Chen Yu sat at the small table in his room, carefully laying out a fresh sheet of talisman paper. The afternoon light from the window provided perfect illumination for the delicate work ahead. He took a deep breath, cleared his mind of all distractions, and dipped his brush into the spiritual ink.
The first talisman took him about an hour to complete. His hands moved with more confidence than yesterday, the practice already showing results in smoother lines and steadier control. When the formation pattern was complete and the paper flashed with that telltale glow of success, Chen Yu allowed himself a small smile.
He started on the second immediately, not wanting to lose his momentum. This one also took about an hour, his mental focus sharp and steady. Success again.
The third talisman was where things got harder. Chen Yu could feel his mental power beginning to flag, like a muscle that had been worked too hard for too long. His hand trembled slightly as he drew the final connecting lines, but he managed to complete it without errors.
Three successful talismans.
He attempted a fourth, but halfway through the formation pattern, his hand wavered badly and the lines became uneven. The talisman paper flashed once and went dark, a failure. Chen Yu set down his brush and rubbed his temples, feeling the dull ache of mental exhaustion.
That was his limit. Three talismans, maybe four if he really pushed himself to the point of getting a headache. Each one taking about an hour of intense concentration.
Chen Yu sighed. This wasn't exactly the fastest way to make money, but it would have to do for now. At least with three talismans, he could earn 9 silver coins if they sold for the market price of 3 silver each. That was decent.
He carefully gathered his three completed Light Talismans and wrapped them in cloth, then headed out. Time to see if the Treasure Pavilion would actually buy them.
The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly as Chen Yu walked through the outer district toward the inner area. Even though cultivators could withstand heat better than mortals, nobody particularly enjoyed feeling like they were being slowly roasted. The streets were noticeably emptier than usual, with most people taking shelter in the shade or inside buildings.
Chen Yu was actually grateful for the heat. Fewer people meant less chance of running into trouble.
When he reached the Treasure Pavilion, he was relieved to find it completely empty of customers. The cool interior was a welcome relief from the oppressive heat outside.
Behind the counter stood a different clerk this time, an old man with wispy white hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He looked up from a ledger as Chen Yu approached, his sharp eyes taking in the young man's appearance with interest.
"Welcome to Treasure Pavilion," the old man said, his voice raspy but not unfriendly. "How can I help you today?"
Chen Yu pulled out the cloth bundle and carefully unwrapped his three talismans, laying them on the counter. "I'd like to sell these Light Talismans, sir."
The old man's eyebrows rose slightly. He picked up one of the talismans, holding it up to the light and examining the formation pattern with a practiced eye. After a long moment, he set it down and picked up the second, then the third, giving each the same careful scrutiny.
"Did you make these yourself?" the old man asked, his tone neutral.
Chen Yu hesitated for just a moment, wondering if admitting it would cause problems. But lying seemed pointless, the clerk could probably tell anyway. "Yes, sir."
The old man's eyebrows rose even higher. He looked at Chen Yu with new interest, taking in his young age and neat but simple appearance. "How old are you, boy?"
"Sixteen, sir."
"Sixteen." The old man set down the talisman and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "And these are your first attempts at talisman making?"
"Well, not my very first," Chen Yu admitted. "I failed a few times before I got these three right."
"A few times," the old man repeated, something that might have been amusement flickering in his eyes. "How many failures, exactly?"
"About... ten or twenty?" Chen Yu said, trying to add to the actual count.
The old man actually chuckled, a dry, wheezing sound. "Pretty good for your age, boy. Very good, actually."
"What's it typically like for beginners, sir? I don't really have anyone to compare myself to," Chen Yu asked.
The old man leaned back against the counter, seeming happy to chat since there were no other customers around. "Well, in my experience, most people who try to learn talisman making fail their first hundred attempts before producing even one working talisman. That's why it's a profession reserved for people with financial backing, the cost of materials during the learning period is enormous. Most common folk can't afford to burn through fifty silver coins worth of supplies just to learn a skill."
Chen Yu felt his eyes widen. A hundred failures? He'd succeeded after less than ten attempts!
"Does that mean I have talent for formations?" Chen Yu asked, unable to keep the excitement from his voice.
"Seems like it," the old man said with a nod. "Either that, or you're just naturally careful and precise. Either way, it's a valuable skill." He gestured at the three talismans. "These are all usable quality. Not perfect, the lines could be smoother and the energy flow more balanced, but perfectly serviceable for Tier 1 talismans. I can give you 4 silver coins for each one."
"Four silver?" Chen Yu blinked. That was more than the 3 silver market price the manual had mentioned. "I thought they usually sold for 3 silver?"
"They do to customers," the old man explained. "But you're selling to me wholesale. I have to make a profit too when I resell them. However, since these are decent quality and I want to encourage young talent, I'll pay you 4 silver each. If you were selling junk, I'd only offer 2 silver."
That made sense. Chen Yu nodded quickly. "Thank you, sir. I'll take it."
The old man counted out 12 silver coins and pushed them across the counter. Chen Yu gathered them up, feeling the satisfying weight of real money in his hands.
As the old man made a note in his ledger, Chen Yu decided to take advantage of the talkative clerk. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking... I'm not from around here originally. I was curious about who controls this town?"
The old man looked up from his ledger, studying Chen Yu for a moment as if deciding whether to answer. Then he shrugged. "No harm in telling you what everyone knows, I suppose. Might as well learn it from me rather than street rumors."
He set down his brush and settled into what was clearly going to be a longer explanation. "Silver Mist Town is ruled by City Lord Zhang Wei. He's the strongest cultivator in this entire region, early Core Condensing stage. Impressive for a remote area like this."
"Core Condensing," Chen Yu breathed. That was the fourth major realm. This City Lord was seriously powerful.
"Indeed," the old man continued. "He was appointed by the Flowing Rivers Empire to govern this region and collect taxes. Mostly he stays in his manor in the center of the inner district and doesn't interfere with daily affairs unless there's a major problem. As long as the taxes get paid and nobody causes too much trouble, he leaves people alone."
"What about below him?" Chen Yu asked. "Who actually runs the town day to day?"
"Ah, now that's where it gets interesting." The old man warmed to his subject. "Below the City Lord, four major families control most of the business in Silver Mist Town. The Feng Family, the Liu Family, the Han Family, and the Xie Family."
Chen Yu felt a chill when he heard "Liu Family," but he kept his expression neutral. Old Liu, who'd robbed him, was probably connected to that family somehow.
"The Feng Family is the strongest," the old man continued. "They own most of the textile trade and several large restaurants. Old Patriarch Feng is at the peak of Foundation Establishment, just one step away from Core Condensing. His son runs their businesses and does a decent job of it."
"The Liu Family controls a lot of the spirit beast materials trade. They have hunters and tamers who venture into the forests and bring back valuable materials to sell. They're second strongest, their patriarch is mid-Foundation Establishment."
Chen Yu filed that information away. So the Liu Family dealt in beast materials. That might explain why Old Liu had been hunting in the forest.
"The Han Family runs most of the medicine halls and alchemy shops," the old man went on. "They're about equal with the Liu Family in terms of power. Old Madam Han is quite the formidable woman, mid-Foundation Establishment as well, and rumor has it she's a Tier 2 Alchemist, which makes her extremely valuable."
"And the Xie Family?" Chen Yu prompted.
"Ah, the Xie Family." The old man shook his head. "They're the weakest of the four, though 'weak' is relative. Their patriarch is early Foundation Establishment, and they mostly run smaller operations, taverns, inns, a few shops here and there. They're constantly struggling to compete with the other three families. Some say they won't remain one of the four major families much longer if they don't produce some stronger cultivators soon."
Chen Yu absorbed all this information hungrily. Understanding the power structure was crucial for navigating this world safely.
"What about the Treasure Pavilion?" Chen Yu asked. "You're not part of any of those families, right?"
"Correct," the old man said with a hint of pride. "The Treasure Pavilion is a separate power entirely. We have branches throughout the Flowing Rivers Continent, hundreds of locations all connected to the main headquarters. We stay neutral in local politics and deal fairly with everyone. That's why we're trusted, we can't afford to cheat customers or play favorites, or we'd lose our reputation across the entire continent."
"The Flowing Rivers Continent," Chen Yu repeated. "That's where we are?"
"You really aren't from around here, are you?" The old man chuckled. "Yes, the Flowing Rivers Continent. Named for the countless rivers that crisscross the land. We're in the eastern region, relatively remote from the major cultivation centers. The real powers are in the central regions where the great sects are located."
Chen Yu nodded, filing away every piece of information. This world was so much bigger than he'd initially realized. Silver Mist Town was just a tiny, remote settlement in the grand scheme of things.
"Since you're new here," the old man continued, seeming to enjoy having someone to talk to, "let me give you some advice. Stay away from the four families' internal conflicts. They're constantly scheming against each other, trying to steal each other's business or sabotage each other's operations. Commoners and small cultivators who get caught in the middle often end up as collateral damage."
"I'll keep that in mind," Chen Yu said seriously.
"Also, be careful in the outer district at night. The guards patrol regularly, but they can't be everywhere. Robberies happen, sometimes worse. If you're going to carry valuables, hire a guard or travel with others."
Chen Yu thought about his recent beating and nodded grimly. "Good advice. Thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it," the old man waved dismissively. "I like seeing young people with talent succeed. Come back when you have more talismans to sell. If the quality stays consistent, I'll keep buying at 4 silver each."
"I will, sir. Thank you again."
Chen Yu left the Treasure Pavilion feeling significantly better informed and with 12 silver coins richer. His mind was already churning with everything he'd learned about the town's power structure.
His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since morning. With money in his pocket, Chen Yu decided to treat himself to a proper meal at a restaurant instead of cooking rice in his room. He deserved it after all the work today, he convinced himself.
He found a decent-looking teahouse called the Fragrant Lotus on the border between the outer and inner districts. It was busy but not packed, with cultivators and wealthy mortals sitting at various tables eating and drinking tea.
Chen Yu found a small table near the back and ordered a set meal, rice, stir-fried vegetables with some meat, and a pot of tea. The whole thing cost 15 copper coins, which made him wince, but the smell of actual cooked food was worth it.
While he waited for his meal, Chen Yu looked around the teahouse, observing the other customers. At the next table over, two merchants were discussing business:
"...prices are going up again. That shipment from the Han Family's medicine hall cost me an extra 20 silver this month..."
At another table, a group of young cultivators were gossiping:
"Did you hear? Second Young Master Feng got into another fight with that Liu Family brat..."
Chen Yu listened to the rumors and conversations floating around him, picking up bits and pieces of local politics and news. It was fascinating how much you could learn just by sitting quietly and paying attention.
When his food arrived, Chen Yu thanked the server but didn't immediately start eating. Instead, he got up and made his way toward the back of the teahouse where the kitchen was located. The server gave him an odd look but didn't stop him.
From the doorway, Chen Yu could see into the kitchen where several cooks worked over fires. What caught his attention was their cooking method. They were using small fires, just like mortal cooks would. But as he watched, he noticed something interesting, each cook would occasionally channel a bit of spiritual energy into the flames, making them flare hotter for a moment, or swirl to better distribute heat around a wok.
They were using cultivation to enhance their cooking, but only in the most basic, brute-force way possible. More heat. Better control. That was it.
Chen Yu returned to his table, his mind working. These cultivators had access to spiritual energy, to the ability to manipulate reality itself on a fundamental level, and they were just using it as fancy temperature control?
As he ate his meal (which was delicious, he had to admit), Chen Yu kept thinking about it. Everything he'd seen so far suggested that cultivators in this world took the brute force approach to everything. Need to cook faster? Channel more qi into the fire. Need to carry more? Strengthen your body with qi. Need to travel faster? Run with qi-enhanced legs or eventually learn to fly.
But nobody seemed to think about smart solutions. About creating tools or formations that could do the work for them. About building systems that leveraged the unique properties of spiritual energy in clever ways.
It was like if everyone in his old world had computers but only used them as really expensive calculators. The potential was there, but nobody was thinking creatively about how to use it.
This world was technologically backward on purpose, Chen Yu realized. Not because they lacked the resources or knowledge, but because the entire culture was built around personal power through cultivation. Why invent a better stove when you could just cultivate higher and use more qi? Why create communication devices when high-level cultivators could just fly to deliver messages?
But that left enormous opportunities for someone willing to think differently.
Chen Yu smiled to himself as he finished his meal. His engineering background from Earth, combined with this world's spiritual energy, could create things nobody had imagined before.
He just needed to get strong enough and rich enough to start implementing his ideas without getting killed by people who saw him as a threat to the established order.
Chen Yu paid for his meal and headed back toward the Peaceful Rest Inn. The sun was setting now, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. The streets were getting quieter as people retreated indoors for the evening.
As he walked, Chen Yu's mind was already racing with ideas. Arrays that could heat food automatically. Arrays that could preserve perishables. Communication talismans that worked like phones. The possibilities were endless.