Chapter 386: Snowy Mountains (1/2)

Arthur could only pat her head lightly as she cried. He didn't think that seekers, in their spiritual bodies, can cry. And it felt as if Hana's existence was growing stronger, as her tears disappeared into her skin after rolling down her face.

”Are you really... going to help me? I don't want to disappear. I don't want to, Mister,” she cried, and the tears didn't cease. Arthur could tell the fear she had toward her parents.

”I'll help you, but you need to be brave first. You need to go back to your house and wait for me. Tell me how to find you, and I'll make sure to be there to take you.” Arthur pushed forward, but the little girl was hesitant. ”I know it's scary, but you won't get anywhere if you stay here.”

Hana nodded silently, and Arthur heard a meow behind him. He turned to see the cat looking at him with approval. However, it seems that he was the only one capable of hearing it.

'What are you, exactly?' Arthur asked in his mind. The cat stared at him before looking in a particular direction. Arthur followed its gaze to see an island covered in snow.

”We have arrived at your destination, boy!”

The stone man appeared on top of the upper deck and gave a heartily laugh. Arthur looked at the island where the bookkeeper was and felt his journey in the Spirits Realm nearing its end. After this, he would go back to Hidden City and finish what he started.

***

”Why are you here?” Arthur asked the monk who stood beside him. The ship was approaching the coast. None of the islands had any docks, so the ship got close to either the highlands or a beach.

”Oh, I remembered that I have some business in the snowy mountains.” Lin Zhao gave a blatant lie, but it's not like Arthur could ask him not to leave the ship.

”Suit yourself,” Arthur shrugged as he looked around. After a while of waiting, Hana came running from around the corner.

”I said goodbye to everyone!” Hana said as she looked at Arthur. ”Let's go, Mister!”

”You are quick to trust him, shortie,” the monk said, and Arthur couldn't help but agree.

Since Hana needed to contract a spirit, Arthur wanted to find her a powerful one to help her. The fact that a child was in the Skyey World was abnormal, proving Hana's potential.

”Spirits love Mister, so I can trust him!”

”It is true that spirits, other than Abyssal Spirits, only love the kindhearted,” Lin Zhao said with a smile, his grey and ashen mustache waving in the wind. ”Some would argue that such kindness was abnormal.”

”I get that a lot,” as he said that, Arthur remembered the fight he had with Miko in the trial. She tried to warn him, but he was too idealistic to listen. The last time he saw her was in Jerano, and her confession was still fresh in his mind.

Arthur couldn't reciprocate her feelings, not yet. But, before he did, he needed to spend a lot of time with her, which they didn't do after the trial.

”What do you seek in the snowy mountains?” Lin Zhao asked as the ship came to a stop. Arthur glanced his way and weighed his options.

”The bookkeeper,” Arthur answered as he jumped on the railing. His chains floated beside him before darting toward the highland, impaling themselves to the snowy cliff. ”Your hand, young miss.”

Hana giggled as she grabbed his hand. Arthur carried her up, and the chains took them across the sky, leaving the speechless monk behind.

”What... wait for me!” Lin Zhao jumped after them and began climbing the cliff. Hana laughed again as the two landed on the edge of the snowy highland. They used their spiritual powers to shield them from the cold.

”Should we leave him behind?” Arthur asked the young girl as he looked at the monk climbing after them. However, Hana shook her head.

”Lin Zhao is a good person,” she said with confidence. ”I saw him help many seekers and teach them ways to grow stronger. However, he never left the ship, so...”

Hearing her words, Arthur was intrigued. He decided to wait for the monk to climb before he began looking for the bookkeeper. The monk finally reached the highland with a labored breath.

”Those chains... are cheating...” Lin Zhao breathed in and out. Then, to Arthur's amazement, he began recovering spiritual energy rapidly, restoring his previous state. Feeling his interest, Lin Zhao straightened his back with pride. ”Have you decided to be my disciple?”

”You need to keep up first, old man.” Arthur shook his head as he sent his chains toward the middle of the island again.

”Wait!” Lin Zhao panicked, but Arthur flew again after his chains attached to high and frosty trees.