Aimless Ascension

Grandma Wang considered his words while Xiaolin looked with uncertainty. She understood very little of the conversation. She had heard of Fate-lock through the various stories of immortal lords and her study, but what Gale mentioned seemed like something else.

True, she would be ecstatic to have a fate-lock, but she knew she didn't possess the wealth to get one. Besides, she needed to be at copper to fuse with a fate-lock.

"Fate-lock created by men?" She couldn't help but murmur. "How's that possible?"

"All fate locks are created by men," Gale snorted. "The only difference is their level of skill and the materials."

Xiaolin's eyes widened at the implication. But the more she thought about it, the more true it seemed. Most fate locks were in the shape of weapons or tools, and who else would create such things other than intelligent beings? Well, she was aware some of the ancient ones, like Lord Heartflame's Bow, were God-given.

"Look at this." Gale rolled up his sleeves and showed the spiral mark that seemed to travel somewhere deep. Xiaolin prickled her nose at the boundless deepness. "This too is an artificial one, though the way to recreate it is lost. But this one is not artificial."

Saying that, he unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his chest to show a white shield emblem. The surrounding aura made her feel close to that of Vale.

"This one works on intent and faith from what I've been told. There's no hammering or scribbling about it, but there are not many such fate locks left in this world.

"I'm not forcing anything, just putting it out there if there's no other way."

After saying that, Gale stood up. It's time for breakfast already. "Hit me when the papers are ready. I need to make a jog to the Artisan guild."

Only then did the question arrive in her mind. Elder sister Wang Li said, senior is a copper ranker even though he drank a mug of iron drink, but how can he have two fate-locks if he's only copper?

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She wanted to ask Grandma, who knew more about that stuff, but the thoughtful look in her eyes made her reconsider. Also, she already spoke too much about Senior Gale to her, making her have wild ideas. She had enough of the embarrassment already.

"Have you counted the coins?" Grandma Wang asked when Senior Gale's figure couldn't be seen anymore.

Xiaolin nodded. "Nine thousand seven hundred twenty-two."

"Seem like your senior really wants to pay full price for the property."

"Or he didn't care about marks," Xiaolin replied. "He just tossed a portion that seemed close to the number."

"Well, we took care of one thing. What do you want to do with the rest of the land?"

"I hadn't thought about it." Xiaolin's voice grew solemn. "Father only wanted to sell this much because taking care of all of it became tough only with the two of us."

"Well, you can't do farming alone, and I won't let you until the problem is settled. Perhaps you should ask your senior Gale to take a rest for a lease."

Xiaolin was too flustered to answer.

"I'm serious, girl," Grandma Yushen snorted. "That boy would need a place to stay until he builds one. Besides, it's better to leave the property in use. Talk to him about it, or do I have to do it myself?"

"I'll talk to senior." Xiaolin paused. "Grandma, will there be any problem?"

"I hope not," Wang Yushen said in an aged tone, "but if it arrives, I'll deal with it. Can you carry the lockbox?"

"I"ll manage," Xiaolin said, tugging at the metal chest.

"Well, leave it if you can't. Anyway, you will go see Feng later, yes?" Finding the girl nodding, she continued, "Remember to take medicines from my room."

"Yes, Grandma." Xiaolin turned to carry out the chest, even though she wanted to ask about what Grandma thought about the way Senior Gale talked about.

But that look on her face didn't go unnoticed by Wang Yushen's eyes.

"You wanted to know more about what the boy said?" She put it as a question, but it was really a statement. She continued, not waiting for her to reply. "I don't know much about it. In my time there wasn't such a thing, though I did hear before practitioners crippling themselves trying to fuse with fake fate-locks."

Xiaolin's face grew curious to serious in a matter of seconds.

"I'll ask a knowledgeable person about it."

Xiaolin nodded, tugged the chest and was about to leave when Grandma called her again.

"Linlin, what did you sniff about that beast?"

Xiaolin said the first word that came to her mind. "A majestic tree?" A frown perked on her brows. "I don't know, but he felt sacred, somehow."

"And the boy?"

"He smelt like burning and nothing."

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Done! I'm off to sleep. We'll be farming in about a few chapters. But maybe before that, I would write a short interlude. Let's see.