Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Final Preparations and New Meetings

The advance to Level 2 of Body Refinement was a crucial milestone, but Gù Ti?nháo knew it was only the beginning. Level 3 still seemed distant, and time was running out. With just over a month left, each day was precious. He intensified his training, focusing not only on increasing his Qi level, but also on the practical skills that would likely be tested in the Green Cloud Sect exam. Using the Account Acupuncture Point Stimulation Guide, he spent hours in the back training yard (now usually empty, perhaps because of his siblings' encounter or Elder Hu's warning) enhancing his physical strength and agility. He lifted heavier and heavier stone weights, feeling his muscles strengthen under the directed flow of Qi. He practiced evasive movements and basic attacks against wooden dolls, their speed and coordination visibly improving every day. His control over Level 2 IQ, although still rudimentary compared to others, allowed him to add a small extra force to his blows and increase his speed in short explosions. He knew he couldn't compete in terms of sophisticated combat techniques - the Gu Family had never taught him anything but the basics, and the Account hadn't revealed any martial art yet - but he could focus on brute strength, speed, and endurance, areas where Tyrannical Art and the Stimulation Guide gave him an unexpected advantage. However, the main bottleneck remained: its damaged meridians and lack of resources. The Meridian Opening Pill was essential to accelerate your progress to Level 3 and beyond. And to make the pill, he needed ingredients. To buy ingredients, he needed money - something the Third Young Master "junk" simply didn't have. His allowance was non-existent, and he had no possessions of value to sell. He needed to find a source of income, and fast. It was then that his mind, a fusion of Alex Chen's earthly knowledge and basic information about this world of Ti?nháo memories, began to work on a solution. He remembered seeing, during his information gathering sessions, servants buying large quantities of low-grade medicinal herbs in the city market for general use in the mansion - poultices for minor injuries, basic tonics, etc. He also had access, through the Account (although he could not yet access the full sections of Alchemy), to rudimentary information about the properties of some common herbs that were often neglected or misused. A plan began to form. There was one herb in particular, the extremely common and inexpensive "Cold Dew Grass," used mainly for its refreshing properties in poultices. However, the fragmented knowledge of the Account suggested that if processed in a specific way - dried under moonlight for three nights and then ground with a particular type of tree sap found in abundance outside the city - it could produce a powder that, when burned, released soothing smoke and helped concentrate during meditation. It was not a high-quality crop incense, but it was better than nothing and certainly unknown in the local market. Maybe he could create a small batch and sell it? It was a shot in the dark, but it was his best option. I needed a small upfront capital to buy the Cold Dew Grass and other basic items. He scoured his room again and found some small, low-quality jade ornaments and an old hairstaple that had belonged to his mother - items with little monetary value, but they were all he had. With a tight heart for disbanding his mother's few memories, but driven by necessity, he decided to make his first trip to the Maplewood City market. Leaving the Gu Mansion as Gù Ti?nháo was a rare event. He chose a day and time of little movement, wore the simplest clothes he had and went out through the side gate, avoiding the attention of the main guards. The city itself was bustling, a vibrant contrast to the oppressive silence of the mansion. Shops flanked the cobblestone streets, street vendors touted their goods, and cultivators with various levels of strength passed, some on foot, others mounted on low-level spiritual beasts. Ti?nháo kept his head down, navigating the crowd towards the market area known for trading low-level herbs and materials. He found a discreet pawn shop and, after a tense trade where he used his calm and intelligence to get a slightly better price than expected, exchanged his few belongings for a small exchange of copper coins. It was an odd amount, but enough to get started. With the coins in hand, he went to a tent that sold common medicinal herbs. As he examined the beams of the Cold Dew Grass, making sure of its quality, he heard a loud, slightly panting voice beside him. Ten bundles of Bone Fortifying Herb! And fast, please, Master Chen! The examination of the sect will not wait! Tiannháo turned around. Standing there was a young man of his age, perhaps a little lower, but with a remarkably robust constitution. He was broad on his shoulders and had thick arms, clearly the result of a lot of physical work or hard training. His face was round, honest, and red with effort or excitement. He wore simple but clean clothes and carried a large bundle on his back. He was the personification of the "Pàng Zi" (Gorducho/Robust) that Ti?nháo had previously conceptualized. The salesman, Master Chen, an elderly man with a long mustache, smiled. Calm down, young L? H?. The herb will not run away. I see that he is taking the exam seriously this year. The young man, L? H?, snorted. Of course I am! It is my last chance before I turned eighteen. I have to pass this time, or my father will make me take over the hardware store forever! He paid for the herbs with sweaty coins, his face a mixture of determination and anxiety. L? H? turned to leave and almost bumped into Ti?nháo. Oh, sorry, brother! He looked at Ti?nháo, his eyes widening slightly when he noticed the silk robes, even if simple. Ah... Young Master? I am sorry for my lack of manners. Ti?nháo evaluated L? H?..?. There was an honest and hard-working energy in him, and his mention of the sect's examination aroused his interest. This could be the kind of person he was looking for - someone from outside the complex and treacherous Gu Family network. Don't worry," said Ti?nháo, his voice calm. I'm also here because of the exam. He deliberately bought a beam of Cold Dew Grass, paying the seller. L? H? seemed surprised. Will you... also try the Green Cloud Sect exam? He looked at the still somewhat fragile appearance of Ti?nháo (though greatly improved) and the cheap herb he bought, a confusing expression on his face. Clearly, Ti?nháo did not fit the image of a rich and talented Young Master like the others in the Gu Family. Everyone has the right to try, Ti?nháo replied enigmatically. The path of cultivation is full of surprises. He bowed slightly. My name is Gù Ti?nháo. L? H? scratched his head, still looking a little confused, but responded with vigorous reverence. "Lǐ Hǔ! Nice to meet you, Young Master Gu! Well, good luck with... uh... your Cold Dew Grass. He clearly did not understand what Ti?nháo intended to do with such a basic herb. Good luck with your Bone Fortifying Herbs, Brother Li," Ti?nháo replied with a slight smile. Maybe we'll meet again on the exam. Maybe! L? H? smiled widely, a genuine, open smile. Until then! He turned around and walked away in a hurry, disappearing into the crowd. Ti?nháo observed L? H? departing, a feeling of interest forming. L? H? seemed direct, hard-working, and perhaps a little naive - a refreshing contrast to the intrigues of the Gu Family. A known potential, perhaps even an ally in the future? With its Cold Dew Grass beam and the rest of its coins, Ti?nháo left the market. He still needed to find the specific tree sap outside the city and then secretly process the herb in his room. The road to obtaining sufficient resources for the Meridian Opening Pill was still long and uncertain. But he had taken the first step out of the golden (or rather rusty brass) cage of the Gu Mansion. He had transformed a painful memory into an initial capital. He had made a new contact, no matter how soon. And he had a plan, no matter how risky, to fund his journey. Returning to the mansion under the setting sun, Tianháo felt a new wave of determination. The exam was near. The city of the Jade River awaited him. He would leave the City of Maplewood behind, leave the shadow of the Gu Family behind, and face the Dragon Carp Gate with everything he had. The future was unknown, dangerous, but for the first time, it was yours to shape.