Sky City, or rather, Grand Sky City, as it is unofficially known, is a large, sprawling metropolis, at least by the standards of the lesser lifeforms inhabiting it. Unlike Star City — which does not have the backing of the most powerful sect to indulge in calling itself Grand — flying here is not prohibited, except it is done through these kite-shaped flying vehicles called Solar Shuttles.

The sky is dotted with them, and though they are of varying sizes, on average they are about ten steps tall, thirty steps long, and twenty-five steps wide; they are shaped like spindles or wedges, with an aerodynamic form resembling delta-winged atmospheric-flight craft, though the resemblance to technologies I am familiar with ends there.

Though the lower part of these Solar Shuttles resemble the keel of a boat, the top surface is flat, and generally outfitted with such living amenities like pavilions, gazebos, and some larger ones even have modest buildings for rest and relaxation.

Interested in the kind of formation powering these craft, I direct my [Critical Analysis] ability at them but find out little more than a basic description of function, speed, and grade.

[ Solar Shuttle - Sky grade ]

[ Capable of autonomous flight at the speed of a Core Formation cultivator using a Heaven grade flying vessel. Consumes spirit stones to operate. ]

I don’t even receive an insight into the artifice, presumably because I lack the appropriate facility in my Inner World to study it, or because most of my Inner World is still in ruins.

“Are you interested in Solar Shuttles?” my owner suddenly asks, catching me by surprise.

I no longer understand how or through which function she can read my thoughts or intentions — I am not sure which.

“Yes,” I tell her, my [Telepathy] causing a slight quiver in my control over my aura, allowing a slip of [Avarice] to radiate outward, drawing gazes of the folk traversing the main, central street.

“If we still had some of that spirit stone and spirit ore, I could’ve maybe purchased one,” she says. “You want to study it, right?”

More like I want to devour it, but studying is also part of the process.

Since she can already peek into my main process and knows the answer, I refrain from answering her.

On second thought, maybe it is not my [Avarice] that drew the attention of the townfolk, but the fact that my owner, to them, appears to be talking to herself, while holding her head high proudly.

Ever since she returned to the sect, after the princess incident, she has put a lot less effort into hiding me or trying not to interact with me in the presence of others. Perhaps saying that she is putting a lot less effort into it is the wrong way to phrase it. It’s more like she no longer cares about it at all, and in a way I understand her.

It is not like sword cultivators to engage in subterfuge and clandestine means; like the sword, they are proud and forward in everything they do.

“Zhu Xuelian?” a voice calls out to my owner from the front and left, and she glances through the crowd to find the source.

“Greetings, brother Sun,” she says, nodding to Sun Yongzheng and then his companion. “Brother Tian.”

Tian Li returns the greeting respectfully cupping his fist to my owner, which prompts her to return the gesture.

Sun Yongzheng and his companion walk closer. “Sister Zhu, everyone has arrived before you; ah, it is so fortunate to meet you here so soon.”

To this, my owner tilts her head. “Why is that, Brother Sun? Did something happen?”

“No, no,” Sun Yongzheng says, chuckling. “I was just worried about you. After your duel with Xie Zhiqiang, and that technique he used, you disappeared for several months.”

Tian Li also nods to these words.

“As you can see, brother Sun, I am well and fine,” my owner says. Next, she looks at Tian Li and inclines her head. “Brother Tian, I have yet to introduce myself properly. I am Zhu Xuelian, an Inner Disciple like you.”

Tian Li smiles. “It is nice to finally meet you properly, Sister Zhu. I am Tian Li, formerly of the Broken Sword Manor, and an Inner Disciple like you, though our status is vastly different.”

Sun Yongzheng laughs at his companion’s words and nods. “Mm, very different.”

“What do you mean?” Zhu Xuelian asks, genuinely confused.

“You are Elder Qin’s disciple — or disciple-to-be. In a few months, you will be a True Disciple, and I will merely be a Core Disciple,” Tian Li says, politely. His modest and humble demeanor is made even more evident by the fact that he refers to himself becoming merely a Core Disciple.

Countless people dream of even only entering the sect, and fewer still dare to even dream of becoming an Inner Disciple, not to mention a Core Disciple.

A True Disciple like Sun Yongzheng wouldn’t understand the difficulty or the dream-fulfillment this would be for so many, but my owner does — because she is from a humble background.

That is why she can only smile awkwardly to the two male disciples and nod in tacit agreement.

“Do you know where you have to go to meet the Elders?” Sun Yongzheng asks.

“I was actually hoping to run into someone from the sect and ask them to lead me there, but it would be very inappropriate for me to ask you since you are my Senior Brother,” my owner says with another awkward smile.

Sun Yongzheng laughs. “No need to call me Senior, especially after that performance in the duel,” Sun Yongzheng says.

Tian Li nods in agreement. “I was also surprised. No one knows what sect you came from, if any, and all I heard about you before was that you cheated to get into the sect.”

Lan Xiaohui raises an eyebrow to this.

Tian Li blinks and bows his head in apology. “Which is obviously not true!” he corrects himself. “I was just saying what I heard. Oh, right. If you want, we were heading back to where the others are, so you can come with us.”

“Much appreciated,” Lan Xiaohui says.

Sun Yongzheng nods to my owner, then to his companion, and they continue on their way, this time with another addition to the group.

“So what sect did you come from, Sister Zhu?” Sun Yongzheng asks.

“You aren’t just a wanderer?” Tian Li asks as if to dispel the most worrying possibility.

Technically, Lan Xiaohui is a wanderer, since she never learned anything from the sect she was technically a part of.

“The Seven Killing Swords sect,” my owner replies.

Sun Yongzheng’s head jerks toward my owner with a fierce look in his eyes, but after a moment, his features soften.

Noticing this, Lan Xiaohui continues to explain. “I was betrothed to the Sect Patriarch’s son, but I had no interest in cultivation or martial arts at the time.”

“Ah, I see,” Sun Yongzheng says, seemingly able to understand the implicit statement that my owner made — that she has very little to do with that sect. “My brother was also part of that sect.”

“You have a brother, Brother Sun?” Tian Li asks.

“I had one, yes,” he says. “He is no longer of this world.”

Lan Xiaohui ponders. “Brother Sun, could it be that your brother is Sun Zhen?”

Sun Zhen? The prodigy cultivator simulacrum of my Inner World? I am ready to dismiss the possibility as a coincidence but quickly reconsider.

I don’t know where Sun Zhen came from, but in the days I do not remember — during which my consciousness was not yet formed — apparently, there was a great calamity within the sect, and many disciples died, fighting over my possession. It stands to reason that mostly the talented and powerful could obtain me, and only those more powerful and more talented could obtain me from them.

“You knew my brother?” Sun Yongzheng asks, confirming my owner’s theory.

Lan Xiaohui nods. Then she shakes her head. “No, I am sorry; I only heard of him.”

The reason she nodded first was because she does, in fact, know his brother. She even met him, after his demise. Many times, in fact; she even spoke to him once or twice.

Sun Yongzheng nods. “Let’s discuss something else.”

Lan Xiaohui nods and doesn’t bring it up again while they walk the rest of the way to the estate that has been granted to the Galaxy Sword Sect.