Chapter 208

  The Sight of Silver (II)

  The first thing the kids did as soon as we descended the mountain and touched upon the riverbank was jump into that very river.

  The water was surprisingly calm and relatively slow, with about four feet or so of depth, and clarity that rivaled glass. It was also quite cool, though the day itself was cool--overcast and drab, too--so, clearly, that didn't bother them.

  Dai Xiu, Xi Zhao, Light, and even Wan Lan played and laughed rather merrily, while Long Tao sat by the riverbank, half paying attention and half cultivating. That left Rayce and me. The young man had practically not spoken a word (well, not practically, literally) since we reached the summit.

  Whether it was the embarrassment, or whether it was anger, or perhaps another thing entirely, I didn't know. He ate and drank, at least, and he followed us in silence.

  I prepped a quick meal--nothing fancy, as usual, just some herb-and-rabbit stew--calling the kids as soon as it was finished.

  "You guys had fun?" I asked as everyone sat around the fire--not to dry themselves off, of course; they'd already done it with Qi.

  "It's really fun trying to fight in the water!" Dai Xiu exclaimed. "I have to try twice as hard to do basically anything."

  "There are all manner of strange talismans and arts out there that can slow you down," Wan Lan said. "So, it's good practice to be ready."

  "We should do it more often," Xi Zhao said. "When I try to draw my sword against resistance, I feel the clog in my meridians slowly give way."

  "... I asked if you guys had fun, though?"

  "He he, that is fun, Master!" Dai Xiu replied with a beaming smile. "I know that Master detests violence, but this world is violent! In order to protect you, we must train hard!"

  Yeah, yeah.

  This is like the hundredth time I've heard this.

  ... still stings, though.

  Once we ate, we started walking along the river, heading toward the city. Though we've taken a rather casual approach to travel, there certainly was a pep in all our steps--even Long Tao's, however miniscule it was--since we haven't really lived in much comfort or peace ever since we left the sect. Either we were on a road or staying someplace where we weren't really resting, as it were, so much as we were trying to figure out what to do next.

  I didn't have the heart to tell them this little trip won't be much different--there awaits a story that will likely have us entangled with powers-that-be once again.

  My biggest worry, though, is that I have no points.

  This is actually the first time I've been completely broke ever since the first few days in this world. It's... unsettling, to say the least. Furthermore, since the monthly quests have been reworked, I basically have no freebies--and since the system remains as vague as ever in terms of how exactly I can earn points beyond just my Disciples doing stuff, I'm in a bit of a predicament.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  I'd like to get the cool thousand points to 'buy' the quest, but I don't think I actually can. It's one of those issues where it's really only an issue at the start--once I have enough to buy quests, so long as I complete them in time, points will just keep rolling in.

  But... it was all very much worth it.

  In addition to all the previous rewards, I'd also checked out what 'minor evolutions' the kids' traits have undergone.

  For Long Tao, his 'Sword Heart' actually went up a full grade--from Epic to Legendary. I don't really know what that entailed, but considering that the trait of 'Heavenly Chosen' was also Legendary, the difference can't be that small.

  I don't know if he noticed, or if he's just pretending not to have, or if he thinks he did something to evolve it, but he didn't really start behaving any differently.

  Neither did any of the other kids--though, to be fair, their 'evolutions' were on the slightly lesser ends.

  Dai Xiu developed a new trait and upgraded one older one--though I'm not actually quite sure when she 'developed' the new trait... no, I am, but I'm just avoiding responsibility.

  Her 'Loyal' trait remained of 'Common' rank, but in addition to displaying an above-average sense of loyalty, she was now also more likely to 'convince others to be loyal, too'.

  And the new trait was 'Jealousy'--luckily, it stood at 'Common'... for now. I've very much been conscious of that for a while now, and despite giving her the gauntlets, it still remained... which meant that the root of it ran much deeper.

  I actually think--though I could be completely off base--it has to do with that she's not the 'senior-most' disciple. That there's always going to be someone above her; I don't think she's jealous of the fact Long Tao is stronger than her (none of the kids are, I don't think, since he isn't 'just stronger', but so overpowering that the comparison becomes the thief of joy), but more so that she'll always be second.

  And, perhaps, she extends that to think she'll always be second to me, too.

  Xi Zhao got a slight upgrade to his 'Draw Master' trait; well, it's not really slight if fully realized. In addition to the first attack being far more powerful, the evolution was that of a 'potential upgrade'--specifically, ... a pathway has been opened up to the ancient trait of Endless Draws, where each attack would be treated as though it were the first.

  Honestly, that sounds kind of... insane? I mean, if I help him create a few utility arts to stack more damage and speed specifically for the first attack (which would likely be on the cheaper end), won't that mean that he'd become a proper monster?

  Then again, who the hell knows just how long (if ever) he will need to upgrade it?

  Light also received a very minor twist to her existing prowess--her 'Eyes of the Mind' trait, on top of allowing her to run what sounds like endless VMs, now also allowed her to comprehend 'arts not meant for the human species'. What did that entail?

  No clue.

  Sounds powerful, though. Maybe she can learn a Dragon's Breath from an actual Dragon and then burn down an entire city with a burp?

  ... yeah.

  Lastly, Wan Lan's upgrade is a bit... weird. I really don't know what to make of it.

  It has to do with her 'Zealotry' trait. I'd already considered it a rather problematic one and wondered if there was a way to 'wipe' traits from someone outside of literally slowly mellowing them out, but it looks like the system is pretty keen on her keeping it.

  [Zealotry (Epic) -- once devoted to a cause, she will follow it unto death, doing whatever she believes necessary to achieve it. While fighting for that cause, she will not feel pain, exhaustion, or fear, and her combat prowess will grow alongside her faith]

  Yeah.

  An ancient monster that's thousands of years old.

  A jealousy-bound little gremlin who loves punching things and thinks it's her duty to protect me against anything and everything.

  A swordsman with the potential to make every one of his attacks a proper nuclear detonation.

  A demonic inheritor who can potentially learn arts from other species that will completely break common sense.

  And now a zealot that's beginning to sound like one of those religious figures in old texts that inevitably end up becoming martyrs.

  And then there's me.

  An old dude.

  No, that's unfair; I have the system that can make any art I damn well please out of thin air.

  ... I do fit right in, don't I?

  Haah.

  I don't know what's scarier--that I do or don't.

  We travelled for two more days through the valley and a few canyons that cut through it, following the river, only ever resting for a couple of hours every night.

  As such, before the turn into the third day, we emerged at the top of a hill overlooking blistering scenery and a silhouette of such grandeur that it left me speechless.

  It was floating.

  The fucking city was fucking floating.