Erwin chuckled. "Do I need to think? It seems I haven't been given a choice. And frankly, in my opinion, I'm confident in my abilities!"
Sunny Finch looked at the confident Erwin. At that moment, he seemed to shine with a dazzling, radiant light. She finally understood why so many people were loyal to him. If she were one of his followers, facing such a person, there was no other choice but to submit.
Erwin waved a hand in front of her face. "What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"
Startled, Sunny Finch coughed. "Nothing. Um, When are you planning to attempt the Celestial Path?"
"Right now, of course!" Erwin replied. "I can't stay in the East for long. I need to move quickly, or I'll miss important matters in Britain."
"Ah? You're leaving again?" Sunny Finch asked, clearly disappointed.
"Of course, I am," Erwin said firmly. "But don't I need to prepare? Even Kunlun students need extensive preparation to attempt the Celestial Path. Although there's no danger to our lives, we only get one chance!"
Erwin laughed. "Prepare? What do I need to prepare? I know nothing about The Celestial Path. Since this assessment is from Kunlun, it must be testing your mastery of the knowledge taught here. I know nothing about it, so what difference does preparation make?"
Sunny Finch scratched her head. "That... seems to be the case. Okay then! By the way, the Elder asked me to bring you something. A gift from Kunlun."
With a flick of her wrist, she scattered books across the table.
"You understand Chinese, right?"
"Of course," Erwin nodded. He glanced at the pouch at her waist. It had a similar effect to an Undetectable Extension Charm, though far inferior to his own enchanted satchel. He casually picked up a book and flipped through it, then looked up in surprise. "These? All of these are Kunlun's treasures?"
"Yes," Sunny Finch nodded. "These are some of the techniques currently recorded by Kunlun. However, many powerful ones have been lost. As I told you, spells are inherently rare. These are basically ninety percent of our collection. The rest either cannot be practiced casually or have terrible side effects!"
Erwin was genuinely grateful. "Please thank the Elders for me."
Sunny Finch waved her hand dismissively. "I know. Take a look! Learn as many as you can; it will increase your success rate. As for the time to challenge The Celestial Path, there's no rush. You should prepare first!"
Erwin nodded. Sunny Finch chatted with him for a few more minutes before turning to leave.
In the clouds above, the Elders of Kunlun were still gathered. If Erwin could see them, he would have been helpless. Was spying a family tradition here? The younger ones spied, and the older ones did it every day too.
An Elder said, "How many spells do you think he can master?"
"His meridians are all naturally open, so the talent threshold is practically nonexistent for him. Learning these spells is a piece of cake!"
"I agree. Let's see how long it takes him!"
"Judging from the speed at which he mastered fire manipulation, these spells shouldn't be difficult. I think he'll master them all in at most half a month!"
"Half a month? That's too fast! I think at least a month!"
"Wait, aren't you all getting off-topic? That kid Finch just pulled out all of Kunlun's magic like that?"
The other Elders laughed. "Selling off our inheritance isn't a big deal. We don't have any sectarian biases. Only by making him stronger can he solve everything, right?"
"That's true, but that girl Finch is getting more and more audacious!"
"That girl, audacious as she may be, is smart enough to know her limits. Isn't she already going to the Disciplinary Office to receive her punishment?"
"Stop joking. That girl goes in and out of the Disciplinary Office like it's home. A day of solitary confinement isn't even enough for her to get a good night's sleep!"
"Alright, stop thinking about useless things.Cherish your time. After Finch leaves, you'll all miss her!"
Upon hearing this, the other Elders fell silent. After a moment, one said, "I really can't bear to part with this child. Must she leave Kunlun?"
"We all know where Finch's talent lies and what effect it will have in the future. She must leave!"
"But why should Finch bear this burden? She's just a child!"
The Elder's expression changed slightly after saying this. He knew he had spoken out of turn.
Sure enough, the other Elders all looked through the window at Erwin in the room. Yes, just a child. Yet he has to shoulder such a heavy burden. No one asked him if he was willing, no one considered Erwin's feelings. They only knew that this was Erwin's destiny.
After a while, an Elder said, "Don't even think about it. We have been preparing. If that day truly comes, several of us will stand at the forefront, using our lives to protect that child. This is our burden, and our responsibility!"
The other Elders nodded. Their eyes were filled with determination; they weren't afraid to die. They feared a meaningless death. Just as they said, they had nothing to offer Erwin as an apology. The only thing they could offer was their lives. For an uncertain hope of breaking the deadlock, they had already sacrificed much; Erwin represented their best chance.
Several Elders left one after another. Erwin, perhaps coincidentally, glanced at the sky outside. The clouds seemed much thinner