Chapter 3: Cultivation Shop
"If you need anything or have any questions, just find me on the first floor. If I'm not at home, I'll most likely be at the park feeding the pigeons." Wang Mu said to Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu nodded, and Wang Mu left the place shortly later.
Once he was alone, Xiao Yu sat on the floor in the living room in the lotus position and proceeded to ponder about his current situation.
After being struck by that mysterious lightning tribulation, he'd been transported to this unknown world known as Earth. Furthermore, there is this unfathomable power known as the 'system' that seemingly oversees this entire world, almost like a god of sorts.
"Before I try to look for a way home, I should learn more about this system.." Xiao Yu mumbled to himself.
"Guide to System."
Ding!
Some basic information regarding the system appeared before him. First is the Quest system. Quests can appear randomly or be purchased with Cultivation Points. Upon completing a Quest, one can earn wealth, reputation, and even more Cultivation Points.
The difficulty of quests can vary as well as the rewards, and those with a higher rank system such as the Superior Cultivation System would earn more rewards even if they complete the same quest as someone with an Inferior Cultivation System, allowing them to improve faster, hence their title as Cultivation geniuses.
The next most important thing regarding the cultivation system would be the Cultivation Points, which has a variety of uses, such as using it to increase one's cultivation base or cultivation techniques.
"Cultivation Points, huh. How does one cultivate with these points?" Xiao Yu mumbled to himself.
Ding!
<Installing Guide to Cultivation!>
<Cultivation Points required for Second Level Qi Apprentice— 10 CP>
"So I can use these Cultivation Points to increase my cultivation base without any cultivation techniques and without actually cultivating? What kind of blasphemy is this?" Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows.
In his eyes, cultivators who don't cultivate by absorbing the spiritual energy or Qi in the world are mere phonies that can't be considered as a real Cultivator.
"With that being said.. If my cultivation technique doesn't work in this world, I will also have to rely on this system to restore my cultivation.." Xiao Yu sighed.
Since his cultivation base is only sealed, it means he only needed to remove the seal to restore his original cultivation base.
'I haven't had the chance to look at my cultivation..'
With that in mind, Xiao Yu closed his eyes and cleared his thoughts. He then examined his body with what little spiritual energy he had in his body.
"T-This is?!"
Xiao Yu's eyes snapped open with a surprised look on his face after looking at his body.
"Heavens! I have another Dantian in my body! Does this mean I have two cultivation bases in one body? How is this possible?" Xiao Yu cried out loud from shock.
A Dantian is what contains one's cultivation base. Cultivators absorb the spiritual energy in the world, which gathers inside the Dantian. Without a Dantian or any spiritual energy inside, a Cultivator is no different than a mortal with no powers.
However, a Cultivator cannot have more than one Dantian inside their body— at least this is what Xiao Yu believed to be the case this entire time.
If one can have two Dantians and two separate cultivation bases in their body, what does that mean? Double the power? Double the stamina? That would be too heaven-defying! There is simply no way the mighty heavens would allow such a thing to exist! However, that is exactly what's happening in Xiao Yu's body right now— two cultivation bases!
"How interesting.." Xiao Yu mumbled with a smile on his face.
After taking a deep breath, he recalled the cultivation technique that he'd used for thousands of years that helped him reach the peak of cultivation in his previous world, and he began trying to cultivate in this world as well.
"Primordial Essence Refining Scripture."
The spiritual energy around Xiao Yu immediately began gathering around his body before quickly being absorbed into his body and towards his Dantian.
The Primordial Essence Refining Scripture is an ancient and priceless cultivation technique that Xiao Yu had obtained by chance when he was a mere mortal, and it not only allowed him to absorb only the purest spiritual energy in the air but it also helped him refine the spiritual energy, increasing its effectiveness overall.
And within four hours after he started cultivating, Xiao Yu could feel a burst of refreshing energy coming from his Dantian that spread all over his body, strengthening his muscles, bones, cells— everything. In other words, he'd experienced a breakthrough in cultivation, reaching a new level and gaining more power.
"So my cultivation technique still works in this world. How relieving.." Xiao Yu sighed afterward.
"Let's see my status now.."
Ding!
[Name: Xiao Yu]
[Age: 21]
[Cultivation System: Inferior]
[Cultivation: First Level Qi Apprentice]
[Occupation: N/A]
[Reputation: F]
[Wealth: 1,050]
[Cultivation Points: 1]
"Huh? First Level Qi Apprentice? I'm certain that I just had a breakthrough." Xiao Yu was puzzled when he saw his cultivation status.
After pondering for a bit, he came up with a possible conclusion, "Did it not register my breakthrough because I didn't use the system to cultivate? If this is the case.. What happens if I cultivate normally and cultivate using the system?"
While his theory sounded plausible, there was only one way to confirm it— to cultivate using the system. However, he didn't have enough Cultivation Points for a breakthrough.
Xiao Yu looked at his remaining quests.
"100 pushups and a 10km run, huh?"
Xiao Yu stood up from his lotus position and began doing pushups shortly later.
Less than a minute later, he completed all 100 pushups at once.
Ding!
<You have completed Quest #1>
<You have been awarded 5 dollars!>
[Wealth: 1,050 → 1,055]
"What? Where's my Cultivation Point?"
To Xiao Yu's surprise, unlike previously, he didn't get any Cultivation Points after completing the quest.
"So not every quest gives Cultivation Points, huh?" He sighed.
Sometime later, Xiao Yu left his apartment and began running around the block, circling the street until he'd ran 10km.
Since he wasn't familiar with this world, he didn't dare to travel too far, especially when his cultivation was lacking, to say the least.
While Xiao Yu ran in circles, he examined the surroundings.
The tall buildings and their refined structure. The speeding carriages known as cars. The people and their unique fashion. And while there were people wearing hanfu clothes and robes just like him, it looked more modern.
It took Xiao Yu an hour to finish all 10km, mostly because he'd jogged half of the distance to look at the scenery and familiarize himself with this world.
Once he was done, the system greeted him.
Ding!
<You have completed Quest #2>
<You have been awarded 10 dollars!>
[Wealth: 1,055 → 1,065]
'Only 10 dollars? Are you kidding me? What kind of quest do I have to complete in order to obtain Cultivation Points?' Xiao Yu shook his head at this system.
After completing the quest, Xiao Yu went back home where he continued to cultivate for the rest of the night.
The following morning, the system woke Xiao Yu up from his cultivation at sunrise with new quest notifications.
Ding!
<New Quests available!>
<Quest #1: Do 100 squats>
<Time limit: 24 hours>
Xiao Yu glanced at the quest for a brief second before ignoring it.
"Show cultivation level."
[First Level Qi Apprentice]
"As I thought.. It remains the same even though I'd just reached the 3rd level," he sighed afterward.
Xiao Yu stood up a moment later and stretched a bit before he started doing squats— one hundred of them.
Ding!
<You have completed Quest #1>
<You have been awarded 5 dollars!>
[Wealth: 1,065 → 1,070]
"..."
Xiao Yu was speechless. If he continues getting these unrewarding quests, who knows how long it'll take him to collect 10 Cultivation Points.
"The system mentioned that I could buy quests with my Cultivation Points, how do I do that?" Xiao Yu wondered.
And just as he thought that, almost as though the system could hear his thoughts, a notification appeared.
Ding!
<Installing 'Cultivation Shop'>
<Installing 'Guide to Cultivation Shop'>
A few moments later, Xiao Yu looked through the Guide to Cultivation Shop.
"One can use Cultivation Points to purchase cultivation techniques and new quests in the Cultivation Shop. One can also gamble with their Cultivation Points for a random cultivation technique or quest." Xiao Yu read the guide with a pondering face.
"Open Cultivation Shop."
Ding!
[Cultivation Shop: Cultivation Techniques or Quests?]
"Quests."
Ding!
[Quests Shop]
[Elementary-rank: 1 CP]
[Profound-rank: 5 CP]
[Spirit-rank: 50 CP]
The rank determines the difficulty of the quest, and the CP is the number of Cultivation Points required to purchase that quest. Of course, the quests given are random, and only the difficulty of the quest is guaranteed.
"Purchase Elementary-rank Quest."
Ding!
<You have purchased 1 Elementary-rank Quest from the Cultivation Shop>
[Cultivation Points: 1 → 0]
<New Quest available!>
<Quest #1: Defeat a Cultivator around your level at the Cultivator's Tower.>
<Time Limit: Unlimited>
"Cultivator's Tower? What's that?" Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows at this unfamiliar word.