"What about your army?" William asked Su Mian after he finished sorting out his thoughts.

"They're an army." Su Mian answered bluntly.

While he accepted his status as William's captive, Su Mian wasn't going to be nice about it. He shared partial truths and complete lies as effortlessly as a politician, weaving sarcasm into the mix for added flavor.

Of course, William expected as much and was able to gain the real truth with help from the System, spending a fraction of the Ascended Points normally required for the same information. He accepted every Ask Function cost as long as it was less than 5 Ascended Points.

"And...?" William pressed further while holding the flashbang Artifact at the ready.

"Trying to get an item." Su Mian answered vaguely.

System? Large groups not belonging to the Slightwing Family in the Big Earth Zone? Exclude organizations that are established in cities. How many Cultivators?

The System, having established a quick and efficient method to communicate with William, didn't mention the usual "Request requires x Ascended Points. Yes/No?"

Instead, it simply announced the cost before answering, per William's instructions.

-1 Ascended Point

-One group matching your description in the Big Earth Zone. Numbering 5012. Does not account for Cultivators in transit or those too far from the main group.

Hmm... What could their goal be?

-Will cost 121 Ascended Points.

Nevermind. He's not lying about the group seeking an item, right?

-1 Ascended Point

-He's telling the truth.

In that case... William thought for a moment, trying to come up with a cheap question that would resolve his curiosity.

Which region is the army closest to?

-2 Ascended Points

-Great Glacial Zone. The region's border is four million kilometers southeast of Treymon, its closest population center.

Between the Great Glacial Zone and the Big Earth Zone, are there any big events that would attract the Riverveil Family's attention?

-Will cost 6 Ascended Points.

Close enough, I'll take it.

-In the Great Glacial Zone, Roots of the Secondary Law of Ice. Regenerates every fifty years when the entrance to the Realm of Ice opens, according to local information. In the Big Earth Zone, Quake Dungeon would be a highly contested point of interest, but it's too thoroughly controlled by the Slightwing Family.

Any idea when the Realm will open? Find a cheap answer based on what is a bit more than common knowledge.

Having used the Ask Function quite a bit, William knew the System sources much of its cheap information from people, while the more expensive questions come from somewhere else. Since he'd specifically asked it to use Cultivators as its source of information, it should ensure the price of his question was low.

-1 Ascended Point

-According to locals, it should have descended by now, but there's no news of it. Either the information is being suppressed or the Realm is opening late this time. Even high level Cultivators have trouble predicting the Elemental Realms.

-Do you want a more thorough answer for 72 Ascended Points? Yes/No.

I'll pass.

"Roots of the Secondary Law of Ice?" William spoke aloud while eyeing Su Mian.

W-What?! Su Mian was astonished.

How did William immediately guess his mission, using only "trying to get an item."?!

His facial expression only flickered for a second before returning to calm.

"Nope."

Is he lying?

-1 Ascended Point

-Yes

The answer was very obvious but William had to ask regardless. Out of all his Talents, one thing William lacked was any sort of lie detection. He could only go off the System's Ask Function to find out for sure.

"Any other missions or is that it?" William found it hard to believe five thousand Cultivators would come into Slightwing Territory for a mere item associated with Secondary Laws. Of course, he could only speculate on the usefulness of a Secondary Law.

Catching onto his vocal trap before it sprung, Su Mian laughed.

"I already told you that wasn't their mission."

William tapped his wrist, "Have a flashbang."

"What is wrong with yo— ugh!"

William didn't ask the System for any more information, having spent more than 60 Ascended Points on questions related to Su Mian's army and the Riverveil Family, leaving him with a mere 337.

As a valuable resource that he could only gain more of periodically, William didn't dare to waste any more Points but he felt they were well spent. Additionally, a few pieces clicked together that didn't require the System to answer.

He remembered that while in the Quake Dungeon, William had once received a stone tablet that sent a vision of a long-dead Cultivator known as Xonya. Initially, he learned that the Quake Dungeon had probably taken the tablet from somewhere nearby.

Now that he knew the Big Earth Zone and the Great Glacial Zone bordered each other, and the Realm of Ice's entrance is located in the Great Glacial Zone, William guessed the tablet had come from there.

Xonya— Queen of the Tundra— was the System's Fifth Host, and he guessed her throne was somewhere inside the Realm of Ice. Thinking from her perspective, William understood why Xonya would choose such a location for her base.

Maybe this is why this Su Mian brought an army? Xonya sides with the Magical Beasts, right? She must have been very powerful to control a group like that...

-Yes. That's what I said weeks ago when you asked. Her life has passed, but the Magical Beasts in the Great Glacial Zone remain a threat to the Slightveil Plane. They continue to honor her memory and guard the territory that was once her home away from home.

William nodded. He expected nothing less of one of the System's previous Hosts, able to keep control over an entire region of the Slightveil Plane despite having died many years ago. Even crazier, Xonya's home Plane was Grandiu, not Slightveil!

Should I deal with the army?

-Can you?

Who knows. But if the Realm of Ice is going to appear soon, shouldn't I stop them before they get to the Roots of the Secondary Law?

An outsider might assume William was concerned about the Riverveil Family gaining too much power, affecting the Slightwing Family in return. They might guess William wanted to continue schooling at the Filem Academy to gain a chance at the Cultivation Competition.

But the System knew better than that. It knew William didn't care about the Slightwing Family, nor was he very attached to the school.

From start to finish, it knew that William couldn't accept someone else getting loot which could very well be his!

-So what, you're going to fight five thousand Cultivators just so they don't get to your precious item that you learned about only a few minutes ago? Aren't you too arrogant, thinking you can fight five thousand after barely managing forty?

William smiled, making Su Mian feel anxious even though he wasn't the target.

Of course not. If I fight and I lose, we die. If I fight and I win, we live but for how long?

The Heavens are still looking for me, the Riverveil Family wants my head, and Slightwing might too if I'm not careful. The more I win, the stronger the opponents that will come for me. I know this much.

That's why... I have to start a war!