Chapter 174
Single Severance (II)
[Congratulations, Host, on creating the 'Single Severance' Sword Art]
... dammit. Do I have to surrender and admit that the system has a better naming sense than me?
No. Never.
Never.
[...]
[Single Severance]
[Type: Sword Art]
[Rank: middle-Jade tier]
[Host Comprehension: None (Fails to meet minimum requirements)]
[...]
[Throughout history, there have always been those bewitched by the concept of singularity of the sword, the ultimate, unrealized Dao of Singular Annihilation. To pour all mastery and all strength into a singular stroke of the blade and reach the ultimate heights where that single stroke is enough to cleave the reality itself apart. And yet, it remained a painfully unrealized path; to practice it, few ever had the courage. To endure it, even fewer had the strength. To embody it, there were none. Ancient Sages and Taoists have all shunned it and proclaimed it an unobtainable Dao--one that was never meant for a man. Despite that, some still struggle and writhe, desperate to reach its peak. Though merely a shadow, this art just barely embodies a trace of the ultimate realization--and can only be wielded by those who embody the sword from their souls out]
[...]
[Creation Points Value: 750(0) / 100]
[Comprehension Difficulty: Intermediate-->Adjusted to Minor (Art itself is easy; the concept is difficult)]
[...]
[Creation Bonus: New 'Major' Trait unlocked; 'Severing Slash Talisman]
[...]
[Major Trait Unlocked: Creator of Myths (Legendary)]
[Creator of Myths (Legendary): all arts created by you have a chance to embody a trace of the Principle Dao. Imbuing concepts costs fewer points]
[...]
['Severing Slash Talisman' (Unique) -- tearing up the talisman conjures an invisible blade made purely of Dao; it cannot harm the living in any capacity, and it cannot interact with the physical. However, it eliminates the presence of all other Dao Concepts within the radius. Destroyed upon use]
... alright.
That's a bit more than I bargained for, both in a good and a bad way.
As I weighed a tome on the palm of my hand that felt as light as a feather, a sigh escaped me. The extremes had their own rules, I suppose--though I do want Xi Zhao to chase this path, he'd essentially be locking himself into it rather than just pursuing it.
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Isn't this sort of like asking an 18-year-old kid back on Earth to choose a career and enroll in a proper college? Like, sure, there's some ability to make the right decision, but it honestly mostly just feels like a flip of a coin.
The only reason I tried going to med school was because that was all the rage at the time. I flunked, of course, within the first semester, not because I wasn't 'smart enough' (trust me, there were people dumb as a bagful of rocks becoming doctors), but because I hated practically every aspect of medicine... except the medicine.
Hence, I went and became a doctor of pharmacy.
Okay, that's simplifying it a lot. I wanted to make drugs, not sell them. But life... well, I've found that life is a strange little beast that always hides surprises behind each and every corner.
And forcing a kid to make a decision that will alter his life forever?
... a tall order. A very tall order. It's not even a matter of want--I'm pretty sure if I told Xi Zhao, 'I think you should abandon your sword and learn how to throw your poop at people', he might actually do it. So, if I just ask him to 'give it a shot', he will.
But there's a knot in my throat.
I walked over to Long Tao, who opened his eyes before I could 'wake him up'. I simply pointed to the outside and left, and he followed shortly after.
The night was... well, it was freezing. I could feel my nipples hardening even through three layers of clothes, and I wasn't so much blowing steam as I spoke as I was using some form of dragon breath, I'm pretty sure.
"What is it?" Long Tao asked as he joined me, seeming entirely unbothered by the climate.
Which was strange because he actually wore a casual combo of pants and shirt, not even a robe.
Damned bastard.
"I'm in a bit of a conundrum," I said. "And I'm seeking your father's wisdom. I hope he taught you."
"My father taught me many things." He smiled slyly, and I damn near rolled my eyes. "So, what is the conundrum?"
"It's about Xi Zhao," I said, taking out the tome from the sleeve and handing it over. Long Tao accepted it with curiosity, flinging it open. "I... found that as I was randomly going through some old things, and it lines up well enough with who he is as he is now. But he's so young. And I feel if I force him down this path, he might hate me for it once he grows up."
"... I'm fairly certain you could shove a sword through that kid's heart, and he would apologize for dirtying your blade," Long Tao said dismissively, quickly flipping through the tome before closing it up and handing it back over. "I don't know about my father's teachings, but I can offer you a small nugget of my own wisdom."
"..."
"We trust you," he said, his voice firm and flat. "I've been with you from the start, and through all your cowardly anxiety and your many mortal qualities, I've never once seen you put yourself ahead of any one of us. It's fine to have some confidence, both in yourself as well as the rest of us. You're our Master, after all. If you don't know what's best for us, who will?" He cracked one of those rare, seemingly genuine smiles before spinning around and leaving me in the cold.
It was... warm, honestly.
I don't know whether he was being truthful or what, but... I kind of needed it. Do I know the best? Of course not. He probably felt he was being too nice to me, so he decided to do one last jab towards the end, but, regardless, his voice was like a calming sun after a raging squall.
I turned away and up, where the dark clouds parted for a moment and a full moon managed to peek through, giving just a twinge of moonlight before being eclipsed yet again. I feel my fears will always be there, and that I'll never truly shed the skin of who I was on Earth, but I also know that I can't keep jumping at shadows and ghosts.
My kids are monsters, each and every one of them, but despite recognizing that many, many, many times, when push comes to shove, I still tend to treat them as kids. Which I need to keep doing, as they are just kids, but I also need to pull back ever so slightly and realize they are meant for far greater things than I can possibly even imagine at this time.
I am not here to carve out a path and lead them to the light, no--I am here to give them a small head start and a pair of even smaller wings, but the rest? They'll take care of that.
Who knows?
Perhaps, one day in the future, they might make a statue of the dead ol' me in the middle of the highest heaven so that all would know: I was the first to recognize what monsters they'd become.
Ah, what a wonderful dream.
Except for the part where I'm dead in it.
I'd still like to very much be alive and enjoying the fruits of raising these little devils by sipping wine and napping all day, every day.
... wow.
My dreams really are pretty pathetic, aren't they?
