He mentally tallied his remaining wealth like a frugal dragon counting its hoard. With 8,720 gold notes—enough to make a merchant weep or a rival disciple seethe with envy he thought to himself, "I'll leave these for later." Long Huang was now a man who knew exactly how quickly cash could vanish in the cultivation world, and he patted his storage pouch with the smug satisfaction of someone who'd just outsmarted capitalism. After all, the cultivator's path was paved with three things: sweat, luck, and an obscene amount of resources. Dramatic confrontations with arrogant young masters were more of a side quest. Long Huang sat cross-legged in his tiny modern house, which—let's be honest—was more of a "fancy cultivation shed" than a proper home.
As night fell, Long Huang closed his eyes and activated the Chaos Battle Devil Dragon Breathing Technique—a name so extravagant it probably came with its own royal decree. Energy surged through his meridians, and he grinned, having reached the 2nd stage of the Meridian Tempering Realm. He was almost already at the 3rd stage, just one more step! Though, admittedly, "progress" in cultivation often felt like trying to climb a mountain while the mountain actively tried to throw you off.
Then came the moment of truth. With the gravitas of a man about to eat a very expensive salad, Long Huang consumed one of the two-hundred-year-old ginseng. Almost immediately, his body lit up like a festival lantern. Raw, chaotic energy roared through him, as if someone had replaced his blood with liquid lightning. "What a strong herb!" he thought, quickly followed by, "Oh no, is this how I die? Crushed by a ginseng?"
He felt thousands of phantom ants gnawing at his meridians a sensation he'd rank somewhere between "mildly unpleasant" and "why did I think this was a good idea?" But Long Huang was nothing if not stubborn. Gritting his teeth, he channeled the Chaos Battle Devil Dragon Breathing Technique, like a man trying to wrestle a tornado into a teacup.
By morning, the storm had passed. Long Huang blinked, flexed his fingers, and nearly wept with joy. His muscles hummed with power, his meridians sang like well-tuned guzhengs, and his energy levels were so high he could have punched a mountain into gravel. "Could this be…?" He'd broken through to the third stage of the Meridian Tempering Realm!
Victory! Or, at least for now, a temporary reprieve from the universe's relentless attempts to humble him.
Stretching, Long Huang glanced out the window at the rising sun, its golden light spilling over the sect's sprawling courtyards. "Time to see if Huang Min's done sulking," he mused, rolling his shoulders as he plotted his next move. The previous night's training had left him restless, his veins still humming with the afterglow of his recent breakthrough.
" But first a bath!" thought Long Huang as he headed to the stream next to his house. As he washed yesterday off his skin he sat and started to think about his other plans for the day.
Maybe he'd test his new strength in the sparring grounds—see how many overconfident sect members he could humble before breakfast. Or perhaps he'd visit the medicine pavilion for more herbs, though he still had three herbs tucked in his storage pouch. Then again, the real mystery was why so many rival disciples in this sect seemed to have a PhD in Pettiness.
"Not saying I'm not petty myself," Long Huang muttered, smirking, "but my god, these guys are next-level annoying."
With that Long Huang got up and changed into a different robe than his sect robes he then headed towards the Fifth Elder's Manor.
With a lazy stride, he made his way toward the Fifth Elder's Manor, the morning breeze carrying the scent of blooming spirit flowers. Enjoying the peace and scenery of the Azure Lotus Sect in the morning, he then saw a manor that loomed ahead, its polished gates gleaming under the sun, flanked by two stone-faced guards in deep blue robes. As he approached to gates to enter.
But before he could even step into the Manor's courtyard, one guard crossed his spear, blocking the path. "Young Master Long, Miss Huang is currently in seclusion, cultivating. She's at a critical point in her breakthrough."
"Fine, fine," he sighed, waving a dismissive hand. "Tell her I came by. And that next time, she'd better have a real excuse."
The guards exchanged a glance but said nothing as Long Huang turned on his heel, his robes flaring behind him. With a last glance at the Fifth Elder's Manor, Long Huang smirked and strode away, the morning sun casting his shadow long behind him. He knew this breakthrough probably had to do with the jade bed he brought back. " Seems like she'll soon open up back since she accepted my gift" he smiled at the thought.
Long Huang strolled leisurely through the sect's outer courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. Each step was light, and a warm smile graced his face as he absorbed the enchanting scenery around him. The morning air was crisp and invigorating, filled with the melodious chirping of birds dancing through the trees. In the distance, he could almost sense a young master scheming his downfall.
Ah, the simple joys of cultivation life! The path leading to the sparring grounds was notably quiet; the usual chaos of disciples shouting and training had yet to commence. His fingers absently tapped against the hilt of his sword, a fidgeting reminder of the restless energy bubbling within him. "What undisciplined youths couldn't even survive the military back in my previous world," Long Huang mused, shaking his head in bemusement. Just as he contemplated changing his destination, he found himself pausing.
Where to go,hmmm? As he was brain storming about where to go his thoughts finally settled on the mission hall. There was no better way to showcase his progress than by accepting a noble quest that would further establish his strength among his peers. The mission board was alive with colorful slips, each announcing various quests, creating a chaotic but inviting tapestry of opportunity:
"Subdue the Rampaging Iron-Tusked Boar , three star mission (Warning: Has Kicked Three Disciples Into Trees This Week)"
"Gather Ten Ghost Orchids from the Haunted Vale, five star mission (Warning: Vale is, as the Name Suggests, Extremely Haunted)"
"Escort Merchant Caravan Through Bandit-Infested Pass four star mission (Warning: Bandits Recently Upgraded to Better Swords)"
" Bai Ye looking for a dao partner, two star mission (note: must be handsome rich and powerful)"
Long Huang stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. The boar sounds too straightforward, and the orchids? That's just a horror story waiting to happen and that last one ummm nah… Ah! Bandits, it is," he decided, plucking the mission slip from the board with a flourish. Just as he tucked it away, a familiar voice dripped with disdain from behind him.
The elder of the mission hall then said, " You know you have to at least be at the Meridian Tempering Realm, right?"
" How convent I just broke through last night," said Long Huang smugly. Though he was hiding his power, it wasn't that he wanted to stay low-key key he was just too lazy to answer all the questions that would come with it.
"Tch. This waste thinks he thinks he can handle bandits? How… adorable."
" Why don't you pickup Bai Ye's mission I'm sure with your looks she wouldn't mind you being weak and poor "
Long Huang didn't even need to turn around to recognize that condescending tone. It could only belong to one person: Young Master Zhao Gun, the living embodiment of a peacock adorned with a superiority complex.
" Fuck another one at this point just give me actual waste credentials so at least their annoying words would be true" thought Long Huan and then he thought, " How did he even know it's me? I look nothing like I did in the past... it has to be that blabbermouth Chi Wei,"
With the patience of a saint, though it was more akin to a cunning fox who delighted in teasing the proud, Long Huang turned around and flashed a friendly grin. "Ah, Zhao Gun! Just the person I hoped to see. You're looking… well, expensive today."
And expensive he looked. Zhao Gun's robes shimmered with intricate embroidered spirit threads, radiating a sense of luxury. His hair was impeccably arranged, secured beneath an elegant jade hairpin, and his expression was one of disdain, as though he had just caught a whiff of something unpleasant and dangerous. The hairs on the back of his neck raised, and he immediately looked at Long Huang for it.
Zhao Gun's eye twitched in irritation. "You dare—"
"I do," Long Huang interrupted cheerfully. "In fact, I double dare to heck, I triple dare to, even. But hey, since you're so concerned about my mission, why not join me?". " Well, that is unless, of course, you're scared of a few bandits? Is the great Young master of the Zhao Family scared of mere bandits?" said Long Huang in a playful, mocking tone.
An eerie silence fell over the mission hall, and a nearby disciple almost choked on his tea in disbelief. No one openly provoked Young Master Zhao Gun like this.
Zhao Gun's face darkened, his posture stiffening with anger. "You insect! You think just because you've crawled to the Meridian Tempering Realm—" he began, but fell silent as he suddenly sensed Long Huang's killing intent aimed squarely at him.
Zhao Gun glared, his expression now icy. "You… very well. I'll join you. When you inevitably fail, I'll be there to relish your humiliation."
Long Huang's eyes sparkled with mischief as he clasped his hands together, beaming with enthusiasm. "Wonderful! It's always nice to have a cheerleader along for the ride!"
As Zhao Gun looked like he was about to explode with rage, the tension in the air crackled, setting the stage for an adventure that was sure to be anything but ordinary.
He then wrote a note a gave it to a disciple to deliver it to the Fifth Elder's Manor before he left as not to repeat last time's event. So he and Zhao Gun set out to the escort merchant agency to get more details on the bandits