A Man Or A Woman?

Near the peak of Bilder Mountains edge.

There was a figure of a very suspicious looking old man who seemed to be very fit due to his straight back but his actions and choices of words were very disturbing indeed.

With narrowed eyes and a grin on his old shriveled up face he was exposing his sparkling white teeths or more precisely they looked a bit translucent like crystals.

At the same time his right hand was holding a very long spyglass that was shimmering with an azure glow once in a while but it wasn't the whole spyglass that was glowing but very minute characters of runes that were naked to the visible eye.

Truly, if this man had a tricorne hat on his head and was currently sailing on the sea with a ship with skull flag, everyone would recognize him; thief; sea thief; a pirate.

This is none other than WeiZhe in his get up to fool others of his identity, but the problem is he does not look like a badass pirate of the seven seas neither does he look like an innocent old herb picker.

More like, he resembles a experienced old pervert who is spying on a group of thirty-to-forty younglings while murmuring something along the lines like, "Good." "Keep going!" "Let me see some more!" "Don't you dare stop!".

As WeiZhe kept going on with his odd behaviour and choices of words he watched as that group of mages went near the city wall slowly but surely.

Near the city walls.

As the group kept on walking on foot toward the city walls Sophia got goosebumps all over her body and so did Michel after her a moment later.

"Hey guys I feel like something is watching me", said Sophia a moment later when she felt like that feeling of being watched disappeared.

"What nonsense," said Ross immediately after mockingly,"Who wouldn't be watching you when you basically have no proper manner."

It seemed Ross had a subtle meaning behind his tone and almost all males there understood it beside the dense Michel who is obsessed with power and strength.

And the females glared at him with contemptuous looks, from the looks of it even the calm and stable Sophia was about to erupt if no one did something about Ross's remarks.

But thankfully someone did, "Ross what are you saying, I get you two don't get along but solve your personal matters in private. Got it!", said Michel with a stern and disappointed voice.

Although Ross wasn't Michel's relative or anything but their families had business agreement with each other so he had to take care of him even though he too was disgusted by his antics.

Although Michel was dense when it came to emotional matters he wouldn't have become the Captain of the group if he wasn't smart and resourceful.

As though fearing Michel, Ross didn't continue with his jeering and mocking which also calmed down Sophia.

Sophia shot a grateful and charming smile towards Michel and said, "Thanks alot."

"No need for thanks," said Michel with a nod, "We are friends and comrades in arms."

While this exchange happened no one noticed that a ghost like shadow was trailing them from their behinds and secretly eavesdropping on their convestraion.

If someone looked at this figure when it was still they would realize that it was just a spirit of something, but if someone had a method to discern this spirits true from they would see a face of a youth with characteristics of a old man.

This spirit was WeiZhe in his spirit form, he used a secret spell of the Ghost clan to separate a part of his soul and pouring his mana into it he gave life to his separated soul.

Using this spirit form WeiZhe was able to spy and eavesdrop on them from the edge of the top of the mountain.

And that spyglass that he is still holding in his right hand and keeping it hovering near his right eye WeiZhe was able to see what the spirit form was seeing and hearing through it in real time.

Awhile later when the group of mages reached city walls someone patrolling there noticed them and motioned them to enter through the gates.

Michel as dense in emotional matters as he was, was completely opposite in intellectual matters so he didn't require much to get the hint, "Alright let's enter through the checking gates. We won't be pestered by their rigorous checking as long as everyone has their identifications on them."

As Michels words died down everyone nodded vigorously to show their approval especially Ross who seemed a bit scared albeit no one in the group knows why.

WeiZhe kept on observing them from a distance with spirit form when he finally saw what he wanted to see and know.

What he saw was the method to enter the city through the gates without being exposed that he had a disguise on.

After he saw the method clearly he decided to copy that method, he shook his right arm and many things came out of the spatial storage device that looked like a bracelet.

He fiddled with many things and cast many spells quickly one after another and finally stopped shortly after he started.

20 seconds. It took him only 20 seconds and he had created a fake pass which would allow him to enter the city through the front gate.

If the person who designed the city's checking system heard of this he would spurt a mouthful of old blood and rise from his grave to grab WeiZhe leg while asking indignantly and rapidly a series of questions, "Why?! Can't you do something else? Why are you unnecessarily trying to create trouble? Aren't you a esteemed mage who stands at the apex?! Tell me why?!"

And to all these questions that poor designer would only get a nonchalant reply from WeiZhe, "Because it's more interesting like this."

After WeiZhe had made a fake identification for himself he quickly jumped down from the edge of the mountain and started walking rapidly towards the city walls gates.

As he approached there he realized that he might have not thought his plan.

As the saying goes 'Haste makes wastes', it would perfectly describe the situation WeiZhe has gotten himself into.

Yes he can make a fake identification in 20 seconds. Sure he can change his appearance and gender as he wishes but never did he think of that there would be a long queue awaiting him before entering the city.

Actually this did cross his mind and he could have scouted it with his spirit from earlier but he was too impatient and excited to break through the checking system to showcase his supremacy in term of arrays.

After all the checking system was nothing but complex arrays working together in synch.

After being in a daze for a while, WeiZhe was awaken from his stupor by someone else's high and cheerful voice, "Hey, gramps why don't you sell those herbs and plants to me!"

Turning his head towards the direction the voice was coming from WeiZhe noticed a big and burly middle-aged man waving his hands towards him.

WeiZhe didn't know whether he should cry or laugh seeing someone talk to him about selling some random grasses and weeds he plucked in the Bilder Mountain.

And the reason he wanted to laugh was because of the high pitched voice and the person who was talking as he couldn't wrap his mind around it how these two can be related.

After all normally big and muscular people usually have deep and heavy voices but this unexpected fellow has as high pitched voice as a screaming woman.

WeiZhe for a moment didn't know if he was talking to a man or a woman.

But as a experienced old monster, who has lived for so long that he can't even remember the time period he has been alive, he didn't show any of his thought on his face.

Calmly and steadily walking and looking towards the burly fellow for a short while with narrowed eyes, WeiZhe suddenly relaxed, smiled and said, "Say, do you know these herbs and plants that I have plucked."

The middle-aged man seemed to be prepared to hear such an question as he solemnly said, "Yes I have elder. If I'm not wrong these herbs and plants were plucked from the top of the Bilder Mountain, no?"

Hearing this the smile on WeiZhez face got thicker as he nodded and said sincerely, "You're indeed right young man. I did get them from Bilder Mountain."

The reason why his smile got thicker was because he almost couldn't hold in his laughter, although that middle-aged man tried talking seriously and solemnly it was very hard taking him seriously with that high pitched voice of his.

As the middle-aged man heard the word 'young man' he blushed a bit and showed an embarrassed expression as one of his companions laughed loudly and pointed at him while saying, "Never thought I would hear someone address Old Taylor as a 'young man' so sincerely... Hahaha!"

As one started rowing everyone else also got on the boat and started rowing as well.

"Truly Old Taylor... Haha... How come you have turned into a 'young man' these days? Care to explain?"

"This...", having no words to say to his battle comrades and drinking buddies the middle-age man who is apparently addressed by as Old Taylor could only turn his head towards WeiZhe and say, "Elder since you did pluck them yourselves you must have not been doing this regularly, right?"

WeiZhe who was smiling this entire time suddenly turned stiff as he though inwardly, "What? Was my disguise already exposed? Impossible! How could a young lad expose me?"

Sensing the changes in WeiZhez expression that middle-aged man quickly and loudly said, "Don't misunderstand me elder! I'm only guessing since some of those herbs and plants have not been properly stored."

Hearing this WeiZhez eyes glinted with astonishment for a moment as realization dawned upon him, "Indeed how could my disguise be exposed by a young lad. He must have some knowledge in alchemy since he could tell that I just hastily plucked these grasses and weeds."

The reason as for why he was surprised was because he could sense that this middle-aged man wasn't a mage as only mages dabble on alchemy and whatnot. As for how he knew he wasn't a mage was because there wasn't a shred of mana in that middle-aged man's body well at least not any purified mana that is. Instead there was something else; 'Sword Intent'.

In this magical and land of wonder and mysteries becoming a mage isn't the only path one can seek.

And 'Sword Intent' is also a type of way to get strong and powerful just like refining and ammasing mana. 'Sword Intent' can also be called as a type of aura that sword wielders have.

They get stronger by training with swords repeatedly and tempering their bodies into a sword, but being a magician is still more respectful and honorable as mages have more ways of earning a living.

While those who temper their bodies with 'Blade Intent', 'Sword Intent' or 'Archery Intent' just to name a few, can only strengthen their bodies although they do become powerful but what if a talented magician decides to also temper their body, at that time defeating body tempere's would become a child's play for magicians even though their level of attainment in body tempering might not be as high as genuine intent users.

"I indeed might have been a tad bit careless while plucking those herbs and plants," said WeiZhe a moment later, "But why are you interested in buying them from me if they have been mishandled?"

Hearing WeiZhez question the middle-age man showed a brights smile as he replied, "It's because I can smell that those herbs and plants are fresh and it hasn't been long since you plucked them, what I'm trying to say is that they can still be stored properly if done quickly and sold for a larger price."

Although WeiZhe already guessed why he wanted to buy them, hearing it coming from the middle-aged man he praised him inwardly.

"Since you want to buy my herbs and plants shouldn't you introduce yourselves first?", said WeiZhe after a moment of thinking.

"Haha. Of course elder. My name is Rick Taylor, friends call me Old Taylor.", said the middle-aged man with a laugh.

Hearing that high pitched laughter, WeiZhe cringed for a second before he replied with a smile, "Since Little Taylor has said his name I too should reciprocate by telling my name, WeiZhe no family name only WeiZhe."

Rick Taylor blushed heavily when he heard 'Little Taylor' and was also a bit angry due to his friends silent laughs but he smiled when he heard the rest of WeiZhez sentence.

Although WeiZhe didn't tell him that he would sell those herbs and plants to him but saying his name meant that he is at least willing to negotiate if nothing else.