Garden of the state college had some fascinating places.

One where stood the monument for the memory of Claudius Aurel, the national hero of the Kingdom Of Bababa and an entitled cultivator of the sect. Stones mixed with gold and jade at the sides of the tall tower, covered with spikes and flags of the state; a bow and a dagger inside a golden cloud looked over to the sea of roses and lotuses.

Lotuses adorned the color of the mighty sky, an impactful blue, and swarmed the blood-red roses with their roots. As far as two steps from the battlefield of the sky and blood, around the arbours made of fine gopherwood, with a tinge of brown over the yellow nature of the tree, laid the pavement that led inside the institute. When walked away from there, no matter how far one had gone inside the periphery of the environment, the insects and animals crowded the sides. They lived here, not as guests but as the hosts of the garden. They would tend the herbs, water the flowers, mow the grasses, and have done any other thing concerning their life habitat. No disciple had permission to not only disturb their rest but also had to obey or help when they needed assistance.

Blending with nature stood as an important part of cultivation, particularly for young ones. Caring for it, cherishing its richness, and valuing even the smallest insect gave one a profound level of understanding about how precious the mutual existence of nature and people are. What enlightenment could do for cultivation? Nothing. Other than an understanding, a concept, they could think of at their free time or fret upon its destruction, it gave one no single thing. Nature was nature. It existed from the start. It created, was created, and would create life and existence; then would care and tend to them according to how they tended its roots and cared for its petals. To cultivators, nature was something they had to learn lessons from. So, above everything, Cindersnow’s one and the first course of action on education was to force institutes to create an environment from anew. Natural, with no interference with Qi or growth-boosting medicine.

And Ubel, standing there, also watched the growth of both his friend and nature. He wanted to pick up a pair of lotuses and roses, but the cute glare of the pecker above the oak tree at his side wavered him enough. But he also felt happy, too.

There was no filth nor blood here.

‘’This is too hard.’’ Kowalski moaned and fell down on the ground, sweats of effort crystallized on his forehead like pieces of a gem. His black and white robe would definitely get punished, by the means of the wet grass he rolled on. Although the continuous glare made them uncomfortable enough already.

‘’At least your imagination is okay,’’ Ubel tried to sooth Kowalski. ‘’But-’’

‘’But?’’

‘’Your output of Qi, control of Qi, and the revolving speed of your circulation are completely wrong.’’

Kowalski sighed, Ubel thought. Well, I’m also sure your imagination is poor too.

‘’I thought you had an extra course about forces of nature. Didn’t they talk about how to make use of the Qi and its purposes?’’

‘’Well Mr. genius, yes, they talk about it all the time.’’

‘’Then?’’

‘’I’m dumb, okay? Don’t push me to the corner.’’

‘’I didn’t say anything!’’

Kowalski clicked his tongue, then sighed again. ‘’Look, I’m not sure if you are aware of it but I’m not as talented as you. It might take me weeks before I can even create something outside of my cultivation techniques, let alone a complex structure like a pen.’’

‘’Why? Are you in your right mind, Kowalski?’’

‘’Why do you insult me now?’’ He glared, but Ubel, at least, could pick up the signals about the false nature of it.

‘’Well, stop breathing according to your manual.’’

‘’...huh?’’

‘’Don’t you know how?’’

‘’I-I-I mean, like how do you do that? Won’t my Qi dissipate if I stop breathing according to that?’’

‘’Of course not, try it.’’

‘’Okay,’’ Kowalski took a deep breath and patted his white hair. ‘’Let’s go,’’ He shouted, then stopped his circulation. Ubel focused his Qi on the premature third eye, or his new acquired senses and sat right next to Kowalski. He spread the mysterious sheet over Kowalski’s body, with only a bit piercing through his meridians, and watched the process.

What is happening?

Kowalski’s meridians, unknown to him, shivered and started to loosen the pores of his body. Then the Qi, like having a predestined route, rushed out of those openings and spread to the environment. From the speed, it looked like it would take at most two to three minutes for Kowalski’s reserves to deplete.

‘’Kowalski, stop!’’ Ubel shouted. Kowalski shuddered a bit then let out a few dry coughs. His eyes reddened?

‘’I said so...Oho oho...damn it.’’

‘’What kind of a manual are you cultivating, Kowalski?’’ Ubel urged him to talk.

‘’What kind of? We don’t have plenty of manuals like you do, Ubel. We only have state manuals, and there are only two of them. There is no such thing as kind of.’’ Kowalski spat and felt his throat turn fine again, then continued. ‘’It's name is Freezing Ice Manual. Nothing special, and it leads all the way to the early pathfinding.’’

‘’What about after being a pathfinder?’’

‘’We apply to the state for an interview, they screen us through several tests and send to the Sect or a bigger branch of the sect to either cultivate or take some kind of working role.’’

Ubel stood rooted on the spot, his eyelashes trembled. Isn’t that too inefficient? Why do our manuals differ so much...and they are only capable of being servants? Ubel felt fear, uneasiness, but for the most part, disgust.

‘’Do you always breathe?’’

‘’Yes?’’

‘’Even when fighting, or sleeping, or eating?’’

‘’Of course, is there anything wrong with that?’’

‘’...nothing.’’ Ubel shook his head, turned around and looked at the oak tree. He did not spot the annoying pecker, nor did he managed to perceive any other life form near him at the moment. Do they know? Ubel didn’t worry about it, but the vague idea he had in his mind already rooted itself, without constraint and excuse.

Great! Now what kind of shit did I put myself into?

‘’When does the second lesson starts?’’

‘’Around one-thirty, and...we still have forty minutes left. Want to taste the foods of the college? They are tastier than anything you’ve ever had, I assure you.’’

‘’Are you sure about that? If else, you will owe me a favor.’’

‘’Well...my mom cooks better than them but they are still delicious.’’

‘’Alright, let’s go then.’’ Ubel followed the whistling Kowalski, looking at his green painted white robe, and thought of the same back tainted with blood and flesh.

At that kind of time, will he be able to breathe?

*********

Quan sent off the spirit beast to its way, brushing off its fur and marking it with his own aura. He intended it to go to sect, to give his opinions about this decade’s declaration as well as to ask about the situations of the other continent border cities. He thought but assumed it to be true, there had to be a flaw or crack at the Life-Exchange Formation. For a munchur to appear, a big one with the aura of a half-step essence cultivation as well, meant there had to be more to come. And anything more than a munchur, although it wouldn’t be an essence level beast, could completely destroy the whole city.

Of course, destroying that declaration showed off some of the capabilities of the city, and he also knew the other party sensed four of them. What they didn’t know was the extent of the military force of the city itself, and for sure a few goliaths or lightning imps would fare well in scouting in both this matter and testing the waters with the local army. If their forces lacked, or was even with Yadratafos’s, they would either pull off the siege or gather some cannon fodders to sacrifice at the front line.

And the former has never happened before.

Quan didn’t know what to feel except betrayal. Was elder Cinder not aware of the situation here? Or did he send him here because he exactly knew what would happen here? If so, Quan had to praise Cinder’s determination to exchange his former son-in-law’s life for a city. About the inner works of the Elder Circle and their deal, however, he had no clue about it. This decision itself might be out of his will as well, but that realm of possibility was something even Quan wouldn’t fall for.

It won’t matter for now. But I must secure those two’s lives.

His promise to the Snow and Windblade, he hadn’t forgotten. And for sure, he wouldn’t let two fine men as Ubel and Gaobun waste their lives here. Especially from the forsakens...wait!

Quan stood up in a fluster.

If the Life-Exchange Formation's flaw, the reason of the emergence of a munchur, is this bad then the evil sects of forsakens at the other continent should be prospering. But how long it was? Ten years, or sixty years? At my time of duty formation held fine and strong, so no more than a hundred years. But it is enough to emerge some insane geniuses among them, considering their superior power and Qi. Then the forces behind munchur and its beasts should be...

Quan felt the beads of sweat trickling from his forehead by instinct. There is no one capable enough to fix the formation, and with time two continents will share the same amount of Will and Qi. At most...thirty years if we take the time from sixty years ago. Will we see the fall of a generation...of sects?

His mind started to trail off. Quan took out a herb from the cupboard behind, crushed it, then sniffed the powder left behind. His mind felt fresh again and his emotions calmed down. Still, a faint trace of anxiety, like a tide waiting for the sea to push it to death, hid inside Quan’s mind. As long as the light of Brynhildr exists, then immortals won’t fall from power. These were the words of the oracle, and the same oracle died thousands of years ago. Light of the Brynhildr was the sun, and sunlight, if he didn’t turn mad, felt much colder today.

Did Cinder feel this cold long before?

He must have felt, Quan determined. If not, he wouldn’t pale like a sickened man at the heart of the Leopold tree.

*********

Sid awoke in sweats and dried tears on his cheeks.

It had been two weeks since he came back to the city from the capital, yet the face of that woman wouldn’t leave his mind, even in his dreams.

A yellowish skin, unheard of in their continent where only existed white, brown, black, or at some times pale blue. Fingers longer than average, like chopsticks with dirty and bloody nails. Her hair covered the whole of her skinny body and covered her gouged eyes. Blood did not flow, nor did he see the remnant marks of the injury. What he saw was an endless mist. It floated from inside to the outside, then condensed into drops of golden water. After each drop, her eyes would turn back into existence, and his father would crush them again, then again, then again. His eyes held no pity nor pride, only fervent greediness of a lunatic and the ecstasy of a poor man stumbling on a wealth.

But this wealth had a cost, and Sid knew it well.

Looking at the left, at his asleep wife, he felt numb. He didn’t dare to show affection now. He feared, for his eyes almost let go of the tears again. Then he felt something squeeze his hand, the hand of his other half. Women’s instincts frightened him, especially when he had something to hide. Yet, all he felt now was graciousness, then it ablazed his love for his wife again.

‘’Go back to sleep, it’s too early,’’ She muttered, then before she could struggle to open her eyes, he closed them. ‘’I have some matters to do, you can rest.’’ He planted a kiss on her forehead and left the bed.

‘’It’s cold,’’ She whispered again, ‘’Check on Laila on your way.’’

‘’Of course, I will.’’ He smiled, then dressed up and left.

His and Calla’s bedchamber and their daughter’s bedroom stood far away from the hall, protected with a long road of guards at some intersections and narrow halls. He designed them for the whole purpose of protecting them, instead of himself as populace thought. There were small openings at the sides of the stone walls, wide enough for an adult to put their heads and arms to look at the rising sun of the day and gaze at the scenery of the mountains afar. Though it was still night, so he couldn’t see any of those. Of course Sid couldn’t think of detail as such, his first priority always had been the safety of his family. Instead, Laila thought of it and she thought well.

Cold autumn wind licked the face when looking from the opening, mountains smiled at one like old men, the river that came from the sea surged around the outer wall of the city and reached to the villages far below. For all purposes, Sid thought he liked this place more than his daughter did.

Or the little devil thought of me when doing it.

After gazing for a little longer, he strode through the halls and reached into the gates of a different room. He knocked twice, light, then heard a grumble. ‘’May I come in?’’ He called out.

With hurried footsteps he heard, the door opened and Laila saluted him.

‘’I welcome the most esteemed strong handsome father!’’

‘’Thanks for your welcome the most esteemed strong beautiful daughter!’’

Laila laughed a little bit then hugged him, as he covered her with his arms as well. ‘’You are earlier today, dad.’’

‘’I had a bad dream,’’ He said and excused himself on a small chair. ‘’But still not early as you.’’

‘’You can’t beat me on that,’’ She giggled and took a seat as well. She took some pens and tools from her wide table and plastered two drawings on it. ‘’Look at these, dad.’’

‘’What are these?’’ He looked over them, ‘’And take a coat or something, you will catch a cold like this.’’

‘’Okay,’’ As Laila went over to take a coat, Sid inspected the drawings. First one was a detailed structure, like a praying temple but four stories high and its width, from the notes at the side, covered at least thirty-meter squares. The other one was a weapon, or a new type of artillery, that worked with Qi. ‘’You managed to replicate the sect’s weapon?!’’

‘’Yeah, the last trip to the Cindersnow city benefitted me so much, I can’t tell enough.’’

‘’That’s amazing, Laila.’’ He patted her hair as she sat down again, wearing a black coat with red lines over the shoulders. Her blue hair, like her mother’s, didn’t fit dark colors as such but she was still beautiful.

‘’Production will be hard though,’’ She commented, ‘’We also need to test the materials, as I could only deduce what they made it from.’’

‘’Then the other building is?’’

‘’Yes, it’s for creating them. I’ve grasped some of the work routines and the idea of how they created the mass-production of materials. We will first need to produce dozens of wooden puppets to choose efficient people to work there, then with correct training they could do ten men’s work in minutes.’’

‘’With puppets?’’

‘’Their bodies are also a bit different. My...grandfather’s’’ She lowered her voice, ‘’Life puppets are different. We need the likes of the factory has, ones which a person can inject both Qi and a part of their consciousness into.’’

‘’But finding a wood that can support that and people who can do that will be hard.’’ He sighed, ‘’Especially the aspect of consciousness. It is a matter of talent and strength of soul, rather than cultivation level.’’

‘’Well, all those are things you need to do. I’ve done my part,’’ She smiled, ‘’Is that alright, dad?’’

‘’Of course, of course.’’ He placed them down on the table again and stood up. ‘’Now take some sleep, you can’t hide those dark circles with simple makeup.’’

‘’Okay, I’ll sleep after-’’

‘’You’ll sleep now,’’ He said and with a wave of Qi, but without any force, placed Laila in her bed. He pulled the blanket over her and patted her hair once more. ‘’Good night.’’

‘’Good night,’’ She pouted a bit as he closed the door. After waiting a few seconds, he knocked on the door again and heard her fake whimper. ‘’Laila, good night?’’

‘’Go-good night!’’ She blurted. After being sure, Sid left towards the main hall of the castle. At the cold night and the moonlight of this day, he felt the resolve to protect his family once more.

From the declaration, and from his own father.