An woke up in the small inn room, and for a moment, the silence and sense of security almost made him forget where he was. There was no rustling of leaves, no growling of wild beasts. Only the distant hum of the town beginning a new day.
He sat up, his hand unconsciously touching the bulging coin pouch at his hip. 22 silver coins. It was a small sum, but to him, it was a fortune, proof that he could survive, and even thrive, in this world.
But the words he had overheard at the Adventurer's Guild last night still echoed in his head. The Merchant's Guild. The Bai Clan. Baron. Young Master. It was a complex web of power. And in a world where personal strength could decide everything, political and social power must surely be backed by real strength. He recalled the bugged lines in his system log: Cultivation, Realms, Qi Refining, Core Formation. This System was just a flawed translation. He needed to understand the original language.
After a simple breakfast of bread and water, An returned to the Adventurer's Guild. This time, he didn't go straight to the quest board. Instead, he took the time to observe a general notice board near the entrance, where all sorts of papers were pinned. There were notices for lost pets, room rental advertisements, and even messages seeking companions for long journeys.
And then, his eyes stopped on a small piece of parchment, written in a careful hand, pinned in a hidden corner. "Knowledge for sale. Old books, maps, records of history and the basics of Cultivation. Find Old Trac at the eastern market."
An's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what he was looking for.
He didn't hesitate to head towards the eastern market. The place was even more noisy and chaotic than the main street, with stalls selling everything from vegetables, meat and fish to old, mysterious items. After asking around, he found Old Trac's stall. It was just a tarp spread on the ground, displaying a few old, tattered books and some yellowed scrolls. Old Trac was an elderly, skinny man, his eyes still sharp despite his wrinkled face.
"What are you looking for?" Old Trac asked, looking An up and down.
"Knowledge about Cultivation," An replied directly.
Old Trac narrowed his eyes. "A big topic, boy. What do you want to know specifically?"
"The very basics. The realms. How to start."
Old Trac nodded, rummaged through his pile of books, and pulled out a thin book with a faded leather cover. "Here, 'An Introduction to Cultivation'. It has everything a beginner needs to know. The basic realms, how to sense spiritual energy, and the mistakes to avoid."
"How much?" An asked.
"20 silver coins."
An froze. The price was almost all he had. He realized that in this world, knowledge was more expensive than weapons. But he didn't hesitate. He knew this was a necessary investment. "I'll take it," he said, and carefully counted 20 silver coins into Old Trac's hand.
Holding the book in his hands, An felt it was heavier than gold. He rushed back to the inn, locked the door, and sat down at the small table. Under the flickering candlelight, he carefully opened the first page. The handwritten words were clear and coherent.
"All things in heaven and earth contain spiritual energy. The path of cultivation is to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, temper the body, condense spiritual power, and step by step, transcend the limits of mortals, towards immortality. This path is divided into many realms, each realm is a metamorphosis, a step closer to the Great Dao."
"The basic realms that a beginner needs to know include:
* Qi Refining: Sensing and guiding spiritual energy into the body, tempering the meridians.
* Foundation Establishment: Building a solid foundation of the Dao, turning spiritual energy into controllable spiritual power.
* Core Formation: Condensing all spiritual power into a Golden Core, with a great increase in power and longevity.
* Nascent Soul: Breaking the Core to form a Soul, creating a 'second soul' that can leave the body."
An read every single word. Everything matched. The fragmented data in his System was now connected into a complete picture. He was in the first stage of Qi Refining, or as the System called it, "Body Tempering".
He suddenly thought of the names he had heard last night. A Baron was probably at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator, or even a Core Formation cultivator. And his son, Young Master Bai Wen, was certainly not an ordinary person. Their arrogance came not only from their status, but also from real power, a power that he currently could not resist.
He closed the book, his yellow eyes shining brightly in the dark. He had a map. He had a path.
His mission was no longer just about completing requests on the notice board. His real mission, was to begin this path of Cultivation.