“I need the money.”

Viers and Jessica were on their way back, riding the minecart. The bumpy ride was almost unfeelable as they talked.

Viers asked why she participated in underground fighting. Although, he already had a pretty good guess of her reasoning. Sure enough, it was about the cash.

“What for? Tim’s education? Well, going to Sinclair Academy won't be cheap but still…”

To Viers, Jessica wasn't the type to do something like this so she must have a reason. Before, she told Viers she didn't plan for Tim to become a Pathseeker. If that was the case, with the earning power of a Level 3, she should be able to cover an Idler’s expenses easily enough. She just needed to hunt a Rank 2 monster every now and then and Tim could live like a king.

“Do you have a debt or something?”

“No, Kira, I have no debts. Tim’s livelihood is only part of it. The money is for me.”

Jessica cast a sideway glance at Viers.

“Are you surprised by such a selfish answer?”

She was looking for a sign of judgment on Viers’ face.

“Why? I get money for myself too. Your answer is perfectly normal.”

Jessica looked at the dark tunnel with only small light sources placed at the tunnel walls with a faraway type of gaze, as if she wasn't really looking at the darkness but something beyond them.

“You’re young but already so strong,” Jessica said.

If she knew that the youngster beside her actually had the cultivation of Level 3 mid, the same as her, she would be even more surprised.

“When I was your age, I too started the Path of Power with a sprint. I cultivated as fast as I could.”

For humans, the starting line was fifteen years old.

“I became Level 3 at nineteen. Folks around me praised me a lot. I got talent, they said.”

Jessica’s progress wasn't bad. It wasn't amazing but it certainly wasn't bad.

“I take it that something happened afterward?”

“Nothing happened, that was the problem. I was stuck at Level 3 low.”

Bottleneck, it was something very common in cultivation stories. Viers was familiar with it. It was different from Fable to Fable but it always existed. Naturally, the world Viers was in had the concept of cultivation bottleneck too.

“I had the affinity, a suitable Profound Codex, ample resources, and everything else… But I didn't improve.”

Viers stayed silent.

“I tried. Goddess knows I tried… It didn't work out. The people that flocked to me gradually left. After ten years of burning my parents’ money and favors, I gave up… A few years later, with someone that accepted me, I got married.”

As she mentioned her husband, Jessica’s voice became real gentle.

“It’s okay, he said. The path ahead is a cruel one. Let me be the one that walks it. To protect you, and our child.”

Jessica paused for a while.

“He wasn't wrong. Of people that I know, Pathseekers my age, half are dead. Some are missing with no news of their whereabouts. Only a few I know are still alive.”

Viers could attest to the bloodshed on the Path of Power. He had sent more than a few Pathseekers to their graves -or no grave at all- early.

Then again, non-Pathseekers didn't have it any better either. The powerless often died at the hands of the powerful. No matter what Fables it is, the cultivation world is filled with death.

…Still better than 40k’s world though. Saying it sucks if you're born there is an understatement.

“Sawyer died over a year ago.”

“...Oh.”

“Monster accident. Died in the line of duty, saving people.”

“...I’m sorry to hear that.”

“...I’m proud of him, but he’s gone now and Tim lost his father. So it’s up to me to protect him.”

“So you began walking the Path of Power again,” Viers finished her sentence.

“It is strange, you know. I was able to reach the middle of Level 3 with no trouble at all. A decade of no result but then that time… It's like it just happened.”

Once again, Viers wasn't surprised. Cultivation could be like that.

“It’s because you’ve found your Path,” Viers said. “And determined to walk it at any cost.”

Love, responsibility, determination, all coalesced together splendidly.

“...Maybe so. Either way, I've been behind in my progress for almost two decades. I’ve got to do all I can to improve.”

The older one became, the harder it was to progress. It was nothing unusual or mystical, for example, a child would be having an easier time learning language compared to an adult. Viers understood Jessica's hurry.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Half a year of setback after Valkut and the loss of assets in that incident made him change his mindset to a cultivation maniac to catch up for the lost time, let alone two decades.

Although, Jessica’s circumstances are not hopeless. Her life experience has weight. That’s what made her pass the bottleneck. She’s close to Level 3 high.

So was Viers.

“Thus, the money,” Viers nodded in understanding.

Pathseekers' needs were expensive. To improve, they needed a lot of resources, connections, backings, and so on. Natural treasures and magic items, Profound Codices and Arte manuals, Power Spots and insights, all were high-end commodities.

Anything valuable had a high price tag, so how could things that could contribute to someone becoming a superbeing be cheap? Viers did not find a single Fable that had worlds without this law.

“I understand,” Viers said.

“No, you don't. At Level 3, there’s a thing called Arte Infusement. Basically you use suitable items to strengthen your Artes. The price of doing this is truly mind-boggling!”

But I do, I truly do.

Viers knew Arte Infusement, and what it meant. It was a way to improve one’s Arte. Using one’s own ability and training to improve their Arte was attainable but not everyone had the capability to do so, just like not everyone was able to make an Arte from scratch and needed help from monster cores or other things.

Arte Infusement made use of Pathseekers' Unreality Field to bend the laws of the world to do the strengthening and it was permanent. Do it right and the Arte would forever be greater than its previous version. The downside was the user would be burning money to do so. The items needed were all rare and expensive natural treasures, often only existing in danger zones.

Furthermore, Arte Infusement was not the only thing Pathseekers needed to spend their assets for. For example, they needed to amass resources for their breakthrough to Level 4.

But Arte Infusement was not something to simply be rejected and discarded. It could result in a fight between tiger and cat despite them both being in the same cultivation Level. Depending on the person and the treasure, they could turn their weak run-of-the-mill Arte into something that equaled another’s secret move tier Arte.

It was clear from the conversation that Jessica was using Arte Infusement method but there was no shame in that. Even the geniuses in the Silver Legion were doing it. It wasn't something taboo.

And yet, Viers wasn't using Arte Infusement.

He’d done it previously but only on a small scale, just to test things out.

His boost from the Horizon Aspect was simply far more superior.

Without the need for Arte Infusement, Viers could allocate his assets to other things, such as his familiars. This was another of Viers’ ways of compounding his superiority. With enough greatness, at one point, his superiority would be so massive that it snowballs, too great to be rivaled. This was Viers’ plan.

Jessica thought Viers did not understand how much money held importance in society. Viers did not blame her for thinking so. She gave Viers the gist of what Arte Infusement was all about, of what he would face once he became Level 3.

The minecart eventually arrived at Ebon Wall City and the two got off the dusty underground train service. They made their way past where the smugglers operated and walked the above streets.

“Money makes the world go round,” said Viers.

“Yeah,” Jessica sighed.

She looked disheartened. Understandable, since she’d just lost the underground fighting ring. The prize money between the first place and the second place was quite different.

“Here,” Viers passed her a bottle from his Thousand Treasures Casket. “My treat.”

“This is… wine? Thank you for the offer but no thanks.”

“You’ve had a bad day. At least let me share something with my winnings.”

“Your… winnings?”

“Yeah, I betted, in the final round.”

Jessica stopped walking while Viers didn't.

“You betted I will lose?” Her voice came from behind.

“Well… Bearwearer looked stronger-”

Puck puck puck puck!

Jessica punched him repeatedly from behind on the shoulder.

“Ow ow ow, cut it out! Ehehe~”

Jessica was not using Victa and neither was Viers, but her basic strength was undoubtedly higher than his.

“Give me that drink!”

Jessica yanked the bottle from Viers’ hand and drank straight from the bottle.

After the third gulped, Jessica’s eyes widened.

“Phuah! What a strong wine… and very delicious!”

“Glad you like it. It was a special commemorative wine.”

“Finally something good happened to me tonight,” Jessica took another sip from the bottle.

“Uh, where are you going? Your house is this way,” Viers said.

“Just a little while longer.”

Jessica led Viers to a place that overlooked the city. Unlike most of Earth’s, this world’s cities were not so urbanized. People didn't live like packed sardines. There, they just sat and talked.

Perhaps it was because of the wine, but Jessica’s lips were loose.

“Something has been bothering me. If you’re aiming for money, why keep the tavern business running?”

The way Viers saw it, besides taking so much of her time, the profit wouldn’t cover her Pathseeker expenses. The Heaven Is Cruel’s aimed demographics were not for the wealthy but for the masses.

“It was mine and my husband’s dream… Retire early after Tim grows up and spend every day in a content, simple life.”

Jessica’s voice was getting slurry.

Viers figured she wouldn't remember this conversation tomorrow so he shot the question.

“You know, stealing and killing can get you money far faster than fighting in an underground ring. Ever thought about doing those?”

Viers could attest to that.

“Sure do… But I can’t hold Tim with a soiled hand from blood and sin, can I? I have to… be a mother he can be proud of,” Jessica took another gulp. “Ahhh, so delicious. This might be the best wine I’ve ever had~”

“Oh yeah. So how old are you again? Around two decades ago you were nineteen so-”

“Kira~” Jessica had a finger up in front of Viers’ face. It was slightly wobbling. “Never ask a lady about her age. It is rude~”

“Maybe so, but I’m curious.”

“Look at my face and tell me how old I look.”

Viers did so and answered after a long hard look. “You don't look a day after twenty-two.”

For the record, Jessica’s face was really red.

“There… you… have… it.”

Jessica leaned at Viers’ shoulder and passed out, and an empty bottle fell to the ground from her loosened hands.

…For a tavern owner, she’s a lightweight.

“Alright girly, enough drink. Let's get you home.”

“Imm… no girly… zzz.”

“Sure sure.”

“Zzzzz.”

Viers put Jessica on his back and carried her home, just as the sun began showing its shiny face.

Just outside of Jessica’s house, a man saw Viers from an opened window next door. Seeing Jessica carried by Viers on his back, the man’s jaw dropped.

Viers recognized him. It was one of the uncles that was Jessica’s fan. He was a regular of Jessica’s tavern. If Viers remembered correctly, his name was Jake.

“What a beautiful morning, ey?”

Viers entered Jessica’s house with the owner on his back at the crack of dawn. No doubt the neighbor’s imagination was going wild. Before the door closed, Viers gave the man a smile of superiority, like a non-virgin looking down on a virgin.

If this was a Chinese xianxia story, this was the part where the man coughed blood and passed out.