Chapter 228: On the Road

  In the early morning, when the sun, climbing from between the mountains, cast its first rays, Ethan slowly awoke.

  The sunlight on his face, even the tiniest hairs seemed to slowly unfurl like the grass beside him. All the tiny life forms around, including the cells in his own body, were blossoming with vitality and energy, preparing to welcome this new day.

  Ethan did not open his eyes, nor did he move. He liked this feeling very much, the feeling of being a small part of the natural world around him, his senses extended into nature, becoming one with it, without distinction. Even without opening his eyes to look, he could hear many sounds.

  The sound of the faint mist lingering in the forest slowly dissipating, the sound of sunlight hitting the grass and rebounding, the sound of the grass growing, the sound of a group of ants carrying a bug into their nest to rest, the sound of a small lizard not far away devouring a moth, the sound of two small creatures fighting in a tree, the sound of a lyrebird flapping its wings as it passed overhead, the calls of four or five wild sparrows, the sound of slowly approaching footsteps, a person's breathing, the air being slowly sliced apart.

  This person's footsteps were very light, similar to the footsteps of the two squirrels in the tree. The landing spots were chosen very precisely, all places with minimal grass or debris that wouldn't cause much noise. This person's breathing was also very light, not the kind of lightness from deliberate suppression, but the natural, integrated lightness of someone who had perfect control over every part of their body. Based on this breathing alone, he could be certain this person was at least a one-in-ten-thousand expert among martial artists.

  Near this person's breathing, the air was being slowly parted by a sharp blade, emitting an almost inaudible, faint hiss. This was absolutely a fine sword; at the very least, anyone could easily decapitate a person with a single swing if they held it.

  The sound of footsteps, breathing, and the blade cutting the air slowly approached from behind. These were all the traces, without the slightest hint of killing intent. Even the most sensitive sika deer might not have detected it. But the very reason Ethan had woken up was because of this sound.

  Ethan noticed, but he maintained his original posture, his eyes still closed. He was curious about what this person intended to do. Although the sharp weapon in his right hand almost fully explained the question, he still wanted to see how this person would go about it.

  The footsteps paused slightly three meters behind him, and the breathing also grew a little heavier. He knew the other was about to make a move.

  "Go die." With a loud shout, this person suddenly pounced forward. The sound from their body and the weapon in their hand abruptly changed from an inaudible gentle breeze to a violent storm, rushing directly toward Ethan's body, as if about to tear him into minced meat and fragments in an instant.

  Thud. Ethan opened his eyes, reached out and grabbed, kicked, and the sudden storm abruptly changed direction and flew back.

  This person just rolled on the ground and bounced up, looking at Ethan with eyes full of surprise, unwillingness, and anger. She shouted, "I don't accept this. You're despicable! You were pretending to be asleep."

  "I really was asleep, you just woke me up again." Ethan shook his head and sighed, tossing the sword back to her. "If you can't sleep yourself, then forget it. Why come and harass me?"

  "Who's harassing you? I'm here to try and capture you." The sunlight shone through from behind the female knight, casting a hazy, soft halo around her body and her beautiful golden hair. She was no longer wearing heavy armor, but a suit of light leather armor. Her slender figure, though lacking a bit of feminine charm, had more of a heroic and frank air. But her current expression seemed pained. She held her head, her face full of regret and confusion. "How could this be? Just a few months ago, you were no match for me, but now I can't even defeat you with a deliberate sneak attack. How could this be? Has my skill really regressed to this degree?"

  "Sneak attack?" Ethan was taken aback. "If you were really launching a sneak attack, why would you yell 'Go die'? I thought you were joking with me..."

  "Who would joke with a bastard like you? Open and honorable combat is a basic knight's tenet. A sneak attack is already a last resort, so shouting when I made my move was also a reminder to you."

  "Then since you already yelled 'Go die,' why did you use the hilt to strike my head?" Ethan asked again. Just now, when he kicked Talise away and took her longsword, he saw that the sword in her hand wasn't stabbing or chopping down, but was held in a reverse grip as she forcefully struck his head and face.

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  Talise replied, "I didn't really want to kill you. I just wanted to give you a good beating, capture you, and then ask if you yield."

  "I yield, I yield, I already yield..." Ethan nodded repeatedly, murmuring. "I was just wondering why you had no killing intent at all, and I suspected you could even completely conceal and hide your own killing intent. That should already be the level of your teacher, Lancelot..."

  "Have I really regressed? How is that possible? I can't beat that kid Javi, and now I'm not even your match..." Talise shook her head, holding her head and slowly crouching down, her face full of disappointment and pain. "My teacher told me to come out to gain experience, but why do I feel like I'm becoming less and less capable... No, I can't go on like this..."

  Ethan ignored the troubled female knight, got up, and stretched. A series of crackling sounds came from all his joints. All his muscles stretched once, feeling incredibly pleasant. He then bent down and rummaged through the remains of the campfire to pull out two roasted sweet potatoes, tossing one to Talise.

  It had been some time since they left the royal capital. On the way, this female Temple Knight always seemed a bit abnormal, constantly finding fault with him using various methods. The first few times, she demanded formal duels or sparring matches of various kinds. This time, she even resorted to a sneak attack. Who knows, next time she might use poison?

  If he weren't truly certain he could handle her, Ethan really wouldn't have dared to travel on the same road with such a woman.

  However, Ethan had to admit that having such a person with him on the road was truly not lonely. On a journey that should have been full of danger, loneliness, and solitude, having such a companion was indeed very energetic and interesting. Moreover, at least her combat strength was quite good. If her mentality could truly become mature and steady, as cunning and calm as the other Temple Knights, Ethan himself wasn't sure he could have her completely under his thumb. Having such a good helper on the road was by no means a bad thing.

  "Tell me, what is going on with you?" asked the Temple Knight, eating the roasted sweet potato and looking at Ethan. "Why are you getting stronger and stronger, while I feel like I'm getting weaker and weaker? What method did you use to train to become stronger?"

  "How am I getting stronger and stronger?" Ethan muttered to himself with a bitter smile. He didn't want to answer. Nor did he know how to answer.

  He wasn't really sure if he was truly stronger than before. He just felt that he was becoming more and more invested, facing things with a serious attitude, yet paradoxically able to maintain a calm heart. Although there were ups and downs, they were all within the range of his control. It was like riding a horse; the horse's power grew greater and greater, but he gripped the reins tighter and tighter.

  With this kind of invested attitude and calm state of mind, the power that originally existed within his body became more harmonious and easier to use. He didn't know if it was because he was no longer evading those things, or if it was a matter of attitude, being more willing to study and face them, or if it was the influence of the spirit on the body's strength, but he had indeed become more adept at using the power in his body in many ways.

  And this state of mind was something he gained only after experiencing so much helplessness and sorrow.

  Countless battles. Countless choices, his own failures, the passing of those around him, the joy and passion between lovers, the final parting. The acceptance of responsibility... On this journey, after countless joys and sorrows settled in his heart, it had formed unknowingly.

  Where does one train to become the strongest? Ethan suddenly recalled that he seemed to have asked a similar question to the one the female knight just asked him a long time ago. That was when he was six or seven and had started training himself for his dream, he asked the retired adventurer, Aunt El, who lived behind the village.

  Skills of the flesh and of the mind are not the strongest.

  Aunt El smiled and poked Ethan right over his heart. She said: Keep walking on the road, and slowly, this place will become full, and only then will a person truly be strong. At that time, he didn't understand. He pulled the old woman's hand, wanting to ask for details, but she didn't explain, only saying that when the time came for him to understand on his own, he would understand.

  "Hey. I'm asking you. What are you dazing off for?" Talise threw a piece of sweet potato skin at Ethan's face. "Do you think I've regressed?"

  Ethan caught the sweet potato skin and threw it away. He smiled faintly and said, "Actually, strictly speaking, you haven't regressed. Has your Battle Qi weakened? Are your limbs soft and weak? Is your magic power exhausted? Are you seriously injured? None of that, right..."

  "Then you tell me, what's my problem?" Talise asked impatiently.

  "Do you know where the essence of power truly lies?" Ethan asked.

  "Where?"

  "Here." Ethan poked his own chest. He knew he now finally understood Aunt El's meaning. Indeed, when the time comes, one will naturally understand.

  "Here?" Talise leaned over, frowning, and peered closely at his chest with her phoenix-like eyes, trying to see what mystery or secret was hidden there. "Core strength is the root of power, but the chest muscles seem to..."

  "It's here, it's the heart." Ethan sighed, moved his finger over, and poked Talise's chest. But after touching her, he was also startled, and pulled his hand back to look at his own finger.

  "You... you bastard." Talise jumped up with a shriek, as if stabbed by a knife, and threw a punch right at Ethan's face.

  But this fist immediately fell into Ethan's grasp. Then Ethan twisted forcefully. Talise, whose body had already lost its balance and coordination, fell directly to the ground. Ethan's other hand caught her waist and he quickly said, "See, your heart is not calm, your will is lax, your emotions are out of control, so your whole body is full of openings..."

  It was almost noon by the time the two of them finally got back on the road. But both of them were already very tired, their bodies covered in dust and sweat.

  "Actually, what you said might be right. My teacher also said that the power of the heart is the most important. It was precisely for this reason that he told me to leave Celeste to gain experience." Talise said slowly, nodding in agreement as she rode her horse. There were a few bruises on her face now, and the corner of her mouth was broken. Although white magic could heal injuries, these marks still needed time to recover slowly.

  "Then why do you still keep pestering me like this?" Ethan said, looking at Talise with some irritation. There were no marks on his face, but he had also expended a lot of effort. Talise was not easy to deal with, especially since he couldn't truly use a heavy hand or deliver a killing blow. He always had to fight until she lost her strength and her anger subsided before he could stop.

  "Who told you to poke your hand around? I'm telling you, I know now that I'm not your match, but if I get a chance in the future, I'll definitely make you pay." Talise glared fiercely at Ethan, her face again full of resentment and thought. "What my teacher said is too hard to understand, I really don't know what it means. What method exactly must be used to obtain the power of the heart..."

  "Let's go. Perhaps, by walking and walking on the road, you'll come to know."

  "Where are you planning to go by heading south all this way?"

  "By walking and walking, I'll come to know."