Chapter 209

“Inferior beings. It’s hard to believe they’re the same species as humans.”

The continent was split into dozens of nations, and in this world, human lives were worth less than ants. Some watched as servants swarmed like clouds over the cliff, sipping their wine. These were people who already had the large sums offered by Duke Ezwill in their pockets.

To some, wealth worth risking one’s life for was merely pocket change for a night’s entertainment. Those who climbed the cliff for such meager sums were truly foolish and pitiable.

“Yet they lack the courage to jump. They want the money but aren’t willing to risk their lives.”

“Such is the nature of lowly creatures. To swarm like that for such trivial gains, how truly idiotic.”

As they shared their wine, they glanced out the window, half-expecting someone to fall. Sure enough, after a while, a few blinded by greed leaped.

“Surely the Duke wouldn’t let us die?”

Their reasoning was sound. They weren’t sacrificing their lives for money. They saw it as a test of loyalty, believing there was a way to survive below.

But there wasn’t. This was just a game. Thuds echoed from below, and the overseer at the cliff’s base clicked his tongue. Precious lives were wasted.

“Heron? Hey, what are you doing here?”

It seemed no one else would jump. Everyone had turned pale, hesitating and stepping back. They were all terrified, realizing they could have met the same fate.

Then a servant spotted a boy. He didn’t seem like someone driven by greed, making it all the more bizarre.

Whoosh!

Without a word, the boy headed for the cliff and leaped without hesitation. No one could stop him; there wasn’t even time.

“Why do people die when they fall from great heights?”

The moment before impact is but an instant. Yet, even that brief moment is enough for deep thought.

The boy pondered deeply. What did Duke Ezwill hope to achieve by ordering this?

Soon, he realized. Humans die from such falls because their bodies can’t withstand the impact.

But why should I endure that impact? The sky is vast, the earth immense. Why not let the impact flow through them?

Whoosh!

The wind grew stronger. The ground came into view, but there was no fear or hesitation. The flow of heaven and earth mattered not; as long as I maintain my balance, it’s irrelevant.

By grasping the flow firmly, I can find life even in the direst situations.

Sometimes, one must push themselves to such extremes to understand. Now I see. Now I understand why Duke Ezwill did this.

He must have wanted people to realize this truth.

Boom!

A massive explosion sounded. The overseer, thinking another corpse was coming, was blown away by the shockwave.

The boy had redirected all the impact into the ground. The earth split as if an explosion had occurred. A sinister current in the sky created a small storm, then calmed.

“Cough…!”

The overseer, spitting blood, was shocked to see the boy unharmed.

“He… he’s alive?”

Not just alive, but without a single scratch. The boy glanced at him and walked away. The money was never the goal.

Understanding a fraction of the universe’s principles was reward enough. The great path lay before him; mere money was insignificant. Time to embody and internalize this enlightenment was what mattered, not wealth.

“Hey, wait…”

The overseer couldn’t stop him, only muttering.

Normally, a servant could be secretly harassed, but after what he’d just witnessed, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

‘It must have been a coincidence…’

He swallowed hard. Unable to believe his eyes, he decided to keep quiet. The boy hadn’t asked for money, so there was no need to report this to the Duke.

But one thing was certain: the servants’ view of the boy had changed.

*

As if nothing had happened, the boy continued his duties with dedication, devoid of any selfishness. Everyone chalked it up to luck.

Three years passed, and it was forgotten. They thought it was mere divine intervention, not believing it was the boy’s own power.

“They’re building a lake for boating this time.”

“Those poor souls.”

Heron’s life was quiet, but not the Duke’s. Duke Ezwill ordered a large lake built, and the people had no choice but to comply. Residents of the duchy were forcibly conscripted, regardless of age or health.

Though heaven and earth may be merciless, can they be more so than humans? That’s why the boy disliked people. His only concern was the laws of the world and the flow of heaven and earth.

Thus, a massive lake was created, and canals were opened. The water volume was so great it resembled a small sea.

Luxurious boats floated on the lake, stained with tears of blood.

Now, the servants had an additional duty: attending to the nobles enjoying their boating. For such tasks, a pretty face was preferred over competence.

Someone both competent and good-looking, like the boy, couldn’t be excluded, despite minor disqualifications. His orphan status and poor social connections didn’t matter.

He didn’t hesitate. He just did his job. Unlike other servants, he didn’t try to flatter or entertain the nobles. He simply did what he was told.

Such ambitions for advancement were neither desired nor important. When idle, the boy quietly gazed beneath the water’s surface.

Like flowing air, the water also contained a flow. The rowers created their own currents, pushing the boat forward.

How to turn resistance into assistance? The boy pondered this principle often.

“Hey. You don’t speak unless spoken to, do you?”

In a flock of crows, a white heron stands out even if it doesn’t want to. As the boating continued, the highest-ranking person called the boy. Arwen Ezwill, the Duke’s daughter.

Her beauty and grace surpassed that of a princess, resembling a goddess. The Duke’s servants treated her as such. But not the boy. To him, she was just another person.

“Anything is fine. Why don’t you tell me a story?”

“Would discussing the principles of heaven and earth be acceptable?”

“Just keep quiet. A boy younger than me, spouting boring nonsense even old men avoid.”

She quickly grew bored. What could she talk about with someone who only saw heaven and earth? Bored, she glanced at the bracelet on her arm.

Adorned with diamonds and various gems, it alone could buy a small castle. But as the Duke’s daughter, she had many such trinkets.

Using a bracelet to prank a servant was no big deal.

“Oh dear, what should I do?”

Plop! The bracelet slipped from her arm and sank into the deep lake. All eyes turned to her.

“My bracelet fell into the water. What should I do? I wish someone could fetch it for me.”

She expected the expressionless boy to flounder and show a new side.

But what? Without hesitation, he jumped into the lake. The girl’s face turned pale.

Who doesn’t understand a joke? Even if she shouted it was a prank, he didn’t resurface. He dove deeper and deeper.

Then it hit him. Water, air, and even magical power are fluids, substances with flow.

Magical flow is the hardest to control, air flow is relatively easier but still challenging. In contrast, water’s flow was clear, and its movements when altered were palpable.

If I can observe and fully grasp water’s flow, couldn’t I apply that to air and magical power? A path to enlightenment opened in the most unexpected place. But the boy, engrossed, didn’t realize.

Here, underwater. It’s been over three minutes without breathing.

Yet, the boy swam forward, controlling the currents without a single gasp. No sign of losing consciousness.

In water or air, magical power is everywhere. It continuously empowered the boy. The primal energy of heaven and earth was now within reach.

Using some of that energy, he created a flow. Water’s resistance is incomparable to air’s. But as he progressed, he began to understand how to turn resistance into assistance.

Now, as free in water as in air, the boy dove deeper. He saw the bracelet, heavy with gems, lying on the lakebed.

Reaching out, he stirred the currents, lifting the ring upward. By mastering this flow, he could later use it in the air, creating force and wind.

If he could control magical flow with such precision, drawing a sword with a mere gesture would be possible. That’s for later, but not too far off.

With the bracelet in hand, the boy surfaced. Moments later, he stepped onto the water’s surface amidst a splash.