The next day arrived leisurely. Wei got up early, made his bed, and checked his belongings, making sure everything was accounted for.
Reviewing his gains from the past month left him satisfied. His grandfather had already cracked the method of transforming spiritual energy into Dou Qi and had even designed a couple of skills that influenced the surrounding energy. Those would be considered Earth-level skills—exceedingly rare in the Gama Empire, with the only known place to auction them being the Black Horn Region.
Wei's own trials with interacting with the surrounding energy convinced him that once he broke through to the Spirit Realm, he would be able to mobilize it directly. From there, his control would only deepen, until eventually, at the higher 2 levels of the 3 Heavenly stage—equivalent to the level of Dou Zong or Dou Zun—he could influence space itself. That stage was still far away, but the path ahead was clear.
Since he was planning to leave today, Wei decided to take a walk around the town. He hadn't given it a proper look since arriving, having spent most of his time cooped up learning from Madam Yue.
As he strolled down the street, he came across the guard named Chen, who greeted him with a smile and a nod. The suspicion from before was gone, thanks to Madam Yue vouching for him and claiming to have hired him for gardening work.
On his way back into the inn, his eyes met Chu Lin's. Over the past month, they had interacted often. While he wouldn't call them close friends, they had grown rather familiar—evident from the way she addressed him differently now.
"Big Brother Wei, you're back," she said with a pout. "I went to your room to wake you, but you weren't there. I thought you left without saying goodbye."
Wei could only raise his hands helplessly and apologize. "Sorry, I just went for a walk around the village. I am leaving today, but of course, I would never leave without saying goodbye. Besides, I still have a deal with your grandmother, so I'll be back."
Chu Lin reluctantly let go of the matter, though her eyes carried a hint of sadness. "It's okay. Brother Wei has his plans, and I wouldn't fault you for it. The inn will feel a little lonely without you though. If I had the will of a strong man, I'd go with you… but I prefer the peace of our small town."
Wei nodded with understanding. His own circumstances had forced him onto this path. He wasn't sure if, in her position, he would have chosen to climb toward the top either.
"Alright, I'll go meet Madam Yue now. I'll see you later."
Wei walked through the hallway and into the garden, where Madam Yue was seated with a cup of tea.
"You're here," she greeted warmly. "I assume you're leaving today?"
Wei nodded and accepted the tea she offered.
"How time has passed," she sighed. "I've taught you all I can in this short time, and you've managed to learn it all. Meeting you has opened my eyes to what it truly means to be a genius."
Her words carried a trace of regret, though whether it was for her own untalented self or for his leaving, it was hard to say.
Wei scratched his head, slightly embarrassed, before standing and bowing at a full ninety degrees. "Thank you for everything you've taught me. I'll make sure to make you proud, and I'll give you my part of the deal as soon as I can." His heart brimmed with genuine gratitude. Without her guidance, he could have learned those things through trial and error, but it would have taken much longer and disrupted his plans. Thanks to her, he could now take his first steps in this world safely, laying the foundation for his future.
Madam Yue nodded, immensely satisfied with her decision to take him in. The more time she spent with him, the more mysterious he became. Truly, he had been a bargain bought at a dirt-cheap price.
She rose as well, handing him a small storage ring filled with herbs, along with her cultivation technique—the Fire Ember Technique, a relatively gentle high black-grade method—and a stalk of five-colored grass. "Here. Take these. I hope they aid you on your path."
Wei accepted them with gratitude. Though he had no personal need for the technique, he could use it for practice, barter, or as leverage. In return, he presented her with a fruit she didn't recognize.
"This is a Crystal Foundation Fruit. It won't help someone like you whose potential has already been limited, but it will do wonders for someone young like Chu Lin. At the very least, she won't be halted at the Grandmaster stage."
The fruit, whose energy his grandfather had refined into Dou Qi, was from the Alchemy Realm. Whether it existed in this continent, Wei didn't know, but he had already tested similar fruits from the forest on animals.
Chu Yue opened her mouth to refuse, but Wei raised his hand to silence her. "Don't refuse. I have so many of these that I don't know what to do with them. Besides, I have a good relationship with Chu Lin and want her to be safer."
Relenting, Chu Yue accepted with a soft smile. "Thank you, young Wei. As long as this village stands, you will always have a place here."
Together with Chu Lin, they walked to the village entrance. Along the way, Wei met a few familiar faces: the guards Jin and Chen, Old Man Su—who he'd once had a funny incident with—the fruit seller who gave him discounts for being handsome, and the clothing clerk who raised prices for the same reason. Wei smiled and nodded at them all, though to Old Man Su he merely waved his fist, making the old man's back stiffen as he looked away nervously.
His puppet remained disguised and hidden within his ring, to be released later on the road. He had already studied the map he purchased from the general store, which pointed toward Qingshan Town nearby along with his objective Wutan City in the Opposite Direction, Wei recalled an opportunity lying in a cave near that town—along with a heroine he had little interest in. He wasn't a man who chased beauty or lust.
Once he had faded from the villagers' sight, he summoned the puppet and began sprinting. His grandfather's voice echoed in his ears: 'This is the first step, little Wei. Do as you wish. I will always have your back.'
Hearing those words, Wei's determination to climb to the very top solidified. His pace quickened until he vanished into the forest.
Back in the village, Madam Yue's eyes softened with a gentle touch. She mouthed a small prayer for the boy. Beside her, Chu Lin lowered her head, a single tear sliding down her face.
Chu Yue placed her hand gently atop her granddaughter's head, stroking her hair. "A man like him is met only once in a lifetime—shining bright like a star, yet ever so far away. Temper your heart, little Lin. Had you been reckless and confessed your small feelings, you would have only been rejected at best—and put both yourself and him in danger at worst."
Sniffling lightly, Chu Lin wiped her eyes and nodded. "I know, Grandma. I don't have the heart of the strong needed to walk beside him, even if he did accept me—which he wouldn't. All I can do is wish him well from afar, hoping for our next reunion."
Seeing her granddaughter's sensible response, Chu Yue nodded in approval. Once they returned home, she handed her the fruit Wei had given. "This is a gift from your Big Brother Wei. Eat it, practice well, and surprise him the next time he returns."
Chu Lin's eyes shone with renewed resolve as she gazed at the fruit. Longing and determination welled up inside her. She gripped it tightly and promised, "I will, Grandma."