The pill had done more than just open his meridians. It had set his very being on fire, not with pain, but with an exhilarating rush of pure, raw energy. Jin's body hummed, his senses sharpened to an impossible degree. He could hear the faint chirping of a cricket from a kilometer away and smell the iron in the blood of a wild beast that had wandered into the mountains a full day's journey from the sect gates. The world, once a blurry, hopeless place, was now sharp, vibrant, and filled with a thousand new sensations. Jin, the former "trash" sweeper, had officially entered the Qi Condensation realm.1
"My word. That... was quite a pill," Jin muttered to himself, still in the alchemy pavilion. He still held the empty, sooty cauldron, his mind reeling.
A private message appeared in his mind, its tone smug.
Honestly, it's the bare minimum, but I suppose we can celebrate. I have to say, it's quite a change from when you were refining star matter into new solar systems, but we all have to start somewhere.
Jin winced. "I told you, I don't know who you are. And what's this about star matter?"
The system replied, her voice filled with mock offense.
Jin paled. He'd overheard that dreadful song a hundred times. It was a mournful dirge about a tragic hero's fall. No one in the sect sang it, because no one wanted to be associated with such a sad tale. He quickly dismissed the system panel from his mind. He wasn't going to be a karaoke punching bag for some voice in his head, even if that voice had just made him a cultivator.
His newfound power came with a monumental problem. The pill had jump-started his cultivation, but it had also left his internal reserves completely depleted. His dantian, the energy core in his lower abdomen, felt like an empty void screaming for more Qi to solidify his breakthrough. He needed more spiritual herbs, and he needed them now. The sect's Contribution Hall was the only place to get them, and it required Contribution Points. He had none.
He began to walk toward the Hall, a place he had only ever seen from a distance, like a peasant looking at a palace. He kept his gaze on the ground, a habit he had perfected over years of being invisible. But now, it was different. He could feel the eyes on him. The disciples he passed didn't look at him with scorn, but with a strange, nervous reverence. They saw his soot-stained face and dirty robes and mistook his shame for a mask of a reclusive, powerful master.2
He saw two inner disciples, a man and a woman, stop their conversation and stiffen as he approached. They quickly bowed, their heads lowered so far they were practically touching the ground.
"We greet the esteemed elder, we did not realize you had graced our section of the courtyards," the man, a disciple named Feng, said with a voice that trembled slightly.
Jin stared at them, confused. "Esteemed elder? I think you have me mistaken."
The woman, Lina, glanced up and saw the soot on his face, a smudge on his cheek. She gasped, grabbing Feng by the arm. "Brother Feng! That... that is a 'Hidden Alchemy Mark of Purity!' It's said only a true Pill Grandmaster can leave such a mark on their own face after a perfect breakthrough!"
Jin blinked, then nervously wiped the dirt from his face. "This is just... I was making a pill."
Lina's eyes widened further. She pointed to the spot where the smudge had been. "He erased it! He's trying to maintain his humble facade! A true master!"
Jin sighed. This was ridiculous. He just wanted to get some herbs. He walked on, ignoring their frantic whispering. As he continued on his way, the system spoke again.
Look at that, darling. They've already figured you out. You just can't hide your true, dazzling nature.
Jin shook his head. "I'm not a 'Pill Grandmaster' and I'm definitely not a 'hidden master'. I'm just Jin."
He arrived at the grand, ornate doors of the Contribution Hall. Inside, a stern-faced elder was seated behind a large mahogany counter, counting coins with a bored expression. This was Elder Wu, the one in charge of the Contribution Hall. He had a reputation for being strict and unforgiving, and he disliked Jin for his lack of talent.
Jin walked up to the counter, his heart pounding. "Elder Wu, I... I wish to exchange for some spiritual herbs."
Elder Wu didn't even look up. "Disciples must have at least ten Contribution Points to request spiritual herbs. You have zero, you know that. Get out of my sight, you're sullying the floor."
Jin was crestfallen. He was about to turn away when a new message from the system flashed in his mind.
Jin looked at the quest in disbelief. "How am I supposed to do that?"
The system answered with a private thought. My dear, you don't have to do anything. Just let me work my magic. You simply need to appear... mysterious. I'll do the rest.
"But... but you said I had to do it without using a resource."
I am not a resource, silly. I am your wife.
Jin shook his head, thoroughly confused. Elder Wu was looking at him with an annoyed expression. "I said, get out, boy."
Jin, acting on a whim, simply straightened his back and stared at the elder, his face a perfect mask of bewildered indifference.
He did not know that at that very moment, the system was subtly broadcasting a fraction of her divine aura into Jin, causing the very air around him to hum with a godlike resonance. The aura was imperceptible to the naked eye, but to a cultivator's spiritual sense, it was like standing before a black hole of power.
Elder Wu, who had been about to push Jin out with a wave of his hand, froze. He felt a chilling sense of dread. The boy before him, the very same boy he had just insulted, was radiating an aura of supreme power that made his Soul Palace tremble. The aura was ancient, vast, and completely untraceable, as if it belonged to someone who had completely transcended the very laws of the universe.
Elder Wu's eyes darted from Jin to the closed doors of the hall. No one else seemed to notice. A hidden master, concealing his power! Was this a test? Was Jin trying to see if the Elder was worthy of his attention? Elder Wu had no idea.
Panic began to set in. He forced a strained smile onto his face. "Y-Young... no, esteemed Grandmaster! My apologies! I... I did not know it was you! I only see a lowly sweeper, but the heavens see a dragon disguised as a worm!"
Jin stared at him, still completely bewildered. He hadn't said a word.
"My sincerest apologies for my ignorance! Please, how can I be of service? What... what herbs do you require?" Elder Wu stammered, his body bowed low in a respectful arch.
Jin, still processing the Elder's sudden change in demeanor, simply stated his needs. "I... I need some Qi Condensing herbs. And maybe a few Spirit Grasses to help consolidate my foundation."
Elder Wu's eyes widened in sheer terror. He was not asking for common herbs. He was asking for common herbs. A true master who was so strong he only needed trash to train with! This was a sign of unparalleled genius!
"Of course! Of course, my lord! It is my honor to provide them!" Elder Wu rushed behind the counter and, with trembling hands, began to scoop handfuls of the most valuable, rare herbs into a silk pouch. He even threw in a few precious bottles of high-grade spiritual dew that were worth a fortune. "Please, accept these as a humble offering from this unworthy servant!"
Jin was now more confused than ever. This was a complete 180 from his usual interaction with the Elder. He accepted the pouch and, as he did, a new message appeared in his mind.
[Quest Complete: A Humble Harvest]
[New Quest: Consolidate Foundation]
[Objective: Find a secluded area and begin your cultivation with the acquired resources.]
Jin stared at the reward screen, then at the Elder, who was now sweating profusely and bowing so low he was practically on the floor.
See? What did I tell you? Just let me handle it. The system's voice was filled with a victorious charm that Jin found both baffling and surprisingly... reassuring.
He was now a cultivator. He had a pouch full of magical herbs, a new, bizarre 'title', and a voice in his head that claimed to be his wife, and was a far better schemer than he could ever hope to be. The journey to the peak was going to be a strange one indeed.