Lyn crossed thousands of kilometres in a single leap. Wind compressed around him as the cold sank through his clothes and deep into his bones. The force of the flight battered him from every direction, yet he endured without slowing.
If I cannot withstand even this, what else can I possibly do in this world?
While falling through the open sky, Lyn activated Pegasus's Leap once more and vanished from that stretch of air, reappearing thousands of kilometres farther ahead. Each activation allowed him to leap from the air itself, although neither the violent wind nor the bone-deep cold offered him any relief.
Three days passed without pause, he could not afford to stop. Defying Sun remained somewhere ahead, continuously supplying Essence through the linked formation, and allowing too much distance to grow between them might sever that connection. The magnetic sensation guiding him suddenly became stronger. Rather than activating the shard in full bursts, Lyn restricted the flow of Essence and reduced the height and distance of each leap until he began a controlled descent.
A vast mountain range emerged beneath him. Forests covered the slopes, but their trees were unlike anything he had encountered before. Their trunks and branches appeared to be made from solidified light, filling the entire forest with a radiance bright enough to make every leaf and branch visible from the sky.
Farther along the mountainside, a pack of wolves moved between the glowing trees. Each beast was as large as one of the surrounding trunks, and their golden fangs scorched the ground beneath their jaws.
Then Lyn noticed a figure standing below. Long silver hair flowed down his back, while his posture remained as straight and unmoving as the mountain peak behind him.
"Defying Sun!" Lyn shouted as he descended.
"Oh, there you are." Vilen chuckled. "I was beginning to worry that you had been left behind."
Anger rose through Lyn as his feet approached the mountainside. Pegasus's Leap had caused far more trouble than he had expected, and Vilen had sent him across millions of kilometres without even warning him about the cold.
Vilen studied Lyn's deathly pale face. "Whoa, kid. Why didn't you use the fire formation to keep yourself warm?" His brows lifted. "I understand that you want to become strong. Not many people receive an opportunity like yours, but pushing yourself this far is excessive."
Lyn answered him with silence.
Fire formation? What fire formation?!
After allowing the silence to linger, Lyn concealed his agitation beneath a calm voice.
"Everything is an opportunity to grow, Sir Defying Sun."
"I like your spirit, kid!" Vilen said with a laugh. His amusement vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, and his expression turned serious.
"You had no idea how to use the fire formation, did you?"
Lyn once again chose silence over an answer.
This man can change his personality almost instantly. Of course someone like him would become an Expression of Heaven.
Lyn was not sure what to make of Defying Sun. Vilen's complex personality did not surprise him, though he could not help feeling somewhat disappointed. When he had first met Defying Sun, Lyn had thought Vilen might be someone he could use. After giving the matter further thought, however, he realized how impossible that would be. He remembered how easily Vilen had seen through his lie, and the thought discouraged him deeply. It had felt as though Vilen were observing everything, even the way Lyn breathed.
"Ah, I cannot get angry with you. You are a commoner, after all." Vilen sighed. "Naturally, you would not know how to divide your attention between activating the shard and controlling a formation."
He studied Lyn for a moment before continuing. "Consider this your first lesson. You have already experienced the consequences of lacking knowledge. Still, I miscalculated. I assumed you possessed a Notion Shard that would allow you to split your focus."
Vilen extended his left arm. A thin, glass-like line appeared before his palm and widened until it became large enough to fill his hand. A Heavenly Shard materialized within it, resembling a fragment of broken glass covered in faintly glowing symbols Lyn did not recognize.
"Ah, is that what people call a Notion Shard?" Lyn asked, genuine happiness entering his voice as he remembered reading about them in the library.
Defying Sun appeared to have forgotten just how difficult it was for commoners to acquire Shards. Most people lived from one day to the next, barely earning enough to survive, while Notion Shards rarely reached ordinary markets. Even when one appeared for sale, its price was normally absurd.
Of course it was absurd but also justified. A Notion Shard was like the sail of a ship; without one, a person could never truly set out upon the path ahead. Their average value exceeded one hundred thousand contribution tokens. Most people had only five hundred to eight hundred tokens available for living expenses, while Lyn had possessed far less during his time as a worthless miner in a small village. He had earned forty-two tokens each month, provided the overseer did not deduct some for supposedly failing to mine enough.
"Indeed, it is. Take it." Vilen appeared half-surprised by Lyn's delight over a mere Rank Three shard. "It contains no foreign Essence and is completely clean."
"Thank you, Sir Defying Sun!" The sight of the Shard filled Lyn with genuine joy. It was not merely a Rank 1 Notion Shard, but a Rank 3 one. He had never seen a Notion Shard appear in Hazelrun before. Why would one ever appear in such an insignificant, unknown village? A Notion Shard was far too valuable for a place like that. Even now, Lyn was grateful that he had visited the library so long ago and learned more about them. Before that, he had only heard scattered fragments from his adoptive parents. His father would sometimes speak of Notion Shards while they chopped wood together.
"Had I possessed a Notion Shard, perhaps I could have become a true Dao Chosen," he had once said. "But alas, even dreaming about one feels expensive."
Without a Notion Shard, a person was simply too limited in combat and had little hope for the future. Most could perhaps reach Rank 5 at best, but without a Notion Shard, even reaching that point demanded an extreme amount of effort luck and talent. It was simply too difficult. Combat required immense concentration, especially when using complex techniques. Without a Notion Shard, a person might become a low-ranking soldier, but little more. For most people, that was enough.
The memory made the Notion Shard seem heavier in Lyn's hands. Khor had spent his life knowing that such an opportunity would forever remain beyond his reach, yet Lyn now held one without having paid anything for it. Not merely a Rank 1 Shard, either, but a Rank 3. He accepted the Notion Shard and passed it through his Shard Gate into his Vessel Realm. The moment it entered, his Essence flowed into the Shard, allowing him to activate it.
Lyn then brought it back outside his Vessel Realm and reduced it until it measured no more than a millimetre. The tiny shard floated around him like a satellite. His reason for doing so, rather than invoking the shard directly from within his Vessel Realm, was simple: he had no intention of drawing Defying Sun's gaze.
The forms and sizes of shards could be influenced because of their nature, although the same method did not work with every kind. Most shards needed to be held, unless their owner possessed enough skill to activate them directly from the Vessel Realm. A shard could also be stolen, which was why many Dao Chosen chose to miniaturize theirs. However, once a shard had been filled with someone's Essence, its owner could mentally detonate it within a certain range.
The moment Lyn activated the Notion Shard, an unfamiliar ease spread through his mind. His thoughts became calmer and more expansive, and he immediately sensed that his attention was no longer restricted to a single point. He observed the grass glowing faintly beneath his feet while simultaneously listening to the birds singing among the trees and studying the branches of solidified light above them.
"Sir Defying Sun?" Lyn murmured.
"Hm? Yes?" Vilen replied, allowing nearly ten shards of different shapes and appearances to float around him.
"What is this place?"
Lyn had never encountered anything resembling it. Trees formed from solidified light surrounded them, the grass glowed beneath their feet, and wolves as large as trees roamed the upper slopes.
"Ah, I see that you have finally noticed." Vilen looked toward the radiant forest. "This is one of the mountains within the range known as Lightbloom. It is a mid-sized resource point belonging to our sect. The mountain produces various materials."
The scent of burning lingered in the air.
So that is why people say the Light and Fire Paths rarely conflict.
While Lyn examined the forest, Vilen completed a formation. A temporary shelter rose around them almost instantly, and by the time the process ended, they were already standing inside. The floors and walls were made from dark wood. Three rooms occupied the interior, along with two separate beds and basic embedded formations that provided water, bathing, and other necessities. Faint veins of light ran through the walls, while two windows overlooked the glowing forest outside.
"Kid, the bed on the right is yours," Vilen said while stretching his back.
He opened his Shard Gate and released another shard. It resembled a miniature bag made from glass. Vilen squeezed it until it shattered. A table and two chairs appeared in the room, followed by simple, nutritious food and water.
"Man, I love this Simple Dish Shard," Defying Sun said, his voice filled with joy.
"That is... whoa. That is truly impressive!" Lyn said, allowing his amazement to show openly in his voice.
People enjoyed being praised. He wondered whether Defying Sun might be swayed by a little flattery, but even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew how pointless it was. An immortal, fooled by such crude trickery? Hmph.
"Come. Let us eat. We can speak over the meal," Defying Sun said in a relaxed tone.
Inwardly, he sneered at Lyn's attempt, though he was also somewhat impressed that the boy still had the courage to test his luck. Most people would not dare once they realized they were not dealing with a fish, but a kraken.
"I won't refuse!" Lyn took a seat beside the table.
As they ate, Defying Sun explained that they still required approximately three more days of travel. The Restless Mountains remained another 4.32 million kilometres away.
he world was simply too vast.
Lyn could not even begin to guess how long such a journey would take with a Rank 3 speed-type Shard. As its name suggested, these type's of Shard's were primarily used for travel, though it could also be used in combat. Some time ago, he had estimated that crossing the distance between Emberbar and the Restless Mountains without a speed-type Shard might take several months, perhaps even an entire year.
In truth, who could say?
The scale resisted comprehension. The Ashen Light Sect alone claimed roughly forty million square kilometres of territory, a domain larger than the entire Asian continent. Hundreds of distinct cultures existed beneath its banner, along with millions, perhaps even billions, of lives. And yet, the Ashen Light Sect was considered only a middle-tier sect.
"Finish eating. We will sleep and leave at first light," Vilen said through a yawn.
Lyn smiled, although excitement and profound unease moved together beneath the expression. He had not even formed a precise goal, yet the simple desire to continue advancing seemed impossible. Burdened by those thoughts, Lyn went to bed and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep almost immediately.
It felt as though he had only just closed his eyes when a sharp snap tore him awake. The shelter dissolved around them, separating into ten distinct shards that Defying Sun summoned through his Shard Gate and stored away. Lyn found himself lying on the faintly glowing grass where the bed had previously stood.
"You could have waited until I was standing," he muttered as he pushed himself upright.
Defying Sun laughed. "Time is a luxury, boy. You are not my only student."
He spoke with relaxed finality before vanishing from the mountainside.
Of course one mouse is not enough. Throw enough of them, and at least one will work.
Lyn did not immediately follow. For a moment, he remained on the grass and stared into the clear blue sky while breathing the faint, ever-present scent of sulphur clinging to the Lightbloom Mountains. Then he stood, focused his intent upon Pegasus's Leap, and vanished after Defying Sun.
As the shard flung him thousands of kilometres through the air, Lyn poured Essence into the Notion Shard and divided his attention during the flight.
So he was not lying. There really is a fire formation.
A wave of calm passed through him as the newly divided portion of his mind searched the stream of Essence Defying Sun continuously supplied. Lyn located the embedded fire formation and activated it. Perfect warmth spread over his body, neither cold nor hot, maintaining a precise equilibrium despite the wind tearing past him. A faint reddish glow radiated from his skin as he continued hurtling through the sky.
I am not his only student? That could be troublesome. Or perhaps it is simply another opportunity. It depends upon my skill.
The thought settled heavily in his stomach, carrying both caution and cold calculation. Two more days passed without rest.
"The magnetic pull is growing stronger," Lyn observed as he restricted the shard's output and began another slow descent. While searching the ground below, he quickly spotted Defying Sun standing rigidly at the edge of what appeared to be an ordinary forest. Compared with the neighbouring territories, most of the Ashen Light Sect's domain consisted of open plains, with relatively few mountain ranges.
"This forest..." Defying Sun's voice became clipped. "Hmph. Kid, we need to make a wide turn around this entire region. It will add another day to our flight, but it cannot be helped. This area, and the towns within it, are..." He trailed off and shook his head.
"Never mind. Just follow me."
Lyn stared toward the forest.
What is different about it?
They had already passed thousands of villages, towns, and forests that appeared no different from this one. Lyn could see nothing that explained Defying Sun's reaction.
What secret do these particular towns hold?
He received no answer. After pushing his intent into Pegasus's Leap, Lyn rose into the sky once more. Their journey continued along a wide and silent arc around the territory Defying Sun had refused to name. Four days passed in a blur of almost constant travel, interrupted only by brief pauses lasting a few hours.
When the magnetic pull finally became a direct tug, the world opened beneath them and revealed a wall of mountains so immense that it appeared to support the sky.
Lyn's breath caught.
They flew beside cliffs that rose without end, their surfaces scarred by ancient glaciers and concealed beneath drifting veils of mist. A flock of crimson-feathered birds swept past them, their eyes resembling burning coals. Warm air hissed across Lyn's face before the birds plunged into the chasm below and disappeared.
A fortress occupied one colossal shoulder of rock. It was a brutal, square structure built from dark stone, its walls merging with the mountain as though they had grown from it. Directly beneath the fortress, immense training yards and obstacle courses had been carved into the mountainside like steps made for giants. Defying Sun descended toward the outer wall, a seamless face of rock rising fifty metres above the surrounding terrain. Lyn followed and landed beside him upon the narrow stone walkway running along its summit.
"Follow me to my office," Defying Sun said, his voice flat in the thin mountain air. "Do not lag behind. The patrols will reset the perimeter soon."
Lyn stepped onto the broad outer wall and stopped. Hundreds of armoured figures stood along the walkway at rigid intervals, motionless as statues. Polished white armour covered their bodies, while masks made from faintly glowing, solidified light concealed their faces. Each soldier openly radiated the disciplined Essence of Rank Five.
A full division of the Ashen Light Sect's soldiers.
Lyn studied their precise formation.
Or at least a small, elite legion.
Their presence made a clear statement.
Are they Defying Sun's private garrison, or were they stationed here for something beyond the training ground of a single Expression of Heaven?
"Hello? Kid, follow me." Defying Sun looked back impatiently. "Let us get this damned paperwork over with. I hate this part."
As they began walking, one of the masked soldiers stepped out from the line and saluted with a fist against his chest.
"General, you are needed urgently. There have been fatalities during training on the lower obstacle course."
Defying Sun did not break his stride. "Send a detail to bury them. Deduct the disposal cost from the Merit Points of every participant involved."
"Understood, Sir."
The soldier returned to the line without another word.
"Come on. It is just around the corner," Defying Sun said, his tone returning to its false, relaxed ease.
He led Lyn down a broad staircase carved into the fortress's inner wall. At the bottom, Lyn saw a building that looked profoundly out of place among the grim barracks and functional training halls filling the courtyard.
Flawless white marble formed its walls, every surface polished enough to catch the cold mountain light. A graceful arched door of dark wood stood open between two tall windows of leaded glass, while an elegant terrace encircled the second floor and overlooked the crowded courtyard below.
If I did not know any better, I would think this was a castle from a painting.
The rest of the fortress teemed with activity.
Disciples wearing grey robes similar to the one bundled beneath Lyn's arm moved through the courtyard with purpose. Others wore clothing that marked them as nobles, mercenaries, or commoners. Many gathered in groups, sparred within fighting rings, or bartered around temporary stalls.
The air carried the combined scents of sweat, steel, and more than a dozen cooking fires.
"Administration," Defying Sun said, gesturing toward the marble building as though it were an unavoidable nuisance. "This is where potential is weighed, recorded, and reduced to a number. Let us make you official."
Lyn observed the disciplined ranks of sect soldiers and the sprawling, varied crowd of disciples while his mind worked through the implications.
This is bad, although it is not unexpected. There are more than a hundred students, at least. This private training ground is clearly not private. And what now..He is also a General??
That title changed everything. This was no secluded retreat belonging to a reclusive immortal. It was a military outpost, a testing ground where the sect gathered its most promising and expendable tools. Defying Sun was not merely a mentor pursuing a personal grudge, as Lyn had hoped. He was a commander cultivating weapons for a war Lyn could not yet see. The polished marble of the administration building no longer appeared beautiful. It resembled polished bone, a clean exterior built over a brutal machine.
Lyn followed Defying Sun through the ornate doorway. Behind them, the chaotic vitality of the courtyard faded into the orderly silence of clerks, scrolls, and softly scratching pens.