Chapter 109: The Floating Saucer

As Zhao Xu’s voice trailed off, everyone present stared at him in a daze, stunned by the outcome.

"Zhongxia, actually—" Maple Leaf hurriedly stood up, trying to ease the tension.

But Zhao Xu had already risen. He shook his head gently: "Everyone has their own choices to make, and they must bear the consequences of those choices. The path is one we walk ourselves; as long as you are clear about the price ahead, there is no need to force anyone."

Hearing this, Maple Leaf swallowed the words, "It’s just a resurrection stone, at worst," that had been on the tip of his tongue. He realized that Zhao Xu’s words were not intended to persuade them, but to settle his own mind.

A moment later, Maple Leaf looked back at his three teammates. Seeing their nods, he understood their decision.

"Zhongxia, the four of us have decided to stay. After all, we accepted this mission from the start. But rest assured, we are well aware of the risks, and I will do my utmost to protect my teammates."

Saying this brought a sense of relief to Maple Leaf. Zhao Xu’s previous words had been a way of telling them that as long as they could truly accept the risks and costs, he would not say another word against it. He only feared they were acting on a momentary surge of passion, rushing into danger without a second thought.

"Then I shall take my leave," Zhao Xu said calmly. His belongings were already in his handy haversack, so there was nothing left to pack.

"Wait, wait, Brother Zhongxia, it’s raining outside!" the cleric, Youyou, called out.

But Zhao Xu had already turned his back to them and was walking toward the tent entrance. "There has never been a spellcaster in this world who died from being rained on."

"Mr. Zhongxia, your payment," Loya finally spoke up.

"Just hand it over to the Mages' Guild in a major city when you get there. Tell them it’s for Zhongxia of Mystra; I’ll be able to collect it."

By the time he finished speaking, Zhao Xu had pulled back the tent flap and stepped out, his voice drifting back from the exterior.

The guards were all huddled in corners, seeking shelter from the rain. To remain ready for departure at a moment’s notice, the caravan had only set up one tent for Loya and his group to use during the day. When the guards saw him emerge, unaware that he had already decided to leave, they nodded at him in a friendly manner.

His success in knocking out Iron Stone that day had earned him their genuine respect. Even with Loya gone, Zhao Xu had enough presence to rally the remaining men. This was the nature of the people of Aether—an innate tendency to follow the strong.

The air had been stifling before midsummer, and the downpour was as violent as the heat had been oppressive.

Staring at the torrential rain, which carved countless tiny craters into the mud, Zhao Xu mused on the unpredictable power of nature. And what of magic, which could harness that very power and turn it into one's own?

*A pity I am not a high-level mage,* he thought, *or I could make this rain stop.*

As he pondered, he reached into his haversack and pulled out a waterproof cloak. Antinua had placed it there for him at the start. While it possessed no magical properties, the material had been specially treated to be water-repellent, serving perfectly as a raincoat. He also produced an oil-paper umbrella, leaving the nearby guards gaping; they had no idea his bag could hold such an item. He was grateful for Antinua’s foresight—he certainly wouldn’t have wanted to go back and ask to borrow an umbrella, which would have been embarrassing.

The area was near the Southern Isle Forest, and the surrounding terrain remained an uncultivated, muddy morass. In such a downpour, even horses could easily sink into the mire. Zhao Xu assessed the situation and realized that even a mount summoned via the first-level spell "Mount" would be of little use.

However, the moment he decided to leave, he had already devised a plan. He had long since copied several useful spells from the scrolls Antinua had given him.

Zhao Xu pulled a small glass vial containing a viscous, silvery liquid from his pocket. He uncorked it, let a single drop of mercury fall to the ground, and began to chant.

The mercury hit the mud and instantly vanished into a wisp of smoke, which, buffeted by the driving rain, solidified into an invisible floating disc of force. The slightly concave disc hovered in the air about a meter above the ground. Zhao Xu used his mind to manipulate it, flattening the surface so that no rainwater could accumulate.

He pressed his hand against the edge of the disc and stepped onto it. Under his mental command, the disc began to glide forward like a magnetic levitation vehicle.

The guards watched in awe, stunned that the spellcaster possessed such a trick. The first-level arcane spell "Floating Disc" was originally developed as a porter’s tool for carrying loads of about 90 pounds per caster level. With the subsequent development of the fourth-level spell "Greater Floating Disc," the original version had been popularized for short-range personal transport.

With his Ioun stone, Zhao Xu functioned as a third-level caster, allowing the disc to support nearly 270 pounds. His own weight was no issue at all, and he could even carry a small child without strain.

The spell's duration had also extended to three hours, likely long enough to outlast the storm. By floating, he wouldn't be splattered by a single drop of mud. Zhao Xu had specifically learned this spell to gain a brief ability to float before he could master the third-level "Fly" spell. After his harrowing experience with the trapdoor in the underground mine, he had learned it the moment he emerged.

Holding his oil-paper umbrella, Zhao Xu glided along the edge of the Southern Isle Forest. No longer tied to the caravan, he didn't need to worry about hiding or avoiding the main roads. With the credentials from the Mages' Guild in his pocket, his path was clear. This was exactly why he hadn't bothered to return to the Crescent Town guild to have them arrange transport to a larger city; he could reach one on his own in less than a day and a half, while the bureaucracy of the guild would likely have wasted two or three days.

The floating disc was slower than a horse, moving at roughly the same pace as his own walking speed. Zhao Xu had left early partly to make a point, but once he was a fair distance away, he began to scan the surroundings for shelter. However, the intensity of the downpour severely limited his visibility.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing in the rain, arms wide open as if embracing a gift of life.

Maintaining his guard, he approached out of curiosity and discovered a middle-aged man with golden hair. The man wore an expression of profound comfort, savoring the feeling of the gale lashing against him.

"Do you need help?" Zhao Xu asked quietly.

The golden-haired man turned, looked at Zhao Xu floating on his disc, and wore a thoughtful expression. "I should thank you for your kindness, but tell me—why is there a trace of an aura about you that I find so repulsive?"

"Have you come into contact with something?"