Aimless Ascension

They reached the farmland, exchanging all sorts of topics, from lost civilization and spirit arts to mundane matters. Sun Ziang was surprised to learn Gale could fly. Also, wanted to know more about how Gale could hide his aura so delicately that even though he could only detect he was only a copper ranker.

Sun Ziang seemed more open than he was in the inn, where he presented a reserved front.

"Nice place you're building," Sun Ziang said, finding the workers working on the frame of the house.

Though there's a long way to go, it did frame out the way Gale imagined. Well, Gale was involved in most of the decision-making. Of course, it would have the reflection of his imagination.

Still, it would take three-four weeks to be done with everything about the house. Gale's plan evolved along with the building as he asked them to make the framework for a greenhouse, as well as the outside bath and tank too.

"It takes a lot of courage to give up the martial path," Sun Ziang continued as Gale led into the house. "Especially when you're not that old. You're not even that much older than me, a couple of years at best."

It was not just about courage. Power has a thing about them. It changes people the more you hold on to it. People could go erratically if they were suddenly found incapable of exerting power anymore.

They created psychological cues in their mind on their own unconsciously, which with accumulated frustrations and disappointments, may develop into a dire mental disorder.

The people of this world called it the Heart demon, not properly understanding the reasons behind it. However, it wasn't all supernatural. It could happen with anything mundane as well. Even on earth, people have problems like these.

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In honesty, Gale was in better shape than these people. He always had a broad perspective of the world, which led his master—a grandmaster—to take him as a disciple.

Gale's talent was just above average, potential worse than a common mortal with him coming from earth. Although supernatural happenstance led him to have some unique power that was rather uncommon even in this world, it was his view of the world, and reasoning skill that impressed the grandmaster.

"I'm not afraid to admit it," Gale conceded, "but I really would've liked to spend a few more years in the marital world, adventuring new places and people, their traditions and cultures."

"Is that why you came to Tianhui?"

Gale didn't immediately respond. He led the guest into the drawing room. "What would you like? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate?"

"I think I would like a bath first, but it would delay me," Sun Ziang said after a thought. "Tea will do fine. Thank you."

"So you're retiring in this place? Alone," Sun Ziang said as Gale prepared the tea. He was weirdly talkative today. "Wouldn't it be better to stay with the people you're closest to?"

Gale smiled ruefully. He poured hot water nonchalantly and brought out the herbal tea. "Say you're in my position," Gale said, eventually. "You're one promising youngster with all the potential anyone would be envious of. I guess that's pretty easy for you to imagine with you being one such youth.

"Anyway, under some circumstances, you chose to end your martial path. Can you meet your mother's eyes after that? Every now and then like you did before?"

Sun Ziang went silent as the herbal odour filled the room. "I think I understand where you're getting at," Sun Ziang said. "And no, I won't be able to meet the disappointment in my mother's eyes. I would probably do something like this, now that I see this clearly."

Gale smiled and served the tea. This young scion probably never thought of giving up or coming to a circumstance where he would have to give up. With his mother being one of the most powerful individuals in this world, there wasn't much problem in this world she couldn't handle.

Even if such thoughts came to his mind, he was probably assured his mother could solve it easily.

'A sovereign could probably do something about corruption,' Gale thought and shook his head.

They spent a few more minutes in small talk, appreciating the tea until it ended and the time for the business came.

Gale told him the captive was being held in the farmhouse and led him there.

"You're still going to venture the mountains, right?"

"That's my punishment," Sun Ziang said, nodding. "But if I'm really going to do this, I won't do it like this anymore. Perhaps I'll band with some other people first."

"Yeah, going solo is a terrible plan," Gale advised. "You need to stay alert all the time, which could make you exhausted pretty easily. Besides, with other trustworthy people, the work seems to flow naturally."

"I seem to hear your nostalgia speaking there," Sun Ziang chuckled. "Already missing adventuring days?"

Gale smiled and didn't reply.

"I haven't been with trusted comrades anywhere," the noble scion continued. "Yes, I completed missions with other people, but they weren't my friends or peers. More like subordinates. . . ."

"Thankfully, you have an entire world laid open for you."

Gale opened the farmhouse and led Sun Ziang towards where the captive was held. Gale didn't forget to advise on following him exactly as there were trap constructs in place.

Gale unlocked them one after another as he led on. Since he was to hand-over the captive, there wasn't any reason to keep the traps. Someone else might get caught in them. Vale might even try to be over smart and get caught in them.

"You know script-work too?" the noble son asked, discovering how easily Gale was undoing trap constructs that was too hard for him to understand.

"I know a thing or two."

"Did you make those traps, too?"

"Most of them, yeah."

That led the noble scion to have a contemplative look. He didn't have the skill to appease those traps, though they didn't look novice-work to him. In the end, he remained silent until Gale showed him the worn-out captive clinging to a pool.

"Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead."

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