Published: March 8, 2025
CHAPTER 98: Heavenly Petal Orchid! [Seeking Monthly Votes!]
Young Master Wei floated ahead, casually saying, “Only Chu Yang needs to follow me. The rest of you stay here and wait, after all... this young master only owes Chu Yang, not any of you.”
Chu Yang signaled for Gu Duxing and the others to wait for a moment, then followed him alone. Gu Duxing and Dong Wushang exchanged glances, both seeing understanding in each other’s eyes.
Rocky Luo and Ji Mo felt somewhat disgruntled, but the two cold and solitary figures of Gu Duxing and Dong Wushang were able to understand Young Master Wei. Although they hadn’t faced the same tribulations as him, both had experienced similar feelings.
Furthermore… one’s status and strength also determined one’s habits and emotions.
So Gu Duxing looked at Young Master Wei’s back with not only understanding, but also envy and compassion. Envy for his strength, and compassion for his solitude.
A person at the bottom level can easily make friends, spending all day calling out to them to play; that’s because there are so many people just like him. But once one has a certain status, real friends begin to dwindle. The unwarranted feelings of wariness that arise in one’s heart, and others' subconscious distancing… turn the word “friend” into an abyss.
And for those in higher positions… only subordinates and allies remain. The word "ally" does contain the character for "friend," but the estrangement and caution within it can sometimes be more unbearable than facing enemies.
If one were a dictator, one could only be lonely.
This is also why rulers throughout history could only be said to stand alone. Because their status determines that they will absolutely… not have friends! Or perhaps they yearn for friendships deep down, but in reality: they can only be lonely. No one dares to befriend such a person.
Chu Yang was lamenting this matter in his heart; if one wants strength and friends, unless one has brothers like himself to toil and progress together, climbing to the peak together! Such bonds formed from humble beginnings, through habit and instinct, can last forever.
Chu Yang resolved that no matter what, he could not be as lonely as Young Master Wei.
He could sense that Young Master Wei’s emotional fluctuations were evidently intense and extreme; if anyone were to provoke him at this moment, it would definitely be as terrifying as a volcanic eruption!
And Young Master Wei's emotional fluctuations should have been stirred by the sudden appearance of the ancient ice bear, awakening his resentment for the ninth level spirit beast!
So, what kind of use does a ninth level spirit beast have for Young Master Wei? Regardless of the purpose, it must be extremely significant, right? Otherwise, Young Master Wei wouldn’t have lost his composure.
Having grown up here, Young Master Wei could kick an eighth level peak spirit beast away with a single kick—had he… never encountered a ninth level spirit beast? Or... was he unable to?
How terrifying must that ninth level spirit beast be?
Is there really such a large gap in just one level?
Chu Yang pondered these things, seemingly realizing something. Theoretically, a one-level difference could be worlds apart, right? But why hadn't the previous level gaps been that significant?
Could it be that spirit beasts, like human cultivation, become increasingly stratified and distinct as they reach higher levels?
He remained silent as he followed Young Master Wei into the Ice Peak.
Young Master Wei, in his flowing blue robe, reached the foot of the mountain. Chu Yang suddenly realized that this Ice Peak was very different from other peaks. It was vertical! Moreover, it was a single block of ancient dark ice!
“This is my home.” Young Master Wei stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from Chu Yang beneath the towering Ice Peak, with a hint of weariness in his tone, “For many years, you are the first guest in my home!”
As he spoke, he elegantly shook his sleeves, revealing his clean hands, and summoned a mass of snow and ice, meticulously wiping each of his ten fingers. With a thought, the howling snow and ice enveloped his entire body and then burst apart with a bang.