"Spending a year rolling around like a dog is better than ten years stuck doing nothing but training." This was one of the sayings of my master, Bai Luguang, the First Under Heaven.
There was a somewhat clichéd expression that went, "No growth without hardship."
Of course, my master had said to regard hardships not as obstacles in life, but as events that can be used as motivation.
"What does that mean?" I had asked.
"When it comes to teaching, the listener's attitude is more important than the speaker's," my master had replied. "What good is the most valuable advice in the world if the person who hears it lets it go in one ear and out the other?"
"Here comes the lecturing again," I had muttered.
Normally, my master would have hit me on the head, but for some reason, he had smiled that day and continued, "It means that people can become anything they put their minds to. Talent is secondary.
"A clear goal and an unwavering mindset are not achieved by mere desire or hope. A person who has lost their entire family won't necessarily become consumed by vengeance, and failure and despair aren't inherently the foundation for success.
"I've watched countless human beings during my time here, but the fate of a person isn't something that can be calculated."
My master's words were ambiguous yet strangely convincing. Perhaps it was because I could testify to their truth.
"Sometimes, I envy the weak. They don't have to look for hardships," my master had remarked.
I had remained silent.
"So, Youngest Disciple, don't rush and enjoy yourself while you are weak," he had advised.
My master had wanted to end the conversation there, but I had more questions.
His earlier words carried the weight of experience. It was a type of advice that couldn't be given unless one had lived through it and understood it themselves.
"So, did you also experience hardships, Master?"
After I asked that, my master smiled and told me the old story.
It was shocking—the First Under Heaven's starting point was slavery.
***
At the Jewel Mountains, one of the empire's four Forbidden Zones.
Arjan Winter started to have new doubts as she stepped into this perilous place.
Why was she there?
Is it because of Madam Lucia's orders?
This was the most valid explanation.
The mistress of the mansion, Lucia Badniker, had asked her directly, "Please take good care of Luan."
Lucia was a woman deserving of respect.
Of course, her external image was far from ideal.
She was one of the Iron-Blooded Lord's many wives, but her influence within the Badniker family was minimal.
She hailed from the bloodline of a fallen kingdom, yet she was now regarded as a fallen noble from the border. Unlike the other wives, she didn't receive any support from her maternal family.
In general, the performance of one's bloodline was paramount in gaining influence within the Badniker family.
Lucia's only son was a paragon of incompetence, ridiculed not only by the Badnikers but by all the Great Families.
The Badnikers were one of the two wings of the empire and the most prestigious of the Great Families today.
Arjan couldn't even imagine the ridicule that Lucia would've endured.
Nevertheless, Lucia didn't falter. Even in clothes as shabby as a maid's, she still exuded dignity. She maintained her elegance even when she ate bread and soup.
Perhaps that was what Arjan admired. Even though Lucia was in a similar situation with Luan, she didn't give up.
Arjan had once held some hope and expectations for Lucia's only son. But when they finally met in person, all those expectations were quickly dashed.
"W-wait a minute," Luan stammered.
Arjan stopped walking.
The knight walking ahead glanced back, his expression saying, "Again?"
Luan stood there, drenched in sweat.
"Let's... rest a bit..." he said between gasps.
"I understand." Osel reluctantly gave permission, and Luan collapsed on the dirt ground, still panting.
This boy was still a Badniker, so why didn't he have his father's dignity or his mother's elegance?
The only resemblance between them was their appearance. Even that handsome face lost its shine as he lay face-down on the ground.
The knights couldn't help but grumble as they looked at Luan, who was panting like an old man.
"It is a lot slower than I thought."
"At this rate, we might not make it in time."
"It is truly outrageous. That is really the family head's..."
Their voices were low, but not so much that they couldn't be heard.
Arjan glanced at Luan, whose expression remained unchanged as if he hadn't heard them.
"Young Master Luan, are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes. Just let me rest a bit longer, and I'll be fine," Luan replied.
His words sounded boastful, yet they were true.
Strangely, Luan gasped as if he was about to die but recovered quickly and resumed walking.
Maybe he didn't want to cause trouble or it was a matter of pride. Only Luan knew the answer, but Arjan was impressed. After all, she knew how much physical strength this rascal had.
His body had been worn out by a lazy, debauched lifestyle for about a year. Even a simple jump would have been difficult for him, yet now he was managing to keep up with the knights as they climbed a mountain.
Although Luan needed to rest periodically, he was showing unexpected tenacity.
Naturally, the knights, unaware of the full story, stared at Luan like he was pathetic.
Why did he suddenly change?
Arjan was the mansion's butler and Luan's teacher, so she tried hard to correct her immature young master.
Most of her efforts, however, were ineffective.
Around two weeks ago, she had even committed a rude act that no employee should have.
Yet, two weeks later, she heard that Luan had changed—about a week ago, right after he had passed out and woken up.
Could it be my teaching is finally paying off? Arjan felt an odd sensation at the thought.
Perhaps it was excitement, but she felt a strange sense of accomplishment—realizing she had achieved meaningful results as an educator.
Luan suddenly got up and said, " Phew ... I'm fine. Shall we continue?"
The sweat on his body hadn't dried, but it seemed like he had regained some of his energy. Or perhaps he was just bluffing.
As a servant of the mansion, Arjan couldn't overlook this possibility. "Young Master Luan, you can rest a bit longer."
"Huh? That's not possible. What if we don't make it in time?" he jeered.
He had overheard the knights' conversation.
"It is okay. If our pace is slow, I can take you there," Arjan said.
"What do you mean?" Luan asked.
"I'll give you a piggyback ride," Arjan replied calmly.
"That is a bit much," Luan said, grimacing in disgust. "Let's keep going for now. I think I won't have to rest until lunch."
"Are you serious?"
This question, filled with disbelief, came from Osel, not Arjan.
"Yes. I am gradually getting used to the mountain path," Luan answered confidently.
Osel laughed, and the rest of the knights followed with mockery.
This time, their laughter couldn't be avoided—it was so loud.
Nonetheless, Luan's expression remained unchanged.
At that moment, Arjan felt uneasy again. The Luan she knew didn't tolerate insults.
"Then we will continue nonstop until we reach the next destination. If it seems like you can't go any further, please have your butler carry you," Osel remarked.
Luan nodded. "Got it."
How long was it until lunch?
Arjan pulled her watch from her pocket and saw that two hours were left. It will be tough.
Even if Luan showed unexpected tenacity, an hour would likely be his limit. His body wouldn't hold up much longer than that.
Arjan was troubled. How could she handle this without offending Luan?
It seemed that he didn't like being carried.
What about supporting him instead? Or she could speak more forcefully?
At times like this, it would've been helpful if she had learned some magic.
However, such concerns turned out to be unnecessary.
The first one to realize this was Arjan. It was only natural, given that she had been observing her weak young master, who could collapse at any moment.
Luan was panting just like before. An abnormal amount of steam rose from his body, and his complexion suggested he would collapse at any moment.
Just a little bit more.
Arjan intended to intervene once Luan reached his limit—just before he stumbled and fell. Even Luan would accept help if it were only moments before he slammed his face into the ground.
Strangely, though, Luan didn't fall. He kept walking unsteadily, as though he could drop at any second.
Surely he'll collapse now. He is already at his limit.
As that thought crossed her mind, an hour had already passed.
Despite preparing to extend her hand, Luan didn't stop.
The knights, too, felt something was off. They had expected him to rely on Arjan a long time ago.
They couldn't help exchanging glances when they saw that he was still walking on his own.
"Young Master Luan, are you okay?" Arjan asked again.
Luan just nodded slightly, too exhausted to speak.
Arjan was about to say, "If it is difficult, please tell me," but stopped herself. For some reason, she thought he would take this as an insult.
In any case, Luan, who had been considered a burden, continued forward silently, with no obstacles in his path.
They pressed on for a long while, increasing their pace.
Before two hours had passed—sooner than the anticipated lunch break Osel mentioned—their relentless march stopped. The terrain had changed.
Arjan looked around, bewildered. "Is this the only way?"
"That's correct," Osel answered.
They had reached a cliffside. The ground to step on was extremely narrow, with a steep drop below.
Arjan instinctively looked back and met Luan's gaze.
Luan nodded while still gasping. "What are you waiting for? Go ahead."
"Will you be okay?" Arjan asked.
"Of course. I've walked this route a thousand times."
It was one of Luan's rare moments of bluffing.
Arjan hesitated, but there was nothing she could do. Only the knights knew the path through the Jewel Mountains.
Meanwhile, their formation changed a bit. Luan, who had been following from the safest position, now had two knights behind him. This way, they could deal with any emergencies.
The moment someone took the first step, a piece of stone rolled down.
The knights looked at Luan.
"It is really high, isn't it?" one remarked.
"Be careful, Young Master Luan. If you slip, it won't be just a broken bone or two," the other warned.
It was unclear whether their concern was genuine or tinged with sarcasm.
Arjan had always been oblivious to such subtleties.
From Luan's expression, it seemed he didn't take the comment as sarcasm.
Arjan started walking again with a sigh.
At that moment, a thud echoed behind her.
She spun around and saw Luan plummeting down the cliff.
It happened too quickly.
"Young Master Luan!"
I am a step late! she thought while reaching out her hand.
Unexpectedly, the falling Luan suddenly reached out to her at lightning speed.
For a moment, flames seemed to rise from his hand as he grabbed the jagged rock face. He narrowly avoided falling, hanging onto the rock wall.
Arjan asked, "Are you okay? I—"
"Stop! It is falling apart!" Osel exclaimed, and she withdrew her outstretched hand.
There was clearly a crack in the rock wall. If they recklessly tried to help, they would all fall together.
It was quite high, but if she wrapped herself around Luan the moment he fell, he wouldn't die. Still, injuries were inevitable.
"I told you to stop. Are you going to kill us all?" Osel warned again in a low voice.
"You are exaggerating. It is high, but not enough to kill you if you fall," Arjan retorted.
"That's right. However, injuries are inevitable. You may not know this, but this is a dangerous area. I don't even know the way back up," Osel shot back.
"So, are you saying that we should just leave Young Master Luan to die like this?" Arjan asked.
"Forget it, Arjan."
It was Luan's voice.
His body, sweaty and trembling, appeared dangerously unstable as if he could slip down the cliff at any moment.
Luan stated calmly, "I'll climb up on my own, so get ready to run."
"What?"
Immediately afterward, Luan soared.