"Resources."
"Resources?"
I feel puzzled by the trinket seller's unexpected answer.
"Yes, resources. Why would anyone live anywhere? Isn't it because that place contains something distinctive, whether it's fertile land, suitable shores for fishing, or a river to utilize its water?"
"And similarly, the Dead Giant's corpse was settled and turned into an island because it offers many distinctive resources."
The trinket seller laughs mockingly at my reaction.
"What kind of resources?"
"Every part of the Dead Giant's corpse is an important resource, whether its skin, flesh, muscles, bones, or others."
"And how have these resources not run out?"
Honestly, I couldn't accept the idea that a group of humans live on a dead giant's corpse, consuming its flesh and extracting its bones like parasites.
Especially since it's said that the Dead Giant Island has existed for ages, so how hasn't the corpse been irreversibly consumed?
"Who knows?"
The trinket seller shrugs helplessly.
"Perhaps only members of my sect, the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death, and the Blue Flower Sect know this."
"Do I look like an important member of one of these two sects to you?"
"Anyway, here we are."
"This... is this a sect building?"
I feel puzzled as I stare at the building in front of me.
There was a giant wooden building standing before me, consisting of six stories, with a sign written in bold letters
"Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death"
But the problem is, the building—how should I say it—didn't look at all like a sect building. In fact, it more resembled a corporate building or some kind of giant store, especially with the crowds of people entering and exiting the building.
"Yes, what else would it be?"
The trinket seller gestures for me to follow him as he heads towards the sect building's entrance.
"Alright."
I follow the trinket seller inside the sect building.
The inside of the building was exactly as its exterior suggested—resembling a corporate building or a giant store.
Where people moved about chaotically inside, with desks positioned at the back.
"It looks like a government building."
"Where is your friend you were talking about?"
"Don't worry, you'll meet him soon."
The trinket seller walks towards someone who looks like an employee of the place and whispers something in his ear.
Before returning to me.
"Come with me. He's on the upper floor."
"Okay."
The upper floor was completely different from the ground floor. While the ground floor looked like a giant reception hall, the second floor seemed like an office space.
The trinket seller headed towards the door of one of the offices.
"Come with me."
Upon entering the office, I was greeted by a thick incense smell, with a simple wooden desk and an old man wearing a green robe and possessing an academic air sitting behind it.
The office wasn't decorated with anything else.
"Old serpent, I can't believe you have the nerve to appear before me after what you did to me last time."
The old man's face was adorned with displeasure as he looked at the trinket seller.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that. Will you forget all my favors to you because of one incident?"
"What do you mean 'one incident'? Every time I see you, some disaster must happen."
The old man sighs wearily.
"Anyway, what brought you here?"
"This is because I found an excellent talent and didn't want the Blue Flower Sect to get them."
The trinket seller speaks with a straight face while a gleam of mischief flashes in his eyes.
Hearing this, the old man turns to look at me.
"You mean this one?"
"Yes."
The trinket seller nods his head tensely.
"Alright, come here, young man. I'll check if you have any talent for cultivation or not."
The old man gestures with his hand for me to come closer, and indeed I approach him and extend my hand to him.
'This reminds me of when Mo Chong tested my talent.'
After a few seconds, a look of surprise appears in the old man's eyes.
"Mid-grade talent and pure human lineage... Hahaha, well done, old serpent. Now I can forget all the disasters you've caused."
The trinket seller's expression turns to one of immense joy.
While I feel great shock.
'What's this? Isn't mid-grade talent considered very ordinary?'
I stop myself from asking any questions that might make me look like a fool.
The old man strokes his beard while taking out a leather scroll from his robe.
"Young man, do you know how to purify your body and form your Dantian?"
"Yes."
I nod my head. After all, this was something I learned since cycle zero.
"Good."
The approval in the old man's eyes increases, and he hands me the scroll.
"This scroll contains information about a training room on the third floor. Go there. You have one week to purify your body, form your Dantian, and memorize the cultivation technique basics contained in the scroll. Then you will be officially accepted into the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death sect."
"Alright."
I nod to the old man and prepare to leave for the third floor with immense excitement.
"Ahem, ahem. I believe I heard that the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death sect offers rewards to those who bring someone with cultivation talent to them."
Hearing this, I can't help but stop in my tracks while staring at the trinket seller in astonishment.
"Sigh."
"How I want to throw you into the street right now, but since you brought someone with mid-grade talent, I can't do anything."
The old man sighs helplessly while taking out a leather pouch that seems to contain a collection of various coins.
"Hahaha, as expected, the generosity of the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death knows no bounds."
The trinket seller laughs happily as he takes the pouch from the old man's hand.
"..."
'Did this old serpent deceive me?'
Yes. He made me pay him to help me join the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death sect, while taking a reward from the sect for my joining them.