the extraordinary accomplishments of his parents, the academy's leadership had high expectations for Li Luo upon his enrollment, believing that he would eventually gain admission to the Grand Xia Kingdom's most prestigious institution, the Holy Xuanxing Academy.In his first year, Li Luo did not disappoint. He demonstrated exceptional talent in the cultivation of techniques, earning him a spot in the First Division of the Southern Wind Academy, where the most talented students in the Tian Shu County gathered.But as time passed and the students reached the age when their phase palaces manifested, Li Luo's situation became increasingly awkward.While others developed their phases, Li Luo... though his phase palace had appeared, it was empty.Lacking a phase, Li Luo's phase force developed much more slowly than that of his peers in the First Division, falling below the division's average after just one year.The purpose of cultivating techniques is to enhance the power of one's phase force. But if the phase force is weak, no matter how advanced the techniques, their power will be limited.After repeated tests, the academy's leadership concluded that this was likely due to Li Luo's unique constitution.This constitution lacks a phase, making it difficult for him to absorb and refine the energy of heaven and earth, leading to a particularly challenging path of cultivation ahead.When this conclusion was reached, the teacher of the First Division immediately applied to the academy's leadership to transfer Li Luo to the Second Division.This was understandable. After all, the First Division is the pride of the Southern Wind Academy, and the teacher didn't want Li Luo to hold them back. Of course, the most important factor was that by that time, Li Luo's parents had been missing for a long while, and without those two pillars of support, Luolan House, the weakest of the four great houses, had also fallen into an increasingly awkward position within the Grand Xia Kingdom.Thus, Li Luo ultimately ended up in the Second Division.Xu Shanyue sighed inwardly. When Li Luo first arrived at the Second Division, Zhao Kuo was not even a match for him. But now, after just six months, Zhao Kuo had started to overpower him.At this rate, Li Luo's ranking in the Second Division would likely continue to decline in the coming months.If Li Luo's performance remains as it is, the Holy Xuanxing Academy, that everyone in the Grand Xia Kingdom aspires to enter, will probably be out of his reach.Xu Shanyue looked at Li Luo's tall figure and handsome, calm face, feeling even more regretful. This young man had worked very hard, but because his parents were too outstanding and exceptional, people had placed very high expectations on him. Now, those exceptional parents had instead become a source of pressure for him.After all, people only talk about "like father, like son," and don't bother to understand the deeper issues.Facing the many regretful gazes, Li Luo dusted off the splinters of wood from his body and then sat down cross-legged on the side. He knew full well what everyone was thinking at this moment.An empty phase...This practically signifies a bleak future.However, Li Luo slightly pursed his lips and couldn't help but touch his lower abdomen. In fact, apart from himself, no one else knew that his uniqueness wasn't just about the so-called empty attribute.In this world, practitioners initially develop only one attribute palace within their body. Later, if they reach the Marquis stage, they will develop a second attribute palace, and at the King stage, a third palace. However, even in the entire Great Xia Kingdom, there are very few who reach the Marquis stage, and the King stage is rarely heard of even in this powerful country.Of course, this isn't absolute. It is said that individuals with exceptional talent might, with an extremely low probability, develop a second attribute palace before reaching the Marquis stage, although such cases are exceedingly rare.And Li Luo's other unique trait lies here... Although he is still at the very initial Ten Seal stage, he doesn't have one attribute palace within his body... but, unbelievably, three!Yes, this level is typically achieved only by peak King-level powerhouses, yet it appears within Li Luo's body.But what's even more troubling is that these three attribute palaces are all empty!So, if one empty attribute palace signifies a bleak future, what does having three empty attribute palaces mean? Is that considered promising or not?Li Luo sighed, his expression somewhat melancholy.As Li Luo's thoughts grew complex, Zhao Kuo sat down next to him and quietly asked, "Have you not resolved your empty attribute issue yet?"Li Luo simply shook his head.Seeing this, Zhao Kuo sighed helplessly. He knew he had asked a pointless question, as attributes are innate and it seems there has never been a case of filling them in later.Clearly, Li Luo's problem is a monumental one.As the two spoke, Xu Shanyue walked into the arena, offering some words of encouragement to Li Luo before addressing the other students: "Everyone, next month is the crucial examination period. Whether you can enter a higher institution depends on this test, so all of you should work hard in your training."The students' expressions grew serious upon hearing this. They had been studying hard for years, and the upcoming exam was their chance to enter a higher institution, which would greatly enhance their future achievements.After Xu Shanyue finished speaking, he dismissed the class.Li Luo and Zhao Kuo left the training ground together amidst the crowd."I need to go practice my skills a bit more. You've really hit me hard today. If your attribute power were any stronger, you might have been able to beat me up," Zhao Kuo said with a hint of melancholy, then waved goodbye to Li Luo.Li Luo watched Zhao Kuo's retreating figure and smiled. He understood that Zhao Kuo was leaving early to avoid affecting his mood because of the earlier match.He had grown used to this over time.Li Luo shifted his gaze and walked along a forest path towards the school gate.On the way, he encountered many students, who, whether male or female, all cast their eyes upon him. After all, apart from his striking appearance, Li Luo was also a figure of legendary status in the academy.Li Luo paid little attention to their gazes. He continued along the path until he reached the school gate.Ahead, there was a large crowd gathered, bustling and noisy.The students were surrounding a stone wall, the Honor Wall of South Wind Academy, which recorded all the outstanding individuals who had emerged from the academy.Although the students had seen this Honor Wall countless times and might be tired of it, it remained the most lively spot every day.Li Luo pursed his lips. He knew the reason for this crowd-most of them were here because of her.His gaze fell upon a specific spot on the Honor Wall where a crystal stone emitted radiant light, forming a slender and lifelike figure.It was a girl, dressed in the academy's uniform: a simple white top with a sky-blue short cloak fluttering in the wind, and a black skirt with long, slender, and strikingly white legs.She had exquisite features: a well-defined nose, long and thick eyelashes, and snow-white skin. Yet what stood out the most were her eyes.Her golden pupils exuded an inexplicable purity that, if stared at for too long, could even bring a sense of pressure.Her expression was somewhat aloof as she gazed ahead. One hand rested on her slender waist, while the other held a heavy sword, radiating an air of boldness and strength.This girl was captivating both in appearance and demeanor.The wall behind her illuminated figure bore her name: Jiang Qing'e. She was a brilliant gem of South Wind Academy, possessing a Nine-Rank Light Attribute. Her exceptional talent had astonished many in the Great Xia Kingdom.Within just two years of enrollment, she had been specially recruited by the prestigious Saint Xuanxing Academy of the Great Xia Kingdom, becoming the first in a hundred years from Tian Shu County to receive such an honor.She had become a legend at South Wind Academy, with countless students looking up to her, and now her fame extended throughout the Great Xia Kingdom.Li Luo gazed at Jiang Qing'e's illuminated figure, and then he noticed the surrounding eyes turning toward him. Those students, regardless of gender, looked at him with a mix of unwillingness, envy, and peculiar expressions.Li Luo remained indifferent to their gazes. He understood the source of their attention.It was because of Jiang Qing'e.This revered figure in South Wind Academy, admired as a goddess by both male and female students, was not only the disciple of his parents but also... his fiancée.To put it plainly, Jiang Qing'e was his betrothed.