It wasn't that Liam dismissed the Deacon's words easily. He considered them properly, but they failed to put a dent in his mindset.
Even if a universal justice existed, Liam was just a boy without the capacity to consider such grand thoughts. He only knew himself and his suffering, so he would focus on that.
As for morality, if Crazy Uncle was to be believed, the Dragon King was still the king despite causing the deaths of countless people, so it couldn't have much value. Actually, Liam had only seen examples that proved the opposite.
Trusting directions from random old men wasn't exactly smart, but Liam didn't know who else to ask before being forced to risk facing the Recruiters Guild.
Time wasn't even an issue for Liam, so he could waste it pursuing leads that didn't involve facing troublesome variables. His only limit came in the shape of his supplies, but his hunting skills could come in handy there.
Besides, the Deacon's casual mention of hatred had spooked Liam enough. He wasn't good with words, so it was risky being around people, especially when he had to ask questions directly connected with his issue.
And if even that failed, Liam would return and risk it with the Recruiters Guild.
Another trip through the leafless forest began, but Liam forsook the branches this time. Since he might have to return to Slygrove, there was no point in covering his tracks.
Besides, nothing bad had happened there, so Liam found no reason to remain in hiding.
Moving on foot increased Liam's travel speed, and the winter also allowed him to ignore some potential dangers. In that cold, the only real predators he had to worry about were the wolves. It wasn't safe, but it was safer.
Yet, the Three Peaks turned out to be quite far, nonetheless. Even with all those advantages and Liam's body possessing inhuman resilience, he still took a whole week to reach their base, and that was the easy part.
Climbing mountains was hard and tiring. Liam's experience in those environments forced him not to underestimate them.
Moreover, Liam only had enough supplies to explore one of the three mountains. He could settle in the area and take things slowly, hunting and wandering whenever his food reserves allowed it, but that could last months.
That was a partial miscalculation on Liam's side, although not due to inexperience or youthful hubris. He had half-expected something to happen once he reached the place, something magical to stand out.
Nevertheless, Liam saw nothing but ordinary leafless trees stretching in every direction. He couldn't spot anything remotely connected to cultivators, or humans, for that matter.
"I don't suppose you could help," Liam said, seemingly talking to himself.
Obviously, everything remained silent. Liam only heard his voice dispersing in the cold air before stillness returned.
"You are pretty useless for an Ancestral Beast," Liam sighed. He had hoped the Snake of Hatred would hiss something useful for once, but even that insult fell on deaf ears.
'Is there even a Sect up there?' Liam wondered, looking up to check the path ahead.
The three mountains shared their base, and that was true for a while, splitting into three different peaks at higher altitudes. That worked in Liam's favor, albeit only slightly.
'Let's see,' Liam thought, focusing on his hearing as he began the climb.
The lack of clues wasn't always bad. Nothingness could be a glaring hint. Utter silence could imply the presence of something dangerous. The same had unfolded when the Divine Cult had attacked the Guild's caravan, so Liam hoped to pick up on something similar.
That idea became Liam's guide during the climb. The trees grew scarcer and the path steeper, but he always headed for the most silent areas.
That made Liam's advance less straightforward, diminishing how quickly he climbed the mountains. When night fell, he had only reached the point where the trees had basically disappeared, leaving him with rocks, grass, moss, and nothing to say for his goal.
'This isn't working,' Liam admitted, starting to wonder about his next move while a cold breeze blew over him.
Ideas formed and crumbled, until something else entirely triumphed over them. Liam instinctively sniffed as his nostrils captured the faintest scent of something he recognized. He smelled blood.
Liam darted after that scent, climbing the mountain against the wind, wanting to follow it toward its source. Blood didn't really mean anything, but it could also work in Liam's favor since food was becoming an issue.
However, nothing could have prepared Liam for what the scent's source held.
With a clear target, Liam had dropped the aimless wandering, opting for proper running. The chase brought him to where two of the three peaks started to separate, creating a valley-like path.
There, Liam found something far different than the predicted rocks or tundra. A red halo shone deep in that valley-like path, which turned out to come from the glowing leaves of short plants.
And, a young woman walked among those plants, wearing a tidy, elegant, and pale grey robe with long, ample sleeves. She had straight chestnut hair partially combed into a bun, and her gaze was lowered, glued to the glowing leaves.
The woman was quite a looker, but Liam only studied what she was doing. She wasn't merely walking. Her left arm was lifted, and drops of blood fell from her hand, ending on the plants, seemingly feeding them.
The practice almost seemed a ritual, carrying the magical vibe Liam had sought. Yet, his arrival ruined it. The woman eventually noticed his presence, her surprised brown eyes darting between him and the glowing plants until she decided what to do.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" The woman said, cupping her fist and bowing at Liam. "Brother …?"
As usual, Liam was lost. He looked up, wondering what was so beautiful about that night. It was even getting cloudy, hinting at the imminent snow.
Still, something else took priority, and Liam lowered his gaze soon enough, asking what truly mattered to him. "Miss, are you a cultivator?"
The woman lifted her head but didn't break her bow. She frowned, confused on so many levels.
"Is Brother joking?" The woman asked.
"I climbed the mountain looking for a Sect," Liam shook his head, not missing how the woman was also wearing light clothes despite the cold. "I want to become a cultivator."
The woman's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. She broke her bow and straightened herself, only to frown again. Something was terribly amiss there.
"But if Broth-," The woman began to say before correcting herself, "If you are here, it must mean that you are at least a foundation expert."
"What's that?" Liam asked, recalling how the jailer had said something similar. "Is that a cultivator?"
"It's a cultivation stage," The woman ended up responding honestly, temporarily captivated by Liam's honesty before recalling the strangeness of what was happening.
"Who are you?!" The woman shouted, half-turning and lifting her arms to wear a battle stance. "State your purpose with the Pale Moon Sect!"