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Chapter 21: Heping Town, Here I Come!

  “I’m disappointed, Persimmon.” Gon said, shaking his head with disapproval.

  “W-With what?” Persimmon raised his head, unsure of what he did wrong.

  He even bowed and threw away his pride for assistance, even though he’d never ask for such a thing.

  “That you think so little of me. Raise your head. Aren’t I your brother? What makes you think I couldn’t do such a small thing?” Gon walked closer, passing Persimmon’s money back. “Keep it. You just need a sword. I can do that much for you.”

  “You…” Persimmon dragged his fingers across his hair. “Fine, I got it. I just didn’t want to burden you. I’m still in your debt for sharing that cultivation manual, even if it only serves to improve the body.” He only shook his head rapidly as he saw Gon’s actions. “No, keep that money. I need you to get the best possible sword using spiritual jades only.”

  Gon put away the spiritual jades in his pockets. Fair go. It’s not like I told anyone I can refine my own currency using good ol’ Tim. I could just give him that Bcksteel Bde I got, but I can’t just summon it out of thin air in front of him. I’ll atleast check out the bcksmiths to see if there’s a better choice…

  “What kind of sword are ya looking for?” Gon asked.

  “Just a standard long sword will do. Even a slightly curved bde is fine. Just no massive greatswords.” Persimmon fidgeted with the sleeves of his shirt, gncing to the side.

  “Gotcha. I’ll be off then. Also…” Gon smiled until his dark eyes shined, leaning slightly forward. “Don’t need to make a big deal asking me for a favour. I’ve got your back, Persimmon.”

  The dawn of sunrise caused glistening lights to shine through the trees behind Gon, casting him in a soft radiance. Even though he was becoming a brutish, muscur miner, he was far more easy to be around compared to anyone else.

  “I want to ask you something,” Persimmon said.

  “You know you don’t have to ask just to ask a question. Go ahead.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” Persimmon scratched his cheek. “How do you keep up that attitude even though you’ve been kicked out by the sect, forced to be a miner?”

  “You aren’t the first to ask that question.” Gon still smiled, but this time there was an air of somber.

  He thought back to his previous life.

  For twenty years he grinded his soul working a job as a manual bourer.

  Maybe in the beginning he was somewhat ashamed of it. He failed to live up to the expectations of his parents. Even once upon a time, Gon wanted to be extremely successful and rich, as a wyer or doctor or another career that gave that status and money. He went through his own fair share of struggles and strife, and there were times he felt the world was against him, when everything would keep going wrong.

  Throughout the good and bad, he was still out there, working in the mines as a bourer.

  Family, and sometimes, even his friends would question him on why he did it.

  Most people weren’t satisfied with their jobs. Some workpces even made them depressed. Gon had seen plenty of that, even hearing it first hand from some of his friends. Including those with glorious careers such as doctors, wyers, and actors.

  It was only until the curiosity of a child did he realise the beauty of mining. Perhaps that’s when he realised on his own.

  “The world ain’t gonna be going easy on you. There’ll be ups and downs. Hell, there might even be more downs than ups. Even worse, there’ll be times you feel like you’re drowning, and getting that bit of air seems to be hopeless. But no matter what, there’s always something you’ll always have.”

  “And what’s that?”

  Gon patted his own chest, slightly to the left side. And then he pointed a finger towards Persimmon. “Your heart. You still have yourself, no matter the situation. So tell me this.”

  He crossed his arms, and Gon slightly raised his chin with confidence. “Why should I change myself because of what the sect did to me? They may have messed up my life, but if I wallow in misery, then I’m letting that shitty sect take another hit at me, and have the winning blow. I won’t let them change me. I’ll be true to myself, and I’ll be damned if I let the world take that away from me.”

  The morning breeze lifted up Gon’s hair slightly, giving him an almost heroic visage.

  Persimmon could now understand just why he was able to convince and change his fellow miners.

  “So finding joy in a desperate situation is also a way of defiance against the world…” Persimmon muttered those words, taking it to heart.

  “I think I get your logic now. Thanks for helping me out, Gon. I’ll take my leave then.” Persimmon turned around, returning back.

  But he left with some parting words as his back was turned towards Gon. “I only hope you can keep that perspective no matter what happens.”

  Gon also turned his back, ready to head out.

  Persimmon… Clearly, it wasn’t his real name.

  A man who focused his all on training himself, and trying to cultivate. Someone who had been quite closed off, just like Kuang Gong back in the day.

  Perhaps one day, Gon would have the honour of knowing it.

  But even if he did, he was quite fond of the name Persimmon.

  And hearing that question from him, Gon figured he had a troubling past.

  Persimmon, don’t forget it. Your true self, no matter what the world throws at you.

  Gon stretched his body, tapping his foot on the ground as he left. “Now, looks like it’ll be a decent hike before I make it to Heping Town. Let’s get to it. At least I’ll have Han to chat with while he walks back to the guard outpost.”

  Thus, Gon took his first steps into the wider world.

  He saw Han on the outskirts of the mine's standing guard. Well, he wasn’t exactly guarding the pce.

  Han held a book in his hand, with its cover a colourful dispy of calligraphy.

  “Studyin’ on the job, aye?”

  “Yes. I was waiting for you, Boss Gon.” Han put his book away, leaving the mines with Gon. “There’s no point wasting my life away guarding. I tend to spend my time studying the arts of painting.”

  “Cheeky one, aren’t ya? Just don’t be caught on the job.” Gon walked aside Li Han. The guard outpost was only a mile or so away from here anyway.

  The area he was meant to handle was not only the mines, but the mining outpost town and the farm nearby as well. If there were any issues, they would report to him at the guard outpost to send a message to the sect.

  Though, aside from that incident with the Kolomodor Samanders, no one really had any issues to bring to the sect.

  “So where are you heading?” Li Han asked.

  “I’ll be heading towards Heping Town. I’ll try to get the materials we need there, but I might take a visit towards the city as well.”

  “Hmm, I see.” Li Han seemed a bit absentminded as he heard Gon’s answer. “I’ve decided something. I gave a bit of thought from what you said to me a month ago.”

  “Oh? And what would that be?” Gon asked, though he had noticed the slight changes in Li Han. And no, it wasn’t his tongue getting more crass from hanging out with the miners.

  His eyes had a bit more life to them. He still had eyebags, but he didn’t give off the temperament of someone that had fallen into a despairing routine as a sve of the sect.

  “I’m going to leave the Ethereal Life Sect.”

  Gon continued walking, not surprised by the news. “Finally made up your mind, huh. Though I didn’t expect you to make this decision this soon, to be honest.”

  Li Han took out the book he was studying earlier, looking at its cover. “Yes. But I fear if I hesitate, I may spend years just hesitating. I’m sick of the shithole life I’ve been living.”

  Usually, Li Han would compin about his vocabury getting worse, but this time he didn’t even bother.

  Gon only listened quietly, letting Li Han rant.

  “It’s just that I’ve been in the sect for about three years now, and I’ve only been able to reach the 3rd Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. My talent is… nothing great and I can’t seem to improve.” Li Han’s voice was mencholic. He took a moment before continuing.

  “The talk we had before, it really got me thinking. Especially seeing you throughout the month.” His tone was now firm and a fire lit up in his eyes. “If you can find passion and enjoyment in something as mundane as mining, then I also want that for myself.” Li Han’s voice crescendoed with each word until his true feelings spilled out.

  “I don’t want to be stuck here as a mere guard for the rest of my life! I want to pursue my dreams, as childish as they were! I… I really want to try painting, and even make a living out of it!”

  Li Han raised the book high, pcing it next to the sun. To him, this book that was the study of art was worth more to him than the cultivation manual he had spent years mulling over.

  “What do you think?” Li Han couldn’t help but ask for Gon’s opinion. Ever since he had met Gon, his words and actions weighed on his mind.

  He respected Gon.

  To be truthful, he respected Kuang Gong from the beginning, hearing of his tales of defying the Sect Leader’s granddaughter.

  After all, Gon was an average sect disciple just like him. If he had some actual talent, the sect wouldn’t have tried to exile him, banishing him to live as a miner for them.

  Gon’s response was a wide smile. “Good on ya!” He raised his hand and spped Li Han’s back. Li Han could feel his breath forced out of his body as he stumbled forward.

  "Oh crud, I couldn’t control my strength.” Gon was apologetic.

  Li Han collected himself and gave Gon a deep bow, a slight smile on his face.

  “Thank you.”

  “Hey, hey, there’s no need for that.” Gon hurriedly raised Li Han and grasped his shoulders. “I got enough people bowing down for me. It’s getting a bit old at this rate.”

  Gon couldn’t help but feel a bit baffled. First Persimmon and now Li Han.

  To him, he was just doing the bare minimum. Or was even having basic camaraderie between good friends not common in this world? If so, exactly what kind of culture did they teach?

  I suppose these people don’t really have mentors to get advice from, or rant to. Our lives and worlds are completely different. But… If it’s helping these fels a lot, then I should tell them to spread the message forth.

  “If you really want to thank me, then make sure you give others an ear if they have simir problems. Just getting to vent out to someone is actually a lot of help, believe it or not,” Gon said to Li Han.

  “Indeed, that does make sense. Haha, that’s such a Gon answer.” Li Han chuckled a bit. “Very well, I’ll make sure to give others that ear as well.”

  Gon rubbed the back of his head. “Hey, what do you mean by a Gon answer? Am I getting that predictable?”

  With the guard outpost in sight, Li Han and Gon stopped.

  “I’ll be off for work… Working on my book.” Li Han jested.

  “Keep at it. By the way, when do you pn to leave?”

  “In a month, after I receive my next paycheck. I’ve finally saved up a good amount to travel around the world for a good few years,” Li Han said, mentioning his pns. “I even heard there’s a sect specialising in calligraphy, painting and other sorts of arts. I have to prove myself to be able to join them one day.”

  “Really?” Gon couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “So there’s other kinds of cultivators for even stuff like painting? That’s pretty cool actually.”

  Gon had assumed his unique method of cultivation as a miner was a special case, but it seemed in this world there were all sorts of paths to take.

  “Isn’t it?!” Li Han bubbled up as he said.

  “Then let me know before you leave. We’ll throw you the biggest farewell party you’ve ever seen. I’ll get you some gifts as well.”

  Li Han acknowledged. “Don’t worry, the first thing I’m doing is hanging out with you all on my st day.”

  They both shared some ughter.

  And like that, Gon and Li Han parted ways.

  Li Han returned to his duties while Gon resumed his trek.

  “Heping Town, here I come!”

  The Ethereal Life Sect was located far west on the tallest mountain among the mountain ranges.

  There was a ginormous chained sword stabbed to its side, digging deep into the mountain.

  The very symbol of the sect.

  And they lorded over the Himaldrar City, located at the base of the mountains. The name meant little to them, named by the first man to have formed this city when it was but barren nd surrounded by mountains.

  Those in Himaldrar City that lived closest to the sect were the most well-renowned and well off citizens and families of well-established cultivators.

  And in one of the tallest pagodas in the city, at the very top level, were a bunch of disciples from the sect enjoying the finest of meals and drinks.

  At the forefront of the long table, a man with long and radiant white hair sat, wearing ornate robes of radiant white and jewelled gold. His eyes were bright crimson, piercing and intense.

  He held a wine gss in his hand, slightly swishing it around. The gss reflected his crimson sharp eyes. “So the Sect Leader’s granddaughter is about to enter Foundation Establishment… Once she does, the sect will shut her away to focus on her cultivation for a while. This is quite good for the sect.”

  Though he spoke with words of gratitude, his thoughts were another story entirely.

  It will be far better if I reach Foundation Establishment before her. Father- No, Elder Bai said solidifying a retionship with her will help us gain more influence in the sect. And I’m the only one worthy of her amongst my peers in our age. Especially with Elder Kong missing, now is our chance to act!

  “Senior Brother Bai You, what would be even better for the sect is if you were to be together with her. No one else is worthy enough of the Sect Leader’s granddaughter!” A junior disciple named Chen said, sucking up to Bai You.

  He didn’t put any weight to his words. Just the screeches of a mere rat.

  Chen was one of the disciples who visited the mines with his senior brother about the incident with the Kolomodor Samanders, wishing to punish them for taking valuable assets of the sect away by taking the corpses of the beasts.

  Chen shuffled in his seat, unable to bring any interest to Bai You.

  Until he brought up a well-known incident from the past. Where the Sect Leader’s granddaughter had been utterly humiliated by a mere Outer Disciple.

  “Senior Brother Bai You,” Chen asked, remembering the person he saw back at the mines.

  “Have you heard of Kuang Gong?”

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