A Promising Future

As evening fell and the sun slanted westward, Lin Qing and his group finally arrived at the city gate.

People flowed endlessly through the gate—travelers with packs on their backs, merchants carrying goods—all standing in neat, orderly lines as they waited properly to enter the city.

Lin Qing mingled among the apothecaries' group and slowly shuffled forward with the crowd.

Entering the city caused no great stir. Spring Renewal Hall clearly had some reputation; they merely asked Lin Qing a few basic questions, then he paid ten copper coins and successfully entered the city.

The moment he stepped into Azure Sun City, the bustling atmosphere of everyday life rushed over him.

The first thing that met his eyes was a broad street, with shops packed shoulder to shoulder along both sides. The cries of inns and teahouses, the jingling bells of passing carriages and horses, and the discussions of martial artists intertwined in the street.

Cloudmist Prefecture lay in the eastern part of the Summer Kingdom, and Azure Sun County, under its jurisdiction, bordered the Azure Sun Mountains.

The Azure Sun Mountains contained all manner of rare treasures and strange beasts, a natural treasury that drew many martial artists from afar. They would rest and recuperate in the county seat, making Azure Sun County especially lively and prosperous.

After entering the city, it was time to part ways. Lin Qing cupped his hands toward the apothecaries' group.

"Thank you all for looking after me along the way. It is getting late, and I still have many matters to attend to. Let us part here."

Everyone bade Lin Qing farewell kindly as well. Several elders reminded him to take good care of his health, while the apprentices who had spoken with him earlier cheered him on.

On the way here, he had already learned that none of the martial academies provided lodging. His most urgent task now was to find somewhere to stay.

As Lin Qing walked along the broad street, he surveyed the shops on either side. Before long, he spotted a real estate brokerage; evidently, the owner had deliberately opened it near the city gate.

By now, the sky had grown dim. He had to find a suitable house as soon as possible, or spending the night at an inn would be another expense.

An hour later, Lin Qing handed three taels of silver to the broker and casually accepted the key from his hand.

The rent was eight hundred copper coins per month, with one month's deposit and three months' rent paid upfront. It should have come to three taels and two hundred copper coins, but Lin Qing had bargained it down to three taels.

It was a courtyard three zhang square. Though not large, it had been cleaned spotlessly, and its layout was simple and clear: one bedroom, one kitchen, and a cramped latrine.

A large stone slab lay in the center of the courtyard, specially meant for practicing martial arts. Mottled marks already covered its surface.

In one corner of the courtyard stood a well opening the size of a washbasin, enough to meet everyday water needs such as washing clothes and cooking.

Lin Qing had chosen this courtyard not only because it suited his tastes, but also because it was close to the county's two famous martial academies.

Leaving the courtyard and turning left, he could reach Bedrock Martial Academy in just a quarter of an hour on foot. Turning right, he could reach Drifting Cloud Martial Academy in the time it took to burn one incense stick—half an hour.

By then, night had completely fallen, but it was not yet time to sleep. With no time to clean the courtyard, he tossed the clothes and miscellaneous belongings he carried onto the bed and hurried out.

With the system at his side, he had long been itching to step onto the path of cultivation. Still, he intended to heed the old apothecary's advice and first take a look at Life-Nourishing Arts.

Without even having dinner, he soon found a bookstore by the light spilling from the shops along the street.

This was a world of martial arts. The bookstore had specially set aside an area for all kinds of basic martial arts manuals, though most were merely low-grade saber techniques, fist techniques, movement techniques, and the like. The Life-Nourishing Arts Lin Qing sought were among them as well.

Lin Qing walked to the bookshelf, selected a copy of Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art, opened it, and silently read through the text and diagrams.

The art was similar to Tai Chi, the Eight Pieces of Brocade, and other practices from his previous life. It did not look difficult, and he soon read through the entire Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art.

After putting down the book, he silently called out in his heart, Panel.

--

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: mortal (Breakthrough Time ∞)

Fused Arts (Expand)

Recorded Arts: Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art (0/100)

--

Lin Qing was wild with joy inside, though his expression remained unmoved.

He had not expected his system to possess such a wondrous effect. He only needed to read through the contents of an art once for it to be recorded directly. Now, the Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art had been completely imprinted in his mind.

Forcing down the excitement in his heart, Lin Qing pretended to choose casually and picked up another Life-Nourishing Art from the shelf to read.

To record an art, he had to read through it in its entirety, and that process still took some time.

Lin Qing had just finished recording the third book when the bookstore owner approached. Seeing the patches all over Lin Qing's clothes, he did not look pleased.

"Kid, are you buying or not? If not, we're closing."

Lin Qing did not care much about the owner's attitude. He had already gotten a tremendous bargain.

After paying two mace of silver to buy the last unread copy of Spleen-Strengthening Life-Nourishing Art, Lin Qing left the bookstore.

He had been so absorbed in reading just now that only after walking down the street did he realize he was starving, his chest pressed against his back. He spent twenty copper coins on a bowl of pork trotter rice by the roadside, then returned to his little courtyard along the streets he had come from.

After shutting the courtyard gate, he immediately began practicing the Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art that had already been imprinted in his mind.

A quarter of an hour later, after completing the final movement, Lin Qing willed it and opened the panel.

--

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: mortal (Breakthrough Time ∞)

Fused Arts (Expand)

Recorded Arts: Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art (1/100), Harmonious Essence-Nourishing Art (0/100), Meridian-Relaxing Heart-Calming Art (0/100)

--

The progress of Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art on the panel had increased by one point. Lin Qing exhaled a breath of foul air, and all the tension he had felt since crossing over was soothed away by the changes on the system panel.

Lin Qing began practicing in the courtyard again and again. As his enthusiasm gradually faded, the exhaustion from traveling for most of the day suddenly swept over him.

The progress of Clear-Mind Life-Nourishing Art on the panel had already reached five points. Lin Qing decided to stop there for today.

"Damn it! I forgot to buy candles."

Lin Qing could only draw water in the dark and give himself a simple wash, rinsing away the exhaustion from his body and the confusion in his heart.

Everything was moving in a better direction. Lin Qing encouraged himself.

"Keep it up. The future is promising!"

He walked toward the bedroom in the dark.

"Damn it! I forgot to buy bedding."