Bent Beneath the Weight

Perhaps what he needed to leave behind was not just the confinement tower before him, where his failures were recorded, but also—

Far away, a clear light shone at the top of the winding stairs. Wu Fang knew that the door to his heart had finally opened a crack. He did not need to seal it shut. He needed to walk out through it.

Perhaps he truly was not suited to Thunderclap Manor, but he should never have left in such a wretched state. I really should go back, Wu Fang thought. Even if he cared about nothing else, his great-great-grandfather was his only family in this world. He did not want them to become strangers.

Wu Fang stepped over the final stair. Thankfully, this time he did not return to the beginning. He had finally made it out.

He had actually made it out. Wu Fang could hardly believe it himself.

It had been far easier than he had imagined.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, you're amazing!"

Who could resist praise that sincere? Wu Fang was a little moved. "Thank you. Fellow Daoist Bian, which sect are you from?"

"Yonglu Mountain. Why?"

"..." Thanks. Sorry to bother you. But on second thought, it made sense. Yonglu Mountain was the nearest major sect, and Fellow Daoist Wen Bu Jing had a Single Spiritual Root. Only one of the Five Major Sects had the resources to nurture a talent like him.

Bian Chunchou happily returned to his group of three. "Who knew we'd end up back in the Dustfall District after clearing a level? The door we went through has gone gray, though. Looks like we can't enter the same part of the tower twice."

"..." Regret showed on Chen Zui's face.

Bian Chunchou pretended not to notice. "So, should we rest, or