Novel 2-First Steps

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/Tap…/

"Urg…"

Joseph inspected the man's body and he felt quite enlightened.

'This is my first time seeing what happens if someone fails in Cultivation. Would this be what's called… "Cultivation Deviation"?'

'When someone loses control of their energy for whatever reason. Although in his case, there was never any to begin with.'

'There are two ways to fix his condition. The first is to drain all of the Qi, but this is temporary, it'll gather again anyway albeit at a much slower rate since the outside Qi isn't nearly as dense as this crater's.'

'Or I can seal him, preventing Qi from entering his body.'

'As long as there's Qi around him, the Qi will sustain itself but it'll also lock him outside of Cultivation until someone undoes the seal, but would that even matter?'

'Even if he can, an old man's prospects are… Far too weak. He's also likely not of that man's bloodline given his frailty.'

'I'll go with the first method.'

"Here, take this." Joseph said as he took a small water bottle from a fanny pack on the side of his waist

"This is?..."

"The medicine that'll help you. It's mostly water, but the rest should grant you some relief."

'In truth, it's just plain water to make me hide my abilities. Not that I'm hiding it anyway…'

"I… I'll take it."

"Dear…"

"There's little else I can rely on…"

/Gulp!.../

/Drain!/

"..."

'This is harder than I thought. This Qi is extremely heavy, maybe this is why they didn't die yet. The strong Qi emanating from the fragment can't be absorbed by their bodies so it accumulates,'

'Had it been normal Qi from a less dense rock, they would've died within a few hours.'

'I can't absorb it either, and storing it within me is nothing but a risk. But even if a little bit of a waste, the energy within all of these people together would barely compare to a tiny shard on the ground, and that's extrapolating things.'

'It doesn't matter if I just let go of it…'

'I guess that's why rumors of their deadliness have yet to spread… Because all who encountered them died.'

'Those that lived weren't ordinary people anymore.'

"... How do you feel?"

"... The pain… Is subsiding." He said with some surprise as he touched his back

""!""

"R-Really?!"

"Yes, I feel great even."

"That's normal, your condition is caused solely from having too much energy in your system, the medicine works by breaking it down. So I recommend spending it when you can. Daily exercises should help from now on as well, but above all, avoid glowing rocks in the future." Joseph said as he got up from the ground

"Let's go to the next one."

/Step…/

"W-Wait!"

The girl went after him, leaving the elderly lady with the old man alone.

"... Dear…"

"I'm fine, old lady, better than before. So stop looking at me like that. Instead, tell me more about that man."

"... Well…"

…

While everyone gathered stones and boulders, Joseph finished healing everyone in the cabins before going back to the place he first stepped when he entered the camp.

And he waited.

/Around three hours after he arrived…/

A large pile had gathered before Joseph's feet, piles upon piles of stone.

As he waited, he came and went, bringing back several boxes of food, putting them on the ground for them to see, prompting them to work harder.

Once he gathered enough, he began trading them in real time, putting the rock bags behind his back.

One hundred, three hundred, half a ton of rocks…

The pile kept rising, to the point everyone was quite surprised by how many there truly were around.

At some point, Joseph knew it was time to go as the bags to store rocks had ended.

They came from a nearby farm that had been abandoned, old vegetable bags, quite sturdy, they were enough for this task.

Once three hours passed and he exchanged his last can, he got up from his seat, saying:

"It's getting late. I'll take my leave now and return tomorrow's night for the remaining stones."

"That'll also be my last visit, so if you want anything else, you better ask me now."

"... We need medicine." Ronald said as he approached him with a bag

"Of what kind?"

"Well…"

"These." Someone said on the side as they approached the two with a sheet of paper

Many things were listed there, including other objects like gas for their cars and diapers.

Quite an odd selection of everyday items… But now, they were premium…

"... I can bring these, but they're expensive, we'll have to negotiate them appropriately."

In truth, they weren't, Joseph had entire shelves of those back home tucked away in some corner.

Truth be told, he cared little about preserving most of his things, he was only there to store them and make sure they didn't smell bad after a while, so regardless of how they were stored, it didn't matter as he could turn back time.

"... How do you plan on moving these?" Ronald asked after he confirmed Joseph's intentions

He knew he would come back, after all, Joseph had done more for them then the other way around.

He would be back to be paid, he knew it.

"You shouldn't worry about me. I have my ways."

"Just remember. If you want to live peacefully, remember. You never saw a Meteor shard the size of a house and neither did you see me come to collect these boulders."

"Tomorrow as soon as the sun begins to set I'll make my appearance and I'll leave as soon as I finish repaying for it all."

"Until then…"

/Shaa…/

With that, he vanished right in front of them, leaving Ronald and the man who gave him the list baffled.

"WH-What just…"

"... You heard him."

"R-Ronald?! Aren't you…"

"... Do you think we just made a deal with the devil?"

"Wh… If he's the Devil, shouldn't we stop?"

"Even if it means seeing our family die?"

"..."

"If the price is my Soul… I'll gladly bargain it."

With that, he left for the top of the hill where his wife and their child awaited, better than before.

The man on the other hand looked at the forest, his body shuddering before he turned around and ran back to the safety of the group.

Even though it barely made a difference.

…

/Shaa…/

"Huff… Huff… This is heavy…"

/THUD!/

"Haa… Okay."

Joseph stopped deeper down in the forest, a torrent of Qi swirling around him as he put his hand on a tree.

Behind him, the Qi held onto multiple sacks of stones, having them float slightly off the ground.

'With my current Qi reserves, I can bring them all back. I'll collapse midway through. And the sacks aren't that strong either, they'll rip apart if I try to drag them through the ground, and even then, I'll leave a clear trace.'

'I was planning on collecting the stones, loading what I could in the truck and then using formations and Qi control to drive it back home even if its weight limit was exceeded, but now, I may have to change some things.'

'The fragments are way more valuable than I thought and more numerous as well. I'd need multiple trips to clear them all.'

'But if I have four dozen individuals working for me…'

'The plan is simple. I'll leave my truck behind and hide it with formations, then I'll load these stones inside and gather as many stones as I can.'

'I planned on going back home but I can't. This forest is a treasure trove. I'll gather as much as I can and far from them and load them into the truck.'

'Tomorrow I'll return, grab whatever they gathered and return in secrecy to my base.'

'Once everything's been loaded and the people safe, I'll just come back to collect the large fragment and store it inside my bunker.'

'Even if I want to keep a low profile as I cultivate, I'll need to risk myself a little if I want to avoid bigger problems in the future.'

'That's how it always is, you take a little risk multiple times to avoid a larger one. As one's ambitions grow, so do the challenges they face.'

"Before any of that… I'll take a look at the document they sent me."

'I've made a copy of it so I can study it away from home.'

'This phone has a satellite connection and it's "disposable". I can connect with that website.'

'This type of phone was developed during the earthquake period, it's essentially a top of the line technology… And its absurdly expensive as well, even more given everyone was so crazy about the end of the world.'

'Something that can connect with a satellite is quite valuable isn't it? So the price skyrocketed.'

'I bought a few, but even that was hard…'

/Open…/

He opened the archive on the phone and began pursuing it.

'Interesting, it's divided into multiple folders each labeled in a different manner…'

'Martial Arts, Alchemy, Refining, Formations, Talismans, Spells, and much more.'

'Cultivation Techniques, Breathing Arts, Sword Forms, Bowmanship, Spearmanship. to even etiquette and common knowledge of the Cultivation world.'

'Interesting. There's too much for me to absorb here. That user wasn't wrong. This is enough to fill my belly even when I break into the third Realm.'

'There are still four months left until Earth transforms, my goal is simple then.'

'To master everything in this book and solidify myself as a Cultivator… I should aim for the pinnacle of the third Realm.'

'If I can, I should look out for better things so I can advance even further. It's important I'm ready to ride the waves of changes. If I reach my limit and have no way to go past it, I'll pose the distance I've built.'

'If this is one thing… Then what about the other?'

Joseph entered the internet and followed the link through the phone, leading him to a strange website with only a rune on its surface.

"What is this?..."

/Shaa…/

"?!"

The world began to twist, and he quickly realized the Qi was flowing in a strange way, wrapping him in it.

'SHIT!'

But before he could react properly, everything had already changed.

He was now inside a simple room with pre modern european aesthetics, as if he had been transported to a nobleman's manor in the late nineteen-hundreds.

"?..."

He calmed down, looking around momentarily before his attention was brought elsewhere.

"A pleasure to meet you, Customer. I'll be your guide for tonight, you may call me Jila."

It was a woman with a veil completely hiding her face and a red dress that was so long it laid on the ground, going all the way to a door behind her.

"From the looks of it, this is your first time making use of your given invite so I'll be debriefing you on everything you may find confusing as well as creating your account."

"Let's begin with account creation." She said as a raised her hands to touch a Guqin on the table

/Pull…/

/Din din Din!~.../

She played a few notes and the incense sticks on the side began to release smoke, and soon enough, several pieces of information gathered above the table.

"It seems you were recommended by the Three Great Palaces, excellent, this takes care of some processes." She said gently as she played a few extra strings

"Third Stage of the Foundation Bloom Realm. Age: Nineteen… So young and so talented." She said with a chuckle as she pulled the strings again

"..."

'I have no idea what's going on, but I learned a lot this time.'

'Those people belong to the Three Great Palaces, this is my first time hearing about them, but now I know.'

'Also, this lady seems to be able to pull information from me without me telling anything. Even being able to tell me my age and Cultivation.'

'I used my powers again to turn back my age from twenty-three to Nineteen. Technically speaking, I would still be twenty six now, although I should be closer to twenty seven, that is why I choose nineteen, because I'll soon turn twenty...'

'Three years from my previous uses plus an extra four from my most recent ability. I would've made it five but going back to eighteen would've been too much.'

'Age does affect Cultivation now that I know more about it. Still, given I was young, becoming younger didn't change things that much…'

'But it made my prospects that high. And above all, if someone realizes my identity, there are ways for me to explain this change in age.'

'Rejuvenation. It is something that can exist. When the proper enlightenment comes, someone can rejuvenate, but there are other ways as well. I could just say I got lucky.'

'Anyhow, I'm better off keeping quiet.'

"Affiliation?..."

"... Only one master." He said as his expression turned heavy

'I'm not lying, that user was my professor for a while.'

"That's good enough… We're almost done with the basics."

/Din…/

She pulled another string, updating the smoke.

"What shall be your Access name?"

"Hm?..."

"My… Pardon me for my lack of courtesy, the customer was so cooperative I thought you knew everything." She said with a chuckle as she pulled another string

"..."

'Tsk, I messed up for a moment, she's sharp… Or maybe, she knew from the start.'

"You're currently sitting in a projection. Also known as the Cloud Mountains."

"This is where the Jade Feather Association is located."

"The Jade Feather Association is and has been the number one trade center for all non-ordinary business transactions for the past 1000 years."

"Our influence runs far and wide, keeping up with modern trends and developments."

"Through the invite, anyone may access Cloud Mountains through their Spiritual Imprint for as long as they have awakened their Spiritual Roots. And from here, the greatest center of information in the globe opens its doors for you."

"If you've been interacting with modern Earth, it can be compared to Social Media and similar websites but adapted for our use."

"Each invite can only be used by one person, but once your invite has been processed and your account created, you may come and go as you please for a light fee of course."

"Just a little bit of Qi so we may remain in operation."

"If you wish to invite someone else, you'll need to raise the Rank of your Seal. Your Seal will be given to you once we resume the Account creating process."

"... How do I trade my resources if I'm only a projection? And how do I bring my resources here for trading? We can't go with word of mouth, can we?"

"When you've been verified, we can. But once your account has been registered, you'll receive an identification badge which can be activated to bring you into the Cloud Mountains."

"Any object within your immediate surroundings can then be denominated to be brought with you. Which they'll then be added to your account as funds."

"Of course, they're merely projections. You'll still need to transfer them via our network. But if you wish, you may do so predictively, and once the amount is transferred to your account, it may be used at any moment. Some Pavilions only accept payments done through such a method. With amounts that have already been confirmed."

"We also have the greatest transportation network on the planet. Wherever you are, we can send someone to transfer the item. For a fee of course."

"... But how do you know where to deliver? Must I set a destination?"

"That can be done anytime."

"..."

"The Jade Feather Association ensures extreme neutrality. And if that's not enough, we have thousands of branches everywhere in the globe. So you may transfer the materials directly to our branches and we'll take it from there."

"We guarantee that everything you desire to send will reach the buyers hands and vice versa."

"We haven't had an issue in the past five hundred years." She said with a faint gesture as her hands waved in the air

"Five hundred?"

"Yes… Five hundred years ago, navigation to the Americas began being commonplace, this led to a great upheaval in the entire world for resources once far beyond their reach."

"It was a rather chaotic time."

"I see."

'This is all so interesting. This is the true face of the world.'

"Then… My name?"

"Yes Customer. Just choose any you feel represents you well."

"I was recommended to keep my identity a secret, is there a reason for that?"

"Many. As although the Jade Feather Association can ensure you and your products' safety while in our hands, we cannot protect you once you're outside. So most opt for secrecy."

"Still, there are several who prefer to keep their identity open. However, within the Association, there are many Pavilions and each has their own rules of etiquette and conduct, make sure you follow them strictly or you may be barred from entering them."

"Pavilions?"

"Pavilions are merely areas meant for designation. There's a Pavilion for Medicinal products, one from Artifacts, one for information exchange, and so on."

"Many Pavilions are also private, created by our customers to facilitate communication, in these cases, the Jade Feather Association works as a platform that provides them these means, but in the end, its just another service we extend to our customers."

"I'm getting the hang of it… I would like to keep my identity private. How should I proceed?"

/Chuckle…/

"Your identity is hidden by fault customer, just take a look."

/Din/

She played the instrument and the smoke condensed into a mirror, showing Joseph's appearance.

He was wearing a large black mask and his hair and eyes had changed color, he was completely unrecognizable as even his body was a little different from usual.

"Wh… I barely even felt anything…"

"Your disguise is highly customizable, but for the sake of avoiding some issues, if you do reveal your identity, you're not allowed to change your appearance. Please understand it is for everyone's well being."

"You may change your Access name if necessary."

"In the entire Association, only a few individuals may unravel your identity, those being the Original Pavilion Heads and the Matrix' Keepers, the ones in charge of maintaining the Cloud Mountains."

"The Pavilion Heads may only unravel your identity if you have committed a crime within the Mountains for the sake of relaying the proper punishment, we're very sorry for that."

"No, it's the rules so I understand…"

"I'm ready to set my name."

/Din…/

She played the Guqin and the previous drawing appeared in the air.

"When you're ready."

"... I've chosen my name. I'll go with something simpler…"

Joseph thought about what he wanted to do. What was a good representation of his powers…

And he arrived at a conclusion.

"Recycler."

/Din…/

She played the instrument and the smoke vanished, returning to the incense pot.

"It has been done, customer. Or should I say, "Recycler."

She was very professional, her tone not changing in the slightest as she said that.

/Tap tap/

Her hand went for the table, and she pulled a small golden plaque from underneath it.

Above it, a strange rune was carved.

"From now on, this is your Access Card, it represents you and it also contains your identification seal, don't let others see it as its exclusive to you."

"There are seven levels to one's identity Card which can be observed by the material their card is made of."

"If the Card is white and fluffy like a feather, it means they're a worker of the Association, with Green Jade representing figures of authority."

"Wood represents a temporary customer, someone who was invited solely to check our services and choose whether they're willing to create an account with us or not."

"Wait, if you work on an invite by invite basis, why can't they just make a permanent account?"

"My, I fumbled yet again. Mr Recycler, as you've been recommended by the Three Great Palaces, your account is being set free of charge, but most of those invited have to pay a fee to set an account in the first place."

"I see, thank you."

"I'm merely doing what I was asked for."

"Let us continue."

"An iron Card indicates the average customer of the Association."

"Copper indicates an established customer, someone who has made business with us for a long time and is trustworthy."

"Silver indicates a VIP, someone greatly regarded by the Association; they're usually descendants of Clans, Merchants, and other similar prominent figures."

"Gold is for VVIPs, individuals highly regarded by the Association. But do not misunderstand, this doesn't not mean an entirely biased treatment, VVIPs, just like VIPs, have access to the same services, albeit at different rates and prices."

"Dark Iron is reserved for influential figures of the world like Clan Heads, Patriarchs of large Sects, representatives of countries and the like."

"Most of them usually keep their identities revealed but not all can be identified, especially by newcomers. This is to avoid conflicts of interest."

"The Association prides itself for its neutrality, but sometimes, we have to make sacrifices."

"... Why is my Card Golden then? Was there a mistake?"

"None at all customer, your Card is issued by the Nexus Keepers, if they deemed you worthy of the Card then it is your right."

"I… Understand. What do I have to do now?"

"We'll send you back to reality. From there, it's your choice."

/Bow…/

"I hope we can see each other again. Take care."

"... Take care uh… Jila."

The world slowly dissipated, distorting the woman's figure as smoke filled his sight.

/Chuckle…/

He only heard a soft laugh in the mist.

/Shaaa…/

…

/Shaa…/

"Huff… Huh…"

'Am I… Back? It felt so surreal…'

'Should I return?... Wait.'

He turned to the side.

/Grab…/

On the ground next to him was a golden plaque…

"No way, she told me that… I see."

'So they are able to transfer items like this but they can't in most scenarios. This could be reserved for unique circumstances, important individuals, or their enemies.'

"They don't like the kind of group I'd want to offend. Given their speculated scope, they likely have quite a few powerful Cultivators in their midst."

'... I'll proceed as planned. Once I've gathered enough, I'll check it out. If I can learn more about the current economy, I can better plan ahead.'

'And above all, I can use my powers to dominate the Market.'

Information was one of the most important tools for a Merchant. So what could one with the ability to see the future do?

As long as he had the will and vision to enact great plans, the sky was his limit.

"Time to work."

/Sha!/

Joseph vanished in the woods, scurrying the forests for fallen fragments of the meteor.

The sun came and went, and later that day, he returned to the camp with several large boxes of supplies on his shoulders.

He was rather discrete about it, otherwise, people would've passed out witnessing the sight.

…

"It's all here. You may check it if you want." Joseph said as he opened the box

It was packed with supplies, hundreds of small, nutritional cans of food.

And there were multiple boxes even.

"We've also collected as much of them as we could." Ronald said as he pointed at the side

"We should've collected about half a ton of them but… We won't count the cans."

Even if their numbers were wrong or some were spoiled, this many supplies for a few pieces of useless, dangerous rocks was essentially free.

There was no way they wouldn't take this deal.

"Excellent. I'll proceed with the healing process, once I'm done, you should all avoid such areas in the future."

"We've prepared a tent for you, over here…"

Joseph followed Ronald uphill and began healing the people by absorbing and releasing the Qi absorbed into their bodies, taking notes of the process and the many afflictions they were suffering from.

With new data and a lot to think about, he went to Ronald when he was alone, giving him a small booklet.

"Your case is different from theirs, I can't do much for you aside from delaying the inevitable. The only way for you to survive is by working toward it by yourself."

"Hm… What's happening to me?"

"Your body has flipped over the threshold, if you do not strive to maintain a balance, your organs will crumble from the energies gathering within you."

"It may sound absurd, but its the truth. If you don't believe me… Well, the others will soon find out if I was right or not in a few days."

"... Will this book help me?"

"It'll tell you everything you need to know. The rest is up to you."

'It's just a simple collection of the many books one could find on the internet, although they being put together like this is extremely valuable.'

"Once you memorize it, burn it, no one must know of it. You'll thank me later."

"And above all, you never saw me."

Joseph turned around, leaving the camp with the boxes like a specter, leaving everyone that watched him shell shocked.

This had been the most bizarre experience of their lives.

"... Let's finish packing our things, we're moving."

"What about him? What did he tell you?" Ronald's wife asked him as she approached him

"I'm fine, I'll just need to work a little bit hard for my recovery. That's all." He replied with a smile as he kissed her forehead

'The world is changing… No. The truth is being unraveled…'

He looked at the nameless book in his hands, frowning.

'I'll survive and figure it out. For my family… And myself.'

Ronald walked uphill, and soon enough, the once bright camp was abandoned, leaving only the larger glowing rocks behind.

…

/Vroom!/

/Meanwhile…/

"Huff… This is hard…"

'Manipulating Qi to lift the truck is harder than it seems… Come on…'

Joseph drove back home with a truck full to the brim with glowing stones.

Although he barely collected over a ton of rocks with the refugees, he managed to gather multiple tons in the span of 24 hours.

Given his truth couldn't support that much weight, for him to not be forced to make the multiple trips back and forth on foot, he had to sustain it by manipulating the Qi in the air to form a faint veil under it.

'If it weren't for my reserves… I would've fallen unconscious by now.'

'Just a few more kilometers… And I'll be there.'

'I can't stop… Until I'm home.'

He focused, driving carelessly on the empty road.

The Military had already cleared it off, taking all of the cars for their fuel or for spare parts. Leaving their carcases on the side to rust and rot.

Thankfully, there were no stops on the road as the military was far too busy with the city, so he got home unimpeded.

Once there, he opened the fortified garage door, parking the truck inside before…

/Thud!/

He collapsed on the floor, sweating bullets.

"Huff… Huff… Huff… This was a bit much…"

'Everything worked as I wanted, the rocks are here and I even learned a bit more about the world. I'm satisfied.'

'But this is barely the start, there are still many fragments within the area, I'll collect as many of them as I can.'

'It hasn't been a week since the comet fell and I doubt the military has found a purpose for it. This is my chance to collect as much of it as I can.'

"I'll rest and then check the Cloud Mountains, after that, I'll continue gathering resources until the day of the Great Cold and Dark."

'I must prepare.'

…

Joseph took a shower and ate plenty before resting for the night. Once morning came, he used his Golden Plaque to access Cloud Mountains.

He also marked a box full of Spirit Stones with his rune before activating his Plaque.

His rune looked like two half moons stacked together while being pierced by the outline of a pine tree.

/Shaaa…/

The world around him twisted as he felt something tug at his neck.

/Shuu…/

The next moment, he found himself inside a similar looking room as before, but this time, it was more like a reception than a private room.

A very ostentatious reception.

"Pleasure to make you accustomed sir, welcome to Cloud Mountains, how may I help you today?" A receptionist asked as he saw Joseph appear 

Just like him, the man wore a mask hiding his appearance, it was rather interesting.

"... Hello. I would like some assistance."

"Tell me what you need and I'll try my best to assist you." He replied with a light nod as he placed his hands on the counter

"First, I would need a list of branches so I can ship my items. Set up my address you see."

"That much is easy sir. Just hold your Plaque and enter the Matrix Tower. I'll schedule a visit for you."

"Matrix Tower?"

"It's the location within Cloud Mountains where the Matrix Keepers live. And to avoid overcrowding, customers and guests can only access it by scheduling it."

"This won't take long, will it?"

"For a Customer of your Grade… It's been scheduled, you may enter if you wish."

"Already? Thank you very much."

"No problem sir. What else may I help you with?"

"Well… Its my first time here and I'm still unfamiliar with the economy and Pavilions and wanted to learn more about them, but that can be left for later."

"That's also not an issue sir, once your address has been secured with the Matrix Keepers, just ask to enter the Central Hall, it's our biggest Pavilion out of them all and where you'll learn the most."

"In fact, we have around two thousand customers right now."

"Two thousand? That's quite a lot… If it's not much to ask, how many customers did you have on a daily basis?"

"It is quite a bit… As for the numbers… We would usually have around a few ten thousand guests every day."

"At least 45% of all trades in the world pass through us. The number of guests is but a reflection of that."

"We expect this number to grow even further." He said with a light smile barely visible through his mask

"I see, thank you for the assistance. I'll take my leave now." Joseph said as he took the golde badge

"The pleasure was mine."

"Matrix Tower."

/Fwoop!/

The vanished, reappearing somewhere rather… Tame.

A large, circular room, silent and dark, made of smooth dark stone which was faintly glossy.

The warm lights in the room were faint and gentle, and with the faint echoes of nature in the background, the room was almost too perfect for one to fall asleep in.

"You must be him, the customer in need of making an Address." A voice echoed behind him as he looked around

"Hm?"

Joseph turned to face an old man without a mask, he had a thin beard that was unusually long, but rather stylish.

"Yes, elder. Could you tell me what I need to do to set one up?" He asked as he gave the elder a slight bow

"It isn't anything difficult." He replied as he tapped on the ground

/Project!/

A hologram rose from the ground, displaying the world map.

/Shine!/

Dozens of red dots flashed on the map.

"Those are the locations of our branches. Just choose one of them and all of your transitions will be handled by that branch."

"Deposits or withdrawals."

"If you wish, you may set an actual address, which with your Access Grade, we shall deliver and retrieve your products directly from its location."

"I see."

'There isn't much of a point in hiding my home, after all, given how much Qi there is around my base, any decent Cultivator would locate it within miles, so even if I set it to one of my other Bunkers, that would only be making things more inconvenient to me.'

"Here…" Joseph said as he zoomed in on the map several times, choosing his exact address

"Hm… Excellent, we have a branch there, things are quite simple this time."

"It isn't like this most of the time?"

"Pardon my rudeness, customer, but we often see guests of your Grade… Live on distant mountains and lands. Far from civilization."

"It's a breath of fresh air to see someone so close to one of our branches, and I'm sure our workers will think the same."

"Anyhow, would you like to confirm this Address? Specify its use? Add preferred hours for delivery and collection?"

"Hm… As long as it's done from 6 Am to 10 Pm I'm fine, anywhere beyond that is a bit hard to me. I should be able to specify things during a purchase shouldn't I?"

"Of course, we can't predict the future, there's no point in limiting a customer to a timeline like this."

The old man tapped his foot on the ground and the hologram vanished.

"Your Address has been set. Is there anything else you'd like to do? Set up a secondary Address mayhaps? Anything for us to consider when delivering items?"

"Hum… Aside from the city being on lockdown, I guess secrecy would be my sole requirement. I wouldn't want others tracking my location, much less dragging attention to me."

"That much is standard, we guarantee both regardless of customer preference."

"Then I'm all set. Thank you Elder for your time."

"It's nothing youngster, take your time exploring the Cloud Mountains, we have much to offer."

/Nod…/

/Flash!/

"..."

/Step step step…/

"Ah! Hello customer I… Hm?... ?! Cortex Master! My sincere apologies for not…"

"It's okay child. I'm only walking around. Are you here to tend for a customer?"

"C-Correct sir. According to the request it should be a Gold Plaque…"

"A young man?"

"Yes… The information says he's Nineteen… Why the question?"

"I've met him just now. The procedures have already been passed."

"Ah! My sincere apologies for my incompetence!"

"It's fine it's fine. I like to walk around from time to time…"

/Pass…/

"Here, his information, make sure it's properly logged and secured… Put it one level above Gold."

"Understood!"

The man turned back and dashed to the distance, leaving the old man thinking to himself as he looked at where Joseph vanished.

"The current generation is looking quite fine. It's been a while since I've seen such a promising boy."

'Then again, I've spent too much time in this Tower. Maybe it's time for me to descend the mountains and experience the real world again for some time.'

/Chuckle…/

"A nameless boy… I wonder how they'll react?"

'The modern world is far too stale. It needs some spice… It needs some.'

'These times will be turbulent.'

/Fwoosh…/

The old man vanished, and the room returned to its peaceful state.

…

/Shashsh…/

Mist gathered, and a man stepped out from within…

"... Okay… This must be the Central Hall."

A massive shed-like building with a ceiling over a hundred meters high that extended for half a kilometer.

A circular dome like structure with thousands of small and big shops within, this was the Central Hall, the heart of the Jade Feather Association.

'My goal here is to learn more about the economy and to see if my suspicions are correct.'

/Chatter…/

He looked around, immediately seeing a small crowd gathered around a small stage, so he approached them, curious.

The people wore strange clothing, a mix of ancient and modern fashion. The likes you'd see in comics and novels.

'These people… Are they lost in time or something? Now that I think about it, everyone seems like that. Wouldn't that make me the weird one?'

'Crap. Now everyone would know I'm deeply connected with the mortal modern world. It's not exactly an issue but it's one more clue to identify me. I'll have to change things once this is over.'

"... Two-Fin medicinal bar has been bought for twelve Spirit Coins! Congratulations number ten!"

/Chatter chatter…/

"..."

'An auction?'

"For our next product, we have something rather rare. Some of you may be aware, but a few days ago, a meteor made purely of Spirit Stones landed on the American Continent, and in the last few days, many forces have been on a treasure hunt to fetch as many of them as possible."

"Everyone is aware that with the Earth's Spiritual Awakening, Spiritual Stones will soon resume being produced in the Ley lines, but until then, even the most meager of them are a high commodity!"

"Yet, you can now cut the line and continue your Cultivation ahead of others! Who wouldn't want such an opportunity?!"

"Most sects in the East are desperate for any bit of it! Today, I've brought you a few pieces of pure Spiritual Stones, each weighing at least 200 grams!"

"They have all been graded to be at least Grade 1, and we've also brought a Grade 2!"

"The base price is thirty Spirit Coins with a minimum increase of one per bid! Who'll be bringing this piece home today?!"

/Raise/

/Raise/

/Raise/

/Raise!/

"Thirty one for number ten. Thirty two for number seven. Thirty three for number two. Thirty…"

"..."

'Are those so valuable? Maybe these Spirit Coins are rather cheap… But that medicine from before. I thought that any were supposed to be extremely valuable in this age due to the severe shortages of Spiritual plants.'

'Since the Spirit Qi in the world is at an all time low due to the Spiritual Tide receding due to Earth's breakthrough, the environment is borderline toxic for most Spiritual Plants to resurface, as such, most of them have gone extinct.'

'When I talked with that girl, she told me that due to most known Spiritual Plants having vanished, all ancient medicines are now unique products since alchemists and pharmacists will have to develop new recipes from whatever appears in the future.'

'I'll have to check how valuable everything is…'

/TAP!/

"Strike three! Sold to Number seventeen for sixty three Spirit Coins! Congratulations for your Grade 1 Spirit Stone!"

/Chatter…/

"He's lucky. A Grade 1 for only sixty?" A man said on the side as he shook his head

"That's still rather pricey, think of the artifacts you could buy with that much." A woman replied as she held her chest with her arms

"No artifact is worth your Cultivation. That's strength, resistance, prestige, honor… Lifespan. I believe even one hundred wouldn't be enough."

"I'm more interested in the price that Grade 2 will end up going for. That alone is enough to help you Cultivate from Mortal to the Pinnacle of Foundation Bloom."

"...?"

'What did he just say? Grade 2 can do what?'

'Given the Qi I've consumed so far… Wouldn't it be enough to fill three or so? Maybe even more Grade 2 Spirit Stones?'

'I know my foundation is deeper than most, but was the difference this much? Given these people can be here they shouldn't be poor. Am I that above average?'

/Step step…/

"Sir? Would you like a betting sign?" A woman on the side asked as she noticed Joseph looking at the auction from afar

She seemed to be working given the box on her hand, but as he looked at the plaque on her chest, he realized she wasn't a worker but a normal client.

Joseph had already thought about this possibility before, but these people are likely all ordinary customers operating a stall.

"No thank you, I'm just observing for now."

She seemed a little disappointed, but as she noticed the Golden Plaque on his chest, her reaction varied, becoming far more respectful of his decision.

"Say, these Spirit Stones are selling rather well. I thought most would be preoccupied keeping them for themselves and not the other way around." Joseph asked as he tried to probe for an answer

"And that is the truth sir, however, there are many organizations in the East interested in them. And considering how many others are still in isolation, the only way for them to acquire resources is through merchant lines like the Jade Feather group."

"If there's demand, someone will provide. Especially now where the prices of Spirit Stones are at an all time high."

"It is expected their prices will rise even more in the future before stabilizing for a while. That is, until they begin being produced in Mines."

"Even so, that'll take a while. And even when the Spiritual Tide arrives, condensed Spiritual Qi like this will remain a high commodity."

"So why sell now?"

"With all Sects so desperate for them for multiple reasons, their prices have exploded as they search for any seller, regardless of their quality or quantity."

"Possessing Spirit Stones is a sign of prosperity for the future. And resources they can't use now can be converted to resources they can make use of now, it's no wonder they're all going crazy like this."

"I see. Thank you for the assistance."

"..."

The girl hesitated for a while before gathering some courage, looking at the stage before turning to Joseph again, saying:

"Sir, are you perhaps new to the Pavilion? If you're interested, please check our Sapphire Lock Chamber of commerce down the street. Number 171." She said with a bow as she gave him a card

"Sapphire Lock?"

"Yes sir! We trade in anything imaginable!"

"Interesting… I didn't know the Jade Feather Association housed other merchant groups within their premises."

"That's a common misconception sir. The Central Hall can be seen as a common market where all are welcomed to do business."

"Still, they take a percentage of all exchanges as fee, still, take a look sir! I'm sure you'll be pleased with our prices."

"Hm… I shall, thank you."

"No! Thank you sir!"

"... AAAND strike three! Sold to Number three for sixty seven Spirit Coins! Congratulations for your Grade 1 Spirit Stone!"

"Things are getting heated."

'I'll stick by for a little while longer before window shopping.'

/TAP!/

…

For the next few minutes, he stared in silence as multiple Spirit Stones were sold one after the other, with the last one, the Grade 2 one, barely the size of a finger, being sold for about Two hundred Spirit Coins.

Once it was sold, they closed the small auction and everyone began dispersing.

"..."

'Interesting. I wonder how fair those prices are. Everyone is saying it's expensive but no one is complaining.'

'More people joined midway through the auction, making me believe these aren't common as they kept betting as well. The prices surged even more after that.'

'Maybe its as the girl said, these are in high demand and whenever one appears, it vanishes… If that's the case… I can make a quick profit.'

'But what do I want to buy? It's not like there's much for me to acquire.'

'During the chaos after the world "fell", I raided multiple museums in the area to acquire several relics that will become famous in the future, and I've also been working on improving my Skills so I can make my own soon enough. My Smithing Skills aren't half bad at all, I have almost a decade of experience in multiple areas.'

'There's only a few things I would like to buy, and that's mostly… Information.'

'Techniques, common knowledge, anything I can use my abilities to improve myself further.'

'Aside from that… Right! Plants! Anything I can use my powers on to advance its time and rake in a profit. Or anything I can do the contrary on… That's why I'm the Recycler.'

Joseph's original idea with his name was to buy large amounts of unwanted products and turn them fresh again, raking a profit.

He chose the name on the spur of the moment but it was the very thing that came to his head the time she asked him for his name, so it stuck.

"Let's see, number 171 was it? I'll check a few stores on the way before getting there."

'I'll see for myself how this economy's faering.'

With a small smile hidden by his mask, he began window shopping.

…

/Around two hours later…/

/Step…/

"This is all so fascinating."

'I finally understand the economy now.'

'In short, it was dying. But that was a few days ago.'

'Before, the economy was like a dried well, there was nothing coming or going, the Sects were in seclusion, the producers barely had anything to show, and no one had any resource worthy of being traded.'

'But now that the Great Alignment is coming and the Spiritual Tide is just a few months away, all of these ancient groups and secretive organizations have begun moving around their resources and marking their presences in the world.'

'Before the Spiritual Tide comes, they have to show who's Boss and that they're still powerful, as even after the Tide passes and everyone grows stronger, it'll make them reconsider approaching them as they'll also have grown massively.'

'Business is thriving now, but it's on a downward spiral. Soon enough, it'll dry off again, but most merchants believe it'll last long enough.'

'And now that the meteor has crashed, their expectations are even better than before. And I agree with them.'

'There is no better time to join in, had I been any later, I would've missed this prime opportunity to make business.'

'Right now, the medicinal products on the market are lackluster or mere props, artifacts are nothing but second hand products, and with how isolated some groups are, some are beginning to resort to selling their manuals in exchange for resources.'

'I must get on this train. I have everything they need, they have what I want.'

'I've already seen many examples of places I can exploit. If they're selling a dead, dried plant, I'll buy it, premium even… And then grow it on my backward.'

'But before this, I need to get myself some Spirit Coins.'

'Spirit Coins are merely a currency made to facilitate exchange, and can be acquired in the currency exchange center.'

'It's values fluctuate every day, but with how certain items are in value…'

Joseph walked to the center of the Hall, entered a large cylindrical room located inside a pilar that supported the entire hall.

/Step…/

"Esteemed guest, how may we support you today?"

"I'd like to acquire some Spirit Coins to facilitate trading. Also, where do I go if I wish to purchase some Raw materials? Particularly plant based?"

Although there were many shops in the Central Hall, those shops were only affiliates or trade partners of the Jade Feather Association.

What Joseph wanted was to get access to their catalog of hundreds of branches all over the world.

"That is simple sir, you may exchange your possessions for Coins directly through me, don't worry sir as we ensure absolute secrecy."

"I know."

/Cronk!/

Suddenly, the ground parted and several walls rose to isolate them from the rest of the room.

"I'll be opening your account, is that okay?"

"Yes."

/Tap tap tap…/

The clerk tapped a few times on the counter beyond Joseph's sight, and after a while, he said:

"There is box of Spirit Stones to be evaluated in your account, would you like to evaluate it? It's free of cost."

"Of course, without it I imagine we can't proceed."

"You'd be correct sir. I'll perform the evaluation." He said as he tapped a few more times on the counter before his eyes began shining

/A few minutes later…/

"Hm… I'm finished."

"In total, there are fifty seven medium sized Grade 3 Spirit Stones and thirteen Grade 4 Spirit Stones in the box. Together with around two hundred, Small Grade 2 Spirit Stones." He said as his expression grew a little tense

"Uhum."

'That's a surprise, those weren't even the core stones I collected from the major fragment, those were the ones I gathered at the far edges of the forest, and they're telling me they're both Grade 3 and 4?'

'Also, medium sized? They're barely a kilogram in size each. Some stones back at the camp were the size of entire boulders, a few weighing dozens if not hundreds of kilograms.'

'And the centerpieces…'

'Wouldn't that make those insanely valuable? Maybe I underestimate the value of the fragment.'

'I don't know what'll happen to the main pieces of the Meteor in the future, I know the factions will fight for them which will lead to world war, but where each will go is a mystery to me.'

"Would you like to exchange which piece for Coins, sir?"

"What are the ratios today?"

"... Erm… There's just a slight issue…"

"Issue?"

"Well… There aren't many Spirit Stones of this Grade being traded, so there's no ratio… Let's do it like this, I'll call a superior to directly grade your materials, we'll then proceed from there."

"If that's not to your liking, we can arrange ways for you to trade your products with other customers as well, taking nothing from the transaction as well! But I'm sure our prices would be better."

"Nothing? Is that even allowed?"

"Since it's an exchange transaction and our fault, it can be allowed. It's not unusual."

"If you excuse me sir…"

"..."

…

/A minute later…/

"Sir, I'm Fredericson, General Manager of this Exchange Center." A man came as he bowed to Joseph

"Nice to meet you Fredericson, I'm Recycler."

"I'm well aware sir. Now, I've been called due to an exceptional circumstance. I'll be representing the association in the negotiations, is that okay?"

"No problem."

"Alright, so first so we're in the same boat, you're intending on exchanging these stones for Spirit Coins, is that true?"

"Correct."

"Great. Given there are no gross exchange rates for them, the only solution would be to directly trade them for the Coins or other products that already have rates."

"After a simple examination of their purity, size, and condition. I can give you an average of 300 Spirit Coins per Grade 2 Spirit Stone in your possession, for a total of 60 thousand coins after rounding it up."

"In comparison sir, the market value for them would be around half of that, but given their density and their numbers, we're willing to put in a higher price to acquire them all if you wish to sell them all at once."

"..."

Joseph showed no reaction at all, not because he had a great poker face or anything, but because he didn't know how much 60 thousand coins were worth.

Yes he had gone around the place but that wasn't enough to mark him deeply. To him, those were just big numbers.

"What about the rest?" He asked as he put his hands on his back

"For the Grade 3 Spirit Stones, a value of about 3000 for all fifty seven of them for a total of 171 thousand seems fair." He said as he adjusted his mask

"... I imagine that's the value of selling them in bulk?"

"... Yes sir." The man said after a slight delay

"What about their individual value?"

"That would go for measurements, but it would likely be between 1500 and 3500 coins. If you wish I can individually measure their values…"

"No need. What about the Grade 4 ones?"

"Are you interested in selling them as well?" He asked with some surprise as he looked intently at Joseph

He even felt some suspicion, but a Gold Plaque wouldn't be suspicious, the Nexus Keepers wouldn't assign such a rank for him if he wasn't that trustworthy.

"Yes, otherwise, I wouldn't have put them on my account."

"Of course… Ahem… I'll begin the appraisal." He said as he pulled one of the stones from the box, placing them on the table

"Hm… Medium sized Grade 4 Spirit Stone. Total weight: 1.346 kilograms…"

Several numbers began floating before Joseph, but he only understood a few of them. He could assume others meant width and height, but there were far too many numbers.

"... Its gross market value should be… Eight thousand coins. Realistic value is thus… Twenty three thousand coins."

"... We can make it for eig… Twenty thousand coins sir."

"Hm… This realistic value, what does it entail exactly?"

"It's a market demand price, there hadn't been many exchanges of such high grade stones through us but we have a few examples to base ourselves on."

"We base it on the possible value we may acquire in an auction, but even so, given its exclusivity, the value may or may not rise beyond our expected horizons."

"I see… In that case, I'll sell about three of them, and bundle them up with everything else you've identified so far. I'll directly exchange them for Spirit Coins."

"Y-Yes sir!" The man said with some surprise as he began tapping on the table

"The address is the same, but since I'm unsure when I'll leave Cloud Mountains, any time after should be appropriate as long as it doesn't breach the hours I set up before."

"Of course, we already have the address, we can have someone within an hour of your departure sir!"

"Excellent. Now, for the rest… What do you think of setting an auction for a few of them?"

"P-Pardon? Would you be willing to sell them all?"

"Not all, I'm aware of the market demand, and I'm aware their value is at an all time high. So I was thinking of requesting some assistance."

"How should I trade my materials, can you provide me with guidance?"

"O-Of course sir! If you leave them to us, we can guarantee you excellent rates! Also, our fees won't surpass seven percent!"

"How many of them are you thinking of trading right now? Do you have a time limit or preferences?"

"I'm thinking of selling four for now, and while I don't have a time limit, I do have some preferences."

"Please tell."

"First, I'm expecting to remain anonymous, no one can know I traded these through the Association, is that much okay?"

"We can make it seem as the association acquired them from secretive sources, but we have to list them as such due to our policies. I apologize sir."

"That much is okay. For my next preferences, I would like for the exchange value to be done in two forms:"

"My master is looking for inspiration. We'll be accepting Spiritual plants as payment aside from Coins, but only either of the two."

"Spiritual Plants? Of what kind exactly?"

"Any kind and of any quality as well."

"Any quality? How far are we talking about here, exactly?"

"As long as the plants haven't been drying for over five years, we'll accept them if they've been plucked with that time."

'I learned that most medicinal plants tend to be stored inside special boxes which will slowly dry them to preserve their medicinal properties. Not all plants can undergo this process, most rot or lose their value before that.'

'If I can get my hands on those useless materials everyone thinks is trash… I'll rake in the most profit.'

"It's an unusual requirement, but simple enough, especially since it's merely a requirement. It can be done, but we may have to delay the auction a little to give the buyers more time to gather their materials…"

"No. Although I said I have no timeline, I don't want to wait months or weeks for this. How soon can you spread the word?"

"... Two days sir, in two days, all parties we believe would wish to bid for the stones would be notified, however, I'm afraid only four stones won't drive too much traffic…"

"What if I can get you another box just like the one I gave you today?"

"... In four… Three days I can have the Auction running. And although our clients in the West are busy collecting the fallen pieces of Gul-X21, I'm certain our clients in the East would be overjoyed to get access to such high quality materials so soon."

"Then it's done." Joseph said as he crossed his arms

The man said nothing, merely tapping a few times on the counter before something flew to his plaque, entering it.

"... Here sir. Your receipt. I've exchanged the Spirit Stones for a total of 320 thousand Coins. 60 thousand from the Grade 2, 171 thousand from the Grade three, and 75 thousand from the three Grade 4 Stones. I've raised their values to be more in line with their expected market price."

"And finally, I've added 14 thousand as extra for choosing our Association!"

"Excellent. You said you could get someone within my home in an hour? If I were to leave now, how long would it take for someone to arrive?"

"We… I could get someone there within half an hour… No! Twenty minutes!"

"Do that then, and in the meantime, about what I asked before, can you get me a catalog of Spiritual Plants in your possession? My master is interested in all kinds, even the old and useless ones for purchase."

"Yes customer, that can be done!"

"Uhum… I'll come back as soon as I've transferred the items."

"Have a safe trip!" The man said as he bowed

"I'll be back, Fredericson."

/Sha!/

Joseph vanished from the Exchange center, leaving the man bowing in place as the walls retreated back into the ground.

"..."

"Sir? Has your…"

The previous clerk approached the General Manager, but was immediately cut off:

"Enough of what you said, we're on a tight schedule here."

"Send our fastest driver to the customer's address for collection, regardless of what's he doing, get him there, now!"

"Also, as you leave, call someone else!"

"Yes sir!" The man said as he ran away

"..."

'A young man with a Golden Plaque. His Cultivation is also extremely high for his age…'

'A Master that desires Spiritual Plants… He must be an incredibly potent brewer that got himself a haul of Spirit Stones from the meteor and is now intending to trade them to further boost his craft.'

'Such a duo of master-disciple cannot be lost, we must secure them. Especially now where movement has been slow.'

'This might be the biggest auction before the Great Alignment. We can use this as a chance to sell other high profile products as well… Yes!'

'If we use this chance… This could… This is beyond my clearance, I'll have to contact the Overseer.'

The man walked deeper inside the Exchange Center.

Unbeknownst to him, Joseph broke the seal on the pressure lid that had been keeping the Cultivator world settled for the past few centuries.

It was just waiting to burst, and now that he began acting outside of its limitations, soon enough, all of this pent up pressure…

Was about to explode.

…

/Later…/

/Vroom…/

"..."

'He's here.'

Joseph sat down before his bunker, looking at a truck as it approached in the distance.

From inside a group of men in simple delivery clothes stepped out. and one of them immediately approached him, giving him a pamphlet.

Inside it, sealed by a wax imprint was simple sheet of paper with a rune on it, his rune.

/Burn…/

The moment he read it, the rune shone, burning the paper.

And as soon as that happened, the man nodded, saying:

"Delivery." The man said as he awaited his reply

That was a simple pass code Joseph set for himself, the answer was:

"... It's for me."

Joseph got up from his seat, moving to his garage door on the side.

/Beep/

With the press of a button, the heavily fortified door parted open, and he pulled two boxes from within.

"Everything on the receipt is here. Feel free to check."

"No need sir, we'll take care of this as soon as possible, have a nice day."

/Grab…/

The man grabbed one of the boxes and set it up for another to come with a small pallet and lift it off the ground.

In one fell swoop, they took down all of the boxes, loading them up inside the truck before driving off into the distance.

"... They're efficient."

'Also, all of them were at the pinnacle of the first Realm.'

'I expected them to be weaker given how wide their network is, but if all of their workers are like this, given the sheer number of branches I saw in the map, this would mean they have tens of thousands of workers as Cultivators.'

'What a ridiculous number. They're likely sponsored by some big groups, and if that's the case, then it means they aren't truly neutral.'

'I need to grow stronger.'

With his matter resolved, he went back home and entered the Cloud Mountains once more.

…

"... Yes. This is what I want. How much for these?" Joseph asked as he looked at a long list of products

"Every item has a price attached to it, take a look at the far right side, just swipe to the right and the price will show itself."

"I see."

/Swipe…/

'This is perfect. It's exactly what I've been looking for.'

'A list of thousands of Spiritual Plants, it doesn't matter if they're dead and dried, I can turn back to when they were alive.'

'Although unethical, I can turn back time to bring something back to life again, and while I'm willing to do it with plants, I'm not sure if I should do so for anything else.'

'Some lines shouldn't be crossed.'

"I'll take these… And these…"

Joseph began marking everything he wanted, forming a massive list of items.

"... I'm still new to this world, having trained most of my life, do you…"

"We sell all kinds of things, information is also our strength. But if you're looking for anything more direct, you'll need to go to the Crow's Eye chamber."

"They're the only ones that can tell you more definite information about anyone."

"It's okay, I'm only looking for generalized stuff, like history, groups, etiquette and so on."

"We can prepare that much for you sir free of charge, common knowledge is readily available, packing it together will take no time at all."

"Great… Then before I leave, I have one last thing in mind. Do you sell manuals?"

"Hm… It depends on what you're looking for…"

"I've heard some sects have been selling their arts, is that true?"

"To some degree. Are you interested in them?"

"As a research subject, yes."

"If research is everything you're looking for, then I may have a better alternative."

"Just like the Crow's Eye, we also have a partnership with Babel, the tower of knowledge. They've been gathering knowledge for thousands of years and are one of the most established groups in the world."

"Although they're secretive, if you have the wealth, they'll open their doors of their library. And while they won't open them all, what you can learn from a few floors is already quite considerate."

"If you need anything after, we can find it for you."

"... Excellent. Get these things ready, deduct it from my account."

"Yes, the total amount is… Around twenty thousand coins, rounded down."

"Quite steep."

"Spiritual Plants are nearly extinct after all, the ones that still grow are exceptional and even then, tend to be used or harvested if they can't grow any further, otherwise, most sects would only keep their plants to themselves."

"The ones you see are merely plants that had to be disposed of, even so, their prices are ridiculous."

"Although most of the Spiritual plants sir chose are decadent, they're still Spiritual products at the end of the day. The sheer volume of this transaction also says it all, not to say the fact these purchases involve multiple branches around the world." 

"Sir may have well done our biggest purchase in a while, we haven't moved so many branches at once like this in a very long time."

"Hm…"

'Hopefully I'm not being too high profile…'

"I'll stop here for now, but if you can keep a lookout for more plants like this, I'll be happy to take them for research."

"My master is not interested in too many duplicates, so the focus should be in plants that haven't been acquired yet, even if they're beyond the five year mark."

'I expect my powers to grow over time, so the further I push this deadline, the more legendary plants are likely to appear, even if they've been stored for decades.'

"Very well sir, we'll raise our field of search, if anything pops, we'll be sure to warn you."

"However, since sir is so interested in acquiring and growing Spiritual Plants, contacting the Sanctuary may be worth a shot."

"Sanctuary?"

"An organization focused solely on nurturing Spiritual Plants and materials so they don't go extinct. Around thirty percent of all Spiritual Plants in the market come from them, but they release them as they see fit."

"They're very reclusive, so it may be hard to contact them, still, it may be possible to arrange a meeting with them."

"... Thank you for the attempt, I'll keep it in mind but let's take things one step at a time for now."

'I've already gathered too much attention moving like this. I need to gather my things, break through to the third Realm, and begin my preparations for the tide.'

'Although at this pace, I'm afraid I may miss it. I'll reach the Pinnacle of the Third Realm and get stuck there and so far, I haven't found a clue to unstuck myself yet.'

"I'll depart for today. Tomorrow I'll check Babel when I return tomorrow."

"Have a safe trip."

/Shaaa…/

Joseph returned to reality.

…

/Later that day…/

"... It's time for me to move the main fragment home."

'In the last few hours I moved the remaining boulders home with my truck, only the big one and a few tiny pieces I can't bother to gather are left.'

'If I can move that entire boulder back home and bury it inside, I won't have to worry about Qi forever.'

'Even if the Qi in the boulder wanes… Can't I just turn back time and use it again?'

'The Qi in the atmosphere is considered a different entity, so there should be no issues… Aside from me feeling a little skeptical of creating such paradoxes.'

"Also, there's one thing I realized so far…" 

'I can turn back time for an object, making it regress to how it looked like. This means that if I regress any of the Spirit Stones, it would eventually return to how it looked before it fragmented.'

'This means I can effectively form another meteor… And this scares me.'

'It doesn't matter how many of these stones I spend, I'd have a nearly infinite source of them.'

'Of course, I have no idea how large the meteor is and I also don't know what would happen if I turned back time to that moment.'

'Would the stone remain still? Or would it crash against the ground and explode? That would completely destroy… Everything.'

'And although it's impossible, I wonder what would happen if I regressed even further, to when this meteor was created.'

'Could I potentially recreate the conditions where it formed?... It's interesting to think about it, but that's likely tens if not billions of years in the past, it's far too much for my feeble mind to comprehend.'

"I'm just looking too far ahead."

'Either way, I should never run out of Qi regardless. And even as the rest of the world goes to War… I can Cultivate in peace.'

'Once I have it in my possession, I'll use my powers to predict the future and create notes regarding my Cultivation and other aspects of my life, with all of that done, I'll focus on Cultivation while also looking for better items to buy in the Cloud Mountains, all the while selling my Spirit Stones.'

'Although that'll depend on what my notes will tell me about the future.'

"... Seems like a solid enough plan."

"Time to work."

Joseph vanished into the night with nothing but his own body.

…

"Now… How do I lift this?"

'This fragment, it's at least ten meters long and six meters wide on its largest points.'

'This much alone would make it several dozen tons long, with my strength… I'll be struggling,'

'But this is just what's on the surface.'

/Raise… Tap!/

Joseph stepped on the ground, sending Qi deep down on the ground.

/Bounce!/

"..."

'Not strong enough. The Qi on the ground is too thick for me to penetrate with this much force.'

'Very well then.'

/Raise… Stomp!/

/Crack!/

He smashed his foot on the ground, and the Qi trembled!

As the area shaked, the dirt around the meteor loosened, sending torrents of concentrated Qi upward like geysers.

'The trapped underground Qi will be released, it's so intense it may even uplift the fragment.'

'This was one of the reasons why I thought those people would die, if the earth broke and the Qi was released…'

The Qi rose to the skies like a veil of sparks and light.

Like the nebulas in the cosmos, it floated close the ground like a cloud.

/Crack…/

The earth kept rupturing, but not for long as the wave soon receded, still, Joseph could feel a constant wave of Qi moving from the ground.

'Let's try moving it.'

/Grab…/

"Hoo…"

'If I circle my Qi around the stone and tighten it, I can coil it around and pull it upward.'

'The thick Qi is an issue, but it shouldn't be a problem if I keep myself well conditioned and control the energy well.'

'Let's try it!'

/PULL!/

"HUPPP!!"

/Crack…/

/Crunk…/

"Hupp!"

/Pull!/

/THUD!/

The massive fragment was slowly pulled off the ground with the help of the underground pressure.

/Boom!/

The moment he moved it past a certain section, the underground Qi exploded upward once more, sending the boulder flying over Joseph's head.

/THUD!/

It crashed down a few meters from him, but Joseph didn't move, still clutching onto his chest in pain.

"Huff… Arg…"

'That explosion almost shattered my Meridians… Although Qi is shapeless, that's only a terminology, in these densities… I should be happy it didn't ignite.'

'Otherwise this whole forest and further forest would be gone. With me of course.'

"Phew…"

'It's bigger than I expected, this will be hard.'

'I'm currently at the peak of the Third Stage of Foundation Bloom, but even then…'

Foundation Bloom is all about the tempering of the body, in other words, it's kind of Physical Cultivation in a sense, but not as demanding.

The point was to transform the body so it grew accustomed with the Dantian and the previous transformations invoked in the first Realm.

'There used to be Mystical plants in the past which could rebirth the body, unfortunately, they're now all extinct.'

The First stage is about tempering the Heart, also called the Golden Heart Stage.

First Step, Golden Layer

Second Step, Golden Valves.

The Second stage is about tempering the five senses and strengthening the sixth one, also known as the Six Ancient Senses Stage.

First Step, Mortal Senses

Second Step, Immortal touch.

The Third stage is about tempering the remaining five viscera and six bowels as in traditional medicine, also known as the Immortal Body Stage.

First Step, Regression. Because you take back the Qi in your organs and transform it.

Second Step, Expansion. After all organs have been drained of their Qi, you infuse it back, forming a tight connection between them all and the Dantian.

The Fourth stage is about fortifying the meridians and preparing them for the next Realm, however, given Joseph's robust foundation, this stage would likely be skipped.

First Step, Meridian Purification

Second Step, Meridian Fortification

And lastly, the Fifth stage is about connecting your mind with your Dantian and creating the Immortal Core, also known as the Golden Core.

First Step, Hollow Shell. To create the Shell of the Golden Core atop the Dantian.

Second Step, Soul Infusion. To infuse your conscience into the Golden Core.

Third Step, Perfect Unity. To achieve perfect balance in your body.

Fourth Step, Shattering. To break your Dantian and let it fuse with the shell of the Golden Core.

Fifth Step, Golden Ambrosia. To awaken the Golden Core and become a true Golden Core Cultivator.

The minor realm in between is called Mortal Shadow as in this stage, the Golden Core Cultivator will partially lose control of their Qi as it rushes inside the Golden Core, making them seem mortal for even another Golden Core Cultivator.

It usually takes a while for the core to fill up naturally as the Cultivator has no control over their Qi, so it leaves them greatly weakened.

Once they fill their core, they can "break through" and become a fully fledged Golden Core Cultivator!

'I've kept my Cultivation at the pinnacle of the Immortal Body Stage, but I had a reason for that.'

'It's possible to restart the Cycle of taking and inject Qi into the internal organs, increasing their purification and affinity.'

'With my powers, I advanced this process by five years, but as a result, I now have to fill them back with an absurd amount of Qi.'

'I've been doing so for the past few days, and since I'm in no hurry to do so, I've just let things go.'

'Things would've been faster if I had another Breathing Technique and Cultivation Art, unfortunately, until I break into the Golden Core Realm, the basic techniques I got before are the only ones I can use.'

'I did gain others from that user, but that's that.'

'I should be able to force my breakthrough now if I add Qi onto my body… Wait…'

"...!"

Just when Joseph was about to move the boulder, he felt a strange presence nearby.

/Raise… STOMP!/

/QUAKE!/

He raised his foot and stepped down, causing the area to shake.

"Stop hiding, I know you're there."

/Silence…/

/Frown/

'Someone's here, I can feel the foreign Qi, but I can't trace its origin. If I try to, I may be ambushed.'

Like blood in the water, if he focused hard enough, finding its source should be possible, but what about the sharks in the water?

/Gather…/

'This is my first time using this… But here it is!'

'Wood Splitting palm, Spring Tempest! Nine years of continuous Cultivation!'

/SLAM!/

Joseph pushed his right palm forward towards the area he felt his observer was and the air twisted as Qi raged!

/BOOOOM!/

An entire barrier of air was pushed away as his meridians flared. And like a train, everything in his palm's way was destroyed by an invisible force!

The stones cracked and trees cracked as Qi moved like a torrent!

/Fwoosh!/

At that moment, a shadow trembled…

'There!'

'Wood Splitting palm, Rising Sprout!'

He moved his right palm upward, and the Qi on the ground trembled, bursting as if explosives had been set underground!

/BOOOOM!/

"AARRG!"

A pained scream resounded, and someone fell a few meters ahead, clutching to their smoking body.

The violent Qi was as hot as fire, burning their skin lightly.

A normal person would've been blasted to pieces, this being was clearly a Cultivator!

'This… This girl is the same Realm as me, but she's still tempering her heart.'

"State your reason else I'll deem you an opponent!"

"W-Wait! I surrender!" She said as she raised her hands above her head

"..."

Joseph frowned as he saw this, surrendering wasn't unordinary, but the gesture she did was common in the orthodox Cultivation world.

To indicate someone had raised the white flag, further action would be dishonorable… But…

"Surrendering means nothing in this situation. What were you doing prowling around me in the dark! Explain yourself!"

"I will! Let me speak first!"

"..."

"I… Phew… I'm not here to fight you."

"..."

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Explain yourself first."

"... Alright… I'm here for a fragment of that stone." She said as she pointed at the meteor Joseph just dug up

"... Not gonna happen." He said with a scoff as he looked around

'Is she alone? Thank God I hid my identity. But this is terrible.'

'I had no idea there were other Cultivators in the area. Given she cultivated this far, she must have a technique, and since she came here with a purpose, it's even worse. She knows the value of these Spirit Stones.'

"Wait! I'll buy it from you! Just tell me the price, I just need a small fist… No! Finger sized piece! As long as it's Grade 6…"

"Grade 6? What do you even want with such an advanced stone? Are you even aware how destructive such a piece can be? Why should I even consider selling it to you?"

"You're the one hogging it all! Aren't you afraid of the consequences of that?!"

"That's for the old people to settle with my master."

"Urg… It's for a potion! I need to refine a potion! No more than this!"

"..."

'It's unluckily the main fragment broke, it's just too solid for that.'

'But if she doesn't find any pieces and if I don't give her anything, she'll definitely come after me. Still, it's not like it would be hard to track me, but I don't want to give anyone any reason to even do so…'

'Nonetheless, I'm hogging this fragment for myself… What a pain.'

"What can you give me in exchange?"

"What? Such a massive piece and you still want something in return?!"

"Do I look like I run a charity? If you can't pay for it, scram."

"What are you even going to do with that much?!"

"... Gardening."

"WHAT?!"

"You're far too loud, stay silent."

"Urg…"

"It doesn't look like you can pay for it and I don't take credit, so let's say you were unlucky this time."

"There should be other fragments further down South, good luck."

/Raise…/

/BLAST!/

"?!"

'Such energy! It's too intense!...'

'Is he a Golden Core Master?! But his voice… He looks barely…'

Joseph's Cultivation suddenly exploded as he broke through to the next realm.

/Grab…/

/Lift!/

He lifted the massive boulder and said:

"You aren't thinking of ambushing me after I spared you are you?"

"No!!"

"Good."

/Jump!/

With a red expression, Joseph jumped into the trees, vanishing from her sight.

Only a faint brilliant light shone in the darkness, growing fainter and fainter.

"Urg… I can't believe this happened… How come there's a Golden Core master all the way here?! Master told me this was the countryside!"

"Because there isn't, child." An elderly voice echoed on the side, startling the girl

"M-Master!"

"You've lost."

"I… I did… I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, we all do."

"But master… We need those stones… But he's…"

"We need them, but we're orthodox Cultivators, you lost in your bout and surrendered, he spared you, end of the story."

"Urg…"

"But that doesn't mean the chapter's ended."

"Master? But what do we do?"

"We could follow his advice and move South."

"You said there were no major fragments further South, we'd have to cross into another State and that would mean…"

"Risking getting seen by those guys, yes. But it's our only option… Unless we meet him again."

"But!"

"He said you couldn't pay him didn't he?... Well, I can."

"Master? You aren't…"

"I'm not that vicious, little one. I'm thinking of exchanging one of my old treasures for it." The old man said as he touched her head

"Besides, this is a great opportunity. I never expected there to be such a talented youngster in this area, you should get to know him, his personality doesn't seem bad, what if he's handsome? You may even find yourself a boyfriend…"

"Master!"

"Haha… You know how hard it is these days to find partners. But if that's not your fate, then meeting someone new shouldn't hurt."

"But for now… It's too late, let's scurry the area first in case there's a fragment we can use, otherwise, let's visit him tomorrow."

"The trail of Qi it left behind is far too recognizable. If not us, someone else will go after him."

"... Yes… But what was that about there not being any Golden Core Cultivators around?"

"Ah, that? Foolish child, that boy was no Golden Core Cultivator, he was just a Foundation Bloom like you, albeit a few Stages higher."

"Haaa?? That's impossible! His Qi was like… Massive!"

"Indeed, his foundation is deeper than most, far deeper… But his Dantian remains closed, not yet reborn into the core of a Cultivator."

"But I have a feeling it won't be long before he takes that step. Once he does… He may become one of the youngest Golden Core masters in the world. You better work hard not to be left behind."

/Sha…/

The old man vanished, leaving the girl alone.

"Master?"

"Let's get to work, the night is young but not eternal, and my back's killing me."

"..."

The girl looked back at where Joseph vanished, some resentment on her face before she turned to the ground, going after her master as she looked for fragments he missed.

…

/Meanwhile…/

/THUD!!/

"Urg… Phew… I did it."

'But dammit… Things aren't going my way anymore.'

"First the people camping around the meteor, and now Cultivators in my surroundings. These aren't good news."

'I know that honor and credibility are rather important things in the Cultivator world, but I can't rely on those to protect myself.'

'These are chaotic times, if they decide to attack me, who'll defend me? If there's profit to be made, I'll just be brushed aside.'

'Maybe… I should've silenced her.'

"..."

'No. Doubts and regrets only work to distract and fuel inner demons or whatever. I want to live a pure life if possible, at least for as long as possible.'

"I'll just bury this guy somewhere and proceed with my other plans."

'This means… Lifting this again… Urg…'

…

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Notes