Above The Sky-Chapter 1673 - 316: The First ’Ian’ (Part 1)

Chapter 1673: Chapter 316: The First ’Ian’ (Part 1)
After the promise, it was several years.
During these years, a lot happened, such as the Redwood Natives launching a fierce offensive during the great storm when Harrison Port’s defenses were lax.
During this offensive, Ian helped Elder Pude create a simple ’Shoulder-Mounted Alchemical Rocket Launcher,’ helping Harrison Port repel the native attack, and he also saved a young Iron Folk during the initial display of the rocket’s power. His name was Scott, and he was bright and quickly learned how to operate the rocket, becoming Ian’s follower.
Then came the Inspector Knight from the Imperial Capital, who discreetly inquired about how Ian survived the great storm.
"I know what you want to ask."
Bringing the knight named Weyges to his base outside the city, Ian calmly said in the base, "You’re looking for that old knight, right?"
"What?!"
Originally convinced by Ian that he had nothing to do with the old knight, Weyges suddenly looked up, his expression one of surprise and suspicion as he looked at Ian: "Why would you reveal that to me? Aren’t you trying to hide it?"
"I told my mother, Elder Pude, and Viscount Grant before I brought you here."
Ian said calmly, "Your way of walking is identical to that old knight, and you use Spirit Energy openly. If I couldn’t tell you were looking for someone, that would be strange. Don’t think of threatening me because I, like you, am also looking for him, and I can help you."
"?"
Weyges hadn’t even considered using a sword to threaten a ten-year-old boy; he was just a bit confused: "Why are you looking for that old... that old guy? And how can you help me?"
"He said that as long as I embark on The Path of Sublimation, he’ll come to find me."
Ian said openly, "He appreciates my talent but refuses to teach me the true knowledge of sublimation—until now, I haven’t even started, and I don’t even know if he’s passed away."
"Therefore, I think it’s also in your interest to help me become a Sublimator, so that he will likely come back, and you can also resolve past grievances with him."
"Isn’t it?"
Weyges was completely bewildered by Ian: "Why can you so confidently make demands? Moreover..."
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, looking harshly at the calm Ian: "How could you tell I have a problem with him?"
"Like the old knight, when you genuinely care about something, your facial expressions can’t hide it."
Ian calmly said, "From simple logic and interpersonal reasoning, a character like the old knight who needs to keep a low profile, and you, an average individual in the Empire’s system, must have had some connection in the past. And looking at your expression... it’s not hatred, just incomprehension and anger."
"I guess you probably feel the other side let you down, but deep inside, you know their choice was right, so you always wanted to meet them to understand what’s really going on in your heart, right?"
Weyges was so shocked he took a step back. Ian’s reasoning wasn’t exactly accurate but felt mysterious. How did he guess it? Or was his ability to hide things that shallow? Impossible, after years of training, he should have it well-concealed!
And because Ian didn’t become a Sublimator, he only read a vast array of books, knowing the Empire’s history and aware of the ’Dark Moon Turmoil.’ Ian didn’t reply; though most of his reasoning was a guess, it seemed he had guessed correctly.
He might have perhaps grasped the pulse of the world’s core secret... only missing a chance, a real opportunity to seize it.
Weyges left. He knew Ian wasn’t lying. Hiliard— the name Ian learned from him that belonged to the old knight— was indeed not here, and his current whereabouts were unknown after disappearing from the Imperial Capital during the Dark Moon Turmoil.
He also didn’t help Ian become a Sublimator to lure the old knight back, as Ian imagined. According to Weyges, if he genuinely helped, it would be aiding Ian to cheat. Moreover, generally, without any accidents, Ian would have to wait until he was twelve to fourteen years old to start the practice of a Sublimator, and by then, if possible, Hiliard would surely come back to check.
Ian was quite helpless; he couldn’t understand why these people refused to let him become a Sublimator— he had shown so much talent, yet it wasn’t enough. Did he really need to be a prophet?
"How could this world possibly have someone who can genuinely foresee the future? They’re definitely a bunch of frauds!"
After Weyges left, Ian thought indignantly, "Damn it, I’m just no good at lying... If possible, I must learn how to deceive and bluff; it would definitely be beneficial for my future."
With such resentment, Ian began to diligently learn how to deceive people, but the results were minimal—according to his mother, his words indeed touched people’s hearts as he could always see through others’ thoughts and emotions, but precisely because he saw so clearly, his words were always particularly ’effective.’
And being effective was completely opposite to deceiving, but rather a parallel path... both achieve the goal, being effective means taking a straight line, while deception involves taking a detour to find a shortcut. It seemed contradictory, but the contradiction is the essence of deceit.
Time flew by, and soon, as Ian had already begun gradually getting involved in the operations of the White Folks’ trade guild and upgrading coastal breeding industries.
A team from the Imperial Capital arrived at Harrison Port.
Meanwhile, the old knight—Hiliard—also arrived at Harrison Port and met with Ian.
"I must have disappointed you."
At this moment, Ian was quite a bit embarrassed: "I still haven’t become a Sublimator. Although it’s not impossible to obtain Magic Potion with family resources, the magic potions available are all too low-level, the high-level formulas are unknown, and the materials that can be bought I don’t dare to configure."
"I guess, you certainly don’t want me to become the lowest level Sublimator, so you don’t dare to act recklessly."
"You’re right."
Hiliard seriously replied, "I just wanted to see your character... you are indeed smart and have little desire; pursuing sublimation is not because of power, but because of curiosity."
"I worry that you will rashly embark on this path just for fun, so I wanted to test your character... If you couldn’t endure it and became a lowly Sublimator, I wouldn’t come to find you. And if you didn’t have the ability to obtain a Magic Potion, it would prove that you’re not truly a genius, and I wouldn’t come to find you either."
"As for now, you’ve proven your ability and patience. Ian, after this operation is over, I will take you as my apprentice."
"Can I call you teacher now? Also, this operation?"
Ian keenly noticed something was not quite right with the old knight at the moment: "Teacher, right now you seem a bit distracted..."
"Really? That obvious."
Hiliard sighed and then turned to look again towards the direction of Viscount Grant’s mansion. He was silent for a while, seemingly unable to endure the agitation in his heart, softly murmuring, "I just... once again saw phantoms of the past."
"Though the eyes aren’t the same, that appearance, and aura... the Ellen Family, Axel, what conspiracy are they planning!"
Saying this, the old knight even had some gnashing of teeth in the end: "I need to find out what they intend to do with that ’clone’ taken to the South Sea Great Labyrinth!"
Clone?
Ian wasn’t quite sure what the clone meant in the mouth of the old knight, but he could faintly sense that the subject described by Hiliard was not someone else.
But that young master of the Ellen Family... Yisen Gard·Ellen with the royal bloodline.