“Okay, let’s head back. Someone will come and take care of the corpses,” the scarred man said to Michael as he approached a wheel-like controller on the wall and turned it.
Instantly, the space grew colder. The room had already been cold, which was why no smell emanated from the corpses, but now the temperature plunged further.
Michael guessed it was as cold as the storage room he’d been led to before—a temperature perfect for preserving bodies.
After adjusting the cooler, the scarred man led Michael out of the room. They moved quickly, making their way to the front of the trade center.
“Alright, what do you want? I remember you saying you were here to buy something,” the scarred man asked.
“Yes,” Michael replied.
“What is it you’re looking for?” the man asked again.
“Let’s start with a spear manual. Do you have one here?”
Hearing Michael’s request, the scarred man paused for a moment, a slight smile creeping onto his face.
“I do have some,” he said. “But I wonder—are you willing to hear another piece of advice from me?”
Was Michael willing? Of course, he was! While he didn’t know the exact rank of the scarred man, Michael felt it had to be at least Commander level—equivalent to Rank 3 in the cultivation system.
It could even be higher, as the scarred man exuded a far stronger presence than Old Man Liu. However, Michael, still inexperienced, was cautious about jumping to conclusions.
Regardless, to the current Michael, both the scarred man and Old Man Liu were figures worth listening to.
“Please, advise me, Senior,” Michael said reflexively, taking the role of a junior. His subconscious, influenced by countless readings on forums where high-ranking members were addressed as seniors and lower-ranking ones as juniors, had shaped this respectful response.
“Haha, it’s okay. Just call me Teacher Brian.” The scarred man said.
Strangely, when Brian spoke and introduced himself as a teacher, it didn’t feel out of place. It was as if he was simply stating a fact about himself.
Michael, though confused as to why the scarred man had suddenly given a name—and one with “teacher” in it—quickly reacted.
“Please advise me, Teacher Brian,” Michael said, his tone just as enthusiastic as before.
“Good,” Brian nodded in satisfaction before continuing. “Right now, what you need is not fancy spear techniques but a strong foundation in the fundamentals. Only when you truly understand the basics of spearmanship can you advance smoothly on this path.
Especially as an Awakener—though I won’t claim to know everything about your kind—I do know that you progress best when you fully grasp a skill. So, master the basics first before diving into the more elaborate techniques.
“And don’t dismiss the basics just because they seem simple or weaker. In the end, even the most advanced techniques are just combinations of fundamental moves. Think of it like boxing—an uppercut, a jab, a side punch—they’re all just punches, but they’re incredibly effective when executed well.”
Listening to Brian’s explanation, Michael felt as though he’d been enlightened. At the same time, it made him even more curious about Brian.
‘Maybe he really is a teacher,’ Michael thought. ‘Everything he says is simple to understand, yet profound enough to open new perspectives.’
Brian’s advice made Michael happy, but it also deepened his desire to enter an academy. One piece of advice from Brian had already clarified and solidified his plans regarding spears. He couldn’t help but imagine how much an academy could contribute to his future.
Though Michael didn’t doubt that his talent would allow him to grow independently, he knew that the path to power would likely be twice as difficult without the structured guidance an academy could offer.
It reminded him of something his principal had once said.
While it’s possible to cultivate alone, it’s foolish to ignore the easier path laid down by the efforts of countless ancestors to make the journey smoother and less troublesome.
Beyond just knowledge, an academy would also grant Michael access to resources and opportunities he couldn’t easily find on his own—like rituals for undead summoning, for instance.
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“Then, is there any manual that teaches the basic techniques of spears, Senior?” Michael inquired.
“Mm-hmm, there is,” Brian replied, “but you don’t need to buy it here. You can just purchase the PDF version from the Forum store.”
“PDF?” Michael was stunned.
“Yes. What’s wrong with that?”
“N-nothing,” Michael stammered.
To be honest, Michael had expected manuals like this to only exist in physical form. But a virtual version?
Where was the respect for martial arts? The solemnity? Did none of that matter anymore?
Had technology advanced so much that it had completely ignored tradition and feelings?
As a flood of nonsensical thoughts ran through his head, Michael composed himself and spoke again.
“Thanks for your advice, Teacher Brian.”
“It’s okay. Now that the manual is settled, is there anything else you want, or should I transfer your money to you?”
“Actually, I’d still like to get something else. I wonder if there’s anything here that can substitute the effect of a Spirit Crystal, especially something that affects the soul or enhances or recovers it?”
“Hmm,” Brian contemplated for a moment before replying. “For the latter, items that enhance or recover the soul don’t exist in a branch like this. But for the former, there is one item that can substitute the effect of a Spirit Crystal and even recover soul energy.”
“What is it, sir?” Michael asked, excitement creeping into his voice.
“It’s called Spirit Source Liquid. It’s made by mixing the powder of a Spirit Crystal with other materials. It can boost the effectiveness of cultivation by three times for several days and costs about the same as a Mana Crystal—$4,500. It’s mostly used by Knight Apprentices and Rank 1 Knights. For Rank 1 Mages, it can recover 20% of their soul energy, though it’s rarely used by mages since spells requiring soul energy are usually beyond their reach at that rank.”
“Why does it cost the same as a Mana Crystal when it’s only as effective as a Mana Stone?” Michael asked curiously.
“It’s because it’s easier to absorb than a Mana Stone,” Brian explained. “Mana Stones contain impurities, so drawing energy from them takes time and effort. Spirit Source Liquid, on the other hand, works immediately—you just need to ingest it, and the effect kicks in right away.”
Hearing this, Michael finally understood. However, his primary concern wasn’t cultivation—it was whether this liquid would be effective in gaining evolution points and how efficient it might be.
“Could you please bring one for me to see?” Michael asked politely.
“Sure,” Brian replied. “But just so you know, we have different grades here. There’s one that works for Cultivator Apprentices and Rank 1 cultivators, and another for Rank 2 cultivators. They have the same effects, but as you’d expect, the stronger the person, the need for a stronger resource and the higher the cost. The Rank 2 version is slightly more expensive, priced at $7,000.”
Michael thought for a moment before responding.
“Then please bring me one of each to see.”
Both prices were cheaper than an unranked Spirit Crystal, but Michael still needed to confirm whether the liquids were effective for his talent and, more importantly, how well and if they could help him gain evolution points.
After hearing Michael’s request, Brian stepped to the side and brought out several transparent bottles filled with blue liquid, placing them on the counter.
“On this side,” Brian said, gesturing, “is the Spirit Source Liquid that works for apprentices and the rank above them. And on this side is the one effective for Rank 2 cultivators. And don’t ask why I brought out several bottles—you’re probably going to use those eyes of yours to figure out which one’s better. So, check them out. If you like them, I’ll bring out more. I’m not going to waste time fetching extra bottles if you’re not even planning to buy one.”
Brian’s blunt words made Michael feel slightly embarrassed since they were entirely true. Michael had fully intended to use {Detect} to determine the quality of the liquids and, if he found a better one, would have asked for more.
Thankfully, Brian had read his intentions from a mile away.
Without wasting any more time, Michael activated {Detect} on the bottles displayed before him.
[Unranked Spirit Source Liquid]
[Rank: Common★]
It has a rank! Michael thought excitedly. If the liquid had a rank, it meant there was a chance for higher-quality versions.
Sure enough, after inspecting the other bottles, Michael found one.
[Unranked Spirit Source Liquid]
[Rank: Common★★★]
However, this higher quality was only found among the bottles of liquid effective for Rank 2 cultivators.
So to the panel, they’re all unranked items, Michael noted. It made sense, though. These liquids were far inferior to an unranked Spirit Crystal, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to be ranked higher unless they had something special about them.
Still, this wasn’t Michael’s main concern.
It was finally the moment of truth.
Would Spirit Source Liquid have any effect on his talent and increase his evolution points?
Under Brian’s suspicious gaze, Michael nervously picked up the highest-quality Spirit Source Liquid, unscrewed the cap, and swallowed the contents in one gulp.
One second passed.
Three seconds.
Five seconds.
[+1 Evolution Point]