Chapter 2: Talent

After trying a few more methods he had read about, Shen Yue concluded that he had no system to help him.

'Maybe my golden finger is something else? Like extraordinary luck or talent?' Shen Yue reassured himself. 'I still have so much to do, I can't despair now.'

He moved to the chair beside his desk and sank into it, mulling over the details of this world he could recall.

After a while, he realized just how little he knew. 'I don't know where the cave of the Fire Goddess is located, nor the direction of the plateau, much less the swamp. I forgot what Nie Li did in that Dark something Realm other than Emperor Kong Ming's stele. I don't know where the Nether realm is, nor do I know the exact time of the opening of the passage to the Draconic Ancient Ruins. And of the Draconic Ancient Ruins, I know even less. But what is important is that the Sage Emperor is apparently trying to refine the myriad realm.' Shen Yue's eyebrows furrowed at this thought. His heartbeat quickened before he calmed himself, drawing on past experiences of stressful situations.

'Ok.' Shen Yue got up from his chair and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes to clear his thoughts. 'Think empty.'

After some time, he sat up again, his mind crystal clear and running smoother. 'Trying to think when one's mind is raging with thoughts is futile and counterproductive.' A small smile curved his lips. Despite hating his past struggles, he was grateful for the lessons they had taught him; they were proving useful now.

Getting out of bed and returning to his seat, Shen Yue continued to ponder his current situation. 'If I want to go back, there are three possible ways: One, through the help of an unparalleled expert. Two, through spatial passages. And three, through my own strength. The first one requires the existence of such an expert and whether I have enough connection with them. The second could be achieved through inscription arrays, tears in space, and other methods—overall, the most unreliable. While the third one is the hardest to achieve but also the most important. Still, to maximize my chances, it's best to consider them all. There may be more ways, but I'll consider them later.'

Breaking out of his reverie, he picked up a book on the table. Wonder filled him as he stared at the Chinese characters he could now read.

'Beginner's Guide to Cultivation.' Holding the book, his hands trembled. Despite his desire to return and the perilous situation he now faced, he couldn't stop the excitement showing on his face and the twinkle of anticipation in his eyes. After all, who hadn't dreamt of being a superhero when they were young? He wanted to experience their powers, too!

Containing his excitement, he patiently read and flipped through the book, finally getting some of his questions answered.

'The meridians of children are narrower and more fragile, same as their soul realm. It is recommended not to cultivate too much. A cultivation technique guides the energies of heaven and earth through the meridians in one's body. That's why a single wrong word in the mantra may cause accidents—in serious cases, it may lead to the body of the practitioner exploding.'

After reading that book, he turned to another one on the table named "Sacred Fire Technique." It was one of the ten best cultivation techniques of the Sacred Family, sent to him by his father just yesterday.

Even though the original Shen Yue had already read and practiced it, he hadn't really understood it. So, he opened the book and read it again. The book contained the chant and the martial arts that accompanied the technique.

Comprehension flashed through Shen Yue's mind as he flipped through the book in a trance. Without thinking, he got down on the ground and started cultivating.

Shen Yue softly contemplated the chant in his mind and instantly felt a movement in his soul realm. 'It is faster and smoother than yesterday when the original Shen Yue was the one doing it. Moreover, there is no uncomfortable feeling as if my soul realm is about to crack.'

After cultivating for an hour and a half, he finally felt an increase in his soul force. Wanting to check, he went back to his seat and picked up the primary soul crystal that had been sent along with the cultivation technique.

He injected a trace of his soul force into the soul crystal and stared in anticipation. The soul crystal began to shine as dots of violet light appeared.

'Three dots! And blue-violet light?' He remembered that the original Shen Yue had cultivated from dawn to bedtime yesterday, yet his soul force had never gone up from one, and the speck of light had been green, not this blue-violet light. 'Could this be my gift? My cheat?'

The tiny world, or at least Glory City, categorizes talents based on the color of one's soul realm: from low to high—Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Azure, and Indigo. 'Although Nie Li mocked the rankings, calling the maker ignorant, its impact is undeniable. It may not be a signifier of potential, but the higher up in the rankings, the faster one cultivates. That's why it's used as the basis for one's talent.'

Moreover, Shen Yue seemed to have extraordinary comprehension. The prospect of such a gift lifted an invisible mountain from his shoulders.

Wasting no time, he sat back down. Just as he was about to continue cultivating, a knock on his door interrupted him.

Opening it, he found a servant carrying a tray of food. "Your breakfast, young master."

Shen Yue nodded. "You can put it on my desk."

The servant promptly entered, placed the tray on his desk, then quickly left.

'I wonder what other benefits a young master has?' A smile formed on Shen Yue's face as he saw the door close.

Shen Yue ate his breakfast, brushed his teeth, and then immersed himself again in cultivation. The servant would later take the tray away.