Li Jian spent the next half hour coughing, wheezing, and trying to process the translucent blue screen floating in front of his face.
[Supreme Tea Brewing Technique (Level 1): The host can extract the absolute maximum potential from any tea leaf, regardless of its quality. Even the cheapest dirt-grade leaves can yield a brew capable of calming the mind and nourishing the body.]
"Nourishing the body, huh?" Li Jian muttered, looking down at his bruised ribs. Every breath felt like a tiny dagger stabbing his lungs. If he stayed in this shack without medical attention, this 'peaceful life' of his was going to end before it even began.
He gritted his teeth, forcing himself off the straw bed. His tiny, rundown shack had almost nothing in it, but Li Jian's inherited memories told him there was a small jar of 'Bitter Earth Leaves' in the corner. It was the cheapest, lowest-grade tea available to outer disciples, usually drank just to stay awake during long, boring meditation sessions.
He limped over to a small clay stove, poured some stale well water into a chipped teapot, and lit the remaining firewood.
"Alright, System," he whispered. "Let's see what you can do."
As he tossed a handful of the dry, brittle leaves into the boiling water, a strange sensation washed over him. It wasn't magic, and it wasn't Qi. It was... rhythm. Suddenly, he knew exactly when to stir, how to control the heat with subtle movements of the pot, and the precise moment to take it off the fire.
As he poured the tea into a cracked wooden cup, a rich, earthy aroma filled the tiny shack. It didn't smell like the bitter trash it was supposed to be. It smelled like a cool breeze after a summer rain. It smelled like rest.
Without hesitating, Li Jian brought the cup to his lips and drank.
The liquid slid down his throat, smooth and warm. Almost instantly, a comfortable heat exploded in his stomach and began rushing through his veins.
"Whoa..." Li Jian gasped.
The sharp pain in his chest started to dull, then fade completely. The dark purple bruises on his arms turned yellow, then vanished into healthy, pale skin. His exhausted muscles relaxed, and the lingering headache from his transmigration was wiped away entirely.
He stretched his arms, hearing a satisfying series of pops from his joints. He felt lighter, stronger, and incredibly refreshed. Like he had just slept for a full week on a premium mattress.
[Ding! Host has consumed 'Perfected Bitter Earth Tea'. Minor physical trauma completely healed. Mind completely stabilized.]
"Unbelievable," Li Jian laughed, a genuine, bright sound. "Who needs magical healing pills that taste like mud and cost a fortune? I can just drink tea!"
He looked around the miserable shack. There was nothing tying him here. He grabbed a small, faded cloth sack, tossed in his remaining tea leaves, two spare sets of rough gray robes, and a pathetic string of ten copper coins.
His last item was a small wooden token: his Outer Sect Identification.
Ten minutes later, Li Jian stood in front of the 'Outer Sect Affairs Pavilion'.
The pavilion was bustling with young teenagers, all radiating tension and anxiety as they rushed to accept dangerous sect missions just to earn a few spirit stones. Watching them reminded Arthur of his old coworkers scrambling for a promotion. It made his skin crawl.
He walked past the crowded mission boards and straight to the desk of Elder Zhao, a grumpy old man with a thin mustache who managed the disciple roster.
"Name and mission?" Elder Zhao barked without looking up from his bamboo scrolls.
"Li Jian," he replied calmly. "And no mission. I'm here to quit."
Elder Zhao's brush stopped. He slowly looked up, his eyes narrowing at the boy standing before him. He recognized Li Jian. The boy was famous in the outer sect for being hopelessly weak. Everyone expected him to die on a gathering mission eventually.
"Quit?" Elder Zhao sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "The Azure Peak Sect is not an inn you can just walk out of, boy. Though, given your pathetic talent, giving up is probably the only smart decision you've ever made. Are you sure? Once you leave, you will be a mortal. You will never walk the path of immortality."
"I am absolutely sure," Li Jian smiled brightly, placing his wooden token on the desk. "Being immortal sounds exhausting anyway. Thank you for your care, Elder."
Elder Zhao scoffed, snatching the token and waving his hand dismissively. "Get out of my sight. A piece of trash rolling itself out the door saves us the trouble of sweeping."
Li Jian didn't care about the insult. In fact, it was the sweetest music to his ears.
He turned his back on the Affairs Pavilion, walked through the massive stone gates of the Azure Peak Sect, and headed down the mountain path.
The morning sun hit his face, and for the first time in two lifetimes, Li Jian felt completely, utterly free.
"Now," he hummed to himself, adjusting his sack. "Let's go find a nice, quiet town where nobody knows how to fly or shoot fireballs."