“Father.”

The Old Man looked up and saw his son waiting outside the pavilion. Gu Ming was dressed casually in a simple shirt and jeans with a sword hanging from his belt, and he looked glum. The Old Man believes he knew why but choose to be silent on the matter. His son has been the greatest joy, pride, and disappointment of the Old Man’s life.

An exceptional martial artist, Gu Ming has been the Old Man’s greatest student and had grown to become a strong upright man. However, his son had never been able to take the next step to become a mystic and the Old Man could not help but feel a little disappointed at that. He knew he was not the only one who felt that.

“What is it, Ming?”

“The Fraternity of Heroes called again. They request your presence on Overlook Station.”

The Old Man frowned. “I thought I told you to reject them.”

“I did.” Gu Ming said. “They called again.”

“Ignore them. If they insist, just tell them I am recovering from the battle.”

“They won’t believe you.”

“I’m old. It’s even in my code-name. An old man needs his rest, right? They can’t prove otherwise.”

The Old Man smiled, and his son smiled back. After so many years, his son was used to his sense of humor. Gu Ming looked at the book in the Old Man’s hand and asked.

“How is the book?”

“Interesting,” the Old Man admitted. “It is a treasure. With some modification, I think I could use most of the techniques in it.”

A complication look appeared on Gu Ming’s face. He was smiling, but the Old Man did not miss the look of longing in his eyes. Gu Ming had trained under him since he was eight-year-old and had always been a hardworking diligent student. The Old Man remember a time when his son promised that he would become a mystic just like him. Now, streaks of hair can be seen in his hair and disappointment surrounds him. Most believes Gu Ming’s time has come and gone.

Although he had always tried to encourage his son, the Old Man knew the pressure Gu Ming was under. It was not easy being the son of the only mystic on Nexus. His other children had all stayed far away from martial arts, and history had proved that they were the smart ones.

“Forgot about it, Ming.” The Old Man said. “The step to becoming a mystic is the hardest. It’s mystical, and if you can’t find it, then it is just destiny.”

“I know.” Gu Ming said. “You told me that before, and I thought I accepted it but now…first Sweet Fist, and now this Brown guy. I…”

The Old Man kept silent. Seeing two other people joining the ranks of the mystics must be terrible for Gu Ming. After a few more seconds, a look of determination appeared on the face of his son. It seems like he made a decision in his mind.

The Old Man waited for his son to tell him he wishes to give up the path of martial arts.

His son surprised him.

“Father, about what Sweet Fist told you. Do you think he was lying?”

The Old Man blinked, before replying after a moment of consideration. “No, there was no need to. If he wanted to hoard the information, he could have just kept quiet. There was no need for him to give false information. He even asks me to keep the information to myself.”

“And you agreed with him?”

“I do.” The Old Man said with a nod. “There are too many things that we do not know about the process. A lot of things could go wrong, and we do not know the long-term effects of the procedure. Sweet Fist was right about wanting to keep things secret.”

“But do you think you could do it? Do what Sweet Fist did? If he is the only one who could make new mystics, he will be considered the best mystic on the planet?”

The Old Man laughed. “Oh, that’s what worrying you. Well, I’m too old to worry about something like that. I will probably die before him, so Sweet Fist will be the best mystic on Nexus sooner or later. Might as well be now.”

“But can you do what he did? Make new mystics?”

The Old Man thought about it. After a few moments, he answered.

“Yes. I won’t do it, but I think I can.”

“You won’t do it unless you have no choice, right?”

“Yes, I told you the dangers-”

The Old Man’s voice got caught in his mouth as he watched Gu Ming unsheathed his sword. The Old Man burst into action. The precious book fell from his hand as he rushed towards his son. The Old Man reached his son before the book touched the ground, but he was not quick enough.

Gu Ming was a swordsman. His sword was elegant, smooth, and quick. The blade came out of its sheath and went through his stomach in one smooth stroke.

His son had stabbed himself with his sword.

He began falling and the Old Man grabbed him before he hit the ground. The Old Man turned his son over, and Gu Ming looked at his father with a smile. He raised a hand towards him and opened his hand. The Old Man saw the monster core.

“Heal me. Please.”

Gu Ming whispered as he used the last of his strength to draw his sword out of his body. The Old Man looked at his son in shock and saw the tears in his eyes. He knew what he was asking from the Old Man. The break in trust between them from this, but there was no recrimination or regret in Gu Ming’s eyes. Only determination and an acceptance of what’s to come. Gu Ming will become a mystic, or he will die trying.

Both were acceptable to him.

“My stupid boy.”

The Old Man took the monster core from Gu Ming’s hand and realized where he went wrong. He had forgotten about the desire for validation in the heart of all martial artists. He had forgotten the desperation for power.

The Old Man realized he had been on top of the martial arts world for too long.

He placed the monster core on his son’s wound and sensed the energy around him. The Old Man touched the core with his hand and began directing the energy towards the core. With Sweet Fist’s advice, and the teaching of the book, he was confident the process would work. The problem of how the core would affect his son in the long-term...

The Old Man realized he had no desire to find out.

At that moment, the Old Man of Pui realized how old he was.

He was old.

He was tired.

It was time to retire.