Translator: AnubisTL
Jieming wasn't simply wandering aimlessly; he was "gathering qi."
In the cultivation system, there exists a unique cultivation method for collecting "Red Dust Qi."
This is the cultivation term, but Jieming understood it as a method for condensing special concepts.
This qi originates from the joys and sorrows, life and death, and the seven emotions and six desires of the mortal world—the embodiment of all human phenomena.
While it doesn't directly enhance cultivation or transform matter like spiritual energy, it serves as an excellent "universal material."
In normal use, it can temper a cultivator's spiritual realm, making it resilient and unwavering, and even dispel inner demons. It can also refine magical artifacts, enhancing their spirituality, and is an essential raw material for constructing most illusion formations.
Under specific circumstances, special cultivation methods can reverse its properties, allowing for the creation of golden bodies, the repair of souls, and the refining of magic artifacts or medicinal pills.
During his time at Noren Academy, Jieming found it nearly impossible to gather any useful Red Dust Qi.
After all, the wizards there were research fanatics, each immersed in experiments and meditation. Their lives followed monotonous routines, and their emotional fluctuations were minimal.
Even across the entirety of Noren Plane No. 13, Jieming couldn't find a suitable place to gather Red Dust Qi. After all, all Noren planes had been transformed by wizards into highly ordered "culture dishes," stripped of the raw, chaotic "characteristics" of the mortal world.
But upon arriving in Golden Harbor, Jieming felt like a rat that had stumbled into a granary.
As he walked through the bustling streets, he absorbed the joys and sorrows, loves and hatreds of the mortals brushing past him.
These rich, complex concepts silently flooded into his body, were absorbed by the special talisman seal within his dantian, and ultimately refined into strands of shimmering Red Dust Qi.
He didn't even need to speak to anyone; simply sensing the pulse of their lives allowed him to draw in vast quantities of Red Dust Power.
However, Jieming's attention often drifted away from the refined Red Dust Qi itself, focusing instead on the special talisman seal within his dantian that made its refining possible.
"It's truly remarkable," he mused, "that such a relatively simple talisman seal can autonomously gather and create concepts from thin air..." As he "watched" another strand of Red Dust Qi being refined within his dantian, Jieming couldn't resist stroking his chin in curiosity.
Despite years of research, Jieming knew that techniques capable of extracting concepts from nothingness were beyond his current grasp. Yet he couldn't suppress his curiosity.
"Incomprehensible... The fact that these methods function identically across completely different planes and even worlds suggests they inherently embody fixed rules akin to those used by sixth-tier wizards. The level of technological sophistication is staggering."
His stride subtly shifted, altering his trajectory to precisely evade the arms of two children attempting to pickpocket him.
After a moment's silence, Jieming glanced at the terrified, emaciated children and tossed them two copper coins.
Turning away, he continued pondering his thoughts as he walked. "From this perspective, the technological complexity of these specialized cultivation methods in the immortal cultivation world far surpasses that of most offensive magic."
"Fortunately, since the majority of spells in the cultivation system rely on manipulating heaven and earth spiritual energy, they're ineffective in the wizard world. I've primarily focused on these specialized methods anyway, so I can now concentrate my efforts entirely on this area," Jieming mused inwardly.
After all, his current combat and self-preservation abilities were already sufficient.
If he were to encounter an enemy he couldn't defeat, relying on cultivator magic that couldn't draw upon spiritual energy to escape would be a fool's dream. It would be far better to focus his attention on these specialized cultivation methods.
Jieming glanced up at the sky before turning and strolling leisurely toward the adventurer's guild.
In addition to gathering Red Dust Qi, Jieming planned to post a quest at the Drunken Dolphin tavern: collecting Hundred Flowers Dew.
This substance was easy to collect—simply the dew that condenses on flower petals in the early morning. The only crucial point was to gather dew from as many different flower species as possible.
When this dew, infused with the essence of various flowers, was refined using a specific cultivation method, it could be condensed into Hundred Flowers Dew, imbued with the corresponding concepts.
This substance was a valuable ingredient for alchemy and nourishing the soul, making it a highly sought-after material.
The Noren Academy cultivated only magic potions. While it was possible to collect dew from these plants, the "price" was exorbitant. Gathering small amounts for experiments was manageable, but attempting large-scale collection would be a complete waste of resources.
Collecting this substance himself would be too time-consuming. Fortunately, with a stable residence in Golden Harbor, he could finally gather it on a large scale.
Jieming's mission reward was exceptionally generous: one gold coin for every small cup (approximately 200 milliliters) of Hundred Flowers Dew.
In the generally impoverished adventurer community, this was an astronomical sum. Even the usually stoic half-orc bartender couldn't contain himself.
"Jack, are you insane? A gold coin for a tiny cup of dew?!" The half-orc bartender's thick, short eyebrows twisted into a knot as he listened to Jieming's request, his eyes burning with disbelief and greed. "Are you planning to strip every flowering plant in Golden Harbor bare?!"
Jieming calmly tossed a gold coin onto the wooden table as a deposit. The coin spun with a crisp ring before settling.
"Just post the mission. The rest is none of your concern," he said coldly, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority.
The half-orc bartender immediately composed himself, rubbing his hands together as he pocketed the coin and scurried off to post the mission notice.
The news spread like wildfire, sending Golden Harbor's adventurers into a frenzy.
A few days later, it was time for Jieming's first inspection of the Hundred Flowers Dew.
A long queue snaked outside the tavern, filled with adventurers in various attire, commoners, and even some who looked like farmers from the outskirts of the city. Each carried bottles and jars of all sizes, filled with what they believed to be the Hundred Flowers Dew.
Jieming sat by the second-floor window, while the half-orc bartender called out the numbers.
The first to step forward was a wiry thief, his face plastered with a fawning smile as he presented a sealed bottle.
Jieming accepted the bottle, his expression impassive.
A necklace materialized in his hand, its gemstone emitting a faint, almost imperceptible glow, resembling a sophisticated magical detection tool.
This was merely a facade; the true function lay in the cultivation method Jieming was channeling.
With a gentle shake, the liquid in the bottle instantly turned murky, releasing a faint earthy aroma.
"You dug this out of a mud pit, didn't you?" Jieming's voice remained utterly calm.
The thief's smile froze, his eyes darting nervously. Before he could protest, Jieming casually tossed the bottle back at him.
"Next."
The next few were much the same: diluted, mixed with ordinary water, or even river water passed off as the real thing.
Jieming merely gave each bottle a gentle shake with his "magical tool," instantly discerning the truth.
"Hmph! What's with the act?" Several burly, farmer-like men began to glare menacingly.
They had painstakingly collected a large jar of "dew," only to have this young man expose their deception with a single glance. Naturally, they resented it.
One particularly muscular farmer with a brutish face stepped forward and growled, "Boy, don't think you can get away without paying just because you're putting on a show! We worked hard..."
As he spoke, his massive hand stealthily reached for Jieming's collar, attempting to use force to cheat him.
Jieming glanced at him expressionlessly, remaining motionless. Just as the farmer's hand was about to make contact, his foot shot out like lightning, striking the farmer's shinbone with pinpoint accuracy.
Crack!
The sickening sound of bone snapping filled the air. The farmer's massive body instantly froze, followed by a heart-wrenching scream. Clutching his leg, he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony, his face drenched in cold sweat.
The remaining farmers' faces turned deathly pale, their earlier arrogance vanishing instantly. They shrank back, barely daring to breathe, and fell silent.
The tavern was plunged into a deathly hush once more as everyone witnessed Jieming's merciless attack.
Only a few adventurers who had previously witnessed "Jack's" ruthlessness remained calm, even radiating a smug sense of superiority over those who hadn't.
Jieming had initially expected to receive little useful material from this collection. However, the subsequent inspections brought an unexpected surprise.
"My lord, this is Hundred Flowers Dew collected from our garden," a servant, dressed in starched but faded clothes, presented a small wooden bottle with utmost respect. Inside, crystal-clear dew shimmered.
Compared to the large jars and small pots brought by others, this tiny bottle contained a meager amount.
Jieming accepted it, his necklace flashed, and his eyes lit up.
He immediately recognized the dew's exceptional quality. The complex floral aroma confirmed its purity.
"Three gold coins," Jieming said calmly, handing him the coins directly.
The servant's face lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight, and he repeatedly thanked Jieming.
Soon after, several more servants dressed similarly approached.
Though the quantities of Hundred Flowers Dew they offered varied, every single one met Jieming's standards.
Jieming's eyes narrowed. He surmised that these were servants of minor nobles who had once been wealthy but whose incomes had plummeted due to the escalating war.
To maintain their families' dignity, these nobles were willing to accept such high-paying tasks.
Moreover, they already had their own gardens, making collection easier. Combined with the "pride" of their noble status, they proved far more trustworthy than greedy farmers.
Finally, a raggedly dressed orphan, no older than seven or eight, timidly squeezed to the front of the line, clutching a mud-stained, dilapidated clay jar.
Inside the jar was only a thin layer of Hundred Flowers Dew, but it was exceptionally clear and pure.
The orphan's eyes were filled with anxiety, as if terrified Jieming would discard his dew as he had done with others'.
Jieming took the bottle. Under the necklace's glow, the Hundred Flowers Dew radiated a pure, luminous sheen.
He gave the little orphan a silver coin and added several copper coins. "Well done," he said.
The orphan stared blankly at the silver coin in his hand, tears welling up in his eyes. As if suddenly jolted awake, he clutched the money and ran off.
Watching this, Jieming couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
In his upbringing, "simplicity" and "peasant" had been practically synonymous. He had initially expected the impoverished to surprise him with their honesty, given their greater need for money.
But to his dismay, they had proven remarkably cunning, constantly scheming to adulterate their wares.
Conversely, those with a semblance of dignity had shown far greater integrity.
Moral character has nothing to do with one's background or profession, only with the individual themselves...
Understanding this truth seemed to purify Jieming's soul, making it feel more transparent.
This glimpse into the myriad facets of human nature was, without a doubt, a unique form of refinement for him.
(End of the Chapter)
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