He just received hope that his parents were still alive, yet before he could even rejoice, he learned he might not meet again.
[I told you to relax.]
As if having the opposite effect, Arlo's face grew paler instead.
] Haa, this boy is a handful.[
[The barrier surrounding this world is somewhat special as it is a spatial barrier. Unless you are very adept in space laws or you have reached a certain level of cultivation, you won't be able to leave this world.]
"So you mean I must be proficient in space laws or have a high cultivation base?"
[That's right.]
'I have not even awakened my innate trait so I can't rely on the first method since it's not sure my element affinity would be space. That leaves me with…'
"How high must my cultivation be?"
[You must reach the red core stage.]
"WHAT? That high?"
Arlo was left speechless.
'If I remember correctly, even the strongest masters in the village are red-core mages.'
'And I must reach that stage before ten years?'
A feeling of despair started to well up once more.
[Don't underestimate yourself, boy. You are monstrously talented so it might not even take you a year to reach that stage.]
"Hahaha!" Arlo laughed out, his voice tinged with mockery.
"How can I be talented when I couldn't even do anything to help my parents in times of danger? I am just some trash."
The old voice didn't respond to him but Arlo still continued with his words.
"I am tired of hearing that I am some sort of monstrous genius. Just who are you kidding?"
[Then let me ask you a question.]
"Huh?" Arlo was taken by surprise by the sudden reply but before he could say a thing, the voice continued:
[How old are you?]
"Seven," he answered subconsciously.
[Do you think any seven-year-old child can think as you do?]
"Huh? What do you mean?"
[I am sure you have noticed it too. From a very young age, you have always been smarter than your mates, and at your current age, your thought process even rivals that of an adult.]
Arlo was speechless, as he had always subconsciously tried to avoid thinking about this point. It always made him feel different from the others.
[You are different, boy, and you know it. Just wait until you awaken and you will realize just how heaven-defying your very existence is.]
"Sigh!" He couldn't renounce any of his words so he would just throw them at the back of his head for now.
"Speaking of which, I thought I fell inside water when I was teleported but I can't see anything of such now."
[...]
He looked around for a while before he picked a direction and started walking.
While walking, he continued to gaze at the saber marks at the back of his hands.
"So you really are the perverted old man."
[Watch your mouth brat.]
"Haha." he gave a dry chuckle as he recalled a certain memory.
Three years ago, the female masters of the village decided to have a joint bath at a spring near the village.
Around that time, his mates started awakening, so he was a bit downcast. Therefore, his mum decided to bring him to the spring.
Even though he was smart at that age already, he was still very pure at heart, so seeing some of the most beautiful women alive in their naked state didn't make him feel a thing. However, that could not be said about others as a voice resounded in his head at that time.
[WHOAAAAA! WHAT BEAUTIES. LOOK AT THESE WONDROUS ASSETS. ]
[HAHAHAHA. IT FINALLY PAID TO BE SEALED INSIDE THIS STINKY BRAT. ]
He was so scared that he almost shit himself. He wanted to ask his mum whether she heard the voice too, but to his surprise, his mum had already started to get undressed.
He subconsciously knew he had to leave, if not he would regret it so he quickly left the place.
The women however thought he was too shy to bathe with them, so they just laughed it off.
Since then no matter what he tried, he didn't hear the voice again, which made him think it was all his imagination.
…..
"So, I have been meaning to ask," Arlo spoke as walked. If an outsider saw him at the moment, they would think he was mentally ill. Soon, a forest appeared before him.
[Yes?]
"What the hell are you?"
There was a brief period of silence before a reply came...
[I am an artifact spirit.]