Chapter 2: Filth Room

"Although this world has immortals, the lifestyle of mortals is not much different from the feudal dynasties of the Iron Age, with low productivity."

"Perhaps it is because there is no communication between the celestial and mortal realms, strong individuals do not share a common concept of development, or perhaps, immortals do not see mortals as their kind."

"One cannot rule out the existence of an 'Immortal Realm'-like inner world, where there may be a different structural framework."

In the firewood room, Chu Zheng shrank his body to preserve as much body heat as possible, his mind habitually began to analyze the social background of the current era.

Regrettably, limited by the original body's scarce education, the information he could obtain was extremely limited.

In the blink of an eye, it was almost midnight, and the moon was high in the sky.

Chu Zheng didn't waste the five repair opportunities given by the panel, using all of them on the Integrated Fist.

[Name: Chu Zheng]

[Cultivation: Zeroth Order]

[Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order/Incomplete), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order)]

[Repair Master: Zeroth Order (5/1000)]

[Remaining Repairs for the Day: 0]

[Currently Repairable: Integrated Fist (5/10)]

Chu Zheng stared at the panel, continuing to wait for time to pass.

Halfway through the midnight hour, the panel changed again, just as he expected, the count of repair opportunities reset, and he once again used them all on the Integrated Fist.

[Integrated Fist (10/10) Repaired]

[Quality: Zeroth Order]

[A rather ordinary fist technique, its creator perhaps never intended it for injuring others. With long-term practice, it can strengthen the body and seems to have potential yet to be unearthed, but with your current abilities, it is temporarily unreachable.]

A stream of information entered Chu Zheng's mind, a set of breathing techniques.

This fist technique encompassed both the movements and breathing methods. The Song Family had only taught the movements and had not passed down the breathing techniques.

In the mortal realm's martial path, tempering the body and later condensing inner qi, cultivating qi into sharpness, marks a grandmaster.

Without the breathing methods, even if practiced to the limit, it can only serve to toughen the physique, with no hope of cultivating qi in one's lifetime.

What surprised Chu Zheng most was the panel's description of Integrated Fist.

For someone who was once a cultural relic restorer, the ancient information contained in those artifacts represented their true value.

This made him somewhat sigh in reflection; if he had had access to the panel in his previous life, perhaps many buried histories could have been brought to light again.

After carefully considering the breathing techniques within the Integrated Fist, Chu Zheng's perception gradually changed.

In his previous life, while restoring cultural relics, he inevitably came into contact with many ancient texts, some of which recorded the breathing and expelling techniques of Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators.

He had devotedly studied this breathing technique for a time, even studying traditional medicine for several years to understand the theory of meridians and acupoints, but never grasped it, gaining nothing.

But now, comparing it with the breathing technique from the Integrated Fist, he seemed to have an epiphany, as if there were some similarities between the two.

Chu Zheng immediately sat cross-legged, with his palms facing upward, trying to capture the energy of heaven and earth, refining inner qi.

He had done this for several years in his previous life and was now quite adept at it.

According to ancient texts, those who consumed qi were godly and long-lived. Qi cultivators who succeeded could live over three to five hundred years as if it were nothing.

But in later generations, no one believed this claim anymore.

Because according to various research data, no human skeletons older than one hundred thirty years have been found within any ancient ruins, rendering the claim self-defeating.

With closed eyes and a sunken heart, he sat quietly for two hours, and Chu Zheng helplessly opened his eyes and got up to move. His limbs had stiffened from the cold, and the chill of the night air made them tingle slightly.

Whether it was the breathing method of Integrated Fist or the ancient Pre-Qin Qi Cultivator's techniques, all had yielded nothing.

His thoughts had been too simplistic; now, weakened and blood-deficient, trying to condense qi was indeed too difficult.

Casually glancing at the panel, Chu Zheng suddenly focused his gaze.

[Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order), Great Circulatory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Incomplete)]

[Currently Repairable: Great Circulatory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter (0/100)]

The panel had changed, and his recent endeavors were not without meaning.

...…

...…

The following day at dusk, snow had ceased and the sky cleared.

Whoosh——

The door of the firewood room was once again pushed open. Chu Zheng instinctively raised his hand to shield his face from the dim yellow glow that flooded into the room, dazzling for a moment and preventing him from opening his eyes.

Two figures entered slowly, leading was Song Yun, and with him was an elderly man nearing sixty, carrying a wooden box, his body permeated with a strong scent of herbs.

The elder stepped ahead to Chu Zheng's side, took his pulse, then slightly nodded his head,

"The pulse is normal. The Essence Yuan is depleted and the blood is weak, the stomach Qi exhausted; he has not consumed even rice water for at least four days."

This was a necessary step to prevent stealing food.

If any abnormalities were detected, the punishment would be severe, as the Song Family upheld strict rules.

Having spoken, the elder turned back, opened his medicine chest, took out a porcelain bottle, poured out a round elixir, and stuffed it into Chu Zheng's mouth,

"Take this Qi Supplementing Pill, rest for two days, and all shall be well."

The Song Family never mistreated their servants. Rewards and punishments were clear: once punished, there was no excessive blame afterward.

Authority combined with benevolence was truly the way to manage subordinates.

After the physician had left, Song Yun stepped forward slowly, casually dropping a porcelain bottle,

"Miss Xie specifically instructed this; you can go directly to the Filth Room. The bedding has already been sent there; stay out of the front courtyard if unnecessary, leave the residence through the side door, and remember to clean the Filth Room thoroughly. I will come to inspect it in a couple days."

Chu Zheng opened the porcelain bottle and glanced inside, his gaze slightly sharpening.

Inside the bottle were two elixirs the size of longan fruits, pitch-black in color.

[Essence Yuan Pill (Zeroth Order): Composed of ginseng, astragalus... licorice and dozens of other herbs, it strengthens the Qi, fortifies the blood and generates body fluids. Unfortunately, its potency was compromised during the preparation process, it is recommended to repair it before consumption.]

This panel was far from just simple cultivation techniques; it even encompassed the restoration of elixirs.

"Extend my thanks to Miss Xie."

The Qi Supplementing Pill gradually took effect, warming Chu Zheng's stomach and restoring some strength to his body. He slowly stood up and left the firewood room.

Casually grabbing a handful of melting snow from the eaves, he stuffed it into his mouth to quench his thirst, and headed straight towards the Filth Room from his memory.

...

...

This old estate of the Song Family, handed down to this day, nearly three hundred years old, had undergone numerous renovations, yet it still retained traces of the years.

As he walked, Chu Zheng was dazzled by all he saw.

These buildings imbued with ancient charm, in his view, always filled with a soul-stirring beauty, marks left by the passage of time.

The Filth Room was located in the northwest corner of the Song Residence, occupying an area of about five to six square zhang.

As he pushed open the door, dust flew up, and the interior was cluttered with lots of aged items.

[Sinking Wood Tea Tray (Zeroth Order/Incomplete): Once greatly cherished, it fell into neglect after the owner's death, lacking the nourishment of tea, and showing some cracks.]

[Aged Diary (Zeroth Order/Incomplete): A diary written by a Song surnamed martial artist, you can repair it to pass time.]

[Tiger Head Shoes (Zeroth Order): Carrying memories that gradually faded over time as they were forgotten.]

After circling around the Filth Room, Chu Zheng grew even more pleased. Its seclusion, free from disturbances, was undoubtedly a treasure trove for him.

Upon departure, Chu Zheng took the tea tray and the incomplete Aged Diary.

"A house of gold lies within the book pages," was a truth Chu Zheng always believed in; reading more held no disadvantages.

Before the advent of different information storage methods, books were crucial cultural ties for information heritage, and reading had become a habit ingrained in his bones.

Especially something like a diary, which allowed Chu Zheng to see through time into an ancient person's life situation—truly precious.

On one side of the Filth Room was a small side room with a bed already made; less than a zhang in length and width, it appeared somewhat cramped but it was Chu Zheng's new quarters.

Chu Zheng didn't mind. He sat directly on the bed with his legs crossed, quietly awaiting midnight.

Dudu… Dududu...

Before the night had fully settled, someone had already knocked on Chu Zheng's door.