Fusion! Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash

"Um, Ya." Bai Zhou swallowed hard.

"What?"

"Maybe, I'm just saying maybe—"

Bai Zhou used the most relaxed and calm tone he could muster to drop a bombshell.

"I might possess a set of Knowledge Inheritance for the Adventurer sequence."

Ya: "?"

"Impossible!"

Ya immediately dismissed Bai Zhou's delirious rambling.

But looking into Bai Zhou's clear eyes, Ya suddenly recalled that half of a Forbidden Ancient Script from earlier, and her expression turned suspicious and uncertain.

"Is it... the Knowledge Mist?"

Bai Zhou nodded.

The air suddenly fell into an unusual silence.

The firelight on the ground flickered unsteadily, illuminating the Maiden's... somewhat stiff face.

"I never had the chance to mention this."

Bai Zhou's voice tightened slightly.

"When I was exploring the Knowledge Mist, besides that half of a Forbidden Ancient Script, I actually captured a Golden Firefly Light."

"Inside it was a piece of Knowledge Inheritance called the Sacred Oath Slash."

"I can't read the characters used to record it, but I recognize that at its beginning—"

Bai Zhou pointed to the symbol of crossed swords on the tabletop.

"There is also a mark just like this one."

"Boom—"

The firelight flared brilliantly.

The twelve curtains swayed like rippling water.

Just like Ya's palpitating heart.

The hem of her Pitch Black trench coat fluttered gently as Ya stood silent in place.

After studying Bai Zhou with a complex gaze for a long time, she finally exhaled, shaking her head as if coming to terms with it:

"Can you..."

"Write it down for me to see?"

"It really is the Adventurer path..."

The firelight flickered.

Ya sighed softly, and a wisp of Flames rose from her palm, igniting the paper that recorded the knowledge.

As the ashes dissipated in Mid-air, she turned to look at Bai Zhou.

After half an hour of research, Ya successfully confirmed:

"Congratulations—"

"You might truly be on your way to becoming a Destined One!"

Everything was as Bai Zhou had thought.

The Sacred Oath Slash was indeed a secret technique of the Adventurer path.

Moreover, it was an introductory secret technique for the path, similar to Moon Ember!

"Its origins are truly significant."

With a soft tap, the Flames swept across the ground as Ya came to Bai Zhou's side.

Her eyes were exceptionally bright, flickering with a vigorous thirst for knowledge.

"I used a ritual to decipher the Ciphertext on it and discovered that the Sacred Oath Slash is merely a torn page; its source can actually be traced back to a Forbidden Canon of the Secret Scroll level."

"It's a pity it's too severely damaged; a lot of information is missing."

"I only know it seems to come from some ancient cult, which is meaningless information."

As she spoke, Ya sighed with regret.

It seemed that even to her, a so-called Secret Scroll-level Forbidden Canon held significant appeal.

But Bai Zhou's ears perked up.

--A Secret Scroll?

What exactly is a "Scroll" grade Forbidden Canon?

Is the Dead Sea Scrolls a "Scroll"?

Before Bai Zhou could ponder further, Ya's voice came again:

"Furthermore, even the secret technique Sacred Oath Slash itself is incomplete; it only has the bottom half of the page, missing the top."

"--In other words, it only contains the 'Heart' cultivation portion, lacking the 'Body' Forging chapters."

"This...?"

The pupils that had suddenly brightened with hope dimmed.

Suppressing the disappointment surging in his chest, Bai Zhou sighed softly:

"Does that mean it can't be used?"

Unfortunately, a traveler walking through the desert usually does not die from the initial thirst.

Instead, they perish during the trek after seeing the oasis.

"I never said that."

--However, just at this moment, Ya descended from the sky, holding up a massive "oasis" where sweet spring water flowed everywhere.

"To others, this might be a problem."

"But not to me."

Her voice remained cold, and her expression remained indifferent.

Yet, to Bai Zhou's ears, it sounded like heavenly music.

"The Adventurer Path is indeed vastly different from the Hunter Path, and many of its lines of thought are directions I had never considered... However, the entry-level stages lead to the same destination."

"With the 'Heart' cultivation stage of Sacred Oath Slash, I am already eighty percent certain I can reverse-engineer and restore its 'Body' Forging portion."

"In fact..."

Ya glanced at the Bench Leg in Bai Zhou's hand, "Your grueling training over these past few days will not be in vain."

"Really?" Bai Zhou raised the Bench Leg in his hand to examine it, as if it looked much more pleasing to the eye now.

He had swung the blade tens of thousands of times; he hadn't managed to slash out a Moon Ember, but he had nearly swung himself into a state of burnout.

Ya nodded:

"Moon Ember originates from a lost ancient Fiery School, which is rumored to have had intricate ties to the Mitra School, known for their 'Body' Forging a thousand years ago."

"I intend to extract the essence of Moon Ember's 'Body' Forging and integrate it into Sacred Oath Slash."

"In just one night, I can derive a set of improved secret techniques that take Sacred Oath Slash as the foundation while incorporating the strengths of both."

"--Let's call it, Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash!"

Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash!

A sudden turn of events.

The joy of regaining what was lost surged into his heart.

Bai Zhou's eyes widened, and he nearly waved the Bench Leg in his hand to cheer for Ya.

But at this moment, Ya asked another question:

"However, are you certain you really want to walk the Adventurer Path?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

Bai Zhou's answer held little hesitation.

If one can become a Destined One, who would be content with mediocrity and remain a common Extraordinary?

"Sacred Oath Slash only supports 'Body' Forging and 'Heart' cultivation up to becoming a Level 2 Adventurer."

"--After that, you will have to try your luck in the Reflection Ruins Realm."

Ya warned him with great seriousness:

"Even if an Extraordinary of the Adventurer Path naturally absorbs knowledge of the Adventurer Path, this road is destined to be filled with mud and danger!"

"By comparison--"

"Although the 'Hunter' Path may not necessarily align with your Destiny, I can prepare everything for the subsequent stages."

Ya's voice paused here.

The firelight elongated the shadows of the two facing each other, and Ya's inquiry struck directly at his soul, "--Are you sure you want to give up all this, put in ten times the effort, and choose the 'Adventurer' Path?"

"I suggest you consider it carefully."

Bai Zhou nodded.

It was time to make a choice again.

In the vast majority of cases, people cannot clearly know what they should want.

Because one can only live once; one cannot compare it to a past life, nor can one correct it in a life to come.

Everything is experienced immediately, only this once, with no room for preparation.

But this time—

"But if I choose the 'Hunter' path that doesn't align with my destiny, how far can I go in the future?"

Bai Zhou didn't rush to answer, instead asking a few questions in return.

"Can I reach a height comparable to yours?"

"Can I solve... the problems you are facing?"

Ya was stunned for a moment.

She had never expected Bai Zhou to answer this way.

And she had never imagined that Bai Zhou's answer would be related to her.

But there were some things that, even without Ya saying them, Bai Zhou had already sensed.

Ya's current state certainly did not exist without a reason.

It was just that the current Bai Zhou lacked the qualifications to touch upon it.

And facing this question, Ya's answer was...

Silence.

But silence is also a kind of answer.

"I understand." Bai Zhou nodded.

Then, he made his resolve.

Since he had already stepped onto this road full of unknowns, he might as well make the future even more enigmatic.

Since he had already resolved to climb upward, there was no reason not to set his sights on the summit.

The firelight stretched Bai Zhou's shadow.

He gave his answer earnestly—

"I've had enough of days where I could see the end at a single glance back in Evening City."

Now, he wanted to try a different way of living.

"Ya, do you want to try believing in me once?"

Bai Zhou said, "Believe that I can go further on the 'Adventurer' path."

"—And reach a future day where I can help you."

"Who knows, next time I go to the Reflection Ruins Realm..."

Bai Zhou said half-jokingly, "Maybe I'll bring back another huge haul of new legacies?"

Ya shot Bai Zhou a sideways glance, "How could such a thing happen?"

"Do you think the Reflection Ruins Realm is a Convenience Store run by your family?"

Bai Zhou smiled and said nothing.

—People cannot know in advance what they should want, but this time was different.

Bai Zhou had cheated.

The battlefield ruins pointed to by the Golden Pass were filled with signs related to the "Adventurer" path everywhere.

His future was not elsewhere.

It was right beneath his feet.

"Knowing the road ahead is confusing yet refusing to stop."

"Having nothing at all yet leaving no path for retreat."

Ya was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke in a cold voice, "This is truly not a wise move."

"However, a you like this..."

Standing in the shadows, Ya looked at Bai Zhou quietly, her gaze occasionally drifting.

"Perhaps, that is what fits the true meaning of an 'Adventurer' even more."

There was a reason why the "Adventurer" had been lost to modern times.

The development of the era meant people no longer explored the Wilderness for survival, nor did they need to endure eighty-one tribulations to seek knowledge.

—Modern civilization has no "distant lands."

Thus, the spirit of adventure—a quality once regarded as one of the brightest stars of human civilization—has been gradually eroded by the cradle of modern civilization.

--But Bai Zhou is different.

Growing up in the backward Evening City, he was raised on stories of adventure.

Compared to Bai Zhou, every modern person on Blue Star is wealthy in both information and material goods.

Yet, in terms of spirit, these spiritual settlers are the most impoverished of all.

Unlike Bai Zhou, whose mind remains unpolluted, his perspective is vastly different from that of the average person on Blue Star.

From the moment he stepped out of Evening City, he began his journey of adventure.

Extraordinary or mundane, it matters not...

Everything unknown on Blue Star is, to Bai Zhou, a dense forest waiting for an adventurer to explore.

Who else could be more suited to be an adventurer than him?

--A one-of-a-kind "Adventurer" who is constantly adventuring through the modern urban jungle.

This inexplicably made her think of someone else.

Someone imagined in a work of literature.

--Don Quixote.

That Old Man charging valiantly toward the windmills, and Bai Zhou, who sees monsters in everything upon his first arrival on Blue Star...

They are, in fact, cut from the same cloth.

A foolish idealist, a naive romantic, a stubborn anachronism, a heretical nonconformist.

But also, the kind of fool most capable of creating "miracles."

"--Perhaps," "Adventurer" is meant to be your Destiny Path."

In the end, Ya offered her conclusion.

It was not the Destiny Path of Chen.

But that of Bai Zhou.

"...However,"

But then, Ya shifted the tone of her voice.

"No adventurer in any legend walks the path alone."

"Do you understand this, Bai Zhou?"

"...What?"

"I mean..."

Ya looked into Bai Zhou's eyes and said softly:

"Remember, you are not alone."

"I will help you."

"..."

Bai Zhou widened his eyes.

His heart trembled, feeling a subtle, strange sensation.

But before he could figure out what this feeling was, Ya's follow-up words arrived—

"Of course, just as you said earlier."

Ya remained expressionless.

Deep in the hazy shadows where the firelight could not reach, she turned her face away and said coldly, "I am helping you only for the sake of my future self."

Undoubtedly, the path Bai Zhou has chosen is extremely difficult to tread.

But with her, a great senior, as his guide, it would surely be much easier.

Then, with a wave of her hand, Ya signaled for Bai Zhou to lift the Bench Leg again.

"Enough pretty words; it is time for action."

"--Keep swinging the blade first; I will have the Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash improved for you in a moment."

Ya paced within the shadows, speaking slowly:

"You must be prepared for grueling training."

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhou shuddered instantly.

His muscles seemed to ache faintly.

Even his backside felt a subconscious chill, as if he were hallucinating the presence of a Crystal Ball as cold as ice.

The Long Night is endless.

The torture had only just begun.

In the blink of an eye, the bench leg had been swung ten thousand times, and the sun and moon had rotated twice.

Ya had replaced his coffee beans with a new bag, and Bai Zhou had learned the true Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash.

"Clang—"

The square bench leg swept through mid-air, a trail of burning fire following in its wake.

A deep mark appeared on the surface of the iron table in front of him.

It had bitten three-tenths of an inch into the iron, reaching halfway through the thickness of the tabletop.

The one holding the bench leg was Bai Zhou, his eyes wide with shock.

"This... I did this?"

It turned out Ya hadn't been lying to him.

Even a bench leg without any edge could cleave iron!

—Although he hadn't fully succeeded yet, he had finally caught a glimpse of the path forward.

"Not bad."

Ya walked to Bai Zhou's side and glanced at the tabletop.

"You aren't far from officially entering the threshold. Perhaps a week, perhaps tomorrow; you just lack the right opportunity."

Just as Ya had said, the basic training Bai Zhou had undergone swinging the bench leg hadn't been in vain.

Relying on his practiced foundation and his superb talent for destiny, he had managed to practice the Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash to this level in just two days.

—This also proved that Ya's deduction was a complete success.

This brand-new secret technique, which combined the strengths of both the Hunter and Adventurer paths, was truly viable!

"I am teaching you this so that before the chaos arrives, you will have the ability to protect yourself against the Blood Worship Cult."

At this moment, Ya brought up a serious issue.

"But if people discover that you have inexplicably become an Extraordinary, I shouldn't need to tell you how the Special Management Department will treat you."

Bai Zhou felt a chill in his heart.

A resident of Evening City who couldn't explain the source of his abilities?

No matter how you looked at it, he would seem like a mole sent by the Blood Worship Cult...

"If the Blood Worship Cult really does attack, then before they arrive, you had best already be a Level P3 Specialist of the Special Management Department, having already applied for your potion."

Ya tilted his head slightly, setting a new goal for Bai Zhou:

"That way, you will have a reason to appear in front of people as an Extraordinary, saving yourself from many unnecessary troubles."

"..."

Bai Zhou's expression turned strange.

What Ya said made perfect sense.

It seemed he had gained yet another reason to promote to a Level P3 Specialist.

But—

Was he not a Level P3 Specialist because he didn't want to be promoted?

He wanted to advance more than anything.

Feeling awkward under Bai Zhou's "resentful" gaze, Ya waved his hand.

"Of course, I know it's difficult."

"But as I said before—"

"I will help you."

Bai Zhou's eyes lit up immediately, though he then hesitated.

"How are you going to help?"

Was the mysterious Ya finally going to take action?

He started fantasizing again...

Perhaps in a moment, Ya would tell him to brew a cup of coffee and wait, then pick up his long blade, head out to hunt, and return shortly after, triumphant with the head of the Great Elder of the Blood Worship Cult in hand.

He would toss the head down and claim the military merit.

Thinking about it, the coffee would still be warm by then.

—And wouldn't he be able to become the boss of this base by the next day?

Who needs to be a Level P3 Specialist?

Call him Major Bai!

"I will find some 'luck' to help you."

Ya shattered Bai Zhou's fantasies without a shred of mercy.

"Luck?"

"I intend to use a ritual to bolster your career luck over the next few days."

Ya explained, "Furthermore, I will provide some appropriate guidance from the shadows to see if any suitable opportunities arise."

It sounded quite good; he had no idea such a miraculous ritual existed.

But Bai Zhou quickly grew wary:

"...So, what is the price?"

"The Law of Conservation of Luck."

Ya replied:

"As the cost, your romantic luck will be abysmal for the next week."

"That means there's no cost at all." Bai Zhou immediately set his mind at ease.

Whether the mysterious Fortune-Turning Ritual succeeded or not, Bai Zhou did not know.

But he did hear some good news the very next day.

That day, he had only just seen Section Chief Liu at the base when he heard the section chief say:

"Tomorrow is the department's annual team building holiday; remember to show up."

Bai Zhou agreed offhandedly.

"No problem, where are we going?"

"Outside."

Section Chief Liu patted Bai Zhou on the shoulder, "Tinghai City. I'm taking you out."

"--Of course, you haven't been out of Evening City for long, so you'll need to take some safety precautions before we can move."

Outside...?

Certain he hadn't misheard, Bai Zhou stopped in his tracks, his eyes slowly widening.

The light from above shone down, its radiance faintly outlining the youth's silhouette.

In that moment, he thought he would immediately think of the Dead Sea Scrolls left behind in Tinghai City, or perhaps the promotion opportunity Ya had tasked him with.

But in truth, he thought of nothing at all.

His mind was nearly blank, his heart raced, and the flowing air rushing into his nostrils carried a sweetness he had never been able to perceive before.

There was only a tingling, numbing sensation—strange yet familiar—that surged into his heart instinctively, brooking no argument.

Evening City, where he had grown up, was described as a graveyard where the living were forbidden to tread, and everyone told him that Blue Star was his true home.

Yet, he had never actually seen what this "home" looked like.

The tension and fatigue of the past few days in the base were inexplicably soothed.

He wanted to breathe in a few gulps of the air from outside...

He suddenly had such a thought.

He wanted to take a good look at this Blue Star, which others claimed was so different from Evening City, that world which should have raised him—

what exactly did it look like?