Cultivation Stage(Part-1)

Beggar Cultivation System, Chapter 3.

The sound of birds chirping echoed in the sky, their small shadows dancing on the ground before flying off into the distance.

With the sun already halfway to its highest peak, the streets were bustling with activity. Wooden tables and chairs were set up, adorned with fruits, fish, and meats. Vendors, minding their own business, sat behind their stalls, awaiting customers. However, this part of the city was not the most crowded, so they did not expect all their goods to sell.

"Argh…" Someone grunted, their body still numb from the previous night's endeavors.

Apollo woke up with a start, his small body sitting upright as he glanced around to the sound of people walking.

"What time is it?" Apollo muttered, scratching his eyes with the back of his hand.

After composing himself, he looked up and concluded it must be past 9 in the morning.

"I'm so tired that I fell asleep without realizing," Apollo smiled bitterly.

Recalling the new mission gave him a headache. He had already decided to forget everything related to this body, but the system had issued him a mission to avenge his family.

"Come on, I just wanted to live as a beggar! Besides, I'm technically still seven years old. Killing someone at this young age? This system is pretty heartless," Apollo thought to himself.

"Well, it's not like I hadn't done it in my past life…"

Suddenly, he felt his stomach grumbling.

Thinking about food, he summoned the store interface and chose a simple bread and water, costing him 0.2 Alm points.

After eating, he observed the people walking the streets, noting their simpler attire compared to those near his family's mansion.

"This area must be for the middle to lower-class people," Apollo muttered.

"I still don't have any clue about this city and its culture," he thought.

Should he scout the area? Gather some information before attempting the Simple Breathing Technique?

Apollo stood up and approached the nearest vendor selling bread.

"Hello!" Apollo greeted with a smile.

The vendor, with a plump body, looked up and lost interest when he saw it was just a beggar boy. "Go away, kid."

"I just want to ask a question," Apollo persisted.

Sighing, the vendor leaned on his chair. He had black hair and a rounded face. "So what is it? If it's a meaningless question, just go away."

"How is the city?" Apollo asked, his eyes burning with curiosity.

"The hell? Is that your question?" The vendor was surprised, studying the boy's eyes before realizing something.

"Is this a scheme to steal my bread? Distract me with that kind of question while your hands move to steal my goods?" he thought suspiciously.

"Just go, kid," the vendor waved dismissively.

"Please?" Apollo pleaded.

"Go away," the vendor repeated with a humph.

"Please???? You are handsome! I want to be like you! You can probably get all the girls, right?" Apollo said, his hands clasping in front of him, adding a hint of flattery to his tone.

"Go—ehem!" The vendor coughed, his face flushing from the unexpected praise. "Okay, kid. Let me tell you this."

Haha! Really, a simple compliment like that made you cave in? Apollo thought, while outside, he nodded his head and perked up his ears.

"I don't know why you're asking this strange question. Anyway, you know what happened last night? The Leone family has been eradicated by a great cultivator—" The vendor was about to raise his voice, but fortunately, he managed to lower it in the end.

"The city is in turmoil because that is a great family. The Lord is very upset that such a thing happened inside the city," the vendor sighed.

Apollo was about to ask another question when he heard something crashing. He turned back and saw that across the street, a stall full of vegetables and fruits was on the ground. A young man was standing with his foot on the vendor's head.

"I'm a f*cking cultivator! I don't have to pay!" The young man was wearing a robe with an insignia of a sword on its left chest. He kept stomping his foot on the vendor's head while his face was grinning maliciously.

"And that…" The big-bellied vendor lowered his voice even more. "This city is full of these Cultivators who only know how to bully the weak. He's still a student, just imagine what he will become when he graduates."

Apollo squinted his eyes. "They are strong, but what is someone like him doing here?"

"Didn't I say he's just a student? He is probably just at the foundation stage and most likely from a common family. You know what it means to be common? It means you are poor," the vendor explained.

"I see," Apollo nodded before becoming curious. "Foundation stage, what is that?"

The vendor looked at the kid with a frown. "You don't even know that?"

Suddenly, he remembered something. He took out a book from under the table and handed it to Apollo.

"Here, you can have this."

"What is this?" Apollo held the simple book in front of his eyes.

"It's just a simple book about cultivation. Oh, it also has a map," the vendor said. "You can go now. We've already taken too much time."

"Alright!" Apollo was about to leave for another place when he stopped and looked at the vendor. "Can you tell me your name?"

"My name? You can just call me Big Chub! And don't even think about stealing my bread!" Big Chub waved his hand.

"I see, thank you!" Then Apollo ran with his small legs.

Big Chub watched the kid's back, feeling excitement surge within him. Blue eyes! That kid has blue eyes! Only nobles have blue eyes! And he even asked for my name!

Haha, to think that I will meet a playful noble who decided to dress like a beggar.

Fortunately, I managed to play it off like I don't know anything, or else… Is that kid going to reward me for being good to him? Grinning from ear to ear, he happened to look at the young man still beating up the vendor. They locked eyes, and Big Chub immediately bowed his head in apology.

That was close… Wait, why is some of my bread missing?