Three days had passed since Caelrisu and Namgoong Gyo had bought their new house and begun settling in.
The last few days were spent doing little more shopping, spare swords, a few sets of clothes, furniture sturdy enough to last a few winters, and medicines they might one day need.
Out of the 500 gold coins the Clan Head had given them, only 47 remained. The reinforcement of the second basement alone had devoured 70 gold coins, but Namgoong didn't complain. He merely sighed, muttered something about safety being worth the cost, and moved on.
This morning, he was teaching Caelrisu about the geography of the world.
"Now that you have learned about the physical laws of the world and about the human body as well as various animals. I must say I am quite surprised that you learned all of biology and physics in just three days."
"Well, I always possessed perfect memory, which was further enhanced by my Awakening. And with my thought acceleration Awakened Ability and my already prior knowledge in the field, learning it is no big deal."
Caelrisu said with a face that said, 'What's the big deal?'. But underneath, she thought.
'Obviously, I had immense knowledge about the human body. I specifically learned it to understand my Penumbral Body.'
"Yes, yes. Young lady, you are so great. Let's learn about geography."
"The world is divided into three continents," he said, his finger tracing the map spread across the wooden table. "You know about them, right?"
"I thought there were only two." Caelrisu tilted her head, puzzled. "The Eastern and the Western?"
Had this been three days ago, Namgoong might have groaned or scolded her. But by now, he had grown used to her ignorance. He simply sighed through his nose and explained patiently.
"No, Young Lady. There are three continents: the Eastern, the Western, and the Frozen Continent."
Her brows knitted together. "Frozen Continent?"
"Yes," he said with a faint nod. "As the name suggests, it's a land buried entirely under ice. The temperature is so low that no ordinary life can exist there. When it was first discovered, countless powers and even three great temples tried to claim it."
He paused, his expression dimming. "None of them returned alive."
Caelrisu blinked. "What happened to them?"
"They were found encased in ice, frozen solid, yet wearing peaceful smiles. After that, ice mages, cold-type Awakened, and Martial Artists skilled in frost arts ventured there. For them, it was a paradise. They even managed to communicate with the outside world for a short while… sending back details that fascinated every researcher alive."
His tone grew heavier. "But after half a week, they too were gone."
"Why?" she whispered.
"It's said," Namgoong replied quietly, "that a Spirit Beast at the level of a Throne resides there."
Her eyes widened. "Then… why hasn't it left to conquer us?"
He gave a thin, knowing smile. "Because it's sealed."
Her voice dropped to a near whisper. "Who could seal something like that?"
Namgoong looked out the window, where pale sunlight filtered through the curtains. His gaze softened with faint reverence.
"Who else," he said quietly, "but the Throne of Combat, the Throne of the previous generation."
"Throne of Combat?" Caelrisu tilted her head in curiosity.
Namgoong Gyo looked at her expression and sighed. "Judging from that face, you don't know who he is… do you?"
Caelrisu shook her head shamelessly.
He let out another long breath, rubbing his temples. "Then listen well. I'll tell you one of the most famed legends about him, the tale of corpse mountain."
At once, Caelrisu's eyes brightened with excitement. She sat up straighter, eager like a child awaiting a bedtime story.
Namgoong's tone softened, carrying both reverence and sorrow.
"When the Throne of Combat was still an Unrooted Way Silent Judge, his family was massacred by the Empire of the Eastern Continent, all because of the foolish pride of its Crown Princess. His clan, his friends, every last soul was burned in imperial fire.
Overwhelmed by grief and rage, he walked alone to face the Empire's army, a sea of soldiers that stretched beyond the horizon. Among them were three Aethersages, hundreds of Silent Judges, Transcendent Masters mounted on horses and chariots, and elephants armored in steel."
Namgoong paused, eyes distant as he recalled the tale.
"They ignored him at first," he continued, "thinking he was just another madman seeking vengeance. But the Three Gods of Heaven, disgusted by the Empire's atrocities, had already turned their gaze away from the royal banner… and instead, they bestowed upon them their silent judgment."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping low.
"And then… he swung his blade."
Caelrisu's breath halted.
"He swung again, and again, and again, each strike carrying grief, wrath, and despair. He danced a waltz of blood upon the battlefield, tears streaming down his face, his heart shattering with every cut.
By the time he stopped… he stood atop a mountain of corpses two hundred meters high. The air was thick with silence. Every being that bore even a drop of imperial blood had perished. It's said that it rained blood for several days.
In fact, the corpse mountain still exists in the Eastern Continent. Although the entry is banned, as you would simply perish if you went there."
Caelrisu stared at him, speechless for a moment, then whispered, "...Wow."
Namgoong gave a faint smile. "Yes, wow indeed. His legend changed the balance of the world itself.
Tell me, Young Lady, do you know of the three masteries of combat: Speed, Endurance, and Strength?"
She nodded eagerly. "Of course, who doesn't?"
'So she knows about the three masteries of combat but doesn't even have basic sex education... I think that's what we call wow,' Namgoong thought with a dry sigh.
"Yes," he said aloud, his tone returning to lecture mode, "this concept was created by the Throne of Combat himself when he reached the Aethersage realm, to guide Silent Judges in breaking their limits and stepping into the Rooted Way."
"Wow," Caelrisu said, her eyes shimmering with admiration. "I want to learn it too! Can I?"
"Well… you can; in fact, you should, as it deeply complements one's martial arts," Namgoong replied with a faint smile, "but it requires more than talent. You'll need real battle experience, deep analysis, and thorough knowledge of the human body. It's not something theory alone can grant."
"I'll still try!" she said stubbornly.
"I expected nothing less," he muttered, amused despite himself. Then, straightening up, he continued, "Now then, moving on from legends, let's talk about the Eastern Continent."
"Okay!" Caelrisu replied brightly, her eyes wide with curiosity once more.
Namgoong Gyo smiled faintly and began, "The entire Eastern Continent is dominated by three great powers. The first is the Veiled Lantern Society, a vast network made up of beggars, prostitutes, urchins, assassins, and even a few bandits and laborers. Don't underestimate them, though. They possess the most terrifying information web in existence."
"Just how good are they?" Caelrisu asked, leaning forward.
"They can find out the color of your private parts within an hour of the request."
A chill crept down her spine, and she unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. "That's… disturbing."
Namgoong chuckled softly. "I agree on that."
He continued, his voice turning more serious. "Next are the Weepers of the Vacant Throne, a sinister religion, a grotesque fusion of heretic cults from the Ancient Eastern Continent, namely Buddhism and Taoism. They hold terrifying combat power… and their numbers reach nearly a hundred million."
Caelrisu's eyes widened. "A hundred… million?"
"Yes," Namgoong said grimly. "Some of them summon beautiful petals of blood to tear their enemies apart. Some force men and women to indulge endlessly, turning their pleasure into Yin-Yang energy. Others are bald monks who grow stronger by devouring human flesh and blood. Kill one of them and deliver the corpse to the Three Temples, and you'll be rewarded handsomely."
Caelrisu paled, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. "Disgusting."
"Welcome to the East, Young Lady," Namgoong said dryly. "It's not a place for the weak-hearted."
He took a slow breath before speaking again, his tone softening. "And lastly, there's The Thirteenth Zenith, a small group of thirteen individuals, each at the level of an Aethersage. They aren't an organization in the traditional sense, more like twelve disciples following their master, the Mountain Lord. Righteous wanderers, they travel the world helping powerless humans, acting on conscience alone."
"They sound… nice," she said softly, almost hopefully.
"Yes," Namgoong continued. "They are bound by deep brotherhood and are said to be searching for something. Although no one knows if that's true."
Caelrisu tilted her head, curiosity lighting up her eyes.
"So… who do you think is the strongest among the three?"
Namgoong Gyo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's a tough question, Young Lady." He leaned back slightly, gazing out the window as if picturing distant lands. "If we're talking individual strength, then it's undoubtedly The Thirteenth Zenith. Each one of them could stand against armies."
His tone darkened. "But in terms of raw combat power, no one surpasses the Weepers of the Vacant Throne. Their faith and madness make them fearless and united. But, they're like caged beasts, hunted wherever they go due to Three Temples. There are entire guilds formed just to slaughter them the moment they crawl out of their holes."
He paused and said grimly. "But the ones who truly scare me… are the Veiled Lantern Society."
Caelrisu blinked, confusion evident in her voice. "Why? Aren't they just beggars and thieves?"
Namgoong chuckled. "Because they have strings attached to everyone. Favors, secrets, debts, things far more dangerous than steel. No one dares antagonize them. You never know what they might reveal."
A faint shiver ran through Caelrisu's spine at his words.
"That's the world, Young Lady," he replied quietly.
Caelrisu looked thoughtful for a while before asking, "What about the Western Continent, Uncle?"
Namgoong Gyo's eyes turned amused. "Ah… the West. That's a different beast altogether."