"Lin Chang'an, low-grade Spirit Root!"
Looking through the window at the first spring rain trickling down the eaves, Lin Chang'an rubbed the aching spot between his brows, revealing a forlorn expression.
Once again recalling the cold voice from twenty years ago when he first entered the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
"Time flies so fast, forty years have passed in this lifetime."
The spring wind swept through, carrying away much of the alcoholic vapor from the room, and Lin Chang'an sighed deeply.
With low-grade Spirit Root aptitude and no resources, he struggled for twenty years and is still only at the Qi Refining Third Layer.
It's not just poor aptitude anymore, but sheer lack of everything, making cultivation exceedingly difficult.
"Twenty years of asceticism, and now forty years old, it's time to resign to fate."
...
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
There was a knock at the door.
"Brother Lin, are you alright? You drank so much at the pub yesterday, I was really worried about you."
As the door opened, Li Erniu, seeing Lin Chang'an's haggard face, let out a sigh of relief.
"Erniu, I'm fine."
Seeing Erniu brought a smile to Lin Chang'an's face.
Li Erniu, the fellow struggling brother among the four who failed together, although they came to Cyan Bamboo Mountain Market together, Erniu chose to marry into a family.
Twenty years have passed, and the aura of a farm boy has completely faded, now he's evidently a Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator.
Seeing Lin Chang'an like this, Li Erniu helplessly patted his shoulder.
"Brother Lin, we've been through so much over the years, I understand."
Looking at Li Erniu's concerned eyes, Lin Chang'an felt warmth in his heart.
Marrying into a family isn't easy; the Zhou Family needed to restore Primordial Energy due to resource disputes, which created this opportunity.
Otherwise, such good fortune wouldn't typically come by.
Thinking of this, Lin Chang'an enviously glanced at Erniu's magic robe.
He tried to marry into a family too, but the Zhou Family surprisingly valued honesty and reliability over looks when selecting a son-in-law.
Clearly, this was taking advantage of honest people, causing him to be directly eliminated.
"Brother Lin."
Li Erniu sighed helplessly too, no longer the honest farm boy he once was, showing more of big family's mannerisms.
To Erniu, Lin Chang'an waved off, feigning lightness.
"Erniu, I'm a Qi Refining Cultivator; I'll go to the Mortal Realm someday, buy good farmland, live in large houses, and find a few pretty beauties. It's not bad at all."
Upon saying this, Lin Chang'an chuckled, teasingly adding:
"My good days are ahead; don't envy me by then."
"True enough." Li Erniu thought of his own life as a son-in-law and grinned in response.
This carefree smile spoke of enjoying life in the Mortal Realm, but to anyone else, perhaps believable.
But Lin Chang'an, this ascetic of twenty consistent years, is his smile genuine?
"Brother Lin."
At this moment, Li Erniu remembered his purpose for coming, awkwardly whispering:
"Brother Lin, your plan to return to the Mortal Realm might have to be postponed."
"What's wrong?"
"This time is different from usual, there's an order from above to increase the development efforts, so..."
The rest went unsaid, but Lin Chang'an, having spent 20 years here, understood well, feeling speechless.
Truly misfortune comes when least expected.
He was preparing to give up returning to the Mortal Realm, and then this happened,
The market had taken over twenty years of development to reach its current scale, developing every three years; those unwilling to take part had to pay taxes.
But this time it's clear that the upper authority wishes to intensify efforts, and the tax is likely to double.
Not paying taxes is possible, but that makes one purely a Wandering Cultivator.
Paying taxes and holding an Identity Jade Token means one can live luxuriously in the Mortal World Capital, enjoined with titles and privileges, with descendants directly leaping to nobility.
Protected by the Immortal Sect behind the scenes, and descendants receive attention too, as the chances of Spirit Root arising in a cultivator's descendants are high.
Hence, within Mortal nations, factions backed by sects, none lack a sect's influence, whereas Wandering Cultivators without Identity Jade Tokens can only roam around towns.
The difference is vast.
"I understand, looks like I'll have to pick up old habits and work for a while longer."
Having intended to leave, yet restrained from going.
Lin Chang'an shook his head helplessly, while Li Erniu furtively glanced around then carefully took off his boots.
Then, retrieved a ball of fabric carrying a scent.
"Erniu, you old rascal, years gone by without changing a bit."
Lin Chang'an laughingly scolded while Erniu opened the bundle, revealing twenty-six fingernail-sized Spirit crystals.
Spirit Crystals, a smaller denomination currency than Spirit Stones in the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
"Brother Lin, borrow these first."
Clearly, Li Erniu knew Lin Chang'an was dispirited, preparing to retreat to the Mortal Realm, fearing he had exchanged all Spirit Stones for Mortal goods.
This time, Lin Chang'an did not decline Erniu's goodwill, as his pockets were indeed emptier than his face due to previous preparations.
"Erniu, thank you."
"Brother Lin, you helped me plenty back then."
Li Erniu said solemnly, when they first entered the Immortal Cultivation Realm, Lin Chang'an took care of him often.
Even when Zhou Family sought a son-in-law, it was Lin Chang'an who saw Zhou Family's choice, hurrying back to inform him timely.
After sending Erniu off, watching his figure in the rain that got not a drop on him, Lin Chang'an showed a sign of envy.
"A low-grade Magic Robe, Erniu first had a descendant with Spirit Root, and now recently advanced, seems his days in Zhou Family are about to flourish."
Closing the door.
On the table, gold, silver, and jewels that would make ordinary people greedy, Lin Chang'an shook his head, picking them up as if dirt, casually stuffing them into a pouch.
"Looks like these trinkets will continue to gather dust for a while."
Though viewed as dirt, the value lies in Mortal Realm wealth, thus casually tossed into a corner near the door to gather dust.
"More talisman drawing again."
Rubbing his forehead, Lin Chang'an slowly sat cross-legged on the bed; talisman drawing is meticulous work, demanding vitality and spirit.
In his current state, he couldn't bear wasting talisman paper and cinnabar.
With cross-legged meditation, starting to circulate the Chang Chun Skill cultivation technique, a flash of light appeared, making Lin Chang'an gape.
[Name: Lin Chang'an]
[Life Span: 40/88]
[Realm: Qi Refining Third Layer (95/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Chang Chun Skill (Proficiency: 489/500)]
[Skills: Golden Light Talisman (Proficiency 498/500), Divine Movement Talisman (Proficiency 358/500)]
[Spell: Fire Bomb Technique (Mastery 450/1000), Breath Concealment Technique (Mastery 210/1000), Invisibility Technique (Mastery 120/1000), Exorcism Technique (Proficiency 478/500)...]