The encounter with Wang Ruohan had soured his mood, but it sharpened his focus. The need to cultivate The Azurewood Heart Art and become a registered cultivator was now urgent.
Returning to his small courtyard, he began at once.
Drawing on the fragmented memories of the body's original owner, he sorted through the herbs from Shopkeeper Wang. Some he crushed into a paste, while others he placed in a clay pot to decoct over a charcoal fire. The pot bubbled, filling the room with the sharp, clean scent of herbs.
Once the medicinal soup was ready, he drank it in one go.
A gentle warmth spread from his stomach through his limbs. The meridians, still tight from the poison, began to loosen. The deep ache in his body lessened, and that night, he slept deep.
The next day, before the sky had fully lightened, Lin Rui was already standing in his narrow courtyard. He took a deep breath of the cool, misty air, sank into a low horse stance, and began to practice a set of boxing forms from the original owner's memory. The forms were simple, a basic routine for disciples of the minor branches to build strength. But as Lin Rui performed them, he infused the movements with the brutal efficiency of his past life. His punches and kicks carried the focused power of an inch-force strike.
Sweat soaked his thin linen shirt. Soreness flooded his muscles, but he moved through it, striving for precision in every motion. At the same time, he focused a sliver of his awareness outward, reaching for the vital energy in the world, guided by the principles of The Azurewood Heart Art.
This time, something was different. Perhaps it was the medicinal soup, or perhaps the intense physical and mental focus had created a new balance. As he once again visualized the luminous azurewood tree rooted in his dantian, he felt it: a faint, cool current in his core.
It was an extremely weak yet pure wisp of Verdant Vitality, like a new root taking hold. It carried the subtle fragrance of plants and a resilient life force as it quietly flowed into his dantian.
He fought the urge to seize it. Instead, with the deliberate focus of his past life, he guided it, coaxed it, and anchored it.
When the last thread of Verdant Vitality had merged with his own blood-qi, the nascent spiritual energy was still pitifully weak, as thin as a strand of silk. It was a far cry from coalescing into Alchemical Fire, but Lin Rui could feel something new inside his dantian.
At that moment, the air in the courtyard shifted. Wisps of spiritual energy, drawn by an invisible force, were faintly gathering around him. The concentration of spiritual energy in the courtyard increased by a tiny fraction.
"Hmm?" He remembered what he'd heard about the Spirit-Web. Could this be… a Favorable Response from the Spirit-Web? Because my cultivation stirred the world's spiritual energy, it's giving me a little reward?
He savored the feeling, like a small "EXP +1" notification from a game in his past life. A clean joy cut through his fatigue.
"It's working!" Lin Rui clenched his fists, a grin breaking across his face. "As long as the method is right, if I keep practicing, reaching the First Stage: Arcane Initiation, is definitely within reach!"
The Lin Clan's Spirit-Web Nexus, a vast, invisible net, constantly monitored every flicker of spiritual energy within the clan's domain. The nascent ripple from Lin Rui's courtyard did not go unnoticed.
This time, however, the one knocking on his gate was not a clan guard or deacon, but Lin Tiancheng, his Second Uncle.
The gate creaked open. The two Lin Clan guards standing watch saw the visitor and immediately bowed. "Second Master."
Lin Rui quickly got to his feet. "Second Uncle."
Lin Tiancheng wore a peach-colored robe, embroidered with a few sparse plum blossoms. His long hair was tied back with a simple cloth strip, and a well-groomed beard framed his angular face, giving him the roguish charm of a handsome, middle-aged man. After the original's father disappeared, this uncle had been attentive. Lin Rui also recalled that some in the clan referred to him as the "Guardian of Orthodoxy," though whether that was a compliment or a criticism was unclear.
Lin Tiancheng waved a hand, signaling the guards to be at ease. His eyes settled on Lin Rui, and a faint, unreadable smile touched his lips. "Rui'er, that little stir in the courtyard just now, was that your doing?"
Lin Rui tensed but feigned ignorance. "A stir? Your nephew is slow-witted. I'm not sure what Second Uncle is referring to."
Lin Tiancheng didn't press the point. He strolled over to the stone table and sat, tapping his fingers on the rough surface. "An hour ago, the clan's Spirit-Web Nexus detected spiritual energy gathering in your courtyard. It wasn't a massive surge like the 'Ancestors' Blessing.' It was a definite… flicker. A response from the Spirit-Web indicating a result from cultivation."
He paused, his expression sharpening. "The Clan Head was informed. He was surprised and sent me to take a look. So, my boy, when did you learn how to cultivate?"
Shrewd old man, Lin Rui thought, but he manufactured a smile of perfect surprise and sheepishness. "Second Uncle, you see everything! Your nephew is just as confused. Ever since the Ancestors' Blessing, I've felt a bit lighter… This morning, I was just messing around with the forms, and I actually felt a tiny wisp of coolness in my dantian!"
He gestured with his hands, playing the part of a naive kid who'd stumbled into a fortune.
Lin Tiancheng's tone shifted, and a profound, mysterious smile formed. "Let's do this, Rui'er. Since you have this opportunity, I will give you a push." He leaned forward. "I've already sent word to the Celestial Law Division. Tomorrow morning, go to their branch office in the marketplace, give them my name, and tell them I have approved you for cultivator registration. They will process it for you, saving you the trouble of their tedious inspection procedures."
Lin Rui's eyes widened.
Connections? Bypassing the rules? This so-called uncle of mine plays by his own rules. This is the equivalent of a cheat code.
Seeing Lin Rui's dumbfounded expression, Lin Tiancheng's smile deepened.
He traced an invisible line on the table.
"The path of cultivation is a chain of cause and effect. Your hard work, coalescing that first wisp of vital energy and triggering a Favorable Response from the Spirit-Web, that was the first push."
He paused, his eyes deep with meaning.
"That response may seem insignificant, but it is a pebble tossed into a calm lake. The ripples are small, yet they have already altered the flow. Because of it, the Clan Head noticed you. Because of it, I am here. And because of it, I am willing to offer you this convenience. This is the second push." He met Lin Rui's eyes. "Do you understand? Every link in the chain is connected. Without your first push, there would be no second. How far you can walk on this path will depend on whether you can grasp every tiny 'cause' to leverage a greater 'effect'."
The feeling of simple luck faded, replaced by a sudden understanding.
"Second Uncle, your nephew… understands." He gave Lin Tiancheng a deep, solemn bow.
The next morning, Lin Rui changed into a cleaner set of coarse clothes and arrived at the Bamboo Cloud Town branch of the Celestial Law Division.
The Division's building was more imposing than he had imagined. Tall courtyard walls were built of bluestone, and two stone statues of some unknown, exotic beasts flanked the entrance, projecting an air of authority. The main gates were open, and cultivators bearing all manner of weapons came and went. Here and there, a few dejected-looking wandering cultivators could be seen, muttering complaints under their breath.
Lin Rui stood on the opposite side of the street, took a deep breath to steady himself, and walked in.
The moment he stepped through the doors, a wall of noise and a mix of smells hit him: ink, sweat, and various spiritual materials. The vast chamber was packed with cultivators. Some crowded around high counters, speaking with the deacons within; others sat on benches along the walls, sighing in frustration. A few banners hung on the walls, inscribed with excerpts from The Heavenly Dao Cultivator's Code.
His eyes swept over the crowd and found a relatively deserted counter in the corner. A small plaque on it read: New Cultivator Registration. Behind it, a deacon in the standard gray robes of the Celestial Law Division was in the middle of a bored yawn.
Lin Rui approached the counter.
"Honorable Deacon, my name is Lin Rui. I have come to register as a cultivator under the order of Second Master Lin Tiancheng of the Lin Clan."
At the mention of the name, the deacon's eyelids fluttered open. He looked Lin Rui up and down with an expression of weary recognition. He pulled a palm-sized, blue-green jade slip from a drawer, along with a slender talisman brush whose tip glowed with a faint spiritual light.
"Name, Lin Rui. Origin, collateral branch of the Lin Clan. Age?"
"Eighteen."
"Primary cultivation art?"
"Er… a fragment of The Azurewood Heart Art."
The deacon's hand paused. He glanced up at Lin Rui again with a strange, questioning look, but he didn't ask, merely making a few strokes on the jade slip. A faint green light washed over its surface, and a few runes flashed before disappearing.
"Any special skills or master?"
"My father, Lin Yuntian, had some knowledge of the Way of Alchemy. I picked up a thing or two."
Next, the deacon took out a palm-sized, vibrant green jade token. The front was carved with the two characters for "Celestial Law," while the back was blank. "Your hand. I need a drop of blood to bind this Cultivator Jade Token."
Lin Rui did as he was told. The deacon took a silver needle and pricked his finger. A single drop of crimson blood welled up and fell onto the blank side of the token. The drop spread across the surface, forming a network of fine, blood-red lines. Then, just as quickly, the lines faded, leaving only a faint, dark-red mark.
The deacon nodded and handed the token to Lin Rui. "It is done. This is a Green Bamboo Jade Token, a specialty of Bamboo Cloud Town. From now on, it is your proof of status as a registered cultivator. This token will serve as your identification and record your cultivation progress and any merit points you accumulate."
He paused, then added, "However, you haven't even reached the First Stage of Arcane Initiation, so your level won't show for now. Second Master Lin gave you a head start, but whether you can make anything of it is up to you. Only when you can coalesce your first true wisp of spiritual energy will you have truly stepped onto the path."
Lin Rui accepted the token. It smelled faintly of fresh bamboo, and a thrill of ownership went through him.
The deacon then pulled three thin booklets from under the counter and slid them across to him. "Take these: The Celestial Law Division's Cultivator Code of Conduct, The General Index of Spirit-Web Mission Tiers and Rewards, and An Abridged Collection of the Viridian Prefecture's Cultivator Mutual Assistance Treaties. Read them. Don't say no one warned you if you break a taboo or miss an opportunity."
Lin Rui tucked the booklets into his robes, thanked the deacon, and turned to leave.
The main hall was crowded, and as he moved, a figure barreled toward him.
With a slight shuffle of his feet, Lin Rui avoided the collision. He looked up and froze.
The person opposite him hadn't expected to run into someone either. Her brows drew together in irritation, but when she got a clear look at Lin Rui's face, her almond-shaped eyes widened in shock.
"Lin Rui?!"
Lin Yueyao was dressed in the sharp, fitted uniform of an inner-hall disciple, her long hair tied up high, her posture straight and proud. She held a beast-hide scroll tied with silk thread, apparently here on clan business.
Her eyes fell to the Green Bamboo Jade Token at Lin Rui's waist. The token's brand-new sheen and the faint spiritual fluctuations emanating from it stung her eyes.
"What are you doing here?! This Cultivator Jade Token… When did you manage to draw qi into your body?!" Lin Yueyao's voice grew sharp, rising with an edge she herself didn't notice.
He watched her shock with a flicker of inner amusement, though his own expression remained neutral.
"Just a lucky break. Thank you for your concern, Cousin."
His bland response caught Lin Yueyao off guard. The questions died on her lips. She stared at his calm face and realized he was different. The old Lin Rui would have shrunk from her stare.
Was she the one who poisoned the original owner?
He wondered.
No, not her. Lin Yueyao is arrogant, but she's direct. Poison isn't her style. As the clan's acknowledged genius, she wouldn't stoop to using such methods on a 'good-for-nothing' she considers beneath her notice. If she wanted me gone, she would have been far more direct. This was the work of someone else, someone who lurks in the shadows.
He dismissed the thought and left the Celestial Law Division.
"Make way! Everyone, make way!"
A moment later, a Crimson Flame Colt, its body pure red and hooves sparking with faint embers, charged down the street, out of control. The richly-dressed man on its back scrambled with the reins, his face pale with fright.
The street erupted into chaos. A few patrolling cultivators from the Division were on the scene in moments. One of them threw a rope-like magical artifact that flashed with a green light, binding the colt securely.
Lin Rui shook his head, having no intention of getting involved. He turned to leave.
"Well, well, who do we have here? If it isn't my dear cousin Ruohan's former… fiancée-to-be?" A light, teasing voice sounded from behind him.
A muscle jumped in Lin Rui's temple. He turned to find a man in flamboyant, bright purple cultivator's robes, with all sorts of trinkets dangling from his waist, hopping down from a white Snow-Mane Steed across the street.
Wang Ting. An oddball from the collateral branches of the Wang Clan, and Wang Ruohan's older cousin.
Wang Ting crossed the street in a few quick strides. Mockery lit his eyes as he looked Lin Rui over, a grin fixed on his face. "I knew that back looked familiar. What a rare sight, Young Master Lin. Did the sun rise in the west today? You actually decided to crawl out of that little hovel of yours?"
Lin Rui's patience snapped.
"Spit it out."
The blunt reply amused Wang Ting rather than offended him. He clapped his hands. "Interesting! Truly interesting! It's only been a few days, and you've been completely reborn, haven't you?" He leaned closer and sniffed. "Tsk, that faint scent of the Celestial Law Division on you… And that Green Bamboo Jade Token at your waist, brand new, is it? Did those old fossils at the Lin Clan finally figure out how to pull some strings for you?"
Wang Ting stroked his chin, his eyes darting around.
"Hey, looking at you, I bet you haven't eaten yet. Come on, your big brother here is in a good mood. I'll treat you to a feast at the Drunken Immortal Tavern. You can tell me all about what miracle you stumbled upon. Don't tell me your ancestors' graves really did start smoking and one of them possessed you?"
"And you're the one who's been dropped on his head."
Wang Ting's laughter boomed as he slung an arm around Lin Rui's shoulders. He began dragging him toward the Drunken Immortal Tavern, ignoring his protests.
"Hahaha, just kidding! Let's go, let's go! The Tavern just got a new shipment of Biluochun Spirit Tea, and their signature Roasted Snow Hare Legs are so good, you'll be begging for more!"