Bartender Joey

The Outskirts coiled around Monsoon City like layers of an onion.

And somewhere in one of the outermost layers, a tavern named 'The Shelter' stood tall, unaffected by the disaster that had struck.

Even on a terrible day like this one, maybe especially on a day like today, the owner felt like he should keep the doors open for his customers.

In his mind, shared pain is half the sorrow.

Tonight, a thick, somber mood lay heavily inside.

The insidious Water Bandit had attacked just a couple hours before, but now, with the sun hiding behind the jagged mountain peaks of the frigid east, and now that the wounded were treated to the best ability of the miraculous Healer Unit, there was nothing left to do... but drink.

Solace and company went well with each other.

The Shelter was unusually quiet, and nobody felt like roaring around and putting on a feigned joyeous face either.

In the course of the night, there were many customers who joined in on the somber meeting, sharing heart-felt sorrows, or showing empathy to the less fortunate, who today lost a friend, family or aquaintances.

And at some point, another customer joined the heavy mood. He seated himself at the counter without hesitation, right across bartender, occupying the barstool that had been left empty only for a few seconds.

"Give me your strongest drink."

The bartender swiped a glass clean, before nodding.

"One Hellball coming up. Wait... huh?"

Straining his eyes to determine if he was seeing things correctly, he gave a strange look to the young man sitting in front of him. He was no more than 15 years old! What business did he have ordering the strongest drink? Can he even handle the weakest ale?

"Aren't ya a bit too young to be hanging around and drinkin?" the bartender asked with a furrowed brow.

When he heard that, the customer looked confused and stared at the bartender like an insane man until a meaningful realization dawned upon him.

Embarrased, Théo cast the bartender a thoughtful glance before nodding.

"You're right, just a beer then."

Shaking his head, the burly man scolded, "Hey, this is not a place for kids, what are you doing here anyways?"

The bartender sucked in a cold breath, when a thought registered in his mind, a very possible one.

"Don't tell me you lost your fami...?" , he blurted out, before restraining the last part to leave his mouth.

The young man kept quiet and didn't answer the question. Not because he was trying to be rude or rebellious, but simply because of the fact that he didn't know. Heck, he didn't even know his own name.

Were the parents involved in the disaster? Did he have parents or family at all?

Those were the things that Théo didn't know, but had to find out in the coming days.

For now, he just shrugged it off. His green-anthracite eyes gleamed through the cracks of black unkempt hair, reflecting the dim light of hoisted oil lamps and candles.

The hair disheveled, and even a bit dirty, despite trying his absolute best to wash it clean with salt water that flowed into a cement chasm.

This little measure did not help his mottled and muddied clothes, though...

He must have been at the place of disaster at some time today.

"What? A beer? I'm not one to judge, but can you even pay?" the bartendender stared at him, and asked a bit louder to embarrass the young fellow.

'Let this embarassment be a lesson, kid. Trying to act all mature and ordering the strongest drink at your age. I'm not one to judge ,as I said, but that doesn't suit a brat like you. Go play in the sandbox or something.'

Théo nodded in tacit agreement, his reaction mirroring that if you want something, you must pay for it.

"How much is it?" he asked the brownhaired burly man in front.

The bartender was slightly surprised, but replied nonchalantly, "It's 5 copper coins. If you don't have it, you don't have it. It's fine, I'll get you a water."

"Do you take Crystals?"

The barman repeated the answer with raised eyes, "Crystals? What... Spirit Crystals?"

His hoisted eyes widened in scoff when he heard the remark, "Did you hear that guys? The kid wants to pay a beer with Spirit Crystals!"

When he shared their dialogue with the whole tavern, everybody started laughing wildly at Théo's cluelessness, lampooning his flaunting attitude.

"Stop boasting kid, where would you even get Spirit Crystals from?"

"Why don't you pay me a spirit crytal, I'll brew you beer for the rest of the year!"

"I'll eat my own shit if a kid like you earned himself some Spirit Crystals!"

The tavern was roaring at his remark, making the mood lighten up, in contrast to how it was before Théo entered.

The barman slowly controlled his laughter and put his broad hand on Théo's shoulder for an amicable prod after wiping away a tear with the other one.

"Hahaha.. ohhoho... oh man, thank you for the laugh. After such a shit day, a laugh like this is medicine."

He looked at Théo with a satisfied expression, a bit gentler than before.

"You obviously don't have money with you, but have a beer. For the laugh..."

He ended his sentence with a nod, before proficiently pouring a fresh, frothing beer from the barrel and slammed it in front of the boy.

"And now listen to me kid."

He softened his voice, almost into a whisper, "Spirit Crytals are the currency of Cultivators. It's not something normal townsfolk can get. You should be more careful with your words, because... greed and envy can make people do insane things, kid... Even if you do not really possess the crystals."

"Never forget that." he reminded Théo with another clap on the shoulder, his eyes exuding genuine responsibility.

Scratching his short and patchy black beard the bartender explained:

"If I had to lay it out in clear terms for you, mhmm, 100 coppers are 1 silver and10 silver are around 1 gold..."

"And a spirit crystal... a spirit crystal should be worth around 10 gold coins?... Mind you, purely by worth."

Joey sighed.

"10 Gold for a Spirit Crystal would be a splendid deal... well, yes, therefore it's probably more than 10."

The bartender laughed, apparently still amused by the situation.

"Who would exchange such a valuable resource for a couple lousy gold coins? I'm telling you, I, personally, would let you drink here until it leaked from every orifice if you pay me a Spirit Crystal."

"Cultivators not only use Spirit Crystals as a currency, but also to cultivate their bodies. So its hard to aquire them just with gold. They are difficult to come by, you see?" he kept on explaining tirelessly.

Théo had stopped drinking in shock, and placed the cup on the bar table. His eyes glowing the light of excitement, he asked:

"So... Is it correct that I could harness supernatural powers with these crystals?"

The broad-shouldered barman roared as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world, and clapped the youths shoulder. Théo naturally frowned.

'What the hell is so funny?'

Noticing Théo's unamused gaze, he coughed, still wearing a smile.

"No-no don't look at me like that. You're right. Quite right... In essence, you cultivate with items that host a lot of Spiritual Energy, like Spirit Crystals."

"But shouldn't you know?"

Théo twitched and replaced his gaze with a friendly smile.

"Brat, you better listen! Cultivation is a difficult, long and arduous road. Meaning... not just anybody can do it! You know, in the past I was about to become a Cultivator myself," he proudly remarked, with a prod on his chest.

Théo was dumbfounded, "In the past? What do you mean by that? Sir, have you already given up?"

Joey fell silent and spat out a correction shortly after, "Do I look like a Sir to you! Brat, just call me Joey."

Lingering a bit, Joey deliberating chose his next words carefully.

"Hmm... what happened to my aspirations, you ask?"

Joey touched his chin and brooded over what to say before finally slapping his hand forcefully onto his thigh.

"Do you know what the most important things for Cultivation are?" the bartender asked loudly.

"There he goes again," a customer sighed with a defeated grin.

"The Essentials so to speak?"

Joey put his hands in the air and started to count with his fingers.

"I'll tell you what they are and listen close!"

"First, of course, it's perseverance and will. And let me tell you, there's nobody as stubborn as me!" Joey readily confessed with his the first finger clenched down.

The second finger followed soon after, " Secondly, it's Talent... Of which I had, honestly speaking, also a fair amount."

"Another immutable condition, and perhaps the hardest to acquire, are Skills and Cultivation Techniques, the blueprint of Cultivation." he sighed melancholically with his third finger clenched down, leaving only one last one lifted up.

He added a little remark onto his last point to illustrate, "The more refined the Cultivation Technique, the faster and safer your progress, but for skills... you'd have to hunt terrible beasts outside the safety of civilisation or learn from textbooks of existing skills..."

He uttered something indiscernibly before shaking his head, "...Or create them on your own... but that..."

"And ... And lastly ..."

"Lastly?" ,Théo was on the edge of his seat, Joey's delivery made him eager and awakened his utmost interest.

In full synchronity the regulars of Joey's bar screamed, as if they knew exactly what was coming next.

"MONEY!"

Joey exhaled angrily in irritation, giving the bartable a strong clap, "AHHH, the dreadful lack of money, can't do anything bout' it!"

Joey massaged his temples, as if plagued by a headache. Lifting a complicated gaze at Théo, Joey posed a rhetorical question.

"Tell me kid! What exactly can a poor fella do? Beat the body until it's strong?"

"...Not that I haven't tried that already..."

"The poor lose all their things and the wealthy attain more wealth. That's the way of life and even I couldn't escape that truth in the end."

He stared at the young man in front of him and vented his anger, as if trying to make him understand the troubles of his life.

"I have been stuck at the Peak of the Body Foundation Realm for years, not able to conquer the last bottleneck before glory..."

"The last bottleneck... where the Cultivation Journey really starts..."

The young man was silent, outwardly arched eyebrows partly revealed his state of mind. Inwardly he lampooned.

'I would be more surprised if you didn't need money, Joey! You're preaching to the pope here, no one understands this truth more than me! What do you think I wasted my entire last life with pursuing!'

Not willing to voice out his scolding thoughts out loud, Théo limited himself to a polite laugh.

"Hahaha... Isn't that the naked truth of life? Say, Joey, where can one buy the right resources to start cultivating?"

Joey looked at him closely before shaking his head wildly.

"You're not asking for yourself, are you? I'm telling you it's impossible for us, cultivating is for the rich and for the disciples of these famous sects."

"Speak for yourself Joey! Just accept the fact you are miserable and talentless," a customer chimed in, breaking the conversation of the self-depricating bartender with a chuckle.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? Come here you bastard," Joey raised his voice, and tried to chase after the customer, who left the tavern quickly when he saw the bulky man standing up.

The tavern started roaring again when Joey shouted outside the opened door, "At least pay your beer before you leave, you fool!"

"Who else would I ask for?" the young man replied when Joey faced him again.

Joey wanted to dissuade the dangerous thought, but was met with a confident smile. Not even a modicum of doubt was visible in the young man's expression. The burly bartender inspected the face in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Is it naivité, or are you acting quite mature?" he murmured out loud before replying.

"Resources are mostly found in wild habitats, filled with beasts, monsters or other species. All places who have a somewhat dense manasphere, you could say. They come in various forms like plants, stones, minerals, fruits or the carcasses of slain beasts. The Grand Dao is inexplicable."

"In any case," Joey exhaled slowly and continued, "These resources contain Mana and are either used by the collector or sold at markets and auctions for Gold or Spiritual Crystals."

"Very straight forward, that's good," Théo nodded in satisfaction.

Joey lingered a bit, before saying:

"If you're really serious about it, entering a sect is surely the best option you have."

"A Sect?"

"You should at least know about Sects, right?"

"...Are you gonna ask me what an Element is next?"

Joey looked both, a little annoyed and surprised.

'Where did this kid come from?'

'Was he born yesterday, or did he lose his wits with the disaster. Must've probably been hit in the head by debris...'

Was what he thought, but could only think as a complicated gaze formed on his face.

The young man scratched his sweating temples and an embarrassed expression could faintly be made out.

"Uhm ... Haha, would you be so kind?"

Joey was stunned and accidentally blurted out, "Have you really hit your head?"

Realizing he was a bit rude, Joey closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

"Nevermind that! Be a gentleman... please?" the clueless otherworlder pressed on.

Waves of information and possibilities flooded his consciousness with hunder-like speed , and his curiosity was heightened to an uncanny level.

'God damn! Where the hell have I landed! Cultivation? Crystals? Sects? Doesn't sound boring at all!'

'And Resources? Hah! Who am I to worry about money? If I'm not able to create wealth, then my past life would have been for the dogs.'

Théo turned emotional.

'Is this how I fulfill my desires... finally?'

Joey closed an eye and looked at the kid in front him intently, scanning him from head to toe. It looked like he was trying to make out his very nature.

"You sure are curious. Do you really want to enter the path of Cultivation?"

Staring back with an honest gaze, the corners of his mouth slowly rised again.

"Who wouldn't?"

"Hahaha right, right ..." Joey snorted, "I'm beginning to like you hahaha!"

"Well- Then you'll need to enter a Sect. There are a couple mediocre ones in Monsoon City... But right

..."

"A sect is an organization, who made it its purpose to become stronger!"

"As long as Cultivation exists, there will be Sects. Some are new, and some are ancient. Some are rich and some are poor. But the common goal won't change. In the end they do everything to reach grander, more brilliant heights."

"For this objective, people group together to exchange ideas, resources and insights. Often with people who were bestowed with the same Element... Not necessarily, but that way, you grow the fastest."

"Dao is Grand, and you can never learn enough. Do you understand?" Joey asked with one eye closed and the other glimpsing at Théo.

"Of course this is the simplest definition, but it should give you an idea."

Théo touched his chin in thought. His eyes were shining. He was delighted about the thought of mutual exchange and cooperation.

"The thoughts behind founding a sect are similar to founding a business, minus the Cultivation." he quietly uttered into the air in front of him.

"Well, you could say that... But there's a big, drastic difference," Joey complemented before adopting a serious bearing.

"While one of them pursues measly worldly possessions, just wealth, the other pursues the ungraspable potential for more, the reality of self-improvement, the hope to surpass the heavens really... and thus, the hope for immortality."

Joey said this with pride, as if he himself abandoned all his worldy desires long ago. His thoughts mirrored the nature and the mentality of the virtuous cultivator.

"Immortality?"

Théo snorted at this remark.

"Hardly. Who would believe that?"

"I do!" Joey retorted proudly.

But the tradesman had to admit... Joey's explanation, his passion... He could sense an undescribable feeling that accompanied the meaning of his words.

Something so unmalleable, yet with such solidity, plenty to fracture and and attack the subjective standpoint of every living being on the face of the planet.

It was enough to ignite the abyss of longing, which is deeply engrained in every being with a beating heart.

Théo's included.

"Haha, wealth really seems like a miniscule aspiration in contrast, doesn't it..."

Théo laughed wryly.

"But one is impossible without the other, so why not do both? I doubt there is any wealthy merchant who is not a strong Cultivator anyway!"

"Just the resources aren't enough!"

"Comprehension, knowledge and a deep connection of your Element are essential!" Joey retorted this logic with a good point.

Before hushing, almost inaudibly, "And a bit of money, too..."

Immediately drowning out his comment the bartender continued. Money seemed to be a sore point for him...

"Elements ... Right, Elements!"

"You know what, I've talked enough! Just see for yourself when reaching the Qi Realm. A new world will open up to you!"

"Just remember my words... Beneath the water surface, our world hides a gargantuan iceberg."

"We mortals couldn't comprehend."

"A new world will open up?" Théo muttered in excitement.

Seeing as Joey had ended his speech, Théo took over the conversation.

"Thank you, Joey... Very much... You don't know how helpful you were."

"Quit it, brat! That's all just common knowledge."

Théo smiled meaningfully and changed topic.

"On another note, I didn't think you had it in you to give such a great speech about the inherent meaning of Longing and Cultivation earlier."

"I'm intrigued and thoroughly impressed.

"Humbly admitted."

Théo showed a playful expression.

"What the hell do you mean by that? Have it in me?" Joey grimassed.

He needed to scold the kid in front of him, "I'm impressed you could even follow what I said you brat. How old are you anyway?"

Théo didn't know how to answer so he said nothing and shrugged it off once again.

"But it's weird, it really doesn't feel like I'm talking to a kid at all."

Joey rubbed his face in irritation.

"Scratch that, maybe you're just the weird one?"

" And now, Joey, tell me honestly! Why didn't you join a sect if you had such high aspirations in your adolescence?"

Théo has wondered about for some time.

If this bartender was one step away from the so-desired Qi Realm, as he, himself said, then why didn't he enter one of Monsoon's Sects?

"They don't take in just anybody, you know. You got to have a certain amount of talent, and also it's more common to take in young disciples and teach them Mana from a young age."

"Their proficiency is incomparable if they learn it from a young age."

"Of course they would need time to enter the Body Foundation, but... would you understand if I told you about the importance of loyalty?"

Spark widened his eyes, he began to understand.

Joey clapped the table loudly and continued.

"Also... I was a hot-blooded youth, you know?!"

Judging by the burly friend's expression, he took much pride in that description.

"I thought I could do everything on my own, not willing to join any lousy little City Sect. And in the middle of my grand quest... I fell in love, we started a family and I opened up this little tavern."

The bartender gave a gentle smile and looked down at his hands before he closed them.

"Life doesn't go the way you want it sometimes... and that's totally fine."

After saying this meaningful sentence his eyes glimmered with strange resolve, seemingly making the temperature around him rise by a degree.

"That doesn't mean I already gave up though, my chance just hasn't come around yet!"

Théo nodded with his eyes closed, "I see, I see, so a woman really was willing to marry someone like you."

Théo then casually shaked his head in contradiciton, letting his confusion show. It was obviously to tease Joey in good humor.

"Cheeky little brat, of course, every girl in the world would love to have a piece of me."

He reached his hands for Théo, trying to give him a beating, but was evaded in a swift manner.

Then, suddenly, a soft but cold voice rang out from behind Joey. Upon hearing it, his hairs stood on end and there were goosebumps forming on his burly forearm if one just looked closely enough.

"Oh hooo, is that so? Every girl would just loooove to have a piece of you, huh."

Joey's face froze in horror when he heard the silky voice behind him.