Chapter 26: Goodbye

"Actually," Arthur said. "There is one additional thing you could provide. If it's not too much trouble."

Yuan Feng's expression brightened immediately. "Of course, Senior. Name it."

"Cultivation manuals.”

Yuan Feng's expression became complicated. Not hostile. Just uncertain. He was clearly thinking through the implications of Arthur's request.

"Senior," Yuan Feng said carefully. "I would be happy to provide such materials, but I must ask about your intentions. Cultivation manuals represent generations of accumulated knowledge. Even basic texts contain insights that took years to refine. If you're planning to take these techniques back to your homeland and—"

"The books aren't for me," Arthur interrupted. He gestured toward Tao, who had been standing quietly beside him throughout this conversation. "They're for the boy. His village is too poor to afford proper training materials. I want to ensure he has access to foundational knowledge."

Tao's eyes went wide. The boy stared at Arthur with an expression of complete shock. His mouth opened but no words came out. He had clearly not expected Arthur to request cultivation resources on his behalf.

Yuan Feng looked at Tao, then back at Arthur and understanding dawned on the City Lord's face. "Ah. I see. You're taking him as a disciple?"

"Not formally," Arthur said. "But I'm traveling to his village and will be staying there for several months. It would be wasteful not to provide him with proper resources during that time."

That was a partial truth. Arthur did want the cultivation manuals for himself. Understanding qi theory thoroughly would help him comprehend this world's magical system better. But using Tao as justification made the request seem more reasonable. Less like Arthur was trying to steal cultivation secrets for foreign purposes.

Yuan Feng's complicated expression smoothed into something more approachable. "Basic cultivation manuals for the boy. Yes, I can provide those. In fact, I should have thought of it myself. That child fought bravely during the raid. He deserves recognition."

The City Lord turned and gestured to one of the nearby guards. The armored man approached quickly and bowed.

"Go to the administration building," Yuan Feng instructed. "Third floor, eastern archive room. Tell Clerk Lin I need a basic cultivation manual package. The standard set we provide to promising city children. Qi Condensation fundamentals, meridian circulation diagrams, common technique catalogs. All three volumes. Bring them here immediately."

The guard saluted and ran toward the administrative building. His armored footsteps echoed on the stone street as he crossed the plaza.

Arthur waited. Tao stood beside him, still looking shocked. The boy kept glancing at Arthur, then at the ground, then back at Arthur. His small hands clenched and unclenched rhythmically. Processing emotions he could not quite articulate.

"Senior," Tao said quietly. His voice was thick. "You didn't need to—I mean, I never—thank you. Thank you so much."

"You fought well during the raid," Arthur said. "Your contributions were meaningful. This is appropriate compensation."

That was the truth. Tao had provided valuable combat support during Arthur's protection of the civilian districts. The boy's qi-enhanced strikes had created critical openings in several fights. His presence had allowed Arthur to work more efficiently by handling secondary threats. Providing cultivation resources was fair payment for that assistance.

But Arthur also felt something else. Something less logical. He looked at Tao's tear-streaked face and remembered being nine years old himself. Remembered what it felt like to be powerless. To depend completely on adults who might or might not help you. To know that your future was determined by forces beyond your control.

Tao had been fighting that powerlessness since age six. Had been working to become strong enough to protect his village. To earn money for his community. To survive in a world that considered children acceptable casualties in regional conflicts.

Arthur could help. Could provide resources that would accelerate Tao's cultivation progress. Could teach techniques that might keep the boy alive long enough to reach Foundation Establishment. Could give this child a slightly better chance at survival than he would have had otherwise.

It cost Arthur almost nothing. A request for books. A few months of occasional instruction. Minimal investment of time and energy.

But for Tao, it might make the difference between dying at fifteen in some spirit beast attack and living long enough to become truly powerful. Between his village getting wiped out by a Foundation Establishment creature and having a defender capable of driving such threats away.

Small actions could have disproportionate effects. Arthur had learned that lesson years ago in the Symphonic Spire. A single conversation at the right time could change someone's entire career trajectory. A recommendation letter could open opportunities that would otherwise remain closed. A shared technique could solve problems that had seemed insurmountable.

This was the same principle applied to a nine-year-old cultivator in a poor farming village.

The guard returned quickly, carrying three leather-bound books. Each volume was thick, pages clearly hand-copied rather than printed. The covers showed signs of wear but the contents were intact. Yuan Feng accepted the books from the guard and held them toward Arthur formally.

"These manuals cover everything a young cultivator needs to reach Foundation Establishment," Yuan Feng explained. "Qi Condensation theory and breakthrough methods. Meridian mapping and circulation techniques. Common combat forms for both armed and unarmed fighting. Body strengthening exercises. Basic alchemy and medicine preparation. They're comprehensive but not specialized. Perfect for someone building their foundation."

Arthur accepted the books and examined them briefly. The text was in the local language, which his Resonant Comprehension would translate easily. The diagrams were clear and detailed. Meridian pathways marked in red ink. Acupoint locations indicated with precise annotations. Technique execution illustrated through sequential drawings.

These were exactly what Arthur needed. Primary source materials explaining qi cultivation from the ground up. He could study these thoroughly and develop a complete understanding of how the system functioned at each realm.

Arthur opened his storage pouch and placed the books inside. The spatial device accepted them smoothly, adding minimal weight. Tao watched the books disappear with obvious fascination.

"Thank you," Arthur said to Yuan Feng. "This is precisely what I needed."

"You're welcome, Senior," Yuan Feng said. He looked at Tao directly now. "Young man, you have attracted the attention of a powerful cultivator. Don't waste this opportunity. Train hard. Listen carefully. Show respect and diligence. These books alone are worth more silver than your village earns in a year. Use them well."

Tao bowed deeply. "I will, City Lord. I promise. I'll study every page. I'll practice every technique. I won't disappoint Senior Arthur."

Yuan Feng smiled slightly. "Good. Now, I should let you begin your journey. The road is safer during daylight. You'll want to reach the first waystation before dark."

The City Lord clasped his hands and bowed to Arthur. "Senior, you are always welcome in Rising Stone Town. If you ever need shelter, supplies, or assistance, our gates are open to you. You have earned our friendship and gratitude."

"I appreciate that," Arthur said. He returned the bow with appropriate formality. "Your city is well-managed. The defensive preparations during the raid were excellent. Your people are resilient."

Yuan Feng's expression showed genuine pleasure at the compliment. "High praise from someone of your caliber. Safe travels, Senior. And to you, young Tao. May your path be smooth."

The City Lord stepped aside, allowing them clear passage through the gate. Arthur and Tao began walking. Guards nodded respectfully as they passed. The eastern gate opened before them, revealing the road beyond Rising Stone Town's walls.

They had taken perhaps twenty steps outside the city when a voice called out behind them.

"Wait! Please wait!"

Arthur and Tao both turned. Merchant Hua was running toward them from inside the gate. The merchant was out of breath, his face red from exertion. He carried his pack awkwardly while trying to run, the weight clearly unbalanced.

Merchant Hua reached them and bent over, gasping for air. "Senior... I heard... you were leaving... toward the west..."

The merchant straightened slowly, still breathing hard. He looked at Arthur with obvious hope mixed with desperation. "I need to travel west as well. To Falling Leaf Village actually. I stop there every few months to trade with the locals. I'll be staying for about a week this time before continuing to other settlements. The roads are dangerous. Spirit beasts. Bandits. I... I would feel much safer traveling with a powerful cultivator."

Merchant Hua reached into his robes and pulled out a small leather purse. "I can pay. Fifty silver taels for safe escort to the village.”

Arthur considered the request. Merchant Hua had been helpful during their initial meeting. Had offered food and shelter when Arthur had no context for local customs. Had not asked uncomfortable questions about Arthur's foreign techniques or origin. The merchant was cautious but decent.

More importantly, traveling with a merchant meant traveling with someone who knew the roads. Who understood regional geography. Who could provide information about settlements and supply points along the way. That knowledge would be useful.

And the merchant was heading to exactly the same destination. The coincidence was convenient. They would be traveling together regardless.

"Give the silver to the boy," Arthur said. "We leave now."

Merchant Hua's face flooded with relief. "Thank you, Senior. Thank you so much. You won't regret this. I'll stay out of your way. Won't be any trouble at all. I promise."

Then the merchant froze. His expression shifted from relief to complete shock. His mouth hung open. His eyes went wide. He stared at Arthur like the foreign cultivator had just performed some reality-defying technique.

"Wait…you... you speak..." Merchant Hua's voice was barely a whisper. "You can speak our language?"

Arthur nodded once. "Yes."

"But... but on the road... at the inn... I thought you didn't understand anything we said..."

"I understood everything," Arthur confirmed. "I simply chose not to reveal that capability initially."

Merchant Hua looked like his entire understanding of the past few days had just been reorganized. The merchant's eyes darted between Arthur and Tao. "And the boy already knew this?"

"I just told him this morning," Arthur said.

Tao was trying not to smile. The boy's expression showed he was enjoying Merchant Hua's confusion. Probably because Tao had experienced the exact same shock less than an hour ago. Now someone else was going through the same revelation.

Merchant Hua opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "I... all those things I said on the road... about you being mysterious and powerful and possibly dangerous... you heard all of that?"

"Yes," Arthur said.

"And the conversations at the inn? When I was talking with other merchants about whether you were Core Formation or Nascent Soul realm?"

"I heard those as well."

Merchant Hua's face went slightly pale. He clearly was trying to remember everything he had said in Arthur's presence over the past several days. Trying to determine if he had accidentally insulted the powerful foreign cultivator through casual conversation.

Arthur decided to end the merchant's distress. "You were polite throughout. Nothing you said was offensive. Your speculation about my realm was reasonable given the information available to you."

The relief that crossed Merchant Hua's face was immediate. "Oh thank the heavens. I was worried I had said something improper."

Arthur glanced at Tao. The boy was definitely smiling now, though he was trying to hide it by looking down at the ground. The child found this situation amusing. Probably because he finally was not the only person shocked by Arthur's linguistic reveal.

"We should begin walking," Arthur said. He adjusted the supply bundles he was carrying. "The road is safer during daylight as City Lord Yuan said."

"Yes, of course," Merchant Hua said quickly. "Let me just... I need to adjust my pack properly..."

Not wanting for the merchant to finish his sentence, Arthur turned and began walking west along the road. Tao fell into step beside him naturally, adjusting his smaller stride to match Arthur's longer pace. Their footsteps found an easy rhythm on the packed earth.

Behind them, Merchant Hua made a strangled sound of realization that they were leaving. "Wait! Wait for me!"

The merchant struggled with his pack, trying to secure it properly while simultaneously hurrying after them. His supplies rattled. His footsteps were uneven and hurried. The sound of someone trying to catch up while carrying too much weight.

Arthur did not slow down. Neither did Tao. They just kept walking at their steady pace, heading west toward Falling Leaf Village. The morning sun was bright overhead. The sky was clear. The road stretched ahead of them into the distance.

Merchant Hua's footsteps grew louder as the man finally got his pack secured and began running. "Please slow down! I can't keep up if you walk that fast!"

Arthur smiled slightly but did not turn around. This was going to be an interesting journey.