At the break of dawn, a human prowled in the forest. He crossed between dueling boulders, circumnavigated past a strong river, shuffling through the undergrowth from time to time. His hair, a jungle of black curls, like black mambas had passengers of every kind of wild filth on his journey. Nails weren’t exempt from this either; grime filling the trench of his nail. Feet stopping at the base of a tree. As he looked up, the crown of it was high enough one would think it was a ladder to the clouds. Behind him was another tree, he noted that too.

He leapt for the one facing him, foot planted. And his coiled spring of a leg shot him 180 to the tree behind—and this repeated till he broke through the canopy and stood at the top as ruler of this one tree. He hadn’t a whit of care for the idea of slipping off; the snow was on the run now, barely impeding him on his way over here. Consequently, his hibernation wear brought about a new drop of sweat every day that passed.

“Two months, huh?” Grisla said, looking to a direction. A feeling of being watched came over him, and he didn’t need to check to know who it was.

“Two months exactly, by the way.”

A yellow, not white sun shined through the girl behind him. Ghostlike eyes shaded within shadows glanced at him. Her nose did two steps back, “When’s the last time you showered? Another day here and you’ll never wash that savage smell off you.”

Without looking back, “Today’s the last day. I did overstay, a bit. ‘Sides, I needed to show some progress before I return.” Grisla said.

He picked a dead leaf out of his hair. “The last thing to do is picking up a cut of Liferoot. Which is why I’m asking for you.”

“Then we’re done, right? Barbaric your people may be, but at least it’s some sort of civilization. I think a tick or two might’ve fell on me,” She patted herself down.

That’s not exactly how it goes. They jump for you and land on me.

“Anyways, where do I go?”

“Are you sure about this? There’s no need to prove yourself to—”

Grisla emphasized, “Where?”

Her captain’s order pointed to the Northeast, where, from Grisla’s view, the trees were scant and subtracting the further ahead his vision moved. The last bit of forestry there marked Orlith’s Pass. One of the ways leading out of clan territory. But that wasn’t where he was headed, way before that there was a pond with some spiritual influence. Seri’s senses were more attuned to this than he, for his range of detection was far too short to guide him. Short of running all throughout the Northern Wilderness to finally sniff out the pond; instead, Seri will be his clairvoyant for him.

Stone-faced and frozen; Grisla Orlith had to be dragged in front of White Tiger, who couldn’t wipe off the hilarity off his face. As if he’d be able to perform the same comedic punchline endlessly against White Tiger, who’d laugh and grin just as much as him hearing it for the first time.

“Grisla? Grisla Orlith? Anybody home?” Seri knocked on his head only to find her wrist grabbed.

“It was all a joke, then?” Grisla whispered. Talking with thirty-two years of suffering on him, “Please elaborate.”

“Gladly,” White Tiger said. “There wasn’t anything special about what I had just told you. It was a test. A gauge to see who you really are and what you would do for power. I admire ambition—do not misunderstand, I appreciate those who lust for it. However,” he yawned, “if one were to murder his father without a thought, to disgrace himself just to scrape himself over to a puddle, what would he become should the ant grow up?” This time, the White Tiger looked directly at him. Not as a superior—just a casual observation.

“We value loyalty, Grisla. Not ruthlessness.”

“A test of character, I get it. Xinrei failed his before even getting to this point. Rei Jian?”

Seri stretched, “Passed, albeit his answer was a bit more abstract. Less dramatic too I would say.” Her lips forced down a grin.

“Grisla Orlith, is it true you wouldn’t kill your father for power? Why?”

“Why would I? I’ll admit, some part of me… somewhere, considered it. I reasoned with that part of myself, thinking that maybe father wouldn’t mind if I did as you asked, if it meant that my Orlith family could rise again. If I could become something that I am not. But that’s the trap—isn’t it?”

White Tiger raised a brow.

“Thinking that I’m useless without your help—useless to the throes of destiny without outside intervention was me already giving up to death. Had I not realized this; my father would be dead.”

The White Tiger’s face was deadpan, “I would’ve obliterated you without a word. If you really did follow through.”

“Without any help, just myself, look at my cultivation!” Grisla released his aura. “I advanced! Despite my core! Despite my failures! That was all—me! It would take me a decade, maybe more on my own to reach Houtian Enhancement, but so what?” Grinning, “Under my own steps I worked to reach something, and that’s without murdering my father. To admit my ineptitude and kill my father? What insanity. I’d rather you annihilate me first.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” White Tiger winked.

While Grisla reeled under that comment, the White Tiger looked up. “How about it, good enough?”

Three different howls coming from three different beasts invaded the ears. Could White Tiger understand them? Grisla wondered. Apparently so, as he roared back a reply. The four beasts let loose screeches, howls, roars and emphasized ones of the three in their long-distance chat. Seri acted like nothing about it was part of her concern, twirling a white lock as she always did. Finally, the last screech came to the White Tiger. With a pensive face, he smiled it off to turn to Grisla once more.

“They acknowledge you as a substitute descendant, Grisla Orlith. Begrudgingly, at least.”

“But…”

“What now, another test?” Grisla said.

“Sort of,” The tiger scratched his head, “they think you’ll be dead in a week, so there’s no point in them wasting hours with you. So, I proposed them this: If you master my techniques and take on my aspect, then—”

“Then the rest will cut the games and stop wasting all of our time.”

“On the mark,” he nodded.

“But before that—” He scanned Grisla, “you need to advance first.”

Like he was cracked over the head, or asked the same inane test question again: “What?” Grisla said.

“You’re not ready to learn what I teach. More specific, your cultivation isn’t.”

“Reach Houtian Enhancement, then come back. In the meantime, Seri will be your advisor.”

“Huh? Why her?”

White Tiger rolled his eyes. “Because I said so, and she’s more than enough for you right now. Seri, he’s in your care.”

Seri bowed, “I understand, Master.”

Grisla came to a clearing; marked and bordered by a mass of trees and bushes. He couldn’t take a whiff without being reminded where he was, if he were allergic, he’d no doubt about having an outbreak here. Out here, he had no fear of letting the Sage’s amulet hang loose. Seri too, but she had gone back into the amulet by then. A lustrous pond lay not so far ahead; showing itself off with a coloring of blue that segregated it far from it being considered an offshoot from the ocean once, and that was a telltale sign.

To Grisla’s untrained eye, it looked like the pond of youth. Dipping a hand into the water—he blinked and pulled it out as if it were boiling.

It’s so cold…

He glanced up—the sun shone right on top of this pond, there was no shielding from its rays by way of trees or foliage. None. Yet his hand informed him it must’ve been buried into a glacier.

“This one’s a little denser than I thought.” Said Seri beside the boy’s ear, “you should take a sip. A swig of that and it’ll be like taking two Soul Cleaning pills.”

The boy didn’t need any further instruction.

Before that, where’s the Liferoot?

Liferoot is known to be nurtured by thick concentrations of Juva. Sitting as a parasitic sprout from some tree, it clings their roots for support while it grows. Living rent free and protected from natural calamities by way of them being hidden underground or in hard-to-spot places. However, despite this they’re always located somewhere near their food source. Grisla let his arm take a dive to fish for him.

Some of the roots from the trees bordering this place reach all the way in here, if I keep checking the roots, I’ll eventually stumble upon one of ‘em.

Then—on the rough bark of a root, there was a velvety sensation that brushed him. The incongruency set off a smile. He reached down to pick it when—

“Grisla!”

His Juva-empowered legs shot him away from where he kneeled. The ground rumbled and continued still even after he landed to relative safety. Those appendages of his couldn’t stop shaking. They screamed at him to run. A sensible reasoning. Where he once stood, the dirt collapsed, and in a way, it stained the pond before it sunk, and the pond’s water stretched itself out in its new expansion. Sticking out of that crater—A giant’s hammer.

“He noticed you. What’re you doing Ji Nan?” A girl’s voice cried out.

Grisla’s venomous stare swiveled over to the newcomers in the clearing.

An amused laugh said: “Apologies. Hadn’t thought my bloodlust was so great even a measly third cycle could feel it!”

There was a group of four. Their disciple’s robes marked them from a territory Grisla never heard of, but that was regardless of the point: Intruders on Grittus territory attacked Grisla, a Grittus clansman. Adding to this, the Northern Wilderness wasn’t far at all from the clan’s seat in the region. It wasn’t an attack on him personally—it was attack on everyone. For some reason, this annoyed him greatly.

The girl in the middle looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else but here, “It seems like my brother disciples has a vested interest on finding out what you have. There’ll be mercy if you let us take whatever you have.”

“Whatever he has on him?” Ji Nan giggled, “straight to the point as always.”

Grisla eyed the crater one last time. Thank you, Seri.

The four approached with time on their side, as they thought. Evidently, they hadn’t even the moment to consider him, as the other three separated to fish inside the pond just as he did earlier. Leaving the girl with her palm out.

He did a cursory scan of the four: The two behind him were at the fifth cycle of Juva Solidification, Ji Nan at the sixth, and so was this girl. Except—her aura was much more intense than the boy’s.

The savage-looking boy grinned. Good.

“Did a horse kick your brain out?” The girl increased the output of her power to remind him what he was in for. And it worked its intended effect; his brows creased as the weights were continually tied to it.

“May I pose a question, Elder Sister?”

Grisla wouldn’t be aware, but the image of this dirtball of a guy smiling fresh whites at her; ignorant to what was said prior, only served to infuriate her a tad more.

“Question what? What could you even say that’s worth a question?” A voice said.

Grisla asked, “Who are you, and what clan do you hail from?”

The four heard this, and their looking between one another gave Grisla a breadcrumb of a hint. But the ‘Elder Sister’ answered him, “This one is Mu Yin, outer disciple of the Jade Fate sect.”

Jade Fate Sect? Their border lies on the other side of the mountain range, what’re they doing this far out?

Hearing “outer disciple” made Grisla want to roll his eyes. The sort of arrogance they carried, didn’t match up to the weight they could throw around. He hated to admit it, but only someone like Xinrei and his crew could be this unreasonable. Made even more hilarious at his own consideration of them being just outer disciples. His cultivation now wouldn’t even have him be taken in as a janitor. What’s more important—

Fist-in-palm; mild-mannered Grisla did an appearance: “I am sorry to say, but this land falls under Grittus territory and protection. To go out and do an unprovoked attack is not wise, Elder Sister.”

“What, you’re a Grittus clansman?”

“I am, yes.” He nodded.

A scoff to his side, “What a liar, just look how he’s dressed!”

“A donkey would be more believable.”

“Just a savage, nothing more.”

They can’t be serious.

One of the fifth cycles came close to Grisla. “Elder Sis’ asked for your stuff, savage. Either you give it up, or you give up your—”

A nose is soft, squishy, and below that there was a satisfying crack as Grisla reached the jackpot. “So that’s what breaking a nose feels like.” He surely was nauseated by the amount of blood his knuckles were dipped in with just a touch. No matter how high they were, they’re still cultivators below Houtian—fleshy as any mortal, and just as vulnerable.

Grisla didn’t know what the boy was more shocked by—getting hit or how Grisla dared to. He was on the cliff of finding out… right about now.

Holding his nose did nothing. The blood wiggled between his fingers and escaped the harder he tried. “You—you dare! You’re dead!”

“Believe it or not, at one point I preferred that.” He smiled.

“Shut up!” The boy’s speed wasn’t a slouch, a shade over Han’s.

However, to the Grisla who fought Three-star to a standstill—it was unimpressive. This disciple drew his sword at the same time as he approached, a swift motion for an experienced swordsman. Grisla’s senses forewarned him of the danger of getting into a scuffle versus these outnumbered odds, but something told him he was ready. And, as Grisla guessed, Seri would’ve put in a word if she believed he was in true peril.

The fifth cycle swiped—at his vanishing form. When Grisla reappeared somewhere else, his face was pensive, holding a blunt lock of hair, “Mind not chopping sections of my hair off? It’s much harder to keep it even if you swing wildly.”

“What? Impossible,” The fifth cycle said.

“I also said that too,” Grisla shrugged, “believe it or not. Now, I would rather not fight, as I’d like to get home in a timely manner. To be clear, I am here for the Liferoot down there. Would you all not mind if I take it and go?”

The four looked between each other in disbelief.

“So, what then? You assault my fellow disciples and leave? Just like that?” Mu Yin said.

He scratched his head, “I mean, that’s not how it was originally going to go down, but…”

“Before anything else, you’re so confident that you can take us down. Any one of us? Eyes that can’t see the mountain.” Ji Nan spat. “Enough of this circus. Kill him.”

“You guys are correct; I do feel like quite the savage right now. I wonder if that means I can also act like one in a fight too?” Grisla said.

There wasn’t any more discussion had—the boy lunged again with the full intentions of killing him. Oddly enough, Grisla felt as cool as the pond, even under perilous danger. Han did try to kill him once, but he lost his temper and fell victim to the impulses of immaturity. This scenario was different for certain, the boy tried running his blade through his heart as they locked in combat.

The disciple performed vertical, horizontal, and crosshatched sets of sword attacks. Grisla’s hair strands fell in a drizzle around him. But Grisla’s foot hit an exposed root—his foe saw Grisla’s moment of distraction, the killing blow would be his!

With a merciless smile, “Tell your ancestors that Sun Yangchen sent you there!” his spotless blade stabbed for Grisla’s eye socket.

Grisla, who saw the blade grow on its trajectory, covering the whole of his vision in his left eye; blindness would be a mercy, he’ll easily drive it through the socket and out the back of his skull with his ability. There was only one thing to do.

Grisla was there—then he was not.

“What… how?” Sun Yangchen said, irises shrinking to pinpricks. His sword stabbed into the bark of the tree.

“There’s no way!” Ji Nan said.

“Nobody’s that fast…”

Grisla leaned on a sturdy wall; somewhat soft, but a quaking seized it. Every breath that Sun Yangchen did Grisla felt. Although they were back to back, Grisla Orlith kept his eyes forward.

Steps of the Alpha: The White Tiger’s movement; written in scripture, molded for a human cultivator. An Esoteric Movement Technique. The first of their gifts, and the sealing of our pact.

“My ancestors? Don’t know who they are… sorry,” The savage child grinned.