It was an overcast day. It was snowing, and the streets were piled high with snow. Valeria wanted to remind Mais of his promise, but she was afraid to do so. When he arrived home injured, he didn't ask anyone for help. He looked angry, and wherever he stepped, winter followed. No servant other than Anika was permitted to approach him. Valeria simply watched from a distance, having decided it would be wiser to postpone her offer until another day.
'It's certainly not that I'm afraid.'
Little Valeria had no reason to be afraid, or so she told herself.
Meanwhile, Anika was tending to Mais's wounds in his room. Although some movements caused him to groan in pain, the little boy showed surprising resilience. He had given her an ointment, which she applied to his body. The healing effects were already evident; Anika couldn't help but wonder as she saw the ointment shimmering with a golden glow upon the wounds. Mais noticed her gaze and grumbled.
"What? Are you after my treasures too?"
Anika shook her head. "I wouldn't dare, my lord."
She was clever enough to know that Mais was hiding something. After all, his alchemical talent didn't just appear out of nowhere. Someone must have mentored him, and that person wouldn't have released this boy into the wilderness empty-handed. Yet Anika was quite certain that she shouldn't be greedy. She knew that Mais could be gentle at times, but sometimes—like now—he could become so enraged that he might brutally murder anyone who got in his way.
"Was it the City Lord?" she finally asked. There weren't many people in the city who could hurt Mais that much, and she knew it. Mais said nothing, and Anika took his silence as confirmation.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
At the sound of a knock, the door drifted slightly ajar and Valeria appeared, her cheeks puffy. She saw Mais's sullen face and the wounds on his body. Despite his age, Mais was in good shape and looked strong, yet Valeria wasn't ashamed to see him this way. She slowly approached and examined the wounds. At that moment, her face was even more sullen than his.
"What happened, Valeria?" Mais asked. He had known it was her from the moment she stepped into the room.
"You're injured."
Mais bowed his head and laughed bitterly. "I've been injured so often since I left home that I guess it's normal."
"This isn't normal!"
Mais looked up in surprise. Even Anika, who was tightening his bandages, was shocked. The small figure standing before them was trembling, and tears were streaming down Valeria's cheeks. Mais could hear her sobbing. He hadn't understood the gravity of her reaction, but Anika had; a sweet smile formed on the maid's face. Meanwhile, Mais was curious—and surprised—that he was actually affected by Valeria's tears.
"Why are you crying, Val?"
It was a nickname he rarely used, and it brought Valeria closer to him. Mais had never shortened anyone else's name before. Valeria pointed to Mais's wounds with her finger. How foolish; didn't she know that Mais couldn't see?
"Your wounds are so bloody! Are you dying?!"
Mais wasn't surprised by Valeria's lack of understanding regarding a cultivator's capabilities. In fact, it made him laugh. He extended his hand, intending to signal for Valeria to come over, when his hand accidentally brushed against her finger. Valeria flinched. Just as she was about to pull away, Mais took her wrist and gently pulled her toward him. He stroked her head softly, trying to soothe her. Valeria looked at him, still sobbing. He withdrew his hand from her hair and touched her right cheek; it was salty and wet. He carefully wiped away the little girl's tears as Anika watched, smiling.
"Don't worry, Val. I'll be alright."
Valeria's tears slowly subsided, but Mais hesitated. Should he run away now, fleeing from Baro and the threat he brought? Should he leave Valeria here and continue his cultivation elsewhere? Should he enter the Red Path Forest to contemplate Tao? Any of these would be the "right" thing to do. He had to live like a monk, expand his army, and win over the families who had been loyal to him in the past—those who dared to challenge his older brother. He had to go.
Mais had grown up believing he possessed the necessary willpower and had been told he was far more mature than his peers. So why was he hesitating now? He didn't want to leave Valeria. He didn't want to run away. Despite the death threats, he wanted to stay. He felt like an idiot. At this point, he realized he had unknowingly been acting like a child.
A normal child. Like Valeria.
Valeria stayed by his side while Anika finished bandaging his wounds. Mais held her hand. Her tears were replaced by quiet sobs. Once the tending was finished, Mais turned to Anika.
"I want to rest for a while. If anyone comes, tell them to wait or leave." He then turned to Valeria, his attitude softening. "Go and wash your face, Valeria. I'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about. Go on."
Valeria didn't actually want to leave, but she was persuaded. Anika took her away, and Mais sat on the bed. A pill appeared between his fingers—a bright, ice-blue pill. At that moment, he felt his options were clear.
"Have I reached the point of risking my life?"
His treasury contained pills that could be used in the Sage Realm, but they weren't designed for a body at his current stage. Nevertheless, by taking risks, Mais could have assimilated one of them. Having reached this stage so quickly, though, he had thought there was no need for such danger. But now that Baro was breathing down his neck, should he really swallow it?
He hesitated. This wasn't actually a cultivation pill. Depending on its type, it would allow him to experience advanced Taoist insights for a short period. Of course, due to the pill's rank, it would inevitably increase a Sage's cultivation level.
"I need to work harder. I still have time."
True Alchemists weren't a dime a dozen. A True Alchemist should generally be at least in the Origin Heart Realm, and most were Ascended. However, finding a True Alchemist was far more difficult than finding an Ascended one. Baro's resources would soon prove insufficient to find someone like that.
There was a momentary gasp. The temperature in the room dropped.
Mais stood up and took a step forward. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt a surge of strength rising in his heart under the pressure of danger. The room grew cold. Mais didn't take his cane, yet he didn't bump into anything. His steps were synchronized with his hand movements. He waved his hand in the air as though he were swimming in the sea, and something rippled backward through the atmosphere.
The cold intensified. He took another step and waved his left hand, palm facing downward. The mirrors in the room fogged up. The black-and-white-tipped wand began to tremble. Mais extended his hand, and suddenly, the staff flew through the air and snapped into his grip. He took another step forward.
This step symbolized his determination. Along with it came the weight of all his hard work. He had labored to reach this point. Moreover, when it came to Tao, Mais had never felt inferior to anyone. In fact, he felt everyone else was inferior to him.
The room froze. The cold spread throughout the entire building. Even the chubby boy chasing the angry young woman toward the mansion shivered in the sudden chill.
With his next step, Mais stepped into the Cold Tao.