Sun found himself wandering around.
Since the Settlement was nearing its final moments before setting off, there was little that demanded his efforts.
There was only the matter of setting the course for Union Settlement's ruins and the assembly of the Settlement's denizens.
Gazing around the Settlement, the stone-paved streets were blanketed in snow.
Whatever foliage, once painted in their verdant and crimson hues, was now dyed in the white of Winter.
The Starlit Sky was littered with cotton clouds, constantly shedding snow.
This was all a cause of Call of Winter's capabilities as a First State Cultivator; it was a power that left Sun in awe.
"Could Warrior of Spring do something similar...?"
Sun wandered himself to the Settlement's edge, leaving a trail of footsteps in the soft ground.
He arrived at the Southeastern border, where the battle against the tides took place, and where the main conflict between the Settlement and the first instance of the Demonic Cultivators occurred.
Now, it was a field of snow.
"I wonder what it would have looked like to see the world suddenly overcome by winter, or was it a gradual process?"
"Either way, it was the turning point in this great battle. Not only that, but wouldn't it have also stopped that second beast tide led by that weird Demonic Cultivator?"
"..."
Losing his gaze to the white world before him, Sun sighs wistfully.
"The power of a State Cultivator is awe-inspiring..."
With the gentle winds tugging his blonde hair, Sun overlooked the chilling cold ravaging his fair skin.
Lost completely in Winter's embrace, he couldn't help but feel solemn.
"If I become Summer's Heir, Herald of Summer, then will I be able to achieve something like this...?"
"If I were as strong as this Herald of Summer, then I would have been able to stop the Demonic Cultivator's attack, too, without having to ravage the world with this icy cold."
"Hah... oh, how terrible it is to be weak..."
He joked to himself, looking at the high viewpoint that is State Cultivation. Even further up is the Immortal Realm, which felt like an impossible dream.
Yet, even with such insurmountable worlds before him, something within bundled and surged.
How it would feel to reach those heights.
The means by which he could achieve them were not considered. He spared no thought for the journey, merely indulged in the end.
The result of becoming strong. The result of becoming a State Cultivator. The result of becoming Immortal.
He was enthralled. Something within resonated with those heights.
Something drove him forward.
"Mother, Father."
Gazing towards the sky, he quietly called their names.
The height of these snowy clouds was so far. Yet, they were not unreachable.
What if?
That thought provoked his mind into contemplation.
Winter was cold, very cold, ravaging the world in its freezing embrace.
Summer was warm, if not hot, caressing the world with its comforting embrace.
He continued speaking to the cloud-ridden sky.
"If I were summer, Heir, Herald, State Cultivator, Immortal, whatsoever... Would that not be strength, in, of, itself?"
"The path I am walking, the opportunities given to me, the Way I follow... it is all bringing me to that point. Where I promised you."
"Mother, Father, I will not let you down..."
Nobody had responded, merely a sly smile that watched him from behind.
Sun stood there for a few breaths' time.
"I will be strong."
...
In a district of the Northwestern region of Corpse Mountain Settlement, Warrior of Spring and Shade of Autumn made their appearance, led by an envoy sent by the Settlement Lord.
Greeting them was another mortal Warrior, who immediately brought them to a warehouse.
"Friend Spring, Friend Autumn, I am glad that you two are here."
"Greetings. What have you called us here for?"
The Settlement Lord stood in front of a pile of bones, holding one himself.
"These bones... these were the ones harvested from your battle with that Bone-Wielding Fiend."
"You have harvested those? What value do they have?"
"Well... While most of these are products of Dao Art, some of these seem full of Qi. Take a look."
Warrior of Spring stepped closer, receiving the heavy bone in a palm.
He weighed it in his hand and analysed it through Immersion.
"Indeed, these do seem more mystical than conjured bones, and even more mystical than Beast King bones we have collected. I suspect that this bone alone is similar if not equivalent to, a Qi Conglomerate."
"I had thought so, too. Would these not be a valuable asset to Cultivation? I do not suspect anything harmful with them, and if not used personally, maybe we could sell them off to another Settlement."
Grasping his chin with contemplative eyes, Warrior of Spring looked over these bones that the Settlement Lord gathered.
"I don't suspect anything bad with them either... But we should stay vigilant. Sister Autumn, you should be able to 'cleanse' these bones of any potential Dao Arts, right?"
"Yes, allow me."
Receiving the odd bone, Shade of Autumn activated a Dao Art. A dry and leafy scent pervaded the area.
Wisps of wind coalesced around the bone.
It vibrated slightly before it stilled.
"So there was something implemented within them, but you were able to cleanse them without ruining the quality of the bone?"
The Settlement Lord spoke with quiet astonishment.
"I saw you use something similar to this, but on a scale capable of rending beasts to nothing less than ash."
"Indeed, our esteemed Sister has capabilities beyond Autumn; it is something most useful and rightfully deserving of high praise!"
Warrior of Spring lightly patted Shade of Autumn on the shoulder, who quietly accepted his boasting.
"Such intricate control over this Dao Art is truly commendable. Even among your peers, you are outstanding."
The Settlement Lord did not stint on his praise either.
Receiving the bone from Shade of Autumn, Warrior of Spring had an idea.
"Lord, do you still wish to sell these bones off to other Settlements? Veil Forest Settlement might be willing to pay a hefty price to purchase these from you."
"Really? Then I do not mind just giving them to you. These are the bounties earned by Friend Spring and Friend Winter; I can not rightfully take these."
"Is that so? Then we will split the amount, as a sign of our relationship with Corpse Mountain Settlement."