As darkness receded and the sun slowly rose, morning light crept under the curtains and warmed Yue Rin's face. After a few breaths, she opened her eyes.
She lay there for a moment, weighing the comfort of the bed against the day waiting outside. Then she sat up and stretched, trying to shake the sleep from her limbs.
"Yawn… Ngh~"
When she pulled the curtains open, the room brightened at once. The furniture came into clear view, and long morning shadows stretched across the floor.
Even if the window overlooked a creepy alley, at least her sleep wasn't disturbed by street noise.
Yue Rin drew a small thread of Qi from her dantian and guided it along her meridians, sending it into her left hand. She circulated it in a familiar pattern, then pushed it out through her left thumb.
A faint pulse throbbed at the point of release. A wave of Qi rolled outward across her body, dispersing dust and clearing the morning heaviness from her face and skin.
"Being a cultivator is truly convenient."
The Art she'd used was called Cleansing Flow, a low-rank technique meant to wash dirt and grime from the body. It was especially useful if you were lazy, or if you didn't have access to water, though it didn't replace an actual bath.
She'd learned it at the Central Library down the street.
That library was impressive, rising three floors high. The first floor housed general books, history, literature, and other material, and it cost one silver coin to enter. The second floor held simple cultivation manuals and arts, and cost one spirit stone for access. Most of what she knew came from there.
Yue Rin had plenty of vague ideas from the novels she used to read, but reading about cultivation and living it were two different things.
And this world didn't even have the cliché spiritual roots those novels loved. It made everything feel a little less convenient.
Too bad they didn't exist. If they did, she would definitely have the heavenly single fire spiritual root that hadn't been seen in a millennium!
Ahem. Enough narcissism.
She might head to the library today. If she could find an easier or cheaper way to strengthen her foundation, she'd take it. Since she was still stuck in Qi Foundation, there had to be other methods out there. Hopefully.
But first, breakfast. And gossip.
She walked to the small cabinet, opened it, and retrieved her chest binder.
Wearing it was uncomfortable, but it gave her a small sense of security. Some might call it excessive, but for someone without a sect backing her, it was the simplest way to avoid certain situations.
She'd even heard rumors about cultivators who specifically targeted female ones.
After fastening the binder, Yue Rin put on her cloak and pulled the hood up to conceal her face. Once everything felt settled, she grabbed her sword and secured it beneath her cloak at her belt. Then she opened the door and headed downstairs.
She hadn't even reached the first floor when voices and the clatter of dishes met her ears. With the sun rising, workers were already eating breakfast before heading to their jobs.
When the reception desk entered her peripheral vision, she spotted an unfamiliar staff member greeting guests.
So A-Ling wasn't on duty today.
A little unfortunate. If A-Ling had asked her to eat here, Yue Rin probably wouldn't have refused… especially after turning her down yesterday.
She continued to the exit, pushed the door open, and stepped outside.
The street was crowded with people bustling about, and with the secret realm opening announcement, it had only gotten busier. Yue Rin had to weave through the flow of bodies, which was irritating.
Well, this inn was near the central area of Dawning Vale's capital. Crowds were expected.
Still, seeing people in old-style robes and carriages pulled by oxen and horses always tugged at memories of her early days after transmigrating here. Back then, she hadn't even known this was a cultivation world, let alone the name of the kingdom she'd landed in.
The Dawning Vale Kingdom sat in a valley between two mountains. Well, two mountains now. After reading the kingdom's history at the library, Yue Rin had learned there was something strange about them.
Those two mountains had once been part of a single massive peak. Nobody knew how it happened, but it was said that five hundred and forty-three years ago, as autumn waned and winter approached, the mountain split from west to east, leaving a crater at its base.
The eerie part was that no one noticed the change until the next morning, as if it had silently appeared overnight.
There were countless theories. The most accepted one claimed it was the result of a battle between experts. But if that were true, how had no one heard anything during the night? Fights between powerful cultivators were never quiet.
Anyway, after that, the Verdant Pine Sect was established on the northern mountain, where Qi was denser than on the southern one.
The Dawning Vale Kingdom was founded not long after, settling in the crater-turned-valley. It became both a crossing point between east and west and a thriving trading hub.
Merchant cries rose and fell around Yue Rin as she walked.
"Steamed buns! Only three copper coins!"
"Carriage to the Lianhua Kingdom!"
"Handmade straw mats! Fresh and sturdy!"
"Rice cakes! Five copper coins, family recipe you won't find anywhere!"
"Getting ready for the Verdant Pine Sect secret realm? Don't go unprepared, grab a talisman!"
"Surprise your lover with freshly picked flowers, beautiful and fragrant!"
"Precious herb locations in the Verdant Pine Sect secret realm! Guaranteed refund if they lead you astray!"
Yue Rin reached the central area much faster than she expected. Wandering thoughts really did make the road shorter.
As for anyone buying 'herb locations'... heh. Good luck, suckers.
After walking a little longer, she reached the tavern. She pushed open the swinging doors, slipped inside, located her favorite secluded table, and sat down. Her ears perked without her even trying.
"Man, my mom's gonna kill me with her naggin', hic!"
"Oh, she's still complaining about you not getting married?"
"I barely got any money to eat, let alone, hic, afford a dowry."
The man grabbed a wine jug and drained it in one go.
"How much longer until you're able to leave that young master's house?"
"I-I don't know, hic… maybe three more months."
"Sigh, you just had to offend a cultiva-"
Before the man could finish, his companion slammed the table and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him slightly. His arm muscles bunched as he moved, drawing attention from nearby customers.
"He stepped on my shoe first, hic!"
"Alright, calm down. Everyone's eyes are on us."
"I only told him to watch where he was going, hic!"
A man with sharp eyebrows and a slightly handsome face walked out from the back of the tavern.
Seeing him, Yue Rin could only sigh for them.
Qi surged from the manager the moment he appeared. Before he even reached the drunk man, an invisible pressure slammed the drunk man down onto the table. It was as if gravity itself had tripled, pinning him with impossible weight.
"Commotion and fights are not allowed in this tavern."
After speaking, the manager turned to the man still standing.
"Take him and leave."
"Y-yes, Immortal," the man stammered.
The pressure hadn't lifted yet. The drunkard had gone limp, and blood slowly trickled from his nose and the corners of his eyes.
Only after the manager confirmed they would leave without further trouble did the invisible weight vanish as if it had never existed. The only proof was the unconscious man slumped on the table while his companion struggled to drag him out.
"I apologize for the disturbance, everyone," the manager said, voice even. "As a token, you may take ten percent off your favorite dish, and one free beer today. On me."
He walked away as if he hadn't just crushed a man without lifting a finger.
For a breath, the tavern stayed quiet.
Then clapping began. Someone laughed nervously. Soon, voices rose all around.
"This is my first time seeing a cultivator truly act."
"Same. A man twice his size restrained without lifting a finger."
"That guy was lucky. If the manager wanted him dead, he wouldn't even know how he perished."
"I always heard mortals are like ants to cultivators… seeing it firsthand is terrifying."
While the discussions continued, a staff member stepped to the center of the tavern.
"Everyone, we apologize for the disturbance caused by unruly customers. Just as the manager said, you may choose any beer from the menu for free, and any dish comes with a ten percent discount."
As soon as she finished, more staff returned with dishes, and the tavern slipped back into its usual rhythm.
A server approached Yue Rin with a beaming smile.
"Hello, sir. What would you like to order?"
"I'll take ten steamed dumplings stuffed with duck meat, and a cup of orange juice."
Hearing that vendor outside had made her crave dumplings.
"Will that be all?"
"Yes."
"Our manager is providing a free beer of your choice today. Would you like one?"
"No, thank you."
"Your order will be ready in a few minutes."
With that, the server moved on to attend other customers.
Yue Rin leaned back slightly, letting the noise wash over her.
She'd gotten enough gossip for today.
After eating, she would head to the library.