บท 17: Overpowered!
'How the hell do I get there?'
'The letter didn't give me any information about transportation...'
'Well it's obvious: I'm a special case, being not accompanied by a teacher or a parent.'
Raden was on the way to Chao City.
The sun shone highly on the sky, obscured by some clouds transitioning there. It was pretty cold nonetheless, being late autumn.
Wearing light clothes, Raden should feel pretty cold. But he wasn't, thanks to the fact that his Qi could become heat inside his body.
He finally got there.
'Hmmm, no walls?' 'Well, in fact, walls that could resist an attack from a Qi Manifestation cultivator would pretty expensive.'
Though having no walls some guards were controlling the main road, the one that connected it to the academy and, on the other part of the city, to the baronies.
He paid a silver coin as an entrance fee and was able to scroll around the city freely. And was surprised. Displeasingly surprised.
It was a big city, but the majority of it was composed of...modest houses to use a euphemism. The streets were narrow and had animal faeces over them. He noted a lack of drains on the streets.
'How are they supposed to face a storm...well those houses would probably collapse with a strong enough wind.'
People walked in the streets with pigs, dogs, or if rich enough on the back of a horse.
He continued walking to the centre of the city. The more he walked the less shabby the houses and the wider the roads would become, he could see fewer animals and finally...
A gate: 'Inner City: only Qi Gathering cultivators.'
He passed it. On the other side, there seemed to be another city, majestic buildings, stalls along the streets selling whatever you wanted, cultivators wandering around.
'So...that's what it means to be a cultivator. On the top.'
Yet he didn't feel good about it. Being a modern day man he couldn't help but feel sympathy for those people in the slums.
He sighed. 'The entrance isn't even guarded: the citizens must feel fear only thinking about us...'
'If I'll have the power, I'll better your life.' He muttered to himself.
'Ahh, well that was to be expected from a world where the strong reign supreme...'
Raden continued searching for something that could solve his logistical problem.
Then he saw something that could resolve all of his problems: the Yu Company. It was a company would give a safe transport to any city they wanted. It was actually thought for merchants, aspiring ones since an ordinary merchant was expected to be able to care the logistical aspect by himself.
He entered it. He was greeted by a muscular man in his forties.
"Hum? What does a child do here?"
'Oh, I actually forgot that I was fourteen!' "Hmm! I'd like a passage to the Aristocratic Seat, please."
"Oh, sure...It will cost you ten silver coins. The travel will last two days."
"I...I have no time for that. Is there anything that could get me there in five hours?"
"Oh?" He was slightly surprised. "Sure it'll cost you a hundred gold coins."
Only then Raden understood his mistake. Never make clear your intentions when negotiating!
'Damn it!'
He didn't reveal those emotions on the surface.
"I've heard of another good transport company nearby, you know I'm pretty torn up, I don't know where should I go..."
"There are no other transport companies in this city..." The man interrupted him.
'Ugh!'
"Ahah! Well, I must have heard wrong..." He tried to mask the embarrassment "Well, you know what? I'm a strong man and I don't need guards for protection, why have those?"
"No, no, no. Our organization deeply desire the safety of our clients, I couldn't agree with that! You're only a fourteen and unless you're some great genius, cultivating the Qi till opening the Dantian at this age, you can't be safe from bandits!" "Let's so this, since you're so small I'll give you a discount. 50 gold coins."
'Yeah...the problem is that I only have 33...ahh! Where's my pay from Red Discipleship?'
Raden punched the metallic table, exerting the full might of a Late Stage Two Body.
CREEK
Cracks spread through it.
CRUMBLE
"Y-you!"
The remnants of the table were all over the floor.
"I think that I can defend myself pretty well, sir." 'Sheep! That was not what I intended to do...Will he ask me to repay...will he beat me?'
Astonishment turned into anger, anger into fear, fear into admiration...or at least an admiring expression attempt.
"Young master! You could have said before that you were a proud son of heavens!"
'W-What?' A complete flip of behaviour.
"Sir! The first travel is free, it's on the house."
'Uh...' He put on a lofty expression.
"Hahaha! Don't worry, I'm a righteous person. I wouldn't ride without paying. Here"
"Yes, young master is truly righteous!"
He gave him 33 gold coins.
The man watched that money, restraining himself from crying.
A meagre consolation.
**********
'Well I must say that I'm feeling pretty guilty now'
Raden was riding on a carriage. It's speed was nearing that of a car at his minimum.
"Elder I think you've done well, showing your strength at that idiot that was belittling you!" Jin Liang said.
Raden ignored him, focusing instead on his surroundings.
He noted that the road bringing to the city was paved and so the carriage didn't jolt, unlike the baronies to academy road.
The carriage driver was a pretty quiet person, though Raden didn't know if because of his nature or his fear. Still, he could have time with himself, and he would use it.
He brought from the library some cultivation arts books: he couldn't always resort to using the basic art taught in the 'Standard Method'.
He discovered the reason why he couldn't progress: a too shabby foundation. He was rather impulsive earlier and didn't reinforce his foundations, preferring to breakthrough whenever he could. That resulted in a lack of Qi purity.
Qi purity was useful for many things: it made your attack stronger, it could ease you in future breakthroughs, it was easier to manipulate...
'Though if it's called Qi purity there must be a reason...What is Qi mixed with?'
He started reinforcing it and noted something.
He would need at least ten years to reach a good enough level to breakthrough!
'Ahhh, after all, it all returns to talent. I wonder what raise or lower its value.'
He noted something else: a Writer introduction book.
'Ping Zui!' He rolled his eyes.
He was suddenly interrupted in his chain of thoughts.
"Sir, we've arrived."
"Sure" He exited from the carriage.
"Have a nice day"
The carriage departed.
The Aristocratic Seat was the capital of the viscounty, it was gorgeous. A city only for cultivators: in the streets, it wasn't uncommon to find Qi Manifestation cultivators, the majority of the population still was at Qi Gathering.
It was a pretty small city, surely smaller than the Chao one.
'Even here there are no walls.'
'Well...I suppose the Palace is the highest building.'
'Should I say that I am his student? Nope...Ai Bai may notice it...and the nobles may even attempt my life if he is so hated...'
'Thinking about it...it doesn't make sense if he were to be so hated why would they let him stay in the academy?'
'Still, I don't want my teacher to notice what I'm doing...'
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