Simulated Journey To The Top Chapter 8: Chapter 8: 10 Seconds

Read chapter 8 of Simulated Journey To The Top by Acron on NovelPedia.

Du Yuan silently followed behind Du Shen, pondering. He didn't know if his uncle wanted to end the conversation with that statement, or inspire questions. 'Why is everybody in my family so antisocial. Is this what never going to school does to one's psyche?' This world didn't have any presence of schools, at least in the conventional and mandatory style of his last world. Shooting in the dark, Du Yuan decided on the second option. "Is this “Monster” a direct clansman? Why the monster moniker?" Du Shen didn't answer for a moment, just kept walking deeper into uncharted territory. Despite having dozens of trips to the farm under his belt, Du Yuan had never completely explored it. Never felt the need to. "Yes, he is a direct clansman, 9 years old, I take care of him. The monster is more to describe his talent." Du Yuan's steps faltered for a moment before continuing. "Is he your child, have you—The legendary Bachelor—gotten married?" "Haha, no, still single. In a way you could say I have adopted Ao." "I see. It would’ve been shocking if the famous dream lover of Lingshan Prefecture had secretly settled down. Countless hearts left broken." Du Shen shook his head left and right, wistfully, a small smile adorned by his face. "That was in the past, now give me some distance while I open the door." Both men had arrived in front of a tall wall, after traversing between and through many buildings and alleys. There was a bluish metallic door embedded in the wall. Du Shen walked up to it, putting his right palm on the seam of the door. Nothing happened for a moment. Suddenly! His arm bulged as his thick muscles were visible through his sleeve. Woooshhh! Thud! The doors swung open with such force that Du Yuan felt the ground beneath his feet tremble, akin to an earthquake. "Wow..." Du Yuan couldn't stop his admiration from leaking. "Come on now." Du Shen said walking in. Following him, Du Yuan's attention was fixed on the thickness of the door and the wall. 'That must have weighed like a dozen tons or more, but isn't it a bit impractical? I mean in a couple of months even I would be strong enough to leap over the wall.' A door that needs Thread realm to open when a competent enough Wisp realm could just jump over the wall. 'Perhaps an Array?' Du Yuan was going to ask about that. This question was stopped by yet another wall, only barely 2 meters tall this time. The roofed wall had a door. Plain wood, no lock. Du Shen pushed it open without slowing. Du Yuan followed behind him briskly. Inside was a thin young boy, the characteristic aura of cultivators on him. Surprise flashed in Du Yuan's eyes for a moment. 'A 9 year old Wisp realm, he is more talented than Du Hu!' Du Ao wasn't exactly that thin, but most high class children of this era were on the chubby side, at least in the younger years before teenage hood. He was sitting at the edge of a pool, trousers rolled back, with only his feet swinging in the water. Perhaps, due to the heat of summer. He gradually stopped when they entered. He looked at Du Yuan first. Then at Du Shen. His eyes went to Du Yuan's eyes and stayed there. Du Yuan looked back. "Ao," Du Shen said. "Du Yuan. Your elder cousin." Nothing from the boy. "Du Yuan," Du Shen continued. "Du Ao." "Ao," Du Yuan said, and gave a slight inclination of the head. Du Ao said nothing. 'Well, he definitely does have Du blood.' Du Yuan thought. Du Shen let the silence run for a moment. "Shake hands." Du Ao's gaze moved to Du Shen briefly, then back to Du Yuan. He got up, shook his feet dry, crossed the space between them and extended his right hand. Du Yuan took it. 'Weird, while shaking hands exists in the empire it sits outside the usual register of family greetings.' Du Shen had specified it deliberately, which Du Yuan found suspicious. Whap! Du Shen came forward and hit them both on the back with the flat of his palm, a solid strike across both shoulder blades simultaneously, hard enough that Du Yuan's arm jolted and his grip on Du