My face was resembling the girl in the dream.
As I was thinking about the sudden change, Gu Chaun walked in and said,
"The water's been running for two minutes, you know."
"Hey… I think something has changed within me," I said.
Gu Chaun tilted his head. I could tell he didn't fully understand me, so I turned my head toward him. The moment he saw my face, his eyes widened.
"How did it happen?" Gu Chaun asked.
"Last night, I dreamed about a girl. At first, I didn't think much of it, but when I was washing my face, I noticed I somewhat resembled her," I explained. I didn't tell him everything though — for some reason, my heart didn't want to.
"Oh, it's like that," he said after a short pause. "Then it probably means your real face was hidden by that man. Now that your memories are returning, your original face is coming back too."
His answer was close to what I was thinking. But I couldn't understand why someone would want to change my face in the first place. Was it because of my past?
I didn't think too much about it since my memories would eventually return anyway.
...
I looked at Gu Xue's face — she seemed to be deep in thought.
She was acting strange this morning. I guess she still doesn't trust me as much as I thought.
I noticed her behavior shift after her face started changing. I had my doubts. Her emotions spiked when she woke up, which meant she saw something bad in her dream but only told me half of it.
Since I was already monitoring her condition, I decided not to dwell on it. Unless she wanted to tell me, I wouldn't ask.
We both ate together quietly. My body was recovering faster than expected. It seemed like my body had already adapted to the training — preparing itself every day. That's why when I rested, it healed much faster.
Heh… the human body really is amazing. Adaptability, huh? I wonder what its limits are.
"I'll be finding a way to earn money," I said after finishing the meal.
"Okay," she replied simply. That was enough. She understood what I meant.
After eating, I went outside to look for a method.
As I walked through the streets, I saw many humanoids wearing Taoist-style clothing. After spending time on Planet 446, I learned that the humanoid form, Taoist robes, and even Japanese-style kimono designs were widely accepted across the universe. The languages were also surprisingly similar.
The universe was divided into four main factions. The one I was currently in was under the Cultivation Association, which maintained peace and order across its controlled territories. They promoted the humanoid form and Taoist attire as a symbol of their faction.
However, even within the Association's reach, there were smaller powers and sects that acted independently, as long as they didn't disrupt the balance.
There were also organizations like the Universal Bank, which operated separately from all factions but was trusted and protected by each one. Their system was nearly instantaneous, allowing transactions between planets and even galaxies.
The more I learned about this world, the more curious I became — not just about the Cultivation Association, but also about the other factions and the technology behind the Universal Bank's system. But with my current cultivation, even meeting someone from the Association would be nearly impossible.
As I continued walking, I overheard something interesting.
"Velora's hundred-year festival is coming!" a cultivator shouted. "Any cultivator, regardless of realm, can attend. There will even be an inheritance left by a Nascent Soul expert!"
A festival, huh?
An inheritance of a Nascent Soul expert, and open to everyone? That meant the inheritance would likely be split into multiple parts — giving more people a chance instead of a single winner.
It sounded worth checking out. There might even be something valuable enough to sell.
At the very least, I could earn something useful.
Maybe even an essence.
Essence was the life's Qi of a cultivator, condensed into a crystal-like stone. Whoever obtained it could absorb that Qi and advance their cultivation instantly. It was often found in inheritances like this.
If I could get one, reaching the Nascent Soul realm would be possible. That would let me close the gap between myself and other cultivators far faster.
I took the details of the festival and returned to the inn.
When I told Gu Xue about it, her eyes lit up — she was clearly eager to join.
The Velora Festival would take place in the center of Velora City, five days from now, starting in the morning.
The event wasn't just about inheritances. It also featured markets filled with cultivator goods — rare herbs, beast cores, skill manuals, even gambling stalls, and brothels for entertainment.
There were also technique demonstrations, martial exchanges, and auctions where treasures from other realms would appear.
It was truly a once-in-a-century event — a heaven for cultivators.