Destiny in Cinders

"Hey, Sister Jin, you're drunk for real." Ming Guangchen noticed something was off and immediately got up. He'd had his fill of being swung around by Jin Yanhua's tail. In fact, when he was adventuring with them as a youth, she had wrapped her tail around him many times before.

The moment he saw Jin Yanhua grab An Jing over for a chat, he immediately thought, Ah, so this is something everyone that gets to know her has to experience at least once. But when he listened to their conversation, Ming Guangchen realized that this wasn't just any excessive display of friendliness. The dragon lady with an amazing tolerance for alcohol actually ended up drunk!

"I'm not drunk! I'm a peak sage! How can I possibly end up drunk?!"

Ming Guangchen pulled her tail aside to save An Jing while she continued to complain. It was true that she wouldn't end up drunk if she had been circulating her cultivation technique. However, the alcohol Ming Guangchen had brought with him was a spirit wine that was meant to cleanse the soul. There were certain people who were extra sensitive to that effect, dragons included, which got them hammered really quickly.

He held down the wriggling tail that continued to slap on the ground, turned to the quiet An Jing and the distraught You Ruhui and said, "I'll need to have a good talk with Sister Jin. She's seen a few old friends pass in the past century. Typically, dragons don't interact much with humans, but she's had lots of meetings and partings as a result of being a member of Endmost Sky. I'm sure she doesn't really enjoy seeing so many people leave her side for good."

Ming Guangchen then flew up to the sky while Jin Yanhua hugged his waist tightly and sobbed. Sages were people too. The fact that they could form close and lasting bonds meant that they could be hurt once those bonds were severed as well.

An Jing and You Ruhui gave each other exasperated looks before sighing and proceeding to clean up the courtyard.

As they were cleaning, You Ruhui said, "Actually, Sister Jin asked me the same questions. However, she sounded much gentler with me."

"How did you answer her?" An Jing asked.

You Ruhui's reply surprised him. "Perhaps... the same as yours..."

"The same as mine?"

"Yes." She lowered her gaze and calmly said, "If someone like my father really died because of a plot that resulted from Grand Chen's internal conflict, what point is there for Grand Chen to continue to exist? An Jing, I've been thinking... Since people have natural lifespans, the same should apply to countries too. Perhaps Grand Chen's time has come."

An Jing could see a blazing fire within her downcast eyes. It was fueled by hatred. He had seen fire like that in the eyes of Bai Qinghan as well as those of many other refugees.

"Perhaps... your goal is the same as mine, huh?" An Jing mumbled. What he wanted wasn't just the end of Grand Chen. He wanted everything. Actions were louder than words, which was why he remained silent after hearing Jin Yanhua's questions. At the very least, he considered himself to be You Ruhui's ally for the moment.

You Ruhui seemed relieved to hear his response. Her lips curved into a slight smile. This was enough.

At noon the next day, Jin Yanhua sobered up and became a stable senior figure once more. Also, the void altar could finally be used again.

"Seriously," Jin Yanhua said to An Jing, "you can join Ruhui as well. Guang has many things he has to deal with, so you won't be able to learn much by going with him. It's better if you come to Ancestral Dragon Hall with us. No matter how intricately your fate is linked with the Heavenly Divine Cult, they won't be able to reach you at ours."

Before Ming Guangchen could complain about her stealing his disciple and throwing shade on his teaching skills, An Jing said, "It's fine, Sister Jin. My parents are still out there, their fates unknown. After you travel back using the void altar, I need to use it to go to the northern frontier."

"Oh?" That came as a surprise to the dragon lady. "You? Your parents? But you're the bearer of a lifearc associated with Pyrestar Warden and Evenstar Eclipse."

"As long as there's a chance they're still alive, I have to go look for them. I am still their son," An Jing said, clicking his tongue. He understood her shock; someone bearing such a heavy lifearc like his typically wouldn't have any parents left to speak of. Even so, he still felt offended.

"I'm sorry." Jin Yanhua apologized sincerely. "I was being hasty with my assumptions. Hey, Guang, why don't you help your disciple out?"

"The barbarians are at war at the northern frontier," Ming Guangchen said with a resigned tone. "They are backed by Slumberplume Mountain and Grandfloat Mountain. The northern frontier used to be their territory before it was annexed by Grand Chen. The recent attacks are merely opportunistic attempts that came as a result of the snow calamity.

"What good will I do there? Will I fight against Grand Chen's forces as a member of the alliance of Dustdawn Sects? The five sects are still allies against Grand Chen's oppression, despite their disagreements. Even though the Brightmirror Sect alone has decent relations with Grand Chen, we'll still have to fight on Dustdawn's side at the northern battlefield.

"If I make my move, how would An Jing hope to locate his parents when chaos breaks out? It'd be better for me to give him an ability token. He'd be able to travel about much more freely this way too. Not to mention, there's something you're not aware of, considering how hard you've been fighting at East Ocean."

Ming Guangchen turned to An Jing and You Ruhui. "During a large mission at the Southsavage Flood Continent, an empyrean of the Refinement True Path ended up as an immortalfallen. I'm sure you're aware that the true spirit over there is Old Xie. Once I settle matters here, I have to go there to help him out."

These were internal matters of Endmost Sky. An Jing knew that it was a void-crossing organization that consisted of people who showed promise and had aligned beliefs and interests. Their members spanned the ten continents of Void Embrace. It also provided a platform where these martialists from various different backgrounds could exchange information with each other and grow stronger.

While this was absolute top secret information, the two seniors trusted An Jing and You Ruhui enough to not worry about it.

"This feels not too unlike our interworld travels. Even if we end up joining Endmost Sky, we'd be more impressive than them. It's a good thing either way," Yvelbane said.

However, An Jing was focused on a different matter. "Immortalfallen... It's the second time I've heard this phrase. What does it mean?"

He wasn't in a hurry to find out, however. It was time for them to part.

"Goodbye," You Ruhui said as she waved at An Jing from the altar beside Jin Yanhua. "I will be much stronger by the next time we meet!"

Unlike when they first met, You Ruhui was no longer gloomy and anxious. She was much more resolute and optimistic. Madam Huai, An Jing, Ming Guangchen and Jin Yanhua had all helped strengthen her. They taught her that she wasn't all on her own in this world. Someone would be there with her, whether it was on the journey of growth or revenge. That was all she needed. She didn't want to obsess over the far future. All she wanted was to focus on living well in the present.

"Then, Master, Sister Jin, and Ruhui, we shall part for now." An Jing waved them off; he didn't ask what Ming Guangchen would be up to on the central continent. Going from continent to continent was just another one of those things Endmost Walkers were usually up to.

"Once I return, I'll send you to the northern frontier," Ming Guangchen said. "Focus on your training for now. I know I don't have to worry about you given how focused you can be. However, make sure to not cause too much of a commotion. This altar might be hidden by the camouflage formation, but it won't work on the true elites who are out looking for something like this."

"I understand, Master." He saluted his master properly; Ming Guangchen had been as sincere as he could be toward him, whether it came to teaching him about the martial path or finding someone to teach him about proper combat arts.

An Jing wasn't someone who caused others to worry, so the three of them stepped onto the void altar without hesitation. After they vanished, the altar dimmed.

"Phew, are they all gone?" An Jing looked at the empty altar. Apart from feeling a little sad at their departure, he also felt a renewed sense of freedom. He was well and truly on his own. Unlike when he first came to Keensight, his reputation among the citizens and officials was better than ever before! It was finally time. Hehe, it's time to start interworld trading!