Scholar Hyde finished examining Mick's condition, helped set his broken bones, applied medication, then instructed him to rest well and avoid moving around too much in the coming days.

"Thank you, teacher." Mick lay on the bed, feeling somewhat at a loss and ashamed.

"It's fine, just rest like this for now." Scholar Hyde stood up and asked everyone else to come out with him.

"You all did very well. In the future, if anything happens, you can continue helping each other." Scholar Hyde looked at them with satisfaction.

"Hehe." Being praised like this by their teacher made the present students couldn't help but feel happy.

"Tia." Scholar Hyde suddenly called her name.

"What is it?"

"Would you have time to tutor Mick with his studies?" he inquired.

"I can, but when would be suitable?"

"I understand, teacher." She nodded slightly.

"I'm imposing on you." Scholar Hyde's aged hand gently patted Sylutia's shoulder.

"In a couple of days, I'll give you one of my treasured books as a gift."

After speaking, the two left the house and walked side by side through the fields, gazing at the village's vast golden wheat fields that stretched to connect with the horizon.

"You're probably quite curious about why I show such care for Mick and even asked you to tutor him." Scholar Hyde began.

"A little." the young girl replied.

"With your status and appearance, even receiving treatment equal to Iona wouldn't be excessive. Having you tutor that child with poor foundations is indeed somewhat imposing on you."

"However, I know you're not the kind of child who envies vanity and are quite approachable, which is why I reluctantly made this request."

...

"I wonder, Tia, how do you view this world?" The two stood before the endless wheat fields, gazing toward the distant horizon.

"Most people primarily concern themselves with their own affairs - whether they're growing, making money, obtaining what they want, and so on. Very few turn their gaze toward more distant places."

"I'm not saying this is bad, but it's somewhat regrettable."

"Actually, many things happening in this world are closely connected to us."

"A single flood in Valley City can cause reduced grain yields, leading to many poor people who can't afford expensive food starving to death. When this reaches you and me, it might merely mean less variety in our meals."

"Subtle differences are often overlooked by people, but these countless subtle differences ultimately influence and change the entire world."

"Do you remember what I taught about the origins of 'Aspects'?"

"The Aspect powers we see today aren't immutable. Just as the Proud Sun cracked and the Phantasmal Moon shattered, other Aspects have also undergone lengthy evolution."

"The 'Verdant Nectar' you're currently practicing is actually the legacy of the ancient primal Aspect 'Fungal Threads'." Scholar Hyde stopped walking.

'Aspect (Fungal Threads): Connection of threads and strings, the Life Mother of the past'

"In the earliest era, this world was like a dull, unchanging massive stone. Then Fungal Threads gradually decomposed the massive stone, creating the existence of space."

"Nowadays, only some rare mushrooms and fungi likely still inherit faint traces of Fungal Threads' power."

"Through bit by bit subtle erosion, Fungal Threads spent nearly a hundred million years eroding and decomposing the chaotic massive stone, forming the vast world we inhabit today."

"That we can walk peacefully through these fields now also relies on many people's help - some tend the fields, some maintain public order, some drive away wild beasts, some provide medical treatment, and so on."

"Transcendents possess power far surpassing ordinary people, but this power similarly relies on the foundational support provided by the entire social system framework."

"Yearning for an unconstrained life is a beautiful thing, but if you're swimming in a muddy, polluted ocean, you probably wouldn't be very happy either."

"I actually come from common origins myself. In my early years, studying was exceptionally difficult. Because I lacked money, I couldn't buy books or borrow them. Sometimes when I begged others, they would mock and hit me. Thinking back to those scenes still makes me somewhat sad." Scholar Hyde sighed and stopped walking.

"I actually understand quite well why Mick still went to the mountain alone today, so I don't want to blame him either."

"Everyone has their own circumstances. It's just that some people get used to their situation and forget to consider others' circumstances."

"I'm eighty-seven years old now, but even today I dare not say this world is filled with goodwill. I've also seen some former classmates and friends become twisted in character and completely changed while chasing after power."

"When they see me, they laugh and say I'm too weak-willed, which is why I've been stuck at that third-tier threshold, unable to break through for so long."

"I've seen too many people eventually go astray and lose themselves while chasing after certain things."

"Mick has fairly good talent, but this talent is far from sufficient to make him stand out among his classmates. His foundational knowledge is too poor, and if he single-mindedly pursues money and power without considering the consequences of his actions and choices, the final result will be going down the wrong path."

"In his current situation, I can't tell him not to worry, to slow down, and face things with patience and gravity."

"He probably has family members he values and an urgent desire to prove himself, as can be seen from him training until the latest every day before leaving the grounds."

"Yes, I'm already living a comfortable, affluent retired life, but his life is just beginning, so I can't use my mindset and thoughts to advise him."

"But I still think if this child doesn't go astray, he might have a decent future."

"Because I've had regrets that are hard to let go of, I particularly don't want to see similar things happen again."

"So, Tia, do you understand my thinking in having you help him now?"

"Your talent is very high, and you'll go to distant places in the future. But no matter how remarkable a person is, there are always many trivial matters and needs to fulfill."

"Having one more friend and trustworthy person is always good. Even when you're old later, you'll have someone to chat and reminisce with, hehehe."

"With your personality, if I didn't insist, you probably wouldn't proactively interact with those boys. I know you have no interest in romance, but you don't need to be too low-key either. Occasionally showing the liveliness and cuteness of a young girl would make me appreciate you more."

"Not just Mick, but several others like 'Ray' and a few other classmates - you could also try helping them sort out and answer their questions."

"This is how relationships between people work. And when you have many friends, even if you yourself don't have strong combat abilities, people around you won't easily bully you." Scholar Hyde was probably worried about Sylutia's insufficient social skills and that she might lack support on her future life path due to having too few friends.

After listening to this elderly man's lengthy explanation, Sylutia now understood his heartfelt intentions.

Friends, or rather companions to share harvests and joys with. Recalling her previous life, she indeed didn't have many friends, always accustomed to coming and going alone. She hadn't expected this old man to discern her personality and thoughts so quickly.

The connection of threads and strings, countless subtle accumulations, the Life Mother that changed the world - was she also destined to walk such a path?