Time passed day by day.
Before he knew it, another half a year had flown by.
In the past six months, with two action points per month, Wang Mu, besides fishing, also found time to continue Chopping wood.
In the village, only he and Uncle Tie Niu were Chopping wood. The demand for Purple Shuo Trees always exceeded the supply, and they grew quickly. By Chopping only one or two trees a day, they didn't have to worry about running out.
The advantage of Fishing every day was enjoying delicious, hearty meals, and it even boosted his attributes.
Fishing daily also allowed him to encounter various fish species and trained his concentration and spirit.
Over these six months, his Fishing Skill had reached quite a high level.
[Cultivation: Chopping (15), Fishing (13)]
After reaching level 10, the speed of improvement slowed down considerably.
Fortunately, with action points and his daily perseverance, he was still making progress.
One year already!
Time flies unnoticed!
Wang Mu lay in his wooden house; a year had passed since he arrived.
He had yet to begin Cultivation. He still couldn't even cultivate the Hundred Refinement Body Technique.
But...
Wang Mu touched the Storage Bracelet on his wrist. Two months ago, he felt a slight change in his spirit, an incredibly clear perception of his surroundings within a few meters, down to the tiniest speck of dust.
Afterward, he was able to use the Storage Bracelet.
This thing is truly magical.
Wang Mu had studied it; the space inside wasn't large, it seemed only to be 10x10x10, but it was akin to a vacuum.
Living creatures couldn't survive inside, but certain food items, once processed, could be preserved for an extremely long period.
In the past six months, Wang Mu had caught a lot of fish—far more than he could eat. Even though they could increase attributes, humans aren't like game characters who can eat endlessly. Three meals a day, with five or six fish, were enough. It's worth noting that the fish here were often more than a meter long and very plump. Consequently, his fish stocks kept growing. He gave some to the villagers, and a large portion was turned into dried fish, stored away for future consumption.
I have over a hundred low-grade fish species and about forty mid-grade fish species. Top-grade fish species are always eaten immediately; none are left over.
The effects of eating dried fish were definitely not as good as eating them fresh, but it was certainly better than wasting them.
Apart from that, Wang Mu also caught some treasures...
These treasures were a mixed bag of oddities. There were remains of dead creatures, broken utensils, and some very old treasure chests which, upon opening, didn't contain any secret techniques but instead some women's immodest clothes... He had no idea who threw them away, yet they were meticulously locked in treasure chests.
There were also dense clumps of what looked like water plants. After asking around, he found out they were actually wigs belonging to some water spirits...
Wang Mu reflected, Anle Village truly lives up to its name, 'Peace and Happiness'.
Detached from worldly affairs, the village rarely sees any visitors throughout the year. The villagers rise with the sun to work and rest at sunset—truly a utopia disconnected from the outside world.
Occasionally, when Fierce Beasts intruded, they provided an extra meal for the villagers, who would gather together to enjoy a communal feast.
Then, at the end of the year, a disciple from the Gu Yun Mountain Immortal Sect came to the village.
"My name is Su Yu, a disciple under Heavenly Sword Peak of the Shangxiao Sword Sect on Gu Yun Mountain. My visit to your village is mainly to inform Anle Village."
"In two years' time, our Sect will open its gates wide to recruit a new batch of disciples."
The Immortal Sect disciple named Su Yu was a handsome young man. He wore a blue lotus hairpin and a blue robe with sword embroidery and a tied waist, his bearing graceful and refreshing at first glance.
"It has been more than ten years since the last open recruitment. If there are any children with a Spirit Root born in your village, they may directly enter the Sect for Cultivation."
Su Yu gave a bow to the village chief.
The village chief, over a hundred years old, was the most respected elder in Anle Village, but he showed no signs of the senility common in old age. Instead, he appeared hale and hearty with a rosy complexion, seeming to be in his fifties or sixties.
"Alas, you know the situation in our village," the village chief shook his head. "In the past ten years, the number of newborns can be counted on two fingers, and none of them have Spirit Roots."
Su Yu did not show disappointment upon hearing this; he probably had some understanding of the situation in Anle Village.
There are more than a dozen villages and towns under Gu Yun Mountain, scattered within a thousand miles. The Sect sends disciples every ten years to visit and scout out potential talent, and the requirements for other villages are quite high. Ordinary people with Mixed Spirit Roots must go through several rounds of selection and assessment to enter the Sect for Cultivation. The only exception is Anle Village: its people only need Spirit Roots.
"Oh, right!" Su Yu seemed to recall something. "Is there a villager named Wang Mu in your village?"
"Yes, there is!" The village chief was taken aback, then said delightedly, "He once saved an Immortal Master from your Gu Yun Mountain Immortal Sect! He is indeed the most talented young man our village has seen this past year! Are you going to recruit him into the Sect?"
"Well… not exactly…" Su Yu coughed. "I am just here to inquire about this Wang Mu…"
"I am here!" Wang Mu stepped out from the crowd.
Su Yu glanced over, and his eyes lit up at the sight of the charismatic man before him.
Su Yu thought, Such bearing! This must be someone with extraordinary Spirit Roots.
Wang Mu at this moment was vastly different from a year ago.
Su Yu thought, No Spirit Root? What a pity.
Su Yu pondered for a few seconds before saying, "Asking on behalf of someone else, Wang Mu, that Immortal Master taught you a Cultivation Technique, have you been cultivating it? She said that if you cultivate it to Ten Layers, I can directly bring you into the Sect to continue your Cultivation."
"Well… I haven't reached the First Layer yet," Wang Mu gave an awkward smile.
The Hundred Refinement Body Technique remains unpracticed, Wang Mu thought. I can't understand it, and the action points also indicate I can't cultivate it, meaning I haven't met the requirements yet.
"That… it doesn't matter." Su Yu felt slightly disappointed but understood. For a technique like the Hundred Refinement Body Technique that enters the path through the body, without the guidance of a noted master or the support of elixirs, it is difficult to reach even the First Layer, let alone Ten Layers.
"In that case… if you want to join the Sect, you will have to go through the Sect's trials in two years."
Su Yu thought it over and added, "If by then you have cultivated a few layers, Elder Yan might make an exception and allow you to join the Sect."
Wang Mu thought, This must be the main questline in the game, right? I have two years left for development. It'll probably be difficult to join if I miss this chance.
Wang Mu pondered, However, with Yan Qingwu in the Sect, wouldn't it be a bit awkward if I joined? Apart from Gu Yun Mountain, there are no other sects nearby. If I were to leave, given the dangers in this world, it would likely be very difficult. Plus, if I join the Sect, I can continue my Cultivation there… The activities within the Sect should involve more than just Fishing and Chopping… As for Yan Qingwu, given her status and position, it's doubtful I'd encounter her much even if I joined the Sect. If I try to avoid her, it might actually arouse more suspicion.
Moreover, Wang Mu truly wanted to pursue Cultivation himself.
Thinking this, Wang Mu nodded and said, "I will do my best."
Su Yu nodded. The answer was typical, enough for him to report back. After explaining the details of the assessment to Wang Mu, he flew away on his sword.
「In a cave dwelling on Gu Yun Mountain.」
"How did he respond?"
"Reporting to the Supreme Elder, Wang Mu said he would do his best... however, this path is still very difficult for him. He hasn't even been able to start cultivating yet…"
"Hmm, I understand. You may leave now."
In the plain and simple cave dwelling, Yan Qingwu sat cross-legged in the void, her long dress flowing gracefully, her immortal posture otherworldly.
At this moment, a flash of confusion crossed her beautiful face.
He didn't avoid it... Could he not be his reincarnation? A year has passed in a flash, and the divination results haven't changed at all... It seems I'll have to use that item to test the truth… Otherwise, I'll have to resort to that other method…