บท 5: Ups and Downs of a New Life
Shin Sumi first made a stop at the Cultivation Resources Pavillion to get her first monthly payment of spirit stones.
According to the rules of the sect, each disciple could get a few resources per month to help in their cultivation.
Of course the amount one could receive varied depending on the color of their robes.
The clerk in charge of the Pavillion when Shin Sumi showed up was a red-robed disciple.
He first laughed when Shin Sumi asked for four lower grade spirit stones.
"Who do you think you are ? Ahaha Brother Gu, come and look at that baby chick who thinks she is a phoenix !"
Without saying a word, Shin Sumi closed off her heart from the feeling of guilt rising once again in her guts.
On the outside she forcefully wore a smile full of contempt and disdain as she produced her identification medallion.
As soon as the two red robed clerks saw the imprint on the medallion, their jaws dropped.
Even though they couldn't use divine sense to check what was inside the identification medallion, the simple word 'green' hand carved on its surface was enough to make them swallow their words.
"Now you wouldn't want to bear the consequences of angering that baby chick, would you ?"
Shin Sumi almost blushed. She couldn't believe she actually said those words out loud !
Who would have thought that the feeling of being superior and seeing others tremble in fear would be so exhilarating ?
Shin Sumi received her four lower grade spirit stones from the clerk who was now bowing as deeply as possible.
"I have to be careful though. Until I actually make progress in my cultivation I can't afford to let anybody know who I'm supposed to be."
Shin Sumi remembered a sentence she had read in a book once. It had a deep impact on her as it said : 'The higher a man climbs, the harder the fall will be'.
Turning her head back towards the two red robed disciples, she spoke in a quiet voice.
"Ah, another thing. I remember your faces. If word were to spread that I'm actually a green robed disciple, that would ruin my disguise. You wouldn't want that, would you ?"
As she left, the two clerks immediately gave up on all ideas of telling their friends. A green robed disciple was bound to attain the Core Development stage one day or another, meanwhile it wasn't even sure that they would themselves get to the Liquid Realm.
The fear of offending such a high class disciple was a lot more significant than the satisfaction of telling a juicy story.
Once outside of the Cultivation Ressources Building, Shin Sumi let out a deep breath.
She wasn't used to lying and trying to be overbearing like that, it wasn't like her. Or at least like the old her.
Now that she was decided to change, Shin Sumi wouldn't let herself be bullied by the likes of Chu Erlong for too long.
Shin Sumi walked for a while in the lower valley, taking in the sights for the first time.
She visited most of the cultivation buildings and the major landmarks, as well as the secondary valley where disciples grew crops and raised beasts.
With her status in the Honorary Disciples class, Shin Sumi didn't actually have to work the fields or the farms. Just like having a courtyard, it was one of the perks of being above the others.
Shin Sumi slowly learned that it was how the cultivation world worked. The talented had a better status, and just like the strong feed on the weak, the talented had better access to cultivation ressources without having to work as hard as the others.
It was profoundly unfair, ensuring that the strong always remained strong. But how could Shin Sumi complain ?
She had no talent at all, and would never have been allowed in the sect if not for coincidental circumstances.
She didn't ask for it but the world now viewed her as strong. It was a rare chance to climb up the ladder, as long as nobody found out she was actually the worst of them all.
Luckily for her, Shin Sumi didn't have to resort to her status to pick up a few grains of spirit plants and flowers.
The introduction to the different species being cultivated in the fields in the newcomer's guide was very concise, but Shin Sumi knew that they were a source of Shinsoo.
Normally the Shinsoo imbued in one of those spirit plants was too low to cultivate even for a red robed disciple but Shin Sumi had virtually no trace of spiritual energy inside her.
By growing the plants inside her private courtyard, she was hoping that it would allow her to bathe in Shinsoo even in her sleep.
The sun was setting above the clouds when Shin Sumi decided to head home.
The lower valley couldn't be considered as huge, but was still big for a mortal and the walk home took time.
When Shin Sumi finally closed the door of her courtyard behind her, she was yawning from not having slept in more than a full day and having walked so much.
Too tired to plant the seeds immediately, she left them on the table inside, with her four low grade spirit stones.
The courtyard had been unmanned for years but the water in the pond was still clear and fresh, alimented with spring water coming from a small waterfall.
Shin Sumi's clothes fell freely on the stone bench as she untied her robe.
In the privacy of the courtyard walls and closed gate, the cold water of the pond embraced her as she bathed for a while.
After getting rid of her sweat and the light layer of dust on her skin, Shin Sumi laid down on the rocks, half submerged in the pond.
The water had a soothing effect and Shin Sumi slowly drifted into sleep, not even bothered by the lazy fish swimming around her.
She woke up the next day feeling completely rejuvenated. Her eyes still unfocused opened to the flashing of her wrist.
The dark red pattern was once again showing, but this time something about it was different.
The leaf seemed more alive than before, and was oriented in a different way !
"I am certain that yesterday the point of the leaf was towards my hand ! This time it's the complete opposite !"
Getting up and drying herself, Shin Sumi once more donned her robes, not leaving her wrist out of her sight.
As soon as she turned around, the leaf turned with her; itself always pointing in the same direction ! The house in the back of the courtyard !
Following the leaf as if it was giving directions, Shin Sumi entered her house.
The first thing she saw upon opening the door was the table.
Everything was exactly as she left them. Drawing a bit closer, Shin Sumi discovered the nut.
There is was on the table, munching on the seeds she had brought back from her trip to the fields.
"Noooo ! What are you doing ?!! Don't eat them, I need them to cultivate !"
As soon as she saw the strange scene, Shin Sumi tried to push the nut away from the seeds.
Her hands brushed the table a few times but the nut would always slip between her fingers, eating a bunch of seeds each time.
For once the nut would not allow her to touch it, ironically.
It was only after seeing the nut gobble up the four low grade spirit stones in one fell swoop that Shin Sumi finally managed to get her hands on it.
Frustrated as she was, she yelled a bit at the nut laying on her palm, unmoving.
Throwing it away in a corner, Shin Sumi was really angry.
In order to calm herself down, she proceeded to clean the house a bit.
"Urgh that damn nut... What am I going to do now ? I wish I had a book to read... I miss the library " she mused in silence.
The amount of dust she wiped with her old robes still dirty from her adventures in the forest showed how long it must have been since the house had its last occupant.
When Shin Sumi was finally done with the inside of the house, she started cleaning the courtyard too.
Ignoring the leaf on her wrist, Shin Sumi worked the whole afternoon.
It was with a calmed down heart that she looked at the entire courtyard, a smile on her face.
The place was now much more attractive and colorful. Removing the moss that had grown everywhere had been a strenuous work, but had been worth it.
The stones that made the steps leading to the house were almost scintillating with different colors.
The bench under the little plum tree was covered in intricate carvings.
Now that she had cleaned everything up neatly, the courtyard gave Shin Sumi a sense of familiarity that she had never felt before.
It was as if now the courtyard was her home. It was hers and no one else's.
A whole day had passed while she was cleaning, and the sky was darkening again.
"Now what can I do ? I would have given cultivation a try if that damn nut hadn't eaten all my seeds and spirit stones !"
Shin Sumi was forcing herself to calm down once again when suddenly her wrist started pulsing.
"What is ... Uh ?"
The leaf pattern was still dull, and no light was emitted from it, but Shin Sumi could feel something.
It was like a pulse calling her from the inside. It was a peculiar sensation; the likes of which she had never experienced before.
She just couldn't ignore it!
Full of curiosity and a little bit of apprehension, she once again walked inside her room.
The corner where she had thrown the nut to was empty, it was nowhere to be seen.
Without even trying to ask herself how the nut could move for the thousandth time, Shin Sumi followed the red leaf contrasting with her skin to find the nut.
The nut was inside her robes, in the top shelf of the dresser.
"Seriously ?" Shin Sumi couldn't help but ask, as she found the nut in the folds where her upper torso would have been, had she worn the robes before.
But that wasn't as surprising as what she found next to it.
The nut was unmoving, just like any inanimate object, in the middle of a bunch of seeds.
When Shin Sumi was in the fields the previous day, she had brought back a fistfull of spirit plants and spirit flower seeds.
The seeds were all brown and hard to recognize from one another, at the time.
So how could the seeds now be all colorful and giving off a fragrant aroma ?!
Carefully, Shin Sumi picked up the dress, not letting anything fall to the floor before she reached the table.
The nut rolled almost immediately along her fingers, returning to her wrist where it disappeared in a flash of light.
The leaf symbol disappeared as well, her wrist once again returning to its natural white and smooth complexion.
Judging by sight alone, the amount of seeds seemed to be somewhat the same as what she remembered picking up.
But something was still missing.
"Where are the low grade spirit stones ? I need them more than the seeds ! Ah ?"
Spreading the seeds on the table, Shin Sumi quickly found what she was waiting for.
The four low grade spirit stones she had acquired were not bigger than her pinky nail, approximately the same as the many seeds.
The only difference was the murky white color that the spirit stones gave off.
Carefully picking them up from the colored seeds, Shin Sumi observed them a bit closer.
The four stones were a bit bigger than what she remembered, but not by much. The most interesting though was the golden gleam they emanated.
In comparison the previous four stones were definitely a lot less pure and their light was dull.
"I know what they are ! High grade spirit stones !!"
Closing her palm tightly around her treasure, Shin Sumi fetched the newcomer's guide with one hand and nervously turned the pages.
"Where was it ? Where was it ?! "
It was evident with the tone of her voice that she was more than confused and excited by the idea of having four high grade spirit stones right there in her hand !
What was a high grade spirit stone compared to a low grade one ? Comparing the two was like comparing the Heaven and Earth !
A low grade spirit stone contained a bit of Shinsoo inside. It wasn't something rare at all, and even a sect like the Dark Sky Starry Sect had a good amount of them.
In fact the Dark Sky Starry Sect had enough to provide all their disciples with their monthly stipend for thousands of years.
But it was still low grade spirit stones. Even though they had a bit of Shinsoo naturally imbued into them, it was not a lot.
Shin Sumi had read in the book that a middle grade spirit stones was worth roughly a thousand low grade ones !
That was already a rarity for small sects and the Dark Sky Starry Sect would only give some away to disciples for meritorious services or as a prize for tournaments.
But that still wasn't too rare, as the Dark Sky Starry Sect still had a few to spare.
But a high grade spirit stone was worth a thousand middle grade spirit stones !
Even a single one had enough Shinsoo to make up for the sect's expenses for more than a year !
Shin Sumi couldn't help but read all the information she had over and over again.
Her eyes were shining like two bright pearls and her jaw was continuously open.
"It's... It's really an Immortal treasure !!"
Shin Sumi didn't dare to part with her four high grade spirit stones for even a second as she danced a bit in excitement in her room.
When she finally calmed down enough to think rationally again, she blurted out "Little nut ! Come out !"
For a few seconds nothing happened. But then in a flash of light way less impressive than before, a little grey nut materialized with a leaf pattern on her skin.
The nut didn't seem to move at first, as if it was wondering if Shin Sumi was still angered or not.
Seeing as she had tried to stop it from eating the seeds earlier, the nut was now a bit suspicious of her.
"Come on, I'm not gonna throw you away this time ! I swear !! Little nut, did you do that ? Was it you who turned the low grade stones into high grade spirit stones ?!"
Now convinced of her good intentions, the nut started to roll around happily.
From the outside it looked just like a grey ball randomly rolling around, but somehow Shin Sumi could feel that it was genuinely happy.
The sentient nut felt more proud than ever.
"How did you do that ? It's just like the book isn't it ? Everything you steal becomes better ?" Shin Sumi couldn't help but ask.
What the nut had done with the seeds and the spirit stones was exactly the same as what the book had done with the Shinsoo Gathering Manual.
Although the nut was sentient, it clearly did not have a high level of intelligence, it simply kept rolling around happily.
Shin Sumi felt a little disappointed.
"If I'm staying in this Dark Sky Starry Sect to cultivate, I'll have all the time I want to understand things. Maybe once I start cultivating I will be able to understand more."
Until the nut had produced the four high grade spirit stones, Shin Sumi had still been hesitating as to whether to leave the sect or stay for a bit longer.
Since she had no talent, cultivating normally would be painstakingly long. But now, the highly concentrated Shinsoo of the stones could give her a better chance at cultivation !
Besides, being in a real Immortal sect was a once in a lifetime chance. Even though Shin Sumi still didn't feel like it was made for her, at least it was a good opportunity to get her hands on Immortal books.
"It's such a pity that only Liquid Realm disciples have the rights to access the sect's Library of Spirit Arts and Techniques."
Luckily for her, the strange sentient nut-book that seemed connected to her by destiny gave her all the reasons she needed to stay in the sect.
"It's decided. As long as I can keep on reading new books, Shin Sumi will become an Immortal !"
Soon after the sentient nut was back inside her wrist, Shin Sumi felt herself yawning a few times as the clouds became darker and darker; all the handiwork of the day and the excitement had a toll on her body.
Shin Sumi put all the seeds on the bench outside, intending on planting them all the next day.
"Now the spirit stones..."
Afraid of leaving her newfound treasure out in the open, Shin Sumi put the spirit stones in her bag of holding and proceeded to hide it under her mattress.
"It's probably paranoïa, but just to be sure."
The courtyard was quite isolated from the rest of the sect but she couldn't risk having someone look inside the window and seeing the spirit stones by accident.
Unlike the courtyard which was hidden by the tall gate and walls erected all around, the house had windows providing a direct view at the sect outside.
Shin Sumi was about to go bathe in her private pond when an idea emerged in her mind. Quickly running back inside, she picked up one of the high grade spirit stones.
When she entered the fresh water, she was holding the spirit stone tightly between her white fingers.
Putting it in a rock crevice to make sure the current wouldn't move it at all, she finally relaxed.
Shin Sumi found sleep easily this night, her excitement and tiredness being washed away by the running water all around her.
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d3trois
d3trois 5th chapter, the 6th probably won't come out before the end of the week.
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