The next day, Reed wanted to continue studying talisman, as such he needed to go out and get more supplies.

  Ding! Ding!

  “Greetings, Red Heaven.” The clerk at Blue Quillin Paper shop bowed and greeted as the bell rang. Any trace of contempt or doubt Reed had seen him with before had mysteriously vanished without a trace.

  Reed lay 3 gold coins on the table. “Five stacks of spirit paper and the rest is for precut talisman paper.”

  “One moment, sir.” The clerk ducked under the counter, pulling piles of paper bundled with string, until the whole counter was covered. Reed realised quickly he needed to sort out future logistics. Either hiring servants, or getting a spatial pouch.

  For now though, Reed had turned the shabby clothes he used when he first came to this place into a massive bag.

  The clerk’s smile twitched as he watched Reed load up the bag and he could practically feel the judgment. Fortunately, he had some level of proven status now at least, so the clerk didn’t say anything as Reed threw the bag stuffed with paper over one shoulder, carrying it like a duffle bag.

  The next stop was the White Beard Pavilion for the ink.

  Reed thought about Dark Quill. His words were quite harsh and he had questioned him quite a bit. However, none of his actions had really been in bad faith like with White Silver, who fortunately hadn’t shown up when he was buying paper.

  It was more… Just old man syndrome Reed felt.

  Reed opened the door to the White Beard Pavilion. Dark Quill was slouched back into his chair, staring at the ceiling.

  “...Are you alright?” Reed asked. He felt they could be considered acquainted by now seeing this is their third meeting in the last week.

  “Hmmm… Oh, it's you…” The old man sighed. “Nothing… Nothing… Just moaning about how unfair the heavens are with talent.”

  “...It may sound bad coming from me… But I personally believe talent is something one acquires based on mindset… Uh… Separate from bloodlines and… Physiques…" Reed added the other two at the end, remembering them from his tea trip to the Mangrove estate.

  “...” Dark Quill looked at him for a long moment, then sighed and looked back to the ceiling. “Perhaps you're right. My teacher said something similar, ‘mind over matter’.” He recounted.

  The warehouse went silent for a while.

  “Can I have some ink please?” Reed asked eventually.

  “...Can you let me stew in my thoughts for a bit longer?” Dark Quill asked.

  “...”

  “Forget it. You haven't started cultivating yet right?” He stood up, cracking his back before picking up some glass bottles and browsing the various barrels of ink.

  “No…” Reed responded hesitantly.

  Now, Reed was certain Dark Quill was suffering from old man syndrome.

  “...Then… Try to perfect each realm before advancing."

  “...I was told something similar by someone else. To reach the extreme of each realm.”

  “The extreme..?” Dark Quill stoked his beard before shaking his head. “Thats only a myth. If it is real, then it's reserved for the kinds of people who create their own technique and truly forge their own path. Not by those top prodigies who use techniques passed down for eons, despite their claims of forging their own path.” The old man humphed.

  “I see… I was told it's just a matter of good technique.”

  “If you want the perfection of each realm, but not the extremes. If such extremes even exist. You were either lied to or they meant to say perfection.”

  Reed nodded along, letting Dark Quill take his time preparing the ink and handing over two gold coins. Just as spirit beast meat was so much more pleasant to eat, he had heard at some point that talisman ink was expensive since it used blood from rarer such creatures.

  Creating your own techniques and methods… Reed wondered. He didn’t know much about the whole concept of cultivation, but it was slowly becoming more familiar. At least, he could assume that the perfection and extremes of each realm were better if multiple people offered it as advice.

  At the same time, Reed understood he should begin researching cultivation and its realms as soon as possible. Green Ink could activate talismans without having to tear them, while Dark Quill could easily overpower him in strength despite having sticks for limbs. There was also the yellow robed man who had been executed in front of him, who had smashed through the thick doors of the town lord’s mansion— Even the guards who had caught the man, leaping inhuman distances.

  Reed had already tried asking about cultivation advice from Halberd Moon and Dark Quill had also offered some tidbits.

  The next stop was natural.

  Sunny Scroll Pavilion.

  The clerk glanced at the full dufflebag for a moment, but didn’t stop Reed.

  Reed flicked through the shelves and frowned before continuing to search. After nearly a whole day, he noticed a discrepancy.

  “...If you’ve recited the chant daily and practiced. Your innate qi will follow your intent and draw Heaven and Earth qi into your strike…” One book read, followed by a long mantra and various illustrations and diagrams of a man doing some basic punches.

  There were plenty of techniques. However not many were for actual “cultivating” rather— they were techniques for certain skills. Bad ones in Reed’s opinion. Even his untrained eye felt they were too flashy and had little actual use in combat.

  Like salesmen, each book offered more and more exaggerated claims.

  Heavy Iron Fist Art. Punch through city walls with a hand harder than steel!

  Stalwart Palm. Block any blow with a single palm and shatter any bone with the same palm!

  Cloud Formation Spell. Form clouds of rain and control the weather, drown your enemies in a thunderstorm!

  Reed’s brows creased as he put the scroll back. He wasn’t looking for spells or martial arts that used cultivation, but methods to start, or increase cultivation.

  He eyed the clerk. Should he ask?

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  After getting the name Red Heaven plastered all over him because of the clerk who overheard his first mistake when asked about his name— he was wary of rumors and gossip. Even the news of the certification had spread like wildfire.

  Reed decided to head out. He would try asking indirectly at the jade merchantry first.

  ??????????????

  The streets had become quieter as night approached.

  The flickering lanterns quickly separated the rich from the poor, lighting up the streets as they were cast in shadow.

  Reed looked up.

  Even with the sun's light still lighting one side of the sky up, he could see countless stars to the point the sky almost didn't have a single patch of true darkness.

  However.

  Reed couldn’t find the distinctive line of clustered stars that should have been present if this planet were in a galaxy.

  Rather, the distribution of stars seemed to cluster in tight groups, forming small balls visible to the naked eye. Areas where stars were more concentrated.

  Reed’s shoulders shuddered. He dismissed the phenomena as his imagination, he probably just couldn’t make out the band of light marking the rest of the galaxy.

  Reed began making his way back to Middle Bridge Inn.

  The “town” was large and without tall buildings it was spread out. The streets became pitch black and most of the people still out held lanterns or torches.

  “You! Without light! Halt!” Someone shouted. Reed stopped abruptly.

  A group of guards— in the same uniforms as those who had been outside of the building Brass Fang had wanted inspected.

  “Yes?” Reed asked, turning to face the guards.

  “What are you doing at this time of night? Sculking around without any light!” The head of the group shouted while the guards around him raised their lanterns and after seeing Reed, began awkwardly looking away and shuffling on their feet.

  “I was out later than expected looking for books at Sunny Scroll Pavilion. I’m returning to my inn now.” Reed spoke calmly, his expression neutral thanks to his mild facial paralysis while his shoulders tensed and a cool night breeze blew away the sweat behind his neck.

  The leader of the group looked Reed up and down, hand resting on the hilt of a sword while the other held a tall shield.

  An off putting smile appeared on the leader's face but before he spoke another guard whispered in their ear. The quiet night let Reed and probably all the other guards here it just fine. “He entered with Green Ink and Dark Quill when Brass Fang was calling for array experts.”

  The leader's face changed into a frown before he turned back to Reed. “You can go then. Remember to bring a lantern or torch next time. It makes you look suspicious.” The leader waved Reed off.

  Reed turned silently and continued his journey, his heart beating hard against his chest.

  “Hey! You!” Reed heard the same person call out to someone else in the distance. After that he couldn’t make out the words, but he soon heard the sound of muffled screams and a loud complaint. “Tch. A poor beggar.”

  Reed picked up his pace, barely avoiding breaking into a run back to the inn.

  “Huu…Huu…” Reed breathed heavily, not remembering when he had broken into a run in the silent night.

  A few lanterns remained lit above Middle Bridge Inn’s entrance, a far cry from the Cloud Feather in at the street's end which was fully illuminated on every floor with more lanterns hanging from every upturned roof corner.

  Reed caught his breath, leaning against the door for a moment to let the night's cold air dry his sweat before he pulled open the door and entered.

  The chef had already gone to sleep so Reed chose to ignore the growl of his stomach and go to bed.

  He failed to sleep of course, so he picked up his new talisman supplies, used an illumination talisman for light and continued working on optimising it. He hoped the future illumination talismans could last for an hour each. If possible he also wanted the orb of light to follow hima around, but Reed understood that might be pushing it.

  ??????????????

  Reed woke up and checked the sun's position, it was roughly mid-day and he realised he had once again stayed up too late reading and creating talisman. He lay in bed for a time, finding the will to leave the inn.

  Everything had been going as planned. Reed had almost forgotten where he was.

  People were executed in public and the tavern was filled with rumours of dead bodies in ditches, bribed guards, corrupt officials and more. He had been lucky so far.

  All the powerful Reed had met so far had been at Qi Refining or Meridian opening. He remembered Halberd Moon’s warning as well. He realised yet again why he needed to cultivate.

  Thinking back to last night, Reed got his motivation to get up. It wasn’t enough to know a bit of talisman arts, he clearly needed to cultivate too if he wanted to raise his status and get the information he wanted about his situation.

  ??????????????

  “...We meet again…” Reed resisted sighing as he faced the same clerk at the Jade Merchantry.

  The clerk bowed. “...A pleasure to meet once again, Red Heaven. Congratulations on passing the first level talisman master exam.”

  “...Do you have cultivation methods?” Reed asked, trying to mimic the clerk’s ability to put on a fake smile.

  “One moment sir.” The clerk bowed and left through a door behind the counter.

  This time, not long after, the clerk returned with a pile of papers. “These are the cultivation methods we have available for sale.”

  Reed observed the clerk's expressions, then carefully picked up the first page.

  Emerald Bone Forging method. Guarantees Body Tempering within 2 years for anyone with average body aptitude or better. Sourced from ruins of the Green Cloud sect from 2000 years ago.

  Unlike the Sunny Scroll Pavilion, this seemed much more what Reed was looking for. He wondered what the Jade merchantry’s main products were. So far, they seemed to sell just about everything. Even the Sunny Scroll Pavilion, which seemed to be the largest collection of books in town, didn’t have cultivation methods, only techniques which used cultivation.

  “How much is this?” Reed asked.

  “This one is eight gold sir.” The clerk spoke with a smile.

  Reed felt his expression twitch. He only had 43 gold and he still needed to consider what he would do after delivering all the mirrors to Halberd Moon.

  Reed looked at the next page.

  Sunny Sky meditation method. Supplements low body aptitude with spiritual aptitude. Can only be cultivated where the sun is visible. Requires Solaris Pletua herbs to cultivate. Sourced from the Sun family treasury after they were executed for treason 600 years ago.

  “Ten gold, sir.” Reed only just opened his mouth when the clerk told him the price.

  Reed felt his eye twitch violently but got it under control, continuing to smile as he closed his mouth and read the next page.

  Dark Star training method. A high grade Qi-Blood and body tempering method. Optionally requires Dark Scaled Mandela fish to cultivate. Sourced from the Dark Star demonic sect but this part of their cultivation method has been deemed suitable for the masses by the imperial censorate.

  “Twelve gold, sir.”

  Reed managed to keep his eye from twitching this time and continued to go through the pile.

  The prices ranged from 6 gold to over 50.

  Reed closed his eyes. 6 gold was 600 silver, enough for well over a year at Middle Bridge Inn with meals included. 50 gold was 5000 silver.

  The price brought up two points. The first was how much Halberd Moon valued the mirrors, which had been made nearly identical and to his exact specifications. The second was how much talisman supplies cost when 3 gold only gave a few stacks of talisman paper.

  Compared to living on Pemmican in a run down shack, Reed's efforts to step into more dangerous territory had been rewarded.

  Standing in front of the counter, Reed closed his eyes in thought. He had been told there were advantages to cultivating a higher grade method. He had also been told that there were advantages to creating one's own method. He wondered if he should purchase the most expensive one he could afford— Or if he should get multiple cheaper ones to study them.

  “Hmmm.” Rubbing his chin, Reed sighed after a moment. He still had a deal with Halberd Moon for now. A single gold could pay for months at the Middle Bridge Inn. Even in the worst case, he still had his chaotic energy’s ability to become coinage as backup.

  There was no point in saving money right now.

  Reed decided to choose one expensive method and three cheaper ones.

  Emerald Bone Forging method - 8 gold

  Sunny Sky Meditation method - 10 gold

  Standard Imperial Military art - 6 gold

  Blood Boiling Heart sutra - 18 gold

  Reed was left with 1 gold to his name. The clerk was beaming happily, radiant as roses as he retrieved 3 books for Reed, bowing deeply as he saw Reed off, even coming in front of the counter to take him to the door.

  Reed suddenly felt sour just seeing the clerk's face. It was like he was meeting his arch nemesis.