《Data-Driven Daoist》 Chapter 1: Death Is a Dog Chapter 1: Death Is a Dog The boy¡¯s corpse mmed against the carriage wheel. And in that lifeless body, Johan snapped awake. A hooded figure loomed six feet away. With a sickening squelch, he wrenched a spear from the remains of a woman. Inside the carriage, the wails of an infant cut off abruptly, reced by the wet, meaty sounds of tearing flesh. Level 0 Heavenly Allocation: Mind, Body, Spirit. ¡°You¡¯ve awakened your spirit root.¡± The killer¡¯s head turned, now directly facing Johan. A fallen torch illuminated his silhouette in the night, casting a long shadow. His grey eyes reflected the orange afterglow, the rest of his face covered by a buffalo skull-shaped bone mask under the hood. ¡°I see now.¡± He grasped towards Johan as if beckoning a child, and the mshell pendant around his neck snapped free. It floated through the air andnded on the man¡¯s outstretched palm. ¡°You¡¯ll make a fine servant to our n.¡± Johan¡¯s knee wobbled, and he copsed, retching out his dinner. He had been in Taiwan just a minute ago, visiting a secluded shrine up in the mountains, when a green meteor fell from the sky, sting him¡ª¡°Halt, evildoer!¡± A voice shouted from above. There was a sh of red light, followed by an explosion where the murderer stood. The hot air singed Johan¡¯s skin, and his ears rang, deafened by the st. Despite it, Johan kept his teary eyes open. ¡°You court death,¡± the hooded man said, and his gnarled spear cut through the dust screen, piercing at the levitating figure of a young man in white robes. The young man deflected the spear but was pushed back with a grunt. The hooded man scoffed, unaffected by the explosion. ¡°Merely a Mid Qi Gathering whelp, yet daring to challenge me.¡± He stomped on the ground, blowing up more dust and dirt, and threw his spear towards the young man. Then he bolted in the opposite direction. The carriage behind Johan shook, and dark shadows leapt out before joining the hooded man. ¡°This cowardly¡ª¡± The young man cut at the spear, red light covering the edge of his sword. But as the two weapons collided, the spear exploded into a cloud of miasma. ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s going on?¡± Johan said, jaws agape, the pungent vomit clinging to his shirt. No one replied. ¡°You shall not escape!¡± A red light cleaved through the cloud of miasma, and the young man leapt out, chasing after the hooded man with the speed of a motorcycle. Johan was left alone in a fieldden with the corpses of his loving family. No. Not Johan¡¯s. But Yu Han¡¯s. That was his name in this life. And with the name, eighteen years¡¯ worth of memories assaulted his brain. His eyes rolled up, his consciousness drowning in the dark. *** When he came to, his mouth was filled with the taste of bile and earthy, powdery dirt. Yu Han coughed, gagged, then spat out blood and mud. The stench of vomit assaulted his nose, mixed with the odour of human cadavers. ¡°Yu Han. Johan. Yu Han. Johan. Who the hell am I?¡± Two entries for the same variable¡ªsomething that should have been a global constant. Yu Han, an unfamiliar moniker that felt like home. He had lived the past eighteen years as this fat kid, the youngest son of a couple that owned a diner. A kid who was loved deeply, and who knew how to love back. Na?ve Yu Han wore his heart on his sleeve. But he was also Johan, a formerputer scientist turned consultant at Nexus Assurance Auditors. A sessful executive with millions in the bank. To his ex, he was nothing but a narcissistic psychopath, iming the only thing he loved more than his abs were his spreadsheets. His siblings called him a scoundrel. He received no invites to any birthdays. Ever. He had no one to join him on his first vacation in years. It stung more than he let on. If not for his dad, the only person who saw past his indifferent exterior and acknowledged the awkward kid inside, he would have truly been alone. Johan cared¡ªhe just didn¡¯t know how to show it. And when he did show it, he always got burnt. His father told him his way of loving was too cold, too calcted for others to understand. That was why no one ever reciprocated it. That was why Johan learned to bury that love deep inside. He learned how to stop caring. How to be selfish and ruthless. And because of that, he was sessful. He could have it all¡ªcontrol, money, women. At the cost of everything else. He was alone until the very end, praying to a nameless god in that nameless shrine. Did he inhale some psychedelic fumes in the Taiwanese forest? Thend god¡¯s shrine was pretty mouldy, after all. Would that be enough to give him such a realistic acid trip? Or was he abducted by apetitor? Perhaps they trapped him in a hyper-realistic virtual reality simtion. He did scrap a proposal by one virtual reality gamingb recently; they had wanted to test their helmet on humans, with Nexus Assurance Auditors¡¯ name behind the trials. Idiots, the lot of them. He had said so to their face. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Did they kidnap him? Was he now the human test subject? Or was it aliens? Were they behind that green meteor? A UFO? A scraping sound snapped Yu Han out of his reverie. Half of his being screamed at him to ept this current reality, while the other half cursed. And the pain that tore his heart¡­ It was the same as when his mum, Johan¡¯s mother, had passed away after an abrupt heart attack. ¡°Mother¡­ Father¡­ Brother.¡± Their corpses remained silent. Yu Han felt his face dampen with tears. ¡°Why the hell am I crying? These¡­ these are Yu Han¡¯s emotions! Not mine. I-I am Johan!¡± Johan didn¡¯t cry. Not because he didn¡¯t feel, but because crying was unmanly. A weakness. He had to be strong, even if his feelings begged to be expressed. But under Yu Han¡¯s gasps for breath, Johan¡¯s cultivated indifference crumbled. Two lifetimes juxtaposed like a kaleidoscope. Johan and Yu Han assimted, and all that remained was confusion. One fact was for sure: The pain of loss was just as much Johan¡¯s, because now he was Yu Han. ¡°Why¡­¡± The hooded man had been standing in the middle of the road with a bunch of dogs on a leash. Yu Han¡¯s elder brother had hailed the fellow traveller from the carriage¡¯s bench. They were close to their home city, and it was only polite to greet a fellow journeyer. What followed was a massacre. ¡°Why was I the only survivor¡­?¡± Yu Han muffled his scream, biting into his arm. Both his lives had been upended in a single day. Yu Han trudged over to the cart behind the carriage. The mule that pulled it was dead. His father sat on the driver¡¯s bench, head dangling to the side, a ck hole piercing his forehead. Yu Han dragged his heavy legs to the carriage next. The horse didn¡¯t have a head. His brother had fallen off the driver¡¯s bench. He would never get up again. The door was ajar. Blood leaked out like tar. He looked inside. The carriage coach wasrge, built big enough to seat Yu Han alongside his family. The torso of his sister-inw had been chewed through by those vile creatures, and the baby, Yu Han¡¯s niece, was in her embrace even as death took them both¡ª The scraping sound returned. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Yu Han shouted. No reply came. He searched for the source in the moonlight. One lone torch hung alight from the carriage wall. The others had gone out. They had been on their way back from a small fishing vige up north; the cart was full of dried seaweed, cured fish, and fermented freshwater shrimp in y jars full of preservative liquid. Father had a sword, Yu Han remembered, and he sprinted back to the cart, taking the crude iron sword from his father¡¯s belt. ¡°¡­Father.¡± The weapon was heavy. Unlike Johan, who had chiselled abs, Yu Han was a pampered youngest son. He weighed over a hundred and sixty kilograms, with pudgy hands and stumpy feet. He lifted the sword, its feeling unfamiliar. Could he even swing it? He tried once, but his hands shook. The sword hit the side of the cart with surprising force. Two jars of fermented shrimp rolled out, each the size of Yu Han¡¯s head ¡°Oh shit!¡± Yu Han panicked, but the jars didn¡¯t break. The ground was soft. He dropped the sword and picked one jar up, then returned it to the cart. These were valuablemodities. He picked up the second jar next. The lid was loose. It barely stayed on, but there was ayer of thick cloth under the lid, so nothing escaped. That was good. If the cloth was removed, they would have to eat the fermented shrimp within a few days, or they would spoil. When they got back home, they¡¯d sell these for a good price. When we got back home¡­? Who would sell it? No one. Yu Han wiped his tears. He was being such a sissy. That was when he noticed the beast. A creature slogged out from the nearby woods. It looked like a ck dog, about the size of an adult German Shepherd. It bled from the many scars on its body. Its eyes were covered with a ck cloth bearing the Chinese character for "suppress" in dripping blood-like strokes. It was thin, as if it had starved for months, ribs poking out and fanged maw dripping with drool. One of those monsters the hooded man hadmanded. The things that had killed the mule, the horse, Yu Han¡¯s sister-inw, and his niece. The dog-like creature growled, snout low as it sniffed the ground left and right. It made no attempt to get the ck cloth off its eyes. Was it blind? Yu Han gulped and took a step back. The ground was rocky underfoot. No reaction. Good. The creature was upwind. Did it rely more on scent than sound? The trees were too far. There was a possibility of tripping if he sprinted. Nowhere to hide. I have to hide. Move against the wind¡ªthe carriage! A second step, as lightly as he could. Hard, considering his mass. Sweat dripped down his chin, his cor and armpits damp. God, why do fat people sweat so much? Third step. The creature perked up. It pointed its snout at Yu Han. Stop when it perks, step when it sniffs. The creature sniffed, moving towards Yu Han¡¯s mother¡¯s corpse. Fourth step. Yu Han stepped on a twig. The sound was soft, but it was as though a crack of thunder had echoed throughout the universe. The creature paused, this time directly facing Yu Han. It growled, then barrelled forward with a monstrous bark. Yu Han threw the vat lid towards the creature and scurried for the carriage, almost falling. Through the corner of his eye, he saw the lid miss by a mile, swivelling in the air like a frisbee. But the creature jumped at the lid, biting it with its maw of serrated fangs, like a dog ying fetch. The creature¡¯s unexpected distraction gave Yu Han just enough time to reach the carriage. Crunch! A loud howl broke the night sky as the creature crushed the vat lid. Yu Han climbed in, then shut the carriage door. He blocked it with hisrge body, feet pressing against the floor for support. Just in time, as something heavy crashed against the door from outside. Once. Twice. Thrice. ¡°Oof!¡± Thank God it didn¡¯t think to jump in through the window. The creature snarled, continuing its assault. It was a nightmarish sound, like rocks grinding against each other. What do I do? Think! What does the data say? Yu Han¡¯s mind raced, instinctively categorising each observable feature. Canine, blindfolded¡ªpossibly blind. Scarred¡ªhigh pain tolerance? Sniffing the air¡ªrelies on scent! Possibly hypersensitive olfactory receptors, and I have a jar of fermented shrimp! The door cracked. Yu Han counted the seconds between each ram. Bam! Bam! About seven seconds. Did it take some distance before charging? The door cracked again. Now! Yu Han moved to the side, flipping the lock. He held the jar above his head, moving what distance he could from the door. Three seconds. Yu Han kicked at the door. It flung open, exposing the creature mid-charge. It leapt inside the carriage with a yelp, crashing on the opposite wall just under the window. Yu Han smashed the jar on its head before it got up. The jar broke, the fermented shrimp and liquid sshing out. The creature cried like a kicked puppy; the sound was so loud that Yu Han felt it in his bones. Then it erupted into violent sneezing, wing frantically at its snout as it thrashed in the liquid. Yu Han lunged from the carriage, shutting the door behind him. His trembling hands, slick with blood, snatched up thest torch. The heat seared his face as he thrust the mes against the carriage. Inside, the snarls grew louder, more frenzied. The fire refused to catch. Yu Han¡¯s blood ran cold. Was the wood too dense? Treated to repel mes? Every second, the carriage quaked with thunderous thumps. The door held. But for how long? The beast, though still reeling from the olfactory assault, was regaining its senses fast. Suddenly, a splintering crack pierced the air as a hole burst through the door. The creature''s head rammed through, maw snapping wide. Chapter 2: Fat Fury Chapter 2: Fat Fury The carriage exploded with a bone-rattling sneeze, and the creature¡¯s head flung back inside. ¡°Come on! Work, damn it!¡± The mes danced mockingly, licking the carriage without effect. The creature¡¯s thrashing reached a mad crescendo, and the splintering cracks of wood hammered Yu Han¡¯s heart like a ticking time bomb. The carriage wasn¡¯t meant to imprison monstrous dogs with endless stamina. The thing would break out, and when it did, Yu Han was going to be its second dinner. He could feed it for ages, with hisrge bs of¡ª ¡°Fat!¡± He ran to the front of the carriage. There, the ceramic jar! It was under the driver¡¯s bench, affixed to the carriage with rope. It had the animal fat they used for cooking and lighting the torches! He took off his shirt and filled it withrd, creating a dangling bundle. The carriage shook like there was a hurricane inside. Yu Han was lucky the dog hadn¡¯t flung itself out the window by random chance. Yu Han lit a corner of the cloth bundle, then threw it through the window into the carriage. The creature perked up, then bit the bundle like a rottweiler. Animal fat spilled onto its face, which then touched the fire on the cloth¡¯s edge. A ze rose, like the wrath of an angry volcano.Yu Han scooped up more fat from the ceramic jar and threw it into the carriage, aiming at the dog. He couldn¡¯t see its full body, but the mes acted as a guide. ¡°Fish oil. We had some.¡± There was a supply in his father¡¯s cart. Yu Han sprinted to it, then rummaged through the cart¡¯s contents. He found three oil jars and one tung oil-filled hemp-cloth bag. He darted back to the carriage and threw the oil jars and the hemp cloth inside one after another. The creature bellowed like a berserker, its cries growing louder and louder. Soon, lines of red glowed in the space between the wooden boards of the carriage wall. ck smoke, thick and dense, swirled into the sky. It faded slightly to a heavy grey. The heat singed Yu Han¡¯s eyebrows. Before he knew it, his skin was covered in soot. He coughed, backing up far enough to escape the smoke and the aroma of burningcquers and treated textiles. The fire raged. It consumed the carriage. The beast. His sister-inw and niece. For an hour, then two. And then there was no more. Yu Han wiped the tears off his face, copsing on his back like a falling statue. A cloud of smoke blocked the sky. As it thinned, the stars were revealed. He searched for Ursa Major and Orion, but the heavens were foreign. Strange characters appeared in front of Yu Han¡¯s eyes. Demonic Taint Purified. Pure Qi Acquired: +110 Pure Qi: 110/110 Tribtion Ovee (Preemptive): [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] Yu Han reached through the vanishing characters with his pudgy, blistering hand. ¡°This has to be virtual reality,¡± he said, yawning. He wanted to sleep and never wake up. Out in the open, a wild beast might get him. Maybe another ¡°Tainted Entity¡± would appear. The hooded man hadmanded many of these mutts, after all. Did he have enough strength to fight back? A clopping sound from the distance attracted his attention. Yu Han mbered to his feet. Far away, a line of riders galloped his way on horses. They carried gs and were armoured. The gs looked familiar. Guards from the nearby Riversong Commandery City, his home in this life. Was he saved? Yu Han copsed again, his body failing him. Soon, a shadow covered the sky. The thin eyes of a city guard peered at Yu Han through an ornate helmet. ¡°By the Lotus King¡¯s mercy, what happened here?¡± asked the man. ¡°T-There was a man in a hood, he had these beasts, and they¡ª¡± ¡°Bi Suo Tou?¡± The guard¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s he babbling about?¡± he asked another guard. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s in shock,¡± was the reply. ¡°Can you not speak proper words, wretch? We can¡¯t understand you.¡± The first guard sounded annoyed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Han asked, taken aback by the unprompted insult. He heaved his entire weight against the ground and finally sat up. ¡°A strange text appeared, and it said that the dog was a demonic¡ª¡± ¡°The hell is a Dou Gu? Poor bloke¡¯s gone crazy,¡± the second guard interrupted. ¡°These bodies, they¡¯re your family, kid?¡± he asked as he hopped down from the horse and kicked Yu Han¡¯s mother¡¯s corpse. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, cruel bandits. Didn¡¯t even take the loot.¡± ¡°More for us. Hey, I recognise thisdy.¡± A third, bushy-bearded guard said. ¡°She¡¯s that proprietress from the¡ªthe¡ª¡± ¡°Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. Damn, they had good Writher and m Soup. Check if she¡¯s got any jewellery. I¡¯ll check over there.¡± The second guard walked over to the cart. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bushy Beard took out a knife and started stripping Yu Han¡¯s mother. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. What the hell were these guards doing? ¡°You filthy NPC! Get your dirty hands off her!¡± With a sudden burst of strength, Yu Han shot up. He dashed to Bushy Beard and grabbed him by his cor. ¡°You disrespec¡ªugh!¡± ¡°Stay down,rd-bucket.¡± Bushy Beard punched Yu Han in the gut. He fell to his knees, clutching his abdomen and coughing out blood as his vision swam. ¡°Commander, what do we do with him?¡± Bushy Beard asked the first guy. ¡°He¡¯s bbering shit. The shock must¡¯ve messed him up.¡± ¡°Take him. The City Lord might have use for him. The gangs were eyeing the river banks for a while; the Lord wants part of it,¡± themander ordered. ¡°Fifth, report back.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± said a voice. A guard galloped off the way they came. Yu Han opened his mouth, just as Bushy Beard¡¯s fist crashed into the side of his head. *** He woke up amidst the stripped corpses of his family. He was in the cart, now tied to one of the rider¡¯s horses. It was being used as a vehicle to bring the cadavers back. His father slept eternally on his left, and his mother pillowed his head on herp, just like she used to when he was a kid. Objects were strewn around, ¡°loot¡± they had deemed trash. His father¡¯s lucky charm, a green booklet¡ªa family heirloom written in unreadable words, like the shellfish m pendant the hooded man had stolen. The cart rocked. Yu Han put the booklet in his pocket. ¡°The fatty¡¯s awake,¡± a gruff voice said. There was a chorus ofughter. ¡°A silver¡¯s on me, he mumbles crap again.¡± Moreughter followed. With guards like these, who needs bandits? Yu Hany helpless, with no physical agency. So he worked his brain, the only thing he could do. I can understand these NPCs perfectly, but why can¡¯t they understand me? He closed his eyes and listened, trying to ignore the pain all over his body. ¡°The old wench from Plum Garden kicked the bucket. Which of the flowers do you think is gonna take over?¡± ¡°Maybe An Rong. She¡¯s currying favour with the City Lord¡¯s son, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Damn, the bastard?¡± ¡°No, the second proper one. But with how different he lookspared to the City Lord, some say he could also be a¡ª¡± ¡°If the Madam hears that, you can say goodbye to that promotion.¡± They gossiped like housewives. Plum Garden was the brothel near Yu Family¡¯s River Diner, and was also a riverside establishment. Yu Han had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Mind yournguage. The city¡¯s in sight,¡± the guardmander said. Language. Yu Han got it. He spoke English. The NPC dialogue was in Chinese, or somenguage that resembled it. A memory automatically surfaced. Yellow Tongue, it was called by the locals ¡°Bird,¡± Yu Han said as a swallow flew above. First in English. Then in Yellow Tongue. ¡°Bird.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Cat, dog, horse, man.¡± He switched back and forth between English and Yellow Tongue. ¡°The sky is blue. The wind is green. Dad, if you were in this world, would you still say humans are born kind? I couldn¡¯t live like you back on Earth. It cost me all my friends, my girlfriend, and your other sons and daughters. I didn¡¯t want that anymore. Being alone sucks ass, but I can¡¯t live like you here either. Not with these kinds of¡ª¡± ¡°Here¡¯s your silver,¡± a guard said, tossing a coin at Bushy Beard, who was sitting on the cart¡¯s bench. They reached the city an hour after sunrise. It was a bustling settlement enclosed by sturdy stone walls, shadowed by watchtowers at regr intervals. Merchants went in and out. Thatched roofs peered over the wall. That was the outer area where themon folks lived, a maze of narrow, winding alleys that snaked between tightly packed y and timber houses. The outer market square thrummed with activity, vendors shouting over the din as they hawked fish, herbs, and vibrant textiles to the early morning crowd. Smoke curled from street food stalls, mingling with the earthy scent of rain on cobblestones and the sharp tang of livestock. They passed by a small temple, hymns eachoing from inside apanied by the smoke of incense. Everyone made way for the imposing guards, whispering to each other. The reactions were so lifelike. ¡°Evil technology,¡± Yu Han muttered. No way they were NPCs. AI wasn¡¯t this advanced yet. He had really crossed over or something, like in the novels. That green meteor or the shrine had to be the culprit. Or was it the m ne? The cart stopped by Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. There was an ink painting on the sign board alongside the text. A man stirring a pot of seafood in a bamboo grove, mountains in the background. Yu Han had drawn it himself. Despite their obvious differences, Johan and Yu Han had one thing inmon¡ªart. Johan used to draw manga on his iPad in secret when he was a teenager, and Yu Han¡¯s parents had hoped he would be a learned man in the three Chinese schrly perfections¡ª calligraphy, poetry, and painting. Yu Han couldn¡¯t do the first two. Too stiff, too dull, too many words on paper. But with painting, he could let his imagination fly. When he painted that signboard, his old man cried. With a wobbly hand, Old Man Yu had managed to ink the name of the diner, scared he would ruin Yu Han¡¯s masterpiece. But the words ¡®Yu Family¡¯ were now covered up. The guards dragged him inside the house and his bad feeling came true. ¡°Oh my, young master,¡± someone said. ¡°To have gone mad from such a tragedy. We can¡¯t leave your family¡¯s legacy in a madman¡¯s hand, can we? City Lord, please, save this restaurant and all the people who work here.¡± It was the gods-damned head chef, the weaselly-eyed bastard. He kowtowed to a grey-eyed, well-dressed man in tiger robes and a gold pin through his topknot. They had given Yu Han a clean shirt, and nothing else. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± he said. ¡°This is my house¡ª¡± ¡°Shut your trap, fatass.¡± Bushy Beard kicked him in the guts. A waiter helped him up, a streetd that Elder Brother had once saved from drowning. At Yu Han¡¯s insistence, his family gave him a job, and they had been friends ever since. He was a full head taller than Yu Han, who was only about 5¡¯7¡±. Long ck hair, sharp eyes, a killer face. The only one here who didn¡¯t look at Yu Han like he should have died with his family. Something warmed in Yu Han¡¯s heart. Not everyone was an asshole. Maybe Dad was right. ¡°Thanks, Jie Tong.¡± ¡°We are a generous lord. Give the poor boy an allowance every month,¡± the City Lord said. A wiry man whispered to the City Lord, ¡°Do we bring the boy to the central square? The Lord Cultivator said that all under twenty-one must be gathered for the talent testing.¡± ¡°Surely he meant only children of nobility,¡± the City Lord said, beckoning the guards and the entourage to leave with him. ¡°Wee to the real world, chunky.¡± Bushy Beard smirked. ¡°Keep your head low.¡± Less than ten minutester, the head chef kicked Yu Han out of his own house. ¡°Take this coin. Eating and eating and eating. Shouldn¡¯t havee back.¡± ¡°We gave you a job. My father¡ª¡± He pped Yu Han across the face. ¡°Get out before I kick you out.¡± The other waiters rolled their sleeves in anticipation. They were all in this together. ¡°You all¡­¡± Yu Han fumed. Never in his two lives had he been stabbed in the back like this. Until now, he had been the one doing the backstabbing. ¡°Y-Young master, let¡¯s go,¡± Jie Tong said. ¡°You¡¯ll stay with me tonight. We can¡­ we can think from there.¡± ¡°Your sister won¡¯t mind?¡± Jie Tong shook his head. ¡°Jie Hua won¡¯t care.¡± They walked into the slums, past the streets, and reached Old Wang¡¯s Daughter¡¯s Cape by the river. ording to legend, she had been the greatest beauty in the city. But she had drowned herself here in grief after her man died in a war. The cape was named in her memory. The path was narrow, less than ten meters away from the water. The waves crashed on the beach, the sand uneven under Yu Han¡¯s feet. Nearby, leaves rustled on a lone por tree. A small shrine dedicated to the river god stood underneath. It was surrounded by weeds. Perhaps nobody had taken care of it in years. ¡°Do you know how to swim?¡± Yu Han asked. He didn¡¯t expect Jie Tong to live so close to the river. No answer came. The other boy halted, and Yu Han nearly stumbled into him. ¡°Jie Tong?¡± Yu Han said. Jie Tong was silent as he reached for his belt. Then he pulled out a dagger. Chapter 3: Escape Cardio Chapter 3: Escape Cardio ¡°Jie Tong, y-you¡ª¡± Yu Han stuttered as the other boy sprung forward, holding the de at waist level and stabbing upwards. The de rose with a silver sh. Before it could pierce Yu Han¡¯s jaw, he leapt back by sheer instinct. His fat body should not have had such agility, and Yu Han barely kept his bnce as the sand shifted. Jie Tong stabbed again from above. This time it hit, cutting into Yu Han¡¯s nose. Yu Han screamed, shoving Jie Tong away like a sumo-wrestler. The dagger left a gash, and blood trickled down to his lips. A metallic taste filled his mouth, but there was no pain. The push sent Jie Tong stumbling back. He tutted. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were this strong,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We took you in. We gave you a life!¡± Jie Tong spat out the herbs he had been chewing. He tossed the dagger up, then snatched it from mid-air. ¡°You didn¡¯t know I was from the Bloody Grass Gang, did you?¡± Jie Tong smiled. It looked exceptional on his handsome face. ¡°We have a deal with the head chef, you see.¡±¡°What deal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. You disappear, we get part of the restaurant¡¯s profits.¡± Yu Han shivered. Dad, you¡¯re wrong! His brother had saved a snake. ¡°Does Jie Hua know?¡± Yu Han asked. Jie Tong¡¯s twin sister was a kind soul, or so she had seemed. Yu Han knelt, his knee giving out, supporting his body with both palms on the sandy shore. Jie Tong frowned. Was that guilt? He threw the dagger up again, and this time when he snatched it, he was already charging at Yu Han. ¡°A dead man shouldn¡¯t speak!¡± Five metres. Three. The distance shrunk. Jie Tong swung the dagger, eyes wide. Yu Han dug his hands into the sand. The dagger came down. Yu Han flung the sand straight at Jie Tong¡¯s face. ¡°Arrrghhh!¡± Jie Tong howled, wing at his eyes. Yu Han¡¯s fist was waiting. It connected with Jie Tong¡¯s jaw. His head snapped back, but before Yu Han could throw another hook, Jie Tong iled the dagger blindly. Can I beat him? I can¡¯t even get close. Even if he did beat him, what would Yu Han do then? Kill him? Could he? ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Jie Tong snarled, hoisting the dagger in front of him with a shaky grip and rubbing his eye with his other hand. Yu Han mbered to his feet and stepped back, carrying fistfuls of sand. ¡°Get back here!¡± With bloodshot eyes, Jie Tong attacked again. He took out another smaller dagger and held it in a reversed grip. Yu Han hurled more sand. ¡°Arrrrgghhhh!¡± This time, Jie Tong iled even more wildly. Yu Han kept his distance. Any random strike from those des could be deadly, and he wasn¡¯t about to risk it. He would notst in a battle of attrition either; he was already wheezing as though he had done a marathon. And Jie Tong, even partially blinded now, would recover soon. His iling looked random, but it blocked Yu Han¡¯s advance in a skillful manner. The guy might have training in self-defence. Think, Johan. What can you do? The sound of the river crashed into his ears, deafening the sound of his beating heart. Jie Tong could not swim. Johan could. As could Yu Han. He acted decisively and dived into the water. An obese body had many weaknesses, but sinking wasn¡¯t one of them. Yu Han paddled furiously. Water surged into his mouth, and blood streamed from the gash on his nose. All his wounds stung. ¡°Coward! Come back and fight like a man!¡± Jie Tong¡¯s shouts rang from the shore. A ssh nearby¡ªbarely inches to Yu Han¡¯s right. A dagger! Yu Han couldn¡¯t afford to focus on that. He had to keep moving. He swam. More sshes. Jie Tong was throwing anything he could get his hands on. Yu Han expelled as much air as he could from his lungs, then dived under. Half a minuteter, he rose for air, hoping that he had swum more than a couple of feet. Thud! A stone hit his shoulder. He bit back a cry and kept swimming for the opposite shore. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The river flowed through the city, and it wasn''t the widest. It should have been less than a hundred metres, but it felt like miles. Yu Han risked a look back. He could see Jie Tong on the shore. The other boy red like an asura, then ran towards the exit of the cape. No bridges connected the slums with the proper parts of the city on the other side. But Yu Han wasn¡¯t the fastest swimmer. If Jie Tong ran fast enough, he might reach the other shore in time to catch him. ¡°Shit,¡± Yu Han cursed, doubling the strokes. Soon, he was so tired he was doggy paddling. After what felt like hours, he reached the water hyacinths and reeds on the river bank. He grabbed a bunch and pulled himself ashore. He was about to copse. No way in hells could he stay awake. The gash on his nose had also started hurting. The adrenaline must have worn off. It dripped red, and Yu Han grew more light-headed as time passed. He had lost too much blood. But why could he still move? The fatty Yu Han would have long since¡ª Pure Qi Assimted! Pure Qi: 60/110 Endurance: 5 -> 6 [Body Origin: 4.80 -> 5.00] The sudden system-like status message jolted Yu Han to rity. ¡°This has to be a VRMMO.¡± He could not pass out here. He didn¡¯t want to test what would happen if he died, virtual reality or not. Either way, there was no log out button. He took stock of his surroundings,ing ashore on muddy ground. With each step, bubbles rose like a swamp, apanied by a shitty smell. This ce was called South Street¡¯s Muddy Shore if his memory served right. To his left, there were a few houses, better than those in the slums, but no noble manors. A small path to the right led towards the city proper. Some riverside stalls were there, markedly empty of customers. The stall owners gave Yu Han strange looks. Some disdainful, some concerned. ¡°Young man, are you okay?¡± an old shopkeeper asked. ¡°Why¡­ aren¡¯t there any customers?¡± Yu Han found it strange. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? The folks are off to try their luck with the Lord Cultivator in the central square. They think if they beg hard enough, he might take some young¡¯uns to their fancy sect ces. Fools. That¡¯s obviously only for the noble kids. Whole thing is bad for our business, I tell you. But do you need some¡ªhey!¡± Yu Han bolted. That wiry guy with the City Lord had said there was a recruitment going on. And that every kid under twenty-one must be present. Yu Han pressed his gigantic body into an alley, crawling under a broken fence and climbing out into another street with scraped shoulders, elbows, and knees. There were so many people here. The colours and smells shocked him. This had to be another world. No game was this detailed. As if in a trance, he stumbled forward, his legs heavy like lead, his breathing in ragged gasps. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his body. The gash on his nose itched, and there was a constant ache where the stone had hit. A ying kid crashed into him, knocking him over. ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± ady yelled. She sshed Yu Han with adle. Probably keeping the dust down. ¡°He said he was in a gang,¡± Yu Han muttered under his breath as he pulled himself up. If he ran at full speed, which wasn¡¯t quick, it would take fifteen to twenty minutes to reach the central square. A horse-drawn wagon whooshed past, and the wheel almost crushed Yu Han¡¯s feet. ¡°Get out of the way, chubby,¡± the wagoneer yelled. Yu Han dodged the vehicle and pushed into the crowded street, weaving through people and animals and raising a chorus of shouts and curses. Jie Tong wouldn¡¯t know Yu Han¡¯s ns. He would search near the shores and follow the clues from there. All he had to do was ask around for a bleeding fatty. And then he could catch up. But cultivators, huh? The NPCs here were assholes. If cultivators here were anything like the stuck-up pricks in those Xianxia stories, they would not appreciate the City Lord misinterpreting their intentions. Yu Han had no ce in this city. He¡¯d offended a gang, and probably the city guards too. This was a gamble. If he had talent, he¡¯d be recruited. And which mortal dares defy a cultivator? The hooded man had said that Yu Han had ¡°awakened his spirit root.¡± If that meant what he thought it meant, he could flip all these shitters to hell. Yu Han trudged from one street to another, through alleys and yards, and finally to the main artery of the city. It was alive with activity, children running in the streets, vendors selling their wares, the tter of carts on cobblestones. Yu Han pushed through the throng. He couldn¡¯t slow down, couldn¡¯t catch his breath, couldn¡¯t¡ª A sharp pain shot through his side, and he doubled over, gasping. He clutched his face, which burned like a hot spike had been driven into it. But he kept running. He was so close! He spotted a narrow alleyway between two buildings and veered into it. It was filled with refuse and discarded trash, the air thick with the stench of rotting food and urine. But it would lead directly to the square! He stumbled over a mouldy log, nearly losing his footing. But when he tried to bnce himself, his other foot slipped on something slick, and he barely managed to catch himself against a wall. His hands came away wet and sticky. Blood? No, it was just slime. He wiped his hands on his pants, shivering from more than just the cold. He pressed on, feeling his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He could see the end of the alley up ahead, and less than a hundred feet from that would be the central square. He could already hear the crowd! But as he reached it, a shadow moved, blocking his path. Yu Han skidded to a stop, his heart leaping into his throat. A group of older boys lounged against the wall, each one bigger and tougher than thest. Were they gang members? Same ilk as Jie Tong? One of them, a boy with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, tubs?¡± He sneered. ¡°You lost or something?¡± Yu Han¡¯s mind raced. He raised his hands, trying to look non-threatening. ¡°I¡¯m just passing through,¡± he said, his voice cracking. ¡°I don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± The scarred boyughed, a harsh sound that echoed off the alley walls. ¡°You¡¯re already in trouble, tubs. You see, we got business here. You gotta pay a toll if you wanna see the Lord Cultivator.¡± Yu Han¡¯s heart sank. How long had it been since someone pried money away from his fingers? Too long to count. He took out the coin pouch the Head Chef gave him and tossed it over. ¡°We got a rich kid here!¡± The boyughed. The rest of them cackled along. He opened the coin pouch, then stared at Yu Han for a long moment. Sweat dripped down Yu Han¡¯s face. Or was it blood? The boy shrugged. ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°Find me tonight, and I¡¯ll give you the rest.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re talking.¡± The boy grinned, then moved aside. ¡°Go ahead. But you owe us. Where do we find you?¡± ¡°Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. I¡¯m the son.¡± The boy looked stunned, ¡°You¡¯re that¡ªfuck. Take this back.¡± He forced the coin pouch into Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°What?¡± Yu Han was confused. Did the guy have bipr syndrome? ¡°Get out of here. I ain¡¯t no ingrate.¡± Relief washed over Yu Han, so strong it nearly brought him to his knees. He nodded. ¡°Thank you. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± the boy said, waving him off. ¡°Now beat it before I change my mind.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He ran past them, out of the alley and back into the main street. The central square was up ahead, thousands of people gathered around the perimeter. Behind loomed the City God Temple. In the middle, there was a raised tform where a slender man in borate robes stood in front of a crystal ball, and around the tform were the city¡¯s nobles, rich, and powerful, each with youths in tow. He would make it. Jie Tong, that sucker, if Yu Han got out of here¡ª ¡°Lookie here,¡± a voice boomed, and someone pushed Yu Han like a bull. He recognised the voice. ¡°To whom do we owe the pleasure?¡± Bushy Beard said, a mocking grin on his face. Chapter 4: Cultivator Chapter 4: Cultivator ¡°Let me pass,¡± Yu Han said. His mind churned, trying toe up with a solution. ¡°Looks like someone hasn¡¯t learned his lesson.¡± Bushy Beard¡¯s voice lowered. He stared down at Yu Han with narrowed eyes. ¡°Lord Cultiv¡ª¡± Yu Han opened his mouth again, but was interrupted by a punch to the forehead. He stumbled back, crying out. ¡°Should¡¯ve left you in the forest to be a wolf snack.¡± Bushy Beard spat on Yu Han¡¯s face. The slime dripped, smelling meaty. Yu Han held in a sob and yelled, ¡°Let me through! Are you going to defy Lord Cultivator¡¯smands?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Bushy Beard said, ¡°and whatmands would those be?¡± He cracked his knuckles, then lifted Yu Han up by his cor. ¡°He¡ª¡± p! Yu Han¡¯s cheek stung.¡°Go on, why did you stop?¡± Bushy Beard said. ¡°The talent¡ª¡± Another p, this time on the other cheek. ¡°Quit stalling and speak, fatass.¡± Bushy Beardughed. ¡°Who the fuck gave you permission to just waltz in here when the nobles are doing their business?¡± ¡°Lord Cultivator ordered that¡ª¡± p! ¡°Every person under twenty-one years¡ª¡± p! ¡°Must show up for talent testing!¡± Bushy Beard threw him on the ground, then kicked him in the gut. ¡°And what the fuck does that have to do with a waif like you? You think you¡¯re fucking worthy? You, a boring bucket ofrd?¡± ¡°Y-You dare defy Lord Cultivator?¡± Yu Han swallowed the metallic bile and yelled, ¡°A mere mortal dares? Whether I am worthy or not, it¡¯s for Lord Cultivator to decide!¡± ¡°Y-You!¡± Bushy Beard stammered. ¡°Defiant little bastard. If I say you aren¡¯t worthy, then be it gods or devils or Cultivators or Buddhas, I don¡¯t care¡ªyou ain¡¯t worth shit!¡± Yu Han smirked, looking up with a grin as blood and bile leaked from his mouth. ¡°H-Heh.¡± ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Bushy Beard unsheathed a dagger. It was longer than Jie Tong¡¯s fish knife and better made, the shiny edge glinting in the sun. The same knife that Bushy Beard had used to strip his mother¡¯s corpse. ¡°You think your judgement is better than Lord Cultivator¡¯s?¡± Yu Han did his damnedest to sound shocked. ¡°Lord Cultivator this, Lord Cultivator that!¡± Bushy Beard twirled the dagger, the red strings on the handle whipping like lines of blood. ¡°This is Riversong City.¡± He pointed his dagger behind Yu Han. ¡°Listen up, you rats and vermin! Here, it¡¯s the City Lord and us warriors that rule. Not some stranger from anothernd!¡± A murmur rose from behind. Yu Han looked back. It was the gang with the scarred boy. They hade out of the valley. Pedestrians had gathered around too, breaking off from the outer perimeter of the crowd. They were whispering to each other. With each insult Bushy Beard uttered, the crowd grew louder. Scarred Boy looked like he could barely hold in his rage. The pedestrians had clear anger on their faces too. A sudden pain struck the back of Yu Han¡¯s head. He coughed, copsing once more. A force pressed down on his neck. Bushy Beard had stepped on him. The pressure on Yu Han¡¯s neck increased, and his vision grew dim. ¡°M-Mother¡­¡± Damn it. Shit. Dad. I-I¡¯m sorry. I was a bad son. I¡ª ¡°Your beloved Lord Cultivator is gonna leave, and we¡¯ll still be here. You think after this stunt you pulled, you have any ce in the city? I could kill you here for treason, pig bastard,¡± Bushy Beard said. ¡°And even if that sissy on the stage lets you test your talent, if I say no, that¡¯s that! Even a dragon has to bow to a local snake.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A voice drifted into Yu Han¡¯s ears, followed by a chorus of screams and a gurgling sound. Something wet sttered over his body. He gagged as it got into his mouth. Metallic. It was blood. H-Hell yeah! Yu Han¡¯s vision still swam, so he couldn¡¯t see what had happened. But he had a hunch. Took you long enough, even with all that face-pping from a bug. Slowly, his vision cleared. He tried to get up, but something heavy fell on his body. ¡°Ugh.¡± Yu Han copsed again, facing a throng of people who ran away. ¡°Quiet,¡± the same voice from before said. And a heavy pressure descended on Yu Han, far stronger than Bushy Beard¡¯s foot. The crowd must have felt it too, as all at once they stopped. One old man fell to his knees, head touching the ground. Soon, more followed, and in less than ten seconds, thousands of people knelt. Scarred Boy fell on his butt with a pale face, while his mates had long run back into the alley. No one uttered a sound. This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. A football-shaped object rolled in front of Yu Han. It looked straight at him, a mocking expression stuck on the face for eternity, but pupils zed over. Bushy Beard¡¯s head. Yu Han pushed Bushy Beard''s headless body off him, taking the dagger sheath in the process. The dagger had fallen to the side, and as Yu Han stood, he took it too. The Cultivator looked like he was barely in his twenties, but was probably older than that. He wore a white robe with golden streaks. Cyan eyes, long hair floating in the wind. He reached out, and the flying sword returned to his outstretched palm. Just like how the Hooded Man had stolen Yu Han¡¯s m ne. ¡°You two. Come here,¡± the cultivatormanded. Yu Han gulped. He trudged forward, hanging the dagger at his belt, forcing one foot in front of the other. ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± Scarred Boy¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Touch the talent orb,¡± the cultivator ordered. Yu Han did so, while begging in his heart that the hooded man had not lied. The orb lit up with a red light. The kneeling nobles gasped. A chorus of shocked voices rose. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5] [Spirit Origin: 7.8] [Mind Origin: 10.8] Traits: [Existential Anchor] Mortal Level 1 [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Mortal Level 10 Qi Affinity Mortal Level 7 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Mortal Level 1 Initial Step Level 1 ¡°Mortal Grade Qi Affinity and a Bloodline. Yet the red light of a Common Talent,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°Not the worst.¡± He then asked, ¡°What is the Bloodline called?¡± ¡°Deep Writhing m Bloodline, m-my lord,¡± Yu Han stammered, his brain overheating. Can¡¯t he see Existential Anchor? The cultivator frowned. ¡°What is the Bloodline Art?¡± ¡°B-Bloodline? It says I only have one Art¡ª¡± ¡°You dare question me?¡± ¡°Deep Sleep, sir!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°No wonder you still have Common Talent, despite a second trait.¡± The cultivator didn¡¯t sound impressed. ¡°Stand there.¡± He gestured where two boys with fancy wardrobes stood alongside a confused girl in pigtails. They were by the grand stairway leading up to the City God Temple. ¡°T-Thank you for your benevolence, Lord Cultivator!¡± Yu Han lowered his head, then stumbled away. He sat down beside the girl, who covered her nose. The two boys looked as if they could strangle him. Common talent. Is it the lowest, or higher? Sounds weak as shit. But how rare is it? The crowd''s reaction made it seem rare. There¡¯s only three others so far. So how many have been tested? How big is the poption of Riversong City again? Yu Han wanted to copse. He could not. ¡°Touch the orb,¡± the cultivatormanded Scarred Boy next. The boy nodded like his neck was broken, then touched the orb. This time, the light was orange. ¡°Just like the City Lord¡¯s son.¡± ¡°How can a street rat¡ª¡± The shouts drowned out all other sounds. The boy in ck and gold robes had an ugly expression. He had the same grey eyes as the City Lord, but his face was more chiselled. The City Lord, kneeling and shaking, looked as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°Refined talent.¡± The cultivator, for the first time, smiled. ¡°Not bad, junior brother. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°L-Li Yao,¡± the scarred boy replied. ¡°Strong name. Go sit with the rest.¡± Li Yao bowed, then escaped to Yu Han. There was arge grin on his face, even as his eyes moved erratically and sweat dripped from his head like he was in a desert. He sat next to Yu Han. The City Lord¡¯s son gave him a venomous look, but Li Yao looked at the sky and kept muttering, ¡°Crazy, crazy. No, for real? Crazy! What are these floating words?¡± ¡°Silence,¡± the cultivator said, and the crowd quietened once more. Not even the cats meowed. ¡°Junior Brother Sima Yan, to be a cultivator, one must cut their mortal ties,¡± the cultivator said. Sima was the family name of the City Lord, and ording to his memories, also the surname of the king¡¯s family. ¡°This unworthy one epts Senior Brother¡¯s teaching,¡± Sima Yan replied. He bowed deeply, perhaps to hide his scowling face from the cultivator. ¡°Your father disobeyed my edict. All under twenty-one must test their talent.¡± ¡°T-that¡ª¡± ¡°What if we had missed Junior Brother Li Yao, with the same Elite Grade Qi Affinity as you? What if he had joined another sect?¡± Sima Yan bowed lower. After a long pause, he said, ¡°That would be undesirable.¡± ¡°What if we missed more talents? Do not think me too cruel, Junior Brother. To give me no face is to give my Stormy Reef Sect no face. What punishment should be appropriate?¡± ¡°This one asks leniency for his foolish father,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°Foolish is not the end of it!¡± the cultivator roared, his voice visibly distorting the atmosphere. He sliced at the City Lord with his palm, and a heart-wrenching screech rose. The City Lord¡¯s right arm flew into the sky, a fountain of blood trailing behind. ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one. Am I clear?¡± the cultivator said. ¡°Y-Your wish is mymand,¡± the City Lord whimpered from a puddle of his own blood. ¡°Junior Brother. Remember this: For a mortal to insult a cultivator, his nine generations must die. This mercy will not repeat.¡± ¡°I am forever in your debt.¡± The cultivator harrumphed. Then he gestured at the crowd. ¡°Continue the test.¡± The guards took the City Lord, who had passed out from the pain, away. No one dared to be tardy, and a line formed with both noble scions andmoner children. ¡°Crazy,¡± Li Yao said again. ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± That¡¯s my line, kid. Many guards rode off with announcements all throughout the city. One came close; it was the guardmander. ¡°Father,¡± the fancily-dressed kid with Sima Yan said. The guardmander nodded, then whispered something to Sima Yan, whose face had paled. His eyes locked onto Yu Han¡¯s. Johan had seen those eyes many times. Hate. If I already offended you, then let¡¯s take this a step further. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at, scrub?¡± Yu Han barked with his nastiest impression of a bully. ¡°Junior Brother Yu, was it? If you have something to say, say it. No need to gloat.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Yu Han rolled his eyes, ¡°Bandits, the lot of you. Leeching usmon folks like worms. You know, my whole family was killed by bandits yesterday. My life, everything, gone!¡± ¡°That is unfortunate. What does it have to do with us, though?¡± ¡°That Bushy Beard, he stripped my mother¡¯s corpse and took her ne. Some guards you are! Meant to protect us, but worse than actual bandits. At least they left the bodies alone!¡± Yu Han screamed, tears falling. He mixed truth with lies, and didn¡¯t even have to fake his crying. His family was dead! His voice was carried by the wind to themoners gathered. The guards looked away. Did they feel shame, or anger from being exposed? Quiet discontent spread like a wave through themoners, and even Li Yao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You serious?¡± ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Sima Yan said, ¡°we must leave such mortal sentiments behind.¡± ¡°I will, oh I will,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But I ain¡¯t no monster.¡± He grinned. ¡°Because I know that unlike you back-stabbing nobles, there¡¯re good folks out there who know how to repay kindness with kindness. Like my good brother Jie Tong, who we saved from a life in the slums. If not for his kind help, I wouldn¡¯t ever have the idea to plead the Lord Cultivator for justice!¡± Sima Yan, Li Yao, the guardmander, and the city guards nearby all gritted their teeth. ¡°Who?¡± the guardmander asked. ¡°What, surprised? My brother Jie Tong may be part of the Bloody Grass Gang, but he has a heart of pure gold! He knows what you nobles do, every dirty trick, every ounce of cruelty. You rotten leeches aren¡¯t even worth his fart.¡± Yu Han¡¯s smirk stretched across his chubby face. ¡°Didn¡¯t think usmon folks could bite? Ha, look at you noble-faced shitters. Daring to defy Lord Cultivator. Serves your father and that Bushy Bastard right!¡± Yu Han cackled. Chapter 5: No Next Time! Chapter 5: No Next Time! ¡°Never knew there were this many people in the city,¡± Li Yao said, gesturing at the long line. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way that guy is under twenty-one. Wait, hold the¡ªthat¡¯s the swindler Old Dog ck! He¡¯s middle-aged¡ª¡± ¡°You dare deceive me so tantly?¡± the cultivator said to the swindler. ¡°My lord¡ª¡± Old Dog ck grinned, rubbing his hands together ¡°¡ªbein¡¯ an immortal¡¯s been a long dream of¡ª¡± The cultivator shed out with his palm, and Old Dog ck¡¯s head flew into the sky, apanied by terrified screams of fear. The girl next in line to Old Dog ck fainted. ¡°To even attempt to deceive me is to ask for death. You, mortal, clean up the mess.¡± A guard dragged Old Dog ck¡¯s body away. Before a minute had even passed, the line shrank by a third. ¡°Serves him right,¡± Li Yao cackled. ¡°That guy had no mercy. Whether woman or children, he would¡ª¡± Li Yao¡¯s voice droned into the background. He kept talking even when someone from the crowd threw him a letter tied to a rock. Why is this brat being so friendly suddenly? Yu Han¡¯s head grew groggier, but he forced himself awake. This was nothing, just a little pain. What was itpared to all those all-nighters doing his Ph.D.?Yu Han checked over the faces of each candidate. For ny-nine percent, the orb didn¡¯t glow. The day neared afternoon, and thest candidate touched the orb. No light. ¡°Disperse.¡± The cultivator¡¯s voice echoed, and no one dared to stay. The central square became empty in record time. Only two boys had passed the test after, both with Common Talent, and both were ring murderously at Yu Han. ¡°You,e here,¡± the cultivator said to one of them, a buff teen with a curly stubble. This one had been ring murder at the cultivator too. He was the kid the guards had dragged in for the test. ¡°That insolent man, what was he to you?¡± the cultivator asked. The buff teen didn¡¯t reply for a long time, gritting his teeth so hard cracking sounds rang out. Insolent man? Come to think of it, he does resemble Bushy Beard a bi¡ª ¡°My brother,¡± he said finally. Yu Han wanted to run up to whatever god or game developer was setting up this scenario and give him a piece of his mind. ¡°The way of a true cultivator is to root out karmic ill-will by the ninth bloodline.¡± The cultivator unsheathed his sword and ced it at the teen¡¯s neck. ¡°Tell me one reason I should keep you alive.¡± ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll kill you one day?!¡± the teen screamed, unable to hold it in. ¡°You, and you!¡± He pointed at the cultivator, then at Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill both of¡ª¡± The cultivator snapped his finger, and the teen passed out. ¡°Has guts, this one. The Stormy Reef Sect has use for such fodder. Junior Brother Sima, take him to the ship. Does he have family?¡± ¡°My lord¡ª¡± the guardmander¡¯s son started, but Sima Yan stopped him. ¡°Their parents died of old age many years ago.¡± ¡°No wife?¡± ¡°The brother was the type to spend all his sry on brothel flowers.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you mercy, but your debt grows, Junior Brother,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°And you, big one.¡± At least he¡¯s not fat-shaming me¡­ I used to do that too. Damn game devs. Yu Han forced himself up. ¡°Sir, please give me orders.¡± ¡°The ship has a mortal doctor. Get yourself treated. Your life belongs to the sect now. All of yours. Understood?¡± Yu Han, Sima Yan, Sima Yan¡¯sckey, the pig-tailed girl, Li Yao, and the remaining boy with a head shaved like a monk, all nodded. Jie Tong hadn¡¯t shown up, even at the end. Finally, the guards had done something useful. *** The ship was a wooden behemoth, overshadowing all other vessels at the port. Its hull was dark, with swirling patterns on the nks polished to a sheen, and towering masts piercing the sky. The figurehead, an azure dragon coiling around a trident, gleamed with sapphire eyes. Chinese calligraphy lined the edges, faintly glowing in the midday sun, along with ornate cannonsrger than any Yu Han had seen. Yu Han stepped aboard. The deck was wide, with rows of kids who all bowed the moment the cultivator set foot aboard. They should all be younger than twenty-one. Surprisingly, no one appeared to be under fifteen. Aren''t pre-teens qualified for cultivation? ¡°We greet Senior Brother Qiao Jinhai!¡± They scattered, some practising martial arts, others meditating. More chatted among themselves, clumped up in small groups. All appraised Yu Han and the new arrivals. To the left, a grand staircase led below deck. He followed it down, finding the mess hall filled with long tables; the tter of chopsticks echoed with slurps and gulps. The kitchen was there too, and through a side door, the living quarters. Yu Han noted both forter. Farther down, the barracks. He moved aft, reaching the training hall on the same level, a spacious area with weapon racks lining the walls. There was no steel, though¡ªall wood. ¡°Excuse me, Senior Brother. Do you know where the doctor is?¡± Yu Han asked the person who had the gentlest-looking face among those training. ¡°Polite guy, aren¡¯t you? One down. It¡¯s a room marked with a green ginseng.¡± ¡°Gratitudes.¡± The doctor was an old man wearing a peculiar robe¡ªthe same robe the individuals who had been serving food to the youths in the mess hall wore. Same as those cleaning the ship deck. Mortals? Servants? ves? ¡°My word,d, how are you still standing? Even the starting Heavenly Allocation shouldn¡¯t be¡ªhold still, fool!¡± the doctor said. He dipped a silver rod into a blue concoction bubbling in a cauldron, applied the glue-like liquid to a cloth patch, then stuck it on Yu Han¡¯s nose. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. It stung like crazy. And oh, the smell! Sharp and acrid, like burning rubber mixed with rotting garlic. Yu Han gagged and his eyes watered, but the blurry vision didn¡¯t hamper the ¡°status screen,¡± or whatever it was. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5.00] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 10.80] All he had to do was think ¡°status.¡± He tried other phrases, too; system, menu, stats, and even hello, bot, Jarvis. As long as the intention was there, it seemed to work with any phrase. After he hade ashore, there was a system message about Pure Qi and Endurance, but when he touched the orb and therger screen appeared, nothing about Endurance was there. He concentrated on the Pure Qi word. There was a feeling of half fullness, but nothing else. He then concentrated on Body Origin. [Body Origin: 5.00] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 6 Strength: 4 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 The Body Origin had a decimal, while the rest didn¡¯t. Are these substats? Are they high or low? Yu Han patted his tummy. It. Fucking. Wiggled. His Instagram model ex had left him for a short, fat janitor who cleaned the gym they worked out at. He made less than 1% in a year of what Johan did in a month. The guy had apparently ¡°treated her right.¡± After the breakup, he used to call that guy a ¡°half-foot tubby.¡± It was petty jealousy. After Johan got boo¡¯ed out of the gym by the gym-bros, he had pulled some strings to get the janitor fired. Maybe this was karma. Now he was the half-foot tubby. From a hundred and eighty-five centimetres with a Greek god body to¡­ this. Yu Han held in his tears. What the hell is this? The green meteor, that hooded freak. Dad¡­ Father. Who am I even? Johan? Yu Han? He concentrated on the other two origin stats. [Mind Origin: 10.80] Intelligence: 13 Memory: 15 Perception: 10 rity: 7 Focus: 9 [Spirit Origin: 7.80] Adaptability: 15 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 8 Purity: 5 ¡°Whoa,¡± Yu Han eximed. ¡°Hold it in, young man,¡± the old man said. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt for long.¡± ¡°T-Thanks,¡± Yu Han said. His Mind Origin stat was particrly high, the only one higher than 10. Spirit Origin wasn¡¯t bad, with a high Adaptability substat. These were substats, right? Should I ask someone? Better not. He didn¡¯t know if this system status screen was a unique cheat, or if others had it too. Li Yao mentioned seeing floating words. Adaptability and Memory were his highest, both at 15. His Intelligence was 13 too. Yu Han grinned. He knew it was an ego boost, but if only he could show his ex this screen¡­ She didn¡¯t have high regards for his brains. They used to fight day and night about this. Even after all the time and money he invested in her career, she wanted to drag Johan to some crappy ¡°¡®emotional intelligence¡±¡¯ therapy sessions. Johan didn¡¯t need a therapist to tell him he was smart. This was a matter of reputation. ¡°Mean Johan needed band-aids for his feelings cause his girlfriend said so, boo-hoo!¡± God forbid¡­ What would his friends say if they found out? He would beughed out of their mahjong club. Last he heard, she was married to that fat guy. Bitch. Yu Han¡¯s mood fell. He tinkered with the numbers in his mind. The ¡°Origins¡± were primaries, perhaps. They seemed to be some kind of¡­ mean? Median? No, they are mean values. Unless they are weighted averages with all the weights being the same? Yu Han had been burned by data before, so he always double-checked the mean. He¡¯d had one too many hard lessons trusting them as they were. These buggers might appear unweighted at first nce, but before he knew it, the weights would change after more data was added and suddenly thepany would have a six million dor blunder. If he didn¡¯t me the entire ordeal on ¡®poor teamwork¡¯ and ¡®ack ofmunication¡¯, that would have been it for him. It was less stressful for Yu Han to think of them as weighted averages with equal weights, not just an innocent, unweighted mean. What are the weights? He needed a pen and paper. Yu Han then concentrated on the Traits and Arts. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 0/800 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 0/200 What the hell was True Qi? Why were there no Pure Qi? Traits didn¡¯t have mastery, while Arts did. His Deep Writhing m Bloodline trait was at Mortal Grade, Level 10. The rest had different levels. Does that mean he could level up? The VRMMO theory was getting stronger by the second. And¡­ ¡°Requirements not satisfied¡­¡± Yu Han muttered. This was the Trait the cultivator couldn¡¯t see. ¡°No big movements, and don¡¯t get your nose wet, you hear me? It¡¯s going to leave a scar unless you get an elixir. Take this pill for three days and sleep,¡± the old man said, then kicked him out of the room. Yu Han stood in front of the door, stroking his chin. ¡°What requirements?¡± Asking the cultivator was risky. After all, how could he ¡°dare?¡± He liked his head on his neck. The guy wouldn¡¯t even exin what a Bloodline was. It was like those junk food Xianxia stories. Sects were supposed to be educational institutions, but they hoarded knowledge like paid journals. Yu Han made his way back to the deck. In the mess hall, he asked one of those robed waiters if he could take some food. ¡°Y-Yes, lord. All these are for you cultivators!¡± ¡°Do you have red chilli powder?¡± There was a girl slurping down a stew that oozed red fumes. It gave Yu Han an idea. The waiter gaped, then nodded. ¡°Can you bring me some?¡± Yu Han got a fried dough stick and a few small pouches of red chilli powder. He ate on the deck; the ship had set sail. The city folks beat drums and blew Chinese flutes and trumpets. Was it a grand farewell, or were they saying good riddance? The cultivator was like a cmity, after all. That old shopkeeper¡¯s words rang in his ears. Bad for business. Yu Han kept his distance from the other recruits, and no one approached. Did Dad hear about the meteor? He would cry, even if none of his other siblings would. Would they? They didn¡¯t like him, but they never said they hated him. He had six siblings in his life as Johan. They would take care of Dad. They were better humans. Yu Han had one sister, married to a travelling merchant. How would she react when the news of what happened to their parents and eldest brother reached her? ¡°You crazy son of a bitch,¡± a voice said from behind. Li Yao patted Yu Han¡¯s back, then held him in a bear hug. ¡°You nasty motherfucker!¡± Hisughter boomed. ¡°Take your hand off that dagger, tubs. This father, Li Yao, isn¡¯t an ingrate like the guards.¡± ¡°You want my money again?¡± Li Yao spat over the ship¡¯s edge. ¡°You tricked me good. Go to your family¡¯s diner at night? Hah, don¡¯t me you.¡± ¡°Why did you give me the coins back?¡± ¡°You gave me food once. For free. Damn, was I starving. I ate my shoes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yu Han sometimes gave leftovers away to those who couldn¡¯t pay. His parents praised his virtues. It disgusted the Johan part of him, but maybe this kind of thing wasn¡¯t totally useless. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your tantrum, we non-fancy kids would never get the chance to test our talents either. Now look at me, a ¡®Refined Talent!¡¯ Did you see the look on Sima Yan¡¯s face?¡± ¡°It was a coincidence.¡± ¡°I know. I thought you were na?ve, giving away food for free. But turns out you¡¯re vicious, and he smart, tubs. And I like smart people. Tell me if anyone bothers you. This father, Li Yao swears that they¡¯ll have to get through me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes focused on the river shore. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Li Yao followed his gaze. There was a hooded person. It wasn¡¯t his parents¡¯ murderer, but it was someone he knew. Behind the young man was a horse, on which hung a girl, bandaged from head to toe and covered in rags. Even her eyes were bandaged, with red blood leaking out. Was she dead? The youth removed his hood. Bruised, battered, he shed tears of blood. His mouth opened. Yu Han couldn¡¯t hear him. It was too far. But he knew what the youth, Jie Tong, said. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Yu Han touched his nose where the patch was. It hurt. The old man said it would leave a scar. ¡°Come and try, asshole,¡± Yu Han said back. He¡¯d be ready. Chapter 6: Status Chapter 6: Status "Jie Tong, that snake,¡± Li Yao said, ¡°He escaped.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Yu Han asked. Both boys were in gangs, so that wasn¡¯t strange. Still, small world. ¡°There¡¯s no kid in the Riversong underworld that doesn¡¯t know about the Jie twins. They¡¯ve been lying low for a while. It wasn¡¯t until you bbered about your ¡°good brother Jie Tong¡± that I realised what he was up to.¡± Li Yao waved a piece of paper in front of Yu Han. It was the rock-tied letter someone from the crowd had thrown at Li Yao. ¡°You¡¯re one vindictive son of a bow. What did he do to you?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You ruined him.¡± ¡°He did this to my nose,¡± Yu Han said. If Elder Brother was alive, would Jie Tong try the same thing? He¡¯d always looked up to him. Or pretended to. No changing a snake. Yu Han was one, though he bit people more through numbers and fine print than physical daggers. ¡°No wonder,¡± Li Yao said, shaking his head. He tapped the fencing on the bulwark in a peculiar rhythm. ¡°They got his sister first.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s dead?¡± Yu Han asked. He felt a slight pang. Jie Hua didn¡¯t try to kill him¡ªshe was always kind.¡°Don¡¯t feel bad, tubs. She¡¯s a vicious bitch,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Works with poison. And, well, they got her another way. Probably still alive, knowing those two. They¡¯re like cockroaches.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Yu Han paled and gripped the railing hard. What was done was done. ¡°The moment the Bloody Grass execs heard of your little tantrum, they knew the Jie siblings would be hot potatoes. So one exec knocked her out while she was in the middle of a job. He and his goons had their way with her, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Better if she died.¡± ¡°I disagree, tubs. If you¡¯re alive, you can always get back at them. See the shock on their face as you pull out the dagger.¡± Li Yao patted Yu Han¡¯s back like they had known each other for years. ¡°That¡¯s what Jie Hua did while the guy was pulling his tiny dagger out, get me? This guy had been courting Jie Hua for years, but I guess love turned to hate in front of coin. They were taking turns and thought she was out cold, but the bitch had a trump card. And when it was the exec¡¯s turn again, she used it. She was too weak after that, though, and the rest gave her a vicious beatdown. Didn¡¯t kill her, though. She was worth a lot. Jie Tong killed them somehow, then escaped with a horse.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Yu Han asked. It hadn¡¯t been many hours since Yu Han set Jie Tong up and the letter was delivered to Li Yao. The other boy grinned, his scar stretching, though it made him look oddly friendly. ¡°We¡¯re rats. We hide and peek. Don¡¯t worry about them for now. We¡¯ll be dragons henceforth. Cultivators! Don¡¯t you feel the power after that, what was it, Heavenly Allocation thing? What can two vengeful mortals do, throw sand at us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate sand, Li Yao. It¡¯s effective.¡± The living quarters were one floor down, same floor as the mess hall and kitchen. It upied the area right below the captain¡¯s quarters in the aft of the ship. ¡°This ship is bigger than a luxury liner,¡± Yu Han gasped. Li Yao had decided that they¡¯d share the same cabin. It was part of a bigger wardroom, with nine other cabins in this one, and over ten wardrooms in total. Only the shabbiest wardrooms had recruits living in them, the best still empty. ¡°A what now?¡± Li Yao asked. He marvelled at a candle that had lit by itself. ¡°Nothing, just talking to myself.¡± That was a slip of the tongue. Yu Han did not trust Li Yao. Better be careful about stuff from the real world. Or at least mumble in English. Li Yao jumped onto the bed. ¡°Damn fine feather. Cultivators are rich. You think Qiao Jinhai owns all of this, or his sect does?¡± ¡°Maybe both. He said we were sect property. Might mean he¡¯s sect property too. And anything he owns,¡± Yu Han said. He sat down on his bed slowly. His back cracked, and there was a strange pull on the left side of his neck. It. Fucking. Hurt. ¡°You need to lose that?¡± Li Yao said with a grin. ¡°Lose what?¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao gestured at all of him. Yu Han clenched his fist. If he could, he would punch that grin in. Johan didn¡¯t care about feelings, but Yu Han had been mocked all his life for his body. It didn¡¯t feel good. But Li Yao was right. Swimming had increased his endurance substat. That meant that in this world, at least for cultivators, one could see improvements in bodily parameters as numerical representations. And Johan was great with parameters that had numerical representations. He could put it on a spreadsheet. ¡°Gonna get some food.¡± Li Yao jumped up. ¡°Keep that dagger close, tubs.¡± With that, he was off. Yu Han blew out the candle. Only the moon and starlight leaked in through the circr window, alongside the sound of water sshing against the ship¡¯s hull. There was a quiet murmur from somewhere. Dinner was served all night long. Luxurious. Yu Han heaved his weight up the bed. Even such a minor task seemed herculean now. Then how the hell was he going like a machine the whole day? Cultivator bullshit? If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ here now.¡± He stared at the ceiling. A tear welled up, but he hurriedly wiped it away. His new life had begun. His old had ended with the snap of a finger, no exnations given. What was that green meteor? Why did that hooded man kill Yu Han¡¯s family without provocation? Whether it was Yu Han or Johan, neither had any answers. They would live as one. As a cultivator. Maybe if they became strong enough one day, they could rip the fabric of reality off like the protagonists did in the stories, and see if this world really was a virtual reality experiment. Until then, he needed sleep. It had been a long day. *** Yu Han found himself standing in a white space. Above, there was a ceiling that looked like the inside of a m¡¯s shell. It had some darker greys lining the ridges. Under his feet, the ground was soft and pillowy in some ces, and hard-like asphalt in others. ¡°Is this the waiting screen?¡± Yu Han said out loud. ¡°Logout! Help! Report error!¡± Nothing. Maybe it was the hub area or lobby, the designated ¡°safe zone¡± between missions? Where were the NPCs? He wouldn¡¯t mind some kind of immortal master in his dreams or¡­ anything, really. ¡°Hello?¡± Not even crickets. ¡°Did I transmigrate again? Are you guys gonna put me in another VR game? Status!¡± Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5.00] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 10.80] Yu Han sat down. It was the same game. He pinched his cheeks. It hurt¡ªso it wasn¡¯t adream. ¡°Think,¡± he told himself. ¡°What happened? Analyse the series of events.¡± He was in pain. He¡¯d blown out the candle. He cried, just a bit. Then he¡¯d fallen asleep. ¡°Gather the key words. Try to find a match.¡± The cultivator from Stormy Reef Sect, Qiao Jinhai. He sounded like an arrogant prick, but not a prankster. He wouldn¡¯t gain anything by doing this. Think back further! Yu Han ¡°awakened¡± his spirit root and memories as Johan in the middle of dying. The hooded man had stolen his m ne. Was that some kind of mystical treasure that caused his spirit root to activate? The other candidates like Li Yao only saw the floating characters after touching the orb. I have to ask him if we see the same things, and if he can bring it up onmand. Speaking of ms, though¡­ Yu Han brought up his traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Mortal Level 1 [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Mortal Level 10 [Qi Affinity] Mortal Level 7 Deep Writhing m Bloodline. That m ne definitely had something to do with his awakening. And Qiao Jinhai had mentioned something else. Bloodline art. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Mortal Level 1 Initial Step Level 1 Deep Sleep. Was this what it meant? ¡°I¡¯m lucid when asleep?¡± Was this his special ability? Being trapped alone in a white void while his mind should be resting? Losing sleep was no joke! Johan was the type who couldn¡¯t give a shit about sleep if it meant working more hours, first during his PhD, then in thepany. That hadsted until he started losing his gains. Several podcast episodes on sleepter, it was his new favourite hobby! And now his special bloodline superpower was losing sleep. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± Yu Han pped his cheek. Yup, still hurt. There were positives too. He would effectively have twice the time of most people. Well, in the stories, cultivators didn¡¯t need food or sleep when they were strong enough. Maybe in the long run, that would negate any advantage his Deep Sleep Art would provide¡ªif this really was caused by Deep Sleep. He concentrated on the words. [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 0/200 Nothing changed. It had Deep in the name, so it wasn¡¯t a bad guess that it was rted to Deep Writhing m Bloodline. ¡°But Writhing ms¡­ what even are they? Qiao Jinhai was not impressed. Are they some kind of monsters, like that dog-thing?¡± A m is a m. In Yellow Tongue, a writher is anything that has tentacles, like squids, octopuses, nautiluses. Basically cephalopods. Combine them¡­ and what? Their family had two heirlooms. The m ne and the booklet. If the m was special, maybe the booklet was too? Yu Han had it in his pocket before falling asleep. He reached inside. It was empty. He didn¡¯t bring it inside his dream. For a second, his enthusiasm waned. ¡°Wait a minute. If I didn¡¯t have the booklet, why do I have my clothes on?¡± As he said that, something felt heavy in his pocket. He reached inside again, and there it was, the booklet! It was fuzzy and blurry, as if glitching. He traced the edges and felt the pressure of his fingers against the paper. The texture, the scent¡ªwithout a doubt, it was his family heirloom. ¡°This¡­ could be useful.¡± Suddenly, more text appeared in front of his eyes. Requirements Met! Auxiliary Art Learned! Echoing Dreamscape (-> Existential Anchor, Deep Sleep) ¡°Oh my god. Game-master, I¡¯ll give you a million dors. Just let me out of this hellhole!¡± Yu Han yelled into the white space. ¡°Ten million? I¡¯ll even throw in the Nexus Assurance name for the trials!¡± Still no reply. ¡°Fine, have it your way, jerks.¡± Unlike other VRMMO games, the Arts and Traits here¡ªwere they skills?¡ªdidn¡¯t have any descriptions. A lot could be gleaned from names. ¡°Dreamscape.¡± The system message had the line: Echoing Dreamscape (-> Existential Anchor, Deep Sleep) So this new Auxiliary Art had something to do with Deep Sleep, the Bloodline art, and Existential Anchor, a Trait which was bugged out in the screen with a ¡°Requirements not satisfied¡± message. ¡°If thisndscape is a dream, what can it echo?¡± What was an echo? It was a reverberation of a sound. A reflection of reality. A parallel, a fake. Yu Han imagined Jie Tong standing four feet away. A mirage of a boy appeared, holding a blurry stick that vaguely resembled a dagger. ¡°A dead man shouldn¡¯t speak!¡± a distant voice called. The mirage faded a secondter, passing through Yu Han as if charging. He felt a slight prick on his nose where the dagger had stabbed in real life, but no sensation elsewhere on his body. Yu Han tried again. With the Guard Commander, Bushy Beard, Head Chef, Sima Yan, Li Yao, Qiao Jinhai. With each iteration, the reflections got clearer, though they still onlysted seconds. ¡°I can echo what I¡¯ve seen in reality,¡± Yu Han murmured. ¡°And echo only the sensations that urred in real life. If Jie Tong¡¯s dagger stabs my chest, I feel nothing. But on my nose, it hurts¡ªthough the pain is muted, as if felt through an illusion.¡± Was it eidetic, the details true to nanoscale? Or was it like actual dreams, Yu Han¡¯s brain interpting the gaps in memory, just like how missing values were filled in using mean imputation? Yu Han concentrated on his hands. A piece of yellow paper and a brush dipped in ink appeared. They glitched. He quickly sketched Asuka from Evangelion. Then his dad. Father, mom, elder brother, each of Johan¡¯s six siblings. Objectssted longer. But after about ten minutes, they vanished. Could this dream only reflect what Yu Han saw? Yu Han looked up at the sky of the white space. It shimmered. All around, there was a blurry forest. To the left, a shrine. Above, a meteor. Rotten wood. Obsidian skull. Green fire. Skin burnt, flesh peeled off his skeleton. It crashed into the earth. The white space shattered, and Yu Han lost consciousness. Chapter 7: Unpaid Chapter 7: Unpaid Johan mmed the door to the greenhouse open. Dad was there, watering the carrots. ¡°Why did you sell the mansion?¡± Johan demanded. ¡°For capital. Thepany needs funds,¡± came Dad¡¯s low voice, as if he hadn¡¯t ruined his life¡¯s work on a whim. ¡°Then why did you give that capital away?¡± ¡°It was sry, not a giveaway. The employees built thepany. They deserve proper pay.¡± ¡°If you had fired some of them, then we wouldn¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°Johan, listen,¡± Dad said, and Johan stopped. ¡°Even without the mansion, we can live. But the factory workers, their families, they would starve without the pay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re their employer, not their caretaker. This isn¡¯t rational,¡± Johan said. ¡°You¡¯re breaking apart our family to save some strangers! If Mum was here, she would never agree to this.¡± Dad sighed. Johan felt a pang of guilt in his heart for bringing up Mum. But he didn¡¯t back down.¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Dad finally said. ¡°If I sacrificed the employees, we could get out alive and unhurt.¡± But there was no guilt in his voice. He stood firm in his conviction. ¡°But that¡¯s not how you live.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± There he goes again, being all sentimental. Johan pressed down on his temples, feeling the throb. ¡°It¡¯s a lonely and boring life. Even if you seed, there will be no one to enjoy that sess with you. It¡¯s all meaningless,¡± Dad said. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Johan walked out. More than a decadeter, Johan admitted Dad was right. *** +1 True Qi +2 Arts True Qi -> Deep Sleep +205 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape ¡°You okay, tubs?¡± Li Yao shook Yu Han. The headache was agonising. It was as if someone had hit him with a hammer. ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°This daddy Li Yao is not your father.¡± Red and blue spots fluttered in Yu Han¡¯s vision, and he groaned. It felt like a hangover dialled to eleven. What the heck happened? His hand instinctively reached for the dagger. ¡°Stop that. Did you hit your head or something?¡± Li Yao said, prying the dagger from Yu Han¡¯s hand and setting it on the bed. ¡°Go to the doctor.¡± ¡°Get away,¡± Yu Han slurred. His vision slowly focused. Li Yao shrugged, then pointed at Yu Han¡¯s nose and ears. Yu Han touched them. His fingers came away with red kes. Dried blood. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Yu Han said. He got out of the bed in a haze. ¡°You need help, tubs?¡± Yu Han said something, but he didn¡¯t know what. Nor did he know how he stumbled his way to the doctor. ¡°Did you overuse your Art, young man? This is why young¡¯uns are¡­¡± the old doctor trailed off, clicking his tongue. ¡°You need to be careful. Your Qi ispletely depleted.¡± ¡°Uh, is that so?¡± Yu Han said. The hangover-like feeling was fading. What remained was a dull throb. He brought up the status screen. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 1/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 ¡°Do you mean True Qi?¡± he asked the old man. ¡°Not that. But the spiritual energy every being possesses. You cultivators can control it, but us mortals¡­¡± The old doctor shook his head. ¡°As for True Qi, this old servant can¡¯t mention sect secrets. Be patient. The masters at Verdant de will teach you when the time is right.¡± Verdant de? He gave Yu Han three more pills and some exercises. Yu Han left without asking about Pure Qi and Tribtions. He would need to know more about the unwritten rules of the trade before sharing anything that might be a secret. After all, he had gotten Pure Qi after killing that creature. While he was going up the stairs, the voice of Qiao Jinhai echoed. ¡°Every disciple shall gather on deck within the burning of an incense stick.¡± How long was that? Wouldn¡¯t it depend on the make of the stick? Yu Han trotted up, holding the guardrails. There was a thick rope coiled at the bottom, lining the edge between the stairs and the wooden wall. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 2/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 5/300 Was the headache-like side effect the result of staying ¡°conscious¡± throughout his sleep, or Qi depletion, like the old doctor said? Or was it that green meteor? The moment Yu Han thought of the meteor, the headache worsened. Leave it forter! After a few deep breaths, he could think again. Let¡¯s go back to numbers. He barely earned any True Qi for Deep Sleep. But Echoing Dreamscape had a Mastery of ¡°Initial Step Level 2.¡± Since Deep Sleep started at ¡°Initial Step Level 1,¡± and his True Qi for it was 2/200 after gaining +2 Arts True Qi, it was a safe guess to assume that Echoing Dreamscape also started at Level 1 with 0/200. And after he gained 205, 200 went into levelling up, leaving 5 extra. So True Qi is like experience points in an RPG? Yu Han covered his face with his hands. The sun was too bright. The chatter hurt his ears. The wooden deck under his feet rocked in an unsteady rhythm. He thought he might belch. Qiao Jinhai sat cross-legged at the front of the deck while recruits got into neat rows. Behind him was the Branching Dragon River, with other far smaller vessels moving out of the way like scurrying ants before an elephant. On the horizon, the silhouette of a city. Echoing Dreamscape started with the Grade ¡°Mortal Level 9.¡± The Grade of the Art didn¡¯t show any changes despite the Arts True Qi gain, nor did the Grade have a progress bar. On the other hand¡­ [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 For this Trait, there was a True Qi progress bar under Grade. Does it mean I can level up the Grade of a Trait, but not the Art? For Art, the only thing I can level up is the Mastery? Other than the semantic meanings, what are the actual differences between Grade and Mastery? Or is it just the semantic meaning¡ªone is the quality of the thing, the other is how well I can use the thing? And from Qiao Jinhai¡¯s words previously, his Deep Sleep Bloodline Art was connected to the Deep Writhing m Bloodline Trait. But despite the Art gaining True Qi, the Trait didn¡¯t change. Why? Too many questions, and all he had were conjectures. Not enough answers. There was a pattern in the numbers, though. And patterns made Yu Han giddy. He rubbed his temple and closed his eyes, trying to visualise a word document with bullet points. The status window was open too. Would have been nice if I could use Echoing Dreamscape while awake. Not that I can modify the mirage it shows. ording to the status screen, to level up the Deep Sleep Art from Level 1 to Level 2, he would need 200 Arts True Qi. And for Echoing Dreamscape, the requirement was 300 Arts True Qi from Level 2 to Level 3. So the level up requirement for each level is roughly the next level times one hundred? This means that for each consecutive level, it increases by one hundred. Something else followed this pattern. The Deep Writhing m Bloodline, which had the Grade of Mortal Level 10, showed a True Qi progress of 0/1100. The next level to 10 was 11, and a hundred times 11 was 1100, which checked out. There was an issue with this guess. The level under his name, assuming it was his ¡°character level,¡± was 0, with the True Qi showing 1/110. The next level would be 1, and 1 times a hundred was 100. Where did the extra tene from? Yu Han had overlooked something. What was it? Coming from an era where he had the answer to all questions in his pocket, it was frustrating that he simply couldn¡¯t Google a solution. ¡°I¡¯ll never take tech for granted.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you muttering about, tubs?¡± Li Yao appeared from nowhere and patted his shoulder. ¡°Numbers,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You need better hobbies. I n to check out the training floor after this. Join me. I¡¯ll teach you how to use that dagger,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°The dagger owner¡¯s little brother eyes you wherever you go, like a hungry mutt. You might need it soon.¡± Li Yao pointed at Bushy Beard¡¯s brother, who stood with Sima Yan and the guardmander¡¯s son. Their eyes met. Yu Han shuddered. ¡°Daggers are for stabbing. Knives are for shing, right?¡± Yu Han asked the taller boy. Or teen. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Seventeen. And yeah, daggers stab. But no one said you couldn¡¯t sh with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m older.¡± By either one year or a couple of decades. Was he a wizened old uncle or a fat little kid now? ¡°You want this daddy to call you Senior Brother?¡± Li Yao got into line behind Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until Qiao Jinhai is done, then we can fight it out.¡± Was that a joke? Yu Han patted his pocket full of pouches. That was a joke, right? ¡°Quiet,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. He levitated to his feet. ¡°Before we reach the next city, I will announce the rules you must follow. The disciples recruited earlier than Riversong already know this, but it is worth repeating. Because failure to adhere will mean punishment, if not death.¡± He walked between the rows of recruits like a drill sergeant. ¡°One: No conflict within the ship. The Ver¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai coughed ¡°¡ªStormy Reef sect has yearly tournaments. All disputes shall be settled there. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A deafening chorus rang out. Yu Han was slow to reply, as were Li Yao and the rest from Riversong. Qiao Jinhai continued. ¡°Two: The sect has its own Cultivation Arts which you will receive when we reach the sect. No other Cultivation Arts are allowed! If we discover you have studied something else, the lightest punishment would be the crippling of your cultivation base, am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± This time, the recruits from Riversong City replied in time. ¡°Three: The ship has formations to gather the natural Qi. Just by being on the ship, your body will assimte the Qi into True Qi. Many of you must have earned some by now. Those from Riversong, report your True Qi gain with your name, one by one. If I find out that you have lied, I shall cut off your tongue. You.¡± Qiao Jinhai pointed at the first recruit on the row. ¡°Junior Brother Sima, start.¡± ¡°Three. Sima Yan,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°Two. Pang Jiming,¡± the guardmander¡¯s son said. ¡°Two. Ma San,¡± said Bushy Beard¡¯s brother. ¡°T-two. Guo Yexi,¡± said the girl with the pigtails. ¡°Two. Chen Da,¡± the kid with a side of his head shaved, shouted. ¡°¡­One. Yu Han,¡± Yu Han said. Sima Yan and Bushy Beard¡¯s brother whispered to each other. ¡°Four! Li Yao!¡± Li Yao shouted out with a grin. The murmurs rose, and Sima Yan¡¯s rxed look changed into a scowl. As did Yu Han¡¯s. ¡°What? No need to be jealous,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°If you beat this daddy in a fight, you can be the senior brother.¡± Yu Han corrected his expression, while Sima Yan pursed his lips as if he had eaten something sour. ¡°Four: Only those with a True Qi gain of one are allowed to disembark, though I highly advise not to. In the path to immortality, insects like you will need every advantage you can get. Especially during the first year in the sect,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°If you still want to disembark, you must be back on ship before I am. Or I shall count that as desertion, and the punishment is capital. The same if any with a True Qi gain over one disembarks. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The agreement was apanied byughter, as a few people hid their faces. They were grouped together near the back. Were they fellow ones? It seemed there were not many who were even qualified to disembark. ¡°Okay, now disperse¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai stopped. ¡°I¡¯ll need one of you toe with me. Decide amongst yourselves. You have five minutes.¡± Qiao Jinhai sat down and closed his eyes. ¡°You good enough to train, tubs?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°Norge movements. But I¡¯ll train. I¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, Fatty.¡± Onerge boy with a cleft lip approached Yu Han. ¡°I heard you had a gain of one despite having a Bloodline?¡± There were some stifledughs. ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han said. Jerks. The boy strode to the group that had looked embarrassed when Qiao Jinhai mentioned who could disembark. Wait, are they¡­? Yu Han had nned to rest up like the old doctor had advised. He had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao, we have unanimously decided that Junior Brother Yu Han shall join you,¡± Cleft Lips shouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Big one,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°Report back in an hour at the gangway.¡± What could he do? He sent a venomous look at Cleft Lips. ¡°I¡¯ll do as Senior Brother says.¡± Qiao Jinhai pped, the sound waves spreading out in visible ripples. ¡°That is all. Disperse.¡± Chapter 8: Yellow Cow Chapter 8: Yellow Cow ¡°You¡¯re grabby with your hands, Tubs,¡± Li Yao said. He picked up three dumplings with his chopsticks and threw them into his mouth. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Han asked. He slurped his spicy braised beans, his face smoking red. ¡°You look like you want to throw that at someone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate throwing stuff.¡± Especially if it was piping hot soup. Aim for the eyes, and they¡¯d be on the floor screaming. Yu Han made popping sounds with his lips. The hot chilli seemed to cool his anger. He ignored the snickering from the other kids and made his way to the deck. Qiao Jinhao floated up. What level is he? The hooded man mentioned something about Qi Gathering. Is that a cultivation realm name or something else? With a wave of the cultivator¡¯s hands, the gangway opened up, and a bridge extended down like stairs. There was already a line of fancily dressed nobles waiting at the pier. No one dared to make a sound. There were no dock workers around. A portly man with a fu manchu stepped up. ¡°Lord Cultivator. This one from Three Whiskers City wees¡ª¡± ¡°Gather all under twenty-one,¡± Qiao Jinhai interrupted. ¡°We shall conduct the talent test at the central square before the City God Temple, where the feng shui is the strongest.¡±He floated down, and the mortals gasped. Yu Han had to run down the stairs to keep up. He wheezed, looking back at the ship. The coiling azure dragon figurehead stared back. No one was on deck to see him off. By the time they reached the central square, he was coughing and choking. ¡°Junior Yu,¡± the cultivator said to him, ¡°this one shall cultivate, as I am close to a breakthrough.¡± He waved his hands, and the talent-testing orb appeared from nowhere, perched on a wooden pedestal. ¡°For all whose talent makes the orb glow, have them wait. Do not touch the orb. Do not let any talent get away. I will ascertain their exact traits on the ship, where eyes are fewer.¡± Qiao Jinhai grabbed Yu Han¡¯s shoulder. It was a slight force, not even a pinch, yet Yu Han felt his body about to break apart like ss. ¡°Do not touch the orb. Do not make me waste my Qi.¡± Yu Han tried to nod. His head barely moved. Qiao Jinhai took his hand away, and Yu Han copsed on all fours, gasping for breath. The cultivator sat down, cross-legged. He held a hexagonal crystal in his hand. Yu Han pushed against the stone floor of the central market. His hand slipped on moss, and he hit his chin. ¡°Fu¡ª¡± He propped himself up, the straw straps of his sandal biting against his skin. He walked up to the portly guy and barked, ¡°F-form up. One line. We do this fast.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord. But we have prepared a grand feast¡ª¡± The portly man frowned. ¡°You want to waste Senior Brother¡¯s time? You, a mere mortal, dare?¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°N-no, Lord Cultivator. That wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± A line formed. For a city of this size, it was pathetically short, and all the kids were in fancy robes. ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Did you know what happened to thest city lord who tried to fool Senior Brother Qiao?¡± Yu Han slit his neck with his thumb. The portly man paled. ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± Within the hour, the line extended tenfold. Yu Han watched the orb closely. ¡°No light. Fail,¡± he shouted. ¡°Fail.¡± ¡°Fail.¡± ¡°Red light.¡± The crowd gasped. ¡°Pass!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Han pointed at a haughty-looking teen. The teen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Fail!¡± By the end of the day, five had passed. One was a noble. Qiao Jinhai nodded at the five. By the time they left, the sun had set. Even though many children also took the test, non under fifteen passed either. Yu Han copsed onto his bed and awoke in his dreams. He tested out the Echoing Dreamscape Art. He thought of the birds, the cats, the cattle in the city. The portly man, his fu manchu. Qiao Jinhai, the crystal in his hands. Li Yao¡¯s grin. Cleft Lips walking back to his group. The slum girl lighting up with joy when the orb shone red. The mirages grew clearer. They still stayed for mere seconds, but somehow, they became more solid. More detailed. Whether it was a person, an object, or an event, Yu Han could rey it here. ¡°You¡­ fail!¡± A hand was pointed to a shocked teen. The hand floated mid-air. Yu Han could visualise himself too. And the details on the hand were exact. The scrapes from the y jar, the nails, the lines, the clothes. Was it because Yu Han had spent time memorising the details, or did the Art really reflect reality in the dream without changing details? ¡°More tests need to be done.¡± Yu Han imagined his dad. Then aputer. Then he passed out in his sleep. He didn¡¯t see any dreams that night. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He woke up with a headache, the same feeling of Qi depletion. But there was no nosebleed, so he didn¡¯t go to the doctor. +1 True Qi. +2 Arts True Qi -> Deep Sleep +10 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape The True Qi to his character progress was the same, as was for Deep Sleep. For Echoing Dreamscape, it was magnitudes lower. If I imagine scenes Johan saw, I pass out faster. Let¡¯s not try the green meteor again. Just keep the wood, skull, and green fire in mind. The days continued, as did the tests. Qiao Jinhai should have picked a new assistant after that one city, but he was impressed with Yu Han¡¯s efficiency and had him continue with a promise of future reward. They made it to another city four dayster. ¡°You dare defy Lord Cultivator? You? A mere mortal?¡± ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± ¡°Pass!¡± ¡°Fail!¡± ¡°Fail!¡± The days when the ship travelled, Yu Han trained with Li Yao. ¡°One more! Atta boy. Tubs, at this rate I¡¯ll have to change what I call you,¡± Li Yao said, then hit the wooden dummy with the wooden sword. Yu Han copsed, sweating buckets. He stood up, taking out a rope. It had a knot halfway through. Yu Han wrapped the rope around himself¡ªthe end of the rope touched the exact same ce it always did. He ate less. Moved more. Did calisthenics. Why wasn¡¯t he getting thinner? ¡°You liar,¡± Yu Han spat. ¡°I¡¯m motivating you,¡± Li Yao replied, running a finger over his scar. Pure Qi Assimted! Pure Qi: 10/110 Strength: 4 -> 5 [Body Origin: 5.00 -> 5.20] ¡°Finally.¡± Yu Han covered his grin with a sweaty palm. He did a few squats, then some push-ups. He copsed after two. A great improvement from the half he did at the start of the training! That night, he grew cocky and tried to visualise the green meteor. He woke up with a nosebleed. ¡°Are you dreaming of a pretty woman, Tubs? You gotta lose weight first.¡± ¡°Eat shit.¡± He didn¡¯t get the same +205 True Qi for the trouble. +11 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape Yu Han sshed his face with cold water. I passed out, but the True Qi was shit. Is it about variety? I can¡¯t abuse this like a bug. But there was one more gain. rity 7 -> 8 [Mind Origin: 10.80 -> 11.00] Without Pure Qi cost? The more he learnt about the system, the more confused he got. He¡¯d decided before to treat the averages as weighted, with all the weights being the same, rather than as simple means. But even now, as more ¡®data¡¯ or stats were being added, the weights of each substat remained the same at 0.20. Were these unweighted after all? Am I overthinking this? No, never forget the six million bucks! Solving one maths problem gave him the will to push through more physicalbour. Three more cities, and more recruits joined the ship. Yu Han uttered routine words in each city. He trained his body during the day and his Art during the night. Qiao Jinhai got more irritable as time passed. He cultivated at each chance he got, and more of those hexagonal crystals turned to dust in his palms. Soon, the morning of his twentieth day in this game-like Xianxia world broke. Yu Han opened his status screen, and then the paper scroll he¡¯d managed to threaten out of a city noble. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 19 (+18)/110 Pure Qi: 10 (-50)/110 [Body Origin: 5.20 (+.2)] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 11.00 (+.2)] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 38 (+36)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 199 (+194)/300 Nothing else had changed. The + and - numbers in his paper indicated the difference from the first morning of his waking on the ship. It was easier to have some checkpoints. Not all numbers rose consistently. Some days, he didn¡¯t earn even one True Qi, some days he got two. The ship docked again. Strangely, Qiao Jinhai stood at the gangway before Yu Han today. His gaze was locked on arge rock on the river bank. The moment the ship passed the rock, he tapped the rail. A wave spread out from his finger, travelling through the ship. He sighed. He seemed¡­ relieved? Yu Han stood quietly by his side. No need to ask questions about matters that didn¡¯t concern him. The ship docked, and Qiao Jinhai walked down. As usual, the city nobles awaited on the dock. Each city had its distinct style, with varying architectures, but the houses and buildings here looked more foreign. As did the people. There was a loud gong from the nearby River God Temple. ¡°Lord Cultivator, it is our pleasure to meet you on this verdant day.¡± The frontmost noble bowed with a flourish. "Wee to our humble Goldleaf City.¡± Qiao Jinhai smiled and nodded. Something was wrong. Yu Han nced back at the ship. At first, he didn¡¯t notice the difference. But then it clicked. The figurehead¡¯s changed? There was no more azure dragon. Now it was a bearded old man with emerald eyes, holding a green longsword. Yu Han followed after the procession. Qiao Jinhai exchanged pleasantries with each noble that approached. They reached the central square. Yu Han frowned, head tilting. Qiao Jinhai had changed. Did he achieve the breakthrough? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here,¡± Qiao Jinhai said, as if finally noticing Yu Han. ¡°No matter. Stand at the side and see to the needs of those that pass.¡± Yu Han nodded subserviently. ¡°Lord Cultivator, shall I gather our sons and daughters?¡± the city lord asked. ¡°By the sect¡¯s will. Let us hope the heavens bless the youths of this city.¡± ¡°It will be their honour to serve the Verdant de Sect.¡± He bowed. Yu Han kept his head lowered, but his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Not the Stormy Reef Sect? His nose twitched. Sweat dripped down from his forehead, dampening the ground. He smelled a scheme. A line formed. It was short, and every person in line wore fancy clothes. No riff-raff in sight. The first person to touch the orb was a pretty girl with raven hair. Her ck eyes were glossy, like marbles. She smiled sweetly, wearing a phoenix hairpin. The orb shone with orange light. The crowd gasped. ¡°Your name?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked, a fond smile on his face. ¡°Huang Linxue, Lord Cultivator!¡± ¡°Ah, the only daughter of City Lord Huang?¡± Qiao Jinhai nodded. ¡°The scion of a dragon can¡¯t be a snake.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Huang Linxue looked troubled. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked. The usual cold edge of his voice returned. He would not ept falsehood. ¡°Lord Cultivator, if I may.¡± The city lord spoke up, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°During my younger days, I was a bit unruly, unfortunately. I have another daughter from a concubine. She turns twenty-one in three days. This one was confused if we should let her be tested.¡± ¡°Father, perhaps Sister is better suited to be here, in the city, where she can contribute.¡± Both Huangs looked at Qiao Jinhai. ¡°Rules are rules. Wait on the side, Junior Sister. In the meantime, Junior Brother Yu will exin to you the rules we have for our travel.¡± Qiao Jinhai sent Yu Han a re. Yu Han gestured for her to join him. ¡°Come,e, Senior Sister. There aren¡¯t many rules on the ship, but¡­¡± Yu Han bbered on. His mind raced, trying to figure out what was going on. Why had Qiao Jinhai¡¯s attitude changed? Why did he not specify to bring ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± as usual? Huang Linxue bit her lip. Her eyes had the same look as when Sima Yan looked at Li Yao. ¡°It¡¯s the little cowgirl.¡± ¡°Wow. No wonder the ninth prince wants her.¡± ¡°Ptui, what ninth prince? Heard the lord was saving her as a gift for the emperor.¡± In front of the orb stood a girl with a face that vaguely resembled Huang Linxue¡¯s. She was nervous, fidgeting left and right. Simr height to Yu Han. Slightly tanned, with green eyes, pink lips, shoulder-length dark hair. Pretty average face, nothingpared to Huang Linxue¡¯s. She wore shabby serving girl clothes, with dirty hands and muddy feet. Full hips. And a huge bust. Chapter 9: Rooster Chapter 9: Rooster The girl touched the orb. It lit up with red light. Huang Linxue¡¯s face scrunched like she had licked the sourest lemon. But in a blink, it changed back. ¡°Name?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked the girl. ¡°H-Huang Niuniu.¡± The girl was flustered. She lowered her face and fidgeted with her fingers. Yellow Cow? Cow cow? That has to be a nickname. ¡°A trait, huh? Not bad. Wait at the side with your sister.¡± The girl nodded, then ran to Huang Linxue. With each step, they bounced, and the gulps rang out from the crowd, Yu Han among them. Maybe it is her real name. ¡°Sister.¡± She gasped for breath. ¡°L-Lord Father said that if I pass, I should take care of your needs.¡± ¡°What nonsense. Are you a maid?¡± Huang Linxue huffed. ¡°Take a seat. We must show the proper attitude of a cultivator.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Huang Niuniu nodded. They bounced again. Yu Han sensed drama. He pried his eyes away, though the temptation was there. Yu Han was a teenager, in body and in half his soul. The other half protested. Think about my ex! Instagram model, Korean. They met at a Dubai auction¡ªshe selling her first, Johan winning the bid. Sizzling nights were followed with heartfelt talks. No father, mother in a cult. She never knew love. A month in, they began dating. She closed her OnlyFans, stopped livestreaming. Cooked for him. Dreamed of kids. Got along well with his family. Said she didn¡¯t want his money anymore. Somehow she gave all of it back. Over the years, she became more demanding. More emotional. More fights. Counselling? He scoffed. Nothing was wrong with him. usations flew. They stopped talking. Stopped fighting. Sex became a stranger. Then she left him for the janitor, traumatising him for two lives. Yep, stay away from drama. Yu Han scooted away. The talent tests continued. Even if someone failed, Qiao Jinhai would say a word of constion. Is he like me? Did someone transmigrate into his body? The change in attitude was like night and day. At the end, seven kids passed. An olddy wearing simr servant robes handed Huang Niuniu arge knapsack. ¡°Thedy¡¯s essentials are here. And¡­ some for you,¡± the olddy said. ¡°Thanks, grandmother.¡± ¡°I wish my real grandkid was a good girl like you. Take care of yourself. And¡ª¡± the old woman patted her head, her expression faltering as it turned to Huang Linxue ¡°¡ªbe careful.¡± ¡°My Lord, we have prepared a grand feast for you. Perhaps you may find it agreeable to join?¡± City Lord Huang said, each gesture theatrical. ¡°In all of Martial Eagle Kingdom, our Goldleaf city boasts the best food, fresh from the mountains and rivers.¡± ¡°Certainly, I can¡¯t refuse that now, can I?¡± Qiao Jinhai smiled. He scanned the seven who passed the test. ¡°Shall our new heroes join the feast?¡± It sounded like a question, but was more like amandment. ¡°They shall have time to bid farewell. Filial piety is the utmost of virtues,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. What happened to severing mortal ties? Yu Han stiffened, and the bad feeling grew worse. ¡°Certainly, my lord.¡± City Lord Huang stroked his beard. That was when Huang Linxue spoke up. ¡°Lord Father, and Senior Brother Qiao. Do forgive me for my presumption for speaking out of turn. May I have a word?¡± ¡°Feel free, Junior Sister. No need to be so formal.¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°Perhaps we should let Huang Niuniu go to the ship ahead of us? The silly girl has never been to such feasts, and her mannerisms might offend. This Linxue thinks maybe she would feel morefortable that way. Isn¡¯t that right, dear sister?¡± ¡°Honoured Sister is right, Lord Father, Lord Cultivator. I wouldn¡¯t want to bother anyone.¡± Cow Girl¡ªHuang Niuniu lowered her head. ¡°Junior Yu, head back with this Junior and tell her the rules on the ship.¡± ¡°Leave it to this Yu Han.¡± He patted his chest. ¡°And, from the next city onward, you shall not apany me. Concentrate on your cultivation, or you shall be dust in the wake of your peers,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. Then he was led away by the city lord and other recruits, the whole group bustling withughter and jokes. Yu Han and Huang Niuniu were left. Yu Han tried to discern her expression, but her face showed no change. She merely looked at the back of those that left. ¡°Shall we go, Junior N-Niuniu? Junior Huang?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Niuniu. Or Niu¡¯er. You might anger my sister if you call me Junior Huang,¡± the girl said. She had a sweet smile on her face. It was dazzling, as ifing directly from her heart. I keep calling her a girl, but didn¡¯t they say she was three days from twenty-one? She¡¯s older than me. In this world, I guess that¡¯s already considered a full-fledgeddy. She¡¯d be a young adult back in London. ¡°Then, Junior Niuniu, let¡¯s make haste.¡± They walked back to the pier, and Yu Han told her the rules of the ship. Huang Niuniu carried arge pack like a snail. Maybe she had higher strength stats than him? This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. The figurehead remained changed, as if the azure dragon had been an illusion. The old immortal¡¯s emerald eyes gleamed in the orange light of sunset. Huang Niuniu ran to the River God Temple and a lit an incense at the small shrine outside. She walked back, her gaze going over the distant city. ¡°Let¡¯s go up,¡± she said. ¡°Be careful,¡± Yu Han said as Huang Niuniu almost tripped on the gangway, the ship rocking with the waves. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve never ridden on one of these.¡± Yu Han showed her the wardrooms. Huang Niuniu put the bag down, sitting down beside it. ¡°Well then, take care.¡± Yu Han walked away. A few guys were watching the new arrival. ¡°Oi, look at that,¡± one whispered, elbowing the other. Yu Han rolled his eyes, but left. No need for drama. Yu Han didn¡¯t need plot. Qiao Jinhai returned at daybreak with the recruits. They smelled of alcohol. The recruits hugged their family, bidding each goodbye. As the ship left shore, the drums and trumpets sounded, while the recruits waved their loved ones goodbye. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡± one boy asked, observing the new recruits from near the stairs. ¡°Maybe Qiao Jinhai is from this city?¡± a girl replied. Everyone looked shocked at his change in attitude. Yu Han was basking in the sun near the conversation. He asked Li Yao, who was leaning against the mast, ¡°What¡¯s the name of our country?¡± The boy cleaned his ear with his pinky. ¡°Riversong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the city name.¡± ¡°Oh right. Right. I think it was White Lotus Kingdom? Or was it Sima Kingdom?¡± During lunch time, Yu Han confirmed it was called White Lotus, not Martial Eagle, when one of the new recruits called Sima Yan a grass-eating girly boy from White Lotus. ¡°You dare?¡± Sima Yan raged, and Pang Jiming, the guardmander¡¯s son, tackled the boy to the ground. A sudden pressure descended. tes fell, chopsticks ttered. Some passed out. ¡°Who dares break the rules?¡± Qiao Jinhai floated up the stairs. ¡°S-Senior Brother. These new Juniors provoke us to our face¡ª¡± Sima Yan tried to say, kneeling. ¡°Silence.¡± Qiao Jinhai held Pang Jiming up. He touched the boy¡¯s hand. It snapped. Pang Jiming screamed. ¡°I said silence.¡± Qiao Jinhai repeated, and Pang Jiming passed out. The cultivator threw Pang Jiming to the wood. ¡°Take him to the doctors. Do not waste my time by repeating this mistake. Next time, I won¡¯t be so merciful.¡± ¡°We beg for forgiveness.¡± Sima Yan relented. ¡°The Martial Eagle Kingdom is thrice the size of you merchants from White Lotus. Isn¡¯t it natural for you to bow to us?¡± The recruit who started it all dusted his robes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Senior Brother?¡± Qiao Jinhai nodded. ¡°The weak bow to the strong. That¡¯s the rule of the world.¡± Sima Yan paled. ¡°The White Lotus Kingdom¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai snapped his fingers. Sima Yan¡¯s head mmed on the ground. ¡°Do not waste my time again.¡± The cultivator left. All that remained was a deafening silence. ¡°Hey hey, tubs,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What just happened?¡± Yu Han had a hunch, but he didn¡¯t want to voice it. What did he care if nobles from the White Lotus Kingdom were ditched? The trend continued for the next cities. While in White Lotus, Qiao Jinhai had seemed to speedrun through each city, as f he wanted to get away even a second sooner. But in Martial Eagle waters, he took his time. The recruits from here were happier, more chipper. All nobles. Those from the White Lotus Kingdom kept their heads down. Yu Han¡¯s life continued. He wrapped the rope around him again. Finally! His circumference was about a third of an inch smaller. There were more improvements. Echoing Dreamscape Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 -> Initial Step Level 3 And his current stats were: Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 39 (+20)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 [Body Origin: 5.20] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 11.00] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 55 (+17)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 4 (+105)/400 The True Qi gain for Echoing Dreamscape had gone down, but it levelled up. He could keep the mirages going for almost twenty seconds now. And they were far clearer, both visually and aurally. He could simte smell too, but not touch. ¡°You can do it!¡± Li Yao cheered from the side. He removed the bag of rice on Yu Han¡¯s back. ¡°F-Five!¡± Yu Han copsed. Vitality: 6 -> 7 [Body Origin: 5.20 -> 5.40] Why did vitality increase and not strength? Yu Han gasped for breath. ¡°Good job.¡± Li Yao squatted by Yu Han, whoy on his stomach, sleek from sweat. The other boy left. He spent more time with some of the other recruits from White Lotus Kingdom recently, mainly the ones that weren¡¯t nobles. Meanwhile, the nobles gathered around Sima Yan. Including the nobles from Martial Eagle Kingdom, there were three unwritten factions on the ship, with the third bullying the other two. Yu Han got up, but his head spun. He crawled to the side of the training hall, then threw up in a bucket. ¡°Are you okay?¡± a voice said. Yu Han forced his head up, and green eyes stared back. Huang Niuniu. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look fine. Are you trying to lose weight?¡± Yu Han coughed. I want my abs back! I at least want to see them. ¡°I¡¯m training. Leave me alone.¡± Yu Han pushed Huang Niuniu aside and tried to walk away. ¡°Small steps. You can do it.¡± The girl grabbed his shoulder. Her grip was strong. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± She took Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°Thanks for exining the rules to me. Take this, it¡¯ll make the nausea go away. Make tea with it, let the hot water rest for three hundred breaths. You can use it to make ten cups of tea.¡± The girl ran off. There was a dried root in Yu Han¡¯s hand. Expensive stuff. ¡°That¡¯s a baby ginseng,¡± the doctorter confirmed. ¡°It isn¡¯t poison, boy.¡± After the tea, he copsed on the bed. Deep Sleep felt clearer, his shoulders light. *** ¡°Dad, the world isn¡¯t such a kind ce. You don¡¯t have to put your neck out for others like this,¡± Johan said. ¡°I know, son. Reality is cruel. Harsh. That¡¯s why we have to cherish those that show us kindness. No matter how minor the connection is, cherish it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t, then all that¡¯s left in this unforgiving world is the icy wind biting into our bones. Son, kindness connects the world with rays of hope. Never give up on it.¡± *** Yu Han had experienced a weird dream. But it wasn¡¯t as weird as the scene in front of him. Qiao Jinhai wasughing and drinking with a new recruit. Huang Linxue was all smiles too; she served them both wine. The deck was windy, but they had set up a pavilion. ¡°Perfectly said, Junior Brother Wu Di! Truly a dragon amongst men!¡± ¡°Senior Qiao, you praise me too much.¡± Wu Di sped his hand with Qiao Jinhai¡¯s. They might as well have sworn a brotherly oath. ¡°They say when he touched the orb, it shone yellow,¡± Li Yao whispered. ¡°Profound Talent. He has another Trait, apparently.¡± ¡°We leave the Martial Eagle Kingdom to the sea soon, Junior Wu,¡± Qiao said. ¡°The remaining journey will take twenty days. Is there anything else you need in the meantime?¡± When Wu Di hade aboard, a line of mortal servants had carried luggage into the most luxurious wardroom. Wu Di imed it all for himself. ¡°Ah, Senior Qiao. I walk the path of a cultivator, and I know I have to sever mortal ties. But, but¡ª¡± ¡°Say it. Let this Senior Brother Qiao see if I can solve the problems.¡± ¡°The nights are lonely. I left behind all my concubines in the mortal world. I wonder¡­¡± Wu Di eyed the other recruits, his gaze going over each girl. Even Huang Linxue wasn¡¯t spared, and her smile faltered. ¡°If anything can be done.¡± His eyes stopped on Huang Niuniu¡¯s bust. Huang Linxue lit up. ¡°In that case, I know the perfect candidate. Niuniu,e here.¡± ¡°¡­Sister?¡± Huang Niuniu took a step back. Chapter 10: Shame Chapter 10: Shame
In Chapter Author''s Notes: This chapter might trigger some people. It''s the reason the story is tagged with ''Sensitive Content.'' Please feel free to skip it. Minor Spoilers: Yu Han reaches a decision on what happens in this chapter on chapter 13, and this mini-mini-arc is then resolved on chapter 15. I would be grateful if you could read until then beforeing to a decision about the story and the main character. I want to make one thing very clear: This is Fiction, not Reality. I, the author, am not glorifying nor defending the actions taken by bad people in this chapter. Thank you for reading, hope to see you in thement sections soon. (((£¾£¼))) Edit 07/11/2024: This is a rewritten version of the original chapter, for which I had put the above content warnings.
*** Huang Niuniu¡¯s green eyes widened, and her voice shook. She raised two trembling arms like she was shielding herself. There were red streaks on her hand, bruised and bloody, as if she had been whipped. Two guys blocked her from behind. Recruits from the same city as Wu Di. ¡°Come quickly, Niuniu. Pay respects to Senior Brother Wu Di. No other daughter of a prostitute will get such honour,¡± Huang Linxue said with a smile. Her tone was full of concern for Huang Niuniu, but even the stupidest among them knew what was going on. ¡°Are you defying my orders?¡± ¡°Sister. I¡ªLord Father wished me to¡ª¡± ¡°Stop that.¡± Huang Linxue¡¯s voice fell, but her smile stayed. ¡°How can a prostitute¡¯s daughter be my sister?¡±¡°What are you¡­ saying?¡± Huang Niuniu tried to take another step back. Someone pushed her from behind. ¡°That¡¯s the girl the ninth prince is fascinated by?¡± Wu Di licked his lips. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao. I haven¡¯t slept on ships much, but I imagine it might be simr to camping out during war. The nights do get too lonely without a wench.¡± Wu Di had a tall, lean physique, with broad shoulders and huge biceps. He wore a robe without an undershirt, showing off his chiselled body. His red hair was tied in a ponytail with a phoenix ribbon. A scar ran down one brow, making his crimson eyes more menacing. Like an arrogant cock surveying his territory. ¡°Her mother was the flower of all the schrs before she passed,¡± Huang Linxue added. ¡°I¡¯m sure she was taught all the ways to please a man. Otherwise, how could his majesty the ninth prince be so infatuated with her, and not me, who is of proper noble lineage? She¡¯ll serve you well.¡± ¡°Is that so? Stealing a wench from that arrogant prick, can¡¯t say this Lord Wu Di isn¡¯t tempted.¡± Qiao Jinhai watched over the conversation without any expression. ¡°It¡¯s the same ninth prince who chose to go to Severing Sky Sword Sect rather than our Verdant de Sect?¡± ¡°None other.¡± Wu Di grinned. ¡°Let me go! Let me go¡ª!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s cries rang out. She struggled but could not escape the grasps of the two brutes. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t do this. Sister, I¡¯ve never talked with Brother Chu Fei aft¡ª¡± ¡°How dare a courtesan¡¯s daughter call him Brother?¡± Huang Linxue covered her mouth with a fan and giggled. ¡°Think of this as punishment for stealing a ginseng from my bag, Niuniu. I now feel like the whipping wasn¡¯t punishment enough.¡± ¡°Reward, you mean.¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Indeed, reward.¡± Huang Linxue giggled. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ sisters¡­¡± Huang Niuniu broke down crying. No one helped her. No one cared. Not even Yu Han. ¡°Junior Niuniu, serve Junior Wu Di well. He is someone meant for greatness,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°No, no no no¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu bit the arm of one brute holding her down. He yelped, and she took the chance to slip out of his grasp. ¡°Help!¡± She ran towards the stairs. ¡°You dare defy me?¡± Qiao Jinhai rose, his voice trembling. ¡°Halt, wench!¡± He snapped his fingers, and Huang Niuniu copsed. ¡°Help¡­ somebody, help.¡± She fell in front of Yu Han, who had been watching from near the stairs with Li Yao, ready to bolt any moment. ¡°P-Please,¡± Huang Niuniu said, looking straight at him. Yu Han turned away. He needed no drama. He was just a fatty. Weak. Pathetic. Spineless. What could he even do? He could run! Huang Niuniu was so close. He could grab her and¡ª Stop. His inner Johan demanded. Do you have a death wish? Qiao Jinhai snapped his fingers again. Huang Niuniu¡¯s legs cracked from the knees. Her wails were heart-wrenching. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao, you have my thanks¡ª¡± Wu Di was about to bow to the senior brother, but was cut off by Qian Jinhai¡¯s raised hand. Qiao Jinhai leapt down, his face twisted into the wrathful visage of an asura. Everyone parted like the red sea as he walked to the fallen girl. ¡°A mere mortal¡­. A worthless creature with trash-like Common Talent dares to defy my words?¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice was a low, grating snarl, his jaw clenched so tightly it sounded like grinding metal. With a flick of his finger, Huang Niuniu¡¯s head snapped upward, her entire body following as if yanked by an unseen force. She dangled midair, held by an invisible grip. Her legs hung like broken sticks, like stic straws that had been chewed through. Blood and urine dripped from her ripped trousers onto the floor. A nasty stink was in the air. She had lost her continence. ¡°You think you¡¯re above me?¡± Qiao Jinhai loomed over her, his eyes zing. ¡°Just like the others, looking down on me because I haven¡¯t broken through?¡± Huang Niuniu sobbed uncontrobly. ¡°P-Please¡­ mercy¡­ I¡ªI¡­¡± ¡°Again you talk back. Again you all look down on me!¡± Qiao Jinhai red. ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai seized her head and mmed it against the floor. ¡°P-Pleas¡ª¡± ¡°You dare defy me?¡± He smashed her head down again. Blood sttered. Bones shattered. The floorboards cracked. ¡°Every single one of you!¡± He spat on her crumpled form and, unsatisfied, delivered a vicious kick, sending her limp body rolling across the ground, her face now a bloodied, unrecognizable mess. ¡°Looking down on me.¡± The kick sent her rolling over. She had long passed out; her face an unrecognisable mess. No one spoke. The silent was overpowering, the only sound being Qiao Jinhai¡¯s ragged breathing. ¡°Take her to the holding cells below,¡± Qiao Jinhaimanded. ¡°I¡¯m not done with her. There needs to be an example of what happens when a mortal defies a Lord Cultivator.¡± ¡°Leave it to this Wu Di,¡± Wu Di cupped his hands. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Collect her teeth and blood. The sect will fetch a good price for her as a cultivation cauldron.¡± Qiao Jinhao said. A few more disciples heeded hismands. Wu Di picked up Huang Niuniu and slung her over his shoulder like a sack. ¡°Move out of the way, Fatty,¡± therger youthmanded. He had a dissatisfied expression, as if he was denied something owed to him. ¡°O-Oh, yes.¡± Yu Han scurried aside. He¡¯d been dazed. Get yourself together. I have to be stronger so this kind of stuff can¡¯t happen to me. Wu Di walked down the stairs, and Huang Niuniu¡¯s unconscious figure disappeared under the eaves. *** ¡°Did you hear the cries? It was like a ghost was screaming. Crazy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it when Wu Di¡¯s around. He¡¯s upset about his fun being ruined.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, he shouldin to Senior Qiao.¡± ¡°He did, man.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°I think Senior Qiao will let him have her soon.¡± ¡°I bet she¡¯ll enjoy it. Why did she put on a whole show when it¡¯s much better to serve Wu Di than to get nearly beaten to death?¡± The hell you mean rape is better than¡ªno, Yu Han, stop thinking about it. Yu Han tried his hardest to filter out the chatter. This was a fault of the era. Gender equality was a product of prosperous times, and feminism was a cancer anyway. He hated when his ex would drone on and on about it. Hot soup went down the wrong pipe, and Yu Han choked, gulping down a jug of water, not caring if it wet his clothes. ¡°Everything fine, tubs?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Just tired.¡± He¡¯d tossed and turned in bed all night. His rebellious mind kept going back to what had happened. How he could¡¯ve helped. How he didn¡¯t. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t! Yu Han had assured himself like self-hypnosis, all the way until dawn. I couldn¡¯t. Qiao Jinhai would¡¯ve killed me¡ª ¡°You brought that Cow Girl to the ship, right?¡± ¡°I guided her, not brought. Like Senior Qiao said.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like her?¡± Yu Han¡¯s chopsticks ttered against the ceramic bowl. He held them tighter so that they wouldn¡¯t slip. But he held them too tight, and they broke. ¡°...fuck. The hell I do,¡± he wheezed out. ¡°Sorry, that was a bad joke.¡± That was the first time Li Yao had sincerely apologised for anything. ¡°The strong bully the weak. I wonder if it¡¯s the same in sects.¡± ¡°Most definitely,¡± Yu Han said. He headed for the training hall. On the way, two guys bumped into him. ¡°Watch it, fatty!¡± one yelled. ¡°So how was it?¡± the other guy asked hispanion. ¡°You went to deliver food to that wench, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. She¡¯s all healed up with this immortal elixir. It glowed like emeralds. After forcing her to chug it down, Senior Qiao chained her to the wall and¡ª¡± He stopped. ¡°And what?¡± ¡°She was naked,¡± the other one gulped. ¡°That body¡­ hot damn. She was glowing.¡± ¡°I bet she was.¡± ¡°I mean literally. Maybe cause of the elixir? Wu Di was there too and¡ª¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he was so pissed!¡± ¡°Yeah, he almost lost it like a dog in heat. Would¡¯ve bedded her then and there if not for Senior Qiao.¡± ¡°You mean walled her?¡± Both of them guffawed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell this to anyone. Senior Qiao first said he was gonna break each of her bones one by one while having her stay awake. He changed his mind after she glowed.¡± ¡°Damn. Does he want to keep her as a wench now? I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna be cultivators, my friend. And then we¡¯ll have as many immortal elixirs and women as¡ªthe fuck you looking at, fatty?¡± the second guy said. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Han came to. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been ring at us. Got a problem, buddy?¡± ¡°Oh, no no. You misunderstand, I slept poorlyst night. My eyes are itchy.¡± ¡°Then keep your head down. People might think you¡¯re picking a fight.¡± The two walked away. Yu Han touched his face. Am I going crazy? He pushed himself the hardest he could that day. Days passed. It had been forty-five days since he hade to this world. Yu Han was on the deck. The sky was cloudy. All around, as far as the eye could see, there was only water. The birds had left too. Qiao Jinhai had been staring at the sea recently, for hours on end, muttering something. Everyone could see he was worried. But about what? Recently, he had been dreaming more about his life as Johan. Sometimes, memories as Yu Han with a loving family would appear too. Progress with Echoing Dreamscape had slowed. Deep Sleep and his Character Level progressed as usual. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 44 (+5)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 66 (+10)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 11 (+7)/400 After what happened to Huang Niuniu, Yu Han had spent even more time in the training hall. He made a very obvious show of training with his dagger. Li Yao had gathered the riffraff from White Lotus Kingdom into a cohesive, if chaotic, group. This group treated Yu Han well, and otherwise kept their heads down. The White Lotus nobles were the ones who were mainly being bullied. But that had nothing to do with him. That night, inside the white space of Deep Sleep¡ª Let¡¯s see if this works. A mirage of Li Yao appeared. ¡°This is how you use a dagger, tubs. You aim up, from under the ribcage. Watch closely.¡± The illusory Li Yao demonstrated a series of quick, precise movements¡ªa thrust to the kidney, a stab under the armpit, a disarming flick of the wrist. ¡°Speed and surprise, that¡¯s your advantage,¡± his mirage exined, miming concealment of the weapon in loose sleeves. ¡°Aim for soft spots. One good hit. Let him bleed out.¡± The mirage disappeared. Yu Han summoned a dagger with Echoing Dreamscape, then imitated Li Yao¡¯s movements. ¡°Not enough,¡± he said. He summoned Li Yao¡¯s mirage again. He imitated Li Yao, going through the motions mechanically. The Yu Han of this world had zero fighting experience, and Johan had only gone to the gym to get an aesthetic physique. He had never dabbled in martial arts. Thrust. Parry. sh. Again. Even now, the dagger felt alien in his pudgy hands. Many times, it slipped out. If this were the real world, he would have injured himself ten times over. Yu Han kept analysing each movement. Up from the ribcage. Between the ribs. Aim for the kidney. Even in this mirage-like space of Dream Sleep, sweat beaded on his brow. Or was it his avatar? His arms ached, his breathing stuttering. Speed is key. Element of surprise. One good hit! Images shed unbidden¡ªHuang Niuniu¡¯s bruised hand, Qiao Jinhai¡¯s insecure rage, Wu Di¡¯s leering grin, the indifferent faces of bystanders. Including his own. None of my business. He practised concealing the de in his sleeve, drawing it smoothly. They won¡¯t see iting. His movements became sharper, more desperate. The dagger blurred in the dim light. Yu Han¡¯s eyes narrowed, focused on an imaginary opponent. In his mind, it wore Wu Di¡¯s face. One good hit. Let them bleed out. Yu Han stopped, then threw the imaginary dagger away. ¡°Why the hell am I so bothered?¡± he shouted out. The sound didn¡¯t even echo. Yu Han plopped down on his back, speaking aloud. ¡°I know it¡¯s Huang Niuniu. What happened to her bothers me.¡± He raised his palms in front of his face. But she¡¯s not my type, Yu Han thought, trying to dive deeply into his psyche. He swore he wouldn¡¯t fool himself. After all, even if he tried, he couldn¡¯t lie to himself. Other than a slight lustful urge every teenager felt towards girls, Yu Han didn¡¯t feel anything. His heart didn¡¯t flutter, his mind didn¡¯t go nk. It wasn¡¯t lovesickness. The same went for Johan. The girl¡¯s physique resembled his ex far too much. It made him wary and on guard rather than attracted. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Yu Han remembered an incident. After Elder Brother had saved that snake Jie Tong from drowning, Yu Han had begged his parents to not let him go empty-handed. They paid for medicine, and seeing Jie Tong was a strongd with seemingly decent character, they gave him a job. From time to time, Yu Han would give food away for free to customers who looked like they couldn¡¯t pay. They were leftovers, nothing to his family. Apparently, he¡¯d given food to Li Yao once, though he couldn¡¯t remember it. There were many such incidents. Yu Han had a big, fat, righteous bone in him. And now, half of him was Yu Han, truly and purely. He wasn¡¯t reced by Johan. Their memories, souls, and personalities seemed to have melded into one confused mess. As if it was Yu Han who remembered his past life as Johan. The half that was Johan was still quintessentially him, though. Yu Han cringed into a ball. ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe it,¡± he said, covering his face. ¡°I want to stand up for her because it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± The answer felt right. It felt just. As if his whole being epted it as the only usible conclusion. ¡°Nope, nope. No way in hell. Fuck that shit. I stick my neck out for no one.¡± Yu Han pped his cheeks, repeating the famous quote. The conclusion was false! There had to be some other reason. And even if it was correct, Yu Han had literally no other reason to stand up to an insecure maniac who could kill him with a sneeze. Not to mention that rapist redhead with supposedly infinite future talent. Even if Qiao Jianhai spared him, Wu Di might keep a grudge and make his life in the sect hell. The data points just weren¡¯t there. She was whipped because she gave me that medicine. Two was not enough. Two strikes aren¡¯t out. Yu Han wasn¡¯t delusional; he wasn¡¯t some hero with plot armour. The next day, he tried what he practised in the training hall. The dagger slipped from his hand. ¡°Be careful with that, tubs.¡± Li Yao jumped back. ¡°Why won¡¯t it work?¡± Yu Han said to no one. ¡°You think you¡¯re some kind of prodigy?¡± Li Yao shook his head, hitting the dummy with a wooden sword. ¡°It takes weeks before you get a foot in. Months to be decent, and years to be a master.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Yu Han sighed. In his dreams, he saw fast progress. But apparently, training in Deep Sleep didn¡¯t create muscle memory in real life. It was weird, though. The dagger felt at home now. He had the feeling, the instinct from all that practice. Right until he actually practised. The moment his physical body moved, that feeling disappeared, as if forgetting a word at the tip of his tongue. The strange feeling nagged him, and he tried one more time. And an ident happened. The dagger nicked the area between his thumb and index finger. Blood gushed out like a fountain. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Stop standing there and go to the doctor.¡± Li Yao said, disbelief on his face. ¡°Press that down with a cloth!¡± The wound was deep. It hurt, and Yu Han¡¯s eyes grew blurry with tears. Li Yao helped him down the stairs. Standing by the doctor¡¯s door were Huang Niuniu and Huang Linxue. Chapter 11: Enemy Chapter 11: Enemy ¡°Dear sister, why must you look so down? It¡¯s a joyous asion.¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°Even though you upset Senior Brother Qiao greatly, he¡¯s so kind to let you use an immortal elixir for healing. Senior Brother Qiao was not pleased. He only had one of those and he had to use it on a trash like you.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m grateful.¡± Huang Niuniu said, her eyes glossed over. ¡°He even let you go without further punishment,¡± Huang Linxue said, cupping Huang Niuniu¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve really made me lose face as your sister here. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Huang Niuniu wore a pair of newer clothes. However, ¡°wore¡± was quite a strong term here. The robes were hanging loosely on her body, and she didn¡¯t try to even fix them. As though someone else had quickly thrown them on her. As though the girl herself no longer cared. She was lightly bruised. One side of her face was swollen, and there were strangtion marks on her neck. It was a far cry from yesterday though. Even her legs were healed. ¡°Now, look chipper. You¡¯ll be Elder Brother Wu Di¡¯s woman when we arrive at the sect, and you know he hates maidens who aren¡¯t cute, right?¡± She fixed up Huang Niuniu¡¯s robe, covering the cleavage. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl said. Her voice was raspy. Itcked a soul.¡°Well then, you should return to your chambers by yourself, or do you want this heiress to hold your hand like a maid? My, how childish you are. Sister has to leave now, so don¡¯t be too lonely, okay?¡± Huang Niuniu remained silent. Huang Linxue giggled, her face blooming like a flower. ¡°Stay in your chambers until told otherwise. I¡¯ll be your best sister and bring you food every day, okay?¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°Put on a smile. You like smiling, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s how you tricked Elder Brother Chu Fei. If only he could hear how you seduced Elder Brother Wu Di, would he still care?¡± There was a slight quiver from Huang Niuniu, almost imperceptible. But Huang Linxue must¡¯ve noticed it, and she giggled once more. ¡°Oh, do you wish to consult the doctor? My, such a bloody wound. Niuniu, step aside, can¡¯t you see you¡¯re blocking the door?¡± It was as if Huang Linxue had only just noticed Yu Han and Li Yao. Li Yao opened his mouth, probably to tell them to scram for blocking the way. But even with the pain blinding his senses, Yu Han stopped him with a hand. ¡°Elder Brother Wu Di is going to challenge that Sima person,¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for him in your stead. It¡¯s only my duty as a proper sister-inw to the Wu heir. Apply the lesser salve to those unsightly marks, Niuniu. Didn¡¯t Auntie teach you how to be presentable in front of men? A wife¡¯s shame is the husband¡¯s dishonour. How ipetent can you be?¡± Huang Linxue trotted off. ¡°Hey, you wanna bleed out?¡± Li Yao pushed Yu Han from behind. ¡°Move away, Cow Girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. There was no me in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± Yu Han said, gritting his teeth through the pain. ¡°She was obviously¡ª¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Huang Niuniu said. She walked to him, then took his hand. ¡°It looks so painful.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Did someone bully you?¡± ¡°This guy bullied himself. Thinks he¡¯s a master with a dagger after a day and a half.¡± Li Yao scoffed. He didn¡¯t urge Yu Han anymore, but the disdain in his voice as he talked to Huang Niuniu was there. ¡°idents happen. Take this.¡± Huang Niuniu took out a ss vial. It had a thick liquid inside. ¡°A magical salve. It heals¡­ wounds. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why apologise?¡± ¡°There was¡­ a better one. I took it.¡± Huang Niuniu said as she pressed the vial into Yu Han¡¯s good hand. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t hurt yourself again. I have no more medicine.¡± She bowed, preparing to leave. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Yu Han was shocked. ¡°You need this more than me!¡± Huang Niuniuughed brokenly. ¡°How can a salve ever heal my wounds?¡± she said. Yu Han felt lightheaded. Was it the blood loss? ¡°Fight back,¡± Li Yao said, his voice low. ¡°Bite, scratch, scream. Go for his eyes, even if it cost you your life. Because at this rate¡ª¡± ¡°Easy for you to say!¡± Huang Niuniu screamed suddenly. That was the first emotion she had shown. ¡°Easy for you¡­¡± ¡°A coward has no right to cultivate.¡± Li Yao would not back down. ¡°The moment you epted your fate, you were already dead.¡± Even Yu Han, with Johan¡¯s obliviousness, knew it wasn¡¯t the right thing to say to someone who was tortured and almost raped. But he didn¡¯t stop Li Yao. His eyes fixed on the ss vial. He took the cap off again, slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Huang Niuniu gasped. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t be alive.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Bye. Yu Han, was it? Don¡¯t¡­ make that face. I wronged the heavens. I was punished.¡± Huang Niuniu slowly limped off. Like a zombie, she kept muttering, ¡°That¡¯s right, I shouldn¡¯t have been born.¡± Yu Han applied the salve to his wound. It stung for a second, then itched. The wound was still there, but the blood clotted in real time. ¡°Amazing,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°They must have the cure for cancer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a cancer? Hot damn, tubs. Hey, there¡¯s some left. Give me some!¡± Li Yao snatched the vial from Yu Han¡¯s hand and applied the salve to the scar on his face. It didn¡¯t work. ¡°Might only work on fresh wounds?¡± Li Yao muttered, giving the vial back. There was still some salve left. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Yu Han didn¡¯t visit the old doctor. No need to tell anyone that Huang Niuniu had given him precious medicine again. This was the third strike. On deck, there was a duel going on. ¡°Come on,e on,e on!¡± Wu Diughed as he sidestepped a sword strike from Sima Yan, swivelling his feet around and kicking out. Sima Yan blocked with the wooden sword but was pushed back. Wu Di punched, forcing Sima Yan to dodge left, but a kick was already waiting. ¡°Is this all White Lotus trash is capable of?¡± Wu Di said. ¡°I¡¯m not even breaking a sweat!¡± The duel had been going on for a while. Wu Di had requested it. He wished to exchange pointers with his fellow sect brothers. Everyone knew he wanted to vent after losing the chance to ¡®y with¡¯ Huang Niuniu. Qiao Jinhai simply shrugged and said, ¡°Why not?¡± As if he didn¡¯t care as long as it kept the Profound Talent happy. After that, during the day, Wu Di would challenge nobles from the White Lotus Kingdom. If someone didn¡¯t want to fight, he would still attack, calling the other a coward. If more than one person fought back or tried to ambush, the noble recruits from Martial Eagle Kingdom would retaliate. He¡¯d won all the matches. Soon, other nobles would challenge White Lotus noble recruits. Some challenged the riffraff too. If a White Lotus noble ormoner beat a Martial Eagle noble, Wu Di would punish that Martial Eagle noble for making his country lose face. But he forbade the other Martial Eagle nobles from retaliating against the winner in revenge. He¡¯s acting like he¡¯s so honourable. Fucking creep. How can a guy who wanted to rape a girl ever have honour? Is it that kind of machismo thing that¡¯s infected the alpha male pillmunity back on Earth? In his life as Johan, although he wouldn¡¯t like Wu Di, he wouldn¡¯t actively speak out either. Let alone do anything. Yet now, Yu Han burned. Was it shame? Guilt? Or anger? No one had challenged Yu Han yet. Maybe they thought he wasn¡¯t worth it. But it was simply a matter of time until someone wanted to vent, or get an easy win, or just humiliate him. Wu Di finished the duel with a knee to Sima Yan¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Ugh.¡± The grey-eyed young master keeled over, losing his grip on his sword. ¡°Trash.¡± Wu Di spat on him. He then pointed at Li Yao. ¡°You, beggar. Come, you¡¯re next. Heard you¡¯re leading the other mongrels from White Lotus.¡± Li Yao grinned, cracking his knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll rip that tongue off.¡± He was always confident¡ªtoo confident. ¡°Ho, you got guts.¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t tell if that confidence was just an act, or if Li Yao truly believed he could beat Wu Di. It didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Drag it out,¡± Yu Han whispered. He thought for a bit, then added, ¡°Don¡¯t lose to that pervert.¡± Li Yao winked, then stretched his neck with a slow, deliberate motion. Wu Di got into a fighting stance. It was like one of those martial arts stances from Hong Kong kung-fu movies. Yu Han had seen it seven¡ªno, eight times now. His legs bent just enough to stay mobile, knees loose and ready to spring like coiled steel. His upper body was steady, fists raised but not clenched, like he was saving all his power for that perfect moment. There was nothing sloppy about Wu Di¡¯s fighting style¡ªbrutal, yes, but precise. Li Yao stoodzily byparison, the wooden sword Sima Yan had used hanging loose in his hand. His weight shifted from foot to foot, not quite getting into a stance. ¡°I¡¯ll let you strike first. Come!¡± Wu Di¡¯s voice cut through the air. He always lets the opponent make the first move. As if he wants to show them how hopeless it was to try. ¡°Your funeral.¡± Li Yao shed a grin, then lunged forward. Li Yao, you¡¯ve seen this before. He¡¯s just waiting to counter. Li Yao swung the sword like a club diagonally at Wu Di¡¯s shoulder. Not a clean strike, but it would bludgeon if itnded. ¡°Amateur.¡± Wu Di sounded almost disappointed. He twisted his upper body ever so slightly, but that was enough to avoid the strike, his knee already going up in response. His left hand moved too. It went for Li Yao¡¯s sword arm. His fighting resembles Muay Thai. No weapon. Each strike meant not just to hurt, but to incapacitate.And he always tries to disarm his opponent. ¡°Go dow¡ªugh.¡± Wu Di jumped back with a grunt. In Li Yao¡¯s other hand, there was another object. It was a wooden training knife, shining with polish as it caught the sun. He must have hidden it in his sleeves. Wu Di¡¯s knee had collided with the tip, hard. That must have hurt. ¡°You dirty bastard. Have you no honour?¡± Wu Di raged. His followers echoed his indignation, some taking steps forward as if to gang up. He expects his opponents to y by the books. No dirty tricks. Is he that na?ve? I thought he had experienced war. Yu Han¡¯s focus was on the way Wu Di backed off, slightly favouring the other knee. It didn¡¯t look like a crippling injury, but it had some effect. Li Yao spread his arms, one hand holding a dagger, the other a sword. He looked fricking cool. ¡°Sorry fes. Grew up in the slums. Can you eat honour?¡± he said. ¡°You dare bark like that?¡± The Martial Eagle nobles looked like they wanted to join the fight. ¡°Stay back, this dog is mine to beat.¡± Wu Di raised his hand. Again, this code of conduct. Pretentious bastard. Some kind of Bushido? ¡°Bullshido¡± is more like it. The two fighters circled each other. ¡°How did a mongrel like you even pass the talent test?¡± Wu Di said, repairing his stance. ¡°With my martial arts, of course. It¡¯s a special one.¡± Li Yao twirled the dagger. ¡°Name it. This Wu Di is a scion of the Swooping Eagle Pouncing Panther style.¡± Wu Di demanded. ¡°It¡¯s called suck my dick!¡± Li Yao roared, charging. ¡°How dare you!¡± Wu Di cried, incensed. The fight dragged out for half an hour, far longer than anyone expected. People started whispering that Li Yao was much better than Sima Yan. Sima Yan looked stoic, but his fists were clenched. ¡°A wise man knows when to bow,¡± Sima Yan said, but the voice reached Yu Han. Pang Jiming with his arm in a crutch wasted no time ttering the young master, but Ma San¡¯s vitriolic gaze was fixed on Yu Han. At the end, Li Yao was exhausted. He hadn¡¯t sustained many injuries. Wu Di was sweating too, but he couldn¡¯t strike a decisive blow. Something ttered. Li Yao had dropped his weapons. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wu Di demanded. ¡°You win.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sane?¡± ¡°I surrender.¡± Li Yao grinned, walking back to the group of White Lotus riffraff. ¡°Coward!¡± one Martial Eagle noble shouted. ¡°Have you no shame?¡± another said. More insults followed. ¡°I know your type. Good. Good. At least one of you trashes can make me break a sweat. You¡¯re the first, and I hope Huang Niuniu will be the second!¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right, Brother Wu Di. His stamina just can¡¯t keep up with you!¡± ¡°With that cowardly action, he must have been an obedient housewife in his previous life.¡± The insults turned into taunts. A vein bulged on Li Yao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Sorry, fuckers. I ain¡¯t into men.¡± The taunts got louder. So he isn¡¯t totally immune to roasts. Yu Han filed that thought away. ¡°Tomorrow, we fight again.¡± But Wu Di didn¡¯t seem dissatisfied. ¡°That¡¯s it for today.¡± He pped, as if he had the authority to make everyone disperse. That night, Qiao Jinhai had an unexpected announcement. ¡°Stay off the deck. We are about to pass through a storm. It isn¡¯t my responsibility if you fall overboard,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°And cease the challenges for now. No mishaps shall be permitted!¡± He looked troubled. He kept obsessively looking at a wooden token. He¡¯d walk around the ship, go on deck, fly up, ande back while swearing. Something worried him. The storm hit the ship a few hourster. The ship rocked like a log going down a waterfall. Rain fell against the small window in Yu Han¡¯s room. Outside, all he could see were titanic waves. The ship would climb one, then dive down, like a roller coaster. Surprisingly, the sudden changes in motion were not felt inside the ship. Definitely Xianxia magic. Was Huang Niuniu trapped in her cell, or did they really let her stay in her chambers? The rain helped Yu Han sleep better. In the White Space, the only thing he simted nowadays were Wu Di¡¯s fights. He took notes. Slowly. Steadily. Even with preparation, he would surely lose the fight. The base stats were just not there. Yu Han wasn¡¯t delusional. He didn¡¯t have the ability to dodge even one of Wu Di¡¯s punches, let alone fight back. But there were other ways. All he would need was another chance. Memory: 15 -> 16 [Mind Origin: 11.00 -> 11.20] The mirages became more solid, clear, and vibrant. Theysted longer. Three dayster, the storm passed. ¡°You dare!¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice echoed like a volcano throughout the ship. ¡°I can smell your fear, worm. Delicious,¡± another voice resounded. Calmer, but chilling, like a beast¡¯s growl. There was an explosion, as if the ship had hit an iceberg, followed by Qiao Jinhai¡¯s pained scream. Chapter 12: Duan Xiaolong Chapter 12: Duan Xiaolong It was like a missile had suddenly hit the ship. Yu Han was flung out of his bed, kissing the floor with a painful thud. ¡°Motherfu¡ª¡± Li Yao¡¯s curse rang from somewhere. Yu Han¡¯s vision buzzed blue and red, and when the stars cleared up, he found himself leaning on a wall for bnce. ¡°What business does fellow Daoist have with this Verdant de Sect¡¯s vessel?¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice echoed. It was unusually subdued, unlike his usual arrogant tone. ¡°Merely hunting a worm who dared to steal. The little worm should tremble. Kneel and beg for mercy,¡± replied a low, rumbling voice, as if a beast was speaking. ¡°Fellow Daoist surely jests¡ª¡± Another explosion rocked the ship. The floorboard creaked, and dust and wood chips fell from the ceiling. Li Yao opened the door and rushed out. ¡°Are youing or what?¡± he yelled at Yu Han. ¡°We¡¯re dead if the roof copses!¡± Outside the door, a few more recruits ran through the wardroom corridor. Do I follow? Yu Han clenched his fist, then wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.¡°Wait up!¡± he shouted, following Li Yao out. More explosions followed. The humid sea air became thick with mist. Yu Han and the other recruits raced up the stairs, their footsteps echoing against the trembling wood. ¡°Li Yao.¡± Yu Han tugged on the taller boy''s arm. ¡°Are we seriously running towards the explosion?¡± They paused halfway up the stairwell, the hatch in sight. Yu Han was out of breath, heart pounding. Li Yao turned to Yu Han, eyes wide with panic, but before he could answer¡ª ¡°You leave me no choice!¡± Qiao Jinhai''s voice thundered from above. ¡°Celestial Bamboo Grove Sword Formation!¡± Another violent explosion, louder than any before, tore through the ship. The stairs shook, the walls groaned. Wood cracked and shattered around them. The hatch at the top of the stairwell exploded from its hinges, disintegrating into a cloud of dust. Some screamed, others cried. Yu Han and Li Yao grabbed onto the railing. The deck above them buckled, then copsed. Floorboards vanished, splintering like shrapnel, leaving a jagged hole that exposed the scene above. They didn¡¯t see the sky. A brilliant sh of green light illuminated the hatchway, shaped like a crescent moon. It hurtled straight towards them, followed by a swarm of wood shrapnel. Yu Han¡¯s breath caught in his throat. We''re dead. Instinctively, his hands shot up, as if he could block the strange projectile. But deep down, he knew it was useless. Then the opaque silhouette of a man appeared in the green crescent¡¯s path. He held a staff diagonally in front of him. The crescent collided with the staff, and the screech of metal on metal rang out. The green light shattered, the force blowing the shrapnel out of the way. And then the silhouette disappeared. Yu Han wasn¡¯t sliced in half, nor turned into a sieve. ¡°Cornered prey will bite back, as they say. But this... this is the first time I''ve seen one turn its teeth on its own brood,¡± the beastly voice said. ¡°You have shown me a new level of desperation.¡± There was a chirping sound. ¡°You¡¯re right, Little Pir,¡± the beastly voice said. ¡°This is the worm¡¯s final writhing.¡± The dust settled, and the scene on deck became visible. On one side was Qiao Jinhai. His clothes were in tatters, and he was bleeding from many wounds on his body. He held a sword with his right hand and, with his left, a piece of paper. Around him, three bamboo sticks floated in orbit. They swirled fast, leaving afterimages of green blurs. His opponent was a muscr young man with blue eyes as chilling as a cier. The sleeves of his indigo-white robes were ripped, biceps bulging. He was shorter than Wu Di, but with far more bulk. He had spiky jet-ck hair that fell to his waist. The enemy cultivator spared a nce at the onlookers on the gangway. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°How fare the stolen mice, Little Pir?¡± Spiked Hair said through fanged teeth. ¡°Did the worm catch them in its jaws?¡± There was a chirping sound again. ¡°Keep the toys safe while I hunt the interloper.¡± Spiked Hair formed a w with his hand, and mist seemed to gather in a ball inside it. ¡°You dare ignore me in the midst of a duel, barbarian?¡± Qiao Jinhai said, as if he could not believe the offence. ¡°Duel?¡± Spiked Hair cackled. ¡°Does a hawk duel with its prey?¡± ¡°You court death!¡± Qiao Jinhai stomped with his left foot, and with the momentum, chopped down with the sword in his hand. A green crescent shed out. The same light that had beenunched towards Yu Han¡¯s group just moments ago. Superpowers. Yu Han gaped. Actual frickin¡¯ser swords! ¡°Still not begging for your life?¡± Spiked Hair punched, the ball of mist in his wed hand flying out. The two supernatural forces collided, and with the sound of shattering ss, the ball of mist broke through the green crescent. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Qiao Jinhai roared, spitting out blood. The blood hit the three orbiting bamboo sticks. He chopped down with his sword again, and this time, the bamboo sticks followed the motion. Whoosh! Four green crescents flew out. ¡°You die, barbarian!¡± Qiao Jinhai shed and thrusted as if out of control. More green crescents flew out in all directions. Does he have that little control over his power? That wasn¡¯t it. The first four green crescents broke through the mist ball and sliced Spiked Hair apart. Spiked Hair¡¯s remains turned into mist and scattered. ¡°That can¡¯t be it!¡± Li Yao shouted. ¡°Like a blind insect being toyed with,¡± Spiked Hair¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Your fear fuels my joy. Struggle more.¡± It was cold, but with an undertone of certain mirth. Qiao Jinhai shed more, perhaps trying to hit Spiked Hair randomly. ¡°Curse you! Curse you!¡± he cried out. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be my better while you hide like a rat!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. Cry! Cry and beg more.¡± Many green slices flew towards Yu Han¡¯s group at the mouth of the destroyed hatch. Each time, a semi-opaque silhouette would appear and shatter the attacks. Not a man. It had a humanoid figure, but it wasn¡¯t human. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got, worm? I cannot savour such ¡ªwhat trick is this?¡± Spiked Hair said. The green energy left by the shattered crescents started to pulse. In the mist, it appeared like the disappearing glow of a lighthouse. ¡°You just noticed?¡± Qiao Jinhaiughed, blood spewing out of his mouth. He opened his arms wide, and his sword flew out. The three bamboo sticks stopped too. ¡°But it¡¯s toote. I will have your life, barbarian. Behold, the true form of our sect¡ª¡± ¡°Pathetic.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± A staff weaved between the three bamboo sticks and made contact with Qiao Jinhai¡¯s jaw. Something broke. Qiao Jinhai flew back, smashing against the guardrail. The wood crunched, and the cultivator fell overboard. There was a chirp followed by a strange sound, as if someone was blowing a raspberry. ¡°I-Is he dead?¡± Li Yao said. Yu Han gulped. ¡°You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask?¡± A bundle was thrown onto the deck from the direction Qiao Jinhai had fallen from. It was Qiao Jinhai, now tied up, with his mouth gagged. He had fainted, and judging by the shape of his face, was severely injured too. A figurended beside him. It was Spiked Hair. He hadn¡¯t been on the deck at all¡ªhe was probably hanging from the side of the ship. ¡°Little Pir, spectacr work,¡± Spiked Hair said. Another chirping sound. The semi-opaque silhouette gradually became more visible, like smeared ss clearing up. It was a monkey with blue fur, big round eyes, and a long furry tail. It had armour like a terracotta soldier, and a bronze staff tucked under one arm. It jumped from one leg to another, scratching its furry head. It pointed at Qiao Jinhai, then at Yu Han¡¯s group, then finally at itself, and squeaked. ¡°Savour the taste,¡± Spiked Hair said, tossing it a hexagonal crystal. ¡°Slowly.¡± The monkey called Little Pir carried Qiao Jinhai and climbed up the mast. He hung the unconscious cultivator from the mast, then squatted at the top, biting the hexagonal crystal like it was a drug. ¡°Let us take stock of the new hunt,¡± Spiked Hair said with a menacing grin. Yu Han blinked, then opened his eyes. Spiked Hair was gone, and in his ce, there was only mist. The man¡¯s voice echoed from down the stairs. ¡°Likervae, you are tricked. All recruits on board, scurry before me within a cup of tea''s time. Let this Duan Xiaolong see who is worthy.¡± *** Duan Xiaolong stood in the middle of the training area with his arms crossed. His Spiked hair moved with the rocking of the ship. Below, all the recruits had gathered. Sima Yan, Ma San, Wu Di, Huang Linxue. Huang Niuniu. Her injuries hadn¡¯t cleared up yet. She was tucked away in the corner, like she was trying to disappear. She¡¯d shiver every now and then, wrapping her arms around herself. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even a fight,¡± Li Yao said. The boy looked like he had met his favourite superhero. ¡°Thatposure. Crazy. Fucking insane. Are all cultivators this¡­ this¡ª¡± ¡°Cool?¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao snapped his fingers. ¡°Exactly. There¡¯s some shit going on. If we don¡¯t die, I¡¯m gonna get myself a monkey.¡± Did he imagine it, or was that a smile on Duan Xiaolong¡¯s face? It seemed that for a split second, the cultivator had looked at Li Yao with interest. ¡°Your worthless lives belong to me,¡± the cultivator said. It was a low voice, with that uneven growl. There was a murmur in the crowd. ¡°Look at you, chittering like mice.¡± Duan Xiaolong sneered, and instantly, the crowd fell silent, as if a hundred unseen hands had grasped their throats. ¡°My im is of the strong. I conquered this ship in a duel, and now I will set the rules.¡± He scanned the crowd. ¡°Like newborn foals, you have been tricked by worms. But once tricked, your value is gone.¡± Duan Xiaolong pped, the sound ringing like crashing cymbals. ¡°You will earn back that value inbat.¡± He sat down cross-legged. He pointed at two boys. ¡°You werete, so you will be the first to redeem yourselves. Fight. Keep me entertained on this tedious voyage.¡± There was a chirping sound. The blue monkey appeared behind one of the boys and pushed him from behind with the staff. ¡°Chirp!¡± The monkey waved its staff at the others, screeching. Yu Han moved out of the way. Soon, there were only the two boys, Duan Xiaolong, and the monkey left. ¡°Need I hold your hand?¡± Duan Xiaolong sighed. ¡°U-Umm. Lord Cultivator? What shall we¡ª¡± Duan Xiaolong snapped his fingers. ¡°Worthless.¡± The monkey struck the boy in the ribcage with the bronze staff. The boy flew like aet, spraying a shower of blood as he mmed into the ship¡¯s wooden wall. A Letter to my Readers: (Rewrote Chapters 10 and 11) A Letter to my Readers: (Rewrote Chapters 10 and 11) I rewrote the chapters 10 and 11. The revamp is major, so I would rmend readers to re-read the story from there again, otherwise the following chapters might feel confusing (since I also rewrote/edited every chapter from chapter 10 so that the story is consistent). Check it out here: /fiction/97091/book/chapter/1887314/chapterI would like to write a letter to you guys. The reason I rewrote was because during chapters 10 and 11, a certain traumatic experience happens to a character. I feel like I wrote the scene well. Most other authors I showed the scene (some whose story I''m sure you''ve read) agreed that there was nothing intrinsically wrong with writing such dark scenes in fiction either, and that there was nothing wrong with the scene I wrote. The fiction was tagged with ''Sensitive Content.'' Keeping up with Royalroad guidelines, I made sure that there were no detailed descriptions of the traumatic event. It happened off-screen, and what we saw was the events leading up to it and the consequences afterwards. The action wasn''t glorified in any way. The main character of this novel might start out as a narcissistic scumbag, but he had his boundaries, too. Fiction is fiction. Reality is reality. Dark scenes have been written in far greater detail in great works such as A song of ice and fire (Game of Thrones), and Ounders. Some might say: "Well those are written by brilliant authors. They have the writing skills to make such dark topics work." I reject such statements. Nothing is off limits in fictions, no matter what the skill level. Otherwise, how is an author to learn his craft, if he doesn''t at least attempt to write a challenging subject? Should he just be happy writing about happy people in happynd where nothing ever goes wrong? I believe that humans are storytelling machines. Story is how we explore this vast universe. We make up the most heinous and the most happiest fantasies imaginable, put them into words on paper or a document, then ask the question: "then what happened?" Our species evolved to tell stories, whether it''s aedy or a tragedy. We write stories as a way of simtion. If a tiger attacks the vige, what is to be done? Ancient storytellers probably pondered these questions too. They wrote a story to tell it to the vigers. I can be based on a real tiger attack. It can be brutal, tragic, and apologetically real. The vigers now at least have a semnce of an idea of what to do next. Is the storyteller is good? Well, the vigers will have a good time too. If they are bad, at least the vigers know there are tigers in the world. Everyone can be a storyteller. Me, who has middling skills at best. G.R.R. Martin, with his monumental skills with the pen, or a budding author who has never written a single word before. My skill level has nothing to do with my qualifications to write. If I''m good, it just means more people will read my story and enjoy it. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Finally, what an author writes in a fictional setting is not some hidden clue to their ''real personality.'' If Thomas Harris writes about cannibals (Silence of the Lambs), does that mean he eats human meat? If my neighbour Leah writes she is a Space Princess, does that actually make her one? On the other hand, if anthere was an actual cannibal, does that in reverse say something about his writing skills? Some people confuse reality and fiction because of medical conditions. Some are simply so self-righteous that they are blind. So why did I rewrite the scene? I''d like to exin it first by the valuable wisdom a reader of the story (and fellow writer, MDW) shared with me in thement sections:
There are no masters but fellow disciples stumbling in the dark while trying to walk the narrow righteous path. Remember to be like the Bamboo rather than the Oak. Both attempt to reach the heavens as they grow. Though mighty, Oak is inflexible. Bamboo bends to the wisdom of the storm and survives, while Oak breaks before the imcable winds.
The problem was the sudden and jarring tone-shift. Some fellow authors pointed this out to me. It wasn''t a problem to keep the scene. I was in my right to do so. But, the synopsis of the story, the chapters before chapter 10, and the title of the book do not point to a story with such dark elements, especially not at the beginning 10 chapters. After sleeping on the issue, I agreed. So I kept the ''trauma'' but changed ''how it happened.'' Other authors and some dear readers (on discord and Patreon too) have told me that the rewrite suited the tone of the story much better. I hope you all will think the same too. Thanks for reading this even though it wasn''t a chapter. I probably made a ton of logical facies in this letter. The next real chapteres out in 6 hours! (I might remove this ''chapter'' in a few days). I''m now on RS rank 40 I think? I couldn''t have done it without you guys. You, all, rock. I''d hug you if I can (please don''t show up at my door at midnight). Best regards, CatVI Chapter 13: Simulation Chapter 13: Simtion
In Chapter Author''s Notes: I did a rewrite of chapters 10 and 11, then fixed up chapter 12, so everything made sense. Sorry if the story feels off for people who read thest versions.
The monkey turned to the second boy and bashed him on the forearms with the staff. He went flying, too. The sound of bones breaking echoed like snapping twigs. Duan Xiaolong waved his hands, and two balls of mist appeared. They were grey, with neon green and red leaking from inside like the aurora. He threw the balls, and the mist permeated the two mangled boys with a whoosh. Their sttered blood rolled back into their bodies, and the snapped limbs twisted into ce. Still bruised, but now looking human, at least. The blue monkey chirped, scratching its furry head. It pointed at the twoatose kids, then at the gathered crowd. ¡°Squeak!¡± The recruits took a collective step back. ¡°Little Pir, you have the brains of a lion.¡± Duan Xiaolong guffawed. ¡°Mice need both reward and punishment.¡± The cultivator flicked a hexagonal crystal up like a coin, catching it again. He then threw it at the centre of the arena. Itnded with perfect precision on its side. Didn¡¯t even spin. ¡°Challenge others. Prove your might, or forever be prey,¡± Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Those who win shall taste thepounding rewards.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± a voice said. It was Wu Di. ¡°It¡¯s a spirit stone!¡± ¡°Even vermin can recognise a treasure,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Indeed it is. For each triumph, you shall gain more and more. For each loss, you lose all.¡± Yu Han recognized the crystal. It was amon item that appeared in Xianxia stories, usually holding some manner of qi, or being used as a currency. A potent energy source for both cultivators and items alike. Qiao Jinhai had held those same crystals whilst he meditated on the bow of the ship. Although the one Duan Xiaolong offered was far dimmer and smaller, only the size of a fingernail. ¡°You, heir of the Southern Duchy.¡± Wu Di pointed a finger at anky figure standing far behind. It was one of his groupies. ¡°Y-Yes, young master?¡± the boy stuttered. ¡°This Wu Di has always admired the Threefold Hawk w of the Southern Duchy. Today, I shall judge its worth.¡± ¡°Young master, you couldn¡¯t possibly mean¡ª¡± The blue monkey grunted, adjusting the staff. ¡°This unworthy one will be in your care.¡± The boy bowed. They went to the traditional south and north starting positions of the training hall. Duan Xiaolong patted his knees. ¡°Good, good! Fight like you¡¯re starving. Only then can you satiate me. w, punch, cleave, break! Let us enjoy a bloodbath without fear of death or injuries.¡± One of the boys who had been bludgeoned into a bloody mess by Little Pir stirred awake, coughing out blood. His eyes snapped open, and he rolled over, retching more. Little Pir lifted both boys up and disappeared. Can that mist ball regenerate severed limbs? Yu Han wouldn¡¯t risk it. But that kind of healing¡­ Wow. ¡°Fight!¡± Duan Xiaolong sliced the air with his palm. Wu Di got into his signature stance. ¡°Come, Junior Brother. Let me taste your w.¡± ¡°Pardon my rudeness.¡± Thenky boy bowed, then lunged forward. He shaped his fingers into hooks and swiped up from below. Wu Di moved back with a minimal twist of his body. Lanky stepped forward, his other leg spinning into a roundhouse kick. Wu Di blocked with his forearms, then with one straight hook at Lanky¡¯s torso. Lanky¡¯s other foot came up, intercepting the fist with his knee. Bam! There was a loud collision. Lanky¡¯s feet extended into a sweeping kick as the other foot touched down. Wu Di struck the kick on the shins with his elbow. There was a meaty thud and Lanky screamed, losing his bnce. Wu Di lunged forward into Lanky¡¯s guard, only to have a wed hand grasp his neck from below. Wu Di grunted, as if suffocated, but kicked out with his knee. Lanky let go, retreating seven steps. Three gashes were left on Wu Di¡¯s neck. The blood dripped down, painting his chest and abs in crimson. ¡°Not bad.¡± Wu Di swiped the gash on his neck, then flung the blood away. ¡°You almost got my artery.¡± Lanky was favouring one leg, taking the pressure off the one that had been struck on the shins. ¡°The Swooping Eagle Pouncing Panther style lives up to its name.¡± Lanky¡¯s timidness was gone. What was left was a menacing grin. ¡°I shall crush it to the ground.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Let me see you try!¡± With a roar, Wu Di ran. Lanky crouched low. Wu Di punched, a right hook. Lanky struck with his left hand, his fingers wed as they swiped the side of Wu Di¡¯s punch, aiming straight for his face. He had a longer reach. Wu Di grinned, then bent his arm mid-punch. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The elbow struck Lanky¡¯s forearm the moment the joints crossed each other. There was a sound of bone breaking. Lanky¡¯s scream caught in his throat. Wu Di stepped into his guard again. Lanky raised his knee, onest desperate attempt¡ª Wu Di extended his right hook again. It hit Lanky squarely in the jaw. Blood sttered, teeth flew. The light went out of Lanky¡¯s eyes. ¡°Bravo.¡± Duan Xiaolong cracked a finger. ¡°A daring confrontation. Take the reward.¡± Wu Di bowed, picking up the hexagonal crystal. There was a glint in his eyes that Yu Han didn¡¯t miss. Duan Xiaolong threw two more mist balls. One hit Wu Di on the forehead, the other striking the unconscious Lanky. The lost teeth magically reattached themselves, and Lanky¡¯s nosebleed stopped too. ¡°Fucking miracles,¡± Li Yao gasped. ¡°Move the loser to the infirmary. He may reim his challenge after a week of rest,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°The winner gets respite for the night.¡± Wu Di grinned. He bowed again, then walked away. Until he reached Huang Niuniu. The redhead loomed above the scared girl. She shrunk even more, her breath growing haggard. "Qiao Jinhai can¡¯t stop me now. Wait a while. When we get to the sect, I shall show you how a beast ims prey.¡± He extended a hand, brushing her hair with a finger. Which was suddenly grabbed by a fist. The finger snapped. ¡°None of that,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. The praise had left his voice, reced by cold anger. ¡°One can hunt for sustenance, but never humiliate.¡± Wu Di nodded. He bit his lips, his eyes trembling wide. Duan Xiaolong scoffed. He created another mist ball, and threw it at Huang Niuniu. ¡°Wounds not from battle are disallowed, young fowl.¡± He suddenly looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Is this what they say? When the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole lurks behind?¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Little Pir, bring us the pitiful oriole.¡± The monkey who had suddenly appeared again chirped, then vanished once more. A few momentster, a cry rang out from above, followed by a sickening thump. It was a voice Yu Han recognized. Sima Yan and Pang Jiming paled, while a murmur grew. A bloody body was thrown over everyone¡¯s heads into the training arena. It fell, then bounced. Miraculously, the boy was still conscious. ¡°W-Why¡ª?¡± Ma San asked. ¡°I-If Qiao Jinhai¡¯s your enemy, let me kill him!¡± Duan Xiaolong crouched beside the boy, then tapped one bloody cheek, prying the wound there open until teeth showed. ¡°What I do with my prey is none of your business.¡± He created a mist ballrger than any before and poured the magic through the wound like liquid oxygen. Ma San screamed. His joints snapped, eyes bulging. The wounds wiggled as if seaming themselves together, but then burst again, sttering blood and gore. But Ma San didn¡¯t lose consciousness. His defiant eyes stared back. Little Pir carried the boy downstairs. ¡°Lucky you,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°He would¡¯vee for your ass soon.¡± Yu Han nodded. Duan Xiaolong was a strange character. On one hand, he was cruel, getting his monkey minion to clobber little kids until bone poked through their flesh. On the other, he always healed the kids with the mist after a beating, and after every duel too. Most importantly, he protected Huang Niuniu. He even healed her. The redheaded cock was still simmering at the side, nursing his broken finger. Duan Xiaolong hadn¡¯t healed that. There were some duels after that, between White Lotus nobles and riffraff, then against Martial Eagle scions. Li Yao beat up therge fe with the cleft lip. Sima Yan fought a wide kid from the Martial Eagle Kingdom and triumphed, earning a resounding cheer. Finally, Wu Di made his move again. ¡°You think you can beat me with your broken finger?¡± Pang Jiming said. Before the duel, Duan Xialong healed his broken arm. ¡°Arrogance will be your downfall.¡± ¡°Enough talk.¡± Wu Di beckoned the boy. ¡°Come.¡± Wu Di won, taking the spirit stone Pang Jiming had earned from a previous duel, and then twice the total as rewards from Duan Xiaolong. That night, Wu Di won a total of eight fights. Yu Han counted. How many crystals was that? Duan Xiaolong didn¡¯t specify how much ¡®more and more¡¯ meant. ¡°This is valiance! This is how prey bes predator. Good job, mice.¡± Duan Xiaolong looked as if he was truly enjoying himself. He threw Wu Di a mist ball. ¡°Mend your bones. Tomorrow, you fight again. If you dare.¡± Wu Di bowed. ¡°W-Wait!¡± a voice growled through the crowd. ¡°Have you not learned your lesson?¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Prey may be weak, but never stupid.¡± Little Pir chirped, thumping the staff on the floorboard. ¡°Fat bastard!¡± Ma San pointed at Yu Han. He was bloody, bruised, evidently nowhere near healed. Veins bulged under his skin like wriggling worms. But his voice was resolute. ¡°I challenge you to a fight to the death!¡± ¡°What say you?¡± Duan Xiaolong asked Yu Han. Yu Han unsheathed his dagger. He would take no chances. ¡°The little pig has fangs.¡± Duan Xiaolongughed. ¡°Tonight, you rest. Tomorrow, the second chapter of the voyage starts proper. You may fight in a week.¡± ¡°Bu¡ª¡± Little Pir kicked Ma San¡¯s knee from behind. It snapped. Then, with the sickening sounds of grinding bone over Ma San¡¯s scream, it started healing. That mist ball¡­ The effectsts so long. The recruits dispersed. ¡°Why did you bring out the dagger if you¡¯re probably gonna stab yourself again?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Not only are you going to lose the fight, but you¡¯re gonna lose all face with it.¡± ¡°Can you eat face?¡± ¡°Pork face ain¡¯t so bad, tubs.¡± That night, in Deep Sleep, Yu Han echoed the moment Duan Xiaolong healed Huang Niuniu. He couldn¡¯t do that. He just took her kindness without giving anything back. And after they arrive at the sect, this kind girl would probably suffer misfortune. So Yu Han should at least make an effort to lessen that misfortune. Am I doing the right thing, dad? He reyed all eight of Wu Di¡¯s fights. After he had gained the point in the Memory substat, the mirages had improved. Or was it because Mind Origin increased? He reyed the duels Wu Di orchestrated before Duan Xiaolong¡¯s arrival next. Punches, kicks, elbow, knees. Yu Han stood in front of the projection, unblinking. The punches went through him like mirages. The kicks hit him on the temple. Since these never happened to him in reality, he didn¡¯t feel the effects. But he could train his mind. Yu Han didn¡¯t look away, even if his body screamed at him. He had to get over the instinct to close his eyes. After that, Yu Han dispelled the illusions, recing it with a scene from the ship. It was the mess hall. He sat on a bench before a piping hot bowl of soup. It was red, the chilli oil floating at the top of the broth like ayer of spill. ¡°I¡¯ll have to hide this. Seaweed?¡± Yu Han grabbed the bowl. The illusions shifted. The stairway. The guardrail. The rope. Yu Han measured the distance from the hatch to the deck, then the height of the stairway. He brought out a brush, painting the wood where the rope should be. The ink didn¡¯t leave any traces. The scene was blurry; it glitched left and right. It seemed he could only paint on the mirage of the exact paper he had used to paint in real life, and couldn¡¯t arbitrarily modify other objects. He¡¯d already figured out that making objectsst longer would require more fuel for Echoing Dreamscape. He would pass out faster. But it would be worth the effort. Because tomorrow¡­ +11 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 22 (+11)/400 Tomorrow, he was going to butcher a cock. Chapter 14: Cock Fight Chapter 14: Cock Fight Yu Han got up earlier than Li Yao, a rare urrence. He lumbered over to themon basin in the wardroom and freshened up with salt water and coal. Can¡¯t believe the cultivators have the cure to crippling injuries but not toothpaste. The wardrooms were in the same floor as the mess hall. It was sparsely popted now, with barely any disciples. On one side were the stairs that led up to the hatch. A few recruits were gathered there, murmuring. ¡°Crazy. Is this what cultivators are capable of?¡± ¡°How much do you think the ship costs?¡± ¡°My father owns a fleet. He would kill my eldest brother for such a vessel.¡± The wood of the stairs was mending itself. Like it had a mind of its own, the wood creaked, inching close together at specific intervals. Jagged edges joined, and splinters flew in from somewhere. The rope lining the side of the rails had been repaired halfway too. It gave Yu Han an idea. He surveyed the position of the tables, their distance from the stairwell.This could work? His heartbeat rose. Do I really want to do this? He waited until the recruits went away, then trotted over. He squatted by the lowest stair, then measured the distance up. He climbed five treads, then held the railing on both sides and heaved his weight up, as if doing a calisthenics exercise. His head didn¡¯t touch the ceiling. After one and a half months of staying here, he¡¯d finally found a perk of being short. And fat. Yu Han pushed against the railing, feet hovering above the stairs, and jumped down. He hurriedly looked around. No one was paying attention, so he went back up the stairs. I¡¯m doing this! Better than challenging Wu Di head on. The rope by the railing was still snapped about a third of the way up. Yu Han pulled the rope, then spread one end along that stair, tying that end up on the railing on the other side. Then he went up and tied the other end of the rope a few steps below, where it was originally tied. ¡°Move it, fatty!¡± A recruit came down. Yu Han¡¯s heart flinched. It was one of Wu Di¡¯s groupies. The guy jumped down three steps at a time, then turned around. ¡°Gonna get your ass kicked today,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that it wasn¡¯t one of us Martial Eagle nobility.¡± He paused, then grinned. ¡°That¡¯s a nice dagger you have.¡± Yu Han immediately unsheathed it. The guy frowned. Yu Han had the high ground. Even if he just jumped down with the dagger facing the general direction of the guy, it would be fatal. ¡°I¡¯ll see you, fatty.¡± Yu Han sighed, hands trembling so much that he almost dropped the dagger. When the guy was gone, he finished tying the rope to the guardrail, then tugged at it. The portion of the rope that was spread along the stairstep below and tied to the opposite guardrail pulled taut. Yu Han went to the kitchen. ¡°More chilli oil,¡± he said. The chef in the serving robe was sweating buckets. ¡°But my lord, this is just oil at this point!¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Yu Han shushed the waiter. ¡°More means more. Make ten, no, twenty bowls of this. Put them in decorative bowls, not the normal ones. And heat the oil until it¡¯s sizzling.¡± The chef hesitated. ¡°Your wish is mymand.¡± ¡°Cover it with toppings.¡± The waiter put seaweed and fish kes over the bowls. ¡°You think I¡¯m weak?¡± Yu Han fumed. ¡°Chilli kes. Fried garlic. Roasted peppers. Yeah, more.¡± By the end, the waiter was probably cursing Yu Han¡¯s five ancestors. ¡°This is for a special asion. Don¡¯t tell anyone unless you want to take responsibility,¡± Yu Han said. Threatening came naturally to his Johanistic soul. ¡°My lips are sealed.¡± ¡°ce one bowl on each table. Make it seem like decoration.¡± The waiter went away. Yu Han grabbed his trembling right hand with his left. Stop shivering. What are you, a pussy? He thumped his chest. Dad. Dad. You won¡¯t approve. But this is my way of nurturing a connection. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Yu Han sat down on a bench where the table already had a bowl of sizzling chilli oil. Between him and the stairs, there were three more tables. He could have sat closer. But Wu Di will catch up¡­ maybe. He crossed his fingers. If this overly cautious attitude cost him, then so be it. As long as no oneughed. Yu Han patted his tummy. It wiggled. Abs nowhere in sight. He¡¯d probably be theughingstock of the generation. Soon, more recruits filtered in. Some had quick breakfasts, then went their own ways¡ªto the deck, or down below. ¡°Whoa, the ship¡¯s fixing itself?¡± a girl said. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± ¡°Why? The rope looks like it''s tied all wrong.¡± ¡°What if you mess up the repairs? You think you can take responsibility?¡± Yu Han wiped his sweat with a steamed towel, the type the waiters gave the recruits to clean their hands. Meddling fucking kids. The whole setup might be a bust. Wu Di might clobber Yu Han into shrimp paste. Yu Han checked his gear. Dagger, check. Pouch full of chilli powder? Check. Better hide it in his sleeve though. ¡°What¡¯re you up to, tubs?¡± Li Yao said as he sat beside him. He had a simple bowl of rice stacked with a mountain of fatty pork bellies. ¡°I¡¯m going to butcher a chicken,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I have a favour to ask.¡± ¡°You want me to challenge Ma San?¡± ¡°Only if it seems like he¡¯ll challenge me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a favour, tubs. Just an errand. You didn¡¯t answer my question. What are you nning?¡± ¡°I told you. There¡¯s a chicken running around that pisses me off.¡± Wu Di walked into the mess hall. Unlike previous days, his bodynguage was shifty. Every time a girl passed by, his eyes would follow like a hawk¡¯s. ¡°He¡¯s just some wannabee rapist, isn¡¯t he? Like a stinky bandit drooling over the vige flower.¡± Yu Han¡¯s voice broke through the crowd. ¡°You crazy son of a bitch.¡± Li Yao¡¯s eyes twinkled with realization. ¡°You¡¯re confident?¡± Yu Han nodded and said loudly, ¡°He was a stooge for that crook Qiao Jinhai, just to get in bed with a girl! Talk about being pathetic. A loser like him couldn¡¯t even get a girl if he begged her, so he had to use threats and violence. Ugly fucking flunky if I¡¯ve ever seen one. Yet he dares act like he owns the ce?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothingplicated, my tubby bro,¡± Li Yao said in a near-shout. ¡°These fes, they¡¯re strong to the weak and weak to the strong. You¡¯ll find them bullying poor slum folks, but then they bow to kings like loaches.¡± ¡°Slippery ones?¡± ¡°You said it, brother.¡± The mess hall was pin-drop silent. Through the corner of his eye, Yu Han noticed Duan Xiaolong sitting at a nearby table. The other recruits scurried to empty it. Wu Di¡¯s visage turned ugly like a raging asura. Then it reverted back into a sunny smile. ¡°This fat brother,¡± he said, sitting on the bench opposite Yu Han and Li Yao¡¯s. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear what you said clearly. Do you dare to repeat it?¡± Yu Han¡¯s hands trembled under the table. He grabbed one with the other and squeezed. ¡°Did kissing Qiao Jinhai¡¯s ass so many times make you deaf? Got shit stuck in your ears, or your brain?¡± Someone dropped a te somewhere. A monkey chirped. Li Yao swallowed a pork piece whole without chewing. ¡°This fat brother has a nderous mouth,¡± Wu Di said. ¡°She is my woman. The proper heiress of the Huang n, Huang Linxue, granted her to me in ce of the Huang Patriarch. What we do is none of your business.¡± ¡°Everyone saw her screaming and begging the moment she saw your ugly face. If it wasn¡¯t for that thief Qiao Jinhai, she would¡¯ve probably preferred to jump off than be with you.¡± ¡°Niuniu stole a ginseng from my collection once,¡± another voice interjected. It was Huang Linxue. She covered her mouth with a sleeve, saying, ¡° She gave it to you, didn¡¯t she? Did she seduce you with her insidious charm too? Is that why you¡¯re jealous of Brother Wu Di?¡± ¡°Who the hell is Chu Fei, and why¡¯d he dump you for her?¡± Yu Han shot back. ¡°Bitch thinks I¡¯m the jealous one here.¡± Li Yao guffawed. Huang Linxue¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°You teamed up with this ugly flunky¡ª¡± Yu Han pointed his chopsticks at Wu Di with a chilli pepper still hanging ¡°¡ªbecause you¡¯re a jealous little tramp.¡± ¡°Now listen here¡ª¡± ¡°You think that everyone is blind? That you can y pretend with your shitty etiquette and no one will be the wiser?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So what if this red cock here gets Huang Niuniu in the end? At most, that¡¯ll make this Chu Fei guy break up with Huang Niuniu. But why the hell would he ever go back to a tiny-eyed, t-chested, snake-faced¡ª¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± Huang Linxue stood up, her palms mming the table. ¡°Even I have bigger boobs than you, washboard.¡± A single voice erupted with uncontrobleughter. It was Duan Xiaolong. He mmed the table so hard it broke. Soon Li Yaoughed too, followed by some of his riffraff friends, the White Lotus nobles. ¡°You¡­ you insolent, fat bastard!¡± Huang Linxue clenched her fists. ¡°You still have the face to stay here?¡± Yu Han spat. Theughter grew louder. ¡°Big brother Wu Di!¡± Huang Linxue cried. Big pearls of tears fell freely from her face like a waterfall. ¡°T-This barbarian is bullying me.¡± Wu Di had been strangely silent, his gaze simmering. He didn¡¯t respond when Huang Linxue tugged his shoulder, merely flicking her away. ¡°E-Elder Bro¡ª¡± ¡°Women should stay out of this,¡± Wu Di said. Huang Linxue mped up. ¡°This fat brother,¡± Wu Di said. He waited for theughter to die down. His red eyes turned colder, like a setting sun. His back straightened, like an unbreakable pir. ¡°You spoke so much horsedung. But can you back it up?¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± Yu Han said. He grabbed his bowl with one hand and stirred the pepper mixture with the other. ¡°Everyone knows I spoke the truth. You¡¯re just a big, ugly bully.¡± ¡°The truth is decided by the fist,¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Or do you think you canin to the city court and impeach me?¡± ¡°How can the truth possibly be¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re cultivators. This truth you speak of is nothing but the cry of an ant. At the end of the day, it¡¯s the gossip of trash who couldn¡¯t beat me in a duel.¡± Wu Di said. He grabbed Yu Han¡¯s tea, then poured it. On Yu Han¡¯s head. Wu Di grinned. ¡°This Wu Di can shove your fat head into your excreta hole, while all you can do is gossip like a wronged schr who got his courtesan stolen by a duke¡¯s son.¡± Huang Linxue snickered. Soon, the Martial Eagle nobles followed up. Even some others joined. ¡°Yu Han, was it?¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Ants should know their ce. If they speak up without the strength to back it up, they¡¯ll get squashed.¡± ¡°Using violence when you can¡¯t beat me with words?¡± ¡°After this Wu Di breaks your jaw, you won¡¯t even be able to speak words.¡± Wu Di raised his hand. ¡°Senior Brother Duan Xiaolong, I would like to challenge my fat brother here,¡± he said. Yu Han unsheathed his knife, and Wu Di¡¯s eyes snapped to the de¡¯s edge. Remember his fights! He¡¯s gonna go for my attack hand. Duan Xiaolong sliced the air with his hand. ¡°Granted. If there¡¯s a disagreement, such as who is prey and who is predator, you merely fight it out.¡± Wu Di grinned. Yu Han shed with the dagger. The red-haired cock leaned forward, reaching for the weapon. He grabbed Yu Han¡¯s hand, squeezing so hard that Yu Han felt his bones crack. Oh fuuu¡ª! It hurt. It hurt so freaking much. He let the dagger go. Wu Di watched it fall, his face turning away from Yu Han, who then threw a bowl full of sizzling chilli oil at his face. Chapter 15: Changing Situation Chapter 15: Changing Situation Wu Di¡¯s hands came up in the path of the chilli oil, the sizzle still camouged by ayer of fried toppings above. The bowl smashed into his hand. The oil sttered on his skin. Fingers. Arm. Face. Wu Di screamed. He instinctively whacked the bowl away, but that caused more oil to pour on his exposed shoulder and torso. Oil flew everywhere. Others screamed. Yu Han¡¯s neck burned. Some stters must have dropped on his neck as he turned. Wu Di had long let go of his hand. Don¡¯t panic. Follow the n. Three more bowls! Yu Han hopped over the bench with his pudgy legs, but one foot caught on the edge and he tripped.¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Wu Di roared. Yu Han grasped the floorboard, then heaved himself up, holding the corner of another bench. He darted away, rounding the next table just in time to see Wu Di hop on the previous one. The redhead had blisters all over his skin. One eye was closed, and one hand twitched as if it was constantly being shocked by electricity. The veins on his face bulged like wriggling worms, and his other eye was marred with bloody lines as tears poured out of it. ¡°Get back here!¡± Wu Di shouted, jumping off the table to the bench by Yu Han. Yu Han picked up a random food bowl and threw it at Wu Di. The other boy¡¯s body jerked to the left and he dove, the food bowl missing by a mile. As his blistered skin touched the floorboard, he screamed, barely stopping himself from skidding. Yu Han picked up the ¡°decorative bowl¡± next and threw it. Wu Di kicked up, hitting the bowl like it was a football. It flew back and Yu Han ducked. The bowl hit the floor farther away and burst like a water baloon, hot chilli oil spilling everywhere. Yu Han ran. ¡°Y-You think the same trick will work twice, you snivelling pig?¡± Wu Di¡¯s rasping voice came from behind. It was closer now! There! He picked up the next bowl. Calm down. It¡¯s working. He¡¯s going go into defensive stance. Yu Han feigned throwing. Wu Di stopped in his tracks. His arms went up, and one knee rose too, in his signature pose. And as Yu Han pulled his arms back, Wu Di flinched, hopping two steps back. ¡°You scared?¡± Yu Han grinned. Wu Di lunged. ¡°Bastard!¡± Yu Han chucked the hot oil without letting the bowl go. Some spilled on his hand. It stung like a thousand needles. Wu Di blocked his chest with his arms, then lunged to the left, but a good portion sshed on his torso and leg. ¡°Argh!¡± he screamed, copsing and writhing on the ground. ¡°Talk like a man, chicken,¡± Yu Han taunted, and Wu Di¡¯s screams got louder. His back bent like a bow, and he kicked up to his feet. ¡°Cock-a-doodle-doo!¡± Yu Han passed by the third table, but before he could take thest bowl there, a hand pushed it aside. It was one of the Martial Eagle Nobles. ¡°You¡¯re dead after this,¡± the boy said. Then he was blown back with a crimson shower of blood. The blue monkey chirped, thudding the staff on the floorboard. ¡°No interference,¡± Duan Xiaolong said, throwing a mist ball at the meddling kid¡¯s mangled form. Fuck. No, it¡¯s fine. Lure him up. He¡¯ll favour his uninjured leg. Yu Han ran up the stairs. He held the guardrail and heaved his body up, but his sweaty palms slipped. He fell, his fat body cushioning the collision, then used all fours to crawl up the stairs like a dog. ¡°Nowhere to run! Nothing to throw now, pig!¡± Wu Di shrieked. Yu Han risked a look back. He was at the foot of the stairwell. Good. Follow me. Yu Han got up, leaning on the guardrail as he looked down at Wu Di. He exaggerated sniffing the air. ¡°Does anyone smell burnt chicken?¡± Wu Di jumped three stairs with a blistered face. Yu Han scampered backwards. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. One step, three stairs. Wu Di was four stairs down. Above, the hatch had not fixed itself yet. The wind freely flowed into the stairwell. On both sides, the wooden wall held. Paired with the sloped ceiling, it created a perfect tunnel for the wind. Yu Han was halfway up. He fumbled, as if he had tripped. And as if trying to find bnce, he grabbed a rope tied to the guardrail with one hand, and the other iled forward as if to block Wu Di. ¡°I have you now¡ªaaaaargh!¡± A cloud of red dust flowed down from Yu Han¡¯s outstretched palm, covering the whole stairwell like mist. The walls, the floor. The burns on Wu Di¡¯s body, and his one open eye. It was the red chili powder he¡¯d hidden in his sleeves! He¡¯ll do a defensive posture! The tall redhead cried. He raised one arm and knee up, taking a small step back. This was the form he took in fights whilst defending. Yu Han had simted it hundreds of times. Right now, Wu Di ovepped with the mirage in Yu Han¡¯s Echoing Dreamscape. Wu Di moved another step back, arm blocking vitals. Switch bnce. Right knee up, left foot down. Exactly before the rope of the step. Yu Han pulled the end of the rope he had grabbed before. The whole thing went taut, catching Wu Di¡¯s ankle. The boy fell back. His arms shot out and his legs kicked the step, as he flew down. Yu Han coughed, chilli powder still in air. He pushed against the guardrail, then heaved his body up and jumped, foot kicking out. Wu Di fell to the floor, arms and feet breaking his fall as though he was doing a tricep dip. His head was towards the messhall, knees towards the stairwell. ¡°Get fucked!¡± Yu Han shouted. Over a hundred and sixty kilos of weight. eleration from the jump. The pull from the height. All that force concentrated on his one extended foot. Which stomped on Wu Di¡¯s crotch. There was a wet squelch, followed by a bone cracking. A cry so miserable that it could make the oceans weep and the heavens rage. The mess hall was silent. Wu Di foamed at the mouth, then passed out. Only Yu Han¡¯s heaving breaths echoed. Repeatedly. ¡°Get up!¡± He spat on Wu Di¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re not dead,¡± he yelled. He wasn¡¯t talking to Wu Di. Among the crowd of onlookers, there was a girl at the very back, hidden in the shadows. ¡°As long as you live, you can stand back up! Crawl if you have to! Plot, stalk, scheme, then stab him in the eye! Cough, cough!¡± Huang Niuniu remained motionless. Yu Han couldn¡¯t see her reaction. Yu Han brought a coin pouch out, the booklet with the foreign script tied to it. It was the same pouch the head chef had given him, the one that Li Yao returned. He grabbed a handful of coins and dropped them on Wu Di. ¡°Go get yourself fixed, chicken. Next time you try to rape a girl, I won¡¯t be so forgiving.¡± There was a slow p. ¡°Magnificent.¡± Duan Xiaolong stood up. ¡°The pig. No, the tiger wearing the skin of the pig hunts the rooster.¡± He came over to the boys, mist ball floating. The first one hit Yu Han. It was like breathing in air after chewing a mint candy, but throughout his entire body. The burns on his hand and neck itched. ¡°This is troubling.¡± Duan Xiaolong hovered the second mist ball above Wu Di. ¡°I cannot mend damage to one¡¯s Primordial Yang. The flesh is weak there, more so for virulent men.¡± The cultivator looked down at Wu Di. There was a disdainful curl to his lips. ¡°More so for roosters with uncontrolled urges. This healing shall cost far more than you are worth,¡± he said to Yu Han. ¡°But a Profound Talent is worth more than a thousand Common ones.¡± The ship stopped. The inertia threw Yu Han backward, the money pouch slipping from his grasp. He fell on the stairs, head instinctively going up. The ceiling had vanished. Far above in the sky was a man in flowing white robes. He had a long white beard and a pointy moustache. There was a green-ded sword in his hand. The edge gleamed like emerald. The other hand held a wooden token, the same kind Qiao Jinhai was always clutching. He gazed down towards Qiao Jinhai, still tied up on the mast. Duan Xiaolong bowed to the man. ¡°This one greets the Core Formation Elder from the Verdant de Sect. May I ask for your name?¡± There was no surprise on his face, as if he¡¯d expected the visit. The Elder clicked his tongue. The sound wave shattered against Yu Han¡¯s eardrums. He could not move. He could not talk. He could barely even breathe. There was a pressure against his very being. As if a mountain was holding him down. ¡°A barbarian from the wilnds,¡± the old man said with a soothing voice. It was as if an aged grandfather from a vige teashop had spoken. The Elder nodded. ¡°Perish.¡± He shed out with his sword. It was the same green crescent as Qiao Jinhai¡¯s, but the light was deeper green, with ss-like emerald lining the edge. Slowly, it came down. Duan Xiaolong took out a paper slip. He¡¯s smirking? Yu Han felt his blood pressure rise, and a wet feeling spread through his pants. Duan Xiaolong threw the paper slip. It hit the green crescent and a wall of blue appeared, like parts of the aurora. Moving, shifting. The green crescent stopped, and reality ground to a halt. It felt as if a million ants were creeping up Yu Han¡¯s skin. Bile rose up in his mouth. He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t. They stung, dry. The sea breeze brought a salty scent. Under him, the constant rock of the ship was long gone. It was as if he was on drynd again. There was a low droning sound, as if a bee buzzed just outside his cognition. The sound would not leave him alone. All-epassing. It came from the colliding wall of blue and the green crescent. Drip. Drop. Blood sttered on the floorboard. Duan Xiaolong bled from all his orifices. ¡°The prey has taken the bait.¡± A jet of water shot towards the Elder. It must havee from the ocean, outside of Yu Han¡¯s view. The Elder dodged. The water jet continued up. And up. And up. Until it cleaved the clouds apart. Bullshit. This is bullshi¡ª The Elder shed again and another green crescent shot out, but not at Duan Xiaolong. It was aimed at whatever else was attacking him. Another jet of water. The green crescent shattered. And a shadow blocked out the sun. A fish tail whipped from behind the Elder. It wasrge. Gargantuan. Bigger than the ship itself. And it flung the Elder away like a baseball. There was a muffled groan, then a shallow roar. Like the bellow of a whale underwater. A hundred swords appeared out of nowhere in the sky, reflecting the sunlight off each other like interconnected prisms. But all light shone green. The swords flew like a swarm, each covered in a green light likeets. They dove down around the ship, going into the ocean like torpedoes. And the ocean exploded. The ship heaved up¡ªfinally, some movement. Then it crashed onto the ocean again. But Yu Han was stuck to the ship floor as if with glue. More of the deck had disappeared, and there was arge, gaping hole on the side of the ship. In the sky, the Elder had appeared once more. Yu Han saw the lines of sweat on his temple. ¡°There¡¯s been a misunderstanding, fellow Daoist,¡± the Elder said. And Yu Han finally saw the being that had been battling the Elder. Chapter 16: Blood Feuds Chapter 16: Blood Feuds It was a woman riding a shark. She had flowing blue hair and an eye-patch, and she wore desert pants and a baggy shirt, a sabre tied to her waist. The shark was huge. Only part of its body could be seen from the hole in the ship¡¯s side. But even that was bigger than the ship. Yu Han figured it wasrger than any blue whale on Earth. It had gill slits on both sides that seemed to roar like race-car engines, with grey skin that shone like asphalt under the sun. And it had a breathing hole at the top. A whale shark? No, those look different. What the hell¡ª ¡°When you tried to kill my martial nephew, it was a misunderstanding?¡± the woman said. Her voice was high-pitched, sonorous like a bird¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Verdant de Sect about that same misunderstanding after I have your head, geezer.¡± ¡°A jest, fellow Daoist, merely a jest.¡± The Elder waved his hand. His voice was even, but nine bamboo sticks suddenly appeared around him and rotated like satellites. ¡°This old man was merely testing this talented junior¡¯s improvements. Martial nephew Duan truly is a dragon amongst men!¡± ¡°Oh, you know his name?¡± thedy asked. She stomped the shark creature, and the behemoth wiggled like a cat, then circled the ship like in a movie. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know the name of the youngest disciple of the Ninth Elder, the Healing Mist Pce Master of the Stormy Reef Sect?¡± the old man said. ¡°But considering you¡¯re here, this old man supposes that the Ninth Elder is already the new sect master.¡±A jet of water rose from the sea like a vaulting pole. The old man dodged, and the water jet punched a hole through a cumulonimbus in the sky. Based on a brief visual analysis, Yu Han figured the clouds were at least a few kilometres away. And thisdy was shooting water at them like they were BB bullets. The old man waved his hand and a green orb materialised. It flew towards Duan Xiaolong, who grabbed it. ¡°A token of my goodwill, martial nephew. I hope you weren¡¯t offended by this old man¡¯s mischief.¡± It was a hexagonal crystal. But the shade was different from the ones Duan Xiaolong used as prizes or the one Qiao Jinhai had used. It was deep blue with a golden core. Duan Xiaolong looked at thedy, who shrugged. ¡°The blood. It pours from my scars with cascading pain,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. His voice was t. The old man sighed. He waved his hand again, and one more crystal was handed over. Duan Xiaolong bowed. His spiky hair rustled in the wind, and blood dripped down onto the deck. Yu Han felt as if some restriction had left his body. He could move, turn his head. Coins were scattered on the floor, the pouch nowhere to be seen. The other recruits were either kneeling or had fallen over, like him. Li Yao was a few steps away, clenching one fist with the other, excitement visible in his eyes. Huang Niuniu was no longer in the corridor. Sima Yan was smiling. Wu Di was groaning. This bastard owes me spirit stones. ¡°That matter is settled,¡± thedy said. ¡°Then, fellow Daoist, how shall we settle the matter of that little thief behind you?¡± She pointed at Qiao Jinhai, who was still tied to the mast. ¡°Imagine my shock when we learned that a Stormy Reef Cultivator was recruiting disciples in the White Lotus Kingdom,¡± she said, crossing her arms, ¡°when we¡¯d sent no one.¡± ¡°Oh, this matter.¡± The old manughed as though there was nothing wrong. ¡°Our Verdant de Sect and the Stormy Reef Sect are allies in the Traditional path. With the turmoil in your sect, this old man¡¯s colleagues had merely thought it better to help recruit disciples for you. After all, you would lose face if you missed the only time for sect recruitments in the White Lotus Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, how gracious of you,¡± thedy spat. The shark-creature gurgled. Yu Han felt the vibration in his bones. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take everyone away now,¡± she said. ¡°Heard there was a Profound Talent this time. Little Duan, stir the ship. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Duan Xiaolong looked at the groaning Wu Di, then at Yu Han. ¡°This martial nephew acknowledges the Elder¡¯s request.¡± ¡°This¡­ fellow Daoist. Doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± the old man said. He floated nearer to the ship. Another jet of water shot out. This time Yu Han saw where it came from. Tiny droplets would gather near thedy and sink to the ocean. Then the jet would rise. Magic. Will I be able to do that someday? Despite the pain and the bleak reincarnation, Yu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Is this what¡¯s got Li Yao so pumped up? Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It was a promise of power. He would go back and rip the skull off the hooded man who killed his family. Jie Tong too. And the head chef. And the city lord. Sima Yan was having an impromptu council with the other White Lotus nobles while the Martial Eagle nobles kept their heads down, like kids caught being naughty. ¡°What isn¡¯t right? You just told us you recruited these disciples for us,¡± thedy said. ¡°Was that a lie?¡± More water droplets gathered. The bamboo sticks around the old man changed their orbit direction. ¡°Of course, for the White Lotus Nobles, we shall give them to you. But historically, Martial Eagle Kingdom nobles have gone to our sect. What use would it be to create useless blood feuds, dividing families?¡± ¡°Ahaha!¡± Thedy threw her head back. ¡°What face you have.¡± So despite getting so much power, bing superhuman, human hypocrisy never changes. Yu Han stood and inched closer to Li Yao. ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter of face, fellow Daoist. Now, what say you?¡± the old man said. The glow on the bamboo sticks brightened. ¡°A hundred to a head equal in grade to them. And they get to choose after you pay for all¡ªhuh?¡± Thedy looked at Duan Xiaolong and nodded. ¡°Ten thousand for the Profound kid. And a thousand for every Refined.¡± ¡°This, fellow Daoist, this¡ª¡± ¡°And a hundred thousand for the ship.¡± Thedy stomped again. ¡°Of course, equal in grade.¡± The shark-creature brushed past the vessel. They touched, ever so lightly. And the ship groaned as if it would break apart at any moment. Yu Han leaned against the wall for bnce. It was like the world was turning upside down underfoot. The old man didn¡¯t speak. The light around him intensified, and the bamboo sticks orbited so fast that Yu Han could hear them cutting the wind. Thedy gathered more water droplets. The pressure from before descended again. Yu Han struggled to breathe. ¡°Fucking insane¡­¡± Li Yao muttered. ¡°Crazy gods. Crazy. They¡¯re gonna fight again. Holyndlords¡­¡± Yu Han prayed to Buddha, Jesus, and the Devas. The ship had a gaping hole just from coteral damage. If they fought any closer¡­ We¡¯re dead. He gulped. ¡°I suppose that is fair.¡± The old man flicked his wrist. A palm-sized meteor flew towards thedy. She waved her hand, and the meteor vanished. Then he flicked a finger at Duan Xiaolong. The spiky-haired cultivator stood straighter, orifices still bleeding and his face far too pale. Why isn¡¯t he healing himself with those mist balls? Yu Han filed that information away. Perhaps there were restrictions, like everything in life. ¡°Martial Eagle,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Those of you who wish to follow us to the Stormy Reef Sect, stay where you are. For those who wish to go to the Verdant de Sect, move up to the deck. Be quick.¡± A pressure descended again. What was this? For a few seconds, no one moved. Murmurs rang out. ¡°It seems everyone wants to stay with us, Elder,¡± thedy said with augh. The old man harrumphed, and the pressure that had been holding them in ce broke. Slowly, one, then two recruits made their way up the stairwell. Then more followed. Finally, there was a rush, like a ck Friday sale. Soon, a third of the total recruits were on the deck, while all from the White Lotus Kingdom remained in the mess hall. Then there was Wu Di. ¡°E-Elder,¡± a voice rang out. It was Qiao Jinhai, who had finally awakened. The man shouted while still tied to the mast, ¡°T-There¡¯s a wisp girl. More importantly, Junior Wu Di, the Profound Talent! He¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°How can that be? He must choose us. His rtives are¡ª¡± The old man stopped, then appeared in the mess hall in front of Wu Di¡¯s groaning form. ¡°T-This¡­ His Primordial Yang.¡± The old man gasped. Thedy broke out in boomingughter. ¡°The Profoundly talented eunuch chose us, it seems.¡± ¡°Trickery,¡± the old man grumbled, then waved his hand. A vial appeared with shimmering liquid inside, glowing in the colours of the rainbow. Just the projections on the ground created fractal forms of mystical herbs, and the light condensed around the vial in a sphere, as if to block any magical effects from leaking out. ¡°Damnvish.¡± The sharkdy grinned, but the smile in her eyes died. She eyed the vial with clear greed. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m seeing the Verdant Light Healing Elixir being used on a level zero. Are you sure he won¡¯t explode?¡± The old man scoffed and uncapped the vial without replying. A shallow roar rang out, apanied by a chilly wind. The aroma was like mint tea, cool to the nose. Yu Han felt as though the burns on his hands were healing. The contents of the vial were probably far more effective than the one Huang Niuniu had given him. Maybe Qiao Jinhai had used something like this to heal Huang Niuniu? Just the visual effects were out of this world. It was probably even stronger than Duan Xiaolong¡¯s healing mist ball. The old man poured the solution onto Wu Di. Spectral light gathered around the boy as the liquid seeped into his flesh. One blinkter, the burns had healed as if they were never there. Wu Di opened his eyes. ¡°Gah¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless, old man,¡± thedy said. ¡°Primordial Yang can¡¯t be healed, even with such elixirs.¡± ¡°Child,¡± the old man said. ¡°Your Profound Talent remains unbroken.¡± He patiently exined the situation to Wu Di. ¡°Who do you choose? Historically, the Martial Eagle Wu family has always gone to the Verdant de Sect. We have had star disciples with your surname.¡± Wu Di stared at him nkly. He touched his crotch. His whole body trembled, as if someone had stabbed him in the heart. ¡°Nooooooo!¡± he roared. Screamed. Cried. At the heavens. And at Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll skin your whole family and fee¡ª¡± ¡°Get in line. You¡¯re not the first one.¡± Yu Han scoffed. He had dropped the dagger, so he took a step away. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Wu Di cried. He lunged. The blue monkey chirped, and Wu Di was thrown back. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The old man looked Yu Han over from head to toe, as did thedy. ¡°Interesting,¡± she said. No. Fuck. No. Don¡¯t find me interesting. Go away! Yu Han didn¡¯t regret crushing the cock¡¯s balls. But would he be able to bear the consequences? ¡°Child, calm yourself.¡± The old man patted Wu Di¡¯s shoulder, and the boy mped up as if electrocuted. Yet his eyes, bloodshot, red at Yu Han. ¡°Every twenty years, the Grasping Moon Hidden Realm opens, where disciples from the traditional sects in the region fight for heavenly treasures and earthly fortunes. The next time is three years from now. You will have your chance. Now decide. Which sect shall you choose?¡± A minute passed. Wu Di¡¯s breath grew more haggard. His fingers dug into his palm, and blood dripped down like a waterfall. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Wu Di said. He walked up the stairwell¡¯s remains. ¡°Yu Han. You will live in fear. You will see me in your nightmares. Three years. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Sure thing, cock.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Wait¡­ I mean hen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The blue monkey threw Wu Di to the deck. ¡°Well, then, that¡¯s settled.¡± Thedy waved her hand. The shark growled, and the ocean rumbled. The water near the hole in the ship bulged up. One, two, three, seven dome-shaped geysers shot into the sky, with something inside all of them. Strange things were rising from the sea. Chapter 17: Long Drizzle Chapter 17: Long Drizzle The domes broke and seven boats appeared. They looked like leisure boats, the type schrs would use for a rxing ride on theke with courtesans by their side, reciting poetry that praised womanly beauty, manly courage, and heavenly wisdom. They had rows of seats on both sides, with a quaint open roof covering them. At the back was arge cottage-like structure, with tiled roofs and a small chimney. Why the heck am I using that kind of metaphor? Oh, I¡¯m Yu Han. Yu Han looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. The burns from the chilli oil were still there, albeit healing because of Duan Xiaolong''s mist. It stung less now. He didn¡¯t want to cry. ¡°Girls, get onto the Drizzle One and Two. Boys, get onto Three to Seven,¡± thedy said. The boats, Drizzle by name, moved on their own near the gaping hole. It was a ten metre jump. ¡°Jump,¡± Duan Xiaolong said to Guo Yexi. The poor girl almost fainted, but nodded.She walked to the edge, then closed her eyes. ¡°M-Mother, watch over me.¡± With a squeak, she jumped. And floated down gently to the boat. ¡°Wow!¡± she eximed. After that, the process went faster. Each boat looked like it could hold ten people. Soon, the two boats filled up. ¡°One more,¡± thedy said. ¡°We have a shy one.¡± It was Huang Niuniu. ¡°Elder, that¡¯s the wisp¡ª¡± ¡°Qiao Jinhai, know your ce. How can I go back on a deal?¡± The Elder interrupted him, but those wizened eyed followed every one of Huang Niuniu¡¯s motions. ¡°Sister? Sister! What are you doing?¡± a voice called out. Huang Linxue was on deck. She had the face of a distressed diva, hair sticking to her face, and she was scowling like a sour lemon. ¡°We are nobledies of the Martial Eagle Kingdom. Why would you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut it, girl,¡± thedy said, and Huang Linxue stopped with a yelp. Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on her. She looked at Yu Han. Her wounds were gone. There was something in her hand. She hesitated. Don¡¯te this way. Just go. The blue monkey pushed her, and she fell out of the hole. She screamed as she gently floated down to the boat. The two boats moved away, and two more came. ¡°Now, boys. Chop chop. We don¡¯t have all day. The geezer might ask for his money back!¡± thedy said. Yu Han was on to Drizzle Five, with Li Yao and other riffraff from the White Lotus Kingdom. ¡°Tubs, do you think Sima Yan¡¯s up to something?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han hadn¡¯t noticed anything. ¡°They were looking at you like you¡¯re a snack.¡± ¡°Gross.¡± ¡°Be careful. Ma San and Pang Jiming, and those nobles.¡± Li Yao pped his leg. ¡°Wait, wait! I remember!¡± ¡°What did you remember?¡± ¡°Tubs, remember the other non-noble kid who got epted with Ma San and us?¡± ¡°The one with the shaved head?¡± ¡°Chen Da. I thought the name sounded familiar. I couldn¡¯t recognise him at first because he shaved his head.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach dropped. He had a bad feeling about this. ¡°He¡¯s from the Bloody Grass Gang. Jie Tong¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Fuck. No wonder.¡± The kid had red at Yu Han like he had stolen his life savings. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Bloody Grass Gang sell Jie Tong out? He¡¯s got no reason to hate me.¡± ¡°The execs sold him out. The kids at the bottom are orphans, like me. And they stay together.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Wash your neck, tubs. This daddy can¡¯t help you with so many fuckers after you. And Wu Di in three years? That¡¯s what that old man said, right? Don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll track you down or what a Hidden Realm is, but I wouldn¡¯t count a cultivator¡¯s words as empty boasting,¡± Li Yaoughed. ¡°He¡¯s gonna be a sight to see in three years if he finds out you kicked the bucket.¡± ¡°I told him to get in line.¡± ¡°Bwahaha!¡± Yu Han was joking, but the situation didn¡¯t look good. Not two months in, he had so many people after his life. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Jie Tong, maybe Jie Hua. Their friend with the shaved head. Sima Yan andpany, including Ma San. Wu Di, and probably the whole Verdant de Sect, considering how much they valued his Profound Talent. Johan, you¡¯re really something. pping faces came naturally. On Earth too, Johan had no problem creating feuds. He was lucky that on Earth, there was a semnce of social order, although London challenged that assumption many times. But in this world, it was dog-eat-dog. And some dogs could shootsers and live for¡ª ¡°Do you think cultivation increases lifespan?¡± Yu Han asked. Li Yao cracked his neck, leaning against the boat rails behind the seat. The sea breeze waved his hair. The Drizzle One started moving. ¡°They call them Immortals,¡± Li Yao said. Yu Han covered his face, half in excitement¡ªhe had freaking superpowers!¡ªand half in sorrow. He would never see his family again. Not his dad. And not his¡ª Elder Sister. I hope she¡­ Fuck, what if Sima Yan¡¯s family go after her? They were a travelling merchant band. They went far and wide. Did they leave the country? Did they¡­ Can I send a letter? The next time their band was supposed to visit Riversong was nearly a year and a half from now. They visited every two years, and thest time was five months ago. Something hit Yu Han¡¯s face. ¡°Oof!¡± he cried. ¡°Tiger who wears a pig¡¯s skin,¡± Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice called out. It was a pouch. There was his dropped dagger, too. ¡°Don¡¯t lose your fang. And remember to savour your winnings.¡± Yu Han pocketed them. Duan Xiaolong was running on water. He extended a palm, and a wisp of mist shot towards Yu Han. He nodded, then sprinted away, joining thedy on top of the shark. The other seven recruits on the boat stirred, each eyeing Yu Han. ¡°Hey now,¡± Li Yao called out, ¡°What I hate more than a cock is a snake.¡± ¡°We were just looking, brother Li,¡± one recruit said, and then they all looked away, chit-chatting in groups. The sin of a poor man is to find a box of riches. No. The sin is for others to find out. Bandits woulde. They¡¯d steal his riches, rape his wife, burn his house with his sons trapped inside. That was what happened to Old Wang, a farmer who lived in the vige where Yu Han¡¯s parents got their supply of fermented shrimps. But gods be damned if someone could pry money from his hands. Li Yao had given it back. That¡¯s why Yu Han wouldn¡¯t stab him in his¡ª ¡°My¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I dropped my money! When the White-haired Elder stopped the boat! Yu Han had fallen, and the pouch was gone. With the coins. And the booklet! Fuck. Fuck. Father¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s fine. No, really. It didn¡¯t matter. Their memory would live on with him forever. I¡¯m too careless. The Drizzle rode the ocean waves, cutting through the water that glowed in the moonlight. Sometimes they would catch sight of another Drizzle or the giant shark on the horizon. In the cottage-like area at the back of the Drizzle, there were beds, bathrooms, and toilets. There was a pantry too, with preserved food. Yu Han used thest of the salve from the vial Huang Niuniu had given him. Duan Xiaolong¡¯s mist ball had already mended most of it, but Yu Han hoped it would quicken the progress. He didn¡¯t want any strange infections while on the high seas. ¡°Did you notice?¡± Yu Han asked Li Yao. ¡°More True Qi. This boat, it gathers Qi like the ship,¡± Li Yao said. Their cultivation speeds increased. Yu Han now received two True Qi most days. The speed of Arts progression didn¡¯t increase, though. ¡°That bastard, Qiao Jinhai,¡± Li Yao cursed. ¡°He must¡¯ve lied his ass off! Why¡¯s the True Qi cultivation on a little boat faster than the ship?¡± ¡°Or he restricted it for White Lotus Kingdom recruits. The wardrooms must¡¯ve been¡­ pre-selected. I don¡¯t believe that giant ship would have worse capabilities than this boat,¡± Yu Han said. The sharkdy had ckmailed the old man for it, after all. One day, Li Yao shot up in a hurry and made a fuss, pacing around the boat like he was on too much caffeine. Yu Han raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have¡­ I have a tribtion?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Yu Han focused. That reminds me. I had a system message that mentioned tribtion too. When I killed that demonic dog. ¡°My True Qi progress halted at a hundred and ten,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Are you showing off?¡± Yu Han grumbled. Geniuses, Refined Talent. h. ¡°It¡¯s been stuck like that for a few days,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Today, I poked at the floating words. And¡­ the tribtion message appeared.¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± Li Yao winked, but gave no answer. In the following days, the remaining recruits on the Drizzle also raised a hubbub. Everyone had reached the end of their progression at Level 0. Now, to progress, it seemed they would need to pass this tribtion. And whatever the tribtion was, people were tight-lipped. Everyone has a different tribtion. Yu Han was sure of that. These kids thought they could hide secrets from him. A general air ofpetition grew. The boys became more diligent in training. Yu Han tried and failed to limit the amount he ate. He tried stretching, calisthenics, and training with Li Yao. He slept with the dagger practically every day. The winnings pouch had twenty-five of the hexagonal crystals. Spirit stones. Where did Wu Di get so many? Well, they were his now. He was careful not to ever show the pouch. Especially since there wasn¡¯t a ready supply of chilli oil or red pepper powder on the boat. Then, one day, a storm hit the Drizzle. ¡°Get in! Damn it, grab the rope!¡± Li Yao threw a rope at a boy who had fallen overboard. They heaved, with Yu Han taking the rear. They pulled the boy up. He wasn¡¯t breathing. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Yu Han straddled the boy. What was it? Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin'' alive, stayin'' alive. He pumped the boy¡¯s chest with his full weight. Ribs cracked. ¡°Breathe into his mouth!¡± Yu Han roared, and Li Yaoplied. Yu Han hummed the tune. Soon, the boy spluttered out seawater. Things changed after that. The boy thanked Yu Han, but he didn¡¯t grovel, and like everyone else, he would keep his distance, justying at the back of the boat with a nk look. Others did the same. But now, when they looked at Yu Han, there was an unspoken respect in their eyes. ¡°He tried to pass the tribtion by tying himself to the boat and diving underwater. Crazy bastard,¡± Li Yao grumbled, then went back to stabbing the air with his hand. The Drizzle was like a lonely speck of dust on the empty ocean. Outside, lightning would crash and maelstroms would whirl. Wavesrger than mountains would try to swallow the boat. The pitter-patter of rain was a constant background noise. But the small boat would not topple. It would rock steadily, like a luby. Magic. The herculean storm passed. Finally, it was the seventy-fifth day since Yu Han had arrived in this world. The other recruits sported stubble or beards. Li Yao showed his off like a badge of honour. D-Do I not have enough testosterone? Yu Han despaired. His chin was smoother than a baby¡¯s butt. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 105 (+61)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 So close. Argh. Why couldn¡¯t I have Profound or even Refined Talent? Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 103 (+37)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 45 (+23)/400 His traits remained the same. ¡°Hey,e out, guys!¡± a voice shouted from outside. ¡°Land! I seend!¡± Chapter 18: First Village of New Tidings Chapter 18: First Vige of New Tidings The mountain rose from the water like a sword. Behind, many more silhouettes stood tall, covered in a fog so faint the outlines could barely be seen. There was nondmass below, no ind or shore. It was as if the mountains were half submerged in the sea. As the Drizzle made its way towards the faraway scene, the other six boats gradually came into view. The nearest was a Drizzle with a red roof on the cottage. Someone waved from there, but it was too far to see who. "W-Wait, is that¡­?" a boy shouted out. There was a whirlpool in the Drizzle¡¯s path. The water spun in spirals and sank in the centre to unknown depths. But it was silent. As the Drizzle approached, the giant whirl shifted. It moved out of the way, like a creature gatekeeper. Everyone was speechless. More whirlpools appeared. Tornadoes rose from the ocean surface to the clouds, and thunder hit the waters from above. All silent. As if just a mirage. And all moved out of the Drizzle¡¯s way. "Hey, we should go inside," Yu Han said. "It¡¯s not going to be nice if someone falls in." No one moved from their spot, eyes glued to the disasters and the mountains as if hypnotised. Yu Han stayed, but positioned himself closer to the door so he could run in the moment anything happened.An hour passed. The distantnd seemed to get no closer. Then the water colour changed, from the deep blue of the high seas to a fainter mossy green. Sounds returned. The whirling water, the raging storm, the crashing thunder. This time, the Drizzle navigated around the natural catastrophes. The sound was overpowering, and when the Drizzle floated past whirlpools, the moisture in the air would send a tingling feeling down Yu Han¡¯s back, as if he was constantly being stung by static. "What do you think the previous whirlpools were?" Yu Han shouted over the sound. "Whirlpools?" Li Yao tilted his head. "These spiralling water things," Yu Han said. He blocked a ssh of water with a sleeve. The Drizzle was still stable as ever, but the waves crashing against the boat''s edge would spill inside from time to time. "No idea, tubs," Li Yao said. "Why you asking?" "I think they might¡¯ve been mirages. And if the whirlpools and thunder can be mirages, then maybe the mountains are too," Yu Han shouted. "¡­What¡¯s a mirage?" "Gah!" Li Yao was a smart kid, but Yu Han sometimes forgot he was from the slums, hence not really educated. The fact that he could read and write had given him the wrong impression. "When you take too much Goblin Mushroom, you see stuff that isn¡¯t there." "Ah! I could use some Goblins." Li Yao grinned. The Drizzle left the disasters behind, and now it was just the mossy waters. "The mountains are getting closer," a boy said. He was the one who had almost drowned. Should he really be outside with possibly broken ribs? He was right, though. The first mountain was no longer just a silhouette. There was no shore gradually leading up to the mountain. The mountain simply rose from the water, like a wall. It was shrouded in a green canopy. Birds flew up, and through the gaps in the trees, some moving forms could be seen. The waters here were calmer, tranquil even, with smaller waves. The mossy green colouration transitioned to more teal and lime, as if painted by someone. But as they neared the mountain more, the waves became more rapid. The mountain was huge, at least a few kilometres tall, and multiple times that wide. As the Drizzle neared it, it almost blocked out the silhouette of the mountain range behind it. Yu Han counted the number of peaks he could see. Even at a casual nce, there were far more than a hundred. It was a mountain range. A partially sunken one. "Mangrove mountains," Yu Han muttered. "There¡¯s people," Li Yao said. A lonely dock. Nine people stood there in simr uniforms. Each had unique points, but the colouration was simr to Duan Xiaolong¡¯s robes. As the Drizzle neared the dock, they could see the people more clearly. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The main colour of the robes was indigo, with white patterns of storms, coral, fish, and other designs on one side. There were two old men and seven youths¡ªtwo female and five male. They ranged from teenage to middle-aged; but with cultivators, could Yu Han really be sure that they were as old as they looked? They carried varied weapons: swords, spears, and onedy had a giant fan. There were also three animals: a panther with navy blue fur, a giant pelican sitting on one old man¡¯s head, and¡ªwas that¡ª "Thatdy¡¯s wearing a snake," Li Yao said. She wore the green-and-white striped creature like a ne. Duan Xiaolong had Little Pir, and the Shark Lady had the shark thing. The sect must have had a focus on animals. Like those beast-taming sects in Xianxia novels? The name didn¡¯t match, though. Stormy Reef. But on the other hand, Duan Xiaolong had powers utilising mist, and the Shark Lady could shoot out jets of water. So they must have specialised in water too. Suddenly, two of the figures dashed forward, thedy with the snake and another guy. "Oi, what¡¯s that?" someone said with a trembling voice, pointing at the water¡¯s surface. Further from their Drizzle, a shadow appeared underwater. A scream rose from another nearby Drizzle, one of the boats with the girls. "Snake! A giant snake!" a girl said. The voice was faint because of the distance and the wind, but the panic in it could clearly be heard. "H-Hel¡ª" "There¡¯s one there too!" Cracked Ribs pointed at the water nearby. A long, slithering form was silhouetted under the water. "Get away from the edges!" Yu Han shouted out, preparing to bolt inside. The water bulged, then broke like a geyser, sshing everyone. "N-No, stay away!" A kid fell down on his butt. A giant red snake loomed above him. Part of its body was still underwater, the rest slithering out like a vine. It was hard to see how big it truly was. But even just the girth of the thing was as big as a school bus. Thatrge mouth would have no trouble swallowing three kids whole. It had emerald eyes, murky like clouds. ck spots lined its slippery red hide, with the scales gleaming in the sun. It pulled its head back, maws wide open. Everyone was frozen. Yu Han couldn¡¯t move either. A primal part of his being wanted to jump into the sea, because that open maw seemed like it could swallow the Drizzle itself whole. But would he survive in the water? Could he outswim an ocean predator? The situation was not the same as with Jie Tong. "Move! Now!" Li Yao shouted, yanking Yu Han towards the safety of the cabin. The snake hissed and lunged forward with terrifying speed. Wind raced, water burst. And then the snake was beheaded merely inches from the Drizzle¡¯s roof. The blood flew into the air like rain, but when it was about to fall on the boat, it was repelled by an unseen force. The snake¡¯s head fell into the water on the other side with arge ssh. The headless part of its body whirled like a limp noodle and copsed backwards into the water too. A scream rose from the other Drizzle. By the time Yu Han saw what had happened, the water near the two Drizzles had been dyed red. It bubbled like acid, then the two headless bodies of the snakes floated to the surface. "Insane. A-Are these demons? The stories weren¡¯t a lie!" "Fool. These have to be flood dragons. Look at the size, they¡¯re bigger than trees!" The other recruits spoke, excitement mixed with fear and anxiety. Even Li Yao was gesturing wildly with his hands. Yu Han touched his forehead. He didn¡¯t know if the salty moisture was sweat or sea. "What a wee," Yu Han said. "It¡¯s not usually like this,¡± a voice said. ¡°The two Crimson Coiling Sand Snakes might have burrowed underneath the water bed, so we missed them. Monsters don¡¯t usually wander this far." "Far from what?" Yu Han asked. Then he realised he didn¡¯t know the voice. "You¡¯ll find out in due time." It was a young man, one of the two who had dashed from the dock. "Wee to the Stormy Reef Sect, junior brothers," he said with a picturesque smile, sheathing his long, blue-edged sabre. "From now on, your life will be changed forever." They could only gape. This was the might of a cultivator! *** "You have had a long journey. Rest for tonight," the old man with the pelican said. The Drizzles docked, and the recruits climbed out one by one. "Ask little Duan to heal any injuries," the old man said, and Duan Xiaolong, who stepped off the giga-sized shark, nodded. The Shark Lady waved her hat. "I¡¯ll check on the other cohorts, lest we face trickery again." And then, she was off with the shark, in the direction they hade from. Duan Xiaolong healed the kid with the broken ribs, and a few others who were injured. They were led up the mountains to a small vige. There were no others present, and each disciple got their own little hut. "Rest well, for this is the First Vige of New Tidings," the senior brother that guided them said, "and tomorrow, we¡¯ll pass out the basic cultivation art." There was a murmur of excitement. Li Yao pped his cheeks. "Damn bugs." There were many mosquitoes. Yu Han tried to match the trees he saw on the way up with those from Earth. Some looked like banyans, others were like jackfruit. The ce was very tropical, and quite humid too. He didn¡¯t see any trees fruiting, but there were some scattered flowers here and there. The birds perched on the hut roofs and the tree branches looked normal enough. Sparrows, gulls, and a crow here and there. The beds were straw, and the roofs were thatched. Around midnight, it rained. Yu Han used the outhouse, then copsed on the bed. +1 True Qi Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 106 (+1)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 I don¡¯t get the logic, Yu Han thought as he washed his face with water from a well nearby. In the morning, a middle-aged man with a donkey cart had delivered y jars full of food. They sat on straw mattresses on the ground and ate out of giant tree leaves shaped like hearts. After breakfast, they all gathered in the vige yard. "Many things are a mystery to you," the old man with the pelican said. "All will be exined in time. Today, you¡¯ll learn the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique, the basic Cultivation Art of the Stormy Reef Sect. Don¡¯t worry about its efficacy. No matter which sect, all basic Cultivation Arts are simr. Some permutation of the Ancient Qi Breathing Technique of the ancients." "Close your eyes." The old man sat down cross-legged on a reed zabuton. Yu Han and the other recruits sat on simr zabutons. "Now imitate my breathing. Listen to my chants." His voice started off slow, reciting one syble after another. High tones, low valleys, they dragged on as though he was grasping for breath. Three inhales, two exhales every minute. Then it quickened, like a rising tide. Fifteen breaths a minute. Fifty. Five hundred. Pure Qi Assimted! +1 True Qi Chapter 19: Mountains Under Water Chapter 19: Mountains Under Water Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 107 (+1)/110 Pure Qi: 9 (-1)/110 It¡¯s just like when I killed that dog. Pure Qi had decreased by one, while True Qi increased. Did this meditation turn Pure Qi into True Qi? Or was there another kind of rtionship? True Qi feels like experience. I gain it, and after the progress bar is filled, I should level up. Yu Han opened his eyes. When they had started meditating, it was early dawn. The air had been filled with fog, and the barest hint of the sun could be seen through the lusion light. Now, the sun hung overhead. Did I meditate for about five hours? Judging by the sun¡¯s position, that seemed to be the case. But it didn¡¯t make sense that Yu Han was so skilled in meditation on his first try. Was he some kind of genius?Yu Han looked around. The other recruits were still deep in their trance. Only Yu Han had woken up. "Don¡¯t worry, child. Not everyone has the same talent. Close your eyes again, and let the qi flow in you," the old man¡¯s voice sounded. He still had his eyes closed, the pelican napping on his head. Was that telepathy? So much for having talent. Yu Han closed his eyes. He imitated the breathing technique, and as if by magic, the old man¡¯s chant was heard again. Definitely telepathy. Whatever the case, until now, Yu Han had only gained True Qi after a night¡¯s rest, as if whatever he had done through the day would be assimted with a night¡¯s sleep. He would only see the True Qi gain notification the next morning. But now, after this meditation session, he earned True Qi. He was so close to levelling up. Or at least hitting the Tribtion Bottleneck like everyone else. That reminded him of the system message from the first day. What was it? Demonic Taint Purified. Pure Qi Acquired: +110 Pure Qi: 110/110 Tribtion Ovee (Preemptive): [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] It had said he had ovee a Tribtion. What were tribtions in the first ce? In the novels, they were lightning bolts falling down on cultivators trying to break through. But here, that didn¡¯t seem like the case. Did he gain the Pure Qi back then because he preemptively passed the Tribtion? Or was it because he killed the dog? Or were there different types of Tribtions, and clearing each one, likepleting missions in an RPG game, would grant him different amounts of points? Pure Qi? The boy on the boat had wanted to pass his Tribtion by drowning himself. Yu Han had asked others what their Tribtions were, but no one replied, as if silenced by some unwritten rule. The chant receded into the background like a low drone. p! Yu Han¡¯s attention snapped into focus. "That will be all," the old man said. Noise returned like a tide. The chirping of birds, the leaves brushing in the wind, and the voices of the other recruits. "T-True Qi, I earned True Qi," one boy said. "Me too." Me three, kid. "I meditated so well on the first try. Am I a genius?" I thought the same. "Earning True Qi now means you weren¡¯t talented enough to hit the Tribtion Bottleneck before today. Some talent you have." Another boyughed, and others joined him. Oi. Other than these two types, there was a third type of recruit that was neither in their Tribtion Bottleneck nor did they earn True Qi. Like the guy with the cleft lip and his group. Would I be like them if I didn¡¯t have Pure Qi? I didn¡¯t earn any True Qi in the second meditation session. "Now, now, children. No need to squabble. Take your seats." The old man pped. The sound was gentle, but it seemed to p away all distracting thoughts from their minds. Everyone resettled. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition. "The first ritual. It is a gift to you new recruits," the old man said. The pelican opened its giant mouth and yawned. Whoa. That¡¯s gross. "The zabuton and the mats. This yard is engraved with a trancing array, and with the power of this old man¡¯s spell, you have now felt how it is to go deep into meditation. Remember the feeling, grasp it with all your heart. You¡¯ll have to do that without the aid of formations and spells if you want to make progress in the path." There were a few sighs, including Yu Han¡¯s. No wonder. Back when he was Johan, he meditated every day because the podcasts said so. It was helpful, especially with his temper problems. But he¡¯d never gone into a trance like this before. "To those who have earned True Qi, this is the power of meditation. Unlike pills and passive True Qi gain, you actively will the power to act within. Train diligently. You will soon hear the voice of the Dao when you reach the Tribtion Bottleneck." The recruits stirred. "To those who are in your Tribtion, worry not, even if you haven¡¯t gotten any True Qi like some of your peers have," the old man continued. "Meditation refines your Spirit just as exercise refines the Body. It may refine your Mind too." The way the old man said it, he might have been referring to the three primary stats rather than body, mind, and spirit in their literal meaning. Or maybe both. "When you level up and reach the next realm, the Body Tempering Realm, your qi will flow smoother, your attacks will hit harder, your senses will work stronger, than someone who merely relied on passive assimtion of qi into True Qi." Qi into True Qi? Yu Han jotted every piece of data down mentally, hoping he wouldn¡¯t forget. "To those who have had no gains, worry not either. Every being in this world has their own part to y. We are but specks floating in the ocean of life. Why worry?" the old man said. Geez, geezer. Thanks. You¡¯re so good at constion. Yu Han rolled his eyes. "Your meals are ready in the west-wing hut. Your journey to the rookie camps will take three more days. Your seniors will guide you down the mountains," the old man said. "Cultivate well. The next time we meet, perhaps you will be in the Qi Gathering or even Foundation Building stage." Body Tempering, Qi Gathering, Foundation Building. The hooded man had called the guy with the red sword light a whelp in the Qi Gathering Realm. But he ran away after that. Was he in that realm too? Yu Han stood and stretched, his back popping. Some kidsughed. When their eyes met, they tutted and walked away. Jerks. Okay, what realm are Duan Xiaolong and Qiao Jinhai in? Their abilities were so vastly different, it¡¯s hard to get a conclusion byparing. I need more data. Brunch was rice porridge with deep-fried fish and stir-fried veggies. It was a hearty meal, and after eating, his stomach felt warm. They walked down the mountain trail. Dew drops still clung to the grass, and in the distance, the other mountains were still covered in fog; the sun had failed to chase it away. Insects buzzed, birds chirped, small creatures burrowed under bushes. "Damn bugs!" Li Yao groaned. Yu Han felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. When he looked behind him, he saw that they hade down quite a bit. He couldn¡¯t see the gate to the small vige anymore. It was a quiet, peaceful night. No partying, no staying up ying video games. Falling asleep after physical exertion, then meditating in the morning. It¡¯s not so bad. "Hey, we¡¯re leaving you behind, tubs," Li Yao called out. How nice would it be if my whole cultivation journey was so peaceful. Sima Yan was walking at the forefront, with other noble scions. The boy nced at Li Yao and Yu Han. There was something in that gaze. Can¡¯t hurt to hope. They got back into the Drizzle again. Same number of people asst time. Same faces, too. The boats gently wafted through the tranquil waters between mountains, each going their separate ways. The mountains stood green all around, most appearing the same. They were covered in strangely familiar yet unknown trees, with birds and beasts all around. Thend between the mountains would have been lush valleys if they weren¡¯t underwater. But now, the mountains had turned into inds. The first day, most inds were disjointed, neither bridge nor roads on them. Yu Han had tried to meditate the whole time, as did everyone else. But that same feeling of timeless trance did not return. After the night, he earned True Qi. +1 True Qi. The next day, he saw a bridge connecting two mountains. "A vige," Li Yao said. "I could use a drink." He had gotten a stick from somewhere. He stabbed it into the water and pulled a fish out. "Nice." There were viges on both inds connected by the bridge. On the roads were vigers leading donkey carts. But the donkeys looked strange. One had two tails. Another had a small horn. Otherwise, they looked identical to the slothful creature Yu Han knew of. When the Drizzle passed by, a man heavingrge jars with a stick across his shoulders raised his hand. "Good luck!" he shouted. The vigers wore simr clothes to the sect disciples, indigo and white. "Tubs, you think they¡¯re all part of the sect?" "Wouldn¡¯t be surprised. Xia¡ªnevermind." Slip of the tongue. Why would Yu Han know about Xianxia Sects? "You keep saying these cryptic things. Sounds fishy." "Fuck, clean that fish elsewhere. You¡¯re getting scales all over me!" "Now you smell fishy too." Yu Han kicked Li Yao¡¯s butt, and Li Yao jumped away. They passed by manykes. On their way, they saw arge Bodhi tree rising from the water, solitary like a giant and as big as a hill. There was a mountain with hundreds of waterfalls gorging down from impossible heights. Birds circled the peak, their call drowned out by the crash of water. In one ¡°valley,¡± the Drizzle drifted over transparent water. Underneath were the remains of a long-abandoned town. +1 True Qi Night passed again and dawn broke, golden light shining through the fog. "Crazy magic," Li Yao murmured. The Drizzle sailed upstream, on a river up the mountain. It reached up for kilometres and finally broke through the clouds. The view was breathtaking. Yu Han and the others gathered around the railing. All around, there were mountain peaks. Some peaks had ice, some had rock. The Drizzle was now near the impossibly huge peak Yu Han had seen from the sea. So close Yu Han felt like he could touch it. Smoke rose from many mountains. Maybe viges, maybe towns. In one direction was the boundless sea with the moss-coloured water. Far away, the sky was dark, as if a storm lurked there. It seemed the Drizzle had never travelled too far ind, away from the ocean. Judging by the distance to the ocean now and the direction they hade from, they had been sailing at the outer edges of this primordial mountain range. Far ind, there were silhouettes of peaks even taller than the one nearby. "Look over there." A boy pointed towards the mountains that bordered the ocean. There was a crescent-shaped bay there, and on the shore of that bay, there was a city. Tall walls, high spires, spreading out beyond the mountains and away from Yu Han¡¯s sight. Perhaps it went all the way up to the nearby tallest peak. A city that big could house millions. The Drizzle moved that way. It sailed down the mountains and river, towards the city. This world was amazing, so different from Earth. Yu Han sat down and meditated. He had a feeling he would seed. Pure Qi Assimted! +1 True Qi. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 110 (+4)/110 Pure Qi: 8 (-1)/110 The True Qi bar was filled. Finally, Yu Han heard the Dao¡¯s voice. And he levelled up. Chapter 20: Progress Chapter 20: Progress True Qi: 110/110 ¡°Your Journey Ends, Your Journey Begins.¡± Tribtion: [With merely water and no food, tread ten mountains a day for ten days.] Preemptive Tribtion Passed: [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] Did it¡­ just talk? Yu Han¡¯s eyes snapped open. The mist hit his face, two worlds covered in fog. He had heard a voice. Neither man nor woman, neither young nor old. It whispered into his ears. ¡°Silent victory, keep it concealed Your tribtion, best unrevealed Heavenly secrets, guard them well Let not your triumph''s whisper tell Wisdom earned before the test In silence holds its power best For cultivation''s path is steep And rivals'' eyes never sleep So hush your glory, hard-won prize Lest others seek to scrutinize The Path you''ve grasped before its time Keep hidden like a distant chime For in the realm of sword and scroll Discretion guards the cultivator''s soul.¡± Yu Han stood up. What the fuck? The voice was reciting poetry! Dawn broke. A new day arrived. +1 True Qi. You Have Levelled Up. Heavenly Allocation: Mind +5 Primordial Qi. A strange, energetic feeling welled up inside, threatening to spill out. ¡°No fucking way!¡± And as if in recement for the energy, his voice leaked out without control. He¡­ wasn¡¯t stuck in the bottleneck. He had straight up advanced. It was something he thought was possible, logically thinking. But when it actually happened, the shock felt¡­ felt¡­ No, that¡¯s not shock! Yu Han brought up his status menu. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 1 (+1)/200 Pure Qi: 8/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 1/648 There were two new things! Yu Han sat back down. ¡°You reached the Bottleneck, didn¡¯t you?¡± Li Yao was sharpening a branch into a fishing spear with a knife from the kitchen. The boy always rose before everyone. ¡°It¡¯s funny how obvious your reactions are. Where¡¯d the ruthless, devious tubs go?¡± ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t wrong,¡± Yu Han said. He didn¡¯t just reach the Bottleneck¡ªhe broke through it. ¡°You heard the voice?¡± Li Yao winked. ¡°It caught me off guard.¡± ¡°I thought it was a ghost at first.¡± Li Yao stopped. ¡°We could use this if we knew someone was close to a Bottleneck.¡± Yu Han rubbed his chin. ¡°Wait for them to gain True Qi in the middle of a fight, and when they¡¯re surprised by the voice and distracted, finish them off?¡± ¡°More like if we knew someone¡¯s tribtion, we could stop them frompleting it. How would you even know if they got True Qi?¡± ¡°Enough character data. Build a prediction model of their behaviour.¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Yu Han left the cabin. When he sat down to meditate, he went into that trance-like state. And he was definitely in meditation, not sleep. If it was sleep, Deep Sleep and Echoing Dreamscape would have kept him lucid. Either way, this was dangerous. If he lost it in some wilderness, he¡¯d have no one but himself to me if he became wolf chow. Li Yao. That brat. He was watching over me. A genuine connection. His dad would¡¯ve told him to nurture it. Especially in this bleak world, where the strong preyed on the weak. A warm feeling welled up in his heart again. Wait, no. Eww. This ain¡¯t some weird bromance. Yu Han pulled up the sheet again. It has to be this Lifeforce or Primordial Qi thing. Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 2/648 It went up! Unlike True Qi, Pure Qi, and Lifeforce, Primordial Qi only had one number and no shes. Just a 5. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. Does that mean that unlike True and Pure Qi, I can¡¯t gain Primordial Qi? Or that there¡¯s no limit to how much I can gain? Lifeforce. Life, force. Why was it 648, such a weird number? It slowly ticked up, too. Yu Han had no idea what he was doing to make the number go up. Judging from the name, it seemed to have something to do with ¡°life.¡± In different medias on Earth, lifeforce could mean anything. Vitality, health points, a mystical energy for some magic and whatnot. There were no set definitions, and what it did was up to the author. Yu Han concentrated on the letters. Nothing happened. Let¡¯s think about thatter. There was also Primordial Qi. Yu Han concentrated on Primordial Qi: 5. What the¡ª A weird feeling surged through him. Like a guide, appearing in his mind. But it had no letters or words. Merely pure knowledge. Or rather, instinct. Yu Han instinctively knew what to do with it. He brought up his stats menu. [Body Origin: 5.20] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 12.20 (+1.00)] His Mind Origin had gone up a full point! Before, it was 11.20, and now it was 12.20. He was reminded of the strange message at the start. Heavenly Allocation: Mind He pulled up the substats. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 (+1) Memory: 17 (+1) Perception: 11 (+1) rity: 9 (+1) Focus: 10 (+1) All substats in Mind Origin had gone up by one! At first nce, the numbers looked like a simple mean, but because of past experience, Yu Han doggedly treated them as weighted averages, with each substat having a weight of 0.20. Adding the weighted sum up would get the ¡®Origin¡¯ number. Since each of the five substats had gone up by 1, the primary stat went up by five multiplied by 0.20, which is one. Yu Han nodded. Simple math didn¡¯t need calctors. Primordial Qi appeared in the substat menu too. Should I try it out now, or should I wait? He concentrated on the number. Something seemed to click, then move away. Yu Han focused on a substat in Mind Origin. Let¡¯s pick Memory, since it¡¯s the highest. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 16.13 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 + 5 -> 22 (17) Perception: 11 rity: 9 Focus: 10 Free stat points! Yu Han wished he could jump up and cheer. Is this a Xianxia world, or a LitRPG world? Heavenly Allocation. After he levelled up, it selected one Primary Stat or Origin Stat, and increased each substat by one. It was like the Automatic Stat Point Gain in video games. Primordial Qi, on the other hand, were points he could manually allocate. He could allocate them in any of the substats, regardless of which Origin it belonged to. That was what these ¡°new¡± instincts told him. Freaky. This system thing¡ªor Dao, was it? It can imnt instincts. Worse yet, after gaining stat points, his physical, mental, or spiritual stat would change. Meaning this Dao System could directly modify living, breathing beings. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to deny the possibility that I was kidnapped and put into a virtual reality simtion. Wait a minute¡­ Mind Origin was now 16.13. That didn¡¯t make sense if the weights were 0.20 for each substat! Yu Han counted with his fingers. He multiplied each of the substats by 0.20 and summed the results up. It should be at 13.20. Why is there a difference of 2.94 in Mind Origin? Not that he shouldin. But why? The answer was simple. Yu Han grinned. The weights changed! He burst intoughter. I fucking knew it! You think you¡¯re so clever? You mean little mean, trying to trick me again? He felt vindicated. It wasn¡¯t a simple mean after all, but a weighted average. Now, the weights changed. But again¡­ Why?! ¡°Hey, Crazy Tubs, you look scary. Look in another direction.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You look like someone stole your wife.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s totally fine. Yu Han scratched his palm. His nails had grown longer, so it hurt. But he kept scratching. Damn it. No, don¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯ll get answers when I get to the Sect. Would he, though? By the looks of it, Sects guarded knowledge litigiously. In novels, they would have libraries and archives, with only allowed individuals having the rights to ess them. There was far too little information. And too many questions! A pressure rose within Yu Han. He concentrated on his substats again. The strange heaviness that had moved from Primordial Qi to his Mind Origin substats shifted back. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 rity: 9 Focus: 10 His instincts told him that he could choose to ¡°apply¡± the changes made. But just changing them around wouldn¡¯t immediately finalise it. He yed around with the stats more. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 13.33 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 + 2 -> 16 (14) Memory: 17 Perception: 11 + 1 -> 12 (11) rity: 9 Focus: 10 + 2 -> 12 (10) Now it¡¯s 13.33! Why? Gods-darned stupid¡ªwhy aren¡¯t you con¡ªcalm. Calm. This isn¡¯t a spreadsheet. He reverted his changes and spread the stats equally. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 13.20 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 + 1 -> 15 (14) Memory: 17 + 1 -> 18 (17) Perception: 11 + 1 -> 12 (11) rity: 9 + 1 -> 10 (9) Focus: 10 + 1 -> 11 (10) ¡°A-ha!¡± Yu Han raised his fists up. He shouted at the sky, ¡°I¡¯ll have your secrets soon.¡± The other recruits gave him odd looks. Li Yao went inside the cabin, giving Yu Han a look that seemed to say not to talk to him anymore. Yu Han felt his face heating, and sat back down. But when data clicked into ce, it felt better than a full body massage. Didn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not weird. So, adding them equally keeps the weights the same at 0.20. And somehow, the very act of allocating Primordial Qi into substats changes the weights. But¡­ Why? Yu Han closed his eyes and meditated for five minutes. Satisfaction came in steps. He didn¡¯t need all the answers right now, so his heart should stop beating so quickly and his blood pressure should go down. Right this instant. It was only logical. He pped his right knee. It had been twitching like an unruly child. He tested Body Origin and Spirit Origin next. Adding the Primordial Qi equally would keep the weights stable at 0.20, but adding them unequally, whether he added them all into one Origin Stat, or whether he added them to all of them, would change the weights chaotically. No need to finalise the Primordial Qi changes this instant. He didn¡¯t know what most of the substats did. All he knew was that Memory made the mirages in Echoing Dreamscape more substantial, and theysted longer without him passing out into actual sleep. He had gained other substats too. Twice, there was a message that showed assimtion of Pure Qi. Fifty Pure Qi for a stat gain in Endurance and Strength. The weights hadn¡¯t changed then. But¡­ Why?! And why the heck was Lifeforce such a weird number? Why did the Dao System recite poetry? Was it sapient? Why did it warn everyone not to share their Tribtion details? Was it benevolent? What was Pure Qi? Yu Han pulled his hair. He was going to make this his bitch! Be rational, Johan. I am Yu Han now, not some psychopathic nerd. Just a¡­ a normal fatty. He meditated again. Whether it took a day, a year, or a gods-darned century, he was going to get his answers. This dataset was actually pretty good. The numbers were clear with no strange outliers other than one ¡®requirements not met.¡¯ The problem was the absence of Excel. So he had to do the math the old-fashioned way. Unlike his past life, he should be rational about data-crunching. No hiring hackers or data brokers to steal corporate secrets, nor private eyes to tail hispetitors to gather dirt. He couldn¡¯t do it even if he tried. So he might as well be proper here. He wasn¡¯t gonna make his dad disappointed. Never again. Even if they lived in different realities now. The Drizzle passed by water valleys and mountaintop rivers, nearing the city. Many boats entered and exited the city like ants. It seemed to be the central hub of the area. But no boats crossed The Drizzle, as if their vessel had the waterway all to themselves. They passed by the city. Finally, with tropical rain pounding the world all around, the boat arrived at arge vige. The mountainside was lined with numerous huts, their outlines blurred by the falling rain. The palm trees swayed in the wind, theirrge leaves rustling. Near the river back was arge statue of a bearded man wielding a spear. Beside it, a small shack. The sound of chants and prayers came from it in waves. It praised the god of the rivers, thekes, and thend. The voices mixed with the sound of rain. The little jetty sat there all empty, like it was waiting for Drizzle to arrive. Thunder cracked. Lightning shed. Yu Han closed his eyes. When he opened them, a silhouette loomed at the dock. Chapter 21: Elder Scribe Chapter 21: Elder Scribe ¡°The Sect owns this slice of the world,¡± Duan Xiaolong said after receiving them at the dock ¡°From the clouds in the sky to the eels hiding in holes in the rice fields.¡± He pointed at each of the recruits. ¡°Your bodies, your souls, your future aplishments.¡± They had gotten off the Drizzle, having been the first to arrive. Within an hour, the remaining six Drizzles also reached the vige, and now all the recruits stood in the rain. The pitter-patter didn¡¯t drown out Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice. It only seemed to entuate it, backdropped by the chantsing from the nearby river god temple. As the rain fell, the fresh scent of mud and grass tickled Yu Han¡¯s nose. He could also smell the burning incense and the soot from the oilmps. ¡°In return, the Sect will nurture you. Give you words, riches, and strength of your own, from Cultivation Arts to Spirit Stones. And finally, a chance to own part of the Sect itself.¡± Duan Xiaolong crossed his arms. His monkey, Little Pir, hopped from one foot to another, swinging the staff above his head like a helicopter. ¡°So, first order of business, scribe your names. From mice, you be men.¡± So now we¡¯re merely employees of the corporation. Maybe soon we can be shareholders. Yu Han patted his shoulders. The rain chased away all the mosquitoes, but he itched. Perhaps there were other bugs that bit. How soon? How many shares? Johan had an amazing portfolio. Much of it was because of undiscovered insider trading, and the rest came from maniption. I have to verify this. Duan Xiaolong took a step back, and another silhouette stepped forward. It was a wiry man with a thin moustache, and a long, silky beard that reached his torso. He had sunken eyes andrge ck irises. Whereas Duan Xiaolong stood in the rain, letting the world wash him, this man had an invisible shield that bounced the raindrops off. Even in the downpour, he was pristine and dry.The recruits stirred. If not an immortal spell, what else could this be? Shock, awe, and surprise radiated out in murmurs. Yu Han wore simple straw sandals, and his feet were covered with thick mud. They felt slippery between his toes. And he hadn¡¯t had a good bath in weeks. The wiry man took out a brush and a scroll. He waved his hand and a Talent Orb appeared, floating midair. ¡°I am the Ninth Scribe Official of the Outer Sect, and the Elder in charge of this year¡¯s Rookie Vige. You may call me Elder Scribe,¡± the man said. ¡°You shall stay here for the uing two weeks, until all the recruits arrive. After this, we shall journey to the Outer Sect, where most of you shall live your entire lives.¡± He let go of the scroll, and it hung midair as if by a magical force. He wrote on it with a brush. ¡°Unless you take a long-term external mission. Or betray the Sect, or are perhaps emunicated. Few reach the inner Sect, and fewer still be Core Disciples. Whatever the case, it all depends on your talent and hard work. Form a line in front of the Orb.¡± The recruits formed a line. They had tested their talents once before. Why are they doing it aga¡ª? Ah. We were tested by Qiao Jinhai, not anyone of the Stormy Reef Sect. Of course they¡¯d want to ascertain facts themselves. The first recruit timidly walked forward. It was the girl from Yu Han¡¯s hometown, Guo Yexi. She was a squeamish little thing and always looked at Yu Han with fright or disdain. But now, after all this time, it was a nostalgic sight. Only some months and weeks had passed, but it felt like years. He really was in another world. Guo Yexi reached forward. Duan Xiaolong coughed, and the girl shrank back. ¡°The proper beginnings, Elder Scribe,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. The wiry man narrowed his beady eyes at Duan Xiaolong. There¡¯s tension between them. Maybe this sect has differentpeting factions? If so, that¡¯s good for me. Yu Han, or rather, Johan thrived in internalpetition. He was the type to offend others easily, so wiggling his way into a powerful faction was paramount. ¡°This is no longer the Sect you once knew.¡± Duan Xiaolong said to Elder Scribe, holding his ground. ¡°The reefs has been shredded by the ws of the mist, whilst the noblesy crying.¡± He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure shook the curtain of rainfall. ¡°Speak the proper beginnings.¡± Whatever invisible shield was protecting Elder Scribe from the rain seemed to turn off for a second, and he was drenched in water. But the man snorted, and the water dried off. ¡°Your Traits and Levels shall be noted. For the exceptionally gifted, there shall be rewards. For the diligent too, you will receive your due. Although I doubt you would break through the first bottleneck so easily, no matter how diligent you are.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. The pressure went away, and Duan Xiaolong stepped back. Guo Yexi touched the orb. It lit up with the ever so familiar red light. After each recruit tested their talents, the Scribe would mutter some words to them. Their lips would move, but no sound would reach through the rain. The Scribe would tap the orb, then send the recruit to wait at the side. Some kind of sound-blocking magic? About one in ten would have Refined Talent, making the orb glow orange. Each time, Elder Scribe would bear an expression of approval and write for longer than usual. How long is that scroll? Li Yao had his turn. Then finally, it was Yu Han¡¯s turn. ¡°A Bloodline. What is it?¡± ¡°Deep Writhing m Bloodline,¡± Yu Han answered. The Scribe clicked his tongue. ¡°Perhaps gained rather than inherited. Any past cultivators in the family? What is your profession?¡± ¡°Not that I know of, sir,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°My parents ran a seafood diner.¡± ¡°Then gained it is.¡± Elder Scribe wrote something. He looked over Yu Han head to toe. ¡°You shall not have the chance to be so gluttonous in the Sect¡ªalthough it may be what caused you to gain the Trait.¡± Is he calling me fat? Yu Han clenched his fist. ¡°Any Bloodline Arts?¡± ¡°Deep Sleep.¡± Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 107 (+4)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 50 (+5)/400 ¡°Nor shall you be slothful. The heavens bless you with talent to cultivate, but curse you with mediocrity.¡± Elder Scribe smiled. ¡°What is the use of having a thousand ants when one tiger can cull millions?¡± Geez, thanks. Whatever faction the Scribe was from, Yu Han would call HR about it. Maybe it was the stereotypical noble faction? Was Duan Xiaolong amoner, then? Qiao Jinhai had called him a barbarian from the wastnds. Yu Han didn¡¯t bring up Echoing Dreamscape. He might get a reward for it, but he would rather keep some cards close to hand. Same with Existential Anchor. He couldn¡¯t exin why it didn¡¯t show up in the Talent test, nor did he know what the Trait was even for, other than the fact it granted him an Auxiliary Art that only worked with Deep Sleep. ¡°We are done. Move to the side.¡± ¡°Do not miss steps,¡± Duan Xiaolong growled. ¡°Young Master Duan, do you have to be so tedious?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°How can this obese child pass the first bottleneck before reaching the Sect? I am merely hastening the process.¡± The blue monkey chirped. It was a familiar sound before violence. ¡°Fine.¡± Elder Scribe snorted. He tapped the orb without looking at it, turning to face Duan Xiaolong. ¡°Look. What a waste of time.¡± He gestured at the orb. Duan Xiaolong¡¯s face tensed. ¡°Turn your head. Do not dare insult a Core Disciple.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elder Scribe shrunk back. This was the first time he¡¯d shown fear. He looked at the Talent Orb, then at Yu Han¡¯s face with a dark scowl. ¡°Child, have you passed your tribtion?¡± Yu Han nodded. If they knew, they knew. No need to deny the obvious and appear more suspicious. He snuck a nce at Duan Xiaolong. Was that a nod? Yu Han rubbed his eyes. The spikey-haired cultivator had already looked away. ¡°How?¡± the Scribe roared. ¡°What Tribtion was¡ª¡± The man caught himself, then threw a suspicious nce at Duan Xiaolong. ¡°It matters not. Do not utter the name of the Tribtion, lest you bring bad luck on all of us!¡± He snorted, then wrote more words down. ¡°Unbelievable. For the first of this batch to be this thing. What is the worlding to? Child, what was your Heavenly Allocation?¡± ¡°Mind.¡± ¡°Ha! Look at this, the heavens truly mock you!¡± Elder Scribe said as he wrote more. ¡°With Common Talent, Mortal Grade Qi Affinity, do you even have a chance at reaching the Foundation Building Realm? Young Master Duan, the reward is wasted on such a unique specimen. Let us merely grant him spirit stones and reserve the reward for someone¡ª¡± ¡°Break the rules and find out.¡± ¡°Young Master, let us be logical. How can someone with a Mind Allocation for his first level up ever hope to utilise the rewarded Elite Grade Martial Arts? The rewards mention nothing of granting Psychic Arts, as even the least of those are far above this child¡¯s level.¡± ¡°His fate is his. None shall be allowed to intervene.¡± ¡°It is a waste!¡± ¡°You dare call the rules a waste? I am sure the Law Enforcement Hall would love to learn of that, Ninth Scribe. If you want another dismissal, this Duan will pave the way.¡± Elder Scribe fumed. He pointed at Duan Xiaolong, then at Yu Han. ¡°You, you. Fine.¡± He threw something at Yu Han. It was a token with a strange character on top. He couldn¡¯t read it, but it looked familiar. It was the same strange script his lost booklet had. ¡°It shall grant you an incense stick¡¯s ess to the first floor of the Scripture Hall in the outer Sect, or a day¡¯s ess to the smaller library in the Rookie Vige. You may choose one Elite Grade Martial Art from there. Now scram, you unpleasant creature.¡± Yu Han scrammed and joined those waiting. ¡°Tubs, did that guy bully you?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You guys were talking for longer.¡± ¡°He and Duan Xiaolong seem to have some animosity,¡± Yu Han said, avoiding giving a clear answer. ¡°Keep your secrets, then.¡± Yu Han remembered how Li Yao had guarded him on the Drizzle. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± He gestured around. ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones with ears.¡± The taller boy grinned, then stepped back. Through the curtain of the rain, Yu Han saw a figure running from the river god temple to join the line. Is that Huang Niuniu? ¡°Your fate is yours, tiger who wears a pig¡¯s skin,¡± a voice said. ¡°But it is the fault of the deer for having delicious flesh that attracts a predator. This Duan Xiaolong has some tips for the strange junior.¡± Yu Han straightened his back. Duan Xiaolong was looking at the recruit line still, lips unmoving. He was speaking directly into Yu Han¡¯s ears. ¡°You may rightfully exchange the token for an appropriate price. None may force you. Have it written in blood and ink. Understood?¡± Yu Han¡¯s lips quivered, but he didn¡¯t speak. Merely nodded. ¡°Can you read?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Imperial Script?¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°Earthly Script?¡± He shook his head again. ¡°Common, then. For White Lotus, it would be the Yellow tongue. It matters not. They are mostly the same.¡± Yu Han nodded like his neck was broken. ¡°Don¡¯t choose the Scripture Hall.¡± Chapter 22: Rookie Village Library Chapter 22: Rookie Vige Library ¡°Have you decided how to allocate your Primordial Qi, Little Tiger?¡± Duan Xiaolong said in his mind. Yu Han shook his head. ¡°Tubs, you having a seizure?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yu Han red at Li Yao, who rolled his eyes. ¡°A wild boar needs to learn how to charge. A tiger, how to rend flesh. It makes no sense for either to invest in trap making.¡± Specialization? Did he mean that I should go all in on Mind? Yu Han waited. But with that final sentence, Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice did not return. The line grew shorter, and by the time thest recruit¡¯s turn was over, the rain had ended. ¡°Each of you, select a hut from the Slope of Snaking Leaves. Do not quarrel, do not steal,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Those who have been asked, visit me tomorrow at the main courtyard.¡±The wiry man bowed slightly to Duan Xiaolong, then walked towards a better-built house. *** ¡°You broke through?¡± Li Yao yelled. ¡°We gotta pour some wine at the shrine!¡± They were now in a small hut halfway up the mountain on the Slope of Snaking Leaves, one secluded from the nearby ones. One that had arge doorway. ¡°Shush. Do you want everyone to find out?¡± Yu Han covered Li Yao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s¡­ what kind of Tribtion? Ah, crazy. I can¡¯t ask about that.¡± ¡°The Scribe mentioned something about bringing bad luck.¡± Yu Han exined his conversation with Elder Scribe, but left out the part about Duan Xiaolong telepathically advising him. ¡°You obviously need to choose the Scripture Hall in the outer Sect. They probably have far better stuff!¡± ¡°Do you know what an outer Sect is?¡± ¡°Tubs, in Riversong and the surrounding cities, we have what are called Mortal Martial Arts Sects. They¡¯re basically gangs and dojos, but are modelled after Immortal Sects. At least, that¡¯s what they im.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t calling you stupid, by the way.¡± ¡°It hurts more if you exin that, fatty!¡± Li Yao said, pouring wine for Yu Han. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°You have your secrets, I have mine.¡± ¡°So childish.¡± It rained again that night. The howling gales acted as a backdrop, with the thatched roof creaking. But no water leaked, and the hut stayed strong. In his Deep Sleep, Yu Han went over the events of the previous days. The illusory whirlpools, the infinite mountains, the crescent-shaped city. He practised observing Martial Arts from the various duels, re-enacted as a mirage. After Deep Sleep ended, true sleep began. *** ¡°This shellfish and this booklet have been passed through our Yu Family for generations.¡± ¡°Father, what¡¯s written here?¡± his elder brother asked. ¡°A generous gift to our ancestor. Long forgotten in time.¡± His elder brother put the booklet away. Mother fastened the shellfish into a ne. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it safe!¡± Yu Han beamed, then went out to y. *** +1 True Qi. Pure Qi Assimted. +1 True Qi. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 3 (+2)/200 Pure Qi: 7 (-1)/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 25 (+23)/648 The next day, Yu Han finished his business, thoroughly washing his hands with soap. Liquid soap would have been better, but this is great too! It was a simple soap, maybe made from animal fat. But it had an herby scent and worked fine. There were no indoor bathrooms, so he bathed by theke. It was early, the sun barely visible. He had theke all to himself, once again scrubbing with the soap as hard as he could. This was the first proper bath he¡¯d had in months. In the hut, there had been a set of neatly folded clothes. It had the same indigo and white motif, but no borate designs. Once he had washed up, Yu Han tried donning it. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It wouldn¡¯t fit. Fuck. He put his old clothes back on. In front of Elder Scribe¡¯s house, there was already a line of five kids. As Yu Han approached, their heads turned his way. ¡°We are here to im our rightful rewards. What do you seek,moner?¡± asked the short boy in front of Yu Han. ¡°Same as you.¡± ¡°What a joke.¡± The boy turned away. No one else bothered Yu Han. Jerks. If Johan had been forced to dine with a guy who graduated from a third-rate university, he¡¯d probably show a simr reaction. But he was Yu Han now, and the prejudice stung. Kids went in, and in a few minutes, they trotted out happily. The line had grown longer behind him. He even saw Li Yao at the end. It seemed a total of eleven recruits were eligible for rewards. Finally, it was Yu Han¡¯s turn. He went through therge front gate. A young girl greeted him, then led him to the end of a corridor. ¡°Wait here,¡± she said. ¡°The Elder will call for you.¡± ¡°This poor Elder will have to depend on the Young Hero when the time is right.¡± He heard Elder Scribe¡¯s voice from a nearby room. It was far more polite than when he¡¯d talked to Yu Han. ¡°Worry not, respected Elder. This one will remember such grace forevermore.¡± A second voice replied. The door to the room opened, and the short jerk walked out. He spotted Yu Han and scoffed before leaving. ¡°Next.¡± Yu Han squeezed in the narrow frames. Everything here seemed to be built for skinny people. The room looked like a wizard¡¯s study, stuffed full of knick-knacks. Skulls, nts, many scrolls scattered around. Elder Scribe sat on a chair in front of a messy table, penning a scroll with a brush. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± The wiry man¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°I greet the Elder Scribe.¡± There was silence. He hadn¡¯t seen a mechanical clock in this world yet, but a ticking sound seemed to echo in his mind. Not awkward at all. ¡°You know, child, the Sect rules do not stipte that you cannot exchange for an alternative reward,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Perhaps Young Master Duan already mentioned that to youst night?¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What, surprised? You were shaking your head and nodding as though talking with a ghost. Who else but Duan Xiaolong could have used telepathy?¡± The Elder Scribe looked pleased, as if he had revealed a huge secret. ¡°He has taken an interest in you. Rootless tend to be like that. What has he told you?¡± ¡°Without Senior Brother Duan¡¯s permission, I dare not utter.¡± Mental note: get a poker face! Yu Han shrank back under the Scribe¡¯s gaze. ¡°Not without a spine, obese you may be. Then this Scribe has an offer for you. Mayhap a hundred Spirit Stones will suit you better? Or a night¡¯s cultivation in my Elite Grade Cultivation Cave? Oh, you shall gain so much True Qi, even with such paltry talents.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Speak freely.¡± Elder Scribe tapped the table softly. Yu Han recognised persuasion when he saw it. Or was this a threat? Was ess to the Library really that valuable? Well, in stories, Sects did hoard knowledge like dragons. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Spirit Stones are,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Such an unlettered imbecile.¡± The Scribe huffed. ¡°They are money and riches. What can you even gain from the scrolls? Can you read? Only true scions of noble blood can gain from the library.¡± Yu Han decided to probe. ¡°This one has learned the Common Script a bit.¡± The Scribe¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Is that so? Fine. Have it your way. Name your chosen reward.¡± Was that hope in his voice? ¡°I wish to spend a day at the Rookie Vige Library and choose a Martial Arts manual.¡± The Elder gritted his teeth. ¡°Why not choose the Scripture Hall at the Outer Sect? They have a vaster collection. Surely you can gain more there.¡± ¡°This one is foolish, and cannot read Imperial or Earthly Scripts.¡± ¡°Foolish? With a Mind Allocation, how long can it possibly take to learn thenguage?¡± Elder Scribe stood. ¡°Such a divine wastrel.¡± Speak for yourself. Learningnguages takes years. Who knows what¡¯s gonna happen before that? A silence followed. For minutes, the Elder Scribe didn¡¯t say anything. He merely stared at Yu Han. There was ill will in that gaze. Geez. Can I not go three steps without offending someone? He had no choice. It wasn¡¯t his fault that he broke through! And now with Duan Xiaolong in the picture, the situation was moreplicated. Should he back down? ept the hundred Spirit Stones? Be a pig rather than a tiger? Duan Xiaolong seemed to have a strange goodwill towards him. In the long run, nurturing that rtionship could pay off better than bowing down to the Scribe. If the Scribe was one of those stereotypical nobles, bending the knee would do little good. They wouldn¡¯t give him any benefits; they¡¯d merely take more away. It¡¯s too early to judge, but I can¡¯t afford to miss this chance. ¡°It seems you have made up your mind,¡± the Scribe said. ¡°Good. Good. This child dares to stare back.¡± Here we go again. ¡°My granddaughter shall lead you to the library. Twelve hours from when you enter, your time there ends. If you step out, your time is to end too!¡± The Scribe pped the table. A precariously ced scroll fell to the floor. It unrolled on its own, revealing neat handwriting. It had both Common Script and the unknown one, and some diagrams of tiny humans doing martial arts. ¡°Now begone. Yu Han, was it? We shall meet once more after.¡± Yu Han left the room, and the girl outside led him to the library. ¡°How did a meremoner break through?¡± she said, biting her lip. ¡°No, don¡¯t say. The heavens are unfair. This is just my luck.¡± She stomped. ¡°Daring to steal my¡ªno. It matters not.¡± They arrived in front of an old door. The girl opened it. It was a spacious room. There was one circr table with cushion seatsid out on a mat, and three shelves against the walls. One had a handful of old books and scrolls. The other two were filled. A closed window let the morning light into the room. It clearly reflected the greed in the girl¡¯s eyes as she gazed at the red ribbon-bound scroll ced on the table. She turned to Yu Han. Her small face had an intense scowl. ¡°I will wait outside. Call for me when you wish to leave.¡± Yu Han tried to enter the room. ¡°Dally at your own cost.¡± Yu Han grumbled. He turned ny degrees and entered through the door, squeezing his girth through. Fucking fat-shaming architecture. The squeeze to his tummy made his dder itch. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t need to pee within the next twelve hours. Who am I kidding? I already feel like¡ªNo! Don¡¯t think about it.What¡¯s done is done. Yu Han immediately went for the scroll on the table. The Scribe had definitely ced it there. Were they that confident that his granddaughter would be the one to get it? It was probably Sect property. In Xianxia stories, casually sharing Sect secrets could lead to severe punishments. Perhaps the Scribe had nned for his granddaughter to break through and rightfully receive this reward? Now Yu Han had ruined that. Damn government officials. They would always rig the game like this, letting their rtives have jobs in cosy positions whilst the rest fought over scraps. Johan had ckmailed many after finding that out! He opened the scroll. ¡°Chicken scratch.¡± It might as well have been. It was written in that strange script, with diagrams of a dancingdy. It made him curious¡ªwhat was written in the booklet that he had lost? He scanned the whole scroll. There were pictures,rge and small letters, parts with different indentations, and sketches of birds and flowers. The more he looked, the stranger the thing became. He went to the two shelves filled with newer books and scrolls. They were all written in thatnguage. Or maybe it was a few differentnguages, and he couldn¡¯t tell the difference. In these two shelves, there were thirty-seven books and scrolls, and not a single one in Common. He went to the final shelf filled with the old books and picked one up. ¡°Oh?¡± It was in Common Script! It read, ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms - The Elite Infantry Manual of the Bull Mountain Kingdom.¡± It was an old book, bound with brown string and coarsely cut paper. ¡°This one. This one too!¡± A total of eight manuals. All in Common Script. Yu Han surveyed the room again. The other two shelves, the nine manuals in Common Script. The one ced on the table. He had an idea. Chapter 23: A Business Opportunity Chapter 23: A Business Opportunity No, I need more data first. Let¡¯s not be hasty. Yu Hanid the nine manuals written in Common Script on the table. Three books, five scrolls. Of them, one was a sword scripture. One was an archery technique and another was a lightness skill. Three were fist techniques, two leg techniques, and the final one for the polearm. What the hell is a lightness skill? Yu Han read the names. Fist techniques: ¡°Iron Mountain Fist, Sevenfold Strikes of the Waves, Thunderp Punch.¡± Leg techniques: ¡°Whirlpool Kick Method, Bronze Crane Leg.¡±Polearm technique: ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms.¡± Sword scripture: ¡°Silver Serpent Sword Dance.¡± Archery art: ¡°Waterfall Piercing Arrow.¡± And finally, the lightness skill: ¡°Feather Scale Step.¡± Yu Han read each of the techniques from start to end. The sketches were detailed, the brushstrokes impable. It seemed as though they were penned by the same person. This handwriting looks familiar¡­ Wait, each of these manuals has different authors. The Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms was invented by a soldier whoter became a Duke in a mortal kingdom, and the Waterfall Piercing Arrow was created by a hunter. They were copied, then. It must have been Elder Scribe. The writing on these manuals matched the scroll that had fallen to the floor. If he could confirm again by going into Deep Sleep, that would be better. But he couldn¡¯t wake at will. No rm clocks. Yu Han went back to check the other two shelves. Let¡¯s see what the data says. He isted simr shapes, then checked the manuals over. They¡¯re all written by the same person. Or copied. Except the scroll ced on the table. A powerful sect Elder wanted to do something nice for his family. And I came in to ruin it. It was a dangerous situation. Yu Han went back to reading the Common Script manuals, the n growing more concrete in his mind. The books were not that thick. The Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms was the longest with a hundred and thirty pages, but most of it was diagrams, and the text amounted to twenty pages at max. The others ranged from five pages to fifty. Among then, seven had diagrams, and the other two¡ªthe sword technique and lightness skill¡ªonly had densely packed words. Two hours passed. He put the manuals back in their ce and moved back to the other two shelves. He took the first scroll and unrolled it. He couldn¡¯t read it, but he observed every stroke and every crease. After that, he took the next book, and the next. After another hour, he had scanned through all thirty-seven manuals. Thirty-eight including the red ribboned scroll on the table. Including the ones written in Common Script, there were forty-seven. Next step, select one manual. Now, which do I want? There were eight real options. That would depend on what Yu Han was capable of currently. Let¡¯s go by process of elimination. He eliminated the sword scripture first. He stabbed himself just by swinging a dagger around. Maybe he could get a wooden sword, but he would need years of training before he became good at such closebat. And he didn¡¯t want to get close to the enemy. So he eliminated the fist and leg techniques too. Are you kidding me? If I bring a fist to a gunfight, this rebirth will have been in vain. He¡¯d basically have to be in the enemy¡¯s stab range to be close enough to punch. No thank you! Archery looked like a good option. But back on Earth, even in medieval times, good bows were expensive. And simrly to the sword, it would take months, if not years, to get good enough. Arrows might be one-time use, and if someone got close to him, he would be done for. So the best thing would be to select a technique for preserving his life. ¡°Feather Scale Step.¡± After reading the manual, Yu Han concluded that it was a movement technique. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ording to the flowery words of the author, it allowed the practitioner to tread as lightly as drifting petals, each step weightless, evading the mortal pull of the earth. When mastered, the body would be as light as mist, slipping through cracks in the wind, untouchable by de or strike. It was as if the author was mocking him! Each step weightless? Light as a drifting petal? Slipping through cracks? Ptui! Yu Han patted his belly. It jiggled. Fuck. What a cruel joke. If he were eighty kilos lighter, then maybe. Eliminated! For now, anyway. Yu Han took up the final manual. It was the first one he had read, Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. It was a manual for elite infantry of a certain kingdom. It started with a halberd. There was a picture in the manual. It looked like a spear, but other than the extended spear-tip, there was also a dagger axe and a scythe-like hook for pulling. It looked like aplicated weapon. Yu Han knew very little about it, and most of Johan¡¯s knowledge came from media likeics and video games. The author of the manual mentioned that it was a standard training weapon for infantry, who usually came from poor backgrounds. It gave them a chance to challenge horseback riders and shield bearers. The forms trained the body forbat, emphasizing stability, agility, and endurance. When practised, it would build strength in the shoulders, core, and legs, all while coordinating with the weapon''s movement. The forms varied widely¡ªswings, thrusts, hooks, arcs, chops, drags¡ªbut all used the weight, momentum, and inertia of the weapon, plus the wielder¡¯s footwork, to create the strikes. Forms included the Heavy Ox Swing, Mountain Root Stance, Stone-Cutting Chop, and sixty-nine others. It all sounded interesting. And tedious. And beyond Yu Han¡¯sprehension. But one passage caught his eye. ¡°¡­ take heed, oh mighty soldier. For the 72 forms build the body of the humble farmer and merchant into the sculpted figure of a soldier. It sheds the unneeded meat and fat from days of slow living, forging the flesh and bones to the divine form of the infantry. Move in the war they shall, from one battle to another. They will fight in the field for days without tiring and take on sword and cavalries alike with superior reach¡­¡± Cardio, resistance training, grip strength, core, shoulders, chest! Every day is a leg day, with a dose of bnce workout too. I¡¯m sold. Yu Han couldn¡¯t change many things. His talent in cultivation, Traits, Arts. But there was one thing he could make measurable progress on: Fat loss. Throughout thest two months, he had been trying it. He was two knots thinner on the rope he used to measure his waist. He could do fifteen pushups now, and almost fifty squats without falling. He wanted a scale. He imagined himself writing each day¡¯s measurements, including his waist circumference, weight, and calorie intake on a nice spreadsheet, then optimizing each variable to result in greater weight loss per day, week, month, and year! Diet was the hardest part. Both the ship and the Drizzle had an almost unlimited amount of food, as did the two viges. It was so easy to overeat, as if the instincts of his body hijacked his mind to gorge himself on food. He needed something else. A push. A catalyst. An inciting incident. Otherwise, it was hard to find the motivation to keep such intense, consistent effort. Yu Han sighed. Either he needed to push himself by putting himself in a scenario where backing out wasn¡¯t an option, or something needed to happen. He didn¡¯t want to do the former, and he didn¡¯t want thetter to surprise him. No use stressing over it now. Yu Han decided on the manual, then went over what he would say once more in his mind. It wasn¡¯t a perfect n. But he had enough data to support it. Let¡¯s try it out. If negotiations work, they work. If they don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just take this manual. First, a revision. Yu Han looked over all the manuals in the room onest time. Then he scoured the ce, just in case he¡¯d missed anything. Two more hours went by. Finally, he wiped the sweat off his brow. The urge to pee was growing stronger. Let¡¯s do this. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a matter I¡¯d like to ask,¡± Yu Han said, standing near the door. It would be nice if he had a clock or a watch, but by estimation, it had barely been five and a half hours. ¡°Have you selected your manual already,moner?¡± a discontented voice said. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. This Yu Han thinks he is too dull to remember,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So I was wondering if Elder Scribe¡¯s previous offer was still on the table.¡± There was a shuffling sound, then the door swung open. Yu Han took a step back. ¡°Why retreat?¡± the girl asked, excitement and confusion visible on her face. ¡°I-If I leave the room, the token is useless.¡± ¡°It only happens when you select a manual and record it in the scroll. My grandfather does the recording,¡± the girl said. ¡°Were you serious?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Although perhaps I need to rify. This Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms does sound quite interesting. If only they had a more detailed copy. And maybe a few more extra training resources. My life at the Sect is only starting, after all.¡± ¡°You wait here.¡± The girl left. Yu Han sat down at the table, the red ribboned scroll spread open. There was a diagram of a lotus flower. A sketch of a woman danced on top of it. From one form to another, a total of a hundred and eight. It was obviously meant for a female. ¡°You dare y mind games with me, obese boy?¡± Elder Scribe barged in. Yu Han hastily stood. Elder Scribe¡¯s eyes went to the open scroll on the table, and a corner of his brow twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t dare!¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get what you said out of my mind as I read these manuals.¡± He pointed at the shelf with the Common Script manuals. He¡¯d already put everything back. ¡°I think what you said made sense. I can exchange my reward for something more suitable for me.¡± ¡°Do you think the Sect rules are a game? Change your mind whenever you want?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°If it can¡¯t be helped, then I¡¯ll just take that scroll,¡± Yu Han said, picking up the red ribboned scroll on the table. ¡°It looks impressive.¡± ¡°Wait! We shall not be hasty,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Let this Scribe consult thewbooks.¡± With that, the wiry man left. The girl stood by the door, fidgeting. Elder Scribe returned in less than five minutes. Who do you think you¡¯re fooling, poser? Yu Han tried his best to maintain a poker face. ¡°Ahem,¡± Elder Scribe coughed. ¡°There is no explicit use against changing one¡¯s mind halfway, for this specific reward-giving scenario. You can no longer take a manual from here, and the next person will only have the remaining time.¡± So we¡¯ll be going with a technicality? The Sect rules were malleable; there were loopholes. Nice to know. ¡°Thank the heavens.¡± Yu Han pretended to sigh in relief. ¡°I think the Elder is rational, logical, and far-sighted beyond my own judgement.¡± Butter him up! ¡°It is my experience, young child. Now speak. What shall you wish to exchange for the token?¡± Elder Scribe asked. ¡°A separate copy of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms,¡± Yu Han said, as subserviently as he could. The girl gave a nod. A separate copy, not the one in the room, wouldn''t qualify as a reward for the token. ¡°An appropriate halberd.¡± She looked at her grandfather but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Ten informative books written in Common Script.¡± Elder Scribe frowned. ¡°And a thousand spirit stones.¡± Chapter 24: The Fine Print Chapter 24: The Fine Print The girl gasped, and the Scribe¡¯s eyes bulged like saucers. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Elder Scribe roared, spittle flying. ¡°Do you presume this is your uncle¡¯s house? Whatever you want, you shall get?¡± Yu Han acted disappointed. ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll just consult with Senior Brother Duan Xiaolong, then.¡± He rolled up the red-ribboned scroll again. ¡°Wait! We shall talk like schrs,¡± Elder Scribe said, as if his previous rage was a lie. ¡°The copy of the Martial Arts and the halberd are reasonable. But why do you need a thousand spirit stones? Do you think they are like tree leaves, plucking them whenever you desire?¡± Wait, fuck. I didn¡¯t think of answers, only demands! A rookie mistake. He hadn¡¯t made one like this since his internship days. Think! Think! ¡°I want to send a letter to my family,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°My parents were killed by a bandit attack just before the Sect recruitments. I have some family left. If I don¡¯t send word back to them, they¡¯ll¡­¡± He had a sister. She was part of a travelling merchant group. Did she already know what happened? Did she hear about Yu Han leaving with the Sect? Would she be targeted by the kingdom nobles for being associated with him? He teared up. He wiped his face with his sleeve. ¡°A man shall not cry,¡± Elder Scribe said, his voice far softer now. ¡°You can certainly send a letter to the White Lotus Kingdom with the Unending Drizzle Hall. Yet it shall not take a thousand spirit stones!¡±¡°I want to hire someone to teach me the Imperial and Earthly Scripts. If I knew them, I could have selected any of those manuals,¡± Yu Han said, pointing at the two shelves. ¡°I am sure they are far superior to the ones written in Common.¡± ¡°No such thing, fool. This one merely tranted them here,¡± Elder Scribe said. A-ha! So it was you. Nice to have verification. ¡°If it can¡¯t be done, then¡ª¡± Yu Han started rolling up the red-ribboned scroll more. ¡°Grandfather!¡± the girl whispered. There was a depressed tremble in her voice. ¡°Quit that this instant. This is not a game, obese boy!¡± Elder Scribe frowned. ¡°The Cultural sses will only start from your second year. Fine, hire your tutor. I¡¯ll provide you with another scroll of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. A version that is moremon in the marketces.¡± There¡¯s a marketce for manuals? That means some are widely circted. Which then means¡ªyes, let¡¯s ask for rification. First, hear him out. ¡°As for the ten other Arts manuals in Common Script¡­¡± Elder Scribe¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°To be greedy is to court misfortune. Do not think because I am a mere Scribe in the Outer Sect that you can bargain with me.¡± A pressure descended. It pushed down on Yu Han¡¯s shoulders like a boulder. Yu Han bowed. ¡°Not Arts manuals, but books.¡± ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°Informative texts. They can be about anything. Cultivation knowledge, herbs, animals, the surrounding area. Common sense of our Sect, or thew book. I will leave it to Elder Scribe¡¯s judgement.¡± The pressure went away. Yu Han looked up. Elder Scribe had a contemtive face. ¡°I do not overestimate myself. I am Mind Heavenly Allocation. How dare I even hope to learn eleven Martial Arts at the same time? What Ick is knowledge. I am only amoner, and I merely wish the Elder Scribe could enlighten me with appropriate directions. But I don¡¯t wish to waste your time. Hence, a few paltry books¡­¡± ¡°Paltry?¡± Elder Scribe scoffed. ¡°Were your family theatre actors?¡± ¡°We ran a simple diner.¡± ¡°Wrong choice of profession, then. I know what sort of knowledge your ilk wants.¡± Elder Scribe went silent. For minutes, no one talked. And as time passed, the girl started fidgeting more and more. Her gaze went from the red-ribboned scroll in Yu Han¡¯s hand, to her grandfather¡¯s face, to the window, then back to the scroll again. Yu Han debated whether he should start rolling the scroll again. Damn, I really need to pee. ¡°Enlighten you. Yes, that is it,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°How can a meremoner, not even properly in the Body Tempering Realm, take advantage of me? This is a fair exchange.¡± He spoke resolutely. ¡°It shall be done.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Yu Han put the scroll back. ¡°What is your fascination with that scroll?¡± Elder Scribe asked. Yu Han thought for a moment, then decided it was better to say the truth. At least partially. ¡°It had different handwriting than the other manuals here. And its cement.¡± ¡°Forget about the cement if you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± Elder Scribe said, his sharp gaze and condescending tone returning. ¡°Yes. It was ced on the shelves like all other scrolls.¡± Elder Scribe nodded. ¡°The Spirit Stones, the manuals, and the ten books will be delivered to your hut. Give me the token.¡± ¡°If I could kindly have it written in ink and blood?¡± ¡°You dare doubt my integrity?¡± Elder Scribe shouted. ¡°Certainly not,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But what if someone from the Law Enforcement Hall confronts me?¡± ¡°So you ask for ink and blood. Duan Xiaolong, that¡ª¡± Elder Scribe paused. ¡°We shall follow the rules.¡± ¡°And if I may rify some other relevantws? I merely wish to be careful not to inconvenience the Elder after our exchange. But I am unlearned and may identally slip.¡± A vein bulged on the wiry man¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡­ think of me as some private tutor.¡± ¡°I dare not!¡± Yu Han lowered his head. ¡°Speak!¡± ¡°The books and scrolls you¡¯ll give me. Would it matter if I shared them with others?¡± ¡°Do you secretly hope that I will give you some forbidden codex of knowledge? Share if you want. Such books are a dime a dozen in the marketces.¡± Knowledge is money. Good. ¡°And what of the manuals here? Of course, I am not going to go back on our agreement and take one out, but I have read through the others. If I were to disclose their contents, would that be against thew?¡± ¡°If one could teach Martial Arts by that alone, would we need Sects and masters?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Doom your friends if you wish by teaching them from memory. You have been here for how long? Six hours? Go ahead if you dare. If you knew Earthly Script, that would be another matter entirely.¡± He picked up the red-ribboned scroll. ¡°Most Arts here, can be found at high prices or in the libraries of the various Halls, Pavilions, and Pces. Some are rare, but not intrinsic to the Sect, collected from outside. Some were created by past disciples, both strong and weak. However, a few¡­ well, it would not be my ce to interpret thew when the Law Enforcement Hall bears their wrath.¡± Yu Han gulped. ¡°You may doom yourrades with the ones in Common if you ever wish to stab them in the back. What a jest, sharing Arts verbally without mastering them yourself!¡± Elder Scribeughed. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°That will be all. This one is eternally grateful for your guidance,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Your appearance is deceiving. Obese and weak, yet a sharp mind. s, with your minuscule talent¡­¡± Elder Scribe shook his head. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t offend someone with a trick like today¡¯s, and use that wit of yours appropriately, you may find a ce for yourself in the Sect yet. You were lucky. With the recent changes to the Sect, someone mild-tempered like me is now in charge of the rookie vige.¡± It seemed that Elder Scribe was saying that second part to himself. He waved his hand, and a scroll appeared. Elder Scribe waved his brush, and characters in Common Script appeared as if magic. After a while, the scroll wasplete, and Elder Scribe wrote his name at the end. Dong Chou, huh? Dong Chou nicked his thumb with a finger. He pressed it down for the blood fingerprint. ¡°Now your turn, child.¡± He handed the brush over. Even at a simple nce, Yu Han saw four uses with loopholes¡ªthree he could useter, but thest one could fuck him over. What kind of shitty vagueness is this? The dissatisfaction must have shown on his face. ¡°Hurry, we don¡¯t have all day,¡± Dong Chou grumbled. In normal circumstances, he would never sign such a dubious document. But he didn¡¯t have a choice this time. Yu Han wrote his name. Then he unsheathed the dagger, and, biting his lip, slowly inserted the tip into his finger. He hissed. ¡°What weak willpower,¡± Dong Chou sneered. Yu Han sweated profusely. He stamped the bloody fingerprint. ¡°Give him a salve,¡± Dong Chou said, and his granddaughter brought a small vial to him. It wasn¡¯t the same kind as the one Huang Niuniu had given him; the liquid didn¡¯t shine. The girl handed over some gauze too. Yu Han applied the salve. It had a pungent smell, and it stung. He then tied the gauze over his finger. ¡°We are done here,¡± Dong Chou announced. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°If I could be delivered the objects discreetly¡ª¡± ¡°Did I stutter?¡± Yu Han nodded, muttering a few words of thanks as he briskly walked out. ¡°How can a cultivator not even withstand such small amounts of pain? Commoners, truly no backbone,¡± the girl said as she led him away. ¡°And how can a halberd and ten books possibly be delivered discreetly?¡± Oh fuck. She¡¯s right. Wait, does that mean the thousand Spirit Stones can be? ¡°But you made the correct judgement,te as it were,¡± the girl added. ¡°Or else who knows what could have happened.¡± She could barely hide the excitement in her voice. Yu Han whispered a curse in English. ¡°What did you say?¡± the girl asked. ¡°D-Does thispound have an outhouse?¡± The girl gaped, then flushed red. ¡°Unschrly peasant of no virtue! Get out!¡± With a giant thud, the door mmed closed behind him. The sky was clear, no signs of rain. The yard had dried up too, and the line was no longer there. He jogged, then ran. ¡°Hey, tubs, where were you?¡± Li Yao called out from somewhere. Yu Han ignored him and went straight into the forest. The outhouses were there. Fuck! This world has magic but no attached toilets. Shit-faced numbskulls! A minuteter¡ª ¡°Ahh,¡± Yu Han moaned. ¡°Keep it down!¡± someone yelled from the next stall. Yu Han strode away from the outhouses. It was afternoon, and daylight still remained. It feels so good. Peeing, yes. But more than that, a sessful negotiation. He didn¡¯t have to ckmail, nor threaten. He did use the red-ribboned scroll, but that was more of a theatrical detail. Can¡¯t let my guard down. Who knows if Dong Chou is gonna do something drastic? Yu Han jumped off a tree root over a mud puddle and onto soft grass. It was still muddy here with the trees shading the area. Let¡¯s not be paranoid. The Sect hasws, no matter how malleable. And Duan Xiaolong, he seems to have a strange interest in me. With the thousand Spirit Stones, and the twenty-five from before, he would have a thousand and twenty-five. He didn¡¯t know how big a fortune that was, or if it was just chump change. Let¡¯s dwell on itter¡ª ¡°Halt, Yu Han,¡± a t voice called out. It was Sima Yan, nked by Pang Jiming and Ma San. Chapter 25: Delivery Chapter 25: Delivery ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han took a step back, his hand going to his dagger. ¡°Your timidity embarrasses our Riversong City,¡± Sima Yan said with disdain. ¡°Why were you at the Elder¡¯s residence for so long?¡± ¡°None of your business,¡± Yu Han replied. He unsheathed the dagger and tried to walk away. ¡°You dare disrespect the Young Master?¡± Pang Jiming said. He rolled up his sleeve and blocked Yu Han¡¯s way. Ma San went behind him. ¡°You lived and breathed in my Riversong City,¡± Sima Yan said, hands behind his back. ¡°Your family have paid tax and veneration to ours for generations. Yet now that you have some semnce of cultivation talent, you forget that obligation. If your ancestors knew, they would no doubt be rolling in their graves.¡± He patted Yu Han¡¯s shoulder, as if not afraid of the dagger at all. ¡°Speak. What has Elder Scribe given you? Isn¡¯t it your duty as a dweller of my city to pay heed?¡± ¡°Now that ain¡¯t fair, is it?¡± a voice called out. Sima Yan¡¯s face darkened, turning towards the voice. But a shadow flew over, whooshing through the air. ¡°Young Master, watch ou¡ª¡± Pang Jiming was horrified.Sima Yan jumped back. ¡°You dare?¡± Arge stone impacted the ground where he was standing. If it hadnded on a normal person, it would probably break a bone. ¡°You! Do you know the consequences of your actions?¡± Sima Yan said to Li Yao. ¡°I¡¯ll be rewarded,¡± the other boy said with a grin. He was apanied by three other kids, including the one who almost drowned himself on the Drizzle. ¡°The heavens are fair. I stopped a daylight robbery, so what consequences are there?¡± ¡°Robbery?¡± Sima Yan scoffed. ¡°What we do here is none of your business, street dog,¡± Ma San said. ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°But it is!¡± Li Yao stood beside Yu Han. ¡°The robber here stole my brother¡¯s family diner after they paid taxes for generations. The moment his folks were murdered, rather than seeking justice for them, they stole him from his home.¡± ¡°Li Yao, you¡­¡± Yu Han muttered. Why do you care so much? Just because I gave you food once? Such actions were iprehensible once. But then again, Yu Han had risked his head just because a girl had given him medicine. ¡°Yours? Riversong City belongs to the Sima n,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°We broke the mountains, toiled thend, diverted the river so that peasants could settle there. Yet here you are, an ungrateful dog. But you forget that a dog does not bark at a tiger!¡± ¡°Look around, Sima Yan,¡± Li Yao said, opening his hands wide. By now, a crowd was gathering. ¡°This is the Stormy Reef Sect. Not your backyard. If you want us to pay taxes, you gotta have the fist for it first!¡± He unsheathed his own dagger. ¡°A meremoner dares?¡± Pang Jiming roared out. ¡°Young Master Sima, who is this ruffian?¡± Some more well-dressed recruits gathered around Sima Yan. They had changed into the indigo and white robes, but kept the ornamentation. Meanwhile, the riffraff from White Lotus Kingdom stood beside Li Yao. ¡°Commoners? We¡¯re all cultivators here,¡± one boy, who Yu Han knew was a son of a farmer, shouted. He had refined talent just like Li Yao and Sima Yan. ¡°You can bully us at home, but you think we¡¯ll let you bully us here too?¡± ¡°Barking because you can. Did you forget your family still lives on my father¡¯snd?¡± a well-dressed fatty shouted. ¡°Do you have no fear?¡± ¡°Family?¡± a tall boy said. He was a refined talent too, and had been a beggar before selection. ¡°I got none. So I can go and kill your mortal folks in their sleep when I get strong like Senior Duan.¡± ¡°You!¡± Threats boomed, fists were held back. Themotion attracted the attention of people who manned this vige. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± a middle-aged man shouted. ¡°No infighting in the Sect, or you¡¯ll be whipped!¡± He wore an armband that said ¡°All Must Submit Beneath the Sky.¡± There were five others with him. A pressure descended. Do all cultivators have this pressure ability? It wasn¡¯t as bad as with Dong Chou or Duan Xiaolong, and nowhere near the Shark Lady and Verdant de Elder¡¯s level. But it forced everyone to shut their mouths. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°You, fat one,¡± the man said. Yu Han thought he was being called, but the man pointed at the noble kid. ¡°Are you crazy? Threatening a fellow Sect member¡¯s family is punishable by a thousand floggings in the Outer Sect, if not crippling and imprisonment! Be d you are still in the rookie vige.¡± ¡°This one was merely angry, and misspoke¡ª¡± ¡°Ten floggings. Submit yourself to the Law Enforcement Hall!¡± The middle-aged man snapped his fingers. ¡°You, tall one. You too.¡± ¡°Wait, no!¡± The fatty paled. ¡°Have mercy!¡± ¡°Ten¡¯s nothing,¡± the former beggar said. Two of the fivew enforcers dragged the fatty away, and the former beggar went willingly. ¡°No one, and I mean no one, will threaten a fellow Sect member¡¯s family. Too many generational grudges in one Sect will bring its downfall, and such acts will be seen as treason. Am I clear?¡± A few affirmations rang out. ¡°Am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Now go back. You¡¯ll only be here until the rest of the recruits arrive. Next time someone causes amotion, don¡¯t expect this senior to be so kind.¡± With that, the man walked away with the three remaining cultivators. The noble andmoner faction red at each other, and a few more insults were thrown. Then each went their own way. Sima Yan¡¯s cold grey eyes lingered on Yu Han and Li Yao for longer. ¡°You know nothing,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°But soon you will. There isn¡¯t only the Outer Sect, but the Inner Sect, too.¡± With that, the noble scion left. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, tubs,¡± Li Yao said, throwing his arms around Yu Han¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They can¡¯t stand us bottom feeders rising up. All their lives, they¡¯d step on us. Thought it was their right. Now they can¡¯t, and it pisses them off. Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I said it before, didn¡¯t I? If anyone wants to get to you, they¡¯ll have to go through this daddy.¡± ¡°Just because I gave you some leftover food? I don¡¯t even remember it.¡± Li Yao threw his hand behind his neck as he walked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, tubs. I would have died that day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t eaten in three days. Had a fever¡ªmy little sister died from the same thing. I went to your ce for ten days. And ten days, you and your folks fed me.¡± ¡°Was it during the Pale Breath Sickness a few years back?¡± Li Yao nodded. Pale Breath Sickness¡ªit had caused an epidemic in Riversong City five years ago. Like influenza, it was apanied by a fever. The sick person¡¯s breath would stink too, hence the name. The best way to treat it was good nutrition and plenty of water. Yu Han had caught it then too, but he was eating well and could walk around fine. His memory was a bit fuzzy, though. I wonder if I can echo it in the dreamscape. They stopped in front of the hut area where themoners stayed. The nobles had chosen another part of the mountain vige. ¡°That beggar kid, what¡¯s his name?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°He has no name. Goes by Little Bamboo, apparently made his home in an abandoned bamboo forest. We call him Xiao Zhuzi.¡± Xiao Zhuzi, Little Bamboo. ¡°The kid who almost drowned?¡± ¡°Li Weidong. The farmer¡¯s son is Hu Feng.¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Do you feel touched? Are you gonna cry?¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± Yu Han kicked at him, but the other boy ran away. ¡°Stay put, tubs. You¡¯ve a face that likes offending people.¡± Yu Han grumbled under his breath. ¡°Li Yao.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Yu Han bowed. No matter how minor the goodwill, he would nurture that connection. ¡°I said don¡¯t mention it.¡± Li Yao scratched his cheeks. Was he feeling shy after Yu Han¡¯s sudden sincerity? ¡°I¡¯ll go train my sword arm. Did you know the vige has a trainingpound?¡± ¡°Of course it does.¡± Li Yao ran off. Let¡¯s see what I get. And what I can do for you guys. As for Sima Yan, Yu Han had no solution. The boy had it out for him. Not only did Yu Han, just by the virtue of existing, cause his father to lose a hand, he also manipted Ma San¡¯s brother into offending Qiao Jinhai, hencemitting suicide by talking too much. No apology would suffice. And after the Riversong City Lord had usurped his family diner with the Bloody Grass Gang, Yu Han didn¡¯t feel like bowing. The hut here was smaller than the one in the first vige. There was a heated Chinese kang bed, and barely enough room to stand. They somehow have indoor heating, but no plumbing. Yu Hanid down. How do I hide the stuff I¡¯ll get? A pouch with a thousand Spirit Stones will be huge. And the halberd. Even the books. He¡¯de here with just a dagger. He¡¯d be leaving with far more. Just like Sima Yan, others might be attracted towards the goodies he might have. *** ¡°Is Yu Han here?¡± a voice said. There was a pounding on the door. Yu Han snapped awake. ¡°What? Who? Coming.¡± His mind was still fuzzy. He opened the door. It was night already. A man stood outside with arge woven bag. There was also a long pole wrapped in cloth. ¡°Yu Han? Elder Scribe sent the delivery,¡± the man said. ¡°Well, then, this one shall leave. Cultivate well, Junior Brother.¡± Some recruits were gathered near the door of their own huts, and a few others were around too. They gossiped among themselves. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother!¡± Yu Han shouted out. ¡°Please tell the respected Elder Scribe that this Yu Han will forever remember his guidance. I shall deliver the package to the outer Sect without fail,e bandit or monster!¡± The Senior Brother turned. Then, with a confused nod, he left. Fuck! I said be discreet, not yell it to the world! Yu Han took the things and went inside. His bullshitting came automatically. It was usible¡ªwhy else would the Elder send him things? He closed the door, then peeked out the window. People were still there, talking to each other. The package was smaller than he expected. On top of the woven bag, there were neatly folded clothes. Ah! These ones should fit. That Dong Chou, why did he send these? Was the guy being thoughtful? Yu Han doubted it. ¡°Next!¡± There was a cloth parcel. Yu Han opened it. A stack of books was tied inside. The first one was a copy of Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms, bound in brown paper rather than green. Ten other old books of varying sizes were under it. Yu Han left the cloth-covered stick forst. Spirit Stones! Where are the Spirit Stones?A thousand should take up quite some space. He peered inside the woven bag. There was no giant pouch. Only a small wooden box. Chapter 26: Resources Chapter 26: Resources A brown box without any decorations or characters. It had no hinges; it was the type where the lid and the body could bepletely separated. Yu Han picked it up. It¡¯s heavy. The box was palm-sized, but weighed nearly a kilogram. He opened it. Inside, on a cushioned bed, was a hexagonal wooden token. It had a strange character on it. That can¡¯t be it. Yu Han noticed a piece of paper stuck on the lid. The handwriting belonged to Dong Chou. ¡°Exchange at the Treasure Hall or the Sea of Gold Commerce Branch.¡± Was it something like a credit note? Bond? Nothing to it. I¡¯ll have to trust him. If it wasn¡¯t a scam, then this was preferable. Lugging around a thousand hexagonal crystals in a pouch¡­ Just the jingling sound would attract evildoers.Yu Han carefully closed the lid, then put the wooden box into the bag again. These new robes have sewn pockets. He quickly changed. The old robes stank and had strange stains and a few tears here and there. The new ones felt refreshing, as if newly washed and ironed. He wished he had a mirror so he could see his face and getup. He carefully ced the box into a pocket with a string to tie the opening closed. Next, he looked at the cloth-covered stick. It was the halberd. He gently unwrapped it from the bottom, not wanting to injure himself identally. This is high-quality cloth! It was coarse to the touch, so probably not well suited for clothing. But it was coloured like hemp, probably good against rain and heat. The handle of the halberd was polished wood. Not shiny likecquer; it had the texture of dry nk. At the top was the de, covered by a leather mask of sorts. Is this something like a halberd sheath? The leather mask was tied closed with thick threads. Yu Han untied it, then removed the mask. A greyish-ck edge, dark on coarse metal. It wasn¡¯t steel, more like cast iron sharpened to a thin de. One prong pierced straight¡ªthe main head of the halberd. There was a dagger-axe on one side, probably meant for chopping and crushing. On the other side was an inward-facing hook. It was shaped like a sickle, but smaller. Wow¡­ This was the first time in both his lives that Yu Han held an actual weapon meant for killing. Knives didn¡¯t count. Neither did the dagger he had now, nor the swords he had used during role-ying. This was¡­ real. It had a weight to it. Yu Han lifted the halberd up by the handle. The small hut was so small it nearly nicked the roof and the walls. It was heavy. I can hold it like this for maybe a minute. It was like lifting a barbell, but all the weight was concentrated on one end. In total, the halberd was probably eight feet long. Yu Han didn¡¯t have a scale, but maybe it was around eight or ten kilograms? He wanted to swing it, see what would happen. Better not. He had a weapon! He couldn¡¯t use it. People might steal it. But this¡­ It was his. He couldn¡¯t help but grin. The manual. Yu Han covered the halberd de with the leather sheath, and then wrapped it back in the cloth. There was a cloth strap too, probably to strap it across his back. He opened the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. He had read it once, but now, after touching the halberd, the feeling waspletely different. This form looks easiest. That one, probably not. I should try to focus on using inertia. It had a total of seventy-two forms, as the name implied. But there eight variations on how he couldbine the seventy-two forms together to make aplete Martial Arts movement. Five were focused on training various aspects of the body. One was for offence, one for defence, and the other a mix of both. Satisfied, Yu Han put the book down. He then ced the ten other books on his bed. Not bad, Dong Chou. Not bad at all. The Scribe had mentioned that he knew what Yu Han¡¯s ¡°ilk¡± desired the most. Actions proved words true. Stolen novel; please report. Yu Han read the names of the books. ¡°Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions: From Body Tempering to Building my Foundation.¡± ¡°A Thousand and Thirteen Deadly Herbs of the Sunken Mountains - Sima n¡¯s Visual Guide for Future Juniors.¡± ¡°Sunken Mountains Forager¡¯s Guide, Fifth Edition.¡± ¡°Ocean Gu, River Gu, Lake Gu.¡± ¡°Creatures Compendium: Demons, Spirits, Monsters, and Beasts.¡± ¡°Most Valuable Parts (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Checklist of Common Resources and Their Locations (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Blue Strategies Part 3: Groupings.¡± ¡°Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways.¡± ¡°Rookie Cheat Sheet - Sure Ways of Getting Noticed in the Rookie Tournament.¡± These aren¡¯t in Dong Chou¡¯s handwriting. Yu Han guessed they might be misceneous journals and books in the scribe¡¯s collection. The first book was a journal written by a cultivator of the Story Reef Sect called Ji. Yu Han flipped through it. It listed the practitioner¡¯s journey and insights through the Body Tempering Realm. So the first realm is Body Tempering, from level 1 to 10. Why not 0? That was the lion¡¯s share of the book. Thest two pages were dedicated to the next two realms. From Levels 11 to 20 is Qi Gathering, and from 21 to 30 is Foundation Building. This Ji broke through to Qi Gathering, but he didn¡¯t share his contemtions here. There was some basic information about the Qi Gathering Realm. As for the Foundation Building realm, there was merely one line: ¡°The mindpletes.¡± Yu Han put the book down. He would read it in detailter. The next two books, one on poisonous herbs and mushrooms, the other on medicinal ones, listed how to identify them, with diagrams andmon locations. So this ce is called the Sunken Mountains. A fitting name. Mountains half sunk in water, creating mystical inds. Is fifth thetest edition? Yu Han hoped it didn¡¯t have outdated knowledge. At least not by too much. ¡°Ocean Gu, River Gu, Lake Gu¡± was an interesting book. It listedmon creatures called ¡°Gu¡± that lived in water. It had bugs, small snakes and other reptiles, and also¡ª ¡°A jellyfish?¡± Thest seventy percent of the book was focused on strange undersea creatures. If going by Earth¡¯s animal kingdoms, there were creatures from Cnidaria, Porifera, Chordata, and Arthropoda. Only the small ones, though. And there were also fungi, algae, moss, and protozoa. The hell is a Gu? Perhaps they weren¡¯t categorized by biological features, but something more mystical? Yu Han scratched his head and put the book down, not sure how it would help him. The ¡°Creatures Compendium¡± was simr, but listedrger creatures. There was a distinction between Spirit Beasts, Demonic Beasts, Monstrous Beastsmonly called just Monsters¡ªand Primal Beasts, called just Beasts. Spirits and Demons were somehow different from Spirit Beasts and Demonic Beasts. Same with true Monsters and Monstrous Beasts, as with Primals and Primal Beasts. Yu Han resisted the urge to read through the whole thing. Maybe there was something on the Deep Writhing m? Or the dog that had attacked him? The next two books werepiled by a Sect Senior for a Junior called Wang. Isn¡¯t Wang the mostmon Chinese surname? Or one of them? He hadn¡¯t met any Wangs yet. ¡°Most Valuable Parts¡± taught how to harvest parts from hunted Beasts and Monsters. It listed themon Beasts and Monsters around the oceans of the Sunken Mountains, and in the manykes and rivers. And some ce called a Hidden Realm. But it merely alluded to it and didn¡¯t go into detail. Cockblocker. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t that Verdant de Elder mention something about a Hidden Realm? What was it called again? Yu Han couldn''t remember right away. The answer would be revealed to him during Deep Sleep, so he put the issue out of his mind. The ¡°Checklist of Common Resources¡± was the one Yu Han was most excited about. This is money! Pure money! Yu Han had a belief that in any world, money made you powerful. And if you were powerful, you could make more money, and that money would make you even more powerful. It was a virtuous cycle. Again, it mentions specific locations in the Hidden Realm. And the checklist had information on what the Sects valued most. There was the Mission Hall where he could exchange loot for money, but the Sect apparently had various other sub-organizations, fromrge ns to small Groups. That was the subject of the next book, ¡°Blue Strategies Part 3: Groupings.¡± Members of the Sect could team up and form specialized units. The author, who apparentlymanded over a thousand people and was at the Mid Foundation Building Realm, discussed the best way to go about it. Starting with Courtyards, going up to a Pavilion, and finally a Pce. The next book, the ¡°Four Meditations,¡± was a collection of poems and short stories about the local area and the Hidden Realm. It had poems on small settlements, respected Land Gods and Wandering Spirit Beasts, and what the poet thought about them. There were poems on fallen heroes, brave heroines, and wretched traitors, too. One short story, about an unthinking crab that the poet had befriended, spanned three pages. The crab lived near earthworms, making its home by an isthmus. They met first in a dream. The author would visit the crab once a year and talk about what strangeness he had seen. The first anecdote spoke of a pool of boiling blood in a hidden cenote, where herbivore snake-headed birds dropped corpses of hunted creatures. The blood would remain in the pool, but the flesh and bones would dissolve and act as fertiliser for their staple food, a blood-red species of fern. It was weird. The poet had never broken through to the Qi Gathering Realm. Probably the only useless book out of the ten. Still, one miss out of ten was eptable. Yu Han put it down and picked up thest one. It was a cheat sheet. Yu Han loved cheat sheets. ¡°One year after the orientation of the rookies, there shall be held a grand tournament,¡± Yu Han read aloud. ¡°It will serve as a wee to the next batch of rookies, and a prelude to the yearly ranking tournaments of the Outer Sects.¡± The author suggested strategies on how to best attract the attention of Sect higher-ups and other distinguished personages. It guaranteed that if the reader followed the steps, they would definitely be taken by an Outer Sect Elder as a disciple. Too many guarantees! Yu Han scoffed. But still, the strategies could be enlightening. And if he used the information correctly, he could exchange some favours. That¡¯s assuming this information is not widespread. We¡¯ll have to verify. Yu Han felt restless. Despite thete hour, didn¡¯t feel like sleeping at all. He checked the pocket. The wooden box was tightly secured. The pouch with the twenty-five spirit stones that Duan Xiaolong had given him was tied to his waistbelt. He covered the stack of books with the cloth, leaving only the Cheat Sheet and Ji¡¯s Contemtions out. The halberd was too big, and these beds were melded to the floor for heating, so there was no way to put anything under them. It was then that Yu Han heard some shouts. ¡°Slow, don¡¯t hurry!¡± Li Yao shouted. ¡°Go to my hut! I have the medicine.¡± Yu Han peeked out of the window. Li Yao and a few others were carrying a boy on a stretcher. The boy was bruised, with deep, bleeding lines across his body. It was Xiao Zhuzi, the former beggar, that was to be flogged! Chapter 27: Genuine Connection Chapter 27: Genuine Connection Yu Han exited his hut and followed the crowd. Li Yao and the rest took Xiao Zhuzi to his hut andid him down on the kang bed. Yu Han watched from outside the door. ¡°Flip him over!¡± Li Yao said. They did. Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s back had five deep bruises, oozing with blood. It was as though he had been whipped with a serrated steel wire. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine, Brother Li. T-This much is nothing,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said through gritted teeth. Yu Han took in a breath. If it was him, he¡¯d have either passed out or died from the pain. He did not have much pain tolerance. ¡°You shut up,¡± Li Yao said. He took out a y vial and uncapped it, smearing a thick, green concoction on Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s back. ¡°Hold him down!¡± Four others held down Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s limbs. The tall kid cried out. ¡°Can handle flogging, but can¡¯t handle a little sting?¡± Li Yao said, then smeared the green medicine on the next bruise. More screams followed. ¡°Brother Li, the bandages.¡± A recruit Yu Han didn¡¯t know brought some gauze.¡°Nice work,¡± Li Yao said. The treatment continued. After about half an hour, Li Yao had finished wrapping the wounds in the gauze. ¡°Rest, you bastard,¡± he swore. ¡°Crazy son of a¡­¡± ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s my tribtion,¡± Xiao Zhuzi stammered through wheezes. ¡°Shut up. Close your eyes or I¡¯ll knock you out,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Give him some space. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°Brother Li is the best to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act cute. It¡¯s gross.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Yu Han watched, and a strange feeling welled up inside of him. Am I jealous? In his previous world, this would be called friendship. Johan didn¡¯t have even one close friend. ¡°Take care, Xiao Zhuzi,¡± said the kid who had almost drowned himself. What was his name again? Li Weidong. ¡°That¡¯s a man, that Little Bamboo. Don¡¯t let those shitty nobles tell you what you can or can¡¯t do,¡± Hu Feng, the farmer¡¯s son, guffawed. ¡°Did you see how that fatty was screaming? While you, brother, begged the Law Enforcers to flog you more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too loud!¡± Li Yao pushed the others out of the hut. It was cramped, with six people barely fitting¡ªfour of whom had held Xiao Zhuzi down, with Li Yao applying the medicine, and Xiao Zhuzi being the final one on the bed. Everyone left, admiration in their voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t Xiao Zhuzi get injured in the first ce because he stood up for the kid Brother Li calls tubs?¡± one voice spoke. ¡°That¡¯s him, right?¡± Another pointed at Yu Han. He really was too noticeable with his size. ¡°The Sect Senior Brother gave him a package a while ago.¡± ¡°Ah, I know that. The Elder entrusted him with a delivery. Do you think he¡¯ll get rewarded?¡± They gossiped right in front of his face. These jerks. Yu Han grumbled. They probably didn¡¯t mean harm, but he didn¡¯t like it. He entered the hut. ¡°Yo,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°This kid passed his tribtion, apparently. You don¡¯t have to feel bad.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You should!¡± Li Yao pped his shoulders. Yu Han rolled his eyes. Xiao Zhuzi was breathing lightly. Every few seconds he would groan. The gauze bandages were already damp with dark blood. ¡°If you didn¡¯t speak out for me, this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Yu Han said. Xiao Zhuzi opened his eyes. ¡°Ain¡¯t no bother, brother. Them nobles think we are easy to bully. No more.¡± There was defiance in his pained eyes. ¡°Never again.¡± ¡°Aye, well spoken,¡± Li Yao praised. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you ¡®bout my tribtion. But I passed it. Hah, I passed. I¡¯m alive, and I¡¯m gonna be so strong those noble bitches will lick my beggar feet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°But quit yapping. You coughed out blood!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t have that backbone. He could be stubborn, but to willingly ask for pain to pass a tribtion? He was nowhere near that desperate. I passed my tribtion on a fluke. No, not a fluke. He¡¯d killed that dog with wits when he should have died. When his family had died. It was skill. A form of power. Yu Han opened the pouch and took out ten Spirit Stones. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Stop that. I ain¡¯t do it for money,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°I know. But it can buy you some medicine,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If you refuse, I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Y-You had to crush some balls for that money,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°Heh, that noble Wu kid. I admire you, brother.¡± ¡°I said enough talking!¡± Li Yao snatched the coin-sized hexagonal crystals from Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°If Tubs is giving it, then you take it. Why so much nonsense?¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll buy us wine.¡± With that, Xiao Zhuzi closed his eyes. ¡°Keep it for me, Brother Li. Find me a pouch.¡± Li Yao and Yu Han exited the hut. ¡°Do you know how much a Spirit Stone is worth?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You gave him ten. Don¡¯t regret itter, tubs.¡± ¡°Rude.¡± Yu Han hastened his pace. ¡°I bought him off. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°There you go again. In the past, you were kind without blushing or ying it off.¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± This annoying brat! Just a gangster, ying some kinda big brother. Yu Han grumbled. ¡°Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for Little Bamboo.¡± ¡°Li Yao. Come to my hut tomorrow morning,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao backed away. ¡°I ain¡¯t swing that way.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Han gaped. This fucker! ¡°Fine, be a little¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick up breakfast from the canteen on the way.¡± With that, the scar-faced brat was gone. ¡°I hope he trips on poop,¡± Yu Han muttered. He went back to his hut. Oh, shit. I forgot to hide these. The two booksy face up on the bed. If someone hade in and seen them, that would suck royally. At least he had remembered to close the doors. The window was only open a crack, but that was still careless. Yu Han locked them from inside, then copsed on the bed. It creaked because of his weight. Even the bed was fat-shaming him. ¡°Shut up.¡± He closed his eyes. Just a while ago, he was feeling refreshed from his nap. But now he was tired. In Deep Sleep, Yu Han echoed the Verdant de Sect Elder. Grasping Moon Hidden Realm. Is it the same one mentioned in the books or not? He echoed the library. He first materialized the manuals written in Common Script. Bronze Crane Leg. He unrolled the scroll. The material felt both real and illusory in his hand. The words blurred, but only slightly. He could still read them, as if he was reading with an eyess of the wrong power. The diagrams were trickier. Some were very detailed, with thin, sharp lines, and annotations written in tiny letters. Yu Han squinted. Ever so slightly, the diagrams focused. But not enough. He read the scroll. The prerequisite for this Martial Art was to hold the horse stance for six hours, and have enough flexibility to do the splits. Ugh. He materialized the next one. And the next. He then echoed a book written in the unknown script. The writing looked real enough, even though he understood nothing. Next, and next. Then the booklet. It only had fifteen thin pages, bound by what looked to be a dried tendon. The cover was some kind of leather. He flipped through it. There were no diagrams; only densely packed text. Father had thought it was a poem. Elder Brother had thought it was a diary by some barbarian or foreigner. Yu Han dismissed the booklet and materialized the halberd. In the Echoing Dreamscape, it didn¡¯t have the same weight. It felt as if it should be heavy, an illusion of weight. But when Yu Han swung it, it would fly like a stick. He tried to imitate the forms in the ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms.¡± ¡°Leg here. Arm, like this?¡± He dragged the halberd on the ground, then twisted his torso while holding the pole. It swung overhead with high momentum. ¡°Fuck!¡± The halberd ricocheted off the white floor and bounced up. He was supposed to connect the swing into another swing from the opposite direction and end it with a hooking motion. But he¡¯d lost control. Yu Han tried again. Then again. Just get the form right! Everything else can be left forter. In the white space, the solitary fatty continued training until his mind went nk and he slipped into real sleep. *** +2 True Qi. Cultivation Art Learnt -> Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 5 (+2)/200 Pure Qi: 7 /110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 51 (+26)/648 Fortitude 8 -> 9 [Spirit Origin: 7.80 -> 8.00] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 110 (+3)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 57 (+7)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 3 (+3)/200 A new art? It was the breathing technique the Elder with the pelican had taught them. Can¡­ anything be an Art? Or are there specific restrictions? Yu Han stared at the stat gain with confusion too. What did he do? Was it the training? Did he have some kind of epiphany? He shook his head. He would dive into thatter. Right now, he had an appointment with Li Yao. He brushed his teeth with a branch, salt, and coal. He then went to the well, drew a bucket of water, and walked to the outhouse. The ground was muddy. It had rained against night. The recruits came out one by one. Some were practicing their techniques in the yard, while others chatted in groups. Yu Han finished his business and thoroughly washed his hands with soap, ignoring the stink eyes from the nobles. He walked back to his hut. Li Yao was waiting there. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Is that dumpling?¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach rumbled. Man, was he starving. ¡°Only veggies, though,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Meat for lunch.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± With a peg less enthusiasm, Yu Han took a bowl and went inside. There wasn¡¯t a mat, so no ce to rub the mud off. He sat down on the bed, then tossed one dumpling into his mouth. They were fried, and the juices leaked out. Even though there was no meat, it tasted pretty good. As he ate, a strange warmth settled in his stomach. ¡°They call this spirit food,¡± Li Yao said with his mouth full. ¡°We recruits apparently get it for free during our stay at the Rookie Vige.¡± ¡°What happens after?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± Li Yao gulped down the food. ¡°The Senior Sister said Elder Scribe would let us know when everyone arrives.¡± Li Yao swallowed. ¡°So why did you call me?¡± Yu Han looked into Li Yao¡¯s eyes. For one minute. Then two. ¡°What?¡± Li Yao¡¯s grin cracked. ¡°Look, tubs, I really am not into¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yu Han shook his head. I hope I don¡¯t regret this. A connection of goodwill, no matter how small¡­ Yu Han would nurture it. He didn¡¯t want to live like Johan. At least, not fully. ¡°How well can you read?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Well enough. Don¡¯t underestimate us gang folks. We had to count money daily.¡± Yu Han washed his hands with a pitcher of rainwater from outside. He then took out two books, cing them on the bed. ¡°These are¡­¡± Li Yao picked one up. ¡°Rookie Cheat Sheet. Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions? Where did you get these?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll let you read them. But you have to keep it secret. Not even Xiao Zhuzi and the others can know!¡± Li Yao gulped, nodding like his neck was broken. ¡°I ain¡¯t a fool.¡± ¡°I really hope so,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao started reading the ¡°Cultivation Contemtions,¡± while Yu Han picked up the ¡°Cheat Sheet.¡± A few minutester. ¡°Tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What¡¯s this mean?¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°That means ¡®the river of blood flows in streams.¡¯¡± ¡°Nice. Thanks.¡± A minuteter: ¡°Tubs, this part is hard.¡± ¡°Coarse grains of qi are like rice.¡± And again. ¡°Tubs. Why is this red flower of the asshole spelled weird?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the red torso acupoint!¡± ¡°Tubs!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Yu Han regretted his decision already. Chapter 28: Outer Sect Chapter 28: Outer Sect ¡°To think there would be trash like you here,¡± a long-haired teen from the newest batch of recruits said. ¡°Has your n gone mad? Why did they let the cripple out?¡± Some others in his cohortughed. The target of their ire was a medium-built boy with sparkling ck hair and red eyes. The boy didn¡¯t reply. He merely walked away, wearing a smile. ¡°No wonder she left you for a better man.¡± ¡°Yeah! You should have left the Fang n some face and hidden away. Yet you show your face in an immortal Sect without shame.¡± ¡°Go away, cripple. No one wants a drunk, brothel-addicted scumbag like you here.¡± ¡°You here for something? Daring to show your mug in a tradition immortal sect. Did the orthodox ones not need you? Yuck.¡± More jeers followed. ¡°With that, it¡¯s almost three hundred.¡± Li Yao rubbed his hands and blew hot air on them. It was getting colder, and the mist wassting longer every morning. A week had passed, and it had been nearly ny days since Yu Han arrived in this world. More batches of recruits had arrived, each apanied by a great Senior Brother or Sister, perhaps at Duan Xiaolong¡¯s level. Dong Chou would take them in and scribe their talents.A loud gong rang out. ¡°Gather all in the yard by the next hour!¡± a voice echoed. It was the Senior Brother from the Law Enforcement Hall. Soon the yard was filled up. It was arge field, but without grass, the soil hard like asphalt from years of maintenance. There was a small shrine by the side, with a few incense sticks. It depicted an official figure holding down a bird-headed man. Dong Chou was there, as were the few other permanent figures from the Rookie Vige. There were many new faces, but nobles tended to mix with nobles, and themoners were grouped together. Nobles numbered almost two-thirds, and more than a few insults were hurled. Girls and boys generally upied different Sections of the yard. Yu Han wasn¡¯t opposed topetition. But it had to be regted. The Law Enforcement Hall members were there; the Blue Strategies Book described them a bit. They were one of the permanent wings of the Sect. Any organisation that had the name ¡°Hall¡± or ¡°n¡± here was permanent, part of the Sect¡¯s inner structure. Meanwhile there were other organisations that could be created and dissolved¡ªafter registering with the Sect, of course. ¡°Oi, look.¡± Li Yao pointed at a group of girls. A bunch of teenage girls were surrounding Huang Niuniu, who was speaking with a smile on her face. She left the group, going to the shrine. Two other girls followed her, one with white hair, the other with hair in twin tails. They prayed at the shrine. ¡°Looking a lot brighter.¡± Li Yao whistled. Yu Han shrugged. She was her own person. If she could heal from trauma fast, then all the good for it. But that smile looked fake. It wasn¡¯t the one she showed him when they first met. She was brutally tortured. Then almost raped. Yu Han hoped, despite all that, she¡¯d get the smile back. ¡°Thest of you have arrived,¡± Dong Chou said, and the murmurs stopped. ¡°The rewards have been passed out, and your fates scribed in the Sect scrolls.¡± Was he just looking at me? Yu Han blinked, and Dong Chou was looking elsewhere. ¡°You shall now leave the Rookie Vige. You are the three thousand one hundred and seventy-third cohort of the illustrious Stormy Reef Sect. Be proud. From today henceforth, you are all Outer Sect Members.¡± The voices of the recruits rose. ¡°Silence. You now say goodbye to the Rookie Vige. Your Senior Brothers and Sisters will take you to the Outer Sect proper. Gather your belongings and line up at the pier. The Drizzles await.¡± With that, the recruits scattered. Yu Han checked his hut carefully in case he¡¯d left something behind. He had found a hemp basket he could carry like a backpack; it was mainly for gathering firewood. He carried the books in it, covered in a cloth wrap. The halberd hung on his back. It was hard to carry it like that at first, but after a week of practice, it was easier. The pouch with the remaining fifteen spirit stones was at his waist, and the one thousand spirit stone token was secure in his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yu Han joined the line with Li Yao. Li Weidong, Xiao Zhuzi, and Hu Feng were there too. ¡°Looking chipper, Little Bamboo,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°All thanks to you, brother.¡± Apparently, Li Yao had exchanged some of the spirit stones for a better healing salve. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. Xiao Zhuzi was the third to officially break through to Level 1, after Yu Han and Dong Chou¡¯s granddaughter. He¡¯d received a reward too, but the guy was tight-lipped. Which was only proper. They got onto the Drizzle. There were about twenty kids cramped on it. All riff-raff, but Yu Han spotted the red-eyed kid too. ¡°Are red eyesmon?¡± Yu Han asked Li Yao. He¡¯d read somewhere on the inte that it wasn¡¯t possible naturally. Or was it a disease? ¡°Never seen ¡¯em before,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s conjunctivitis.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? A Daoist spell?¡± He¡¯d seen red hair. Not the red of Earth redheads, but brilliant red, as if painted. Yu Han had spotted some blue and green hair too, and irises of the same colours. Even Wu Di had amber eyes, and not red. This boy¡¯s eyes looked almost vampiric. He stood by the guardrails, peering into the riverbanks with a distant gaze. ¡°You falling for him?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I thought you liked the Cow Girl, and then you made a move on me. And now this¡ª¡± ¡°Stone-Cutting Chop!¡± ¡°Fuck! Careful with that halberd, you fat ass!¡± Li Yao punched back. ¡°Mountain Root Stance!¡± Yu Han had only shared the Cheat Sheet and Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtion with Li Yao. But he would admit that their rtionship had improved a lot in thest days. He felt less embarrassed to call him a friend, at least. But only inside his head. Li Yao didn¡¯t know how to use a halberd, but apparently, he had some spear training. So they practised together, and now Yu Han could somehow imitate one of theplete variations of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms from memory. The Art hadn¡¯t appeared in his Arts list, and he was less proficient at it than a toddler swinging a stick. But there was progress. The muscle soreness from the first days of practice had still not faded. Two days ago he was able toplete one variation for the first time, and he¡¯d passed out sweating and wheezing. The Drizzle passed within kilometres of the city again. There seemed to be some festivity going on. There was arge procession on one side, led by a man on a giant tiger. In another ce, a temple was being built, with bald monks scattering ash near the shore. This close to the city, there were many viges, small hamlets, and clumps of huts. Some hadrge pavilions, and one near a tall mountain housed a pce. Finally, the Drizzle stopped at a stone dock with many other boats. Farther away, there seemed to be a port, with vessel sized ships docked. The hubbub was like that of a fish market. The ce was near the impossibly tall mountain Yu Han had spotted before. The smaller dock was filled with recruits. Some were praying at a nearby river god temple, and others were checking the ce out, chatting in groups. There were others too, older Sect disciples judging by their robes. Some greeted the recruits, while others looked wary. Most were busy with their own matters. Yu Han saw three men unloading a haul of strange fish nearby, then carrying the catch to a nearby building. The buildings here were made of stone and wood. They were old and had an ancient aura to them. Figures of people wielding swords and spears against monsters were etched into the eaves, and each pir seemed to have calligraphy on it. Soon, all the recruits were gathered. They were led by a group of ten older Disciples, four of whom were apanied bypanion beasts. They walked over a stone road, passed arge dam, and arrived at the foot of stone steps that seemed to go on forever. ¡°From this point on,¡± a Senior Sister said, her voice melodious like a bird¡¯s song, ¡°we enter the central area of the Outer Sect. The whole outer perimeter of the Sunken Mountains is the Outer Sect of the Great Stormy Reef Sect. But here you¡¯ll find the most important Halls. And here, you¡¯ll live for the first year.¡± They were then led up the mountain. The stone stair steps were huge, and the mountain was probably bigger than Everest. After a few hours, Yu Han had almost passed out. The writing on a nearby wooden sign mocked him. ¡°To those who carry naught but their own weight, The Stairs of Trial, first of nine you may face, If your knees are weak, young child, fix your broken gait.¡± Li Yao had long since taken the halberd, but Yu Han refused to hand over the books. ¡°Car-di-oooooooo,¡± he wheezed. ¡°You¡¯ve gone crazy.¡± ¡°I. Burn. Calories!¡± By the time they were a tenth of the way up, they could already see a vista. The surrounding mountains weren¡¯t as tall, and the neighbouring one¡¯s peak was already at their current height. ¡°Oi oi, is that another pce?¡± Li Yao gaped. ¡°There too!¡± Each mountain had somerge pce-like structures popping out from the green canopy. They were magnificent entities. Wood on stone, seamlessly merged with nature, azure-white robed disciples scurrying about. The mountains here weren¡¯t sunken. There were rivers nearby but the valleys in between were normal, and it seemed to be as such for the whole Central Outer Sect region. Yu Han saw one valley nearby that seemed to be some kind of marketce, with the hustle and bustle clearly visible. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t have to climb the full set of stairs. The stairway split, one part continuing up, the other curving down the side of the mountains towards a popted valley. Yu Han only tripped twice on the way down. By the time they reached the bottom, arge crowd of disciples had already gathered. This valley had a giant stone tform in the middle, and the Senior Brothers and Sisters brought the rookies to the edge of the tform. The older disciples kept quiet. There were some cheers here and there, a few voices evaluating the new arrivals, and others mocking disdainfully. Suddenly, a mist appeared in the valley. It had been sunny until recently, and it was only halfway through the afternoon. But now the mist obscured Yu Han¡¯s sight. The mist swirled like currents, gathering on the stone tform stage and spiralling into a ball shape. And then the ball burst, revealing a middle-aged man. He wore the same azure-white robes, but his were more orange, with the white patterns on the blue revealing a dragon. There was a gourd at his waist, and a sword hung on his back. There were white streaks in his neatly trimmed ck beard. An oppressive pressure waved out, quieting all voices. Li Yao gulped from beside Yu Han. And Yu Han, in real-time, felt the soreness of his muscles disappear. The man raised his palm and snapped his fingers. The sound exploded out. There was a low whistle, as if a missile was heading their way. Yu Han snapped his head up. A line of blue fire fell from the sky andnded beside the man without raising dust. The heat scorched the air, and the aftershock hit Yu Han like a drum. But the lingering mist seemed to protect him with a ripple. The figure that emerged from the fire was a woman. She had blue eyes, her hair flowing loose, wearing modest robes that covered most of her skin other than her palms and feet. A small cat rested on her shoulder. To her right, the stone tform split open, and water bubbled out. It rose like a geyser and then solidified into the form of a tall, bald man wearing azure-white monk garbs. Li Yao gurgled, his eyes moving erratically. We got a superhero fanboy here. Yu Han calmed his beating heart. He was shocked too. He¡¯d seen the magical powers of Qiao Jinhai and Duan Xiaolong, even the old man from the Verdant de Sect and the Shark Lady. But this was on another level. ¡°Wee, children, to your new home,¡± the man with the sword said. His voice was deep, as if rising from the ocean depths. ¡°Here you shall live, and here you shall die.¡± The man snapped his fingers again. And a recruit standing five steps away from Yu Han exploded into a shower of blood. Chapter 29: A Bloody Orientation Chapter 29: A Bloody Orientation The blood that sttered on the surroundings peeled off as if it had a life of its own. And as the blood pooled together, the voice of an old man screamed. ¡°Impossible! How could you have known?¡± ¡°Brave demon. Or should I say foolish?¡± the middle-aged cultivator said. He snapped his finger again, and the mist spiralled around the ball of blood gathering mid-air. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet! I refuse to fall here!¡± the same voice roared. It was hoarse and nasally, as if the speaker had a fever. The blood cocoon shattered, and from inside, a ck skeleton wrapped in blood bandages broke out. It had the face of the recruit who had been blown up. The mummy flew into the sky. But after a few seconds, it seemed to hit a barrier. Thunder shed down from the sky and flung the mummy back onto the earth. The smell of burnt flesh wafted. it made Yu Han want to vomit. ¡°Curse you! Curse you, curse you¡ª¡± ¡°The demon has gone mad,¡± the prettydy that had appeared from the blueetmented. She gathered her palms before her chest into a lotus flower and chanted a mantra. The cat meowed. Blue mes gathered around the mummy and stuck to him like glue.¡°No!¡± the mummy screamed. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Lies! Lies!¡± It flew west next. But thunder shed, and in the mummy¡¯s path, a Sect Disciple wearing azure armour appeared. He pierced the mummy with a spear made of solidified electricity. ¡°Argh!¡± The mummy retreated, flying north. Water gushed, and a Senior Sister atop a giant python blocked the mummy¡¯s path. The python sprayed green, sizzling liquid at the mummy while expertly avoiding sshing the new recruits. The mummy screamed again. It went east, but a burly man with an axe cleaved the mummy¡¯s right hand apart, and it disintegrated into ck and red particles. A lone swordsman stood to the south. He cleaved the mummy¡¯s skull in half, the blue light of the sword covering the sky like a dome. But the mummy still lived. A baleful wind gathered around him, and he flew up again. ¡°It¡¯s useless, demon. You should¡¯ve prepared for death when you dared to infiltrate our Sect!¡± the middle-aged cultivator with grey streaks in his beard guffawed. He unsped the gourd at his waist and pulled out the cork. Sparkling liquid slithered out, and the scent of fine wine entered Yu Han¡¯s nose. The liquid expanded, and soon it was just mist. It cleansed all dirt from Yu Han¡¯s body, and the remaining gore sizzled as though doused in acid. "Then so be it! This Daoist shall seize your brightest disciple!" With a chilling roar, the mummy dove down. Towards the recruits. Towards the red-eyed boy. Red Eyes took a step back, wearing a vicious expression, not of fear, but defiance. ¡°Come, evil creature.¡± Red Eyes roared, punching out with his left hand, the intricate golden ring on his finger shimmering like antern in the mist. ¡°Give me your body!¡± the mummy cried. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The tall, bald cultivator appeared in front of Red Eyes. The mummy crashed into his outstretched palm. It roared, cried, struggled, but to no avail. The bald cultivator pointed at the ground and drew a circle. The ground split open, and the overwhelming sound of crashing waves drowned out all sound. Water bubbled out from the hole and grabbed the mummy. ¡°No! I am unresolved, I don¡¯t ept¡ª¡± ¡°Virtue in silence,¡± Bald Monk said. The bubbling water, alongside the mummy, flowed deep into the earth. The ground shifted, closing the hole. ¡°A tribute to the Gods of the Mountain and Rivers,¡± Bald Monk prayed. A ring chimed. ¡°Well done, Junior Brother,¡± Grey-Streaked Beard said. Bald Monk just nodded. He turned to Red Eyes. ¡°Remarkable courage. The Sect expects great things from you.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The next moment, he was on the stone tform again. The other Seniors who had stopped the mummy¡¯s path still remained there, looming in four directions. They radiated power and prestige. ¡°Li Yao,¡± Yu Han called out. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be him.¡± Li Yao pointed at the swordsman to the east. ¡°He is me, I am him. Here we both are¡ª¡± There was madness in his eyes. Desire, hope, fanaticism. ¡°Li Yao.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, tubs. Why¡¯re you kneeling?¡± ¡°Help me stand.¡± Yu Han had buckled. His knees had no strength. Jesus. Buddha. Krishna. Why the fuck am I praying? Move, damn it! Why¡¯s my knee¡ªThat mummy. He had the same¡­ same kind of feel as that hooded man. Demons! Li Yao pulled Yu Han up, but Yu Han¡¯s mind was on a book. ¡°Creatures Compendium: Demons, Spirits, Monsters, and Beasts.¡± But the book said that Demonic Beasts and Spirit Beasts were pr opposite creatures from the same root. Spirit Beasts were beasts and animals that gained spirituality and lived in harmony with nature. Meanwhile, Demonic Beasts did not always have spirituality, and they cultivated by stealing other living beings¡¯ spirituality. Powerful Demonic Beasts were called Demons, while their opposite was Spirit. Demons were hated existences, bringing kingdom-ending cmities. While Monstrous Beasts were called monsters, they apparently weren¡¯t ¡°real¡± creatures. They looked the part, and acted the same too. They could mate with real animals and beasts, and the offspring would be real, but they weren¡¯t. And whenever a being with spirituality was near them, they would go into a killing frenzy. Beasts, or Primal Beasts, were animals that could cultivate, but had no crystallised spirituality. Yu Han substituted the word "spirituality¡± with ¡°sentience.¡± But that demon was humanoid. Did that mean that humans¡­ could be demons? Yu Han shuddered. The surroundings were still in an uproar. But after a prompt from Grey-Streaked Beard, they quietened down. ¡°Such events are mere preludes to our life. Every year, there are foolish Demonic Cultivators trying to mix in. Don¡¯t let it rattle you too much, children, for one day you must take up arms against them,¡± he said, then took arge swig of the gourd. After a few seconds, he continued. ¡°You¡¯re recruits. Newbies, fresh blood. For one year, you¡¯ll receive a grace period. None shall duel you unless you seek it out. None may force you. The Law Enforcement Hall takes such cases seriously. You¡¯re exempt from external missions too. No need to attend cultural sses, but you will still need to select an internal mission. Each month, you will receive a Sect stipend, equal for all.¡± I really, really need to get a notebook and a pen. Or invent it! Yu Han could echo thister¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t forget the information. But his Johan-instincts itched to write it down on paper or type it on a note-taking app. ¡°With missions, you¡¯ll earn contribution points, which you may exchange for currency or other treasures to aid your cultivation. You can join a courtyard, pavilion, or pce if you¡¯re lucky, maybe even one of the halls. And the ambitious may create their own Courtyard. Our Stormy Reef Sect won¡¯t hinder a disciple¡¯s entrepreneurial spirit, as long as you follow the rules.¡± Grey-Streaked Beard held up one finger. ¡°But remember: one year. After that, you¡¯ll take part in the Assessment Tournament for Rookies. In one year, your progress will be judged, and it will be decided whether the Sect should invest more, or less. What you can contribute to the Sect, with your future as a bargain. You may even attract the attention of an Elder, or perhaps be taken into the Inner Sect or even Core as personal disciples! All will depend on your performance.¡± He put his finger down. ¡°In one year, the grace period will end. Most will end up as Outer Sect Disciples. But don¡¯t worry; such a life isn¡¯t bad either. You contribute to the Sect, the Sect nurtures you back. There are many opportunities for Outer Sect Disciples too. If in time you reach the Qi Gathering Realm, you can be promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple, or if out of time, then a Sect Steward. Start your own vige, grow your Courtyard, do business. All actions for the Sect, and we shall flourish together.¡± Courtyards. Those were mentioned in Blue Strategies! Halls were permanent structures of the Sect, like the Alchemy Hall, Scripture Hall, and Law Enforcement Hall. Courtyards were the lowest form of organisation that Sect Disciples could create and register with the Sect. Like their own faction, or businesspany. There were requirements to grow it to the next level, the Pavilion, and finally the Pce. A Pce had the same standing as a permanent Hall. This Sect seems to be a bit messy. In most stories, disciples couldn¡¯t tantly create their own factions. Wouldn¡¯t this just cause more infighting? But it was alsopetition. And for Yu Han,petitions were something to be gamed. ¡°Your Sect Seniors will give you a basic tour of the Outer Sect Facilities. That is all. Cultivate hard, and one day you¡¯ll stand where we stand now.¡± With that, Grey-Streaked Beard disappeared into mist. The Blue-Fire Lady copsed into mes, and Bald Monk sunk into the ground with the water, the hole closing over him. ¡°Gather around, gather around. Teams of ten and no more!¡± A Senior Brother herded the disciples, and soon they split into groups. ¡°Quiet down! Chirping like a bunch of chickens won¡¯t make you strong like the Inner Sect Elders.¡± In Yu Han¡¯s group was Li Yao, Li Weidong, Hu Feng, and Xiao Zhuzi. ¡°We need five more,¡± said a Senior Brother with a topknot. He wore simple azure-white robes, and at his waist hung arge stone b. ¡°Can I join?¡± Red Eyes approached them. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Junior who almost suffered misfortune. Sure, share some of that with us, why don¡¯t you?¡± Topknot said. Red Eyes stood there. Was that an awkward or nonchnt smile? It was hard to say. He stroked his gold ring. ¡°A jest, brother! Of course you can join. Didn¡¯t you hear that demon? He said you were the most talented of the generation. Look at how the nobles are ring at you! You¡¯ll have a pleasant Sect life.¡± This Senior seems a bit sarcastic. Red Eyes moved next to Li Weidong. He bowed to the rest. ¡°I¡¯m called Fang Zhao. A mere cripple. Please don¡¯t take the demon¡¯s words seriously¡ªdemons are known to sow discord.¡± The rest introduced themselves too. ¡°Senior Sister, Senior Sister, do we really join them? They look poor. But that one guy is handsome!¡± a melodious voice said. ¡°Why not? I know them. They¡¯re not bad people.¡± It was Huang Niuniu who replied. She approached with two other girls who were squished around her like bunnies. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Huang Niuniu said to Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ve decided that most men are smelly.¡± Chapter 30: Sea of Gold Chapter 30: Sea of Gold ¡°I guess your sister has a sweet smell, then.¡± Yu Han snickered. ¡°This fatty dares?¡± one of the girls said. ¡°Senior Sister isn¡¯t a liar!¡± ¡°Song Yinuo, he is my benefactor,¡± Huang Niuniu urged the girl. ¡°But Sister Niu¡ª¡± ¡°Song Yinuo. No more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The twin-tailed girl called Song Yinuo turned to the group. ¡°I¡¯m Song Yinuo. Be pleased you get to meet me.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Shi Miao,¡± the other girl, with pink and white hair, stammered. She then buried her face in Huang Niuniu¡¯s side. Yu Han heard a gulp. It was Li Weidong. ¡°You¡¯re the Cow Girl,¡± the farmer¡¯s son said.¡°You court death!¡± Shi Miao suddenly scowled with the face of an asura and took out a dagger. ¡°Shi Miao,¡± Huang Niuniu chided. Shi Miao sighed. ¡°Okay. I forgive him.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Huang Niuniu patted her head. ¡°Y-You mustn¡¯t. I¡¯m already betrothed.¡± Shi Miao retreated, but then hugged Huang Niuniu again. ¡°Only for today.¡± ¡°Lilies bloom whilst the frogs shall see, none can say what their fates may be,¡± Topknot recited a poem, earning a few ps from Li Weidong and Li Yao. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me how I should feel,¡± Huang Niuniu said to Yu Han again, and the rest shut up. ¡°It¡¯s called coping. And besides, even if you think men are smelly, no need to tell that to me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Huang Niuniu hesitated, but then seemed to muster her courage and said, ¡°I appreciate you standing up for me. But I can¡¯t return your feelings.¡± ¡°What feelings?¡± Yu Han felt his voice crack. This bulbous bitch! ¡°You like me, right? That¡¯s why you¡­ fought Wu Di.¡± ¡°Delulu.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re delusional!¡± Yu Han shouted, a vein popping in his temple. Him? Like? A girl who he¡¯d barely spoken to? If it was Johan, yeah, he wouldn¡¯t mind bedding a few one-night stands and being done with it. But Yu Han lived differently. A connection, no matter how small¡­ he would nurture it as long as there was goodwill. ¡°You gave me the medicine. I vented my anger. That¡¯s it,¡± Yu Han said. That was the connection. No love required, no need to even be friends. Just return goodwill with goodwill. ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± He articted it clearly, leaving no room for doubt. Huang Niuniu stepped back with a pale face. ¡°Sister Niu!¡± Song Yinuo supported her. ¡°You fatty! I¡¯ll have your tongue,¡± Shi Miao scowled. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Shi Miao.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯splexion paled. She bit her lip and stared at Yu Han. ¡°What is it?¡± Yu Han was getting annoyed. It would be fine if the girl wanted to be his acquaintance. She seemed kind, and in this life, Yu Han wanted to be around people of a different moralpass. But he wouldn¡¯t force it. ¡°No need to deny it so vehemently,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if wronged. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Yu Han pointed a trembling finger at her. ¡°What part of ¡®I don¡¯t fucking like you¡¯ don¡¯t you under¡ª¡± ¡°What drama is this?¡± a new voice called out from behind him. Yu Han turned and saw Dong Chou¡¯s granddaughter. ¡°The other groups are leaving. Should we head out too?¡± she said. ¡°This one is Dong Tian.¡± ¡°Oh, Junior Tian,¡± Topknot said. ¡°How is the illustrous Ninth Scribe Official doing nowadays after that humiliating dismissal? Everyone was surprised when the Scripture Keeper¡ª¡± Topknot wiggled his brows ¡°¡ªformer Scripture Keeper of the Outer Sect took charge of the Rookie Vige this year. Will you not join the other Five Great Sunken Mountain n Scions?¡± ¡°My grandfather is fine,¡± Dong Tian said. If she was offended by the sarcasm, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°He entrusted this boy with a delivery. I must oversee it.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let us tarry not,¡± Topknot said. ¡°Junior, your name is¡­¡± ¡°Yu Han.¡± Topknot neared him and whispered in a voice no one else could hear, ¡°Junior Brother Yu. Lady troubles dy cultivation. It¡¯s better to not have too many entanglements.¡± He then gave a knowing look, gestured at Dong Tian and Huang Niuniu, thetter still ring at Yu Han. ¡°Senior Brother, will it be fine if we stop by the Sea of Gold Commerce along the way?¡± Dong Tian said. ¡°It¡¯s near the Treasure and Mission Halls, so why not?¡± Topknot led the way. This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°You better be grateful,¡± Dong Tian grumbled, as if she didn¡¯t want to be here. ¡°If not for Honoured Grandfather¡¯s grace, how could amoner like you¡ªnever mind.¡± Shut your mouth. ¡°Tubs, don¡¯t you wanna tell Huang Niuniu that you like men?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna tell Li Weidong you kissed him once?¡± Yu Han shot back. ¡°He did what?!¡± Li Weidong was rmed. ¡°When you drowned. He gave you life mouth to mouth¡ªbastard! You dare punch me? You started it!¡± Yu Han kicked out. ¡°Help, Brothers! Tubs wants to steal my flower! First Wu Di, and now poor me!¡± Li Yao had a really punchable face right now. Hu Feng wasughing. Li Weidong stood there in shock, eyes popping like a goldfish. ¡°Commoner men. So depraved,¡± Song Yinuo squinted. ¡°I think it is men in general,¡± Dong Tian said. ¡°They¡¯re very smelly,¡± Huang Niuniu agreed, The atmosphere was good. They joked, and Topknot, whose name turned out to be Yong Lefan, would recite a sarcastic poem or two as well. They walked through the simple road of the valley, with many other teams around, spotting arge temple with a constant flow of disciples. ¡°That is the Land God Temple. We are, after all, part of the Great Xia Dynasty. The enshrined deity is a past Elder of our Sect who perished protecting the Crown Prince. Later, when the prince became the Emperor, he showed great grace to our Sect.¡± At that, Fang Zhao shifted ufortably, while Song Yinuo nodded as if proud. They passed by arge marketce, the one Yu Han had seen from above. ¡°This is the Outer Sect Market. You can buy and barter for most of what you need here.¡± They saw a majestic stone building bustling with Outer Sect Disciples. ¡°This is the Mission Hall. You willter select an Internal Mission here, and then when you¡¯re ready, pick up External Missions. And this is the Treasure Hall. You can exchange your Contribution Points here, and pick up your monthly quota of Spirit Stones and Elixir. You get ten Spirit Stones, five contribution points, and one random Body Tempering Pill at the Mortal Grade a month, depending on what¡¯s avable. ¡°Of course, these are only the Outer Sect Branches. The Inner Sect is a different world. The Cloudy Rain Peak Mountain separates the Central Area of the Outer Sect from the rest of the Sunken Mountains, which are part of the Sect too. From your second year, most disciples will base themselves in the Great Barrier City outside, near the coast.¡± Yong Lefan pointed at the impossibly tall mountain they had crossed. Then he pointed at a second tall mountain in the distance. ¡°That mountain, the Thunder Spear Peak, separates the Outer Sect from the Inner Sect. Do not approach it if you have no business there.¡± Finally, they reached a one-story wooden courtyard. Banners of gold hung from the eaves, and the two guards outside wore shining armour that seemed to be made of pure silver. There was a square in front of it, seemingly made of obsidian. The fountain in the square spurted steaming water. The ce screamed opulence. ¡°This is the Sea of Gold Commerce, Junior Tian. We can wait here until your business finishes.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long. Come,¡± Dong Tian said. Yu Han followed her through therge gates. The two guards didn¡¯t stop them. Inside, there was a lobby. The walls were covered with ink paintings. The chairs oozed luxury with their cashmere-like cushions, and the potted nts were like nothing Yu Han had seen before. One was like a transparent cactus, a fish swimming inside. Another bore gold coins. ¡°I do not enjoying to this ce,¡± Dong Tian said. ¡°Bring the token to the counter. They can help you send the letter too.¡± She pointed towards a ce where it seemed like receptionists were weing customers. Don¡¯t be nervous, Yu Han. We¡¯ve been to many banks for ndestine meetings. He gathered himself and approached an empty counter. ¡°Wee to the Sunken Mountains Branch of the Sea of Gold Commerce. I am Little Three of Counter Three. How may I help you?¡± thedy said. She had a picture-perfect smile, her voice soothing. ssic poster girl. ¡°I was told that I could exchange this for money or services.¡± Yu Han carefully brought out the wooden box and ced it on the counter. Little Three picked it up and opened it. ¡°Indeed. This is worth a thousand Spirit Stones. Would you like Spirit Stones, treasures, or services?¡± ¡°I want to send a letter to a family member in the White Lotus Kingdom.¡± ¡°The trade ship will leave in a month¡¯s time. It may take up to six months for the letter to reach them. You can also use the Familiar Messenger Service, which will cost more.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Normal courier is three hundred Spirit Stones. With a familiar, it would cost six hundred, but it will arrive within two months.¡± There was no reason to waste so much money on the letter. His sister was only supposed to arrive at Riversong Prefectural City a bit more than a year from now. If they heard what happened to the Yu family, they would avoid it too. They wouldn¡¯t be in danger. He should choose the three hundred Spirit Stones option and use the rest of the cash on himself. Yu Han gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll take the familiar.¡± This was hisst remaining family member, a genuine connection of blood and love. Six hundred Spirits Stones to ensure her safety was a cheap price. If he was unwilling to pay even that, how disappointed would dad be? ¡°Great. Please follow me.¡± Little Three led Yu Han to a room in the back. It was lit bymps, and two ck and gold zabutonsy beside a low, circr table. There was a cup of tea gently wafting steam. ¡°Do you have a letter prepared, or would you like ink, pen, and paper? It will cost one Spirit Stone extra.¡± Wow, businessmen. ¡°Give me the pen and paper, please.¡± Yu Han sat down. ¡°You may take the tea. It is free of charge.¡± Little Three went away and came back with the tools. ¡°Take your time. Do be aware that the Sect will check allmunications that leave through us, but the Sea of Gold Commerce will not.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes. What do I even say? How much do I share? He wiped his tears away. Fuck. Don¡¯t cry, you little baby. He wrote. Bandits, not a hooded man. Sima Yan and his family. Stay away. Go to another kingdom. Make a life there. I am well, so you better be too. I¡¯lle find you. Ten pages'' worth of feelings. Nonsense and screams mixed in with whatever came to his mind. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Do you have an address?¡± ¡­I forgot about that! His brother-inw¡¯s caravan was a nomadic one. He could mention the name, but what if his sister¡¯s family was already on the run? Yu Han shook his head. Little Three took out a crystal ball and ced it on the table. ¡°For three hundred Spirit Stones extra, you can imbue the familiar¡¯s memory with the recipient¡¯s details. Do you wish to purchase this service?¡± If this was Earth, Johan would have been amazed and angry at the same time. Yu Han nodded. ¡°Great! It will take half an hour. Please think about the recipient with as much detail as you can. Your rtionship, what they do now, their circumstances. You may also imbue instructions for ces and people to avoid, and what care must be taken. The familiar will seek out the recipient for one year, and if it can find them, they will deliver the letter. But they cannot bring a letter back. Although for six hundred¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay! Will I at least know if the familiar found the recipient?¡± ¡°That you will.¡± ¡°If I want to convert the remaining one hundred Spirit Stones¡ª¡± ¡°Ny-nine.¡± ¡°¡­Ny-nine Spirit Stones to gold notes and deliver that to the recipient, can that be done?¡± ¡°As long as the parcel weighs less than a pound and a half, it is possible, although a conversion fee will apply.¡± ¡°How much can I get total?¡± ¡°After the fees and taxes, this much.¡± Little Three said a long number. Yu Han gulped. That was enough to buy ten Yu Family Diners! Or outside of cities, buy and deed and be a minor noble! ¡°I¡¯ll convert.¡± Chapter 31: Lower Bounds Chapter 31: Lower Bounds ¡°Great! I will let you imbue the familiar.¡± Little Three stood up. ¡°Since you spent a thousand Spirit Stones, with a Sea of Gold Token no less, you will receive the second-tier Bronze Level membership for the Sea of Gold Commerce! You will receive discounts on special services and other selected materials.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a special rule for newly arrived rookies, Mr. Yu Han. For someone of your circumstance to already have this much spending power, we, the Sea of Gold Commerce, shall invest in your future.¡± There are no free meals in the world. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Han lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ll imbue the familiar.¡± ¡°Shall I let Miss Dong Tian know of the dy? She seemed quite incensed when I went outst,¡± Little Three said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She can practice meditation and patience.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes and thought about his family. ***When Yu Han came out of the Sea of Gold Commerce with a tired gait, he no longer had his backpack of books or halberd. But he did have a fuming Dong Tian. ¡°Unbelievable. I show you kindness and you make me wait,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s the Sea of Gold Commerce¡¯s fault. Their bureaucracy is way too slow. They should be like respected Elder Dong Chou and not make others wait.¡± Was he being sarcastic? He didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t care. Dong Tian didn¡¯t reply. They went back to the group, where Yong Lefan greeted them with a false smile. ¡°As expected of the scion of the illustrious former Scripture Keeper of the Outer Sect. You must have had a matter of great importance to take nearly an hour.¡± Yong Lefan, on the other hand, had sublime skills in passive aggressiveness. ¡°It is all the Sea of Gold Commerce¡¯s fault,¡± Dong Tian said. She red at Yu Han. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what this brother ims.¡± Li Yao raised a brow, then pulled Yu Han to the side. ¡°Where¡¯s your stuff?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± The group started moving again. ¡°Why is Song Yinuo ring death at Fang Zhao?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Apparently, she knew the guy¡¯s former fianc¨¦e. He was some kinda wastrel.¡± Fang Zhao remained mostly silent despite a few offhand jabs thrown his way by the twin-tailed teenager. They passed by a carriage station that went to the Great Barrier City, and saw what looked to be arge butchery. It was shaped like a fish market with many stalls and tented coverings. Carts full of animal carapaces were being brought from a nearby jetty and the carriage station. The jetty had boats that all looked the same, with the Sect characters on them. ¡°The seafood catch must be checked at the previous dock, where you arrived. Then the passable stock will be delivered here by the Sect¡¯s own boats. The rest are sold to local buyers and middlemen.¡± He pointed at the butchery, which had a long row of stalls where the butchers were cutting the meat on waist-tall stone bs. ¡°There¡¯s a butchery to process your hunt in the Great Barrier City, and many of the Outer Sect viges and towns too. But some hunts can only be processed here,¡± Yong Lefan exined. They moved on, rounded a few mountains, passed by more valleys, and by the end of the day, they had seen many facilities of the Outer Sect. An Alchemy Hall, a Medicine Hall, a Training Ground, a Meditation za. And many, many more. ¡°That mountain is where you will stay for at least the first year of your Sect life, my juniors. The Nest of the Storm-Like Heroes.¡± Yong Lefan pointed at the next peak over. From their angle, Yu Han saw a residential area lined up with huts and cottages. It was about a thirty minutes¡¯ walk from the Marketce, and half that from the Training Ground. ¡°In summer the huts are warm. In winter, your qi shall keep it firm.¡± Yong Lefan nodded proudly, as if he had just uttered an epic poem. ¡°After the final itinerary of the day, you¡¯ll select a hut there. It¡¯s one for each. My rmendation: Don¡¯t select the one near a stone waste tank. It¡¯s where the sewage gathers. You cannot smell it, but it¡¯s a matter of face, no?¡± The houses hadrge yards; many already had disciples in them. As they chatted, older disciples passed by them towards the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Some gave them cheerful greetings, others stared at them with annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They¡¯re wary of your talent. Resources are limited, and if you rise, they who have been stuck here without the ability to afford a better cultivation cave will fall.¡± Yong Lefan gave Dong Tian a side nce. ¡°The state of affairs is far better with the new Sect Master. The old powers that be can only keep their heads low.¡± Dong Tian remained expressionless. They reached the junction of the Meditation za and Practice Fields. ¡°Well then, dear juniors. This Yong shall leave. You have two choices now. A Sect Senior can guide you in a two-hour guided meditation, or you can join the introduction to the practice grounds. Can you find the way?¡± Yong Lefan asked. They all affirmed. ¡°Great, great. Enjoy the tournament afterwards. Theing year will be your turn. Well then, until next time.¡± He sauntered off, humming a poem. ¡°Interesting fellow. How heavy do you think that stone b was?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°It looked like a stone book,¡± Hu Feng said. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a weapon?¡± Yu Han guessed. ¡°It¡¯s a Stone Book of Sealing. It probably houses his contracted Spirit Beast, although I don¡¯t know why he has such arge one. Maybe he has more than one Spirit Beast contracted?¡± It was Fang Zhao who replied. This was the most he¡¯d spoken. ¡°Trying to act cool? Pretend to be a schr now? Who doesn¡¯t know of the depraved past of the Fang Family¡¯s cripple? It¡¯s no use trying to woo Sister Niuniu!¡± Song Yinuo scowled. ¡°Maybe you could be a bit kinder, Yinuo? I think you¡¯re such an adorable girl. You could make so many friends.¡± Huang Niuniu gave Fang Zhao an apologetic look. ¡°But Sister, do you know what this guy did? There¡¯s no one in the Great Xia Dynasty who doesn¡¯t know of his¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Song Yinuo¡¯s voice was bing grating. ¡°You guys are justmoners from the Lower Bounds Province!¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not. I¡¯m from the Riversong Commandary of the White Lotus Kingdom. Li Yao, did we have provinces?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Not that I remember,¡± Li Yao shrugged. ¡°Tsk, tsk. This is whymoners are so dumb. You call them kingdoms, but that¡¯s only because the Great Xia Dynasty thinks they¡¯re too insignificant to be part of the Empire properly. In Great Xia scale, they¡¯re basically small Prefectures in the various Circuits of the Province. There are about a hundred such prefecture-kingdoms in the Lower Bounds alone. And the only reason the empire grouped them into a proper Province, is because it makes paperwork easier. Your kings are nothing but magistrates, your nobles are glorified bailiffs. You guys are from the boonies. You know nothing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting so proud, but why are you in a Sect in such a backwaters Province?¡± Li Weidong asked, crossing his arms. ¡°Fool, the Stormy Reef Sect isn¡¯t in the Province. Do you have any idea why it¡¯s called ¡®Lower Bound¡¯? Of course you don¡¯t. It¡¯s the lowest, southernmost boundary of the Empire.¡± ¡°Then where is this ce?¡± ¡°Think about that yourself,¡± Song Yinuo turned her face away. ¡°And whether you really want to consort with vile creatures such as this guy.¡± She stuck a thumb towards Fang Zhao. ¡°Yinuo,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t stop me. Everyone should be aware of this guy. Why did youe to the Stormy Reef Sect anyway? Your Fang family only consorts with Orthodox Sects. But here you are, breaking years of conduct to join a Traditional Sect that¡¯s far below your family¡¯s leve¡ª¡± ¡°Yinuo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Song Yinuo moved her hands in front of Huang Niuniu¡¯s face, flustered. What the hell did Huang Niuniu do to tame these young mistresses? ¡°It¡¯s not good to talk down of the Sect you are now part of, even if youe from a good family. What if someone overhears?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I was wrong.¡± Song Yinuo¡¯s head drooped. ¡°The Stormy Reef Sect is awesome. My respected patriarch said even I can make a name for myself here, although I¡¯m just the hundred and seventh daughter of the family¡¯s Yi generation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine with me, Yinuo, but you met the others only today.¡± Huang Niuniu cupped the girl¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t bully others. Maybe he¡¯s here for the same reason you are¡ªto make a name for himself.¡± ¡°Sister! I knew it. You understand me the best.¡± Song Yinuo cheered up instantly. ¡°I know you¡¯re a good girl. Would you judge me wrongly after knowing my past? I am also from these boonies, you know.¡± ¡°B-But you¡¯re at least a noble.¡± ¡°A concubine¡¯s daughter. Nothing more.¡± Song Yinuo broke down in tears. Shi Miao and Huang Niuniuforted her. ¡°¡­Dude. Did you see them wiggle?¡± Hu Feng said, saliva running down his chin. Li Yao and Li Weidong nodded. Gross. Can¡¯t trust these country bumpkins to be civilised. Yu Han took some distance. It was the fault of the era, not of the men. Johan wouldn¡¯t mind, but Mother taught Yu Han to be respectful todies. Throughout all that, Fang Zhao remained silent. ¡°It seems my presence isn¡¯t wee,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave. We don¡¯t have to stick together for the final parts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one spoiled brat whining. You can stay, she can leave,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You fat pig¡ª¡± Song Yinuo shouted. ¡°Yinuo, he¡¯s my benefactor,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Shi Miao, let¡¯s go and leave the smelly guys alone.¡± She bowed to everyone. ¡°You really don¡¯t like me?¡± she asked Yu Han. ¡°Scram,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so rude. But it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll go to the Meditation za. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± What next time? And why is rudeness fine? Talk back, damn it! Yu Han¡¯s nose itched. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°It was great knowing you, brothers. But I fear being with a cripple like me will attract more ire. I¡­ No, forget it. We are all part of the Great Xia Dynasty, whether I am here at the Stormy Reef Sect or the Divine Capital.¡± With that, he walked away. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Perhaps the practice fields,¡± Fang Zhao said without stopping. ¡°Be careful not to offend anyone.¡± Dong Tian left, leaving that warning. She headed in the direction Huang Niuniu went. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the practice fields too!¡± Hu Feng suggested. ¡°The tournament¡¯s from dawn tomorrow, right? We can sleep well tonight and head off to the arena. I heard the Sect Master is going to show up for the opening ceremony.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t mind. He already knew meditation, but wanted to see what the practice fields would be like. Apparently, they would teach all disciples a basic Martial Art of the Sect that paired well with the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. Although he already had Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms, having direct guidance would be better. As for the tournament, it would be the perfect ce to gather some data and see if there were any business opportunities. Where there were people, there was money. And he had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing what strange superpowers his senior disciples would show. I¡¯ll know what is possible to achieve with only a year of training. They made it to the Practice Fields in good time. It was arge field, with training dummies lined up on one end. There was a barrack-like structure on one side, with weapon racks full of blunted armaments. There were ces for washing up too. Most importantly, it was huge. It could probably hold a few thousand practitioners at a time. A buff, bald dude in a messy robe stood in the middle with arms crossed. Yu Han¡¯s group were near the front, so they had a good view. ¡°We¡¯ll start the introduction now,¡± Buff Baldy said. Yu Han covered his ears. His voice was booming. ¡°The technique you¡¯ll learn here is the Eye of the Storm Martial Movement. It¡¯s a twin technique with the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. If the Cultivation Art is the Calm, then the Martial Art is the Storm. I¡¯ll go through the movements.¡± Buff Baldy got into horse stance, then punched out with both hands consecutively. After a few seconds, he jumped, and while midair, he kicked out as if climbing up stairs, but in all directions. Hended, crouched, and swiped with his leg. With the momentum, he spun and got on his arms, then kicked out more with his legs above his head. This¡­ doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s for me. It took about five minutes for Buff Baldy to get through the movements. ¡°As you go through the motion, you breathe. The breathing is the same as the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. You do both, at the same time, and get twice the benefits!¡± The crowd of about a hundred and fifty recruits gaped. ¡°This is the benevolence of the Sect! Always remember. Lesser Sects don¡¯t have such deep heritage. We at Stormy Reef only ept the valiant, and we train you to be heroes. I¡¯ll be here for the uing year, spending my own precious time to train the future backbone of the Sect,¡± Buff Baldy shouted, his eyes wide and fists clenched. He stared right at Yu Han. Look away. A bad feeling rose in Yu Han¡¯s heart. ¡°Li Yao, have we met this guy before?¡± ¡°Not that I remember.¡± ¡°Then why does he look like he wants to murder me?¡± ¡°You have an ugly face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Yu Han took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°But it seems that some cowards have snuck into our Sect too!¡± Buff Baldy said. ¡°Someone who fights with underhanded methods, targeting the eyes and going for the crotch. Someone who cost our Sect a Profound Talent, forcing him to leave for a rival Sect because of his sheer cowardice, ruining the reputation of the great Stormy Reef Sect.¡± Yu Han walked away. Brisk pace. Jog. Run! ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s the hurry?¡± He was suddenly blocked by three boys. ¡°Let¡¯s stay. Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky and receive one-on-one tutge,¡± Sima Yan said, no smile on his face. ¡°You scheming little¡ª¡± ¡°So let¡¯s pit it. Underhanded means versus righteous martial arts.¡± Buff Baldy¡¯s voice came from right behind him. Yu Han turned, his heart beating like a drum. ¡°Junior Yu Han. Come, I¡¯ll determine if you have been paying attention,¡± Buff Baldy said. His face morphed into anger itself, sharp eyes digging holes into Yu Han¡¯s own. ¡°If you don¡¯t perform, as your Senior Brother, I¡¯ll have to discipline you.¡± Chapter 32: Path Closed Chapter 32: Path Closed ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to unsheathe your dagger?¡± Pang Jiming taunted. ¡°You like doing that, don¡¯t you? Filthy beggar.¡± ¡°Are you teaming up to bully a new recruit?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We can¡¯t be challenged for one year. You can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Challenge?¡± Buff Baldy sneered. ¡°I¡¯m at Level 10, the final stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Do you think you¡¯re even worth a challenge?¡± He took a few forceful steps towards Yu Han and grabbed him by the cor. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t finish the sentence as he was thrown towards the centre of the field. ¡°Fuck!¡± He flew like a thrown ball and crashed against the ground with a painful thud. ¡°Junior Yu Han, this won¡¯t do. Me and the other Sect Seniors spend our time and effort to teach you techniques. But you totally disregard us!¡± Buff Baldy said with a booming voice. ¡°Come now. Demonstrate the steps, it¡¯s simple! If you do, I might even reward you with Spirit Stones.¡± Yu Han got up. What the fuck is this? His mind was muddled. The impact had left him seeing stars. The ground beneath felt unsteady, as if he was still on the ship. And there was a storm raging.Buff Baldy crossed his arms. ¡°We¡¯re waiting. Do you dare waste our time?¡± ¡°This is my first day! How do you expect me to¡ª¡± ¡°Senior Brother, let me do the demonstration.¡± Sima Yan stepped forward. He went into horse stance, then repeated the forms of the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements. From the punches to the kicks to the spins. It wasn¡¯t perfect. Itcked substance. But the form was there. ¡°You nned this,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Sima Yan ignored hisment and finished the movement. He bowed to Buff Baldy, and then to the audience. Buff Baldy started pping. ¡°Excellent! As expected of a Sima Scion. Like your elder cousin, a dragon amongst men you are. It probably won¡¯t take you long to enter the Inner Sect either.¡± He gestured at Yu Han with his chin. ¡°You, on the other hand. What a wastrel. Can¡¯t even do the first movement! Not even a horse stance.¡± He got into a stance, hand pointing towards Yu Han. ¡°But I¡¯ll give you a chance, seeing as it¡¯s your first day. You¡¯re free to use any tactic you want against me, and I¡¯ll use my righteous martial arts. If you can leave even a scratch, you¡¯re forgiven. I¡¯ll even give you a hundred Spirit Stones. Ready?¡± Yu Han felt his body sink into an icy pit. He wasn¡¯t getting out of this one. He unsheathed¡ª ¡°Go.¡± Buff Baldy was in front of him before he could take the dagger out. A fist hit his stomach, and a wave of pain radiated from the point of contact. ¡°Fatty, you offended someone you shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Buff Baldy whispered. ¡°Each time youe to the practice field, you¡¯ll end up in the medical hall for a week. Don¡¯t me me for this. We all have to survive.¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t breathe. It felt like his organs were flipping into the wrong positions. The inside of his body screamed. It itched. As if his bones were being ground to dust. His vision turned red. The only clear part he could see was the impassive face of his attacker. Then it was just red. *** Yu Han sat in the white space of Deep Sleep. He brought up the status screen. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 15 (+10)/200 Pure Qi: 5 (-2)/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 14 (-321)/648 I was halfway there. He echoed the status screen from the morning. Lifeforce: 335 (+284)/648 This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. One punch to the guts, and 321 Lifeforce was gone. So it¡¯s like HP? How did it work? Was it an exact numerical representation of his current health, wounds, injuries? Or was it more metaphysical? I passed out. Yu Han felt a heavy fatigue. Like his eyes were not awake, even if his mind was. He prodded the ce where he was punched. In the Dreamscape, it appeared normal. But with a hit so hard, there should have been a bruise. Is it only what I see? But Yu Han could echo sounds and smells too. And touch, partially. Heat was harder. He concentrated on his abdomen. A dull throbbing appeared. Ouch. But it was muted. The force of the punch had spread all through his body, and now his entire body felt weak, as if held down by weights. He echoed a chair. Lifted it up. Then smashed it on the ground. ¡°Bloody slut-fathering, mule-fucking¡ª¡± The cursing continued until true sleep took him. *** ¡°Why the hell am I here again?¡± Yu Han awoke in Deep Sleep again. Judging by what had happened, he would appear in Deep Sleep even if he was knocked out. But twice in a row? What does the data say? He would appear in Deep Sleep when he slept. He would appear in it after being knocked out. But then again, when he was first knocked out, it was the same as losing consciousness, and not truly a state of sleep. Just like how sedation wasn¡¯t sleep, and neither was fainting nor aa. Even if his body was in that state of unconsciousness long enough, it would not naturally enter a state of sleep. At least, I think so. Yu Han tried to echo the podcast episode where he heard this. A dialogue between a sleep expert and some podcast host. Right, unless magical mumbo is involved. One guess could be that his body had fainted after the punch. Then he was taken somewhere to recover. His body naturally recovered, and he would have woken up. But something had forcefully inserted him back to sleep. Perhaps for the express purpose of recovery. +1 True Qi Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 21 (+6)/199 Pure Qi: 0 (-5)/110 Lifeforce: 54 (+50)/648 True Qi had increased by six in total. Five of them came from Pure Qi, which was at 0 now. And one True Qi was his natural gain. A night has passed. It could also be that regardless of whether he was sleeping or fainted, he could enter Deep Sleep at night, but that was a worse guess than the former. Can¡¯t rule it out. We¡¯ll need to test more. Lifeforce had increased by a whopping fifty in one day. So something was happening to his body that increased recovery. I¡¯ll go with the first guess. Deep Sleep needed true sleep. But it could be imbued by medicine too. Yu Han waved his hand and the old showcase full of ceramic and china appeared. Grandma¡¯s treasured collection. He immediately felt weaker. Johan¡¯s memories needed more ¡°fuel¡± to echo. Then Sima Yan appeared, and Buff Baldy. Yu Han opened the showcase, then picked up a teapot. He threw it towards Buff Baldy¡¯s bald head. It went through it like the mirage it was, and shattered on the ground. He had broken this teapot in a tantrum in real life too, as he had done to the chair. Yu Han pped, then held his hand out towards Buff Baldy¡¯s mirage. ¡°Be material!¡± he shouted. Something intangible left his body, and he felt weaker yet. He picked up a teacup and threw it. This time, it shattered on Buff Baldy¡¯s head. No wound appeared. The mirage only stood there. ¡°Heh.¡± It helped him vent. That¡¯s what was most important. *** He woke up, vision blurry. He was lying on a warm bed, a soft pillow under his head and a feathery nket covering him. A wooden ceiling stared back at him. A snake dangled from one of the arches. It hissed, then slithered away. His vision cleared. He was in some kind of cubicle, like the infirmary beds covered by white curtains. One side was open. Huang Niuniu sat on a stool, sewing an azure-white robe. I¡¯m only wearing aloincloth. The money pouch, the Bronze Membership Token of the Sea of Gold Commerce, and¡­ what else? Dagger. Thank God I left the books and halberd at the Sea of Gold Commerce. Storage cost five Spirit Stones a month, and was only discounted for Bronze Members. Can I get it back without the token? Huang Niuniu came over, gazing at him from above. Her green eyes were clear as emerald. If she wore a suit and a skirt, she¡¯d look like a highly sessful Japanese officedy. ¡°I bet you could cosy as 2B,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Why did he say that? Ugh, my head hurts. Huang Niuniu nodded, then went away and continued sewing. ¡°¡­I¡¯m awake.¡± ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Deep Sleepsted longer the third time. He woke up again to poking and prodding. An old man with three strands of hair on his head helped him sit up. ¡°No permanent internal injuries. You¡¯re lucky that Gong Muhua held back. Only lifeforce depletion.¡± ¡°Can I sue him?¡± ¡°Like in court?¡± The old man was taken aback. ¡°It was merely an ident in the practice fields. It happens.¡± He patted Yu Han¡¯s back, then pulled the needles from his body. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Be brave, young man. Simple acupuncture shouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± the old man said. ¡°You leave today. Gong Muhua already paid the fees. What a nice senior, taking responsibility for his wrongs. Don¡¯t trouble him too much.¡± ¡°He said the same would happen every time I went to the practice field.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°Then you endure it. The new Sect Leader won¡¯t let such things happen for long. But now, there¡¯s just too much¡­ Aye. Be a goodd. Your daopanion has been waiting on you for three days.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Blind. Take the chance when you have it. Listen to this old man. When I was young¡­¡± The storysted an hour. An epic tale of how the old man met his wife in a mountain cave inside the heart of a sunken ind. He left when Li Yao and Fang Zhao showed up. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Li Yao patted his back. There was aplicated look on his face. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t worry, tubs. We¡¯ll get back at them.¡± ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s nice to see you awake,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I was worried the internal force would have left permanent damage.¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Li Yao said suddenly. ¡°I was a bad brother.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°That bastard, Gong Muhua, said that anyone who ¡®conspires¡¯ with a coward will receive no teaching from him. And I¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to take the fall for me. I¡¯ll figure something out. Just go, man.¡± Yu Han shook his head. He would have left Li Yao if he was in that position. ¡°Li Yao tried to sneak into Sima Yan¡¯s hut and got caught,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°He was flogged ten times. Sima Yan somehow convinced someone high up that it was your idea. They¡¯ll take away the first month of Spirit Stone stipends for you.¡± Yu Han groaned. ¡°Can I just go back to sleep?¡± Chapter 33: Hut Chapter 33: Hut ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive Hu Feng,¡± Li Yao said on their way back. ¡°At least Li Weidong and Xiao Zhuzi visited you on the first day. Yeah, I get it, he doesn¡¯t want to get involved, but¡ª¡± ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t get involved either.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You too, Huang Niuniu.¡± ¡°Call me Niu¡¯er.¡± Huang Niuniu carried arge backpack like a snail. ¡°I don¡¯t know you that well,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Where are the other two girls?¡± ¡°They were taken as direct disciples because of their talents. They¡¯re in the Inner Sect now,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han turned to Fang Zhao. ¡°I know you even less. If I were you, I would be like Hu Feng. Why would I hang out with a guy who¡¯s marked by some haughty noble?¡± Fang Zhao justughed. ¡°I decided to live freely, not bound by decorum.¡± ¡°You speak pretty politely for that. You were a noble, yeah?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Still am. Just a crippled one.¡± Fang Zhao stopped, then sped his hands. ¡°This Fang Zhao shall take his leave. I report for my mission in an hour, lest I miss the boat. I¡¯ll visit again in the next days if you¡¯ll have me.¡±With that, he was off. ¡°I have to select a mission,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Tubs¡­¡± Li Yao wore a sad expression. ¡°There¡¯s not many left, and you probably will end up¡­ No, I can¡¯t¡ª¡± He burst outughing. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°It pays well. But yeah¡­¡± Li Yao wasughing so hard he had to crouch. ¡°You gotta select a hut too. Most are taken, so probably only the shittiest ones are left.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I have reserved a ce.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t reserve. It¡¯s firste, first served,¡± Li Yao said, confused. ¡°Follow me.¡± Huang Niuniu led the way to the residential area. There were many huts lining the wide mountain. They were spread out like an old American suburb, each hut having a fence, a yard, and even a detached outhouse. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my ce. There¡¯s this rock in the outhouse and the hut. When you hit it with another rock, wateres out,¡± Li Yao exined. ¡°I know. There were these rocks in the other two viges too,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Wait, really?¡± Li Yao was shocked. It was a secluded ce, covered by the canopy and only essible by a branching sideway. ¡°Let me show you,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Yu Han¡¯s first,¡± Huang Niuniu insisted. ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han faced the girl. ¡°I didn¡¯t fight Wu Di only for you. I had something to prove to myself. You don¡¯t need to feel any kind of debt.¡± ¡°I have had enough of men telling me what to do.¡± ¡°If you stick with me, you¡¯ll probably be targeted. We¡¯re not friends. We aren¡¯t even acquaintances. Just go away. I¡¯ll select my own hut.¡± For a few seconds, there was silence. ¡°That¡¯s him, right? The fatty.¡± ¡°Sucks to be him.¡± Other disciples were there too. Some were in their yards, others walking the road, probably heading off to their mission. ¡°I need to talk to you. In private,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I won¡¯t bother you after that.¡± ¡°Fine, but we¡¯re going to Li Yao¡¯s ce first.¡± He didn¡¯t want pity. He didn¡¯t need any traumatised girl sticking to him for mental support. It would just dy her own healing. Li Yao didn¡¯t interrupt them while they were talking, and after that, he led them to arge hut by a stream. Xiao Zhuzi and Li Weidong were outside. ¡°You rascals. Did this daddy make you wait?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Inside,¡± Li Weidong said. They entered. The door was barely big enough for Yu Han to fit through, but the hut was farrger than those in the Vige of New Tidings and the Rookie Vige. There was arge bed, a table and a chair, and a wardrobe. Probably 20 square metres in size. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. Hu Feng sat on the chair. ¡°You fucking bastard!¡± Li Yao rolled up his sleeves and was about to slug the farmer¡¯s son, but Xiao Zhuzi and Li Weidong held him back. ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ve never seen a fucker so spineless¡ª¡± ¡°Listen to us, Brother Li! Calm down!¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°Sit on the bed.¡± Li Weidong had to drag him there. Another awkward silence followed. Hu Feng stood up, approached Yu Han, and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t publicly take your side,¡± he said. ¡°This is my only chance to be someone. I will not ruin it.¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve done the same. You don¡¯t need to apologise,¡± Yu Han said, but it didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hu Feng ced a pouch on the ground. ¡°Please take this.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Please, take it for my sake. I was able to ask for my stipend early.¡± Yu Han hesitated at that. ¡°Take it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯ll need all the help you can get if you want to be alive a year from now.¡± Right, the grace period. ¡°Me, Little Bamboo, and Li Weidong each pitched in five Spirit Stones,¡± Hu Feng said. ¡°Wish I could run Gong Muhua over with a cart. This is pure bullying.¡± Xiao Zhuzi clenched his fist. His eyes were bloodshot. But then he said with a tired sigh, ¡°We can¡¯t do anything. We¡¯re just rookies. Sima Yan has a cousin that¡¯s an Inner Sect Disciple.¡± ¡°They say he might be a Core Disciple soon,¡± Hu Feng said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this before. Corrupt officials donate lots of gold to the City God Temple to wash out all the bad stuff they¡¯vemitted. Feels really good on your conscience, doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Li Yao, stop,¡± Yu Han said. He picked up the pouch. ¡°I don¡¯t me you. You¡¯d be a fool to sabotage your future for a guy you met less than three months ago. I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± Everyone was quiet. Hu Feng broke the silence. ¡°If I can get to Qi Gathering, I¡¯ll make Gong Muhua¡¯s life hell. He¡¯s been stuck at Level 10 for seven years. We¡¯re all Refined Talents. We¡¯ll outpace him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break his knees,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°And slit his wrists,¡± Li Weidong said. ¡°Take it all the way. In the gangs, you go for the eye,¡± Li Yao shouted, vitriol in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m a Common Talent,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you when you make it big.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She was already by the door. ¡°Or your hut may be taken. They might send someone to clean it after theints.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Yu. I¡ª¡± Hu Feng started again. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Yu Han said, somewhat forcefully. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can exchange informationter. Keep me updated on Gong Muhua¡¯s movements.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Hu Feng nodded triumphantly, as if he had found a silver lining. ¡°Better not talk to me either. I¡¯m not gonna be afraid of Gong Muhua,¡± Li Yao said, somewhat sarcastically. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much leeway Refined Talents have, do you?¡± Li Weidong shook his head. ¡°He won¡¯t touch you. If nothing goes wrong, we¡¯ll reach Qi Gathering within a few years. If he directly antagonises you, you¡¯d be justified for revenge. He won¡¯t risk it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still gouge his eyes out.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll slit his wrists. But secretly,¡± Li Weidong said. His face clouded over. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here. We four have the same mission.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch my wine.¡± With that, Li Yao followed Yu Han and Huang Niuniu out. ¡°They aren¡¯t bad,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Just forced by circumstance.¡± Li Yao didn¡¯t reply. They went back to the main street, then walked to the end of the road, where a side path went down the mountainside. The huts were more dpidated here, their owners older than the recruits. He even saw a little kid. Maybe some Outer Sect Disciples started families? ¡°What¡¯s your Internal Sect Mission?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We¡¯re at the butchery!¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°They say it¡¯s one of the most coveted spots. They needed Refined Talents.¡± ¡°Free meat?¡± ¡°Exactly. Sometimes they bring in Monsters and Beasts full of Qi. No one cares if you swipe a few pieces,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°The boss said it¡¯s a great way to practice swordsmanship too! Learn where to strike on a monster and all that.¡± ¡°Good for you,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what my mission is?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, looking back at them. ¡°What¡¯s your mission?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± she replied without changing her expression. Yu Han red at her. They walked down the mountain for half an hour more. The huts were sparser here. Even if one shouted inside one, the neighbours couldn¡¯t hear it, probably. At the very end of the line, by another offshoot stream, were two huts side by side. One on an upper ledge of the mountain, the other about twenty feet down from where the first one¡¯s fence ended. ¡°The one above is yours,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°They don¡¯t like this ce, say it¡¯s full of negative energy,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°See that stone thing over there?¡± Li Yao pointed to a stone structure about a hundred metres further down from the huts. ¡°All the poop goes there. But then again¡ª¡± Li Yao stopped. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°No! Let¡¯s check your house out.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just leave me hanging.¡± A bad feeling rose in Yu Han¡¯s gut. Something was wrong. Huang Niuniu opened the fence gate, then went inside and opened the hut door while covering her nose. ¡°Fuck, it smells! Did something die in here?¡± Li Yao retreated. Great. My house is near a sewage centre, and it stinks. He didn¡¯t have to select this one. He¡¯d just followed because Huang Niuniu seemed so confident. Huang Niuniu nodded. ¡°I put some dead birds and snakes here so that the smell would chase away anyone who wanted to take this ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what reserving means,¡± Li Yao retorted. ¡°Yes, it is. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it. Men are far smellier.¡± Huang Niuniu didn¡¯t let off. She grabbed a stick by the doorway and picked up the corpses. They had rotted, pus and slime falling off as she picked them up. One snake corpse snapped in two. She threw them all in a sack and put them in the backyard. Soon, there was a fire going. ¡°I¡¯m not living here.¡± Yu Han was close to retching. ¡°It¡¯s good practice for your mission,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She brought out a ss vial, then closed the doors and windows. ¡°It¡¯s a special concoction for the bad things. After an hour, we¡¯ll air the hut, and it¡¯ll be good as new.¡± She spoke in a strange way, as if she was speaking to a baby. Yu Han shuddered. What¡¯s happening? ¡°I think I have to go,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter. Better hurry to the Mission Hall. Don¡¯t be too sad, it¡¯s not that bad.¡± By the time Yu Han could ask him to exin, he was off. ¡°What a mischievous friend you have. I heard suspense isn¡¯t good for your heart. Especially for fat people like you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You only have three realistic choices for a mission now. The first is¡ª¡± ¡°Did you just call me fat?¡± Chapter 34: Janitor Chapter 34: Janitor ¡°I have to shovel poop?¡± Yu Han asked. He had to sit down. They had aired the room for a few hours, and the disgusting smell waspletely gone. Before entering the hut again, Yu Han had given the doorsill a few kicks and ended up hurting his legs. It was a door meant for skinny people. ¡°Silly man,¡± Huang Niuniu had giggled. She had pulled Yu Han back by the cor anddled some water from the pitcher near the door, then sshed it on the doorstep. Then she got down and prayed. ¡°We have to thank the Land Gods for protecting our homes from evil ghosts and demons.¡± Afterwards, they entered the hut. Yu Han had to squeeze through the front door while cursing to its grandmother. After he entered, he took in the interior details. There was a mud brazier near the window. Some firewood was stacked against the wall, with ashes gathered on the brazier pan. Maybe for cooking? A set of metal pots and pans hung from nails on the wall. On a raised, earthen counter-like structure, there were a few tes, cups, bowls, and chopsticksid about. They were sitting on the bed now. Normally, being with a pretty girl on the bed would give rise to all kinds of imaginations. But when she said he had to be a janitor, what excitement was there left to talk about? ¡°A Night Soil Collector doesn¡¯t only shovel poop.¡± Huang Niuniu put a hand on her chin. ¡°They deposit it to the proper ce topost. The Sect¡¯s medicinal and alchemy fields need quite a lot.¡± ¡°I¡­ refuse!¡± Yu Han might be fat. He might be poor and talentless in the traditional sense. But he had his pride as a person from another world! Other transmigrators and reincarnators in novels got all sorts of nice things. Cheat artefacts, hidden bloodlines, and maybe a powerful family. Meanwhile, he got a hundred pounds of extra flub.No, don¡¯t make hasty judgements. Existential Anchor still shows requirements not met. Maybe that¡¯s my cheat. Yes. Maybe! ¡°Yu Han. Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu waved a hand in front of Yu Han¡¯s face. He snapped back into focus. ¡°In any case,¡± he said, ¡°no means no. I refuse. In fact, I think I want another house. My goal is to gather allies and protect myself in one year¡¯s time. If I iste myself in this dingy ce, then that would be a bust.¡± ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°The othermoners are afraid of Gong Muhua and Sima Yan¡¯s cousin. You need to enter a powerful Pavilion, a Pce, or a Hall. With the other internal mission options, luck won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I have to verify that for myself,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust me. But won¡¯t you hear me out?¡± ¡°I have no tea to serve you.¡± ¡°I have!¡± The girl started a fire in the mud brazier. She took one of the old pots hanging on the wall and poured water into it from the pitcher outside. Then she took out a hemp bag. She opened it, and the scent of tea leaves wafted out. She emptied the bag, putting Yu Han¡¯s two sets of spare sect robes on the bed alongside his money pouch there. And there was the bronze token from Sea of Gold Commerce and his dagger. ¡°You¡­ Thanks.¡± Yu Han sighed in relief. They weren¡¯t lost. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She stared into the bag and seemed to hesitate for a second, then closed it. ¡°I don¡¯t have tea cups.¡± She took two y cups from the mud counter. ¡°These will have to do.¡± In a few minutes, the water was boiling. At the same time, it started raining outside. The pitter-patter creating a soft backdrop. The hut had a thatched roof. On the way here, most of the houses near the main road had tiled roofs. Some were too big to even be called huts, although that was the official designation. Only the oldest structures still had thatch. Yu Han shifted his weight on the bed. It creaked. ¡°How do they heat this?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you see that character written near the foot of the bed? In the circle,¡± Huang Niuniu said. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. There certainly was something. It looked like a squiggle character written in either Earthly or Imperial Script. Yu Han couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Can you read what it says?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I can¡¯t read Earthly and Heavenly Scripts. I don¡¯t know,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Then she perked up. ¡°Can you read Imperial Script?¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°I see, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Huang Niuniu brushed a strand of her hair behind her ears. When the tea was ready, she handed him a cup, then sat back on the bed. It creaked. Can it handle my weight? Ugh, I have to start losing this b, or else it¡¯s gonna give me diabetes. Yu Han didn¡¯t want to admit that he was insecure. But Johan was the type to think fat-shaming worked. It gave motivation for fat people to lose weight. Yu Han didn¡¯t want to be like that. ¡°The Night Soil Collectors work for the Medical Hall and the Alchemy Hall. You have to shovel poop, like you said. But if you show good conduct, proper talent, and steady progress, there¡¯s a chance that one of the Halls may take you in.¡± ¡°What are the other remaining options?¡± ¡°Training Partner is one.¡± ¡°¡­A training partner for whom?¡± ¡°Outer Sect Disciples who hire people to test out their martial prowess.¡± ¡°So a punching bag?¡± ¡°I assume you mean you get punched like a sandbag? Yes.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°The Butchery has slots, but they only want Refined Talent. Then there¡¯s Porters for the Hunting Teams; they carry the Monstrous and Primal Beasts hunted by the stronger cultivators.¡± ¡°Is there a guarantee for their lives?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Huang Niuniu raised an eyebrow. I guess not. Yu Han covered his face. ¡°There has to be something else.¡± ¡°You can look when you go to the Mission Hall to select your Internal Sect Mission.¡± ¡°What did you choose?¡± ¡°Guess.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice turned t. Yu Han had a guess, but he didn¡¯t want to say it. ¡°There¡¯s a tournament going on!¡± Yu Han stood up. ¡°They said that, right? Forst year¡¯s Rookies. I¡¯m going to check it out. I wanna see at which level they attract attention from the Sect higher-ups. They have to¡ª¡± ¡°The tournament ended yesterday,¡± Huang Niuniu said, her brows rxed as if looking at a baby. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± ¡°How long do you think you were in the Medical Hall?¡± ¡°Three days. No, wait, four.¡± That was the number of times he¡¯d entered Deep Sleep. ¡°It¡¯s been a week, Yu Han.¡± The words were slow and drawn out. She tilted her head, then blew on the hot tea. Yu Han took a sip too. At this rate, it would go cold. My calctions were wrong. I need more data. I still don¡¯t know how exactly Deep Sleep works. They sat in silence for a long time. The rain intensified, and the sound of the trees around them swayed in the wind, leaves rustling and brushing branches echoing. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Mission Hall after the rain stops,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s just shovelling poop. I can do it.¡± Huang Niuniu nodded. They didn¡¯t speak. Did half an hour pass? Or an hour? Yu Han¡¯s heart was feeling itchy. ¡°Why are you being so kind to me?¡± he asked. It took a long time to gather the courage to ask. His face heated up. Ugh, a fat guy blushing has to be the ugliest thing ever. ¡°If you feel some kind of debt because I fought Wu Di, you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°I loved it!¡± Huang Niuniu scooted closer and grabbed his hands, bringing them to her soft bosom. ¡°You were the only one who stood up for me. You castrated him! A Wu Scion, a Profound Talent. I know you might have other reasons for doing so. But¡ª¡± Tears dropped down her cheeks. She was flushed red, green eyes glittering. She then bit her lips and closed her eyes. ¡°It gave me hope. That one day I¡¯ll be able to burn it all down.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± Yu Han¡¯s mind was ultra-focused on the soft sensation on his hands, so her statement caught him off guard. ¡°Burn what down?¡± ¡°It all.¡± ¡°What is ¡®it¡¯?¡± ¡°It which is not impossible. I can scream, bite, and scratch. I¡¯ll never forget , neither forgive.¡± Her voice was soft. Huang Niuniu never raised her voice. As if she never got angry. The only thing oozing out of her body was sadness. Huang Linxue, Wu Di. Qiao Jinhai. Look at what you did to this kind girl. She wasn¡¯t crying anymore. ¡°I¡¯m unwanted. I should never have been born. But I was. So here we are. I¡¯ll throw a tantrum, and the world just has to put up with it. With me.¡± She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her robes. It was now that Yu Han got a good look at them. Her azure-white robes looked old, but they were a bit baggy. They didn¡¯t contour her body, not showing her curves or cleavage like her previous garment. It was modest. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Huang Niuniu took some distance. ¡°I can¡¯t. Men are too smelly. Girls are soft and sweet.¡± ¡°Get your head out of your ass.¡± Yu Han gulped down the cold tea. It¡¯s not like I was hoping for something, dumbass. ¡°I showed you the weak can fight back. So you want to mother me?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Mother you? Yes!¡± Huang Niuniu pped. ¡°I do. Think of me like a mother, okay? Don¡¯t try to be like other men. We can be friends!¡± ¡°Fuck you, I have a mom. We can be acquaintances at best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I-I¡¯m so d. Actually, if you said you liked me or you fought Wu Di because you wanted to charm me, I wouldn¡¯t be giving you this. I would keep it as payment for the ginseng I gave you and the whipping I received as a result.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me anything,¡± Yu Han said. Giving me what? ¡°But if it¡¯s money, I can borrow it at zero percent interest.¡± ¡°Consider it a present! A gift from me to you. If you fought Wu Di because you wanted to charm me, that would mean you did it for your own selfish sake. So I wouldn¡¯t bother, since it¡¯s quite valuable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone who could twist logic like that and wasn¡¯t either awyer or an idiot.¡± Huang Niuniu took something out of the hemp bag. She hid it behind her back, then moved closer to Yu Han, sticking to his arm like a ko. Her body pressed against his. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Her red, wet lips parted. She smelled like tea. Yu Han¡¯s heartbeat elerated. He closed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you take advantage of me, I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll¡ª¡± Something touched Yu Han¡¯sp, pressing down on his crotch. ¡°Oi!¡± He wheezed. His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest. He didn¡¯t want to be a yer anymore, but it had been so long since he¡¯d touched a woman. Is she going to¡ª ¡°Open them.¡± He did. Chapter 35: Psychic Chapter 35: Psychic On hisp was a little booklet. The one he had lost on the ship. Yu Han narrowed his eyes, thinking of Huang Niuniu¡¯s previous words. ¡°You would have kept it?¡± He didn¡¯t know if he should feel anger at the audacity of this girl, or disappointment that his fantasies didn¡¯te true. So he took a deep breath, deciding to feel happy that he got his heirloom back. He pocketed it. ¡°Bring it out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine. This present doesn¡¯t count! Give me another one.¡± ¡°I said bring it out,¡± Huang Niuniu repeated. ¡°This Yu Han will never suffer a loss. If you say you¡¯ll give me a present, then you have to¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s written there?¡± Yu Han brought the booklet out. He traced the worn green cover and opened it. It had thirteen thin pages, but thest two pages were ripped out. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°I can show youter!¡± ¡°Oi!¡± ¡°Mother said that men like to be kept in suspense,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Han had to admit, Huang Niuniu was keeping him on a wire¡¯s edge. Who could have thought that this was the same girl who went through a horrible assault? No, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t bring it up. ¡°The rain stopped.¡± Huang Niuniu stood and patted her baggy robes. Two round depressions were left behind where she sat. Yu Han touched them. They were warm. He moved his hand away before Huang Niuniu turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They opened the hut door. Water sprinkled from above, shaken off the roof by the movement. Yu Han took a step back. The yard had ayer of grass, so it wasn¡¯t that muddy. But the road outside was. ¡°How am I supposed to dry clothes in this humidity?¡± Yu Han grumbled. It rained three times a day. He closed the door behind them and double-checked the lock. It was a simple metal hook. He needed better security. ¡°Leave them in your room,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°The heat will dry them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to stink.¡± ¡°Bear with it. When you collect Night Soil¡ª¡± ¡°Geez, don¡¯t remind me of that.¡± Yu Han started walking. On the muddy path, there were stonesid about. He tried to step on them rather than the mud, but some still got on his ankle. ¡°After you return from the Mission Hall, drop by my ce!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted from his gate. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you live.¡± She pointed at the hut down below. Yu Han¡¯s was on a protruding section of the mountain, and there was a few feet of drop below. The path circled around the ledge and led to another hut they¡¯d seen before. ¡°Mother said men should be on top!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯re trying something, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m warning you, men are all the same.¡± Yu Han grinned. He liked this. ¡°I¡¯m your mother now, smelly man. Don¡¯t you dare, or your ancestors will roll in their graves.¡± With that, she was off. Yu Han walked the muddy roads with a chipper mood. He felt light, as if a bucket of stress had left his body. What is it? His heart sped up. His ears flushed. He¡¯d never known a feeling like this. Is this what they call¡­ banter? It felt amazing! In hisst life, either he was roasting someone disguised as banter or he was being roasted. Never had he ever had such a smooth back and forth. The trees in the mountain had a thick canopy. Yu Han didn¡¯t know what they were. Some had three-pointed leaves like ginkgo, others were cloud-like cypresses, but most had roundish or oval leaves. The canopy suffocated the sunlight as it passed by, creating speckled patterns of light on the ground. The air was fresher. The colours seemed brighter. The songbirds sang in melodious tunes. Even the cicadas¡¯ cries didn¡¯t hurt his mood. Maybe this world wasn¡¯t so bad. No pollution, no fast food. Maybe a friend or two like Li Yao and Huang Niuniu? He identally stepped off a stone into a puddle. Mud sttered on his trousers. It¡¯s fine. Let it go. Yu Han reached the Mission Hall in good time. It was a stone building. At the wooden temple gate that served as an entrance were two statues. One held two swords, and the other made a hand mudra. Their inanimate clothes seemed to rustle in the wind. There were couplets on the statues, and something engraved on the stone tform below. Yu Han couldn¡¯t read it. First n: Get someone to teach me Imperial or Earthly Script. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He entered the door, no obstruction to his girth, and sighed in relief. After watching the flow of the disciples inside, he figured out where the Rookie counter was. There weren¡¯t any other Rookies there. He spoke to the middle-aged man there. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick a mission.¡± ¡°Quitete, ain¡¯t¡¯cha? Most are taken already, boy. The good ones, at least.¡± ¡°This junior humbly asks what is possible.¡± Second n: Get a mission. Status: In progress. ¡°Fine. Common Script or Imperial?¡± ¡°Common, sir.¡± ¡°Here.¡± The man passed a few rolls of paper. ¡°Was a lot easier before. Didn¡¯t need two versions, but after that upstart¡ª¡± ¡°Hey now, are you insulting the Sect Master?¡± a young man from the next counter yelled out. The middle-aged man rubbed his palms, as if praying. ¡°Dare not, dare not. I misspoke.¡± Third n: Make a detailed map of the factions in the Sect. See where I can insert myself. Fourth n: Make friends. Status: 1 (Huang Niuniu pending). Fifth n: Gather allies. Not the same as n 4. Make myself difficult to target, or else make it costly for that dog Sima Yan. ¡°There¡¯s only seven not marked as taken,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Well, you arrived a weekte,¡± the middle-aged man replied. The three Huang Niuniu mentioned were the most probable ones. The others were things like being ab rat for testing alchemy pills and the like. ¡°I¡¯ll take the Night Soil Collector mission.¡± ¡°We got a hero! The second one this cohort.¡± The middle-aged man pped. He took Yu Han¡¯s name. ¡°Matches. Here you go.¡± He handed over two tokens. And a sharp knife. One token was wooden with a character for ¡°Rookie¡± on one side in red strokes, and a beast w ripping through a hurricane on the other. The other was simr to the ¡°Reward¡± token Dong Chou had given him when he was the first to break through to Level 1 in the cohort. ¡°Your Sect identity token. Drop some blood here.¡± He pointed at the beast w. Yu Han gritted his teeth and pricked his finger. It didn¡¯t hurt, but the expectation of pain was nauseating. He smeared the drop on the beast token. It was absorbed like water soaking into a towel. The middle-aged man took the token back, did something with it behind the counter, then returned it. Now it was a bit thinner. ¡°Don¡¯t lose it. If you do, you pay a huge fine to get another one. If you die somehow within this year, the Sect will know who did it and where. As long as you have this token, no one should mess with you.¡± Yu Han gripped the token like it was his third life. ¡°With the other one, go to the Scripture Hall. You get to take one Elite Grade Art.¡± ¡°The Sect taught us the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements and Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. We still get more?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Be grateful. Lots of times, folks select arts to their profession. Other times they select defensive, movement, or other strange techniques. What you find depends on your luck. By the way, for the Night Soil Collector mission, you can report there after you¡¯ve gotten to Initial Step Level 1 in one offensive type Art.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Not my job to tell you. Better go to the Scripture Hall now, if you don¡¯t have any more business.¡± The middle-aged man shooed Yu Han away. He didn¡¯t mind. Second n: Get a mission. Status: Complete. Sixth n: Copy as many Arts manuals as I can into the Echoing Dreamscape! With lighter steps, Yu Han approached the Scripture Hall. Most disciples called this ce the library. There were three floors. The top floor had a terrace, where ady was sipping tea. On the guardrail of the terrace, arge vulture nibbled on a piece of meat. Yu Han¡¯s eyes crossed the vulture¡¯s. It turned its neck away, hiding the piece of meat from view. Yu Han entered the library with a grumbling stomach. ¡°Select one.¡± The librarian, another middle-aged man¡ªbut this time with much stronger bearing and a in, nonchnt attitude¡ªgave Yu Han arge scroll after confirming he only knew Common Script. Yu Han unrolled it. It listed hundreds, maybe thousands, of Arts and their basic descriptions. ¡°Honoured Elder, do I not get to read the manuals myself to properly select one?¡± Yu Han asked, hoping the question wouldn¡¯t offend. The librarian wore a modified Azure-white robe. An emblem hung from his waist, bearing the mark of the Scripture Hall in yellow-strokes. ¡°This token doesn¡¯t give you ess to an infinite world of knowledge,¡± the librarian said, then went back to reading. Sixth n status: Failed! He found an empty spot in a section of the library by a tea stall. There were a few disciples chatting in hushed tones. Yu Han took a seat. The other group of disciples gave him wary looks, but then ignored him. Yu Han started from the side. They were overwhelmingly Martial Arts. A few Spiritual Arts had some sort of elemental trait requirement, and only three arts were under the section for Psychic Arts. ¡°Seventh Kingdom Outward Repulsion.¡± ¡°Cleansing Sleep Hidden Art.¡± ¡°Thousand Petal Awareness.¡± The Seventh Kingdom Outward Repulsion could grant the user the ability to repel force directed their way. It had a requirement of Focus over ten. Would have been good to shovel poop from afar. The Cleansing Sleep Hidden Art didn¡¯t make sleep more cleansing. It cleansed the need for sleep from the system. After some proficiency, the user could sleep an hour less with the same effect. A line in the description imed that this art could apparently be taken to a mastery level where no sleep was necessary. Skip! What if it makes it difficult for me to fall into Deep Sleep? I don¡¯t need fantasy caffeine. Well, he actually did, but he preferred the real thing. As for the Thousand Petal Awareness, it could amplify one¡¯s senses. It had the highest grade, Elite Grade Level 9. So it was quite a powerful art. The other two were Level 8 and 5, respectively. He read, then re-read the description. The Art couldn¡¯t permanently increase the senses. One had to concentrate, and there was a cost of something. What is it? If I amplify my sense of smell while on the mission, is that considered cultivation by torture? ¡°¡­The Art symbolises an ever-expanding awareness, with each petal representing a heightened sense. Yet care more for your mind, young disciple. For if you identally unbloom the flower with opposite motion of breathing, it dulls the senses to the outer world, which can be fatal in battle. Such follies must be avoided if you must¡­¡± Yu Han made his decision. If the warning was true, he could shovel poop in peace. ¡°A Psychic Art?¡± The librarian looked up for the first time and observed Yu Han. ¡°Don¡¯t waste this chance on a gamble.¡± ¡°This one unfortunately started with Mind Heavenly Allocation.¡± There was a snicker from somewhere. A few of the disciples leaving the library proper pointed at him andughed. ¡°Then it¡¯s not a hopeless gamble.¡± The librarian rang a bell. After a while, a white and orange cat brought a scroll in its mouth. The librarian took the scroll and handed it over, then fed the cat. ¡°The scroll will burn in three days. Memorise it, or make a copy. You can teach others the scripture at their own peril. The Sect will not take responsibility.¡± ¡°The Sect is generous, letting us spread its teachings without bar.¡± Yu Han took the risk to prod. ¡°If it was an Art of actual value, you would have to make a binding vow not to speak of it. This Art is merely something developed by a failed Elder long dead,¡± the librarian said. ¡°The Sect Master prefers knowledge to be spread and enriched. Before, if the Sect found out, you would be punished heavily. But the Sect Master is right. With so many hidden and open marketces present, there is no way to control leaks without soul-binding vows of secrecy.¡± Yu Han bowed in appreciation, then left, making a stop at Sea of Gold Commerce. When he returned to his hut, he remembered that he should drop by Huang Niuniu¡¯s ce. He walked down the path. A scent wafted out from the Cow Girl¡¯s abode¡ªa stink so bad it could make the smell of animal corpses seem aromatic. Chapter 36: Spite Chapter 36: Spite Yu Han retreated. ¡°Stop right there, mister,¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Come inside. Mother knows best.¡± Yu Han forced himself to go. He wished he could learn an Art like in video games; touch the skill book and bam, learned. Other transmigrators in the stories had that kind of cheat. Why didn¡¯t he? Huang Niuniu¡¯s ce was simr to his. Wide doorway, but not as tall as his halberd. After entering, he put the halberd down. The cloth wrap had mud and a bunch of vines, grass, and leaves sticking to it, especially at the top where the head was. An effort at camouge. Hopefully other disciples thought it was just a pole or something. There was an actual metal lock with a keyhole dangling from a nail on the wall. ¡°I bought it,¡± she said. ¡°Sit here.¡± He took a seat on a straw mat by the brazier. There was arge pot of something simmering atop the brazier. Green lumps in a base of purple liquid. Yu Han teared up, and his vision grew blurry. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It¡¯s going to take thirty more minutes. Wait patiently.¡±¡°I have this Art.¡± Yu Han took out the Thousand Petal Awareness. ¡°You selected a Psychic Art?¡± Huang Niuniu looked doubtful, then read the contents. ¡°It¡¯s in Common script.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­I can only read Imperial.¡± ¡°Teach me Imperial. I¡¯ll teach you Common,¡± Yu Han eagerly said. ¡°There are more useful scriptures in Imperial script than Common, you know? This is an unfair agreement. You just want to spend more time with me.¡± ¡°How can you be so confident in your wrongness?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll throw this in.¡± From under his robes, he took out the Cheat Sheet. He actually had more books, ced between his underclothes and sect robes. ¡°Common again.¡± ¡°This too.¡± Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions. He¡¯d only brought these two books, ones he wouldn¡¯t mind losing since he had already read them thoroughly. He would gradually bring the others back, after buying a lock. As for the halberd, he wanted to start practising the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms immediately. ¡°I said I can¡¯t read Common Script!¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She grabbed something that looked like jellyfish feelers and put it in the pot, then stirred with adle. ¡°It¡¯s a good deal. I teach you Common, and then you read these. I have more,¡± Yu Han said. He realized he might sound too eager. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll be spending a lot of time together anyway,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if it was a done deal. Yu Han blinked. ¡°You¡¯re the second one who took the Night Soil Collector job.¡± ¡°You guessed right.¡± She winked, then asked what the books were. After Yu Han exined, she thought for a bit. ¡°I have yet to finish my tribtion. I think I can do it. A week. Yes, one week.¡± ¡°If you need help, I can¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. The bad luck isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Huang Niuniu looked panicked for a second. ¡°Oh gods above, forgive my child. He doesn¡¯t know propriety.¡± If Yu Han had a water balloon, he¡¯d throw it. ¡°I already selected my Art. Though it¡¯s not really an Art.¡± She took out a scroll. Yu Han assumed it was written in Imperial script. ¡°Thrice Monk¡¯s Guide to Fasting Brews,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You took it for me?¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± If he had a mirror, he would definitely see a silly grin on his face. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t.¡± Huang Niuniu pped the mat. ¡°I want to focus on Alchemy. I was rejected from working in the Alchemy Fields. That¡¯s why I took the job as a Night Soil Collector.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, you didn¡¯t have to say it.¡± Yu Han felt weirdly disappointed. ¡°You have a Trait, right? What¡¯s your Bloodline Art?¡± ¡°A secret.¡± Huang Niuniu averted her eyes. ¡°Say it,¡± Yu Han pushed. ¡°Those Verdant de fuckers were talking talking something about wisps?¡± ¡°Men, so obsessive. You¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Huang Niuniu rolled her eyes. ¡°The booklet. You really don¡¯t know what¡¯s written there?¡± Yu Han shook his head. Huang Niuniu pointed at the pot. ¡°Three and a half recipes. One for this. Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite.¡± ¡°It was a cookbook?¡± ¡°An alchemy cookbook of brews. This brew helps nurture your Strength stat. Another is the Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite, and then the Saltwater Soup of Seventeen Sins. It raises resistance to poison and toxins, I think?¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°You think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s written weirdly. Also, the final one. It has aplete recipe.¡± ¡°Then why three and a half?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Spirit Beasts, not human Cultivators.¡± Yu Han flipped through the booklet.It was bonafide Cultivator stuff, if Huang Niuniu was to be trusted. Father, if only you were here. You¡¯re eyes would¡¯ve popped out! Yu Han didn¡¯t trust herpletely yet. She definitely had some purpose, some ulterior motive. But he wanted to trust her. So he would nurture this connection. Fingers crossed, this brew wasn¡¯t poison and this wasn¡¯t some convoluted plot to kill him. ¡°Take it.¡± Yu Han handed the booklet over. ¡°It¡¯s more useful to you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Huang Niuniu said, even as she took it away like a mouse stealing cheese. ¡°Where did you get the ingredients?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I assume if they are for actual Alchemical Brews, they shouldn¡¯t be stuff you can find on the roadside.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate roadsides.¡± Huang Niuniu put a red mushroom with ck spots in the pot. Trust, Yu Han. Trust. She doesn¡¯t want to kill you. Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice fell, and she cast a gaze to herp. ¡°Senior Brother Duan gave me some Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Wu Di¡¯s possessions. I think you got the ones from the duel, right?¡± she said. Yu Han affirmed. ¡°He had more. Gold, silver, tonic, pills. Even Spirit Stones. Senior Brother Duan gave them to me after he learned what¡­. Wu Di was nning. I went to the Outer Sect marketce. I found all of the ingredients for the Strength and Vitality Spite. Not for the other two, but I think I can for a few of the fasting brews.¡± ¡°I can pay you back,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If this thing actually works.¡± ¡°It does. I¡¯ve had them through this week.¡± ¡°No wonder the bad smell doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± Yu Han realized he¡¯d gotten used to the stink. It was still irritating, but no longer overwhelming. ¡°Men are smelly, after all,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han didn¡¯t know what to say, so they stayed silent. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Huang Niuniudled it into two bowls. ¡°Let it cool down. If you let it burn your mouth, it¡¯ll infect.¡± ¡°How is this done?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°How is this food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tonic for a specific purpose, and you have to follow the rules.¡± Huang Niuniu blew on the bowl hard, but the half-alive concoction within, neither liquid enough to flow nor solid enough to float, didn¡¯t so much as move. The steam rising from it changed from deep blue to light purple, then indigo with a hint of red. It took less than five minutes for it to cool. The bowl contained at least half a litre. ¡°How did it lose heat so fast?¡± Yu Han was amazed. ¡°That¡¯s not written in the booklet.¡± Huang Niuniu pinched her nose with one hand, then chugged the whole contents of the bowl down in one breath. Her throat moved like a snake swallowing prey. Yu Han stared until she was finished. Then he followed in her steps. ¡°Wow.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my tongue.¡± Huang Niuniudled in two more bowls. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop the brazier?¡± Yu Han suggested. ¡°It must be drunk within a tea¡¯s time after cooling, or the effects won¡¯t be as good,¡± Huang Niuniu said. That night, Yu Han had a dinner of unspeakable quality. He held in the urge to vomit and filled his belly with thrice-cursed sludge. As he walked back to his ce, the semi-solid liquid inside his belly sloshed loud enough for him to hear it. The next morning, he woke up refreshed. Vitality: 7 -> 8 [Body Origin: 5.40 -> 5.60] Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 28 (+7)/200 Pure Qi: 0 /110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 451 (+81)/672 (+24) Yu Han shot up. He¡¯d gained a point in Vitality. More importantly, his Lifeforce capacity had increased. Why? How? Is it connected to the Vitality substat? It made sense from the name. Vitality, the power that gave continuance to life. Did I have a Body Origin substat increase after levelling up? He thought back. No. So not enough data points. He would need to increase another Body Origin Stat and find out. One thing could be pretty clearly attributed to the Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite. He¡¯d recovered a whopping 81 points of Lifeforce. During his recovery at the Medical Hall, he was gaining 40 to 50 every day, and at the end, he¡¯d left with a Lifeforce of 270. Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite worked better than whatever medicine the Medical Hall fed him. Father. If we could¡¯ve made and sold this, then¡­ No use thinking in ifs. Huang Niuniu had bought the ingredients with her own money. He went deeper into each Origin Stat. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 rity: 9 Focus: 10 [Body Origin: 5.60] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 8 Strength: 5 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.00] Adaptability: 15 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 9 (+1) Purity: 5 Other than the point in Vitality from today, and the one in Fortitude from before, the numbers remained normal. Yu Han checked his Traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 1 (+1)/800 No change in Deep Writhing m Bloodline or Existential Anchor. But Qi Affinity had gained one measly point. Most probable cause is the Cultivation Art. Yu Han left it at an educated guess. He didn¡¯t have the resources to delve deeper yet. Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions did mention the rtionship between one¡¯s Cultivation Art and Qi Affinity Trait being special, but the poetic prose of the book merely alluded to the fact. More data would be needed to verify. He then checked his Arts. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 135 (+25)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 71 (+14)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 30 (+27)/200 Deep Sleep gained far more True Qi than expected. Usually, it would gain one, sometimes two per night. Or rather, per Deep Sleep session. But during his recovery, it seems he earned about three to four Arts True Qi per session. Yu Han made more mental notes, though he wanted physical notes. He¡¯d buy paper when he went to the marketce. He didn¡¯t think he would have the chance to gain any new information soon. So he had to address the elephant in the room: Primordial Qi allocation. A knock on the door broke him out of his contemtion. Chapter 37: Ox Tail Chapter 37: Ox Tail Huang Niuniu brought in a sealed box; inside, there was rice and eggs. ¡°How much did it cost?¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t reject the goodwill. It was a simple affair. There were some chopped root vegetables with the rice. They tasted like taro. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for the Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite too. The ingredients must have cost a lot.¡± Huang Niuniu swallowed a mouthful of rice, then washed it down with a bowl of tea. ¡°The recipe booklet is yours. I can¡¯t take payment for that.¡± ¡°Then in the future, I¡¯ll give you money to buy half the ingredients. Take this first.¡± He handed her the Spirit Stones Hu Feng had given him. ¡°Okay. Did it work?¡± she asked. ¡°I gained a point in Vitality,¡± Yu Han said with a wide smile. The effect of the point gain was intangible yet, but he felt more energetic. Was it a cebo? He couldn¡¯t say. ¡°It sped up my Lifeforce recovery too. It¡¯s like a health potion.¡± ¡°Lifeforce?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Yu Han finally found something that he could share without a Common or Imperial Script barrier. He exined what had happened when he Levelled Up. ¡°Have you allocated the Primordial Qi yet?¡± Huang Niuniu picked up another piece of boiled egg and put it in Yu Han¡¯s bowl. She then poured him another bowl of tea.¡°I haven¡¯t. But I know how I will,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If the first Heavenly Allocation matters so much, are you going to go all in on Mind?¡± She hit the bullseye. Yu Han was hesitant to exin. After a minute, he opened his mouth, but Huang Niuniu held her chopsticks up to his lips. ¡°Shush. Don¡¯t share the details with me.¡± ¡°I trust you.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay, notpletely. I won¡¯t say, then.¡± Secretly, Yu Han was relieved. Nitty-gritty data was the prelude to countermeasures. ¡°I think I can break through my Tribtion soon.¡± ¡°Do you need any help?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± Yu Han changed the subject. ¡°Since you took the Thrice Monk¡¯s Guide to Fasting Brews, you didn¡¯t select an Offensive Art.¡± ¡°I know that we need to have one at Initial Step Level 1 before we can report in for duty,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have something. It should work. I¡¯ll show youter.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t ask for details. ¡°Is Brother Yu home?¡± A voice sounded. ¡°Fang Zhao?¡± Yu Han opened the door. The youth with sparkling ck hair and red eyes stood there, looking like a schr. ¡°Sorry to disturb you in this inauspicious time,¡± he said. ¡°I wanted to check if you have settled in.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Yu Han made way. Fang Zhao followed, but stopped when he noticed Huang Niuniu. He greeted her and took a seat on the mat. Huang Niuniu poured him a mug of tea. ¡°We have no more rice, but here¡¯s half an egg.¡± She took another mug and put the egg on it. Yu Han had no more tes or bowls. ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Fang Zhao said. They chatted for a while, and before long, it started raining. Yu Han kept the window open and the cool wind breezed in. ¡°I heard that porters have a high mortality rate,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Why did you select that?¡± ¡°I made a deal with the Senior Brothers of the Courtyard. I won¡¯t require extra Spirit Stones, but they¡¯ll have to give me the blood of any Monstrous or Primal Beasts hunted.¡± ¡°Are you nning to do Alchemy?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes lit up. Fang Zhao shook his head, but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°How can a cripple enter a Sect?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You can at least cultivate, Brother Fang. So how the hell are you a cripple in the first ce? Do you require blood as a cure, or maybe you have a very disadvantageous trait?¡± Fang Zhao¡¯s head snapped in Yu Han¡¯s direction. Heughed. ¡°I knew Brother Yu was perceptive. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t cultivate, but that I can¡¯t progress.¡± ¡°Have you seen your Tribtion?¡± Yu Han asked. Fang Zhao nodded, setting down his mug When Huang Niuniu moved to pour more, he hurriedly rejected it. That was his sixth cup. This Cow Girl, unless stopped, would keep pouring and pouring. The brazier crackled with the remnants of firewood. ¡°I have.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t pass it?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, then covered her mouth. ¡°Sorry. We shouldn¡¯t be prying into your affairs.¡± Yu Han sent her a re. ¡°It¡¯s not prying.¡± It was. He was being shameless here. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sister Huang. As they say, many heads are better than one. Perhaps I can¡¯t share the details now, but one day, maybe I¡¯ll ask your help.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know to ask for help.¡± Yu Han knew that Johan would scoff at such weakness. But weak as they were, they needed allies. Didn¡¯t need to be friends; business partners would be enough. Fang Zhao had shown enough goodwill for it, mocked and ridiculed as he was. He didn¡¯t look down on Yu Han. Of course, that all could be a fa?ade. It was tiring to live in constant doubt, though. Hold on a minute. Yu Han leaned forward. He¡¯s got a broken engagement. He¡¯s a cripple. Comes from a good family. He¡¯s always got that punchable smile on his face. Why does all this sound familiar? ¡°Tubs! You in?¡± Another voice interrupted Yu Han¡¯s chain of thought. Li Yao came in like he owned the ce and grabbed a mug of tea. He didn¡¯t even dry his shoes on the reed rug. ¡°What¡¯s your talent?¡± Yu Han asked Fang Zhao. ¡°It shone at least,¡± Fang Zhao replied. ¡°Hey now, not even a greeting?¡± Li Yao grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re going to clean that mud before you leave.¡± Yu Han gave him a punch. The four chatted about the Sect, their lives before it, and what they wanted to do in the future. Yu Han, Fang Zhao, and Huang Niuniu were reserved, but Li Yao bared his heart out alongside a plethora of badnguage. The rain continued, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. As the droplets crashed against the windowsill, they scattered into particles and mist inside the hut. The outside world was covered in a haze of grey. But after the rain, Yu Han knew the dust would be washed away. The birds would sing, the insects would chirp. Colours would look more vibrant, and new growth of vegetation would emerge. Dad, I think I made a friend. And a few acquaintances. A smile broke out on Yu Han¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯re youughing at, tubsy?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Gotta lose all that. Are you nning to sit on the Monsters to death?¡± Never mind. I have no friends. The day ended, and a new one began. That, too, ended. Just like that, a month passed by. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 69 (+41)/200 Pure Qi: 0/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 667 (+216)/720 (+48) [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 rity: 9 Focus: 10 [Body Origin: 6.00 (+0.40)] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 9 (+1) Strength: 6 (+1) Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.20 (+0.20)] Adaptability: 16 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 9 (+1) Purity: 5 He dragged his feet and didn¡¯t allocate the Primordial Qi. He¡¯d gained a point in Vitality, Strength, and Adaptability¡ªthough he had no idea why he¡¯d gained thetter. Lifeforce capacity seemed to increase by 24 with each point in Strength or Vitality. It was still too soon toe to a judgement about it, though; the math wasn¡¯t that clear. He had actually topped Lifeforce. ¡°Ouch.¡± But he hurt himself just now during one of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. ¡°Again,¡± Yu Han said. He started from the first form of the first variation. Mountain Root Stance! He nted the base of the halberd on the soft ground, then got into a horse stance as he held the halberd diagonally. Kicking the base of the halberd, he used the force to chop down. Stone Cutting Chop! Before the sheathed de of the halberd could hit the ground, Yu Han rotated his big body and swung. It cut through the air with a whoosh. Heave Ox Swing! One form after another, as if fighting an invisible enemy. The Yu Han from a month ago could barely hold the halberd straight. Going through one variation would make him drop to his knees. But now, he smoothly went into the second variation. Then the third. Fourth. Finally, the fifth. With thest movement of the fifth variation, which happened to be Mountain Root Stance again, he stopped. A pping came from his left. And a ding sounded in his mind. Requirements met! Martial Art Learned -> Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. ¡°I got it!¡± Yu Han jumped up. When hended, mud sshed, and it got onto his trousers again. ¡°The Art?¡± Huang Niuniu jumped down from the fence. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°Sorry for being so slow.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯tining. But this means we can report in for duty tomorrow.¡± ¡°Evening or morning?¡± Yu Han asked. He¡¯d seen the Night Soil Collectore with a donkey cart to the nearby stone waste tank, but it was always deep into the night. ¡°We¡¯ll leave around evening,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It¡¯s an Elite Grade Art, right? What¡¯s the Level?¡± Yu Han brought up the Arts window. [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 1 (+1)/200 ¡°Elite Grade Level 2. That¡¯s not high,¡± Yu Han said. He scratched his ear. ¡°At least it¡¯s Elite Grade. Be satisfied, you greedy man!¡± Huang Niuniu gave him a yful pinch. ¡°I have to make do with a Mortal Grade Art.¡± She pped her hands, then unhooked two objects from her waist. They had wooden handles with a leather grip, and long, coiled ribbons attached. Yu Han moved to the fence and leaned on it. The first time he¡¯d seen it, it was mesmerising. And now, he couldn¡¯t get enough. Huang Niuniu made a half-circle on the ground in front of her with her left foot, her right foot straight. She then swiped her arms. The ribbons fluttered like fireworks in the sky. She twisted her body, the ribbons following her like streams of water. They cut the air with swishing sounds, and as she rotated her wrists, they spiralled into drills. With each step, her gait would change. With each movement, the ribbons swam around her. Like dragons flying around a mountain, or the currents of water in a whirlpool. Suddenly, she shot her arms forwards. The ribbons shot out at a tree stump. Both hooked around the axe buried in it, one on the base of the handle, the other at the neck. She pulled, and the axe flew towards her, the ribbons unwinding mid-air. She spun, then jumped, but missed the axe. It ttered to the side. ¡°Silly flowerbugs. I still can¡¯t get it.¡± She stomped. Yu Han eyed the axe warily. ¡°Can¡¯t you do it with a duller object?¡± ¡°It has to be! Otherwise, how can I im to use this in battle? It¡¯s originally a ribbon dance, after all.¡± ¡°It appeared as a Martial Art in your Dao Records. That¡¯s enough.¡± That was what they called the status screen. Originally, it was a dance taught to concubine daughters alongside other art forms like painting and calligraphy. A way for the concubines to show their worth, because how could they ever be the main wife? They were merely dignified courtesans, at the end of the day. Huang Niuniu had modified the dance, practising with two snake-whips instead of ribbons. No matter how much she tried, though, the Martial Art would not register. They then had the idea of covering the whip with two long ribbons sewn together like a sheath. She had to up her practice since the aerodynamics changed so much. But it finally appeared a week ago. ¡°Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance doesn¡¯t sound like a Martial Art, though. I¡¯m d my n worked out. Maybe I should change the name.¡± With a finger on her cheek, the girl thought. ¡°Do you think the name in your Dao Records will change?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great question. Who should I ask?¡± Huang Niuniu stuck her tongue out. ¡°I allocated my Primordial Qi. You should do it tonight.¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°What if you use it with your Bloodline¡ª¡± ¡°So pushy! I said I don¡¯t want to say it.¡± Huang Niuniu stomped, ttening a patch of grass. Yu Han held his hands up in surrender. Primordial Qi Allocation. He really wanted more information before making such a life-changing decision. In MMORPGs¡ªand any game, really¡ªthe first stat allocation determined a lot of things. He remembered that one time he made a Dexterity Mage, then had to delete the ount. Never again. His fists clenched. The mocking. Never once was he invited to a raid. But the decision was already made. All he had to do was click some buttons. Chapter 38: Allocation Chapter 38: Allocation Alone in his room, Yu Han wrapped his waist with a knotted rope. His fingers traced each knot until one met the other end of the rope. ¡°Four knots down.¡± He knew he was about a hundred and seventy centimetres tall. When he first arrived in this world, a guesstimate of his weight would be around a hundred and sixty kilograms. Today he was around twenty kilos fewer. A smile broke out. He could¡¯ve made more rapid progress. Herculean fasting, exercise, cardio, and all the other tricks in the book. He¡¯d tried that after having Huang Niuniu¡¯s fasting brew. The first chance he got, he binged himself unconscious. The Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality and Spirit Spite were definitely calorie-rich. It had been a constant push and pull. Now, he had enough endurance to push through exercise. Enough flexibility to perform Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms adequately. Enough strength to not let the halberd drop mid-stance. Now, he could min-max. Optimise his routine for true fat loss.Eleven months. Yu Han gave himself a goal, though it was somewhat involuntary, as that¡¯s when the Rookie Tournament would be held. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 rity: 9 Focus: 10 He concentrated on the Memory stat. [Mind Origin: 16.13 (+3.93)] Memory: 22 (+5) He sat cross-legged on the mat. Midday light floated in through the window. Gradually, the insect chirps faded from his senses, as did the coarse texture of the mat underneath. A force bubbled up within him. First at his feet, then upwards, going through his hips, torso, chest, neck, and settling in his brain. A tingling pain rose and fell, like waves. Once. Twice. Thrice. Yu Han forced his eyes to stay shut and mped down on his mouth, teeth clenched. Again, the pain rose, then it fell. The cycle of threes, repeated five times. Then it ebbed, as if it was never there. His tense muscles rxed. When he came to, the light outside had changed into a shade of orange. His robes were soaked in sweat. Primordial Qi: 0 [Mind Origin: 16.13] Memory: 22 Yu Han decided to go all in on his advantage. The only viable supernatural power he had was rted to Deep Sleep, and the Auxiliary Art Echoing Dreamscape. He could have raised his Body Origin or Spirit Origin Stats too, but thetter was too elusive, with no information to speak of. As for Body Origin, with his weight loss pace, he would be gaining stats in them anyway. Not to mention the brews. So Mind it was. The reason why he was able toplete the variations of Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms in barely a month was because of the relentless practice he¡¯d done in Deep Sleep. But the muscle memories did not transfer over. Neither did the instincts. What did was merely an echo of a feeling that he¡¯d touched and swivelled the halberd many times more than in reality. The forms, the changes, one stance to another. He trained his mind, resisting his urge to close his eyes or freeze in front of attackers. Wu Di. Gong Muhua. The Demonic dog. So that he would never flinch. With more stats in Memory, he could more easily recall past events, not only of Yu Han, but of Johan too. And the echoes would remain longer. Be more tangible. That was his only advantage. In one year, Sima Yan woulde bearing his wrath. Who knew, maybe he¡¯d find a way before that. So Yu Han decided to specialise. Deep Sleep wasn¡¯t useless. With time and practice, with Echoing Dreamscape, he would find a way. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Are you done?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Let me change first.¡± Yu Han took out another set of robes. Huang Niuniu had started with Body Allocation. She put her Primordial Qi there too, though Yu Han refrained from asking which substats specifically. She had been training in the Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance since she was seven, apparently. Fourteen years of practice. Yu Han believed that the only reason he got his Martial Art at Initial Step Level 1 merely a week after her was because of the practice in Deep Sleep. His hands shook as he tied the waist belt. It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t regret it. You made the right choice. It was toote, anyway. He couldn¡¯t go back and change the allocation. He lightly pped his cheek. Huang Niuniu stood outside the door with a backpack. Her robes were a bit faded now; the azure dye was not of the best quality. Or was it from wear and tear? Outside the fence, they saw Li Yao hopping over. ¡°Heading out, tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Today¡¯s the big day, huh?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Make sure to thank me whenever you use the outhouse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll burn incense too.¡± They bothughed. The idea of being a poop shoveller had been crazy at first, but one month was long enough toe to terms with it. Besides, he had another card in his mind. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 181 (+46)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 139 (+68)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 133 (+103)/200 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 25 (+25)/200 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 1/200 Thousand Petals Awareness! It was a strange Art, with more limitations than uses despite being the highest Grade Art he possessed. Li Yao carried a parcel. He ced it on the ground, untied the binding rope, opened the hemp cloth, and lifted out a b of meat. ¡°From a Level 4 Monster. I had to drink with my Senior until my liver almost burst. Better be grateful,¡± Li Yao said. It had been a while since he had honest-to-goodness meat, not the stuff Huang Niuniu prepared for the brews. Yu Han could feel the saliva forming already. Unlike the ship, the Drizzle, and the two starting viges, the Sect didn¡¯t provide free food here. There was a canteen, but it cost cash. Huang Niuniu took the parcel back to her ce. Meanwhile, Yu Han went into his hut and came back out with a book. It had a simple cloth cover, and the paper was coarse and of low quality. It looked like it was bound by an amateur. That was because Yu Han had bound it. He echoed a YouTube video about bookbinding, passing out because of the strain. The next few days, he bound the book with makeshift material. The contents were penned by himself. He passed the book to Li Yao. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°You selected a Sword Art from the Scripture Hall, right?¡± ¡°Yep, they let me use a sword to butcher the beasts and monsters rather than a knife,¡± Li Yao said, patting the old sword at his waist. ¡°The Sword Stream Separation Art is my past and present. Future Sword Saint Li Yao, at your service.¡± He read the title on the book. ¡°Silver Serpent de Dance? Wait, is this¡­?¡± His eyes grew wider. ¡°Don¡¯t ask where I got it. Maybe it¡¯ll be helpful to you. Although it doesn¡¯t have diagrams, just some weird philosophy and poems I don¡¯t understand.¡± Yu Han scratched his head. It was a copy of one of the manuals from the Rookie Vige library. The only reason he felt confident enough to share it was because it didn¡¯t have diagrams. Yu Han wasn¡¯t sure enough that his anime art style would capture the intricacies of the diagrams drawn in the other Martial Art Manuals, like Bronze Crane Leg or Thunderp Punch. He wanted to do something tangible for Li Yao. The other young man quickly flipped through the book. ¡°Crazy son of a¡ªI get it. Huh? Is that what this means?¡± He sat down. On the mud. ¡°No way. You can use a sword like that?¡± he said like a madman. ¡°Li Yao?¡± Li Yao paid him no heed. ¡°If I can use it with my left hand, then I can dual-wield two swords at the same time. But if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°de begets de, like a coiling serpent eating another snake. Silver light shes; the dragons weave death at the infinite gate.¡± It was a poem. The brute Li Yao recited it as if it was the sweetest set of words in the world. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Yu Han red. She pouted, then changed her hairstyle from a bun to a ponytail. Sports girls do ponytails. Yu Han nodded, satisfied. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s nearly evening.¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving him?¡± Huang Niuniu pointed at the hysteric Li Yao. ¡°We don¡¯t know him,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu gave Li Yao onest look. Then they headed down the mountain. It hadn¡¯t rained for two days, so the path was nearly dry. The sky was blue here and orange there, soft white clouds dotting it like cotton. Soon, the blue hue of the sky deepened, purple appearing at the edges. The orange receded as the sun sank below an unseen horizon. Stars appeared. The moon was a crescent. They carried antern through the ups and downs of the mountain pass. In the periphery of the Outer Sect, the mountains weren¡¯t sunken in water, but had normal valleys, coves, and ridges. They passed by the Grotto of Three Old Frogs, then walked beside the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife. After two hours, with night at the doorstep, they arrived at an old gate. There was a fence on both sides. It glowed with metal light under the shine of the moon and stars. Written on the gate pir was ¡°Alchemists of the Night.¡± If they walked along the fence for an hour, they would see the majestic Alchemy Hall of the Outer Sect, with its varnished pirs, tiled roofs, and many courtyards. But the only thing the Night Soil Collectors got was a ranch. They walked under the gate. On one side, there was a stable with many donkeys and mules. A few had two tails, and some had horns. They all looked dumb. There wererge carts piled up. Bales of hay were gathered below a tarp beside a shed with many shovels. ¡°You the new guys?¡± A Senior Brother wastching up a cart to a donkey. ¡°A girl, how rare. Womenfolk don¡¯t like this work.¡± ¡°We¡¯re reporting in for duty, Senior Brother,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Quiet. You¡¯ll startle old Five.¡± The Senior Brother patted the donkey. ¡°I have the east shift, so I¡¯m taking the waste to the gorge. Senior Brother Wen will show you the ropes tonight. He¡¯s the supervisor. The Elder in charge doesn¡¯t show up much.¡± With that, he was off. The cart creaked and rode out of the gates. ¡°It¡¯s fast.¡± Yu Han expected donkey carts to be slower. The ones he¡¯d seen in Riversong City, and even along the viges and towns in the Sunken Mountains, didn¡¯t move that fast. They stopped in front of the only serviceable building. It was a courtyard, seemingly well taken care of. The door opened. A man in full body armour stood there, a serrated hatchet in one hand, a bucket of red liquid in the other. Chapter 39: Night Alchemists Chapter 39: Night Alchemists ¡°No need to be rmed,¡± the Senior Brother said. ¡°This isn¡¯t blood.¡± He held the door ajar, his deep voice muffled by his helmet. ¡°Come in, I¡¯ll get you up to speed. Or do you want to start already?¡± The Senior Brother raised his arm, bringing the hatchet up to his own neck, then seemed to realise he was holding it. He set it down, then scratched his neck. ¡°Y-Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu pinched his sleeve. Yu Han gulped, then took a step inside the courtyard. There was a clothesline in the yard. The skinned remains of small, monkey-like creatures were drying. ¡°We haven¡¯t had new recruits in five intakes,¡± the Senior Brother said. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up quick. Don¡¯t touch anything. We¡¯re gonna have so much fun, the three of us.¡± Heughed, then walked off. ¡°Did that sound high-pitched to you?¡± Yu Han asked. No reply came, so he poked Huang Niuniu¡¯s arm. ¡°Huh?¡± The girl snapped out of a reverie. ¡°Are those babies?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, woman,¡± Yu Han snapped. ¡°Some things you can¡¯t say out loud.¡± ¡°Stormy Reef Sect is an age-old, traditional Sect,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if to convince herself. ¡°It¡¯s not one of the few orthodox, but not demonic either.¡± ¡°I made you wait,¡± a voice boomed. A man in histe twenties stepped out from the inner house. He had the Sect¡¯s azure-white robes on. Short hair, a messy stubble, brown eyes set in arge square face. He grinned, showing two missing teeth. ¡°I¡¯m Wen Liujie, the eldest disciple of the Night Alchemists.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you drying baby skins?¡± Huang Niuniu shouted, pointing at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Yu Han said, wishing he could hide. ¡°You mean these?¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s eyes widened. He walked to the clothesline and unclipped one of the skins. ¡°These aren¡¯t babies, Junior Sister.¡± Huang Niuniu sighed in relief. ¡°They¡¯re fully grown.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll be a porter.¡± The girl would have run off if it wasn¡¯t for Yu Han holding her hand like an immovable statue. ¡°Let me go, you brute!¡± ¡°You suggested this job, and now you want to leave me here alone? In your dreams!¡± Yu Han whisper-shouted into her ear. Wen Liujie closed the courtyard door. With a click, he locked it. ¡°We Night Alchemists get some worksite perks too,¡± Wen Liujie said, rubbing his hands. ¡°You¡¯re going to love this job. Trust me. Don¡¯t listen to all the nasty rumours.¡± ¡°There are nasty rumours?¡± Huang Niuniu asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Of course there aren¡¯t. Ignore that. The Coverall was too stuffy. Made my brain dizzy so I spouted nonsense.¡± Wen Liujie pushed them both into the inner house. ¡°You¡¯ll both receive Coveralls too. They¡¯re like Elite Grade Artefacts. Haven¡¯t started the job yet, and you already got good perks.¡± ¡°You mean the armour?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Why do we need armour to shovel poop?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t armour,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Just work robes. They protect your normal clothes so they won¡¯t get dirty.¡± He took them by the hand and nearly dragged them both into a room, locking every door behind them. They arrived in a changing room. From the wall, two more Coveralls hung. ¡°They¡¯re yours,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Can protect against fangs and ws, swords and arrows. You¡¯d need around two thousand Spirit Stones to buy one.¡± Yu Han touched various parts of the Coveralls. Huang Niuniu¡¯s back was pressed against the door. She kicked it a few times, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Are there dangers in this job?¡± ¡°Danger?¡± Wen Liujie looked angry. ¡°Who said that? Was it those bastards at the Mission Hall? I¡¯ll have a word with them.¡± Yu Han quivered. ¡°No danger? Then I¡¯ll leave,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I thought I could practise my Martial Art. I like danger. It¡¯s my first andst name. I¡¯ll be a porter.¡± Uwfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. What are you saying, you crazy cow? Yu Han had a plethora of curses ready to go. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t be hasty, Junior Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. Suddenly, he was in front of the door, shoving the Coveralls into her hands. ¡°This job is perilous and rewarding. You¡¯ll be the unsung heroes of the Sect. It¡¯s no less dangerous than warring with another Sect,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Hurry, put on your Coveralls. The night is young; tonight you¡¯ll have your first.¡± ¡°First what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Taste.¡± ¡°Of?¡± ¡°Heroism.¡± Wen Liujie nodded. He stood firmly in front of the door. ¡°I lied. I don¡¯t like danger.¡± Huang Niuniu was crying. Big pearls of tears dripped out like a faucet. ¡°Junior Sister, this brother was just joking,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Of course there¡¯s no danger.¡± He then added, ¡°You both already signed the job at the Mission Hall, right?¡± His gaze shifted away as he asked. They nodded reluctantly. Wen Liujie gave them a thumbs up. His smile was radiant, as if a huge weight had lifted off his shoulders. ¡°Then why botherining? ept reality,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s toote to back down. Not that you want to, right?¡± He pped his forehead. ¡°I misspoke. Why would you even want to leave? Of course you don¡¯t. This is a highly rewarding job with many perks.¡± He ced one palm on Yu Han¡¯s shoulder, the other on Huang Niuniu¡¯s. ¡°Without us, the Sect can¡¯t function.¡± His eyes quivered, an unsounded scream echoing in every word he said. Yu Han epted his fate. We¡¯re fucked. The Coveralls had an official name: Night Repelling Coveralls. The hard bits looked wooden, but it was actually thick leather. In YouTube videos, putting on armour was time-consuming. Yu Han hoped that in this case, magic would take over. Especially after having to drip their blood over the centre te of the Coveralls. They had to bind it; it was an artefact, at the end of the day. Wen Liujie guided them through how to sp and unsp every belt, hook, and chain. Best practices, things to avoid. He left them in the changing room. Huang Niuniu went to a smaller room at the side. ¡°I¡¯ll poke your eyes out if you peek.¡± They changed into their Coveralls. After about an hour, they were on a donkey cart going towards the marketce. The two of them didn¡¯t have their helmets on. Yu Han¡¯s was held under his arm, while Huang Niuniu ced hers on herp. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta get used to the stuffiness,¡± Wen Liujie said, back in his Coveralls. ¡°What if you get ambushed and a stray arrow hits you?¡± ¡°Who would ambush Night Soil Collectors?¡± ¡°Just theorising.¡± They rounded back to the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife. From there, they took another path that led to the back of the Outer Sect Marketce. There was another residential area there. ¡°It looks tight,¡± Huang Niuniuined. ¡°Did you sp it too much?¡± Wen Liujie sat at the driver¡¯s bench. ¡°It isn¡¯t tight, just looks like it.¡± Huang Niuniu covered the mound at her chest. ¡°This was the loosest I could make it.¡± On Wen Liujie, the Coveralls looked heroic. The one Huang Niuniu wore outlined her curves faithfully, like an exoskeleton suit from a sci-fi anime. Since it was new, the leather also shined. When she¡¯d climbed onto the cart, Yu Han had wished he had his helmet on. He could¡¯ve stared without being judged. ¡°It looks good.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t know what to say, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. ¡°That¡¯s not something I want to hear.¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She squirmed ufortably in ce. But it¡¯s true though. Girls always liked it when Johan praised their body. Did hisplimentse out as harassment because he was fat? He was reminded of a popr meme. His mood fell. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you had one my size. What¡¯ll you do if I get thinner?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Junior Brother is ambitious.¡± Wen Liujie gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to the Crafting Hall. They¡¯ll probably remove a few tes to refit.¡± The donkey made a sneezing sound. It then farted. Huang Niuniu looked like she was about to cry again. Her face was illuminated by thentern hanging from a pole by the driver¡¯s bench. Above, the starlight shone, but not outshining the moon. She hugged her knees, burying her face in them. As the cart moved, she rocked along with it. They were sitting on arge piece of tarp on the cart. No other ces to sit. In this job, they couldn¡¯t avoid getting dirty. If you¡¯re going to hate it so much, why did you choose this job? Yu Han felt a tingling sensation. For me? Or for you? ¡°Midnighteth,¡± Wen Liujie said. He rang a bell and the soft chime was carried by the cold wind. ¡°The helmet keeps the stink out. It¡¯s stuffy, but necessary. Works for rain too.¡± Wen Liujie rang the bell again. Huang Niuniu raised her head, then rubbed her eyes. She put the helmet on. Yu Han followed suit. After half an hour, they arrived at a stone structure. They were at the base of the mountain now, downhill from most buildings. The stone structure had a cylindrical base with a tightly shut stone hatch on one side. A set of stairs rose to its top, where there was a well-like protrusion with a pulley system. The well had a stone lid over it too. ¡°They paved the ground?¡± Yu Han said as he stepped onto stone bs. It was like an arena. Wen Liujie crouched before a small stone with some characters carved onto it. He hummed a sutra and pped thrice, then seven times. It was a shrine. It depicted an earthworm coiling around itself like a sleeping snake. ¡°Pray to the God of Underground Spaces,¡± Wen Liujie said. The yful tone was gone. They both followed suit. ¡°Stand here.¡± Wen Liujie tapped a stone square in the ¡°arena¡± with his boot. It was about twenty metres away from the stone hatch. ¡°Weapons out.¡± Huang Niuniu held her ribbon-whips. Yu Han removed the leather sheath from the halberd de. ¡°I¡¯m going to open the door. Initial Step Level 1 will be more than enough to handle them.¡± Wen Liujie held up a token and pointed it at the stone hatch. ¡°What are we fighting?¡± Yu Han asked. After all the shifty denials and excuses, it was obvious that this job wasn¡¯t merely shovelling poop. Part of him felt deceived, but another part felt excited. Who would want to shovel shit in a fantasy world? ¡°Expect the unexpected,¡± Wen Liujie said. He jumped away, out of the arena. ¡°Let me see your strengths! Don¡¯t worry. If it looks bad, the shrine will buy you some time. Otherwise, I¡¯ll step in.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Yu Han cursed. The stone hatch opened, a cloud of dust rising as it slid sideways. An intense stench that even the mask-like helmet couldn¡¯t block assaulted Yu Han¡¯s nose. A dark entrance. Do we go in? ¡°Eek!¡± Huang Niuniu took a step back. Something chittered. Multiple somethings. Then there was the noise of hard objects tapping on stone in rapid session. ¡°It¡¯sing!¡± she said, losing her breath. The tips of her hair turned blue. A pair of eyes glowed in the dark hole, apanied by the wet sound of tearing flesh. Chapter 40: Flight Eating Creatures Chapter 40: Flight Eating Creatures The creature stepped into the moonlight, leaving a brown wprint in its wake. It walked like a gori, its two upper limbs long, with sharp ws that clicked against the stone. Its hind limbs were stumpy and wed, and with each step, there was a squelching sound. Its skin was crusted, like dried earth, with patches of sickly fur here and there. The head was small, mostly taken up by its gaping mouth. It had two fan-like ears and holes for a nose. The most uncanny part was the position of its beady, rock-like eyes. They were not at the same level¡ªthe left eye was closer to its scalp, and the right one near its mouth. The creature roared, flexing its spikes, the red shine of its eyes homing in on Yu Han. The thing was no taller than a toddler. ¡°It¡¯s small?¡± Huang Niuniu said. A semnce of confidence tinged her voice. The creature crouched low, kicking the stone floor. More exited the dark hole. Two, seven, fifteen. There was a small herd of them. Their stony ws didn¡¯t reflect light, and their needle-like teeth looked rusted. One scratch or a bite, and it would probably give him eight different infections. A thump sounded from behind him. Yu Han instinctively looked back. Huang Niuniu had fallen to her knees. He couldn¡¯t see much of her face through the helmet, but her eyes were red, glossy with tears. ¡°I-I¡ª¡± she stammered. She glowed. It was as if, under those coveralls, her skin had turned into a neonmp. From the gaps of the leather parts, blueish-green light leaked out, some setions with tints of yellowish orange, while in others it was red or purple. Her green irises looked like two LED lights, with the same hue as the roadside signs in a cyberpunk game. It was mesmerising. ¡°Best keep your eyes forward,¡± came Wen Liujie¡¯s voice. There were multiple tters. Yu Han snapped his head back. The first creature was barely five metres away. Crap! They¡¯re fast. It moved like it had lost control of its limbs, one striking the ground after another, rather than anything that could be called a gait. It screeched. A wave of nausea hit Yu Han. Lifeforce -7 Behind him, Huang Niuniu screamed. He nted his left foot in front. Don¡¯t panic. He gritted his teeth, the halberd de feeling oddly heavy. That one sound attack took 7 Lifeforce. There were fifteen of the things. If they all hit him, that would be 105 gone. He couldn¡¯t afford that. Would he pass out if his Lifeforce hit 0? Or would he still be alive if his neck was punctured, but he had Lifeforce remaining? He had no ns to test that. The first creature jumped in a strange feat of acrobatics. It somersaulted a few times midair, hind limbs waving as if searching for ground. Its maw was open, dripping with sickly pus and saliva. ¡°Heavy Ox Swing!¡± Yu Han instinctively shouted the name of the form. The halberd de missed the creature. Yu Han used the momentum and turned, dragging the head of the halberd low and swinging again. The dagger axe on the other side of the de punctured the gut of another creature. Yu Han hit the third with the halberd body, the other creature still hanging off of it. Don¡¯t close your eyes. Look straight ahead! He had stood in front of punches and kicks, swords and fangs, and even the flying sword and crescent attacks of the Verdant de Sect a thousand times in his dreams. He would not flinch! That¡¯s what the training was for. Suddenly, a force mmed into his leg. ¡°Oof!¡± Lifeforce -11 He flinched, barely holding his bnce by hitting the ground behind him with the halberd handle. He kicked out, and the creature that had bitten his leg flew away. But the one hanging from the dagger axe dropped on his helmet. It wed the back of his head, and Yu Han grabbed it with his free hand and threw it aside. It screeched as it bounced. Lifeforce -6 Why did I lose lifeforce? That w didn¡¯t puncture through the Coverall! What formes next? Yu Han¡¯s heart felt cold. After I let go, where do I hold the halberd? There was no such stance. Memories faded. Yu Han iled randomly. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! ¡°Fuck! Get off!¡± He kicked another away, then swung his halberd with one hand. The de hit this time. The downward momentum was enough to cleave a creature in two. It raised a gurgling sound, then stopped moving. Pure Qi +1 So Pure Qi really doese from killing! Yu Han¡¯s eyes lit up. A creature was about to bypass him, towards Huang Niuniu, who was a sitting duck. He kicked out, barely stunning it. But four more took the chance to gnaw at his armour. Each tackle felt like he was hit by a charging dog. The fangs and ws couldn¡¯t pierce the Coveralls, but the leather was already scarred. How long would itst? A fatter creature at the back halted. Its belly expanded, then a harrowing growl echoed out. Lifeforce -23 The nausea this time was worse. Yu Han held in a retch. It felt as if the ground under his feet had tilted. One of the four creatures climbed up his torso. It jumped, aiming its w towards his head. Yu Han saw doubles. He could barely keep bnce, let alone dodge. Turn the head! Protect the eye¡ª A resounding crack sted the creature into the air. Another impact hit Yu Han¡¯s thigh, knocking away the creature that had bitten into the leather. Lifeforce -3 ¡°I-I can fight!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them!¡± ¡°Stop hitting me!¡± ¡°S-Sorry.¡± The silken ribbons danced, the whip inside them echoing one hit after another. This time, she didn¡¯t aim for the creatures on Yu Han, but the ones surrounding them. As her arms moved, it left streams of neon light in their wake. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Soon, her calcted strikes were reced by wild iling. She spun the ribbon whips around, barely avoiding hitting herself and Yu Han. The long lines of violence whirled around them. The ribbon whips had wider coverage, snapping like thick cords and repelling the creatures. As she whipped around, Huang Niuniu kept screaming like a madwoman. Each time her ribbon whipsnded, she would shout, ¡°Get away! Stay back!¡± and simr exmations. Her luminescence was still there. It didn¡¯t seem to do much other than create a spectacle. Blue, green, red, and the other colours of the rainbow in different hues and values. It was as if she was a light engineer, creating a neon piece for the F¨ºte des Lumi¨¨res in Leon. Or rather, she herself was the art piece, a whirling human of leaking glows randomly brandishing two makeshift ribbon whips. Her technique aside, it gave Yu Han the chance to get into stance again. The offensive variation, starting with Stone Cutting Chop! The halberd sliced the air, then bisected one of the creatures from neck to hip. Pure Qi +1 Heavy Ox Swing! Using the inertia, he nted one foot forward and twisted his body. It separated two more creatures in half. Pure Qi +2 ¡°Watch out!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. Yu Han randomly jumped away and dodged a creatureing from behind, but was hit by Huang Niuniu¡¯s whip. Lifeforce -11 ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± She let go of one ribbon whip and snaked the other at a creature that was mid-leap. The ribbon whip coiled around the creature¡¯s torso. With the loudest shout of the night, Huang Niuniu spun the whip like a sling. The creature flew into the night sky with a fading screech. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous,¡± Wen Liujie said as the screech stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape.¡± ¡°Try to herd the remaining ones toward my halberd.¡± Yu Han moved from one stance to another. Most of them missed, but straightforwardly keeping the variation kept him in flow. ¡°Get back. Go that way. No, not that¡ªListen to me!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s frustrated voice echoed. With each snap of the ribbon whip, she would corral the creatures together. ¡°Ox Horn Pierce!¡± Yu Han shouted, his halberd going straight through three of the creatures. But now they were stuck on the de. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yu Han pulled the halberd back and kicked the oozing corpses loose. ¡°I did it!¡± Huang Niuniu cheered. Her glow intensified. Yu Han turned his head just in time to see her choke one of the creatures with her ribbon whip. Yu Han joined the fray again. The fight continued, and with one final shout, Huang Niuniu smashed the final creature on the ground with a slinging whip. It burst into bits and pieces. Huang Niuniu copsed to her knees again. ¡°Are we done?¡± she asked, gasping and wheezing. Her light rose and fell with her breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Han said. He wanted to lie down, sleep for the night, but he kept himself standing. ¡°So you glow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a useless bloodline art. Not even bright enough to blind people.¡± ¡°It looked pretty.¡± ¡°So are you saying I¡¯m just a pretty face?¡± Huang Niuniu red with red light. Literally. ¡°No one said anything about face.¡± ¡°You snail.¡± Huang Niuniu huffed and turned away. A p sounded. ¡°Great work. Not the best fight, but for rookies, it¡¯s good enough.¡± Wen Liujie walked over, crouching above the corpse of one of the creatures that Yu Han killed. ¡°You stinking, dog-bedding, sister-sucking¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu let out a barrage of curses, only stopping when Yu Han thwacked the back of her helmet. It was as if someone flicked a switch, and the light show abruptly ceased. ¡°I hate you!¡± she shouted at Wen Liujie, then removed her helmet. Her face was wet with sweat, hair sticking to her temples, nose, ears, and lips. She looked like she had just run a marathon in the sewers. She keeled over and vomited. ¡°You need to get used to this, Junior Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°These Filth Eating Ghouls are the weakest of the bunch. But look here.¡± He held up a button-sized rock. It was deep purple, with patches of green and yellow. ¡°You get to keep this.¡± He tossed it to Yu Han. ¡°A Monster Core. About ten for a Spirit Stone. This cleanup, you got fifteen. Not a bad day¡¯s work, is it?¡± Yu Han removed his helmet. ¡°Better keep it on, Junior Brother. We go down the hatch next¡ª¡± Yu Han vomited too. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Wen Liujie said. Fifteen minutester, after copious amounts of water and more retching, Yu Han and Huang Niuniu stood in front of the hatchway. ¡°The well¡¯s open,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Now the boring part.¡± The older man put thentern on a hook by the hatch. He brought out two stones and tapped them together. One of them glowed. ¡°Use another light source.¡± He looked at Huang Niuniu, who looked away biting her lips. ¡°Never bring fire in the tanks,¡± he warned. ¡°Or it¡¯ll go boom.¡± Yu Han shivered. Of course, there¡¯d be a methane explosion. I wonder if there¡¯s a way to extract the biogas though? Wen Liujie led the way down. ¡°The stairs are slippery,¡± he said, tightening thetches on the three shovels at his waist. With each of Yu Han¡¯s steps, something gooey would slip out under his feet. He kept a palm on the nearby wall. It was filled with yellowish slime and other unidentifiable matter. A shiver ran up his spine. Don¡¯t think about it. ¡°I think I stepped on poop,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She¡¯d been crying for a while now. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± he whispered. ¡°I touched snot,¡± she whimpered. They reached the bottom, and Wen Liujie hung thentern on a hook on the wall. The underground space was cylindrical too. There was a cesspool filled with filth, with sticks poking out of the waste here and there. A bunch of holes opened up above it on the opposite wall, depositing indescribable matter into it. From above, the moonlight shone through the well hole. Arge bucket, twice as big as Yu Han, was attached to it. Wen Liujie grabbed the bucket and pulled it down, cing it on the stone ground by the waste pool. After some tinkering, one side of the bucket fell down like a sled. Wen Liujie stood and turned towards them. ¡°Now what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Now we shovel,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°I hate you,¡± Huang Niuniu replied. The tips of her hair glowed. Chapter 41: Night Shift Chapter 41: Night Shift Yu Han tied the end of the rope to the donkey¡¯s harness. The animal yowled, sneezing up a hassle, then slowly trudged forward, pulling the basket full of hard excreta up from the well. ¡°Some pull it up themselves if they have enough strength,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Last time, one guy got stuck in the¡ªnever mind. Give me a hand.¡± Yu Han, Huang Niuniu, and Wen Liujie poured the contents of the basket into the donkey cart. They weren¡¯t just shovelling crap like idiots. Because of the Filth Eating Ghoul infestation, excreta would turn hard like bricks. Ghouls would spawn because of the intense Yin Qi, eat the waste, and excrete far more toxic material. The Night Soil Collectors mainly removed that, and afterwards filled the rest of the cart with normal waste. Yu Han brought the status screen up as he worked. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 69 / 200 Pure Qi: 7 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 681 / 720 7 Pure Qi. Do I get Pure Qi for killing anything? ¡°How much Pure Qi do you have?¡± Yu Han asked Huang Niuniu. ¡°Six,¡± the girl replied between heavings. She had power in her arms despite the soft and cuddly look. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Why do you have more? I helped just as much!¡± ¡°How the Dao decides to reward Cultivators, only the Dao knows. It is fair, always,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°If I kill a lot of mosquitoes, can I get Pure Qi?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Not a bad dream to have. Unfortunately, you can only get it by killing Monstrous Beasts like these Filth Eating Ghouls, or cleansing Demonic taint,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Primal Beasts don¡¯t give any.¡± Demonic Taint, like that dog. Yu Han shovelled up a hard nodule that had fallen over, dumping it back on the cart. ¡°Getting one or two Pure Qi for one Monster or Demon seems like a bad reward.¡± Yu Han had gotten a hundred Pure Qi for killing that Demonic Dog. Of course, he knew they wouldn¡¯t get the same amount. ¡°Junior Brother is greedy. Good. With the perks us Night Soil Collectors have, you¡¯ll be more than satisfied!¡± Wen Liujieughed, the sound hollow from within his helm. ¡°Killing Demonic Beasts gives you anywhere from nothing to a million times more Pure Qi, for the same level foe.¡± Yu Han dropped the shovel. ¡°A million?¡± ¡°Maybe even a billion. Or more! The Dao decides, though rewards are based on the threat level. Monsters¡ªMonstrous Beasts¡ªare mindless imitations of life that have the potential to be life. Demonic Spawns, on the other hand, are consumers of Spirituality. The threat they pose to the existence of the world is of a different magnitude.¡± Yu Han gulped. ¡°Demonic Cultivators, too?¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s eyes turned sharp, ring at Yu Han through the helmet gap. ¡°Careful when mentioning them. The rumours are false.¡± ¡°What rumours?¡± ¡°That Night Soil Collection is a fast track to Demonic Cultivation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what?!¡± ¡°Ignore that. Where did you learn about Demonic Cultivators?¡± ¡°A book called Four Meditations,¡± Yu Han said. He would not ignore that rumour, and would definitely ask around. ¡°I found it in the Marketce.¡± ¡°The Sect should regte it more. I appreciate the Sect Master¡¯s new policies, but still.¡± Wen Liujie shook his head. ¡°Demonic Practitioners follow a different Dao. Part of the Grand Dao, but far more insidious. They cultivate using Monster Cores without purification. They steal Spirituality. They consume the soul when consuming flesh, too.¡± He then warned them with a grave timbre, ¡°Cultivators at your level won¡¯t be able to use Monster Cores directly, even if you try. Not before Qi Gathering, at least. Just because Night Soil Collectors have an easy way of farming more Monster Cores, doesn¡¯t mean you can mindlessly use them.¡± ¡°Is that why there¡¯s the rumour?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Other Night Soul Collectors got greedy and used the cores directly?¡± ¡°Who said that? It¡¯s a rumour. Ignore it.¡± Wen Liujieughed. ¡°Wait for the cultural sses. If you aren¡¯t exchanging them for spirit stones, then at least use them to make pills, elixirs, brews, or anything else. Never consume them directly.¡± Yu Han and Huang Niuniu looked at each other, nodding. ¡°We understand, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s head to King Earthworm Gorge.¡± They got on the donkey cart again. This time, all three of them squeezed onto the driver¡¯s coach¡ªWen Liujie on the left, Yu Han in the middle, and Huang Niuniu on the right. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. ¡°So you glow?¡± Yu Han whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about itter,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Her irises glowed yellow as she winked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing useful, anyway.¡± They fell into silence. ¡°What do we use Pure Qi for, anyway?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Is it some kind of secret? I didn¡¯t hear about it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the meditation ss?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°There are¡­ circumstances,¡± Yu Han said. A fiery hotness bubbled up inside him. Apparently, the Senior Brother in charge of teaching them had looked for Yu Han too. Yu Han doubted is was to invite him over for tea. ¡°The nobles, huh?¡± Wen Liujie patted Yu Han¡¯s back. ¡°Endure. Their time is over with the new Sect Master.¡± Enduring was the only thing Yu Han could do. Eleven months. ¡°Some call Pure Qi a reward from the Dao for cleansing the world of otherworldly filth. Others say it¡¯s the True Qi of the very world itself. Whatever the case, you earn it when you kill Monsters and Demons, but never righteous Cultivators, normal animals like Primal Beasts and Spirits. Assimting it can hasten your True Qi gain.¡± ¡°For only my Realm Level, or for Arts and Traits too?¡± ¡°Everything. They say stats also have hidden True Qi progress, but the Dao blinds us to it. Withrge quantities of Pure Qi assimted, you may gain stats too,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Be careful, though. There¡¯s a limit to how many stats you can gain with training. If you gain more in Mind, that means you¡¯ll eventually gain less in Body.¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°But any extra stat is better than no stats. The Heavenly Allocation happens only once per level up, same with Primordial Qi. The Trials at each level are fickle too.¡± ¡°Trials?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Like Tribtions. For every level up, you have toplete a Trial. They¡¯re nowhere as bad as Tribtions. They say the nine trials before the Tribtion at every tenth level prepare you for it. But look at me, stuck at Level 9 for three years.¡± There was clear self-deprecation in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine,¡± Wen Liujie said to himself. ¡°With Common Talent, it takes decades to get to Qi Gathering, even if the initial progress feels fast. Unless, of course, you¡¯re rich. Then breaking through to Qi Gathering in a year may even be possible.¡± The donkey cart travelled away from the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. They passed by a snaking mountain path through a lush forest, the donkey¡¯s hooves thumping as it trudged through soft earth. Huang Niuniu had fallen asleep, leaning her head on his shoulder. ¡°Have you decided to bepanions?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°Companions?¡± ¡°Daopanions. It¡¯s none of my business. But I¡¯d have to give you a gift.¡± Yu Han was d he had his helmet on. ¡°We¡¯re friends brought together by circumstances.¡± Part of him wanted to lie just for the gift. Wen Liujie nodded. ¡°Make a life in the Sect. For us Common Talents, dreams of immortality are too far away. I¡¯ll be happy if I can live until a hundred.¡± It was mentioned in Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions that Body Tempering Cultivators barely lived until a hundred. Most normal folks in this world had a far lower life and health span than on Earth. If one could live until seventy or eighty, that was a huge aplishment. Qi Gathering Cultivators could live up to a hundred and twenty, and for Foundation Building, it was a hundred and fifty. ¡°Core Formation. It¡¯s something that doesn¡¯t concern us,¡± Wen Liujie said. His voice fell like thest chord of a song. Sombre, yet full of desire. They emerged onto a road separating agoon from a shallow river. ¡°This is the Blue Firefly Lagoon,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°After the Wisping Serpent Isthmus, we reach the King Earthworm Gorge.¡± The path was an isthmus. Blue fireflies twinkled around them like stars. ¡°Pretty,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Wisps aren¡¯t bad. Wisps are cute,¡± she said with repeated nods. As if trying to convince herself. Damn, girl, just tell me your trait already! Long grass with corn-like heads grew in thegoon. Frogs ribbited, and after looking carefully, Yu Han could see the rushing figures of thumb-sized fish swimming in the shallow water. The isthmus path was well paved, wide enough for three donkey carts to travel side by side. The small river was like a quiet serpent, only the sound of its shallow breath audible. They passed some half-snapped trees, a few shadowy boulders, and one small shrine by thegoon. On the other side of the isthmus was drynd. The ground had opened up, steep cliffs going down into a quiet abyss. It was and of cracked earth, with giant crevices and deep gorges. Far away, they could see the looming forms of night-covered mountains. But here, thend was barren, the bottom deep. Wen Liujie drove the cart to a small shrine erected on dry wood. It had a simr statue of a stone earthworm. He got out of the cart, then lit an incense stick. A few feet away, there was a giant crevice, which gradually opened up, then met back together about twenty metres away. ¡°There are stairs,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Behind the shrine, there was a hole in the ground, with stairs sculpted into the earth. ¡°Never descend without praying to the Land God. The Monsters who lurk there are prey of the God and his spawn. They wee visitors, but never thieves. If you stay with the Night Alchemists long enough, they¡¯ll give you some perks. As I said, we¡¯re totally great, and not like the rumours.¡± ¡°Gods really exist?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu pped his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t spheme, you dummy!¡± Wen Liujieughed. ¡°That they do. From old ghosts to powerful spirits. They have mysterious powers. You can respect them, deny them, worship them, fear them. When you¡¯re strong enough, you can even kill them.¡± Huang Niuniu squeaked, ¡°Senior Brother! Watch what you¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re Cultivators, Sister Huang. We defy the heavens, while the gods live in it. Our Stormy Reef Sect is a Traditional Sect that leans more towards Orthodoxy. Our rtionship with the Imperial and Divine Courts is mutually beneficial, friendly, and without discord. But there are Evil Gods out there, spectres masquerading as deities, stealing faith from mortals. It¡¯s our job to hunt them if one appears.¡± This world was mysterious. Maybe it wasn¡¯t all RPG stats and numbers like Yu Han thought. They dumped the excreta nodules and corpses into the gorge. ¡°These ghouls were too weak,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°A little stronger, and you could harvest them for parts. It¡¯s better to dump them here for the Earthworm Spirit Beasts to process. See that mountain over there?¡± He pointed at the faraway looming form. ¡°The alchemy and medicinal fields start there. Beyond that, you can find the Spirit Rice fields. The underground domain of the King Earthworm Gorge also has an opening there, and the Alchemy Hall, Agriculture Hall, and Medical Hall can directly harvest Spirit Fertilizer from the gorge exit.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if the Waste Tanks were connected to this ce?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°There are some small tunnels. If they were too big, the other Mountain and River Gods would throw a fit.¡± ¡°Gods have politics?¡± I love it. Excitement bubbled up in Yu Han. Cultivators. Spirits. Demons. Gods. What else? ¡°That reminds me¡­¡± Yu Han looked around. He¡¯d read about this isthmus in Four Meditations. ¡°Is there a crab around here?¡± Huang Niuniu frowned, confused. Wen Liujieughed. ¡°I see the Junior Brother has heard of it too.¡± They drove the cart back. This time, at the midpoint of the isthmus, they stopped near one of the boulders. Under Wen Liujie¡¯s urging, they got down. The Senior Brother pped his hands, then bowed at the boulder. He stomped, creating arge sound. The boulder moved. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Eek!¡± Huang Niuniu screamed. The dirt and moss fell off. ws clicked, feet tapped. Under the moonlight, a giant orange shell revealed itself. The thing was the size of a mini-truck. Yu Han looked up, falling down on his butt. Two beady eyes stared back. Chapter 42: Perks Chapter 42: Perks A metallic scrape cut through the silence as the reeds shifted under the crab¡¯s many feet. It loomed, massive, rusted orange as if painted with mud and orange peels. Razor-sharp pincers clicked. Huang Niuniu grabbed Yu Han¡¯s Coveralls and dragged him backward. ¡°It¡¯s going to eat us!¡± she screamed. ¡°Calm, Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. The creature came ashore, each leg shifting in eerie unison. Jagged spikes jutted from its back, long vines of weed and moss hanging from them like ornaments. Its two enormous front ws were asymmetrical and bristly, while its eight walking legs were long and pointed. Its obsidian eyes remained empty of emotions, except for a hint of orange from those narrow, me-like vertical pupils fixed on its onlookers. Each of the eye-stalks resembled a club topped with a long, pointy horn. One of stalks rotated left, the other leaned forward. ¡°The Non-Thinker Crab.¡± Wen Liujie stepped forward. He bowed, and the giant orange crab inclined its head in return. It shook its bigger w. A piece of leather parchment fell out, and Yu Han saw strange scribbles on it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it says,¡± Wen Liujie said.The crab picked up the parchment with its pincers and went back into thegoon, perching back into a shallow burrow. Its many spikes and two eye-stalks seemed to blend into its carapace, creating the illusion that it was just a boulder. ¡°So that¡¯s the crab that can¡¯t think,¡± Yu Han muttered. They got back on the cart. Soon, the crab was just a blur in the distance. ¡°Did you hear about it in the Heavenly Friendship Pce?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s in the book I mentioned before, The Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways. The author apparently befriended a crab that couldn¡¯t think in a ce called the Wisping Serpent Isthmus.¡± ¡°It was here long before I came to the Sect,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°About seven decades¡ªthat¡¯s what the Seniors say. Many people have contracted it, only to find out that it couldn¡¯t think. It sits just there with that parchment, asking disciples if they know what it says. Don¡¯t be like it, okay? Give proper effort to the job, and you¡¯ll receive many resources in return.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like Common Script. Was it Imperial or Earthly?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Imperial,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She wiped her forehead with a small towel. Her legs shook, knees clicking together with every rumble of the cart. ¡°It¡¯s neither. It¡¯s a paper from¡ª¡± Wen Liujie hesitated. ¡°Probably a Ruin Trinket.¡± ¡°Ruin Trinket?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to think about it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Sect¡¯s Hidden Realm, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yu Han said. It was a mysterious ce mentioned in quite a few of the books. Not only in Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions, but also in The Four Meditations and the Rookie Cheat Sheet. A ce where monsters spawned endlessly, as did the remains of past empires and kingdoms. It was and of unlimited riches and treasures, opportunities and dangers. Many of the Sect¡¯s External Missions rted to it. In Blue Strategies Part 3, it mentioned that one of the mostmon reasons for disciples to create their own Courtyard¡ªa non-permanent sub-Sect organization not under the purview of any Hall¡ªwas to form teams to venture into the Hidden Realm. ¡°Shi Miao told me her master took her to the Hidden Realm,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°They hunted many monster cores to level her Trait.¡± ¡°Why does it matter if it¡¯s a Ruin Trinket?¡± Yu Han asked Wen Liujie. ¡°You¡¯re demoted.¡± ¡°To what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather just quit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m promoting you again.¡± Wen Liujie sighed. ¡°Get used to the Sect, Junior Brother. There are many things to do here, even for us Common Talents. It¡¯s better not to think about things concerning the Hidden Realm. Yes, you can get richer there. But you¡¯ll also find death and betrayal.¡± The conversation was over, and Yu Han didn¡¯t probe any more. The information in the books was limited. Dong Chou gave him mostly practical books, other than The Four Meditations. They all gave Yu Han a basic idea of Sect life, such as Cultivation realms, herbs, creatures, Gu, and Sect factions. None went into detail, though. Yu Han guessed it was around 3 a.m. when they got back to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. After changing out of their Coveralls¡ªapparently, the Coveralls would mend themselves with Qi if ced in theirpartment¡ªWen Liujie took them on a tour of the single building in thepound. ¡°Behold, as I show you the Night Alchemist¡¯s greatest perk!¡± He opened a door. ¡°Here you wash your bodies. The Sect provides us with Qi-rich medicinal gels and essential oils,¡± Wen Liujie said. The door led to the back of the building. There was another changing room there, and another bamboo door that led outside the building. ¡°I told others not to use it today. A special service just for you two.¡± Wen Liujie grinned. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. A stone pooly outside with steaming water, surrounded by a high wooded palisade and covered with a giant tent-like roof. The pool was partitioned by a bamboo fence¡ªone side for men, the other for women. ¡°A hot spring!¡± Huang Niuniu jumped. ¡°Junior Sister is wise. A spiritual hot spring, no less. Every time after work, you can use it,¡± Wen Liujie said. The monkey in the hot spring chirped. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. The Blizzard-Eyed Aquatic Monkeys like toe down. They follow the rules, males and females sticking to proper sides.¡± ¡°There¡¯s going to be monkey hair in the hot springs,¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She was then sshed with water. ¡°Kyaa!¡± ¡°They¡¯re Spirit Beasts, Junior Sister. Even they have face.¡± Wen Liujie chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll log your records for today. The oils and soap are in the changing room. You can take them home if you want, too. After you use the hot spring, meet me again. There are other goodies.¡± He puffed out his chest. He¡¯s really selling it. Yu Han smiled wryly. Was the turnover rate for this job really so high? Or was the recruitment rate just that low? ¡°Hot spring! Hot spring!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s mood was through the roof. ¡°Stepping on poop was worth it.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± They went into separate changing rooms. Yu Han took off his Sect robes, cing them into a marked woodenpartment. He grabbed a hemp towel and dipped into the hot spring. ¡°Ahhhh.¡± ¡°Chirp!¡± a monkey said. ¡°You said it.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t mind the three monkeys. They looked like Little Pir, Duan Xiaolong¡¯s Spirit Beast¡ªfar smaller, though. From the other side, sshing sounds could be heard with Huang Niuniu¡¯s humming. ¡°This is the life.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t even have the energy to scrub. The heat caressed his very soul, the fog of the spring clearing away his stress. It started raining. Drip. Drop. Yu Han appeared in Deep Sleep. Did I fall asleep? He sighed. It was time to test out the effects of adding those five points to the Memory substat. Click. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± He jumped up. There was a football-sized crab in his Echoing Dreamscape. ¡°The Non-Thinker Crab?¡± he yelled. The crab was an exact imitation of the giant one he¡¯d seen near the isthmus. ¡°How did you get here?¡± The crab clicked its ws. It circled Yu Han. Click, click. Its feet tapped the white floor. It gurgled, eyes dancing up and down. Unlike in real life, where it appeared like a slothful monolith, in the dream it was like a puppy. One moment it would be scuttling near Yu Han¡¯s feet, and the next it would be thumping against the shell-like wall of the Echoing Dreamscape. Other beings can enter my Echoing Dreamscape! Yu Han¡¯s heartbeat sped up. He had thought this ce was his secret sanctuary. But a crab got in! The crab tore a hole in the Echoing Dreamscape wall. On the other side was a cavern filled with speleothems. ¡°What the fuck are you doing, you stupid¡ª¡± Yu Han paled. He was horrified. The crab gurgled. A bunch of milky white orbs materialized from thin air and fell to the ground. One rolled to Yu Han¡¯s feet. He picked it up. ¡°Pearls?¡± The crab tugged Yu Han¡¯s pant sleeve. It took out a small piece of parchment, clicked its ws, then pointed at it. Then at Yu Han, then the parchment again. There were densely packed characters there. They looked less like Chinese and more like Arabic or Sanskrit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You tore a hole through my wall!¡± The crab¡¯s body dropped, as if dejected. It waved a w at Yu Han, then scuttled into the hole apanied by the sounds of dripping watering from the other side. A secondter, the hole closed like it was never there. All that was left were a bunch of pearls. ¡°What the hell just happened¡­?¡± Was it the effect of those five extra points? That couldn¡¯t be it. He woke up. One monkey was pulling his hair, the other two sshing warm water on his head. ¡°Stop that. I¡¯m awake,¡± Yu Han pushed the mischievous creatures away. He rushed out of the hot spring, then wiped himself with a dry towel and took out the Sect robes from the woodenpartment. ¡°They¡¯re clean?¡± And crisp. As if washed, dried, then aired. It felt like he was wearing a warm hug. But his mind was on the crab. Huang Niuniu came out a few minutes after he did. She was steaming, her face flushed red. The sweet scent of flowers wafted from her hair. ¡°I fell asleep,¡± she said with a blush. ¡°I¡¯ve only been in a hot spring once.¡± ¡°The monkeys woke me up.¡± ¡°They¡¯re nice.¡± They met up with Wen Liujie in the small study besides therge discussion chamber. There were many bamboo-bound scrolls on the shelves. ¡°I remember the first time I was here. I almost drowned after falling asleep.¡± Wen Liujie took out a wooden chest. He inserted a silver key. With a loud click, the chest opened. He took out two ss vials, passing one to Yu Han and the other to Huang Niuniu. ¡°A Pure Qi Assimting Elixir,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Normally, you would assimte Pure Qi with your Cultivation art. That takes too long, though. With this potion, you can assimte Pure Qi into Realm True Qi three to five times faster, but there will be waste.¡± ¡°Do we get this for free?¡± Yu Han asked. This was a huge gain. ¡°A vial a week. You can buy more for a ten percent discount, too. We¡¯re part of the Alchemy Hall, technically, so we get much of their stuff.¡± Wen Liujie grinned. ¡°It¡¯s best to take it when you have more than ten Pure Qi. It will waste a few, but you can gain eight to nine True Qi in one night.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother Wen!¡± Huang Niuniu sounded a lot cheerier, especially after the hot spring. Her half-crying, half-resentful voice from shovelling waste was gone, like it had been an illusion. ¡°Thank the Sect, not me,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°You shoulde around once or twice a week. With you two, the other Seniors can have some leeway too. You see that map there?¡± He pointed at arge map of the Outer Sect central area. In ces, there were nails embedded with bamboo slips hanging. Each nail was the location of a waste tank. Each bamboo slip had a name. ¡°There are bamboo slips with your name. You need to hang them at least a week prior to indicate the waste tank you want to clean up. It¡¯s best to give each tank a few good days so that enough Filth Eating Ghouls can spawn.¡± ¡°How many disciples work here?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Why so many questions? Who sent you? Was it the butchery?¡± Wen Liujie barked. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°Just work at your pace.¡± Wen Liujie patted his shoulder. ¡°It looks like there are a few hundred waste tanks,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°There¡¯s only about five on the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Less than ten if you count the marketce and a few of the nearby Halls too. As for the ones on the other mountains, leave that to your other Senior Brothers.¡± They both nodded. It was what it was. They didn¡¯t expect it to be rxing work. ¡°And try to head over at night,¡± Wen Liujie added. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han questioned. He had no ns of wasting Deep Sleep time. ¡°It should take a few days for your Lifeforce to fully recover, right? Other than that, the Ghouls prefer darkness. Also¡ªnever mind. Tell me if you want to exchange the cores.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hold on to them for now,¡± Huang Niuniu replied, giving Yu Han a meaningful look. They selected two waste tanks on the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes for the next week. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Yu Han pointed at a notice board beside the map. Articles were pinned to it like the quest board in an JRPG tavern. ¡°You can only ask about that when you get promoted twenty times.¡± Wen Liujie pushed them out of the room. ¡°I can find out on my own, you know,¡± Yu Han said, but was ignored. They headed back. When Yu Han¡¯s back hit the bed, dawn was already there. He had no trouble sleeping, even with the nap in the hot spring. In his Echoing Dreamscape, the crab appeared again. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 43: Training Chapter 43: Training Yu Han echoed a cool-looking stick and threw it to the other end of his Dreamscape. Click! The crab jumped up. It scuttled towards the stick faster than a dog, picked it up, held the prize above its head, then ced it at Yu Han¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯re a doggie!¡± Yu Han gasped. ¡°A doggo trapped in a crab¡¯s body?¡± The crab circled Yu Han, clicking its ws. Yu Han wanted to pet it, but its back had some pointy-looking spikes. He picked up the stick and poked the crab with it. It wiggled its body as if being tickled, then rolled over. Yu Han ced a palm on its hard-shelled belly and gave it a good scritch. The crab¡¯s many legs went haywire, twitching as if electrocuted. ¡°Are you a good doggy-crabby? A craggy? A dobby! Wait, no¡­¡± Yu Han noticed his voice bing more high-pitched as he talked. ¡°Why did you appear inside my Deep Sleep?¡± The crab pushed Yu Han¡¯s hand away with a w, then heaved itself upright. It moved dizzily for a while, as if drunk. Then it stood at attention, both ws raised up, the pincers snipping quickly. Yu gave it a good pat, spikes be damned. It brought out a parchment from somewhere.Does it have some kind of storage? It spread the parchment on the Dreamscape floor and pointed at the words, then at Yu Han. ¡°I told you before.¡± The crab looked confused. Its beady eyes gleamed, its feet tapped, its ws snipped, and its body wiggled in anticipation. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It dropped, all tension leaving its body, and clicked away sideways. As it walked, pearls rolled around it. It moved to a portion of the wall and tapped it with its ws. The wall copsed; this time, the hole was smaller. Yu Han held his breath. The crab went into the hole, and in a blink, the wall was fixed again. Yu Han gathered the pearls and put them on the previous pile¡ªthey hadn¡¯t disappeared yet. But as he did, he noticed a change. He picked up one of the old pearls. It had turned a shade of blue. Inside the pearls, something moved. Like a silhouette of a boy? Or a crab? He couldn¡¯t make it out. A few more pearls had turned bluish too. Yu Han threw them, stepped on them, shed them together. Nothing happened. Do I eat them? Could he choke to death in Deep Sleep? Yu Han echoed a monster core. It was like a broken rock¡ªangr edges, irregr shape, like a toenail-sized square that had been hammered until it had too many surfaces. It was smaller than the pearl; maybe about six or seven pressed together would be the same size. They don¡¯t look the same. The pearls were a mystery, as was the crab. It was called the Non-Thinker Crab. But by its reactions, it could think. The ability to ¡°ask¡± was a pretty advanced cognitive process. But it forgets? There weren¡¯t enough data points, but the hypothesis was formed. Why does it keep showing up in my dream? The Wisping Serpent Isthmus was a twenty minutes¡¯ donkey cart ride away from here. Could the crab¡¯s ability extend that far? Nothing to it. For now, there was no apparent harm. But the crab could somehow modify Yu Han¡¯s Dreamscape Walls. With enough interaction, maybe Yu Han could find out more about his own Auxiliary Art. Yu Han put the crab out of his mind. He sat down and materialized Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtion. The paper felt solid. As he traced his finger over it, the coarse surface felt far more real thanst time. The feedback wasn¡¯t like real paper quite yet. This couldn¡¯t be the only improvement after adding those five points of Primordial Qi, though. He put it down beside him. Let¡¯s see how long youst. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He echoed today¡¯s fight, and the Filth Eating Ghouls jumped out. As the first Ghoul let out a sound attack, he saw the other Ghouls in the periphery attack flinch. They moved with a dizzy gait, as if disoriented. Their sound attack. It affects them too! Yu Han hadn¡¯t noticed before because he had been too focused on one Filth Eating Ghoul¡¯s movements. Or perhaps he was too nervous? Yu Han came up with a n. The sound attack took somewhere from six to eleven Lifeforce points. If he could tank through it without losing focus, he could take advantage of their disorientation and wreak havoc. He willed the mirage to move to the next sound attack. Again, they¡¯re dizzy. Then the next one. Enough data points. Yu Han nodded, satisfied. He went through the fight again. A few more points stood out. They lived in literal excreta. Thinking logically, their olfactory senses would likely be subdued. Can¡¯t count on it, but let¡¯s note it as a possibility. How Yu Han would make use of that possibility, he did not know. He concentrated on their features next. Gaping maw, pointy teeth, jagged ws. Definitely getting an infection if that punctures me. He could not afford to be injured. Losing Lifeforce was fine, but no actual physical harm was eptable. What is Lifeforce, anyway? That was a question he¡¯d wondered about before He made a literal mental note on an echoed notebook to look more into it. The interaction of Lifeforce loss was weird, too. In tonight¡¯s fight, he was sure that none of the Ghouls¡¯ attacks pierced through his armour. So why did he lose Lifeforce still? Maybe the sound attack inflicted magical or Qi damage. Did normal attacks also have that? Yu Han shook his head. He shouldn¡¯t be pondering stuff with no clear answer yet. Their eyes. No two creatures had eyes in the same position. Let¡¯s try to confirm if they have bad vision. Wen Liujie mentioned that the Ghouls preferred darkness. Preferred. Meaning it was a choice? So counting light as arge weakness was out. But maybe they¡¯re sensitive to it. Yu Han remembered Huang Niuniu¡¯s power. He echoed the scene of her rampaging with the whip, trying to figure out if her light show had any effect. Yu Han wasn¡¯t an expert on Filth Eating Ghoul bodynguage, though, so he couldn¡¯t be sure. He made a note of a few movements, deciding to gather more data with more encounters. He swiped away the mirage. Then he echoed his own movements. It would be so much nicer if a life-sized Yu Han echo appeared. Instead, what appeared was the part of Yu Han¡¯s body he could see in his own vision, and a vague grey cloud denoting the rest of his body. The disembodied limbs moved with the halberd as the Filth Eating Ghouls attacked. I¡¯m too set on trying toplete a variation. When Yu Han started fighting, he would try to go through the offensive variation from start to finish, even though there was no need. It wasn¡¯t intentional. That was how he had practised for a month. It was muscle memory, the easiest thing to do. He had to learn how to best choose the individual forms of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. He brought up the Art window. [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 42 (+41)/200 ¡°Holy cow!¡± He jumped up. He¡¯d gained 41 Arts True Qi! Why? How? After a month of practice, he¡¯d barely earned one. This was the first time he¡¯d earned so much. No. The first time he¡¯d used Echoing Dreamscape¡ªto echo the green meteor that sted him to this world¡ªhe¡¯d earned more Arts True Qi too. Was it the actual use of the Art? The perilous situation? Fighting against monsters? In Xianxia stories, the protagonists would power up every time they went through a life-and-death fight, sometimes in the middle of those fights. Yu Han wasn¡¯t in a life-and-death fight. The danger wasn¡¯t high. But maybe actualbat had virtue? He went through the fight as many times as he could. Let¡¯s stick with the basic offensive stances. Stone Cutting Chop. Heavy Ox Swing. Ox Horn Pierce. When I pierced them, they got stuck on the halberd hook. He had to be careful of that. As he pondered and brainstormed, his eyes became heavy. Fuck. I forgot to check if the book disappeared. He woke up to the sound of rain. Taking a herbal branch and some salt, he washed and rinsed his mouth thoroughly, then went to the attached outhouse and finished his business. From his window, he could see a path leading to the proper Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Another led down to Huang Niuniu¡¯s house. Is she awake? Yu Han stretched. The first few times he¡¯d worked out without stretching, he couldn¡¯t move afterwards. It was sheer luck that he didn¡¯t rip a muscle. The rain stopped. Sometimes it wouldst for hours, other times only a few minutes. After warming up the legs, arms, torso, and neck, he took his halberd. The ground was wet, and in some ces muddy. He hopped over a puddle, then took a stance in the middle of the grassy yard. His feet were already wet. The wetness had bothered him at first., but he was used to it now. Last time, I could do twenty-one Stone Cutting Chops before hitting my failure point. Progressive Overload! He started with a set of eight. It was easy. Then sixteen. Harder yet. His arms felt weak, a line of sweat already forming on his forehead. He started the third set. Five¡­ Eleven¡­ Neen. ¡°Twenty. Twenty-one! Tweeenty-twooo!¡± He let the halberd drop. His muscles ached like they were on fire. He breathed in and out. It felt good. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Personal record broken. He would write it in his notebook after the exercise. Next, Heavy Ox Swing. Yu Han devised a specific protocol for this. He would first drag the halberd, then swing it in one direction. Using the leftover momentum, he would swing it in another direction. He would continue this until he was tired or lost his bnce. It was training his brakes¡ªthe pulling motion. Most people trained the pushing motion just fine, but neglected the pull. It was paramount to keeping his bnce. He didn¡¯t want to identally tumble while in a fight. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Afterwards, he held the Mountain Root Stance for fifteen minutes. Stability and legs! He did a hundred Swift Hoof Lunges. Cardio! He finished with multiple sets of slow, methodical Ox Horn Pierces and Grass-Cutting Hooks. Cool down! This was Yu Han¡¯s routine now. With enough grit and sweat, weight and cardio, he was going to get his abs back! Chapter 44: Numbers Chapter 44: Numbers ¡°You don¡¯t have time,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She stirred the Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite in the pot. ¡°And I don¡¯t have money.¡± Shedled arge portion into his bowl, and steam rose alongside a pungent aroma. By now, he was used to it. It smelled appetising, even. Was this what they called an acquired taste? In his previous life, many stinky foods were seen as delicacies in different parts of the world. Some even gained fame as probiotics. Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite was probiotics on steroids. ¡°That¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said after finishing his portion. He rubbed the scar on his nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any stipend for the first month.¡± From his pouch, he took out two objects. One was a wooden box, the other a vial. The vial was the Pure Qi Assimting Elixir they¡¯d received from Wen Liujie. Or rather, from the Alchemy Hall for being a Night Soil Collector. Yu Han opened the box, revealing a greenish-red pill. It had a coarse surface, as if many leaves had been pressed together to form a round shape. This was the Body Tempering Pill. Each rookie would receive one a month as a stipend. Yu Han didn¡¯t receive any spirit stones this month, but at least the pill and the five contribution points weren¡¯t taken away. Both had other ¡®official¡¯ names, given by their inventors and such. But in most ces, they were grouped together by their functions. One helped assimte Pure Qi, the other tempered the body. Huang Niuniu took hers out too. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I won¡¯t sell these.¡± ¡°Why?¡±¡°That¡¯s putting the cart before the donkey.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s verify that,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu gave him a resentful look. Yu Han pretended not to notice and cleared his throat. Both of them had agreed not to use the resources immediately after receiving them. Yu Han had suggested selling them. Would he have any face left if he didn¡¯t at least try to defend his position? ¡°Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite aside, the Vitality Spite is crucial. Other than raising our Vitality substat, it helps recover our Lifeforce,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Can you tell me why?¡± ¡°Without it, we¡¯ll have to wait longer between each time we clean up the Filth Eating Ghouls,¡± Huang Niuniu replied. ¡°If we sell these, we may continue the Vitality Spite for longer. We can hunt the monsters sooner. Get more Pure Qi. Well, that¡¯s just wishful thinking.¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Did you check the prices?¡± Yu Han nodded, taking out a notebook¡ªa bunch of coarse paper threaded together with hemp rope. ¡°The Body Tempering Pill goes for around ten spirit stones. The Pure Qi Assimting Elixir goes for anywhere from ten to fifteen. Let¡¯s say fifteen, for calction¡¯s sake. We get four elixirs a month. So with the pill, how much is that in spirit stones?¡± Huang Niuniu red at him. ¡°Really? Now?¡± ¡°The best way to learn is by using it in everyday life.¡± ¡°4 multiplied by 15 is¡­ 60? Adding 10 is 70! Huh? Even if we sell all of them, that¡¯s not even a week¡¯s worth of Vitality Spite.¡± Huang Niuniu beamed. ¡°How can things be that easy?¡± ¡°If we forget about Strength Spite, a month¡¯s Vitality Spite costs around 300 spirit stones.¡± Yu Han put the notepad away. ¡°How much do each of us have to pay?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s forehead scrunched up. ¡°One hundred fifty.¡± ¡°So how much do I owe you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool. 150.¡± Yu Han pped, and Huang Niuniu broke into a smile. ¡°How¡¯re you gonna pay them back?¡± Huang Niuniu asked with a grin. She extinguished the fire in the brazier and put the pot and bowls away. ¡°Put them on my tab,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay them backter.¡± ¡°There is no ter.¡¯ If you don¡¯t hurry up and get super strong, Sima Yan will take ter¡¯ away from you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She opened the window, and sunlight peered in. It was midday. There was no fog; the sky was blue and clear. ¡°Let¡¯s continue. I¡¯ll have to hunt 1,500 Filth Eating Ghouls to pay you back. Why?¡± ¡°10 cores per spirit stone. Multiplying 150, the number of Ghouls, by 10 is 1,500. Just add a zero at the end.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let me off the hook?¡± Yu Han pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m poor.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable. Can we even hunt more than 200 Filth Eating Ghouls a month? If we go ten nights a month, with each visit hunting 15 to 20 on average¡ª¡± That was a number they got from Senior Wen ¡°¡ªHow much is that?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°If 15, then we hunt 150 in total. Meaning 15 spirit stones. If 20 Ghouls, then the total number is 200, and we get 20 spirit stones! Easy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so proud. Even my niece could do this, and she isn¡¯t even three years old.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfair topare me to a merchant¡¯s family,¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. No, that¡¯s not¡ª The half-eaten remains of Yu Han¡¯s niece shed by his mind. He had meant his niece from his previous life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look sad.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes. Time. Money. Strength. ¡°Fine, be like that. Let¡¯s say I let you kill all the Filth Eating Ghouls without touching one,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You can pay me back in ten months? So you won¡¯t be needing any Vitality Spite in the meantime?¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even paying me for cooking.¡± Yu Han started stretching on the mat. They would go out soon, and it was a bad idea to walk a few kilometres without a proper warm-up. ¡°After paying you back, we¡¯ll hunt an extra 3,000bined for our monthly supply of Vitality Spite.¡± ¡°Are you nning on offending all the other Senior Brothers?¡± Huang Niuniu joined him in stretching. Trying to hunt 3,000 Filth Eating Ghouls meant they would monopolise the waste tanks. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go back to the idea of selling the cores, pills, and elixirs to make the money. How much are we short by?¡± Huang Niuniu was silent. ¡°The subtraction table,¡± Yu Han reminded her. ¡°Say we earn 10 spirit stones each selling the cores per month.¡± ¡°10 from the pill. 60 from the elixirs. 10 from the cores. 10 from the stipend. 90 doubled is 180. So subtracting from 300¡­ 120? I hate that you¡¯re forcing me to learn this.¡± ¡°Not my fault. I don¡¯t want to increase my debt. You teach me Imperial Script, and I¡¯ll teach you mathematics.¡± Huang Niuniu growled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose it.¡± Yu Han had given her a choice between Common Script and Math. Huang Niuniu had made quite the improvement, considering it had only been one month. ¡°I know. I want toin.¡± ¡°Comints bring pain. The best way is to shut up and do it.¡± Huang Niuniu proudly stuck her chest up. ¡°You¡¯re in for a world of pain soon, mister. Eleven months go by fast.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to put your lot in with me. And you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu covered Yu Han¡¯s mouth with her palms. ¡°I want to see how you¡¯ll fight back.¡± ¡°Sima Yan will probably target you too.¡± ¡°So we get him first, before we get Wu Di.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve invested all the spirit stones Senior Duan gave you on yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll help me fight Wu Di and Huang Linxue, won¡¯t you?¡± They weren¡¯t having the same conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s calcte Pure Qi next,¡± he said. Huang Niuniu pinched his cheeks. ¡°Violence won¡¯t save you from numbers!¡± ¡°Then please make it painless¡± Huang Niuniu pinched harder. ¡°Now say we won¡¯t sell the pills or the elixirs, so our earnings are around 20 spirit stones each per month with the stipend and the cores. But now, we can get around 70 Pure Qi each month too, and with the elixir, we might level up in two months.¡± ¡°How can I get Pure Qi if I let you kill all the monsters?¡± ¡°Say we team up.¡± ¡°You forgot that the elixir wastes some Pure Qi,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget. I was testing you.¡± Huang Niuniu rolled her eyes. ¡°¡®Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions¡¯ mentions that Pure Qi can be assimted to increase stats too, but we can¡¯t control the process.¡± ¡°Then if we want to level up, we¡¯ll have to use up the Pure Qi early using the elixir and turn them into True Qi.¡± Huang Niuniu pulled her hair. ¡°If we choose spirit stones for the Vitality Spite, we can¡¯t choose True Qi by using the elixir. If we choose Pure Qi to True Qi, we can¡¯t choose stats. Why is this so hard?¡± ¡°How can striving for immortality be easy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want it to be?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°I want it to be simple. And it is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°We have to earn enough spirit stones to get us enough Vitality and Strength Spite without selling the pill and elixirs. We have to kill enough monsters that we can choose both stats and True Qi for Pure Qi Assimtion.¡± Huang Niuniu raised her hands up. She walked away and brought out a woodenb. She had bought it from the marketce after much deliberation, then got offended when Yu Han told her to ¡°just buy it if she likes it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Yu Han said. He picked up one of the books stacked on Huang Niuniu¡¯s bed. There were two stacks. One had eleven books¡ªYu Han¡¯s original collection. The other had three so far, each made of coarse paper bound with hemp rope, simr to his notepad. ¡°Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions: From Body Tempering to Building Foundation.¡± ¡°Most Valuable Parts (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Checklist of Common Resources and Their Locations (Give to Junior Wang).¡± These were written in Imperial Script. ¡°I want you to read me Deadly Herbs next,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Not the Rookie Cheat Sheet?¡± ¡°Can I poison people with it?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Depends on who you ask. Do you wanna calcte Contribution Points next?¡± Huang Niuniu threw a book at his face. ¡°Hey! These are expensive.¡± Yu Han would read the contents aloud, she would write them down in Imperial. At the same time, she would exin the characters to him. Yu Han would sketch the diagrams with charcoal, though he was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to faithfully transfer the drawings. After enough buttering up from Huang Niuniu, he said, ¡°Fuck it,¡± and went ahead. Yu Han flipped through ¡°Most Valuable Parts¡± and ¡°Checklist of Common Resources.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take an External Mission,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll hunt monsters in the Hidden Realm.¡± They wouldn¡¯t earn enough from doing daily chores. They would have to gamble. Senior Wen had warned them. And in the books, the dangers were clearly outlined. ¡°Anything for power,¡± Huang Niuniu said. There was a dangerous gleam in her eyes as she trembled, fists clenched, teeth gritted. ¡°Shi Miao told me she got a hundred Pure Qi in a day there. We¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the n. One: We get the cores and other parts for the spirit stones by hunting monsters in the Hidden Realm. Let¡¯s not think about using the cores to grind our Traits for now. We don¡¯t have the alchemy recipe. Two: We buy the ingredients for the Vitality and Strength Spites with the spirit stones.¡± ¡°We could probably exchange the parts for Contribution Points too,¡± Huang Niuniu reminded him. ¡°We¡¯ll get some per External Mission too.¡± ¡°Three: Contribution Points. Four: The Pure Qi for both True Qi and Stats. Five: Plenty ofbat experience, Arts True Qi. Hitting five birds with one stone.¡± Yu Han finished listing off their priorities. ¡°In our dreams?¡± ¡°Six: Gather allies!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind inviting Fang Zhao, but not Li Yao.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thatter. First¡ª¡± ¡°We hunt the Filth Eating Ghouls?¡± Huang Niuniu interrupted. Yu Han nodded. They walked a few kilometres and arrived at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. There, they changed into Coveralls and took a donkey cart to the waste tank near the Outer Sect Marketce. ¡°Tell me about the crab,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han exined it in as much detail as he could. As they neared the Marketce, the density of disciples increased. Most scowled when they saw them. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the dung duo,¡± a sneering voice called out, apanied by a cacophony of jeers. ¡°One must know their standing, hide their filthy stench in the night. Why are Night Soil Collectors prowling about during daylight, the realm of the living?¡± Sima Yan blocked their path, surrounded by Pang Jiming, Ma San, and about a dozen other teenagers. Chapter 45: Round Two Chapter 45: Round Two ¡°Get them!¡± Yu Han shouted so loud that Sima Yan took a step back. Pang Jiming and Ma San drew their weapons, and the other teens followed suit. But Huang Niuniu acted fast. She jumped up onto the tarp-covered cart. Grabbing a shovel, she lifted the tarp and scooped up some leftover shit from the day before. ¡°Out of the way!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs, moving the shovel back as if she were about to fling it. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, whore!¡± Sima Yan scuttled back, sword held in front of him. ¡°Move away, or you¡¯ll get a face full of shit,¡± Yu Han said. By now, he¡¯d loaded his shovel too from the driver¡¯s coach. The donkey pulling the cart had stopped upon seeing the road blocked. Now, with Sima Yan out of the way, the creature slowly trotted forward. Sima Yan and Pang Jiming red at Yu Han with bloodshot eyes. Their sword hands trembled. Ma San looked as if he were about tosh out, but a hysteric "No!" from Sima Yan stopped him in his tracks. There were others around too¡ªordinary disciplesing and going from the Marketce. All stopped to look at the strange standoff. The shovels remained aimed at the dozen or so kids. The donkey moved forward. Soon, Sima Yan¡¯s group was left behind, boiling in rage.¡°That¡¯s what I fucking thought,¡± Yu Han yelled, spitting. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any honour, coward?¡± Sima Yan yelled back. Huang Niuniu made a motion as if to throw the load. Sima Yan yelped and immediately shut his mouth. Laughter rose from the onlookers. A Senior Brother bent over, pping his thigh. More followed. Sima Yan¡¯s face turned so red he looked like he was about to pop, and Pang Jiming put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re not worth it, my lord,¡± he said. ¡°Just some nobodies, without even the guts to go to Martial Arts training or meditation practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Brother Sima.¡± A girl grabbed Sima Yan¡¯s hand, pressing against him. ¡°Just a fatty and his fatter hag. What can they do?¡± ¡°Pang Jiming,¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°We¡¯re Cultivators now. Grow some balls of your own and quit licking Sima Yan¡¯s.¡± Insults were thrown back. There was a dangerous gleam in Ma San¡¯s eyes. Yu Han stared them down until they were out of sight. They dumped their shovel loads back onto the cart, and Huang Niuniu took her seat next to him on the coach. ¡°That girl was Liyi Tong if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Huang Niuniu shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s jealous of Shi Miao and Song Yinuo.¡± ¡°Not of you?¡± Yu Han stopped his gaze before it could linger on her curves. ¡°I¡¯ll blind you.¡± They went through the back roads of the marketce. As expected, the disciples in charge of maintaining order there didn¡¯t let them pass by with a stinky cartload. There were wooden shops between lines of tent-like stalls. Hundreds of disciples milled about. In the distance, they could see the Reward Hall, and beside that, the Mission Hall. The cart rounded a small hill. One side of it was filled with stalls mainly selling low-grade herbal potions and poultices. One vendor loudly touted his immortal pest repent, while two salvage dealers got into a fistfight trying to impress a customer. At the top of the hill were some cooking stalls selling unfussy food. The prices were cheap here, the worst of the lot doing business. Because rent was cheap¡ªafter all, the waste tank was just downhill. When they reached it, the sky had already clouded over. A grey gloom covered the sun. It would rain soon. ¡°We go by the n,¡± Yu Han said. He¡¯d shared his analyses from Deep Sleep. Huang Niuniu nodded, brandishing her ribbon whips. ¡°Sound and strike?¡± ¡°If things get tough, we run to the shrine.¡± Yu Han brought out the token and pointed it at the stone tank. The token glowed slightly, and a slight mental prick hit Yu Han. He epted the prick, just as Senior Wen taught him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The stone hatch opened. Despite the clouds, the daytime still offered enough light to see inside the tank. It was just a hollow cavity, with stone stairs going down. For a few minutes, nothing happened. One Filth Eating Ghoul peeked out. Then more. ¡°Ugly.¡± ¡°They literally eat shit, girl.¡± ¡°Maybe a hero will be born among them, with eyes in the right ces?¡± Huang Niuniu unsped the whip buckle, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. The Filth Eating Ghouls started gathering near the hatch, but they didn¡¯t step out. They growled, cried, screeched. In the daylight, their eyes didn¡¯t glow. Finally, one stepped out. It looked up at the sky, its mismatched eyes squinting. It gurgled, looked at Yu Han, and took a few more steps forward. Its brethren followed. The first one inhaled, its abdomen bulging. ¡°Ready?¡± Yu Han moved into a lunging stance. The Ghouls screeched. Lifeforce -7 The nausea hit. Yu Han gritted his teeth through it. The other Ghouls around the one that screeched stumbled, unsteady. ¡°Now!¡± Yu Han lunged forward with a Swift Hoof Lunge. The spear-like de of the halberd pierced the head of the Ghoul. Pure Qi +1 Two snaking whips shot out to Yu Han¡¯s left, wrapping around thenky upper limbs of two Ghouls. The whips pulled taut, and the two Ghouls were flung away. Yu Han breathed in so deeply that some of the stink bypassed the coverall helmet¡¯s protection. He yelled. The Ghouls who were trying to get up flinched back. Stone Cutting Chop! Heavy Ox Swing! The first attack sliced one, the next bisected two. Pure Qi +2 From the corner of his eye, he saw another creature being flung away by a whip. ¡°Remember to kill them!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t rush me!¡± a hoarse cry returned. Yu Han¡¯s shout served to disorient the three rushing at him, too. It was akin to strategies of shouting and nging metals to keep beasts away. He struck out with his halberd, mushing the brains of one. The other two managed to get their ws in. Lifeforce -11 ¡°Get away!¡± Yu Han shouted. They flinched but almost instantly pounced back. They¡¯re getting used to the sound. Yu Han kicked one away, but the other tried to bite his arm. Yu Han punched. Monsters though they may be, these creatures were only the size of toddlers. Yu Han chopped down and put it out of its misery. The one he kicked had somehow grabbed hold of his leg. Yu Han stomped on the monster. With a loud squelch, the Filth Eating Ghoul burst like a gore-filled balloon. ¡°Why won¡¯t you die?¡± a shrill voice yelled. Four Filth Eating Ghoulsy around Huang Niuniu with their heads twisted in the wrong direction. A fifth was trying to get her, and the girl was randomly whipping it. Finally, one whip managed to tangle the creature¡¯s torso. She pulled, and it flew towards her. She kicked out; the Ghoul flew back like a basketball. She ran up to it before it could get to its feet and jumped, stomping on its head with all her weight. The fight was over. ¡°I got 6 Pure Qi,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I have 5.¡± Yu Han had killed seven, while Huang Niuniu took care of five. ¡°The math is wrong!¡± Huang Niuniu said after counting. ¡°Maybe Pure Qi isn¡¯t given per kill. How¡¯s your Lifeforce? I lost 21.¡± ¡°¡­40.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you go hand-to-hand even though you have a weapon.¡± Yu Han handed her his dagger. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°This dagger cost 150 spirit stones.¡± Huang Niuniu kicked his shin lightly. No Lifeforce was lost, even though he lost some when Huang Niuniu hit him with friendly fire. Have to look it up. She took the dagger nheless. They removed the monster cores. They were given a special ded scoop for it. Then they dumped the corpses onto the cart. The well lid had to be removed manually. If it was a month ago, Yu Han would never have been able to do it. With Huang Niuniu helping, it wasn¡¯t that hard. The girl had her first Heavenly Allocation in Body, after all. And Yu Han suspected she had put quite a few points into Strength. They lowered therge bucket, then took out a long rope and tied the pulley of the well to the donkey. Then they entered the stone tank hatch. The cesspool stunk. There were a few strange nts growing here and there. ¡°Look, that one¡¯s like you.¡± Yu Han pointed at a brownish stalk with a leafy flower on top. The edges of the petals glowed slightly. Even in thentern light, the luminescence wasn¡¯t lost. ¡°That¡¯s an ingredient for the Fasting Brew!¡± Huang Niuniu perked up. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if we boil it.¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach dropped. He spat out some polite curses and started shovelling. After therge bucket was full, he went up and had the donkey pull it back. They spent an hour loading waste onto the cart. Afterwards, they headed up the hill again. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t rain, and the sky was clear again. They were nearing afternoon. ¡°Wait here,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She took a side path into the marketce. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 74 / 200 Pure Qi: 10 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 699 (-21) / 720 He assimted two Pure Qi into True Qi by normal meditation and gained five. Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms True Qi: 77 (+35) / 200 Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms showed good progress too. At this rate, he could level the mastery up in a few days. What a strange world. These Arts and stats. It was hard to consciously notice the differences when they went up. Yu Han didn¡¯t know if it was normal to be so proficient in just a month. In his past life, he¡¯d seen weapon masters on YouTube iming that real-world mastery might take years. On the contrary, in ancient times, many hastily drafted soldiers were farmers and serfs. They wouldn¡¯t have had much training, but they could cleave and chop and sever a head from a body nheless. Not to mention, most of thosemoner soldiers would use spears¡ªsomething quite close in form to a halberd. So is it the Art that¡¯s making me proficient? Or is it just a numerical representation of my natural proficiency? Huang Niuniu returned carrying a basket full of herbs. ¡°I can make the Fasting Brew now.¡± ¡°You realise we¡¯ll be eating those¡­ Is it a good idea to put them on a shit-covered cart?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if we boil them.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± Huang Niuniu stuck her tongue out. Despite that, the basket was thoroughly covered with fabric, so it probably wouldn¡¯t be contaminated. ¡°Next one?¡± Yu Han asked. The day was still young. ¡°We can. But Senior Wen said the other stone tank might have more monsters.¡± She thought for a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 46: Fasting Brew Chapter 46: Fasting Brew A disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall blocked their path near the next stone tank. ¡°The Night Soil Collectors conduct their business at night. Why are you two going around during the day?¡± the woman asked. She had one hand on the hilt of her sword. ¡°There¡¯s no rule about that,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s always been done,¡± the woman shot back. ¡°Not to mention having monsters running around during daytime.¡± ¡°The Filth Eating Ghouls are weak during the day. Do you want us to risk our lives and fight when they¡¯re at their strongest?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°To avoid being a bother?¡± ¡°Does Disciple Wen Liujie know?¡± ¡°We are free to choose our own itinerary,¡± Yu Han said. He didn¡¯t want to offend anyone, but he stood his ground. ¡°We¡¯ve had reports that you threatened to ruin public order by flinging waste materials on the streets,¡± the woman said. Damn that Sima Yan. ¡°Senior Sister, that¡¯s obviously a lie! What would we gain by doing that?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But I¡¯d like to make a report back.¡±¡°Oh? What is it?¡± ¡°This morning, someone tried to block our path to a waste tank. If we werete cleaning it, the waste would have clogged the cesspool, causing it to overflow into the outhouses in the area. Thank god we made it in time! I suspect it¡¯s a devious n against the Sect¡¯s public order.¡± Yu Han said, looking wronged. ¡°I¡¯m a weak rookie. The next time that happens, I¡¯ll probably bete cleaning up stone tanks. I¡¯ll head back and let Senior Wen know. Maybe he can personally clean it up.¡± The womanughed. ¡°Is that so? We in the Law Enforcement Hall will keep it in mind.¡± Wen Liujie was busy trying to break through, and so he had left most of the duties to younger disciples. The Night Soil Collectors, being an outcast group by their very nature, supposedly had a strong internal unity. Yu Han had yet to see it. But marking a stone tank and letting it simmer for far longer than necessary was amon tactic to petition for their rights. The woman stepped aside. Yu Han tapped the donkey with the stick, and the cart moved. He bowed to the woman. ¡°Was that okay? She¡¯s from the Law Enforcement Hall.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s brow creased. ¡°Did we break anyws?¡± ¡°Maybe an unwritten one. Senior Wen seemed pretty discontent when we told him we¡¯d be doing our rounds during the daytime.¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t written, it¡¯s fart.¡± Yu Han scoffed. ¡°Besides, that Senior Sister wasn¡¯t angry at us. Whoever made the stupid report made her go out of her way to check the matter. She had to warn us, and she did.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°If not, she¡¯d insist, and we¡¯d have no choice but to turn back. She¡¯s probably more pissed off at Sima Yan¡¯s group.¡± Huang Niuniu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Yu Han knew internal review¡ªat least at Nexus Assurance Auditing, thepany he worked at for most of his life. Those bastards earned free money sitting on their butts. They wanted no trouble; they just wanted to drink coffee and cash in checks for doing nothing. Even if there were problems, it didn¡¯t concern them unless it was reported. They¡¯d only go out of their way to investigate if it was serious stuff like embezzlement or insider trading. If someone made a formal report, though, no matter how minor the issue, they¡¯d have to investigate, even if just for show. It wasted valuable time they could spend on real problems, creating thankless work. They arrived at the next stone waste tank. ¡°Ready?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu nodded. She took the vanguard this time. Yu Han opened the hatch. Soon, Filth Eating Ghouls gathered near the entrance. They snarled, but stayed inside. The daylight was bright; it didn¡¯t seem like it would rain soon. Even when clouds blocked the sun, it wasn¡¯t dark enough. ¡°Can we lure them out?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°What if we throw a ghoul corpse? Maybe they¡¯ll get mad and rush out?¡± Yu Han suggested. ¡°Or they might get scared,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°How about we dump some waste? They¡¯ll be attracted to the food!¡± ¡°There¡¯s way more in the cesspool. They don¡¯t have toe out into the sun for that.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. They fell silent. Time passed, and Huang Niuniu took a few careful steps forward. As she neared the entrance, the Filth Eating Ghouls snarled louder. The leading monster reached out, about to jump, but controlled itself. ¡°This much should be enough,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Sheshed out with her whip, wrapping it around the torso of the leading Filth Eating Ghoul. ¡°Come here!¡± she shouted, pulling the whip. The Filth Eating Ghoul flew, and as it neared, Huang Niuniu unsheathed the dagger and stabbed it into the monster¡¯s head. The remaining creatures were instantly riled up. They growled, then rushed at her. ¡°Nice thinking,¡± Yu Han praised. Her ribbon whips had a range of about twelve feet, long enough to keep her safe while attacking. ¡°Next time, we could probably just throw a stone.¡± ¡°Should¡¯ve said that sooner,¡± Huang Niuniu grumbled. She let the dagger fall at her feet and unsped the other ribbon whip. ¡°Take some distance.¡± Yu Han jumped a few steps back. Huang Niuniu took a stance with both her feet slowly dragging on the ground. Her arms moved, and the ribbon whips danced in the air. The cloth ribbons fluttered like silken mes, but their heavy whip cores struck the stone ground with surprising force. They tore the air with loud whooshing sounds, and when colliding with the ground, the noise echoed like beating drums. ¡°This is so annoying,¡± Huang Niuniuined. Her Martial Art was called Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance. The previous two times, because she¡¯d been using the ribbon whips like normal whips, she didn¡¯t gain much Arts True Qi. She had to go through the motions of the dance. ¡°I can¡¯t fight like this,¡± she said. ¡°The loud noise is keeping the monsters at bay, though,¡± Yu Hanmented. The motion of the whips was less erratic, but because Huang Niuniu was concentrating on the dance, she couldn¡¯t skillfully bind the monsters or throw them. The Filth Eating Ghouls tried jumping her, but they would either be hit by the whip or be disoriented because of the noise. For some strange reason, though, all twenty-two monsters kept their focus on Huang Niuniu and didn¡¯t try to bypass her to attack Yu Han. ¡°The noise scares them, but it also attracts them?¡± Yu Han guessed. The swishing sound of the ribbon whips was loud enough to drown out his voice. ¡°What did you say?¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°Keep dancing like that. Try to hit as many Filth Eating Ghouls as you can,¡± Yu Han said. Whenever he saw a disoriented monster, he¡¯d jab out with the halberd. Slowly, the Filth Eating Ghouls got used to the sound and didn¡¯t get disoriented. ¡°My arms hurt,¡± Huang Niuniuined. She¡¯d been dancing for almost fifteen minutes now. ¡°Eight left!¡± With her tanking the aggro, Yu Han had been able to pick off fourteen of them one by one. Some of the Ghouls tried to use their sonic attack. But every time they tried, Huang Niuniu would interrupt them with a whish, then Yu Han would lunge in and finish the work. After five minutes, Huang Niuniu copsed onto her back. She threw her helmet off, her shoulder-length hair sticking to her sweaty forehead. Yu Han killed thest monster with a Heavy Ox Swing. ¡°Finally,¡± she gasped. ¡°Let me check¡ª¡± She shot up to a sitting position. ¡°74 Arts True Qi! And 1 Pure Qi.¡± Yu Han checked his own gains. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 74 / 200 Pure Qi: 22 (+12) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 692 (-7) / 720 Next, the Art. Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms True Qi: 92 (+15) / 200 ¡°My Martial Art only gained 15 True Qi,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll conclude that even if one doesn¡¯t give a monster the finishing blow, as long as they participate in the battle, they¡¯ll get a fair share of Pure Qi. On the other hand, even if I¡¯m the one killing the monsters, my Martial Arts True Qi won¡¯t increase much unless I use it in the battle in a meaningful way.¡± ¡°Duh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to verbalize this.¡± ¡°Pull me up.¡± Yu Han grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. They harvested the cores and threw the corpses in the cart. It was about eighty percent full already. Next was the hardened nodules. The duo made their way to the King Earthworm Gorge, dumping all the waste and corpses into the crevice. ¡°Feels like I¡¯mmitting an environmental crime.¡± On Earth, manypanies would try to save costs by illegal dumping. It would destroy the ecosystem, but save their wallets. Here, however, they had magic to take care of all the side effects. ¡°Do you wanna go down there?¡± Huang Niuniu peered down the stairway. The stairs going down into the gorge itself were wide, but had no guardrails. One slip, and it was straight down to excreta hell. ¡°No thanks,¡± Yu Han said, crossing his arms. ¡°Maybe we can find more precious herbs? Or the deadly ones?¡± ¡°No thanks!¡± ¡°What a bore.¡± They stopped by the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard to clean up, where they met a few coworkers. Some talked, others were silent. The Coveralls were ced in their proper storage, allowing the cuts to self-mend by some alchemy magic. There was still daylight when they returned home. Huang Niuniu prepared the Fasting Brew. It was mostly various herbs, roots, and flowers boiled in water. ¡°Calorie zero?¡± Yu Hanmented. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Kai Luo Lie?¡¯¡± ¡°The amount of energy in food. It¡¯s the evil stuff that makes you fat!¡± Huang Niuniu scuttled back and patted her body. ¡°You think I¡¯m fat?¡± ¡°Not ¡®you¡¯ you. ¡®You¡¯ as in the general people.¡± The brew had a pale yellow colour. Huang Niuniu scooped out the nts and ced them in a pot. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like p¡ª¡± ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡± ¡°If you have nothing good to say, don¡¯t say it,¡± she said adamantly. Yu Han sipped the brew and cringed. It was like licking rock salt. She didn¡¯t even put salt in it, so why was it so¡ª The bitterness hit. ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± ¡°Gulp it down. Wash it down with water,¡± Huang Niuniu led by example. Her white face turned green, then purple. Yu Han pinched his nose and did the same. ¡°Ugh.¡± He trudged back home. With no motivation to train, he fell on the bed. Wait, I have to¡ª He sat up and took out a vial from his sack. Huang Niuniu and he had agreed to take the Pure Qi Assimting Elixir tonight. Senior Wen had advised them to take it either while doing a closed-door cultivation in a cultivation cave or before sleep. He popped the vial and chugged it down. The mellow sweetness touched his tongue, tasting like cough medicine. In his Dreamscape, the crab appeared again, reenacting their previous interactions. It dropped more strange pearls. Some of the previous pearls had turned sapphire blue, the mirage inside of them still obscure butparatively clearer. The hole in the Dreamscape wall was child-sized this time, and the crab¡¯s size was simr to arge dog. It went away, disheartened. Yu Han did more tests. His conclusion: echoed events and objectssted about 1.2 times longer. They had clearer details. The area of the dreamscape had also increased a tiny bit. The next morning, Yu Han woke up screaming. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 47: New Plans ¡°I knew this was a bad idea!¡± Yu Han screamed. He heaved himself out of bed and rushed to the outhouse. He¡¯d had the Fasting Brew, then a magical cultivation drug. An upset stomach was the least of his worries. After half an hour, Fatty Yu came out with weak knees. ¡°Fuck hole-in-the-ground toilets, fuck water rocks. I¡¯m going to make indoor plumbing andmode toilets if it¡¯s thest thing I do¡ª¡± He stopped, then headed back in again. The curses continued for two hours. Squatting that long should give me at least a point in Endurance. When he was done, he filled a bucket with water. It would be a poor bath, but with soap from the hot spring, at least he¡¯d feel clean. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 78 (+9) / 200 Pure Qi: 11 (-11) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 711 / 720 [Mind Origin: 16.13] [Body Origin: 6.00] [Spirit Origin: 8.20] ¡°Huh?¡± It worked. He¡¯d gained 9 True Qi. Assuming 1 or 2 were from Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique and natural True Qi gain, 7 or 8 were from assimted Pure Qi. So 3 Pure Qi was wasted. Not a bad deal by any means. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 189 (+8) / 200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 179 (+40) / 400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 188 (+55) / 200 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 127 (+35) / 200 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 37 (+12) / 200 Next, traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing m Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0 / 1100 Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 2 (+1) / 800 Yu Han stared at the Qi Affinity trait. Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemtions alluded to a lot of things, and Senior Wen had confirmed a lot of the allusions. ? If a cultivator had Mortal Grade Qi Affinity¡ªwhich was Common Talent that shone red with the Talent Orb¡ªtheir usual limit would be the Qi Gathering Realm. For Refined Talents¡ªElite Grade Qi Affinity¡ªthe limit was Foundation Building. For Profound Talents, with Qi Affinity above Elite like Wu Di¡¯s, they could aim to break through Foundation Building. With enough practice and dedication, and a little bit of luck, going from Body Tempering to Qi Gathering wouldn¡¯t be an issue. But for Common Talents like Yu Han, Huang Niuniu, and Senior Wen Liujie, they would spend most of their lives trying to grind the Qi Affinity to the next Grade. That would require monster cores, treasured herbs, special pills, and other immortal opportunities. Yu Han dried himself with a hemp towel, then filled the water bucket again and used it as a mirror. The scar was ugly. He got dressed and grabbed the halberd. It was time for morning training; he could worry about immortal opportunities another time. Neglecting daily progress through grit and sweat would be the height of folly. This training would be the very thing that would enable him to grasp future opportunities. After two hours, with one light drizzle in between, hepleted the final form of the fifth Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Form variation. Stat gained. Endurance: 6 -> 7 Strength: 6 -> 7 [Body Origin: 6.00 -> 6.40] Lifeforce: 711 / 768 (+48) ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Yu Han cheered. Two stats into Body. He¡¯d decided to go all-in with Memory, so it was blessings from the heavens that he had Huang Niuniu and her Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite. As for Endurance, Yu Han guessed it was all the cardio he was doing. On that end, all the aerobic and anaerobic exercise should be contributing to both Endurance and Strength. He continued training. Mountain Root Stance! Stone Cutting Chop! Swift Hoof Lunge! Grass-Cutting Hook! One form after another, one variation after the next. He felt stronger; he could go further. With this, I can take care of the Filth Eating Ghouls more easily. The increased Lifeforce would give him more leeway too. Hidden Realm, wait for me! He would get all the monster cores he could to grind up his Qi Affinity. He trained for two more hours. It was easy with the regr pings to progression, though it wasn¡¯t always a stat gain. It could be merely a progression of True Qi, whether realm or Arts, or it could be an observable difference in what he could do. Either way, every bit was a huge dopamine spike. Yu Han was getting addicted. ¡°Did you have an upset tummy too?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Holy cow!¡± Yu Han jumped back. The halberd slipped from his hands¡ªluckily, he always trained while the de was sheathed. ¡°You scared me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a cow!¡± Huang Niuniu yelled. ¡°Mother was a vige girl. It¡¯s actually a verymon name in the countryside. It¡¯s even lovable. Why does everyone keep¡ªnevermind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an insult. It¡¯s an exmation, like ¡®By the Heavens!¡¯ or ¡®Oh my god.¡¯¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°¡­ Hong Doudou.¡± ¡°Red Bean?¡± Yu Han pursed his lips. He would not chuckle! ¡°How much True Qi did you get?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, scowling. She had definitely noticed his grin. ¡°Eleven.¡± Huang Niuniu stared. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I got the same,¡± she said suspiciously. ¡°We have to get more Pure Qi Assimting Elixirs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re aiming to be an alchemist. Make more for us,¡± Yu Han said. Behind Huang Niuniu, a tall young man walked their way on the dirt road. ¡°Why¡¯s he here?¡± Huang Niuniu frowned as she followed Yu Han''s gaze. ¡°Tubs! Good news,¡± Li Yao called as he ran toward them. ¡°I got a trait.¡± He had two swords slung on his waist on both sides and wore sleeveless robes. His hair had grown out, and there was a hint of stubble. It didn¡¯t cover up the scar on his face, making it look more pronounced. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get drunk tonight. All booze on me,¡± Li Yao said, giving Yu Han a fist bump. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll never say no to free food.¡± ¡°You better say no,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Or was it a lie that you wanted to lose weight?¡± ¡°Stop butting in, woman.¡± Li Yao scowled. ¡°Stop enabling him, boy,¡± Huang Niuniu shot back. As they argued, an intense battle waged within Yu Han. What¡¯s going on? Just a moment ago, I wasn¡¯t hungry at all. But now an intense, overpowering desire for some good, sugary drinks welled up inside him. He punched the fence. ¡°Tubs?¡± Li Yao looked bbergasted. ¡°Sorry Li Yao. I¡¯m not drinking,¡± Yu Han replied gloomily. ¡°Seriously?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Well, good job rejecting. Wanna know what my trait is?¡± ¡°And how you got it.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t got a clue.¡± Li Yao walked past him to the yard. With both hands, he smoothly unsheathed his swords. They were old iron¡ªone had a wooden hilt while the other one had metal. He dual-wielded both swords, then jumped into motion. His right sword maderge, sweeping shes, while the left sword was more precise. As he moved, the silver sword sh seemed to dance in the light. It would pierce, thrust, cut. Simultaneously, the other sword would sh, chop, sever. Both hands moved without obstructing each other. If Yu Han were to fight him, he would lose. Maybe if I use my longer range? No, Li Yao would easily block. His scar looks better than mine too. Bastard. Li Yao¡¯s sword disy finished. He didn¡¯t look tired at all, a huge grin on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the trait called?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Ambidextrous Sword Arms,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I was practicing the sword technique you gave me with my left hand, and my original one with my right. And before I knew it, I had the trait.¡± How did he get such a good deal? Yu Han was amazed. ¡°Hey, hey. Let¡¯s meet up at Barfing Dragon Tavern this evening. You¡¯ll have time after your work, right?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I still think that name is extremely disrespectful. Dragons are sacred creatures.¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. ¡°No booze, only food,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°Will we sell the cores?¡± Huang Niuniu shook her head. ¡°We need to cultivate our Bloodlines. It¡¯s better to keep it.¡± ¡°I would rather not use cores from Filth Eating Ghouls for that. We¡¯ll have to refine the cores to an elixir, right? I say we sell these ones and get less¡­ unhygienic cores.¡± ¡°The Night Alchemists only receive tutge regarding Night Alchemist matters. Senior Wen was drying Filth Eating Ghoul carcasses for a pill too. I¡¯m sure I can use it somehow. At least for practice. But if you insist¡ª¡± Yu Han held his hands up. ¡°Then you practice. We can get more in the Hidden Realm, in any case.¡± She¡¯s too easy to give up on what she wants. Girl, you have to be more assertive! By now, Huang Niuniu had be Yu Han¡¯s second-best friend. She wanted something from him, and he was sure she had some ns. But other than being evasive, she treated him sincerely. Nurturing connections, huh? Yu Han remembered the words of his past-life father. Dad wasn¡¯t wrong. With friends, even the icy cold world could give him warmth. ¡°Hidden Realm?¡± Li Yao looked excited. ¡°You guys nning to go? You¡¯ll need an official Sect-sanctioned External Mission for that.¡± Huang Niuniu and Yu Han exchanged nces. She looked discontented, but Yu Han decided to push. ¡°Want to join?¡± ¡°Fucking need to ask?¡± Li Yao grabbed both his shoulders and shook him. ¡°I¡¯m in! When, where, how? What do I need to do?¡± ¡°Let go,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We have our ways.¡± Because of the stigma associated with Night Soil Collectors, not many joined. They were always treated like second-ss disciples, like taboos not to be associated with. It made sense. Even in mortal cities, they were the lowest of the low ss. Here though, it was important work. A job that needed to be done. So the Sect, the Medical Hall, and the Alchemy Hall had put in many incentives. Pure Qi Assimting Elixirs. Mortal Grade Alchemical Methods that Huang Niuniu was eyeing. The hot springs, the Coveralls, and many more. ¡°That¡¯s Fang Zhao,¡± Li Yao said. The red-eyed young man trod the same path Li Yao did. He soon reached the three. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Yu Han asked. The young man looked up. ¡°The sky?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a greeting.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Fang Zhao said. He looked down. ¡°Are you busy now? There¡¯s a matter I¡¯d like to ask Brother Yu and Sister Huang.¡± The three exchanged nces. ¡°What is it?¡± Fang Zhao looked troubled. But he soon gathered himself. His fists were clenched, eyes resolute. ¡°Would you like to go to the Hidden Realm with me?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 48: Boy Wonder Chapter 48: Boy Wonder ¡°Whoa, what a¡ª¡± Li Yao started to say. ¡°Shush, man,¡± Yu Han interrupted him. He turned to Fang Zhao. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside,¡± Fang Zhao replied. Yu Han moved aside, and the four of them entered his hut. Huang Niuniu put the fire on in the brazier and ced some tea in the pot. It was cheap stuff that needed to be boiled rather than brewed, bought alongside other herbs at the Marketce. ¡°Is she your wife or what?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Didn¡¯t think Tubs would be the first one to find a girl.¡± Huang Niuniu used the fire-poking stick to fling a burning piece of firewood towards Li Yao. ¡°Whoa, crazy bitch!¡± Li Yao yelped. ¡°My hut! My hut¡¯s gonna burn, you idiot!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°Sister Huang, calm. Calm! Take a deep breath.¡± Fang Zhao said, sweating.Huang Niuniu tried to hit Li Yao with a ming stick, and the three of them had to calm her down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Li Yao said, and she finally relented. She picked up a broom and swept away the ash and char. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new mat,¡± she muttered, ring murderously at Li Yao with bloodshot eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Just a mat. You can reduce my tab.¡± Yu Han wiped his forehead. This girl had some random triggers. The interlude passed, and they sat down with warm cups of tea, drinking in silence. Li Yao looked nervously at Huang Niuniu, who in turn sat quietly next to Yu Han. Fang Zhao put his cup down. ¡°I¡¯m from the Trueforge Fang n.¡± There was silence. ¡°It¡¯s a big n from the Divine Xia Capital!¡± Fang Zhao insisted. Three heads tilted in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s far stronger than the Stormy Reef Sect. We have our own Province! That¡¯s like a hundred of your White Lotus or Martial Eagle Kingdoms put together. I¡¯m telling you, our patriarch¡ª¡± ¡°We get it, geez. So you¡¯re a big shot. Then why do you want to go into the Hidden Realm, and why with us?¡± Li Yao asked. He hadposed himself, and his questions were important, though Yu Han would have liked it if Fang Zhao could give more information about himself. A cripple. Large n. And wasn¡¯t there something about his engagement being broken? ¡°I worked as a porter, but the Courtyard I affiliated with let me go,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°You were kicked out?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Fang Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°I didn¡¯t take any spirit stones or cores, not even meat and bones. All I needed was the blood.¡± ¡°So why were you let go?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Even though you¡¯re from such an impressive family? Young masters are treated well anywhere, aren¡¯t they?¡± She bit her lip. Li Yao and Yu Han knew her history, but Fang Zhao didn¡¯t. Yu Han hoped he wouldn¡¯t unknowingly trigger her. ¡°It¡¯s exactly because of that. I¡­ didn¡¯t leave the family on the best terms. I wasn¡¯t supposed to even be in the Stormy Reef Sect. And I¡¯m not the only person from the Divine Capital here. A Core Disciple summoned the leader of our Courtyard, and¡­ well, I¡¯m ashamed to admit that my behavior in the capital wasn¡¯t up to par.¡± Although he said that, there was no shame or guilt on his face. ¡°Core Disciple, huh?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°They¡¯re all monsters who reached Foundation Building before the age of fifty. No wonder¡ªa puny Courtyard boss in the Outer Sect wouldn¡¯t dare go against him.¡± He thought for a bit, then continued, ¡°But you¡¯re asking Tubs, who is far weaker than that Courtyard boss, to do exactly that.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes widened, as if she¡¯d just realised it. ¡°I knew it. You young masters are always¡ª¡± ¡°Huang Niuniu,¡± Yu Han interrupted, trying the trick she used against Song Yinuo and Shi Miao. ¡°Call me Niu¡¯er!¡± ¡°Then tell me what your trait is¡ª¡± ¡°Not here.¡± Huang Niuniu covered his mouth. ¡°I promise, I will. Not here.¡± Li Yao rolled his eyes at their antics, but turned back to Fang Zhao. ¡°As it happens, Tubs, Cow Girl, and I n on going to the Hidden Realm soon.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°People always go ¡®missing¡¯ in the Hidden Realms, if you know what I mean. Why would we take the risk to bring you, who¡¯s got Core Disciples on your back? Not to mention, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re a cripple?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Fang Zhao hesitated. ¡°Why?¡± Li Yao pressed. ¡°Are you going to be dead weight? We¡¯re small-time folks here, just some bumpkins from a countryside kingdom¡ªnothing grand like whatever Divine Capital.¡± Fang Zhao looked down, his face shrouded in thought. Li Yao took the chance to gesture at Yu Han. Yu Han nodded. He wished he could say he didn¡¯t care about offending the Core Disciple by befriending Fang Zhao. After all, Fang Zhao didn¡¯t care when Yu Han offended Sima Yan, or rather, his Inner Sect cousin. If he said that, though, it would be a lie. But he still wanted to give Fang Zhao a chance. A connection of goodwill, no matter how small, must be nurtured. ¡°Brother Fang, what can you offer?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°And what do you need in return?¡± ¡°How can we trust you?¡± Huang Niuniu added, her hostility towards Fang Zhao clear as day. Time passed. It started raining, then stopped again. When Yu Han finished his third cup of tea, Fang Zhao finally looked up. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, then. About my past,¡± he said. ¡°What I need is blood, and in return, the only thing I can offer is a debt of gratitude.¡± --- Fang Zhao awakened his spirit root when he was ten. His first days of cultivation were fast, with his n¡¯s full backing. Within a week, he filled his True Qi at level 0 and saw the tribtion. That was when things went wrong. On the eighth day, his True Qi returned to 0 / 110. ¡°How?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of True Qi going down¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt,¡± Huang Niuniu warned. She was oddly invested in the story. Fang Zhao gave her a faint smile, then continued speaking. His family tried everything, from having him y monsters to feeding him treasured pills and elixirs valuable enough to buy kingdoms. Nothing worked. Even if he filled up his Pure Qi reserves, they would deplete too. As for his Arts, his family had very strict rules regarding them. The Fang n cultivated a special lineage of earth-rted traits. Gems, jewels, orbs. At level 1, they would awaken special bloodline Traits, and it was forbidden to cultivate any Art that didn¡¯t fall into one of the n¡¯s cultivation ns. So he never learned any Arts either. Day after day, month after month, he toiled away. But no matter what he did, his True Qi and Pure Qi would always revert back to zero. When he was fifteen, his parents went to find an elusive cure in a dangerous Hidden Realm. ¡°Did they return?¡± Yu Han asked, clenching his fist. Missing parents! Fang Zhao shook his head. ¡°I¡¯vee to terms with their passing. The n didn¡¯t give up on me though, even after that. My grandfather, the patriarch, still¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°But I¡ª¡± He lost hope. In grief, he indulged¡ªwine, women, gambling. ¡°I knew it, you young masters are all the same!¡± Huang Niuniu said, looking disgusted as Fang Zhao continued his story. But again, there was no shame in his face or voice. ¡°I know. I¡¯m disgusting. My fianc¨¦e broke off our engagement.¡± ¡°She did well.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d be disappointed too.¡± Fang Zhao didn¡¯t care back then. His bad behaviors continued. For how much he couldn¡¯t excel in cultivation, he excelled in bedding women, losing n money, and throwingvish, unspeakable parties. ¡°Holy hell, man, can you invite me next time¡ªOuch!¡± Li Yao shut his mouth after a kick from Huang Niuniu. ¡°I didn¡¯t really care about the engagement. I feel sorry that the Fang n lost face. But what really hurt was when my best friend abandoned me.¡± A scion of a n just as prestigious as the Fang. The man had apparently stuck with him even as the n retracted their support. ¡°But I messed up,¡± Fang Zhao admitted. That was the first time he showed guilt. He crossed a line he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°What did you do?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I pped his fianc¨¦e¡¯s butt.¡± ¡°¡­Dude,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao facepalmed. Huang Niuniu looked like she was about to p someone. ¡°I know, I know. I regret it! I was drunk, I was pissed off at his high expectations. Why was he the only one not disappointed in me? I wanted to see if I could push and push and¡ªwell, yeah. His fianc¨¦e beat me up and strung me from the city gates. If it wasn¡¯t for him, she would have killed me then and there. An imperial princess¡ªeven the patriarch couldn¡¯tin.¡± ¡°Yeah, if he did, I¡¯d p his butt,¡± Huang Niuniu muttered. ¡°Wait, no. That came out wrong! What I mean is, I¡¯m angry at you. Why are you looking at me like that?¡± She pushed Yu Han¡¯s face away. Li Yaoughed. The mood lightened. ¡°He told me to never show my face in front of him. My grandfather¡­ he didn¡¯t exile me. Not until I took the Bloodline Awakening Elixir.¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say your n naturally awakens a Trait at Level 1?¡± Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°Taking the Elixir would awaken apletely different Trait. And I did. I¡¯m d that I at least get to keep the Fang name. But the n has disowned me otherwise.¡± ¡°Why would you take the risk?¡± ¡°I needed a Trait that could help me cultivate True Qi.¡± After his best friend severed all connection, his life took its lowest turn. Not even his other debaucherous friends joined him in parties. He was the butt of all jokes, even among the courtesans. That was fine. He didn¡¯t drink, didn¡¯t eat, didn¡¯t indulge. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I was looking at the sky one day, and it was like I woke up from a dream.¡± ¡°Atta man, brother,¡± Li Yao praised. ¡°Easy to say without proof,¡± Huang Niuniu countered. ¡°I needed to cultivate. Somehow, anyhow, no matter the cost. So I awakened the Trait, Red Fiend Ancestry, from an elixir made out of the True Blood of a powerful Red Fiend¡ªa monster that could rival the Sect Leader in strength.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you get the money?¡± ¡°My parents had left me some funds in case of emergencies.¡± He touched his ring. It wasn¡¯t the golden one on his left ring finger, but a nondescript stone one on his right index. The Trait gave him the Bloodline Art called Cyclic Lifeblood Conversion. He could use the blood of others to heal. At Level 0, the effect was so minor it wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning. But the other perk was what mattered. He would drink the blood of beasts, and gain True Qi. The Trait apparently helped him conserve some True Qi too. ¡°I have¡­ more control over True Qi now. I can preserve 2 True Qi for a night, without it depleting the next day. I need more blood to train the trait too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I need to go to the Hidden Realm.¡± ¡°Not monster cores?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°The Bloodline Refining Elixirs, a special family of elixirs made from monster cores and blood, can work too, but most other elixirs won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°And so you want to join us,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Wow. What a story. You were fucking trash.¡± ¡°Finally, you said something good,¡± Huang Niuniu agreed. Fang Zhao could only smile. He ced a pouch in front of him, then bowed. ¡°As a Level 0, I can¡¯t take any Hidden Realm missions. But Brother Yu, as a Night Alchemist, you can take me. Take this unworthy Fang Zhao with you. This pouch has a thousand spirit stones, thest in my possession, but the debt will not be paid back. Just give me time, and I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Where did you get that ring?¡± Yu Han interrupted. ¡°The golden one, with the cat engravings.¡± Chapter 49: The Ring Am I really doing this? Yu Han asked himself. I am. This world has VR mechanics. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it had other tropes too. ¡°Brother Yu?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°This is just a cheap ring. If you want, I can give you my other ring. It¡¯s¡­ precious, and I can¡¯t make it work for you. But when I reach Core Formation¡ª¡± ¡°A Level 0 dreaming of Core Formation? Fang Zhao, you¡¯re ambitious.¡± Li Yaoughed. ¡°Hey, Yu Han! That¡¯s a thousand spirit stones. Let¡¯s take Fang Zhao to the Hidden Realm a few times; he can at least carry our luggage. It¡¯s way better than a stupid ring.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes were glued to the pouch with the spirit stones. Since when was she such a money-grubber? Yu Han ignored them and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want the ring. I¡¯m just curious when and where you got it. The designs on it are interesting¡ªit¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a cat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tiger, Brother Yu,¡± Fang Zhao replied hoarsely, his other hand covering the ring. ¡°It¡¯s just a trinket I picked up from a random vendor.¡± ¡°When?¡±¡°I don¡¯t remember. Was it after the celebration party of my awakening? I don¡¯t know.¡± Fang Zhao¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Was it before the crippling symptoms showed up, or after?¡± Yu Han pressed. ¡°Come on, Tubs, it¡¯s just a ring.¡± Li Yao gave him a pat. ¡°No need to be so concerned about it.¡± His fingers squeezed Yu Han¡¯s shoulder painfully. ¡°I think it was before my True Qi started depleting,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Maybe the previous day.¡± ¡°So it was after your awakening, but before the True Qi depletion,¡± Yu Han said with arge smile. He was following Xianxia tropes here, but the feeling of unveiling a mystery was amazing. Wait, don¡¯t be hasty. Maybe it¡¯s just my imagination, Yu Han chided himself. That was when he noticed something strange. Fang Zhao, Huang Niuniu, and Li Yao¡¯s veins were bulging, and their eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Guys?¡± Yu Han said, a bad premonition stirring. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring. You shouldn¡¯t question it so much, Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu hugged his upper arm so hard it hurt. ¡°Yeah, my sister-inw is right. Just a ring. Nothing special. It can¡¯t be the thing causing the True Qi depletion, right, Brother Fang?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Brother Li makes sense. It¡¯s just a ring,¡± Fang Zhao said forcefully. What¡¯s going on? The bad feeling intensified. Why didn¡¯t Huang Niuniu react to that sister-inwment? Think¡ªOh my god, this is mind stuff! ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a ring,¡± Yu Han said in a panic. ¡°Huh?¡± Huang Niuniu let go of him, followed by Li Yao. Li Yao looked around as if he was unable to focus his eyes on one thing. ¡°What did I¡­?¡± ¡°Niu¡¯er, Li Yao, let me and Brother Fang have a chat,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But stand guard near the fence just in case.¡± ¡°Why? Are you keeping a secret from me?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Her eyes lit up. ¡°You called me Niu¡¯er!¡± ¡°Keeping a secret from us?¡± Li Yao grinned. But Yu Han¡¯s expression was grim. He nodded at Li Yao, and the other man grew serious. ¡°Fine, Tubs. You better exinter. Let¡¯s go, Sister Huang.¡± Li Yao took off, dragging the confused girl behind him. ¡°Let me go, you brute!¡± They closed the door behind them. Thest thing Yu Han saw was Huang Niuniu¡¯s scrunched-up face. ¡°Brother Yu, is there something you¡¯d like to ask?¡± Fang Zhao said. He seemed unable to remember the previous interaction. ¡°If it makes you trust me, then¡ª¡± ¡°Take off that ring.¡± ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s just a ring.¡± His voice turned hoarse. He squeezed his left finger with his other hand so hard it bruised. ¡°Take it off!¡± Yu Han yelled. If it¡¯s dangerous, then there¡¯s no need to risk Li Yao or Huang Niuniu. Yu Han didn¡¯t mind risking Fang Zhao, though. Whatever the secret of the ring was, he would take it as investing in a wildcard. This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s just a ring!¡± Fang Zhao shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s just a dumb ring!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take it off?¡± A pressure descended, and Yu Han fell to his knees. It was the same type of pressure as when the Shark Lady and the Verdant de Sect Elder were fighting. ¡°There¡¯s something weird about it! Think logically¡ªwhat else changed between your awakening and True Qi depletion? It¡¯s the ring. But you keep insisting it¡¯s ¡®just¡¯ a ring. Even if I think with my ass, it¡¯s suspicious!¡± As for why Yu Han wasn¡¯t affected by whatever mind-stuff infected Fang Zhao, Li Yao, and Huang Niuniu, he¡¯d think about itter. Fang Zhao raised his cup and threw it at the wall. It shattered. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He stood up shakily, then screamed, spit flying out. His eyes bulged as if they were about to fall out. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He kicked the brazier. Ash and sparks flew. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He threw the money pouch, crashed into the bed, and stomped against the wall. ¡°A ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring¡ª¡± ¡°Then take it off!¡± Yu Han pressed himself into the corner as Fang Zhao rampaged. This would be a pain to clean up. If the hut caught fire, he would rush out the door. Don¡¯t think too badly of me, Fang Zhao. If your secret makes me stronger, I¡¯m going to take it. The situation was dangerous. If a devil or immortal popped out and squashed Yu Han, then that was that. But if so, why hadn¡¯t it happened until now? It was reckless, yes. He hadn¡¯t thought the n through. Maybe there was a safer way, but with the first urrence of the mind-control, it was already toote. If there was a dangerous party, it already knew Yu Han was immune to its effects. I already poked the wasp¡¯s nest. Show me whates out! ¡°No! No, no, no, no, ah¡ª¡± Fang Zhao clutched his head. He roared, then copsed to his knees. Blood dripped from his eyes. Wait a moment. He said his n was more powerful than the Sect. If his super-strong grandfather didn¡¯t notice, then doesn¡¯t that mean¡­ the mind control is strong enough to elude even his senses? Cold sweat dripped down Yu Han¡¯s back. Did I mess up? Damn! I was too hasty. He wanted to scram. He inched closer to the door. Suddenly, Fang Zhao¡¯s screams stopped. A sound like ss shattering echoed through the room. ¡°Tubs!¡± Li Yao kicked the door open. Huang Niuniu rushed past him and shoved Fang Zhao aside, standing protectively between him and Yu Han. ¡°Get away! It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Yu Han yelled. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We tried to open the door, but it was like a solid wall. But with that sound¡ªTubs, what the hell is happening?¡± Li Yao asked. Huang Niuniu unsheathed her dagger and approached the prone Fang Zhao. It was the one Yu Han had taken from Bushy Beard¡¯s corpse. ¡°Since you¡¯re down, let me end your misery.¡± Her voice had a sinister undertone. ¡°Niu¡¯er, stop it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Brother Yu¡­¡± Fang Zhao looked up. He was crying blood and tears. Veins bulged across his face. His lips were bitten bloody. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off.¡± He tried to pull the golden ring off, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°It¡¯s the ring,¡± he said, like a man in a daze. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off!¡± He bit down on his finger. They say it takes the same amount of force to snap a carrot as to break a finger¡ªnot to mention the soft flesh. But Fang Zhao¡¯s teeth stopped at his skin. A film of light shimmered. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off!¡± he yelled, then rushed toward Huang Niuniu. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± In a blink, he disarmed her and snatched the dagger. ¡°It¡¯s this damn ring!¡± Fang Zhao screamed. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s you who crippled me!¡± He ced his finger on the ground and chopped. Huang Niuniu screamed, and Yu Han closed his eyes. Wait, Niu¡¯er¡ªwhy are you screaming if just a moment ago you wanted to end his misery? ¡°What in the¡­¡± Li Yao¡¯s shocked voice came through. Yu Han peeked. The de warred with the light film around Fang Zhao¡¯s finger. The film was mostly white, with sshes of orange and ck. Fang Zhao pushed, but the dagger couldn¡¯t pierce through. ¡°Damn it! Then my wrist. Li Yao, give me a sword!¡± Fang Zhao demanded. ¡°Dude, ain¡¯t no way¡ª¡± ¡°Give it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Tubs, you crazy son of a dog.¡± Li Yao unsheathed a sword and tossed it to Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao caught it. He tried to cut off his wrist, then his entire arm. The light film blocked the de, an imprable defense. ¡°Brother Li, please. Take my arm,¡± Fang Zhao begged, his face broken and desperate. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Li Yao licked his lips. It took Yu Han back to the alley in Riversong City, where Li Yao had blocked his path with malice. Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°This cursed damn ring. If I have to sacrifice an arm to be rid of it¡­¡± He held out his arm. Li Yao unsheathed his other sword and struck without a word. The de nked off the light film. ¡°Damn it!¡± Fang Zhao copsed. ¡°All these years of suffering. Mother, Father¡­ my fianc¨¦e¡­ my friends. Wang Shen¡­. It¡¯s this stupid ring.¡± ¡°Maybe the Sect has a solution?¡± Huang Niuniu suggested. ¡°We mustn¡¯t,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°The ring eluded even the Fang n Patriarch. It has to be something special. If unwanted ears found out, we¡¯d all be in trouble. Whatever magic nonsense the ring did, I was unaffected. Keep that a secret too.¡± Li Yao and Huang Niuniu both nodded. ¡°Fang Zhao, let me give you some good news,¡± Yu Han said. Fang Zhao looked up helplessly, still muttering about the ring. ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the hidden realm. Meet us at the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife in six hours.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going today?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°It¡¯s for something else,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Fang Zhao said bitterly. ¡°Whatever I do, this cursed thing is going to take it away again!¡± ¡°What was your original n with the Red Fiend Ancestry and Cyclic Lifeblood Conversion?¡± It took much longer for Fang Zhao to regain his calm and reply. ¡°I¡¯ve shown something unsightly.¡± He had wiped the blood and tears away. The room was a mess. ¡°I meant to take the trait from Mortal Level 7 to as high as needed to preserve all 110 True Qi. Then pass the Tribtion and level up.¡± ¡°And you would repeat that for every level?¡± ¡°It could take a millennium or more!¡± Fang Zhao said through gritted teeth. ¡°But now with this ring, even that n is out of the window.¡± ¡°Take a rest, and we¡¯ll meetter. You can vent your anger then,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We¡¯ll keep what happened today an absolute secret.¡± Fang Zhaoughed with self-deprecation, and the other two affirmed. ¡°Brother Yu, you¡¯ve already helped me more than I can ever repay. Not even my n and the imperial alchemists, doctors, exorcists, and other illustrious masters¡ªnot even the gods¡ªnoticed this ring. At least I know¡­ what to purge!¡± Fang Zhao said. Yu Han kicked Li Yao and Fang Zhao out, then whipped out a handmade notepad from under the bed and scribbled the events down in English. He wrote so fast that the charcoal pen almost broke. ¡°What are you writing?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!