Rolling stones

Dai opened the System window and looked at the amount of Star Coins she had received. After deducting the share from the System, it added 15 Star Coins, half of what she had to begin with. Before Dai could go to the personal store, a notification popped up in front of her eyes.

System: New Quest

Description: Obtain Low Realm cultivation within one week.

Reward: Unlock the Connections folder

Failure: Cultivation ability will be blocked

Note: The system does not blackmail you, Boss. It just keeps you motivated.

System: New Side Quest

Description: Get 5 new customers and 1 regular customer.

Reward: Combat Gloves of Origin

Failure: Reduces your combat power by 20%

Note: Don't be full of yourself just because of one successful trade. A good trader cannot think small.

Dai took a sharp breath of surprise. This was the first time she had received any punishment for failure. But why did it have to be so extreme!? If she failed, she might just forget about any battle or cultivation!

And anyway... combat gloves?

"Should I fight with my fists?" she asked, confused. It's not a fighting style she would have chosen for herself.

System: "The system suggests the optimal way to improve. Boss, this is the most suitable for you. According to your psychological profile, you are someone who enjoys punching others."

Dai was speechless. Was she really that kind of person? Could she have already been infected with Leonid's nature? Dai thought about it. Is she supposed to be someone who fights with her fists? She only imagined swords or daggers. Not this. Dai found it rude and nothing at all, something she would like. She shook her head. "I don't want that. I don't want to have that fighting style." she refused.

System: "Boss, this is the most suitable style for you."

Dai was stubborn. "But not the best. What good is a fighting style that I don't care about and don't enjoy learning or doing?"

System: "The reward cannot be changed."

Dai shrugged. "Then I'll sell them. Or I'll give them to Leonid if he's interested."

System: ".... As you wish, boss."

Dai scratched her neck. Did the System get mad?

She was looking forward to buying something else from the personal store, but now she hesitated. Dai didn't want to upset the mysterious System. She knows nothing about this System; what if he's vengeful? She couldn't help but think of the persistent star. It might be better to save the Star Coins if the system tries to force her to continue with the fighting style suggested. Maybe there will be weapons in the shop for a ridiculously high price? Besides, her offer of goods is currently sufficient.

Her hand hovered over the window momentarily before closing it and opening a cultivation technique book instead. She needed to read it if she was going to start.

*****

Sid bowed to his mistress, and Zila Demofang signaled him to straighten up.

"Did you find out anything?" she asked, crossing her legs as she sipped the high-cultivation juice made from the fruit growing on the throat of the strangely mutated avian beast.

Sid looked for a moment at the drink, which was very valuable, and thought a little bitterly of the significant difference in treatment in the family.

"Well?"

Sid nodded.

"I found her and the old shop owner. But… things aren't that simple." He explained everything that had happened to his mistress, including how he had been beaten. The only thing he didn't say was the scary dream he had. Zila put down her empty glass after hearing the whole story.

"Your bones fused in a moment? Without healers?"

Sid nodded again and pointed to the balm. "The last thing I remember was Miss Dai rubbing me with it. When I woke up again, all the bones were fine." Then he pointed to the rest of the things he bought and described what they were supposed to do to Zila.

Zila reached down and picked up a small wooden box that contained a pale green pill. The box had the Dragons&Fan logo on it.

"And this is supposed to speed up cultivation and purity by 30%? Is that how it was specifically described?" she shook her head before looking at the compote with interest. She was most interested in this subject. Sid described to her what the shop owner had said. Awakening Life's Providence. She had never heard of it.

"We'll have to try it out. Bring some low-ranking clan members. We'll see what it does to him." Of course, she couldn't try it herself. What if it harmed her? But using someone trivial was fine with her.

Sid nodded and left to fetch a sacrif... a volunteer.

He soon returned with a young man of about sixteen years of age. His cultivation was only Low Realm, so it would be fine if something happened.

"Miss Demofang. What can I do for you?" the young man asked nervously. He had red hair, freckles on his face, and green eyes; he was quite tall for his age but relatively thin.

Zila nodded and pointed to the compote. "Eat it." She ordered and explained nothing.

Sid stood with his back to the door and folded his arms across his chest.

The young man looked at the compote and then at Zila but received no further explanation. He swallowed nervously because he wasn't stupid enough to think they were giving him something good.

However, he could not refuse. He would probably be beaten to death for disobeying.

The young man took the compote, to which he was given a spoon; when he opened it, a pleasant spring and fruity smell reached his nose. Was he dreaming, or did the room seem bathed in sunlight?

But his fingers trembled as he scooped up a portion and put it in his mouth. The eyes lit up. It tasted great! The fresh and slightly orange taste danced on his tongue. It didn't seem bad, so he ate the rest with more enthusiasm.

As soon as he finished, all eyes were on him, and he looked at Zila in confusion. Was he invited for dessert?

Zila was about to ask if he felt different when she noticed something strange was happening with the light in the room.

She looked around, and Sid also moved closer in case of danger. The light in the room was getting more intense before it finally started to turn into streams of energy that started to gather above the young man's head.

The young man suddenly looked blankly as if he had been put into a trance. Sid moved before his mistress, and they both watched the increasing energy above the young warrior's head.

The golden energy slowly transformed into a ball of light that looked like a miniature sun. Once the energy stopped gathering, it hung above the young man's head for a moment before it began to change again. It lost its spherical shape and slowly transformed into a few unidentifiable shapes. Eventually, however, she settled down and began to take on a more evident shape.

A Musical Clef appeared above the young man's head from the golden light. He remained visible momentarily before his form descended into the young man's body, and everything returned to normal. The young man stood mindlessly before life returned to his gaze.

"M-my lady. This is an incredible gift! I don't know how to repay you!" he fell to his knees before Zila and bowed deeply.

Zila pushed Sid aside and glared at the young man. "Do you know what happened now?" she wanted to know.

The young man looked up at the ground and nodded beamingly. "Yes. I have obtained the blessing of a great being! The Divine Muse Euterpe has found favor in me!"

Zila studied him but saw no change in him, then turned to look at the empty glass. Dimples appeared on her face as she smiled.

"Interesting."

"Sid. Send our clan members irregularly to the shop. We need to do a few more tests to confirm this. This just came at the right time."

Sid looked at his mistress. "In the right time?" he asked.

Zila turned severe again and turned her back on the two men. "Shelter 10 is planning an attack.

A look of distaste appeared on Sid's face for a moment. Of course, Shelter 22 wasn't the only one. There are many more Shelters left. Some had good relations with each other, others were neutral, or there was even a mild rivalry. But some are hostile. Relations between Shelter 22 and Shelter 10 have long been strained due to resource disagreements. The last thread seems to have snapped.

*****

Dai frowned and was not happy.

In addition to having no further sales beyond the first customer, she had to close for the night. But that wasn't what bothered her the most.

What annoyed her the most was that she had to spend some Star Coins for her training.

The cultivation technique book described things quite clearly. Sit in the lotus position, meditate, perceive the world's energies, and start collecting them. Several ways to achieve all this were even written there. But after trying them all, she still failed.

Leonid couldn't advise her on that either because he wasn't someone who became a cultivator naturally. He didn't have to learn; he just felt it; he mischievously informed her.

Finally, after a few hours, the System, still sulking, told her that although her agility was sufficient, she lacked strength and stamina. And becoming a cultivator is not as easy as having someone "record" everything in your head. Her body shell must also be in top shape to handle the spiritual energy.

So the System designed a workout that would help her improve as quickly as possible.

However, she had to spend Star Coins on the exterior decoration. The grassy field around the shop was no longer flat but undulated into slopes and small mountain ranges.

She was now staring unhappily at the massive boulder in front of her. She looked at the boulder and then at the hill in front of her and back.

"Rolling a boulder up a hill is the best way?" she asked, her lips pouting.

System: "Rolling a stone up a hill strengthens not only your strength but also your stamina. This method may seem rough, but the Dimensional Space is suitable for training and cultivation. The energy density here is three times higher than in the outside world. Work hard, boss. Start rolling. "

Dai was pretty sure the System was doing this to her on purpose. She sighed and rubbed her palms together before resting them on a large boulder and began to push.

"Iiiihhhnnn!" she worked hard.

*****

In Shelter 31.

In a dark room, two men sat at a table with a large blue crystal embedded.

A light blue beam emanated from the crystal, drawing into the form of another figure, which depicted an elderly man sitting in a chair.

The old man had a long beard almost down to his stomach, his head was bald like a monk, and his eyes were hidden under thick eyebrows. He was wearing a loose robe that hid a weak-looking body. But both men present knew that this old man was much stronger than them. He was the head of the eleventh Flying Wolf Clan in Shelter 31. And also officially its ruler.

Both men present were much younger both in actual age and appearance. Yet they looked like men of mature age. They were the Chen brothers, and each was the head of their clan. The elder brother had a higher position among the clans than the younger ones, but this did not cause any tension between them.

"The rumors have already spread." Said the younger of the brothers.

"Indeed. Shelter 22 has already heard about it. They will begin preparations soon." The old man in the project replied. "I'll keep our channels quiet. So Shelter 10 will have no idea that Shelter 22 is about to attack them." He assured them.

"We'll keep in touch with our source. We'll let you know once they're on the march. When they start attacking Shelter 10, our fighters will move in." Satisfied, the elder of the Chen brothers sat down in the chair.

The old man's beard moved as he smiled.

"As expected from Shelter 31. You are true 'peacemakers.'"