Chapter 31: Weakness is a Sin

The four of them stood in silence, the weight of their conversation settling in.

Jiang Hao exhaled sharply, his hands clenched into fists. "We can't just leave them like this. We have to do something."

Wei Ren, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms. "And what exactly do you think we can do? We're weak. We have no real power yet."

Jiang Hao shot him a glare. "So what? We should just turn our backs on them? Just walk away while people are disappearing?"

Before their frustration could escalate, Liu Feng raised a hand. "Maybe the sect ignored the request because it came from the villagers," he said, thinking aloud. "If we report it ourselves, as disciples, the sect might actually take it seriously."

Jiang Hao was about to argue, but Adrian suddenly cut in. "Jiang Hao." His voice was calm but firm. "Right now, this is the only thing we can do. Something is happening here, and if it's something beyond our ability to handle, then rushing in recklessly won't help anyone."

Jiang Hao's jaw tightened, but after a moment, he let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. We'll report it."

Just as their conversation was reaching its conclusion, Cosmo's voice echoed in Adrian's mind.

"Adrian… someone is watching you from afar. Although they are not close, if they wished… they could kill you from where you stand."

A chill ran down Adrian's spine. His entire body turned cold, but he forced himself to stay still. He didn't react. He didn't look around. He acted as if he had heard nothing.

But Wei Ren was sharp. Though he didn't know what had happened, he caught the subtle shift in Adrian's face. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

Adrian quickly shook his head. "Nothing. Maybe we should just complete our task, collect the resource, and leave."

Liu Feng, who had been feeling uneasy since entering the village, agreed. "Yeah. I don't think we should linger here any longer."

With that, they made their way toward the village head's house.

The village head's house was larger than the others, though not by much. Its walls, made of dried mud and straw, looked old and weathered. As they knocked on the wooden door, it creaked open to reveal an elderly man with deep wrinkles and tired eyes.

"You're from the sect?" he asked, looking them over.

"Yes," Adrian confirmed. "We wanted to ask about the disappearances. The old man we spoke to said you had already reported it."

The village head sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I did. I sent word to the sect weeks ago. No one ever came. If you're here, then… does that mean they finally sent help?"

Jiang Hao glanced at Wei Ren, then back at the village head. "Not exactly. We didn't know about the situation until we arrived. But we'll report it ourselves."

The old man let out a breath of relief. "That's all we can ask for. At this point, anything is better than being ignored."

"We'll do what we can," Adrian assured him. "For now, we need to collect the resource from the village."

The village head nodded and motioned for them to follow him. He led them to a small storage hut near the edge of the village. Inside, there were neatly stacked bundles of a rare herb, its dark green leaves giving off a faint medicinal scent.

"This is what we have," the village head said. "It's not much, but if it helps you, then at least our village has done something useful."

Adrian and the others gathered the herbs carefully, packing them into their storage bags. After securing their supplies, they turned back to the village head.

"We'll leave now," Adrian said. "Stay safe, and if anything else happens, try to hold out until we can get help."

The old man gave them a weak smile. "Thank you, kids. Even if you can't do anything right now, just knowing that someone listened… it means more than you think."

With that, they left the village, stepping back onto the winding path that led toward the sect.

As they walked, Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that unseen eyes were still watching.

A mile away from the village, two figures stood atop a rocky outcrop, gazing down at the settlement. Their robes fluttered slightly in the evening breeze, their faces obscured by the shadows of their hoods.

The shorter of the two, a man with sharp features and a restless air about him, turned to his companion. "Should we kill them?" His voice was devoid of emotion, merely asking as if discussing the weather.

The taller man, evidently the superior, chuckled softly. "No need," he said. "Their words bear no weight. Just bugs crawling about."

The subordinate frowned. "Still… it's strange. How did they get assigned a mission here?"

The taller man gave a casual shrug. "Coincidence. Or maybe someone arranged it. Regardless, it changes nothing."

The conversation ended there. The two figures turned their sight away from the group and got busy in their work.

The journey back to the sect was silent. No one spoke, but their eyes remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings. The village's eerie stillness clung to their minds, and a lingering sense of unease accompanied them.

Adrian walked slightly ahead of the group, his face calm, but his thoughts were anything but.

"Cosmo."

"Yes?"

"You told me someone could have killed me from there," Adrian thought, his mental voice steady despite the weight of the question. "What realm were they in?"

Cosmo was silent for a moment before responding.

"Before I answer that, it's time you learned the names of the realms. You can't stay ignorant forever."

Adrian listened intently as Cosmo continued.

"The first three realms are:"

1.Ember Awakening – The starting point, where the body first begins to strengthen.

2.Flowing Veins – Qi circulation deepens, allowing for internal injuries to be healed.

3.Tempered Meridian – The body reaches the limits of ordinary mortals, and Qi control becomes more refined.

Cosmo paused, then continued.

"The next realm is Forged Core."

"Here, one condenses their Qi into a core within their body, a foundation for greater strength."

"Beyond that is Burning Essence."

"This realm is different. Until now, cultivators have focused on strengthening the body. But here, one begins to refine and intensify their soul. Only by forging both body and spirit can one step further."

"Then comes Internal Expansion."

"At this stage, the power of the core is amplified, expanding one's internal energy reserves, allowing for a vast increase in strength."

"Overflowing Reservoir follows next."

"Here, cultivators wield enough energy to unleash destruction on a massive scale. Their power can alter landscapes, shatter mountains, and split the earth itself."

"And finally… Mortal Ascendance."

"This is the peak of the mortal world. Those who reach it stand at the limits of what this realm can contain."

Adrian's breath slowed as he absorbed the information. This… is the path I must climb?

The power difference was vast.

Taking a deep breath, he returned to his original question. "What was the realm of the ones watching us?"

Cosmo responded calmly. "There were two. One was at Internal Expansion. The other… was at Burning Essence."

Adrian felt his stomach tighten. Only two realms away from standing at the top of this world… and they could have ended us here without effort.

A cold sweat formed on his back as he realized how easily his journey could have ended before it even truly began. His friends, too—they could have died without even knowing who their killers were.

For the first time, he truly felt the insignificance of his strength.

As the fear settled in, Cosmo spoke once more.

"Adrian, I will not save you."

Adrian blinked. "…What?"

"If I were to help you now, then your journey would be meaningless."

Cosmo's voice remained steady, yet unyielding.

"However… if a power beyond this world—a force that should not exist in the mortal realm—were to appear, then I would have no hesitation in breaking the rules to intervene. But as long as you walk the path of a cultivator… you must rely on your own strength."

Adrian was silent for a long moment.

Then, finally, he exhaled and nodded. "…I understand."

He did not blame Cosmo. He knew—if he wanted to become strong, if he wanted to control his own fate, he could not rely on anyone but himself.

Resolving himself once more, Adrian continued walking.

Soon, the town came into view.

__ __ __