He mentally tallied his remaining wealth like a frugal dragon counting its hoard. With about 4,000 gold notes remaining — enough to make a novice merchant weep or a rival disciple seethe with envy.
"Money is but a fickle thing, but you just can't live without it."
Long Huang was now a man who knew exactly how quickly cash could vanish in the cultivation world, and he patted his storage pouch with the smug satisfaction of someone who'd just outsmarted capitalism.
After all, a cultivator's path relied on four major things: sweat, blood, luck, and an obscene amount of resources. Dramatic confrontations with arrogant young masters were more of a side quest or a fated obstacle.
Long Huang sat cross-legged in his tiny modern house, which, let's be honest, was more of a 'fancy cultivation shed' than a proper home since he is hardly ever home.
As night fell, Long Huang closed his eyes and activated the Chaos Battle Devil Dragon Art; as the energy surged through his meridians, he grimaced in pain, his face contorting. Time went by, and the pain eased as he broke through to the peak of the 2nd stage Meridian Tempering Realm.
He was almost already at the 3rd stage, just one more step! Though admittedly, progress in cultivation often felt like trying to climb a mountain while the mountain actively wanted to throw you off.
Then came the moment of truth. With the gravitas of a man about to eat a very expensive salad, Long Huang consumed one of the five-hundred-year-old spirit ginsengs. Almost immediately, his body lit up like a festival lantern.
Raw, chaotic energy roared through him, as if someone had replaced his blood with liquid lightning.
"What a strong medicinal energy!" he thought. Suddenly, the intensity of the raw medicinal power increased exponentially.
He felt as if his meridians were itching all over, a sensation he'd rank mildly unpleasant, but that quickly escalated to wishing he were dead as it felt as if thousands of phantom ants were gnawing at his meridians.
"AAAhhh!"
"Oh fuck, is this how I die? Crushed by a ginseng?"
"Why did I ever think this was a good idea?"
"I'm not going down like this."
But Long Huang was nothing if not stubborn. Gritting his teeth, he channeled the Chaos Battle Devil Dragon Art, trying his best to refine the medicinal energy. He was like a man trying to wrestle a tornado into a teacup.
By morning, the storm had passed. Long Huang blinked, flexed his fingers, and nearly wept with joy. His muscles hummed with power, his meridians sang like well-tuned guzhengs, and his energy levels were so high he could have punched a mountain into gravel.
"Could this be…?" said Long Huang as he inspected his cultivation level. He'd broken through to the 3rd stage of the Meridian Tempering Realm!
Victory! Or, at least for now, a reprieve from the universe's relentless attempts to humble him.
"Never doing that shit again, " said Long Huang as he thought of the other spirit ginsengs in his storage ring.
Stretching, Long Huang glanced out the window at the rising sun, its golden light spilling over the sect's sprawling courtyards.
"Time to see if Huang Min's done sulking," he mused, rolling his shoulders as he plotted his next move. The previous night's training had left him restless, his veins still humming with the afterglow of his recent breakthrough.
"But first a bath!" thought Long Huang as he headed to the stream next to his house.
As he washed the day before off his skin, he sat and started to think about his other plans for the day. Maybe he'd test his new strength in the sparring grounds, see how many overconfident sect members he could humble before breakfast.
Or perhaps he'd visit the medicine pavilion for more herbs, though he still had three herbs tucked in his storage pouch. Then again, the real mystery was why so many rival disciples in this sect seemed to have a PhD in pettiness.
"Those petty bastards are always bothering me like I did them something."
"Not saying I'm not petty myself."
"But, my God, these guys are a next-level of annoying." Long Huang muttered.
Shaking his head, Long Huang got up and changed into a different robe than his sect robes and headed to the Fifth Elder's Manor.
With a lazy stride, he made his way toward the Fifth Elder's Manor, the morning breeze carrying the scent of blooming spirit flowers. Enjoying the peace and scenery of the Azure Lotus Sect in the morning, he then saw a manor that loomed ahead, its polished gates gleaming under the sun, flanked by two stone-faced guards in deep blue robes. As he approached to gates to enter.
But before he could even step into the Manor's courtyard, one guard crossed his spear, blocking the path.
"Young Master Long, Miss Huang is currently in seclusion, cultivating. She's at a critical point in her breakthrough."
"Fine, fine," he sighed, waving a dismissive hand.
"Tell her I came by. And that next time, she'd better have a real excuse."
The guards exchanged a glance but said nothing as Long Huang turned on his heel, his robes flaring behind him. With a last glance at the Fifth Elder's Manor, Long Huang smirked and strode away, the morning sun casting his shadow long behind him.
He knew this breakthrough probably had to do with the jade bed he brought back.
"Seems like she'll soon open up back since she accepted my gift," he smiled at the thought.
Long Huang strolled through the sect's outer courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. Each step was light, and a warm smile graced his face as he absorbed the enchanting scenery around him.
The morning air was crisp and invigorating, filled with the melodious chirping of birds dancing through the trees. In the distance, he could almost sense a young master scheming his downfall.
Ah, the simple joys of cultivation life! The path leading to the sparring grounds was notably quiet; the usual chaos of disciples shouting and training had yet to commence.
His fingers absently tapped against the hilt of his sword, a fidgeting reminder of the restless energy bubbling within him.
"What undisciplined youths couldn't even survive the military back in my previous world."
Long Huang mused, shaking his head in bemusement. Just as he contemplated changing his destination, he found himself pausing.
"Where to go, hmmm?" Long Huang pondered, mulling over his options. After a moment of contemplation, his thoughts finally settled on the Mission Hall.
Some time later, as he strolled through the sect, he soon spotted the Mission Hall looming ahead. The structure stood out with its stark design, crafted from dark ironwood and unadorned gray stone. Its massive entrance, an arched gateway intricately carved to resemble a dragon's gaping maw, welcomed a constant stream of disciples flowing in and out.
The air around the hall was thick with the lingering scents of blood, creating a charged atmosphere. Some disciples were clustered before the entrance, their voices a low hum of negotiation and ambition as they scanned the pulsing runes detailing the available missions.
To the side, a long scarred counter made of black jade served as the reporting desk, where grim-faced attendants verified completed tasks and dispensed rewards. The atmosphere was infused with competition and the sharp, unspoken tension of those eager to prove their worth.
The mission board itself was alive with colorful slips, each announcing various quests, forming a chaotic yet inviting list of opportunities.
"Subdue the Rampaging Iron-Tusked Boar, three-star mission (Warning: Has Kicked Three Disciples Into Trees This Week)"
"Gather Ten Ghost Orchids from the Haunted Vale, five-star mission (Warning: Vale is, as the Name Suggests, Extremely Haunted)"
"Escort Merchant Caravan Through Bandit-Infested Pass four-star mission (Warning: Bandits Recently Upgraded to Better Swords)"
"Bai Ye looking for a dao partner, two-star mission (note: must be handsome, rich, and powerful)"
Long Huang stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm. The boar sounds too straightforward, and the orchid mission? That's just a horror story waiting to happen, and that last one, ummm... nah… Ah! Bandits, it is," he decided, plucking the mission slip from the board with a flourish.
Just as he tucked it away, a familiar voice dripped with disdain from behind him.
The elder of the mission hall then said,
"You know you have to at least be at the Meridian Tempering Realm, right?"
"How convent I just broke through last night," said Long Huang smugly.
Though he was hiding his power, it wasn't that he wanted to stay low-key key he was just too lazy to answer all the questions that would come with it.
"Tch. This waste thinks he thinks he can handle bandits? How… adorable."
"Why don't you pick up Bai Ye's mission? I'm sure with your looks, she wouldn't mind you being weak and poor."
Long Huang didn't even need to turn around to recognize that condescending tone. It could only belong to one person: Young Master Zhao Gun, the living embodiment of a peacock adorned with a superiority complex.
"Fuck another one at this point, just give me actual waste credentials so at least their annoying words would be true."
Then, a thought appeared in Long Huang's mind;
"How did he even know it's me? I look nothing like I did in the past... it has to be that blabbermouth Chi Wei."
With the patience of a saint, though it was more akin to a cunning fox who delighted in teasing the proud, Long Huang turned around and flashed a friendly grin.
"Ah, Zhao Gun! Just the person I hoped to see. You're looking… well, expensive today."