Shang dan Sylvia terbang dalam diam beberapa menit.
Sylvia hanya berdiri di belakang Shang dengan senyumnya yang khas, sementara Shang fokus menatap ke depan.
Tentu saja, ia tetap waspada terhadap Sylvia. Pembacaan Pikiran sangat sulit dimanipulasi, dan Jerald pasti akan menyadari setiap ketidakkonsistenan. Namun, Shang tetap suka hati-hati.
Dia tidak mengenalnya, dan ia tidak ingin mengambil risiko.
Sylvia tentu saja menyadari kekhawatirannya, tetapi ia tidak mengatakan apa-apa.
Beberapa menit kemudian, mereka tiba di langit Zona Adamantite Behemoth. Sekarang, mereka terbang pada ketinggian lebih dari sepuluh kilometer, membuatnya sangat sulit dilihat dari permukaan.
Lalu, Shang berubah arah dan terbang ke lepas selatan, menuju Zona Ular Awan.
Makhluk di Zona Kuda Guntur terbang tinggi di langit, dan Shang tidak ingin terlibat pertarungan dengan salah satunya.
Tentu saja, sebagai makhluk dengan Afinitas Angin, Zona Ular Awan juga dipenuhi oleh makhluk terbang, namun ada perbedaan.
Zona Ular Awan adalah kumpulan gunung raksasa yang sangat besar, dan selama Shang tidak langsung mendekatinya, kemungkinan terdeteksi akan lebih rendah. Tentu ada risiko, namun tidak sebesar melewati Zona Kuda Guntur.
Beberapa menit kemudian, mereka memasuki Zona Ular Awan, dan Shang menghindari semua puncak gunung. Untungnya, karena mereka terbang tinggi, jarak antar puncak sangat jauh.
Beberapa makhluk menyadarinya, namun mereka tidak tertarik bertarung.
Shang menduga bahwa makhluk-makhluk itu merasakan Aura Sylvia, dan mereka takut padanya.
Setelah semua, ia adalah seorang Late High Mage yang cukup kuat, dan seorang Mage Tingkat Tinggi pada tingkatan seperti itu bisa melawan sebagian besar makhluk di Tingkat Jalan Sejati.
Bahkan makhluk Tingkat Jalan Sejati Puncak mungkin akan kalah melawannya.
Inilah supremasi yang dimiliki Mage atas makhluk.
Mereka terus melaju ke utara, dan beberapa menit kemudian mereka memasuki sebuah padang gurun coklat yang sangat luas.
Shang teringat pada Padang Gersang di Zona Elang Badai. Zona ini terlihat sangat mirip.
Ini adalah Zona Cacing Raksasa, zona yang berada di timur Zona Guntur Langit.
Shang bisa melihat beberapa makhluk di Tingkat Tentara dan Tahap Jenderal di permukaan, namun makhluk yang benar-benar kuat berada di bawah tanah.
Hampir tidak ada makhluk terbang di zona ini, sehingga mereka tidak terganggu selama perjalanan.
Beberapa menit kemudian, mereka tiba di barat laut Zona Cacing Raksasa.
Zona Kura-kura Paus.
Tidaknya disangka, Zona Kura-kura Paus hanyalah satu krater raksasa dengan cahaya yang tak terbayangkan di dasarnya, yang memenuhi seluruh zona dengan cahaya terang.
Shang tidak bisa melihat Kura-kura Paus melalui semua cahaya itu, dan ia terlalu jauh untuk merasakan dengan Spirit Sense-nya, namun itu bukanlah masalah. Setelah semua, ia tidak datang untuk Kura-kura Paus.
Shang juga melihat banyak makhluk dengan Afinitas Cahaya, sesuatu yang jarang dilihatnya sebelumnya.
Dengan terkejutnya, sebagian besar adalah serangga.
Serangga-serangga ini memiliki eksoskelton yang sangat kuat, gergigian tajam, dan rerangga yang kuat.
Shang melihat pertarungannya dan menyadari bahwa mereka kebanyakan menggunakan Afinitas Cahaya untuk memulihkan diri.
Dia hampir tidak melihat makhluk yang mengeluarkan serangan jarak jauh. Seluruh zona sebenarnya hanya diisi oleh makhluk yang secara eksklusif bertarung dengan serangan dekat.
Ironisnya, zona dengan Elemen yang paling murni dan baik justru paling kejam dan berdarah. Makhluk-makhluk itu terus-menerus saling mencincang hingga kalap, sementara memulihkan luka diri sendiri.
Mereka terus terbang, dan sekitar dua menit kemudian, mereka tiba di tempat tujuan.
Shang berhenti di perbatasan barat laut Zona Kura-kura Paus dan memindai lingkungannya.
Dia tidak merasakan ada Mage Tingkat Tinggi di Spirit Sensor-nya.
Shang mendaratkan diri sekitar tiga kilometer di luar perbatasan barat laut Zona Kura-kura Paus, di antara dua proyektil di tepi crater.
Sylvia melompat turun dari Sword dan hanya menunggu dengan senyumnya.
Shang terpaksa mengambil napas dalam-dalam. Ia bisa terbang selama berjam-jam, namun mengangkut seseorang justru mengonsumsi banyak Mana tubuhnya. Inilah juga sebabnya mengapa mereka tidak benar-benar menunggu di langit.
Shang bersandaran pada dinding dan menutup mata kanannya untuk pulihkan Mana.
Sylvia ternyaman dalam diam.
Beberapa menit berlalu.
"Tahu tak, ini pertama kalinya aku terbang," ujar Sylvia.
Shang membuka mata kanannya dan memandangnya sebentar.
Secara tidak sadar, ia mengira Sylvia sudah pernah terbang sebelumnya. Setelah semua, ia lebih kuat dari dirinyya tanpa menggunakan mantra penguat.
Di sisi lain, Shang sudah terbiasa terbang sekarang, dan itu tidak lagi terasa istimewa.
Pada saat itu, Shang teringat ketika ia menggunakan Talisman Gliding bersama Sarah, Astor, dan Elver untuk menuju Gua setelah melompat dari Surga Pendekar.
Dulu, ia merasakan keagungan saat terbang di langit.
Ia juga ingat bahwa ia pernah berkata bahwa ia ingin bisa terbang dengan sendiri di masa depan.
Tanpa disadarinya, keinginan itu menjadi kenyataan.
Namun, Shang tidak merasa begitu istimewa.
Itu hanyalah normal.
' 'Sepertinya lucu. Aku pernah menikmati rasa kebebasan saat terbang di langit, namun sekarang, aku merasa seperti tidak bebas sama sekali.'
' 'Aku harus meminta keadilan.'
' 'Aku harus membantu Jerald.'
' 'Aku punya misi untuk menyelesaikan.'
' 'Aku harus menemukan cara untuk berkembang.'
' ''Aku harus menyimpan kebanyakan rahasia-ku.'
' ' rasanya tidak bebas sama sekali.'
"Itu bagus," komentar Shang sambil memandang dinding di seberang.
"Kamu terlihat cemas," tiba-tiba ucap Sylvia.
"Apa masihh tentangmu?" tanya Shang.
Sylvia sepertinya tidak terganggu dengan kemarahan Shang.
"Apakah buruk jika aku ingin tahu lebih lanjut tentang teman Jerald?"
"Apa yang membuatmu mengira kami berteman?" tanya Shang.
Sylvia hanya tertawa.
"Kamu memiliki aura persahabatan yang cukup kuat. Aku percaya kamu bertukarkan nyawa dengan kepercayaan."
Shang terdiam sejenak.
Lalu, ia menghela napas.
"Maafkanlah aku yang tidak pantas marah tanpa sebab," katanya.
Shang and Sylvia flew for several minutes in silence.
Sylvia only stood behind Shang with her typical smile on her face, while Shang only looked forward.
Of course, he still kept his vigilance up regarding Sylvia. Mind Reads were extremely difficult to manipulate, and Jerald would have noticed any discrepancies anyway, but Shang still liked to be careful.
He didn’t know her, and he wouldn’t take any chances.
Of course, Sylvia noticed Shang’s senses, but she didn’t say anything.
The two of them reached the skies of the Adamantite Behemoth Zone in just a couple of minutes. Right now, they were flying at the height of over ten kilometers, making it incredibly difficult to spot them from the ground.
Then, Shang changed directions and flew towards the northeast, towards the Cloud Serpent Zone.
The beasts in the Thunder Horse Zone were flying high in the sky, and Shang didn’t want to get into a battle with one of them.
Of course, as a beast with a Wind Affinity, the Cloud Serpent’s Zone was also filled with flying beasts, but there was a difference.
The Cloud Serpent Zone was a humongous gathering of tall mountains, and as long as Shang didn’t directly approach them, the chances of getting noticed would be lower. Naturally, there was still some risk, but it wasn’t as high as if they had gone through the Thunder Horse Zone.
They entered the Cloud Serpent Zone a couple of minutes later, and Shang avoided all the peaks. Luckily, since they were so high up, the distances between the peaks were massive.
Some beasts noticed them, but they weren’t interested in fighting them.
Shang guessed that the beasts had felt Sylvia’s Aura, and they had been intimidated by her.
After all, she was a pretty strong Late High Mage, and a High Mage on such a level could fight any beast in the True Path Stage.
Even powerful Peak True Path Stage beasts would most likely lose to her.
This was simply the supremacy that Mages had over beasts.
They continued traveling to the north, and a couple of minutes later, they entered a humongous, brown wasteland.
Shang got reminded of the Wasteland in the Storm Eagle Zone. This Zone looked very similar to that one.
This was the Colossal Worm Zone, the Zone east of the Skythunder Zone.
Shang could see some Soldier and General Stage beasts on the surface, but the truly powerful beasts were underground.
There were nearly no flying beasts in this Zone, and the two didn’t get interrupted in their journey.
Some more minutes later, they reached the Zone northwest of the Colossal Worm Zone.
The Pontiff Turtle Zone.
Surprisingly, the Pontiff Turtle Zone was just one gigantic crater with an impossibly bright light at its bottom, bathing the entire Zone in bright light.
Shang couldn’t see the Pontiff Turtle through all the light, and he was too far away to see it with his Spirit Sense, but that wasn’t really a problem. After all, he wasn’t here for the Pontiff Turtle.
Shang also saw many beasts with Light Affinities, something Shang had rarely seen in the past.
To his surprise, most of them were insects.
These insects had incredibly tough exoskeletons, hard horns, and powerful stingers.
Shang looked at their fights and noticed that they mostly used their Light Affinity to heal themselves.
He saw nearly no beasts unleashing any kind of ranged attacks. The entire Zone was basically filled with beasts that exclusively fought in close quarters.
Ironically, the Zone with the purest and most benevolent Element was actually the most brutal and bloody one. The beasts just kept tearing each other to pieces while healing their own injuries.
The two of them continued flying, and about two minutes later, they arrived at their goal.
Shang stopped at the northeastern border of the Pontiff Turtle Zone and scanned his surroundings.
He didn’t feel any High Mage in his Spirit Sense.
Shang quickly landed about three kilometers away from the northeastern border of the Pontiff Turtle Zone, between two outcroppings at the edge of the crater.
Sylvia jumped down from Sword and simply waited with a smile.
Shang had to take a deep breath. He could fly for hours, but carrying someone else with him had consumed a lot of his body’s Mana. This was also why they didn’t actually wait in the sky.
Shang leaned against one of the walls and closed his right eye to recover his Mana.
Sylvia remained silent for a while.
A couple of minutes passed.
"You know, this was the first time I’ve ever flown," Sylvia said.
Shang opened his right eye and looked at her briefly.
He had subconsciously assumed that she had already flown before. After all, she was more powerful than him without the augmenting Spells.
Meanwhile, Shang had grown used to flying by now, and it wasn’t anything special anymore.
At that moment, Shang remembered the time he had used the Gliding Talisman with Sarah, Astor, and Elver to get to the Caves after jumping off Warrior’s Paradise.
Back then, Shang had felt wonder while soaring through the sky.
He also remembered that he had said that he wished he could fly on his own in the future.
Without noticing, that wish had become a reality.
Yet, Shang didn’t feel like it was anything special.
It was just normal.
’It’s actually funny. I loved the feeling of freedom while gliding through the sky, but now, I feel like I’m not free at all.’
’I have to take revenge.’
’I have to help Jerald.’
’I have a mission to finish.’
’I have to find a way to advance.’
’I have to keep most of my secrets to myself.’
’It doesn’t feel freeing at all.’
"That’s nice," Shang commented absentmindedly as he looked back at the wall on the other side.
"You seem troubled," Sylvia suddenly said.
"What’s it to you?" Shang asked.
Sylvia didn’t seem to take Shang’s rude comment to heart. "Is it bad of me to want to learn more about Jerald’s friend?"
"What makes you think that we are friends?" Shang asked.
Sylvia only chuckled. "You have this certain aura of friendship between you two. I believe you two trust each other with your lives."
Shang remained silent for a bit.
Then, he sighed.
"Sorry, I shouldn’t be this hostile for no reason," he said.
Sylvia raised her eyebrows in surprise.
She hadn’t expected that.
"What brought on that change?" she asked.
Shang sighed again. "It’s just been a very long time since I’ve really talked to anyone except Jerald. I’m busy with training all the time, and whenever I talk to someone, I feel like I’m wasting my time."
Sylvia looked with a skeptical expression at Shang. "That sounds unhealthy."
"Is it?" Shang asked rhetorically. "It seems more unhealthy to me to die in battle because I didn’t train enough in the past."
Sylvia pushed the long hair on her right to the side. "You know, that’s not how fights work."
Shang raised an eyebrow as he looked at Sylvia.
"You know, when you’re weaker, you don’t attract much attention, and when you’re stronger, you attract a lot more attention."
"If you become stronger in 50 years, you will fight against just as powerful enemies as if you become stronger after 150 years. They will just be different people."
"So, by training all the time, you are making it unnecessarily hard for yourself. What’s the difference between reaching the True Path Stage at 100 years of age or 150? As long as you aren’t in danger of reaching the end of your longevity, it seems bad to train with such fervor."
Shang’s expression returned to neutral. "Easy for you to say," he said. "You have thousands if not millions of years of teachings to fall back on, while I have nothing."
"It might very well be possible that I will die of old age before I even manage to create a Fifth Realm for warriors."
"So?" Sylvia suddenly asked.
Shang furrowed his brows. "I think ’so’ isn’t appropriate here."
"I mean, it kind of is," Sylvia said. "So what if you don’t reach the Fifth Realm? What if you do your absolute best and still fail?"
"I’m not sure if the motivation to keep on training without doing anything else has that big of an impact on your power."
"And even if you succeed, what’s the point? Wouldn’t you have led an empty life regardless?" she asked.
Shang’s neutral expression remained.
A couple of decades ago, these words might have made him question his ideology, but that wasn’t the case.
"I can kill an average Mage two levels above me confidently, and I even have a chance at winning against one three levels above me," Shang said.
Then, he looked at Sylvia.
"How many levels can you jump?"
Sylvia felt a bit put on the spot and didn’t answer immediately.
Then, Shang looked away again.
"I think you are not in a position to advise me on how to become stronger."
Sylvia looked a bit uncomfortable and annoyed, but she didn’t say anything else.
The two of them continued waiting in silence for a couple of hours.
And then, their target finally arrived.
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