[HP Lorecraft Pub, East Market.]

We walked to a nearby drinking tavern. It's relatively a small place that doesn't have any particular interesting look, features or whatsoever. In other words, a fine place for secretive conversations or murky deals. Ha. The look on my fellow customers seemed to acquiesce my inference regarding this matter. They are all shady and trying their best to stay low profile.

The man treated me to a pint of milk, knowing that I was still underage to chug up alcoholic beverages. As much as it is my favourite, I have to refrain myself from making any potential mistake. What if it was spiked prior to our arrival? Heck, a masterful hand of sleight can even do it even when I had my eyes on the glass all the time.

"Are you not going to drink?" he smiled.

". . . Are you not going to introduce yourself?

Despite my tone being aggressive, the man grinned even wider instead. Is he testing me?

"A decent fellow, aren't you? Then, let me introduce myself. I'm Frank Wei, feel free to call me Frank. I'm your upperclassman, 6th grade in the Academy. Pleased to meet you, Zama."

6th grade? A final-year student? What is he doing out here? I thought final-year students were basically drowning in their research, or rather - supposed to.

"As am I . . . And uh, do I need to introduce myself also?"

"Hahah. There's no need to. Some people have already heard of you, and I'm one of them."

Some? There are others who keep an eye on me? For what purpose?

"Why?"

"Well, how am I supposed to know? Others have their own motives."

"So, what is yours then?"

The man in the brown coat took out a scroll from his bag. When he is looking for his pen, I can see a golden snowflake badge hanging on the inner side of his coat pouch. Hm, at least Frank is not lying about being a final-year student. What he did is, give me but only half the truth. He didn't tell me that he was an awardee of Prominence. An award that is given to the most distinguished of scholars.

"Sorry for the delay, I always have this habit of putting my stuff awkwardly," Frank tidied his clothes after finally finding his pen.

"It's alright. Time is something I have plenty of for today."

Frank opened the scroll. It's utterly blank. That's quite disappointing I must say, I was expecting interesting content within.

"揭示" read: Jieshi - Reveal

After he uttered something in a language I was not familiar with, he stroked the paper with a strange movement of hand. Suddenly, some intricate parts of the paper are burned and reveal its content. There are lots of drawings and words, and I just can't help but be completely enchanted.

I am a fool. I underestimated people too much. This is the first time I have ever seen this. Even all the books in the public library - not a single of them have ever mentioned this kind of spell.

"H-How?!"

"Fufu. You want me to tell you?"

"Yes! Please tell me, Master Frank!"

"Alright. I'll tell you only for the price of 20 million Ausvin."

"20 MILLION?!"

W-What is he talking about?! Only an Emir and royalties can afford that much gold! This man is nuts! Wait, no . . . for the right market, nothing is impossible. There will always be someone out there who would gladly pay that amount for this.

"What now? Come on man, it's not easy to come up with this invention. It's a patent by my name, and I'm willing to share with you the secret for only 30% of the price that I intended to sell it for."

30%?! OH MY LORDDD . . .! Eh? Wait. What did he say? Intended? Does it mean that it's not complete yet?

"So, it's incomplete."

"Yeah, it is. It needs more tinkering. It will take more years than I had expected I guess."

"But it's enough to earn you a Prominence."

Frank looked surprised at first, then he burst out into laughter. I know he was pretending. It was intentional by him. It's not that I'm accidentally looking at his badge, but instead, it's because he wants me to see it.

"I guess you saw it."

"Yes, I did. If you told me earlier though, I would put much more thought into my attitude towards you," I let out a sigh.

"But then, I wouldn't be able to grasp the most natural version of you."

Alright. There you go. He's a completely different person from the rest of the crowd. A higher mind in the flesh. My respect for him grows the more I talk to him.

"Alright, enough about me. I will tell you more when I feel like it," he takes a sip of his drink and a mouthful of meat pie.

Hahah, what a cute way to phrase it. 'I will tell you more if you are worthy enough', is a more likely translation for that sentence. Truly, such subtlety begets wary.

"So, Zama, Master Hou Chen told me about you and what you have experienced during the forced meditation."

Forced meditation . . . he must be referring to the circle ritual. I never knew that such kind of thing could be forcefully applied to people without any precedent knowledge.

"The experience from one person to another is highly diverse. However, the imagery that one mind creates indicates more than you could ever know. The people of the Eastern Continent called it 'Spiritual Stages'. The division of stages is actually hard to draw in line, as one can see it as a subjective assessment. However . . . ."

Frank pointed at a certain part of the scroll. It shows a sequential drawing of various terrains, I guess? Ugh, why does it have to be written in these worm-like letters? I don't understand at all, every character looks the same to me. It's amazing how people can manage to live their daily lives with this intricate language.

"This drawing over here explains the significance of the soul. The Order of Onus. Ordinary people whose souls were deemed insignificant to the great flow of fate were put on the bottom of this order."

"Underwater?"

"Correct."

The drawings included in this depiction of The Order of Onus are: Underwater, home, hill, mountain, clouds, sky, and . . . black sky? Also, a pure white box with no drawing at all.

"What about this empty drawing?"

"They are supposed to be the imagery that only either the world-shaper or the enlightened sees. The kings, emperors, and masters of an art, be it swordplay, spellcasting, or even blacksmithing."

I dislike this. This is simply a social hierarchy with even more ludicrous factors of discrimination.

"So, you are saying that supposed I was born a slave with an insignificant soul in the underwater realm, I should just let predetermined fate put me as they see fit?"

Frank's smile fades and he stops his pen. He glances slightly at me with the kind of look that I despise, a look of pity.

"Your anger shows from a mile away, Zama. It was not me who came out with these concepts, it's the Sages of Huang Shan. Please hold yourself from killing me with those eyes."

He . . . is right.

Sigh, what am I doing? I lose control of myself like a stupid brat. How disgraceful.

"Forgive me for my impertinence. Please continue."

"Phew. Don't worry. I thought of the same thing once. And the answer which Master Hou Chen gave me is that . . . everyone is born in the supreme state of enlightenment. However, the circumstances under which they grow up can alter that state. Thus, in nature, everyone can ascend and descend from one realm to the other, depending on their way of life."

That sounds fair enough, to be honest.

"Even an emperor, supposed he submitted himself into a spiral of worldly desire, his soul will be tainted. Then, he should fall in the Order of Onus until he escapes that labyrinth of carnal."

Some parts of this concept indeed are appealing to one's senses. Yet, much of it is still abstract or flawed. Is the Spiritual Stages only used to identify people's trait and their potential? If so, then it doesn't have much use, since one needs to enter meditation to even know themselves. Moreover, what if some people are not being honest? How do we even check the credibility of their avowal?

"I'm sorry. The more I think about it, the more questions pop into my head," I raised my hand.

"Hahaha! That's how it should be!" Frank laughed again.