Unlike Ursel, there was no challenge to a duel from Tirto. He was a more reasonable sort, after all. He just asked a simple question. "Do you think you are good for each other?"

The words might not have been the same, but John was of course reminded of the circumstances around Tirto, Emilia, and Verusha. Ultimately, John found things had worked out well. Emilia didn't end up as advanced in cultivation as Verusha, but she was quite happy with Harta Mulyani. John did wish he could see her more often- she was family through marriage and the close ties John had with Lucanus and Yustina. However, the biggest opportunity to see people in person lately had been the war, which wasn't particularly optimal.

John couldn't help but smile as he thought about Astrid, standing a polite distance away down the ship corridor and at least pretending not to listen in. "I do think so. Otherwise it wouldn't have gotten to this point. I do have some self awareness."

"Then, I see no reason you shouldn't," Tirto said. "I don't believe mother would want you to stay alone. She would wish for you to be as happy as possible. And if I'd heard anything objectionable about Astrid, it would have already come up."

That was one and a half approvals secured, then. John fully believed Ursel would approve once Astrid matched against her- though she was trying to reach the Ascending Soul Phase first. It wouldn't be an even match even then, but that wasn't really the point.

As John strode over towards Astrid, she looked at him curiously. "Did he approve?"

"Why would he not have? Tirto is a solid kid."

"I'm pretty sure he's been a full man for several decades."

John was about to say that she would understand once she had children… but currently, the plan was very specifically not to do that. Creating a lineage of his own within the Six Elements Crossroads might not be the best for the sect. With everything vying for his attention, he also doubted they would be able to provide the attention their children deserved. Even the triplets probably didn't get as much love as they could have… though John and Matayal certainly tried.

"How's your cultivation going?" John said as he led them towards the upper decks of the ship. They were currently passing north of the Boiling Springs, the very beginning of their journey around the continent. The war with the Sovereign Primacy had concluded, but Abritt of the Sky Islands had decided to cause trouble for unknown reasons. From war to war they went, which was not how John envisioned a better future.

"I believe I have chosen my fifth totem," she said. "But now I am concerned about the viability of my others. I did not have the foresight to choose totems particularly suited to growth, and some will be at the third and fourth tier. Do you think that will harm my prospects for advancement?"

"I would invest extra time on those third tier totems. Perhaps you can see them in a new light and bolster them with flames of renewed life."

"... That would be easier with direct guidance," Astrid admitted.

John agreed, but they had reasons to avoid dual cultivation aside from political ones. John was far enough ahead into the Ascending Soul Phase that his help might actually damage her long term prospects, as she might miss some key insights on her own. If they had been growing together long term it would be quite a different perspective, but John was five ranks ahead- the forty-first compared to her thirty-sixth. He could drag her forward, but that might be the end of advancement for her.

She had sufficient talent to succeed. John believed so, and her relative age agreed. She was slightly older than when he made his first disastrous attempt to reach the Ascending Soul Phase, but even if she spent a few more years at her current rank she could take that last step before the age John was actually successful.

"I found the best option for me was to focus on how each totem fed into the others." John knew Astrid at least chose her totems synergistically- otherwise, she would likely have stagnated at an earlier rank. "Don't be afraid to tear things down to build them up better. Though… try not to do it with too much vigor. One piece at a time is best."

Astrid had two fire totems and two light totems. The fire totems were devoted to ignition and sustained conflagration, chosen alternately with the light totems that were based around sunlight growth and focusing light to intensify it.

Personally, John thought that the style might have done well with an earth totem in there- but it was a bit late and might require a fundamental shift in the methods of the Summer Sun Sect. A two element split was the simplest way to achieve the results they had, and relevantly didn't require reaching the Soul Expansion Phase to unlock their full potential.

"Shall I burn the fields?" Astrid asked. Her sect cultivated based around the firegrass that filled the fields around their home.

"Only if it would result in new growth," John pointed out. "How does firegrass normally spread?" From what he had seen, it only burned in sunlight- but it did not burn away.

"By the end of summer, it dries out. The central stalk splits, and seeds are revealed to be carried away by the winds."

"Perhaps instead of destruction, that should be your method. I incorporate the cycle of decay, but that doesn't mean it's suited for your own cultivation."

"I have no winds," Astrid admitted. "Nor any such spiritual energy."

"That, we can fix," John said as they arrived on deck. "You don't need a totem to control small amounts of other elements."

"Says you," Astrid commented. "You have totems of every element."

"Except light," John pointed out. "But I still carry plenty of that," he held up a hand, lights dancing around his fingers. It was nothing impressive to a mixed light cultivator like her, of course, but instead it was a simple reminder. "And I practiced each element significantly before attuning a totem."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Even darkness?" she asked.

"In various ways, yes." The original Fortkran had hurried into bonding with the Claws of Darkness, diving into the sea of spiritual totems repeatedly. In that manner, his talent wasn't bad- though he'd been a bit overzealous for his second totem and advancement to the Foundation Phase. "The second time I knew what I was doing."

"... Right," Astrid nodded. She already knew about his status as a Transmigrator, but that didn't mean it was at the forefront of her mind at every moment. "Was it… beneficial?"

"Absolutely. I learned so many things not to do. Even beyond cultivation," John explained. "Now then, it's time to catch you some wind."

He took her to the bow of the ship. Messing with wind currents there would have the least impact on their actual sails- and those bolstering the winds of their fleet. They weren't rushing, but it wasn't a time to casually sail either. Not with an Ascending Soul Phase cultivator causing havoc in allied territories.

But since John couldn't get the whole fleet there more efficiently, he was at least going to work on what he could. Which was mostly Astrid. He wanted her to be as successful as possible, and that didn't just mean advancing to the Ascending Soul Phase. Though… he would be crushed if she failed. That would almost inevitably mean death. A reversion of cultivation or permanent damage were some of the most 'pleasant' alternatives.

Was what he felt love? Certainly, the beginning of it- just like he and Matayal had built up their relationship one step at a time. In this case, it was entirely positive to be comparing Astrid to Matayal… even if it was always going to be a bit unfair. John had no doubt that he emphasized all the best parts of her in his memories, while he saw all of Astrid's flaws in front of him. Not that there were any serious flaws, or they wouldn't have gotten to their current point.

Astrid learned to catch the wind fairly easily, drawing in small amounts of air element mixed among the more prominent water and secondary fire elements of the region. She needed sufficient experience with external spiritual energy manipulation before she began messing around in her dantian, but as an allied element she shouldn't have any significant risks even if she made an immediate attempt. She simply might not make good progress.

The picture of her development in John's mind was not growing a single towering tree of darkness, but an expanding field of firegrass. No individual stalk had to be large or impressive to improve the power of her totems. He had various ideas to try out regarding growth rate. Merely advancing her totems to the fourth tier or close to it should be sufficient. A small imbalance was fine, and some cultivators got by with totems that barely improved at all, relying instead on reaching deeper depths for new totems. Though in such cases, if they let any totem get too far behind they might find them solidified, barely able to grow.

Or so John's studies had said. He hadn't experienced that himself, and the majority of his friends also grew their totems efficiently. Though, Renato had mentioned certain flaws of that sort in his previous life. Thus his renewed focus in his second life. Not everyone got a second chance. At least, not everyone realized it.

It was quite possible that everyone did reincarnate. Perhaps even expected- it was simply that the norm was doing so without any memories of a previous life. John didn't know what made him special in that regard, and perhaps it didn't matter.

-----

"How's your swimming?" John asked Astrid as they passed the Shining Coast. They would be stopping for supplies briefly before continuing the journey.

"I can… swim."

"Oh, that's right. You grew up in the Sunfields." A landlocked country with few lakes and rivers. "Want to learn?"

"I know how!" Astrid complained.

"Good," John said, taking her by the hands… and then leaping into the ocean.

This was perhaps the most unfair mental comparison he had ever made to Matayal… but he found that to be a good thing. Her practical flailing in the water was anything but the elegant movements of an experienced swimmer. She did augment her movement with light element, but… it was still pretty bad.

Astrid stopped on a small sandbar ahead of John. "See? I swim just fine."

John searched for just the right words to be teasing but not fully insulting. "You're like a newborn duck." He looked around. "I'll race you."

"Oh, sure. Mister water element is going to challenge me to a swimming competition."

"I'll use only light and fire."

"Fine, you're on!"

Astrid wasn't overly competitive, but she did like to win. When something seemed to be to her advantage, how could she refuse?

The problem was that John had seen her. Even if he was using less than a third of his own spiritual energy, he would vastly overpower her- because he knew she would be using only half.

Astrid used only light element to support her. Any spiritual energy could guide the body and enhance movements. There was no issue there, but for swimming light had no particular benefits.

That left John with his small amount of light element and a greater amount of fire element that was on the losing side of the elemental battle. But he had two advantages. First, he knew how to manipulate fire element to support water, controlling it externally and supporting his own movements. And of course, the biggest factor… he knew how to swim.

John let Astrid pull ahead, not to puff up her confidence but to provide room for him to route around her without disturbing her swimming. There would be a time for interference in competition, but this wasn't one.

Long strokes took him in an arc around the splashing wake of Astrid. It was really unfair to olympic swimmers, but a Consolidated Soul Phase cultivator could outpace them rather trivially. Even one who was… clearly not an experienced swimmer. In fact, Astrid could have likely done the same at the Foundation Phase- that was the power of spiritual energy.

And any decent water cultivator in the early Spiritual Collection Phase. The fact that some olympic swimmers would keep up with those with even some amount of supernatural power was already a testament to their training. But at some point, the limits of the human body were reached. At least, without advanced body tempering- which made use of spiritual energy and other supernatural forces.

"We're going to need to teach you proper form," John said from where he was sitting in front of Astrid's destination.

"Is it that important? I could just run on the surface of the water."

"You're gonna beat Carl like that, huh?" John raised an eyebrow. "I think not."

Then again, Astrid wasn't likely to defeat the leviathan youth around the water regardless. But being able to swim well would improve her survival odds in the water long enough to get out of it. Potentially.

Astrid looked mortified to have a weakness exposed. John was very much enjoying it. And he was never going to mention aloud how much better Matayal was at swimming, even if she brought it up.

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