The Growth of a Titan
Chapter 93- An Intriguing Offer

Chapter 93: Chapter 93- An Intriguing Offer

The pain in Son’s voice was gut-wrenching, but Sol knew the feeling all too well.

Sol opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly shut it.

Just because he understood Son’s pain, it didn’t mean they were in the same position.

At least Sol had an outlet for the anger and frustration he felt.

Sol wanted revenge and everything he did up until now was to make that person regret what he did.

His master wanted him to stop and take a break, and Sol wanted to, but the more he adapted to the daily life in the Academy the more anxious he was feeling.

He felt like he wasn’t doing enough to get stronger, and he was beginning to question his decision of entering the Academy at all.

Sol suddenly shook his head internally.

It was selfish of him to be thinking about his own problems in this situation.

"Brother Sol..."

Son’s call brought Sol out of his thoughts.

Sol looked up and saw Son staring at him with his listless eyes.

"Is it my fault they died? An Elder of the Huashan Branch Sect told me the people who attacked us were from the Demonic Cult, and that they were after me. Brother Sol, it’s my fault they’re not here anymore, right?"

Son was still staring at Sol as he asked that difficult question.

But Sol didn’t hesitate to shake his head.

"No Brother Son, how can it be your fault? You did nothing wrong, they are the ones who attacked you for your Innate Dharma."

When Son heard that, for the first time something other than sadness and regret appeared in his eyes.

Anger.

A deep abundance of anger that could drown the world if released. But it couldn’t be released, there was no outlet.

Son’s eyes returned to normal but he still clenched his fist.

Sol saw all of this and suspicion started to grow in his heart.

It was then that Sol realized something about Son.

Maybe no one else would have sensed it but he was able to sense it.

Sol’s expression turned ugly and he asked.

"Brother Son, did they manage to take your Innate Dharma?"

Son nodded slowly.

Crack.

Sol’s fist involuntarily clenched and he crushed the cup in his hands. A murderous aura also wafted from his body and into the surroundings.

Somewhere in the Mansion, a middle-aged man who was wearing simple robes was seated at a desk. When Sol’s murderous intent accidentally leaked out he suddenly looked up from the papers in his hands.

"Hm? That murderous intent is coming from my son’s room."

The middle-aged man frowned before he called for a guard just outside the double doors of his office.

Back in Son’s courtyard, Sol quickly regain his composure and withdrew his murderous aura.

Son seem to smile at this and said.

"Brother Sol, I’m really glad I can call you my friend. I..."

Son was about to continue, but it seemed like he couldn’t bring himself to say his next words.

However, Sol used his intuition and he knew what Son was about say or rather ask him.

After shaking his head, Son asked.

"Brother Sol, are you planning on leaving anytime soon?"

Sol smiled and responded.

"I can stay here for a few days to accompany Brother Son, I hope that won’t be a bother."

Son actually laughed as he said.

"No, of course not Brother Sol. You’re the first person to visit me besides my father and little sister. I feel so alone I might just go crazy more than I already am."

"Don’t say that Brother Son, here..."

Sol looked around for a moment and then spotted something on another table.

"Is that a board game? Why don’t you teach me how to play?"

Sol got up and brought over the board to their table.

The board looked old and worn it. It seemed like it was exposed to the weather for quite a while.

"Haha, I haven’t played in a long time."

"What is it called?"

"It’s called chess. It’s one of the Four Arts."

"The Four Arts?"

With that, Son remembered that Sol was clues about the outside world, so he patiently explained.

"You have the cultivation world and the world of normal folks, or mortals. Just like the cultivation world that has a hierarchy of power, those normal folks are split into the rich and the poor. The rich have a different lifestyle than the poor, they teach their younger generation the Four Arts and stress getting a good education to become a government official. As for what the Four Arts are, their Calligraphy, Chess, Painting, and Music."

"So you learned the Four Arts when you were young?"

Sol asked as he curiously watched Son place the strange wooden pieces onto the board.

"Yes, I did. Even though the Four Arts are something normal folks study, it has been adopted by the cultivation world. After all, we were all mortals before we became cultivators seeking Immortality."

"That is true."

"Hm, but Brother Sol, there are Pavilions in the Academy that teach the Four Arts."

"There are?"

"Yeah, especially the Music Pavilion. They are almost as well known as the four main Pavilions, the Weapon Dharma Pavilion, the Elemental Dharma Pavilion, the Divine Beast Dharma Pavilion, and the Irregular Dharma Pavilion."

It was then Sol remembered his Master explaining the types of Irregular Dharmas to him. He did mention that someone could awaken musical instruments as their Innate Dharma.

Speaking of Irregular Dharmas, Sol looked at Son and asked.

"Brother Son, I heard that the Demonic Cult targets people with Irregular Innate Dharmas. I can guess the Forgotten Geniuses they went after had Irregular Dharmas, but why did the Demonic Cult target you? I’ve seen your Innate Dharma before, and it’s only a Weapon-type Innate Dharma. Is it only because you are a Forgotten Genius?"

Son’s hand, which was placing a chess piece in its place on the board, paused when he heard Sol’s question.

However, he recovered and said.

"Brother Sol, that pertains to a secret that I have been keeping even from my family, no one knows about it. However, if you defeat me three times while playing this board game with me, I’ll tell you, Brother Sol."

Sol was sort of intrigued by this and he agreed to Son’s offer.