Assessing the Situation

'Um. Hey Linley. Are you going to explain anything at all about the current situation or are you just going to be vague?' Lin Feng asked.

"It doesn't matter at all in the long terms anyways. Just focus on getting stronger." Linley just shrugged his shoulders.

'Do I call you Linley or Lin Meng? Because I don't know which one is more appropriate. If you're not a Grandmist Controller, it makes things simpler in a way?' Lin Feng asked another question.

"I prefer Linley over Lin Meng due to my current state." Linley said vaguely.

'Why?' Lin Feng responded out of curiosity. After confirming that this Linley at least post Coiling Dragon story line.

"By the way, here's your body back." Linley said as they both suddenly swapped position.

Since Lin Feng was back in Linley Arthur's body. It was much simpler to now describe both current Linley Arthur as Linley or Linley A. while the other Linley can just be referred to as Linley B.

"So wait, do you know Qin Yu and the improved and complete Stellar Transformation technique?" Linley A. talked about the sequel to Coiling Dragon.

'Yeah. What of it? I can probably tell you the technique once you get your soul strong enough.' Linley B. said.

"Uh. If you're a walking god, what are you even doing here and why are you in me?" Linley asked because he has no idea why exactly is there a god-like main character inside him.

'Truth be told. You can refer to my main body as Lin Meng. While I myself is a soul fragment. That's why I prefer a different name to my main body. You can say I'm only here for one reason to begin with.' Linley B summarized.

Linley wasn't going to question Linley B.'s motivation. After all, it seems apparent that Linley B. has been heavily implying what he's trying to say already. Linley still didn't get it, but he felt there was more important things to ask.

"If you're just a soul fragment. Isn't possessing me and showing how powerful you are is a testament to your original strength? Why didn't you kick me out of this body or even just take this body for yourself?" Linley asked more questions.

Linley knew for sure even though Linley B. may seem like a cheating advantage. Linley B. could kill him anytime he pleases. If Linley was a scumbag, maybe Linley B. would made him disappear within just a thought.

'Possession has it's limits. Not for me, but for you. If people were to normally possess the weak, then it's natural for the weak to become part of the strong. For example when you first came into this world. For me, if I were to possess you again in a recent period of time, I might accidentally assimilate you to become apart of me. Possession is not something I desire nor is it something I need. Besides you were here first in this body. It'll be rude for a nice guy like me to kick you out.' Linley B. explained thoroughly.

"Uh. I don't mind becoming a part of you. That sounds actually cool." Linley thought. After all being one part of a real main character sounds pretty damn cool. That sounds better and way easier than being a mere reincarnate.

Slap!

Linley B. slap Linley with a thought. As Linley felt he got a smack on the cheeks that were apart of his face.

'Don't be irresponsible and try to gave your responsibilities on to me. You're at least a person with a possible future. Don't waste your own personal chances and opportunities that could make something out of yourself.' Linley B. reprimanded.

"Okay." Linley rubbed his cheeks after being slapped.

"Since you're just a soul fragment anyway? I assumed you want me to improve my soul but for what purpose? Will it help you obtain your goal?" Linley asked.

'Not really. It's just to help you grow stronger. I already long achieved my goal ten years ago in this very body. Now I have nothing else to do. Helping you is just a mere whim. Understand? It's not necessary for me at all to even help you. I don't even need you to begin with. Your life is not even linked with mine one bit at all.' Linley B. stated with an explanation that seems to create more questions than answers itself.

"I'm guessing that the improvement of my soul will allow you to help me more, but how?" Linley didn't get why. If Linley B. was so powerful, he could have just swaggered his way and can make Linley into a low level invincible main character.

'It's because due to possession or communicating with you. If I were to do either of this over a long enough period of time. I will probably accidentally assimilate you into me due to how weak your soul is.' Linley B. explained.

"I see. You're not giving me handouts I presumed. And there's a cool down and a time frame to how much you could help me." Linley said.

Linley has actually felt nothing different with his body ever since he just recently required his body after being possessed. He felt there was no real changes to his body one bit at all.

'Indeed it is like you said. Why would I gave immense power to a child? It's like giving babies the power to lift mountains and tear the heavens. You need to learn and earn your abilities. Not be given them all of a sudden. Hard work should be rewarded after all.' Linley B. said.

"Helping me now is just a one time thing? Or is it an eventual possibility. Because I need to know if I can still rely on you at rare moments." Linley asked the most important question that he thought it was.

'There's at least a ten year interval that I recommend waiting before each possession. You can say due to current state even communicating too long with you would cause the possible assimilation to occur.' Linley B. said.

"So I'm not getting the full explanation or info dump right now. But I have to wait for it in the future when I'm strong enough in term of soul?" Linley asked.

'Yeah. That summarized this very simply.' Linley B. agreed.

"So what now? Do we continue the explanation? Or are we going to do something else?" Linley asked.

"We're done for now and now follow my guidance I'm about to tell you." Linley B. changed the topic.

Linley was at the top of the airship. Now that Linley B. was pointing and telling him directions on how to navigate through the airship.

Eventually Linley reached the captain's cabin he supposed it was. Linley didn't know whether to classified it as the cockpit, pilot house, helm station, bridge or wheel house. After all, he didn't know whether or not this airship is considered as a boat or some type of plane.

Linley came to the sight of Melarue, his elf maid, who was just laying on some seats. There was a familiar knight who was unconscious and was on the ground passed out. If Linley remembered correctly this was Ark. Then he came to sight of another Linley sat in a chair messing with a bunch of levers and steering wheel and he was also pressing buttons here and there.

'This is just my wind doppelganger or clone technique whatever. He has been piloting the ship and was taking our group to our intended destination I presumed. While the fighting and our discussion had been going on.' Linley B. elaborated.

"You don't know what your clone is thinking or even doing. Isn't it a part of you and can mentally communicate with you at will?" Linley asked suddenly as he felt confused.

'I wasn't paying attention. Why would I waste my time and thoughts on something so minor?' Linley B. responded.

"..." Linley felt speechless at this person who lived in his body.

"Anyways, is the wind doppelganger going to accompany us? Like going to protect us and act like a guardian for us? Or is it just going to disappear?" Linley asked hoping that he had a shield now.

'You already know the answer to those questions. You definitely know I don't take care of children.' Linley B. responded casually.

"..." Linley felt speechless again at this person who lived in his body.

Linley mentally blamed IET for making such an irresponsible main character in the first place.

'Looks like the time limit is approaching. My wind doppelganger will disperse soon while I will go to sleep for like ten years. Take care of yourself and remember to be low-key and don't attract too much attention. Be safe and grow strong.' Linley B. said his farewell.

"Wait. I don't even know what to do?" Linley asked.

'Just follow your own heart and may your heart be your guiding key.' Linley B. advised with wisdom.

"Was that a Kingdom Hearts reference?!" Linley felt disturbed about a Xianxia main character that can make references.

If Linley remembered right Linley B. is antisocial and is a training maniac. In Stellar Transformation, he becomes a casual person but Linley can't even possibly fathom that Linley B. was this much of a casual.

'Huh, what's Kingdom Hearts? I was just paraphrasing a Daoist Immortal's words without talking about the Dao itself.' Linley B. doesn't even know what video games are after all.

'Never mind about of any of this anymore. I'm going to sleep now. See you in ten years. Like I said ten years. Have a fun journey.' Linley B. spoke his last words.

"But Linley. Linley! I don't even know what's my heart telling me. I'm not that strong whether mentally or physically." Linley said.

Linley B. that was in him didn't respond back.

"Kid. It's a philosophy. Mere words and ideals. Not an actual action to do." Linley B.'s Wind Doppelganger spoke.

"Wait a moment. You can talk without Linley B.'s main input! I thought you two was connected?!" Linley reacted in shock.

"Depends on the user's will or intentions. It's not that complicated as you imagine." The Wind Doppelganger stated.

"Alright, I think we arrived at our destination already." The Wind Doppelganger stated.

"That's fast. I assumed it was going to take awhile." Linley said.

"I used the Profound Truths to make the airship to go faster. Simple as that." The Wind Doppelganger explained.

"Wait a minute. If you can use Profound Truth and be independent from your main body. Why don't you stay and help me out here?" Linley suggested.

"Like what the main body said. Just like him, I don't take of children as well." The Wind Doppelganger spoke.

"..." Linley felt speechless once more.

"Kid. I'm not going to repeat this. But listen here." The Wind Doppelganger spoke.

Linley stared at the Wind Doppelganger wondering what it was about to say.

"Up, down, left, right..." The Wind Doppelganger begin speaking as it begin tinkering around the mechanism that's piloting the airship. "... and that's how you pilot and land the airship. Understand?"

"No?" Linley felt lost and confused. "Aren't you piloting and landing the airship itself?"

"To the intended destination at the very least. But it's better to at least even now teach you to rely on yourself and not on me or my main body too much." The Wind Doppelganger elaborated.

"Uh. Can you please repeat the instructions once again?" Linley asked since he wasn't paying attention earlier.

"No. Life usually doesn't gave second chances so neither will I. If you still don't understand. Just do whatever as you pilot the airship. Something will happen eventually." The Wind Doppelganger spoke it's last words before it disappeared in a breeze of wind.

Linley stared at the area where the Wind Doppelganger dispersed and departed. Linley has to rely on his other cheat now.

'System. You at least paid attention and memorized the instructions right? Please dumb it down and help me pilot this airship.' Linley asked his own System.

[Host. The System wasn't paying attention either. The System was originally devoting all of it's processing power into progressing the meditation technique. The System assumed with the new host available, that the System was currently unneeded until commanded.]

'Can you at least scan my memories like you did with Linley Arthur?' Linley asked in hope.

[Host. The System does not work that way. The System usually absorbed information the Host acquires. If the Host does not give any information or memories to the System, then the System is helpless to even help one bit at all when it comes to this situation. It depends on the data that can be acquired.]

'Can you analyze my recent memory then?' Linley asked.

[No. The System wasn't recording then and there and the Host doesn't even remember. Therefore the System is unable to help in this predicament.]

'Fuck! Even though I was just told on how to pilot the airship, I still can't pilot the damn thing.' Linley ranted in his thoughts.

[Yes Host. It is exactly as you said. The System recommend the Host to seek guidance through an available source of information such as an instructor or a book.]

"Screw off System. You and your exploits here and there." Linley went and sat down in the cockpit anyways.

Linley knew for sure that Melarue probably doesn't even know how to pilot this airship. Ark maybe could, but Linley wasn't going to take the chances of waking up a masochistic pervert even if he did joined his party when Linley was unconscious.

It was time for Linley Arthur to pray and hope to rely on plot armor and convenience from the setting itself to help Linley fly this airship.

"I wonder what does this do?" Linley started pulling random levers and pressed a bunch of buttons.