The sun was already high when Long Tian emerged from the trees, his arm wrapped in bloodstained cloth and his body weary from the battle in the cave. Each step brought sharp pain from his wound, but his eyes were fixed on the village ahead, a promise of rest.
One of the villagers guarding the entrance recognized him and rushed over.
"Long Tian! What happened to you?" he asked, alarmed by his condition.
"I had an encounter with a wild beast in the mountains," he replied weakly. "I need to take this to Grandpa Yao, it's urgent."
Without hesitation, the villager helped support him and guided him quickly toward the old herbalist's house. Along the way, other villagers gathered, murmuring in concern at the sight of the injured young man, but no one stopped him.
Grandpa Yao opened the door just as they were about to knock. Seeing the boy's state, he frowned and let him in at once, motioning for him to lie down on a clean mat.
"What happened this time?" he asked as he examined the wound.
"I found the last plant… but it was guarded by a creature. I defeated it, but it left me this souvenir," he answered with a grimace.
The old man nodded, already suspecting the boy had been venturing deeper into the forest. Wasting no time, he prepared hot water and brought out several jars filled with healing powders, dried leaves, and oils. As he disinfected the wound, Long Tian pulled out the plants he had collected: the mountain lily petal and the other herbs gathered over the last few days, including the precious moon herb.
"With this, I can now prepare the invigorating potion," said Grandpa Yao as he finished bandaging the arm. "But I'll need a few hours. Rest in the meantime."
He obeyed, lying down in silence and letting his body relax. The pain was fading, but he was anxious to try the potion. He had worked hard for it.
After a few hours, the aroma of cooked herbs and medicinal steam filled the room. Grandpa Yao approached with a small steaming ceramic cup.
"Drink it slowly. It's not just medicine it contains condensed energy. Your body will feel it right away."
He drank. At first, the liquid was bitter, but as it slid down his throat, a comforting warmth spread through his body. His muscles relaxed, and at the same time, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins. The exhaustion that weighed him down slowly faded, and the pain in his arm eased to a dull sting.
"This… is incredible," he whispered. "I feel more… alive."
Grandpa Yao nodded with a smile.
"This potion doesn't just heal it strengthens. It absorbs the energy from the herbs and channels it through your body. Your wounds will heal faster, and your stamina will increase for a few days."
He sat up more easily. His breathing was steadier, his gaze regained its clarity. He felt lighter, more aware, with a mental sharpness he hadn't noticed before.
"Thank you, Grandpa Yao. If it weren't for you..."
"Don't thank me yet, boy. You're on the right path."
The next day, Ian woke up with the first rays of sunlight slipping through the window of his room. His body no longer felt as tired, thanks to the invigorating potion prepared by Grandpa Yao. With his eyes still half-closed, the first thing he did was open the system interface, eagerly checking if the mission had been completed.
A glowing notification appeared before him:
Mission Completed: Prepare and consume the invigorating potion
Reward: +10 energy points and store unlocked.
"Finally!" Ian exclaimed with a mix of excitement and curiosity.
Instantly, a new feature was enabled in his system: the Infernal Store. When he opened it, a new interface unfolded before his eyes much more complex and eye-catching than any menu before. There were multiple categories and subcategories: weapons, cultivation techniques, potions, grimoires, talismans, and even strange seeds.
However, most of the items couldn't be bought with regular energy points. In the upper right corner of the menu, a red message caught his attention:
Infernal Points: 0
Required for advanced transactions.
Below it, a small blinking icon appeared. Upon selecting it, the system explained:
> Infernal Points are a special currency that can be obtained in three main ways:
1. Eliminating living beings.
2. Completing system missions.
3. Exchanging valuable items in the Infernal Store.
Ian frowned as he read the first option.
"Killing living beings...? I guess it refers to wild creatures or beasts in the forest," he thought. "But if I want to progress, I'll have to get used to this logic."
He returned his attention to the catalog. One of the first items he saw was a Basic Ki Training Manual, which cost 100 Infernal Points. There were more advanced ones, like Fire Element Manipulation Techniques, or a manual called Tiger's Steady Steps, which increased the cultivator's agility. These ranged from 50 to hundreds of Infernal Points.
Ian spent a few minutes browsing through the options, amazed. There were magical weapons glowing with dark runes, protective amulets, flasks containing spiritual essences, and even a mysterious beast egg priced at an outrageous amount.
That's when he realized something very important:
"This world... isn't like mine. There are cultivators here… and a lot of them. If these manuals exist in the system, that means there are defined paths of power, techniques, schools… maybe even clans or sects."
For the first time, Ian felt he was standing at the edge of something much bigger. The system wasn't just helping him survive… it was pushing him down a path of cultivation, struggle, and growth. And the Infernal Store was a key tool in that process.
With a smile on his face, he closed the interface.
"All right, system. Let's see how far we can go."