Era of Mist

Chapter 242 -241: Wind of Freedom, Completely Accomplished

Before he knew it, the road came to an end in a small town.

Shi Tiexin stopped his bike, still craving more. The time felt too short, the road too brief. Today was the first time he’d truly experienced the joy of flying.

‘Hmm… Speaking of which, did I forget something?’

Shi Tiexin looked around. ‘Right, where’s Fujiwara Jizhen? Where’s the Car God?’

He waited a little longer before the sound of an engine reached him. A green figure sped over from the distance, then braked sharply to a halt.

With a SCREECH, the green Kawasaki came to a stop nearby. The rider’s face was a mask of dumbfounded disbelief.

Shi Tiexin, however, offered a kind smile. “You’re here.”

“I… I’m here.”

“Just getting here?”

“So sorry to keep you waiting!” the Fujiwara Car God roared, slamming down his green helmet.

“Where’s that delicious breakfast you were talking about?” ‘If I don’t remind you, how will you ever learn?’ Shi Tiexin decided to twist the knife. “You lost, so you’re treating me.”

‘Will you ever let it go?!’

The Car God was seething. “Fine, my treat…”

SWOOSH. A ray of golden light materialized from the void and shone upon Shi Tiexin. Feeling the same joy as getting a cash bonus, Shi Tiexin saw the award certificate he had just dipped into fill up once more. Looking at the certificate now felt like staring at a large-denomination banknote.

And, ‘Whoa, it was a lot of golden light this time—a full fifty points!’

His second award certificate was nearly half-full in an instant. The golden ripples shimmered with the feeling of a bountiful harvest, leaving Shi Tiexin both thrilled and regretful. He was thrilled because the Car God truly lived up to his name; he wasn’t like those other showy bitches in the rankings. This one guy gave more points than all the others combined.

‘But on the other hand,’ Shi Tiexin wondered, ‘what if I’d beaten him in the spotlight, under the watchful gaze of a huge crowd? I might’ve gotten even more points.’

After all, Fujiwara Jizhen was a master racer who had won first place in the All-Japan Professional Qualifiers. Fifty points was the same reward as tying for first place on the school-wide exams at Fengming First Middle School. How could the single best racer chosen from all of Japan, regardless of age, only be worth this much Celestial Golden Light?

Of course, due to the circumstances, Fujiwara Jizhen never actually took first place in the nationals. Perhaps that was why the Celestial Golden Light reward was so low.

“Let’s go. I’ll treat you to some rice balls.”

Five minutes later, Fujiwara Jizhen knocked on the door of a restaurant in town. It wasn’t even six o’clock yet; the restaurant hadn’t even prepared to open. But Fujiwara Jizhen was clearly a regular. The moment the owner saw him, he broke into a warm, respectful smile, eagerly showed the two to a table, and then immediately bustled off to the back kitchen.

The two of them began to wait for their food.

They were the only two in the entire restaurant.

The atmosphere grew quiet for a moment; after all, the two didn’t know each other well. But amid the quiet wait, Fujiwara Jizhen broke the silence. “I wasn’t mistaken. You truly are a pure rider. You’ve found the soul of racing.”

“Huh?”

‘What’s he talking about? Racing is just racing. Why is he adding all this cringey, over-the-top baggage to it?’

“You’ve never heard of it?” Fujiwara Jizhen looked earnestly into Shi Tiexin’s eyes. “Extreme training and exceptional talent can take you to the pinnacle of technical skill. But beyond that pinnacle exists a state that is mysterious and profound, a god-like state. That is the soul of racing—the legendary perfect driving technique.”

“I am currently at the pinnacle of technical skill. But you, Black Venerable, you have already found the soul of racing. That’s the only way you could have beaten me so easily.”

‘Perfect driving technique?’

A jolt went through Shi Tiexin.

‘Is this green-clad Car God talking about the Perfect Realm for driving? In other words… can people in this timeline actually achieve the Perfect Realm without the Celestial Golden Light?!’

‘If not, how would they even know such a level exists?’

To avoid any misunderstandings, Shi Tiexin looked to Fujiwara Jizhen for clarification. “If I may ask, what exactly is this ‘perfect driving technique’ you speak of?”

“I can’t describe it, but I can tell you how to achieve it. First, you need talent and aptitude. Then, you need persistence and dedication. You also need a great master’s guidance so you don’t go astray, plus an unwavering focus. But all of that will only get you to the limit. To truly break through that limit, you can only rely on one thing—love.”

“An unwavering, resolute love.”

“A pure love, untainted by anything else.”

“Only that can allow a person to surpass their limits.”

“I suppose that principle holds true in any field.”

The rice balls were served. There were only six of them, steaming hot.

‘Treating someone to just rice balls is pretty stingy. Looks like this green-clad Car God is really short on cash.’

“Don’t eat just yet. I’ll take you somewhere nice.” Fujiwara Jizhen stood up, taking the rice balls with him. The two rode off together and soon arrived at a small, nearby hill.

Looking down from the hillside, they saw a valley bathed in the morning sun. Wildflowers bloomed riotously, and patches of wild cherry blossoms dotted the landscape. A mountain breeze rustled by, making the petals dance and carrying their sweet, refreshing fragrance.

“What do you think?” Fujiwara Jizhen asked with a hint of pride. “My Land of the Rising Sun… isn’t it beautiful?”

“It truly is a beautiful place.” Shi Tiexin’s expression softened as he gazed at the scenery. Then he turned back to Fujiwara Jizhen and asked curiously, “What you said just now about the soul of racing… it sounds like there’s something to it.”

He was beginning to believe that what Fujiwara Jizhen was describing really was the Perfect Realm.

“Of course. I’m not just spouting nonsense. Because I… I once had my own soul of racing, too!” A light shone in Fujiwara Jizhen’s eyes, but just as quickly, it dimmed. “It’s just a pity… I can’t find it anymore…”

Fujiwara Jizhen’s expression was subtle, but you could feel his dejection. At that moment, he looked as lost and forlorn as an Akita that couldn’t find its way home.

Shi Tiexin couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He offered a word of comfort, “My win today wasn’t exactly fair. The route you chose was wide and sweeping, which played to my bike’s strengths. It wasn’t a matter of your skill.”

“No. A bike’s performance is a crucial part of racing. There’s nothing more to say about it. Strong is strong, and weak is weak. I can see what realm you’re in, so of course you won.” Fujiwara Jizhen took a deep breath, steeling himself, and looked at Shi Tiexin earnestly. “By the way, I’m curious. What’s your soul of racing like?”

“Hmm?”

‘What’s it like? How do I even explain this… It’s like a small, not-so-bright star. And by the way, I also have a soul of math, a soul of physics, and so on. They all look the same.’

Fujiwara Jizhen pressed on. “Let me rephrase. What was the dream that got you into racing in the first place?”

Shi Tiexin pondered for a moment before answering seriously, “Because I dream of a day when there is no place within my sight that I cannot reach. Freedom. That is my dream.”

“Freedom? That’s a magnificent dream. Have you achieved it?”

“In the philosophical sense, I’m still a long way off. But in this very moment—” Shi Tiexin looked out at the sea of flowers covering the mountainside and suddenly broke into a radiant smile. “Yes. I already have.”

TING-A-LING-LING. A sound as pleasant as wind chimes echoed in his soul.

[Mandate Mission 1: Wind of Freedom, Completed.]