The Rise of the Fallen Prodigy

Since leaving Silvermoon Valley, there had been a continuous flow of pedestrians along the way. Not only pupils from the Smith family, but also many pupils from the other two major families were heading towards the Cloud-Connecting Mountains.

However, there were even more other warriors. These warriors either had no affiliated power or had a very small power behind them. The needs of their lives and cultivation compelled them to go out and search for resources.

Most of all the warriors, including the pupils from the three major families, would look for companions to travel together. After all, in the perilous Cloud-Connecting Mountains, having one more friend meant having one less danger. Although the harvest might not be great, it provided a huge guarantee for their lives.

Those lone rangers were basically confident or conceited that they had the strength to solve some difficult problems. As for Liam Smith, he had to set out alone because he had no friends.

However, in Liam Smith's heart, he still thought it was better to be alone. At least, the harvest would be substantial. Unlike in a team, where whatever was obtained had to be divided equally.

If he got something on his own, it would all belong to him. As for the issue of safety, perhaps other lone warriors would worry about such a problem, but Liam Smith simply didn't care.

In his understanding, going to the Cloud-Connecting Mountains would at most be a bit more arduous for his training. As for those dangers that were life-threatening and beyond his ability to deal with, as long as he brought out Alistair, then everything would naturally be easily solved.

A distance of dozens of li was not far for a warrior. In less than an hour, Liam Smith, following the footsteps of many pedestrians, arrived at the foot of the so-called Cloud-Connecting Mountains.

Looking at it from a distance was completely different from standing right in front of the Cloud-Connecting Mountains.

Liam Smith was even a bit stunned.

The entire Cloud-Connecting Mountains gave people a sense of endless vicissitudes. It looked like a ferocious beast that had been sleeping for who knew how many years, as if it would wake up at any moment. A powerful imposing pressure permeated the air, making people's blood boil and even causing a feeling of suffocation.

In front of him was an ancient path that extended into the Cloud-Connecting Mountains and was the only road leading to the Cloud-Connecting Mountains.

At the end of the ancient path were boundless towering trees and thick weeds and shrubs. The entire mountain range was full of vitality, but it also gave people an inexplicable sense of solemnity.

At the end of the ancient path were more small paths that extended in all directions, and each warrior would choose a direction they liked and go.

This was Liam Smith's first time coming to the Cloud-Connecting Mountains, so naturally he didn't have a specific route. After looking around for a while, he casually chose a small path and went.

At the same time, in a corner of Silvermoon Valley, two teenagers were whispering there, seemingly discussing something important.

One of the taller teenagers had an ugly expression on his face and said angrily, "What? You let him slip away?"

The other teenager seemed a bit afraid of the speaking teenager and complained in a low voice, "It's all because that good-for-nothing is too cunning. He ran away in the blink of an eye when I wasn't paying attention."

"How dare you say that?" The tall teenager glared at him and said, "You even lost track of a person at the Refined Gas Realm Level One. What am I supposed to say about you?"

The teenager obviously still didn't realize his mistake and still blamed all the faults on Liam Smith. He said hatefully, "That guy, I'll teach him a lesson sooner or later."

"Don't just talk big here. If you had the ability, you wouldn't have lost him." The tall teenager gave him a disdainful look and said.

The teenager coughed dryly and asked, "So what should we do now?"

"What else can we do?" The tall teenager looked a bit helpless and said, "Let him go for now. We can only find another opportunity later."

"Hmph, that kid really got off easy."

"Come on, stop complaining. Let's go quickly, or it'll be dark soon." After saying that, the tall teenager walked out of the corner, straightened his clothes, and headed towards the city gate.

The other teenager followed suit.

After entering the Cloud-Connecting Mountains, Liam Smith finally understood what "boundless" meant.

Standing in the middle of it, when he looked up, he couldn't see the end at all. Above his head was a sea of green, while the ground was covered with withered yellow leaves.

The people who had entered together that he had seen before seemed to have evaporated. There was no one around. He shouted towards the sky, and only his own empty voice echoed back.

Here, there were plenty of huge trees that required three to five people to encircle. The trees that were dozens of zhang high had dense branches and leaves, and they even had a momentum that seemed to block out the sky and the sun. It was as if a person had fallen into a valley where there was no one to answer for help.

When he reached a place where there were rows of big trees, Liam Smith scanned the surroundings. Seeing that there was no movement, he took off the black hat on his head and reached out to unfasten the black robe he was wearing.

Having been trapped inside for over an hour, Liam Smith's whole body was already soaked in sweat. At this moment, he could no longer stand the abnormal stuffiness.

Alistair's voice sounded again, "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking it off. If I keep wearing it, I'll probably turn into a mummy." Liam Smith wiped the sweat off his face and said.

Alistair said coldly, "Did I tell you to take it off?"

Liam Smith's hand froze, and he doubted if he had heard wrongly. He asked, "Master, you mean I should keep wearing this robe?"

"Of course." Alistair said irritably, "Otherwise, do you think I bought it just for you to get rid of that follower?"

"But in this kind of weather, how can I stand it?" Liam Smith said with a dry mouth.

As he spoke, Liam Smith casually took out the prepared water from his Storage bag and took a big gulp.

Alistair sneered, "Can't stand it already? If that's the case, then there's no need for us to continue with the following things. You might as well go back to the city, buy those things needed for the mission on the Commercial Street, and then go back to your little house."

Hearing a hint of disappointment in Alistair's words, Liam Smith gritted his teeth, put the robe back on, and put on the hat again. He said, "Master, I'll do as you say, okay?"

Alistair snorted and said, "That's more like it."

"Master, you can ask me to wear it, but at least you should tell me why, right?"

"You don't need to know." Alistair said simply.

Liam Smith had an ugly expression on his face and said, "Come on, is this for real?"

"Do you still want to continue your training? There's not much time left. Don't blame me if you can't meet the requirements and get kicked out of the Smith family." Seeing Liam Smith complaining, Alistair directly played his trump card.

As expected, this move was exactly Liam Smith's weakness.

Liam Smith was at a loss for words. After a while, he could only compromise. After all, Alistair was all his hope now. He had already endured the most painful five years. Why should he care about this physical suffering at the moment?

He said helplessly, "Okay, I won't ask. So what should we do next?"

"Take out that piece of inkstone." Alistair ordered.

Naturally, Liam Smith didn't dare to object. He directly took out the piece of inkstone that weighed over several hundred jin from his Storage bag and put it heavily on the ground. There was a dull thud, and even the ground under his feet trembled slightly.

Alistair directly said, "Carry it on your back."

Liam Smith opened his mouth wide, looked at the inkstone in front of him, swallowed hard, and asked, "Master, you're not kidding, are you?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding you?" Alistair's voice became a bit louder.

Liam Smith refused this time and said angrily, "Master, I had no objection when you asked me to wear this black robe, but now you're asking me to carry this inkstone on my back. I probably won't even be able to walk then. What kind of cultivation is this?"

Alistair said mockingly, "What do you know, you little brat? Just do as I say."

Liam Smith also lost his temper and snorted, "If Master doesn't make it clear, I won't go."

"Are you defying your master's order?" Alistair said each word slowly.

As soon as these words were spoken, Liam Smith immediately wilted. Judging from Alistair's tone, it seemed that he wasn't joking.

Liam Smith said reluctantly, "I don't dare."

"If you don't dare, then do as I say. Asking so many questions. Who would want to teach you?"

Complaining to himself in his heart, Liam Smith had no choice but to squat down reluctantly and try to carry the inkstone on his back.

It had to be said that the inkstone was extremely heavy. Liam Smith almost couldn't stand up while carrying it, and he was panting heavily with his back bent.

Alistair nodded secretly and said indifferently, "This is more like a pupil."

"But I really don't understand..." Liam Smith still wanted to say something.

Alistair directly interrupted him and said, "You'll understand it later. There's no need to ask more now."

"Master, doing this in this kind of weather can easily be life-threatening." Liam Smith said with a hint of grievance.

Alistair simply ignored him and sneered, "Don't play the pitiful card in front of your master. I believe this little thing is no problem for you."

"Damn it." Liam Smith almost couldn't hold back from swearing.

He didn't know if Alistair was complimenting him or not. However, if he had a choice, Liam Smith would rather not have such a compliment.

In just a short while, big beads of sweat had continuously emerged from his head, and when they flowed into his eyes, it was really uncomfortable.

Liam Smith wiped his eyes and said, "It's easy for you to say. If you have the ability, you try it."

Alistair smiled disdainfully and said, "The training I received in the past was much more difficult than this."

Liam Smith looked disbelieving. Who knew if what Alistair said was true or false.

Even if what Alistair said was true, it only meant that Alistair was putting all the suffering he had endured in the past on him.

The more Liam Smith thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. In the Liberty Divine Land, there were quite a few such people. After they became teachers, they would impose all the hardships they had suffered as pupils on their own pupils.

Some people even went further, as if doing so could give them pleasure.

Could it be that Alistair was such a person? The more Liam Smith thought about it, the more afraid he became, and he didn't know what other tricks Alistair had in store for him.

"Master, you're not deliberately torturing me, are you?" Liam Smith asked tentatively.

Alistair said coldly, "Torture you? You're thinking too much. I don't have that kind of leisure."

"Good thing it's not." Liam Smith murmured to himself.

"What are you mumbling about?" Alistair said sternly, "Hurry up and go. What are you waiting for?"

"Where should I go?"

"Don't you have a family mission? First, look for those medicinal herbs in the Cloud-Connecting Mountains."

"I'll do as you say, Master." How dare Liam Smith say anything more.

Carrying the heavy inkstone and enduring the intense stuffiness brought by the black robe, he started to shuttle through the forest step by step...