6 A Thin Line

Hartley left the apothecary and headed straight for the Weapon smith. The golden sun sat low to the west, long evening shadows were now crawling across the center of the city as most people headed for their homes.

The lively atmosphere of the work hours had died down. Hartley still had over 800 gold coins on him and was overjoyed.

Now he would be able to bring back the rest of the stuff from his shack with his space ring, the thought brought a smile to his face. He entered the Weapon Smith with a pep in his step.

Twenty minutes later he exited the shop with a scabbard attached to his waist, he had bought a black bladed long sword for 120 gold.

It was a top quality product, black steel was renowned for its durability, some even say a good quality black blade could even hold its own against a genuine spirit weapon.

How true that was, Hartley had no idea, that was what the weapon smith had told him.

He also acquired a set of 6 throwing knives, also made from black steel, the workmanship wasn't too bad either.

Satisfied with his purchases, he was brought back to reality by the loud rumbles of his empty stomach.

It was late in the evening, and with the excitement of his spending spree stimulating his adrenaline, hunger had crept up on him like a thief in the night.

His next mission was to find an inn and get something to eat, a bed for the rest of the night would cap a perfect day.

If it was any other point in his life, he wouldn't dare even think about an inn, but now that he had some coins he was going to spoil himself a little.

The rude pointing and whispering from the locals had somewhat died down by now.

He was making his way around in the waning light of the evening, asking directions for an inn.

It was an exercise in futility, he was mostly shunned by the superficial residents, some thought it was beneath them to be seen conversing with someone dressed in home-made clothes.

Others didn't even acknowledge his presence, holding their heads straight, going about their business as if the youth was an apparition.

Sighing in frustration Hartley was beginning to think twice about joining civilization, the wilderness riddled with man-eating beast weren't as savage as these people.

A female voice called to him, bringing him from his thoughts.

He glanced back and there was someone standing in front of the armory shop waving him over, it was Zhi Ruo, she had bought a lot of pelts earlier.

After coming over Hartley respectfully bowed from the waist and answered " Sister Ruo" she once again blushed and started talking quickly.

"I heard you were looking for an inn, I can recommend my Uncle's inn, its just at the edge of town."

Before he could answer, she then quickly asked.

"Why have you not processed those yellow striped leopard pelts you are wearing?"

A trickle of people passed by, pushing up their noses at the two, giving the red hair girl funny looks when they saw her comfortably chatting to the wild youth.

"I have no idea how to do it" replied Hartley with a helpless shrug.

Zhi Ruo put one hand on her hip and pointed her nose towards the sky while bragging.

"I not only make the best armor, I also make luxury robes for the Lords and Ladies of the esteemed clans around the Waltham Province."

She looked at Hartley with a bit of disdain before continuing, "you have one of the most sought after pelts attached to you with grass, what a waste."

If you pay me 3 gold coins I will process those pelts for you and make you a couple of robes"

Hartley respectfully bowed and quickly replied, "then I will have to bother Miss Ruo."

He paid her on the spot and got directions to Zhi Ruo uncle's inn and headed off.

...

Two hours later he was sat cross legged in a small room cultivating Blue Star energy, he had opened another 20 pages in Blue Star Gravity Sutra book.

There was a faint blue aura rising around him like churning smoke. His daintan had a flickering blue star, the light from it suffused through his heart, pumping all around his body, integrating with his bones and muscles.

At this point Hartley's physical body was also a half step into the xiantian realm. He knew now after reading the last 20 pages, that what he needed most was enlightenment.

As he sat there as steady and un-moving as a mountain, there was a gravity pulse coming from his body, seeming to synchronize with his heartbeat.

Everything in the room floated up half a meter for a second when he inhaled, before gently setting itself down once again when he exhaled.

Zhi Lian was Zhi Ruo's uncle and owner of the modest inn, the atmosphere was lively, filled with the sounds of laughter and singing, the scent of wine and mead wafted through the air, consumed in bulk by the happy patrons.

He was sat behind his bar clearly distracted, while serving the customers he was constantly looking up at the ceiling, he just couldn't figure it out.

There was a layer of dust coming down on his customers heads, not many noticed it but he noticed the weird pattern of dust fall, he had been staring at it for a few minutes wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him.

A thin screen of hazy dust swirled and whorled through the yellow light of the flickering candle placed on the countertop.

It was alternating between free falling from the ceiling.

Then after a breath or two, he could swear that it was rising upwards again, never settling onto the customers' heads or falling to the ground.

His mind ran towards the wild looking youth he had rented the room above the bar to earlier.

The youth stood out because he had thick pelts tied to his body with straw. This wasn't a common sight in this day and age. "What is he doing up there?"

Zhi Lian could contain his curiosity no more, but just when he was about to hand over bar tending duties to his assistant and go investigate.

Zhi Ruo, his neiece came through the door, and funnily enough, she was asking for the wild youth.

She had a package in her hand, she said she had to deliver it to him.

Back in the room on the 1st floor of the inn, Hartley was so close to stepping across the thin line, it was palpable. Eyes closed, concentration at its maximum. Hartley was feeling a sensation of time.

Time wasn't linear, it was like a wheel that could be turned, it could be manipulated just like gravity

It was starting to feel malleable like something he could mold.

Just when he was about to try to connect to the feeling, and attempt to manipulate time itself, his awareness felt someone approaching his room door.

His eyes flicked open, the roiling blue aura twisting around his body like a snake disappeared with a bright flash of blue, illuminating his face in the dark corner of the room.

Ten seconds later the door knocked and he opened it.