After their five bouts of sparring, Sun and Liming Zi settled down.
Late Hour was on the cusp of its end; then, the world would begin to brighten once more.
"The Innate Qi within Rising Dragon has considerably stabilised, but I still can't conjure any ribbons..."
Sun was sitting on the ground, leaning over his halberd with a contemplative look.
"But... with the progress I am making, it should be fine..."
"Are you sure you won't need your ribbons? I believe that it's the most vital aspect of a dancer."
"Really?" Sun palmed his face at the light tease, but couldn't help snicker, "It will be fine. I only need to make it past this tide, right? Afterwards..."
Afterwards...
He had truly not thought so far ahead.
If not for the situation, then maybe... maybe he could have given his future more thought.
"How long will these tides of fog even last? No... they probably wouldn't stop until that damned Immortal is put down..."
"How audacious to be speaking like that."
"You think the same, too, no?"
"Of course."
Another thought had risen in Sun's mind.
Not one of questions, but a sense of resolve.
"When we overcome these tides... then I will continue to cultivate... I will continue to cultivate my Way! And when the time comes to it, I will fulfil my promise."
"..."
Liming Zi merely spared Sun a glance, her posture more relaxed than Sun's.
"Your promise?"
'To help others', that was his promise.
But it was not a promise that walked down the path of either Guard nor Medical Expert.
He felt as though he could not fulfil that promise through those two professions.
"I will be strong. I will help others. I must be strong to help others...!"
Those were words that came from the heart.
Liming Zi did not say anything.
As Sun held his gaze to the earth, at the halberd on the ground, Liming Zi held her gaze to the Starlit Sky.
...
The fourth night would arrive.
Sun journeyed down to the Great Smithy. His armour was finished and was packed into a leather vessel.
He acquired armour and a weapon, trained his Dao Art and martial skills.
However, he lamented that he could not focus too intently on his Cultivation.
But there just wasn't enough time.
'Although I have not refined my eyes into Superficial Eyes, nor developed the Mind Layer, I am still a capable fighter.'
He reassured himself, trying to think of nothing of it.
The development of his Way, the refinement of his Qi Cores, and... the Tempered Faith he has towards his beliefs; those are what reassured him.
'As long as I don't lose my Way, then I can advance...'
...
The fifth night.
Tonight, at the third hour of Rising Hour, was the planned departure to Qing Mao Dao Settlement.
Sun and Liming Zi have already prepared themselves within these five short nights.
Under the brightening starlight, the two of them traversed the stone-paved streets.
And soon, as they turned the corner, the United Army Hall came into view.
This time, their appearance was not unexpected, and the same guards from before allowed their entry.
The once vast army hall was now tightly cluttered, no longer the desolate space like the last time Sun and Liming Zi came around.
Looking around, there were the blue-robed Warriors of Union Settlement, ordinary Warriors and Cultivators among them.
The hall was filled with the sounds of conversation.
Some talked about their worries, others about their anticipation.
They did not truly know the nature of this Retaliatory Division, so their conversations were quite light.
Liming Zi gazed through the masses and spotted more unique individuals in the crowd.
One in particular was dressed in green, a tall man with a heavy presence.
She did not let her gaze linger for too long and turned to Sun,
"Let us find Silver Extreme. I'm sure there will be some sort of meeting before we leave, but we should relinquish our belongings first."
"Mmhm."
Sun himself was looking all over the place, though his gaze was not as scrutinising as Liming Zi's.
As they moved through the United Army Hall, they would come to ask a Guard for Silver Extreme's whereabouts, and were led outside to the back.
There was a spacious courtyard, around one hundred meters long and half as wide.
But almost the entirety of that space was dominated by a body.
The body was divided into various segments, each was rectangular, of earthen colour, and shimmered like bronze under the starlight.
Countless legs extended from the segments, and its flat head was resting on the ground.
And before that creature's head was a man dressed in tight blue robes, his silver hair tied high.
"Silver Extreme."
Liming Zi approached him with Sun behind her, both greeting politely with a bow.
"You have arrived. Have you made your preparations?"
They nodded, and Silver Extreme extended a hand to the
"This creature, the Earth Overturning Centipede, will be our vessel of transportation. Your preparations, be it provisions or belongings, will be stored on the backmost segments of its body.
"There, people will help you secure your preparations. After that, please wait inside the United Army Hall.
"I, Silver Extreme, leader of this Retaliatory Division, will make my announcement and declare our departure in motion!"
With that, he received a nod from Sun and Liming Zi, and thus turned back to the Earth Overturning Centipede's head.
He seemed ponderous, with a stern look constantly on his face.
...
It did not take Sun and Liming Zi long to secure their preparations with the other provisions.
Sun felt a tremble of anticipation shivering down his spine.
'It is almost time...'
This departure would mark a new beginning for Sun.
He felt the anticipation intensifying in his mind, and with a shuddering breath, he returned to the United Army Hall with Liming Zi.
Sure enough, after an hour had passed, the casual conversations went quiet, and the centre of attention was placed at the front of the United Army Hall.
Everyone's gaze was directed towards Silver Extreme, and they held their breaths as he spoke his words.