Transmigration To Magus World-Chapter 112: A Thatched Cottage Deep in the Valley

The night moon hung high, autumn winds howled, and rain poured relentlessly, making the mountain paths treacherous.

Aizen ventured deep into the mountains, releasing his Flame-Tail Horse into the wilderness. The horse, being intelligent, knew how to forage for food on its own and wouldn’t wander far.

His reasons for entering the mountains were threefold:

To conceal his whereabouts.To lie low for several days while awaiting an opportune moment.To use the rumored roaring waterfall in this area to refine his Sorcery arts skills.

The autumn rain was cold and dreary, adding a biting chill to the forested mountains.

Aizen, blade in hand, hacked through the overgrowth. The mountain path was challenging, especially at night when poisonous snakes, insects, wolves, and tigers roamed freely. It was perilous terrain, but his skill and courage enabled him to face these dangers head-on. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Despite his expertise in unarmed combat, he recognized a glaring shortcoming: his weapon techniques were not on par. This imbalance frustrated him, and he sought to address it swiftly.

While precision and mastery mattered more than breadth of skill, in his current Innate Sorcery Stage, relying solely on hand-to-hand combat left him vulnerable to certain strategies.

"An inch longer, an inch stronger; an inch shorter, an inch riskier."

The importance of a weapon in critical moments was undeniable. For instance, Jack, a formidable Sorcery artist, had once donned gloves and protective gear, yet he fell to Ryven’s sudden ambush with a needle-like projectile laced with deadly poison. The gloves were pierced, and he died a gruesome death.

If Jack had mastered weapon techniques, he might have deflected the hidden weapon with a dagger or knocked it away with a broad sword, avoiding his tragic fate. It was clear that Ryven exploited Jack’s weakness to deliver a fatal blow.

The Magus world is treacherous, and having extra life-saving skills is never a bad thing.

Following the mountain stream upward, Aizen pressed on. The dim moonlight barely illuminated the rugged mountain trail. For an ordinary person, navigating these cold, rainy conditions would be nearly impossible. A single misstep could result in a fatal fall.

However, Aizen, with heightened senses akin to a sixth sense, could perceive his surroundings with exceptional clarity. Though he hadn’t yet developed true spiritual awareness, his ability to seal his energy, raise the hairs on his body, and attune himself to the flow of air made him exceptionally alert.

This heightened awareness wasn’t unique to him. Any martial artist who trained their body to a certain degree could control their physical state to achieve this. Even ordinary people occasionally experience a sudden shiver or goosebumps, a primal response that enhances their sensitivity to their environment.

This phenomenon, often described as a "reflexive tightening," was akin to animals bristling their fur in response to danger. For those who hadn’t honed their strength throughout their body, maintaining this state for long periods was impossible—it required absolute muscle control.

As Aizen traversed the mountains, his movements were as light and agile as a bird about to take flight. This demonstrated his mastery of the Cloud Sparrow Movement Arts, specifically its Lark’s Soaring Steps.

He moved swiftly, sometimes leaping over uneven terrain, sometimes flashing his blade to kill venomous snakes that attempted to ambush him. His movements were ghostly, blending into the mountain’s shadows like a spirit.

In the time it took for a single stick of incense to burn, he crossed the peak and arrived at a vast valley.

The valley was enormous, with a waterfall dozens of meters high cascading down into a deep pool below. The water struck massive rocks with a deafening roar, and mist rose into the air, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Under the moonlight, the waterfall shimmered with silver light, resembling the Milky Way spilling down from the heavens. The atmosphere was ethereal, a mixture of natural grandeur and tranquility.

The surging torrents from the pool flowed into an underground river, carving their way through the valley. Far from desolate, this place carried an air of vitality, as if infused with the essence of the waterfall’s spirit.

It was an ideal location to sharpen one’s Sorcery skills.

As Aizen ventured deeper into the valley, he noticed an inconspicuous thatched cottage tucked away in the depths. Instantly, his guard was raised.

Clearly, he wasn’t the only one who had recognized the value of this waterfall-laden area in the mountains.

Certain martial arts techniques require harnessing the forces of heaven and earth—a term referring to the alignment of time, place, and natural conditions:

For example, a sinister martial art might demand the sacrifice of young boys and girls on specific days steeped in negative energy.Another technique might require training in a unique or extreme environment.

Such reliance on the forces of heaven and earth often produces extraordinary practitioners who cannot remain unknown.

This waterfall before him was one such source of power. Aizen realized its potential for refining his footwork, blade techniques, and even palm and finger arts.

In martial arts, progress is like rowing upstream. Applied to the real world, this waterfall represented the immense power of nature—far greater than human strength. However, to push against such overwhelming force, as if swimming upstream or enduring the waterfall’s crushing currents like the immovable boulder below, could forge resilience akin to steel.

Yet, the process required proper methods. Without the right approach, training here might result in serious internal injuries rather than achievement.

Aizen moved with silent, weightless steps, his form concealed in the shadows untouched by moonlight. He crept closer to the thatched cottage made of earth and stone with a straw roof.

The ancient saying "Build a house amidst humanity, untouched by worldly noise" came to mind. Anyone with the refined sensibilities to settle in such a serene and secluded location was unlikely to be ordinary.

Aizen prepared for the worst. At the slightest hint of danger, he was ready to retreat without hesitation. A training ground could be found elsewhere, but his life was irreplaceable.

All his senses were heightened as he moved. His exposed skin felt the gentle wind brushing his face, every breeze and sound around him stirring the faintest alertness. He held his breath entirely, relying on internal energy to suppress his presence.

His steps were as silent as a leopard’s padded paws, leaving no trace on the ground.

When he was within 30 meters of the thatched cottage,Aizen halted, hiding behind a large boulder.

Closing his eyes, he attempted to focus his less-than-refined spiritual sense, a feeling akin to a sixth sense that flickered on and off inconsistently.

He detected no immediate danger. The cottage was eerily quiet, with no signs of habitation.

Deciding not to take unnecessary risks, he slowly withdrew to the valley’s edge. After all, practicing at the waterfall was impossible during the night. Rest and observation seemed the wisest course.

If no one appeared near the thatched cottage by dawn, he would assume it to be abandoned.

Aizen found a relatively dry nook in the rocky corner of the valley. There, he huddled, channeling his internal energy to dry his rain-soaked clothes.

Once settled, he entered a state of meditative rest, hovering between sleep and wakefulness, ready to react to any disturbance.