Aimless Ascension

Wang Li started practising spirit arts again. Although her work in the inn and Rong'er didn't leave her with much time to practise, she still managed a couple of two-hour sessions every day for about a week now.

Well, she had to cut her sleep and wake up before the sun these days. But that's alright, she wouldn't want to make excuses from now on.

One of the apparent reasons she gave up on spirit art was because her family favoured her sister more than she did. But she knew it was only an excuse to make herself feel better.

Before Wang Li was extremely jealous of this, which almost broke the relationship between the two sisters.

But eventually, she understood it was a necessity for their small family. Even though her family was well off, they weren't even second rate in the martial world. They never managed to produce a Gold ranker, save for maybe Grandma's first daughter, whom she couldn't even remember.

Wang Li knew they didn't do justice to her, sending most resources to her sister, but she understood it was a necessity for a clan like theirs. Her sister Wang Qi had a talent that was first-rate even in most silver-ranked guilds and sects.

It wasn't wrong of them to believe that Wang Qi could lead the Wang Family to new heights in the martial world.

However, teenager Wang Li was too foolish to understand all that. Then many things happened, and her relationship with the family degraded.

Both sisters used to come to Wayshire during festive seasons, however, as Wang Qi had the hard responsibility on her shoulder, she stopped coming to any family function or festivals and focused solely on her spirit arts.

She eventually joined Misty Palace, a gold-ranked sect, exceeding the family's expectations.

Whereas Wang Li had been a disappointment from then on. She maintained a distance from the family and stayed in Wayshire for longer.

She met Gu Dong, her grandma's pupil, during her visits and fell in love. She married him, even knowing her parents would cut her off. Wang Li settled here about four and a half years ago and hadn't practised spirit arts seriously since then.

However, her family wasn't the same for over a year. They almost came on the verge of breaking the last time the couple argued.

Wang Li had talked little with her husband after that fight. Only out of necessity, to be honest. Other than being furious with his unfaithful conduct, she was devastated to learn there was no respect left between them any longer.

They stopped understanding each other, and the relationship hadn't remained the same merely on faith.

Wang Li wasn't sure what she wanted to prove by getting back to practising spirit arts again. She couldn't prove anything to her family or her sister—they were right, and she was wrong—but perhaps there was still hope left for her in her marriage.

In the martial world, respect can only gain through individual power, her grandmother's words, which she had learned painfully.

When she mentioned she would want to practise again, grandmother didn't even frown or belittled her, unlike her husband, who didn't even give a second glance when she meditated. Grandma listened to her intention and supported her fully.

She even took some responsibility off her shoulders so that she would have enough time to meditate.

The first week had been the hardest. Wang Li could barely get back into cycling. Years of undisciplined conduct had made her body sluggish to Qi transferring. She could barely do something in two hours that used to take her a quarter of an hour at first.

But as the week progressed, Wang Li eventually got attuned to the practice, though still not at her peak. She hadn't managed to accumulate energy in the slightest, still working to refine the amount she had.

Honestly, Copper rank didn't amount to too much. She didn't even have a fate lock to progress further, not that she could even if she had. Iron rank was the bar setter, whereas anyone could advance to copper, absorbing enough spirit coins.

Well, anyone but Xiaolin, that poor girl, she had a talent that far surpassed even her sister according to Grandma, yet heaven gave her such a constitution that couldn't do a thing about it. However, Xiaolin was still diligent and that Wang Li could admire.

She had given up after getting nowhere for a short while, whereas this frail-looking girl still continued even after half a decade.

Wang Li ended the morning session a little late, elected as she finally made some progress. She opened her eyes to find her grandmother, standing right next to her. She had a warm smile on her lips.

"Grandma, how long have you been here?"

"I just came back after walking a loop through the inn," Grandma Yushen said. "Is your practice getting steady?"

Wang Li nodded.

"Good, now you'd need to visit the artisans' guild."

"For what?"

"The cultivation chamber needed renovation," Grandma Wang said. "Also, while you're at it, check if you can find any Fate-locks, artificial or genuine to your liking."

"Grandma, you mean . . ." Wang Li's voice trailed off as she was lost for words.

"Do you think you can only advance through diligence, Granddaughter?" The old woman chuckled.

"But, grandma--"

"Don't worry about it. I have enough wealth to let you advance to iron rank easily. What I would do even with them, my time is not far away. Well, that is good too. I'll leave behind my Fate-locks for you and Rong'er."

"Grandma, don't talk like that."

"Silly girl," Grandma Yushen came forward and rubbed her shoulder. "Actually, I have an unfused fate-lock with me. Ling'er gave it to me decades ago in the hope I'll fuse with it and could live a couple of hundred years more."

"Why didn't you?"

"These old bones can't handle the pressure anymore," Grandma Wang said tiredly. "I had passed it to your grandfather when he tried to advance to Silver. He failed, and it has been left with me since then."