Footprints in snow, Shadows in Pursuit

The old butler stepped into the building. The cold wind whistled through the air. The courtyard was a mess, wrecked by the pressure from consecutive breakthroughs. Leaves scattered in the air slowly drifted down, but if one looked closely, the leaves nearest the explosion had been torn into pieces with edges as smooth as if cut by a blade.

The building where the young master resided was in shambles. In the middle of it all, a boy in his mid-teens slowly floated down. His skin was white as snow, his black hair like silk falling to his shoulders. His body was bare. When his feet touched the ground, cracks spread across the floor. Taking another step, he left deep footprints. By the third step, however, there were none—his aura withdrew, falling from Spirit Actualization down to the fourth stage of Body Tempering.

To an untrained eye, this would seem disastrous. But the old butler only nodded at the young master’s wise choice. Though the breakthrough seemed perfect, the foundation was unstable. If left unchecked, his cultivation might crumble in battle. By voluntarily lowering his realm now, his future strength would be far greater. The only drawback was that his next breakthrough would require far more energy.

---

Later That Night

In an inn on the outskirts of Clear Spring City—

“Young master, I have prepared a carriage for the journey ahead.”

The old butler bowed slightly after speaking.

Galahad stood by the window, gazing outside. Winter had arrived, and the streets were desolate.

“You will not be following me, Hendrick. All I need is a spatial pouch with some clothes, a sword—preferably a tachi—and some gold. Not too much, just enough to eat and rent a place to stay. Relay my words to my father. I will rest here and prepare for my journey.”

Seeing the firm look in the young master’s eyes, the butler bowed once more and left without another word. Galahad watched his retreating figure, then stretched his hand outside the window. A snowflake landed in his palm. Retracting it, he sat down and quietly tempered his body, awaiting the butler’s return.

---

Deep Inside the Braymhch Family Residence

“Was that truly my son’s decision?”

A man draped in red robes questioned the old butler kneeling before him.

“Yes, my lord. Those were the young master’s exact words. I have reported them as they were.”

The room fell silent for a while.

“Then do as he said. Do not send anyone to protect him—he likely has countermeasures already. Just make sure he reaches the next teleportation portal safely. You said he requested a tachi? Hm… a fine choice, as expected of my son. Give him a spatial pouch with space as large as a room. As for clothes and other necessities, that will be left to you. And give him one thousand gold. The heir of the Braymhch family should not be forced to count every copper coin. That will be all—go prepare it.”

The man turned and walked deeper into his quarters, while the butler bowed and hurried off to fulfill the order.

---

Elsewhere, in a Dark Alley of Clear Spring City

A dark mist slowly appeared within a hidden room.

“Is the information about the target accurate?”

From the other side, a man in black clothing stepped forward.

“Yes. The young master of the Braymhch family should be leaving soon. I don’t know where he’s headed. Can you track him and finish the job?”

A shrill laugh echoed from the mist.

“Just a child. If I can’t track him, then I don’t deserve the name Ghost Tracker.”

The mist faded away, while the man in black slipped back into the night crowd.

---

The Next Day, in the Inn

“This is what you requested, young master.”

The butler handed over a brown pouch trimmed with gold and a long, sheathed sword. The weapon resembled a katana, though longer, with a curve from the middle to the tip.

Galahad fastened the pouch to his waist, then unsheathed the sword. Its hilt gleamed silver, while the sheath—though appearing rusty—was made of star-silver metal. The blade itself, a gold-ranked weapon, shimmered faintly with a dark sheen that seemed to devour light.

“Weapons, pills, treasures—all are ranked accordingly,” Galahad murmured.

Bronze rank \= Body Tempering Realm

Silver rank \= Spirit Actualization Realm

Gold rank \= Divine Body Realm

Crystal rank \= Rule Stage

Diamond rank \= Dao Stage

“That was the rank I reached in my past life—the peak of Dao, at only fifty years of age. A genius like no other. Shame it all crumbled down. But this time… this time will be different.”

Clenching the hilt tightly, he exhaled deeply and sheathed the sword once more. Since spatial items could not be used before Spirit Actualization, he left the weapon strapped to his waist.

The butler removed a seal and a folded map from his robe and offered them with both hands.

“Young master, this is the Braymhch family head’s seal. It should allow you to use teleportation portals without payment, unless in enemy territory. The one in this city is under repair, but the next portal lies three small cities away. With rest along the way, it should take you at most two days and two nights to reach it. This map shows the entire southern continent—it took great effort to acquire it overnight.”

Galahad placed both items in his robe and looked outside.

“Thank you for your efforts, Hendrick. I will depart now. This journey may take a long time, but I will reach the Royal Academy’s entrance test when my training is complete. The exam should be less than two years away. If I miss the application date and do not appear, send someone in my place. That is all. It is time for me to leave.”

He descended the stairs of the inn, paid for his stay, and purchased a horse.

---

At the East Gate of Clear Spring City

The old butler stood silently, watching as the young master’s horse disappeared into the distance. He remained there until the figure vanished from sight.

At that very moment, countless shadows stirred—moving the instant Galahad left the city.

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