Reflection in the Water

"When a bird flies over the water, Yelu, what does it see?" Inside Scholar Haide's study, a warm fire crackled in the hearth. He posed the question to the student beside him, who was busy transcribing a volume. "It sees the fish and water weeds beneath the surface, does it not, Teacher?" Yelu looked up and asked. "More than that. It also sees its own reflection." Scholar Haide coughed and pressed a cloth to his mouth. "Teacher." Yelu set down his pen, stepped over, and gently patted Scholar Haide's back in his stead. "Whew... I am fine. Let us continue where we left off." Scholar Haide raised a hand. "Just as a bird flying over the water sees its own reflection, do you think shadows are cast when the seven continents drift across the Twilight Sea?" "Well... there should be shadows," Yelu nodded. "And what form do you think those shadows take?" Scholar Haide lifted his head, looking at his last official student. "Since they are shadows, their outlines and shapes ought to resemble the continents," Yelu pondered. "Indeed. And it is far more than a passing resemblance—it is as if another continent were printed beneath them in exact replica," Scholar Haide answered between coughs. "Do you know why I have never once spoken of recommending you to the Hidden Woodland?" "Because I lack sufficient talent," Yelu answered calmly, having long since come to terms with the fact. "A mere lack of talent would not diminish the benefits of such a choice. If that were all, the nobles would certainly send every one of their children to the Hidden Woodland to learn powerful secret arts," Scholar Haide said, shaking his head. "Yet you know as well as I that most nobles do no such thing. They are not even willing to let their children set foot inside the Hidden Woodland." "Why... is that?" Yelu's expression turned serious. "Because the Hidden Woodland does not lie anywhere upon the continents. It lies within the shadow beneath our continent," Scholar Haide said, forcing the words out with great effort. "It is a realm submerged in the Twilight Sea, a foul ocean where countless monsters are born, a desperate expanse where the Distortion attribute constantly corrodes and spreads." "If that is so, why place it there at all?" Yelu sensed there had to be a reason. "Indeed. It is a vile place, yet in a certain sense, it is also a land rich in precious resources," Scholar Haide sighed. "During the Seventh Era, an Alien Star descended and pierced the earth, casting many paradise realms deep into the Twilight Sea. The seven continents we inhabit today are merely a small remnant of that bygone world. Those sunken realms beneath the Twilight Sea became breeding grounds for monsters, fostering many things we once knew nothing about. Some of them have since been deciphered and harnessed by certain schools. To facilitate their research and harvest those resources, they established strongholds deep within the World in Shadows beneath the Twilight Sea, keeping a substantial staff stationed there permanently. "If the Twilight Sea is an uncharted expanse of sand where no one knows what lies buried, then the shadows cast by the seven continents drifting across the heavens are like a net sweeping through the sand. Certain things are drawn in whenever the shadow passes overhead. That is the origin of the monsters in the World in Shadows. "Why is the first trial for entering the Hidden Woodland always to search for a specific object? To filter out students who lack investigative ability. "Why is the second trial always to defeat an enemy of equal rank? Because one is bound to encounter all manner of monsters in the World in Shadows. "Why is the third trial to obtain an item against overwhelming odds? Because rare resources are always that difficult to secure. "If your strength is lacking, going there is nothing short of suicide. Now do you understand my difficulty? Cough, cough..." Scholar Haide coughed once more. "I understand. I am sorry, Teacher." Yelu gently rubbed Haide's back again. "Why tell me this all of a sudden today?" In truth, he had never entertained the thought of going to the Hidden Woodland anyway. "Why, you ask..." Scholar Haide looked out the window at the falling snow, his gaze sinking deep into memory. "Mostly because I do not want any more regrets or misunderstandings between us. I have rarely spoken to you about my youth, but I suppose I can tell you now. "Once, I was much like you—a student yearning deeply for the path of 'Secret Words,' driven by a fervent thirst for knowledge. Yet our talents were utterly ordinary. Yes, my own talent was never impressive. Back then, I could only watch enviously as the clever students in my class effortlessly grasped every piece of knowledge and secret art." "Yet everyone says you were an exceptional talent in your youth, Teacher, achieving success very early on," Yelu shook his head. "That impression only came later, foolish boy," Haide said, shaking his head. "When I was eighteen or nineteen, I was completely obscure, someone nobody cared about. "I had only a single friend named Jieli. The two of us constantly encouraged each other, shared our studies, and even lived together for a long time, sharing rented rooms. Because we could not enter the Hidden Woodland and could not catch the eye of the major organizations, we had to resort to unorthodox methods—or rather, very clumsy methods. "The Candle Fortress School had several channels for admitting formal members. Coming through the Hidden Woodland was merely one of them. If I assisted Candle Fortress in gathering and compiling certain records, I could become an outer member, gradually accumulating contributions until the day they finally acknowledged and accepted me. Jieli and I intended to walk that path. Does that sound rather like what you are thinking now?" A wistful smile touched the corners of Scholar Haide's mouth. "In those days, I lived on a bit of bread and well water, running all over the countryside to survey local conditions, digging through old records, and questioning the locals about past events before compiling it all into notes. It was tedious, mind-numbing work. Celebrated scholars couldn't be bothered to squander their precious energy on such tasks, leaving only low-ranking outer members like us to do it. "Jieli and I traveled to countless places—into the mountains, along rivers, and even crawling through city sewers just to track down certain recorded relics. Those days were exhausting, yet profoundly fulfilling. Watching our contribution points slowly accumulate felt like watching our own bright future take shape. "After roughly seven years, we had amassed enough points. We sought out that Candle Fortress scholar and asked whether they could formally accept us. He did not answer directly. He merely gave a sneer and handed us a book. "'I know you harbor great hopes, but please consider the organization's reputation. This is a precious tome explaining how to advance. When you reach third-order Secret Words, come speak to me again.' "Our hopes were dashed. Though the book was fine, it was ill-suited for people of our mediocre gifts. Jieli and I walked the streets like wandering ghosts, then went to a tavern and drank ourselves into a stupor. By then, we were nearly thirty years old, yet we remained stuck at the first-order. Running all over the land had drained our energy, and we had saved no resources to cultivate our advancement. "'We are nobodies,' we laughed bitterly at ourselves, wandering the streets and sleeping in an alley. "From then on, we abandoned our impassioned travels and surveys, focusing entirely on raising our attribute ranks. Perhaps because of those years spent traveling and visiting so many places, my understanding of the Secret Words attribute had grown exceptionally deep. Once I truly devoted myself to it, I achieved results I could never have imagined before. Soon enough, I broke through to second-order Secret Words—and I had only just turned thirty. "Such an achievement was by no means that of a genius, but it qualified as a modest local talent. I earned a small measure of renown and secured employment under the previous Viscount Xuefeng. Perhaps that progress gave me confidence and hope, rekindling my dreams of the once-unthinkable third-order Secret Words. I decided to follow my past experience once again, traveling everywhere to examine various philosophies and setting out to write my own travelogue. "It was then that Jieli found me. Astonished by my breakthrough, he asked me how I had done it. I held nothing back, generously sharing every detail with him and wishing him a swift advancement of his own. Having received everything I had to teach, Jieli was deeply grateful and decided to pursue travel just as I was doing. We kept in touch through letters, occasionally reuniting somewhere along the way. "A few years later, Jieli finally stepped into second-order Secret Words as well. Overjoyed, we threw a celebration. I believed our friendship would only grow deeper now that we stood on equal footing once more," Scholar Haide said with a heavy sigh. "I began drafting a new book, and he took a keen interest in it, dropping by from time to time to read my drafts and learn from them. He was my dearest friend—what reason did I have to refuse him? So I generously shared everything: the source of my inspiration, the entire framework, my line of reasoning, and every piece of reference material. "What followed... you can probably guess. I never attained third-order Secret Words. An unexpected turn of events derailed it all. As I said before, I placed far too much trust in him, and it ended in tragedy. "He took my work, published it first, and swiftly gained the approval of Candle Fortress. With his breakthrough near at hand, Candle Fortress regarded him as a candidate member and treated him with exceptional favor. I was consumed with fury, yet utterly powerless. After all, I had no way to prove I was the one who had created it first. Only the two of us knew the whole process, and I had already told him everything about the book's origins. "I grieved for a long time and prepared to leave this land. Yet the moment he advanced, the very first thing he did was have me arrested, falsely accusing me of plagiarizing his work. Such a charge was enough to keep me imprisoned for decades. I could not fathom why he would go that far—he had already taken everything from me, and I had no means to take it back. "Much later, he told me the reason. I was the sole blemish on his record, the only person who knew his past. If he wanted to live a life of comfort and peace of mind, I could not be allowed to live. It was almost too late. I was tortured half to death in prison by men he had arranged, never seeing the sun. "I had nearly given up, preparing to end my life in despair. It was then that the previous Viscount Xuefeng sent someone to pull me from the dungeon, finally granting me a chance to voice my grievances. Though Jieli knew the entire creative process and had memorized every bit of inspiration and source material, I was the one who had actually traveled to those places. The testimony of the locals and my records at taverns and inns ultimately cleared my name. "My name was vindicated, while he lost everything, falling lower than an ordinary man. On the day he departed into exile, I climbed into the carriage with him once more to ask about his journey and thoughts over the years. "He told me that in the beginning, he truly had never wanted things to turn out that way, because I had helped him so much. But he had envied the success I was about to achieve far too much. He had craved that same success too desperately, and my complete trust in him had left his ambition and desire unchecked, allowing them to grow wildly out of control. "'I thought that by learning your methods, I could achieve the same results as you, so I was filled with hope,' he said. 'In truth, it was a cruel joke of fate—I could never be like you. Another's success can never be replicated. I merely drew near in vain, only to be cast aside once more. I should never have harbored such hopes. That early hope turned into the bitterest agony, keeping me awake through the night. Haide, you misunderstood me. Did you truly think our talents were equal? No. You are far more earnest and grounded than I ever was. And I misunderstood myself, foolishly believing that mimicking someone's methods could recreate their success. People are different; no one serves as a blueprint for another.' "The year after Jieli was exiled, he died in the Hot Rain Marsh. They say the insects there are particularly vicious." Scholar Haide slowly set down his cup. "Now that you know my past, do you still intend to follow my example and travel the lands?" "I will still go, Teacher." Yelu's voice remained steady, firmer than before. "Why, child?" Scholar Haide's gaze softened with warmth. "It is not that I am copying the path you once took, Teacher, but that I understand my own resolve. I do not know how you achieved what you did back then, but in you, I see another kind of serene hope: to steadfastly pursue what one loves and watch it build up bit by bit is enough to soothe the unease and regret in one's heart. An end achieved without the journey is nothing more than a fleeting bloom. You taught me that very lesson, did you not? I do not want to wait until I am your age to sit in a room, reminiscing about the things I never gave my all to pursue in my youth. Even if I am destined to fail, let me expend every ounce of my strength first. Only then can I let go with a clear conscience." "Every ounce of your strength..." Scholar Haide shook his head faintly. Where did all one's strength truly end? Did it last until the end of life itself...? Yet he said no more. Just as returning to the past to counsel his twenty-year-old self would never have changed his mindset back then, some things could not be turned away. In the end, a life lived with fewer regrets was for the best.