The space in the ring amounted to what was basically a walk-in closet. If this was attached to the master bedroom of a 2 bedroom apartment, I’d think the owners would be satisfied. So being able to walk around with something like this is simply amazing. Earth with all over technology never reached something like this. Though…I still miss having a phone. Maybe someone can come up with another one that relies on Qi or something?

Who knows.

Anyway, inside the ring are four distinct items. A stack of Gold Coins. Hehe. Ahem. Yeah, a stack of Gold Coins. Although It would take me a bit to count them out individually, for some reason I instinctively know it’s exactly 100 Gold Coins. Hehehe. Erm. Is this what it feels like to be rich? Perhaps.

Anyway, there are 3 other ‘items’ in the ring, a stack of books, an armor set, and what looked to be 3 sets of clothes.

Just like with the stack of Gold Coins, I knew what the books were. One was a cultivation manual for the Qi Refinement Realm, while the other three were techniques to be used within the realm. Those will be fun. Anyway, the armor set. It was a beautiful piece of art in my opinion. The chest plate was not too different from the ones we currently use, only this one seemed far stronger, and it came with shoulder guards. It also seemed to be built out of scales of some sort. Pristine black scales. Okay maybe it’s very different from the ones we currently use. Along with the chest plate, came bracers, which were too bade out of the same pristine black scales. And finally, was what I assumed to be leg armor. Based on the shape and length, I think they would cover from slightly above my ankle to my knee cap. Really fancy shin guards if you will.

Wow Elder Zal really took care of me here.

Of course, the fancy things didn’t stop there. I was given three sets of clothes. Everything was black. I’m noticing a theme here. Now that I’m looking at it, It’s better to say I was given three different types of sets because I had about five sets of each type.

The first type was the simplest and seemed to be the counterpart to my current outfit. It was a simple yet beautiful black tunic, and black leather pants of some sort. It actually looks nothing like leather, but I don’t know what else to call it. Black pants! Anyway, they seemed pretty easy to move around in. I guess I’ll wear that under the armor. Or just to walk around in maybe.

Next was something a bit more fancy. It was a black dress shirt with silver lining all throughout, and it was paired with black dress pants. Neither the shirt nor the pants had any buttons. Where would I even get shoes for this?

Anyway, the final set definitely screamed ancient eastern royalty. They were actually robes. Not like fluffy bathroom robes, but robes that belonged in a museum. Of course they were black, but they were red-ish flames embroidered throughout them and the robes themselves seemed to shine in my mind.

They were beautiful.

Maybe I can wear that for important meetings or something? Anyway…I would still need shoes for them. Though I don’t mind walking barefoot.

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Alright that’s enough of that. There will be time to explore all of this later. For now, I need to go see who was in the basement, and how Richard and the others have been doing.

I slipped the ring on my finger and placed the rucksack I’ve been walking around with this entire time down next to my desk. I’m surprised no one asked me about it.

Anyway, I exited my office only to see three people waiting on me. The two boys Frian and Lirian I believe their names were. They were standing on either side of the door like stone statues. Well, that was until I walked out then they both bowed and quite literally just fell in step behind me. I’ll address this later. Because there’s another individual here. Another metal person. Hm. I thought I told them I didn’t want any labor?

“Who are you and why are you here?”

“Lord Raizen, my name is Idar, and I was sent to deliver your spear, and I am to remain here to help with maintenance of said spear. I was awaiting you in the basement.”

So, this is the “brat” that was trapped in the basement, and he’s here as a blacksmith huh. I can’t tell how strong he is. So, does that mean he’s above Qi Refinement?

“Frian.”

“Yes, Patriarch?”

“Is it rude to ask someone their Cultivation Realm?”

“Not for someone of your position Patriarch.”

“I see…Idar, what is your Cultivation Realm?”

“I am in the Core Formation Realm Lord Raizen.”

A Core Formation cultivator to deliver a spear. Interesting. Though I guess that doesn’t fully count as being a whole force. Is this like a loophole they’re trying to exploit so that they still have presence here? I wonder if they abandoned him, or maybe they left him with a way to contact them.

“Did they leave you here by yourself?”

“I have means to contact my people in case I need them, Lord Raizen.”

“I see. Then are you to follow my orders as well?”

“I have been ordered to provide assistance as needed Lord Raizen.”

“I see. Then from this point on never enter this building unless told to do so by me. For now, I think the spear doesn’t need any work, so I don’t need you at the moment. For now, just stay within the city, I will come find you eventually to give you a place to stay.”

“Understood Lord Raizen.”

After saying that he calmly walked down the staircase, and I assumed he eventually left the building. I may have been a bit rude there, but something about them rubs me the wrong way. Based on how the meeting with the super shiny metal man and Elder Zal went, relations don’t seem to be perfect. So, there’s no reason to be too buddy buddy with them. Plus, I’m not that naïve that I don’t realize they might simply be trying to build a relationship with me for some type of benefit.

Human beings did that before the Tutorial under the guise of ‘networking’. So, it’s not a foreign concept. Anyway…these boys. I know they are stronger than anyone of us including me, but they really just look like middle school kids. How do I handle them?

“Now you two. You’re here to prove your worth as you called it to hopefully join my Clan, right?”

“Yes Patriarch.”

“Yes Patriarch.”

“Is that why you both are being so respectful?”

Only one of them spoke up this time. I think his name is Frian.

“Patriarch, there isn’t a single regular Infernal that would ever disrespect a Patriarch. Only other Patriarchs and Matriarchs, can engage in such acts.”

“So, neither of you will ever call me by name?”

They tensed up a bit.

“Never Patriarch!”

“Never Patriarch!”

“I see…and following me around?”

“We are to be your hands and feet Patriarch.”

“Hm my hands and feet huh…fine then let’s go see how things are going.”

So, with my new spear in hand and two middle school boys strong enough to murder everyone from Outpost G following me obediently, I left the comfort of my new City Lord Mansion and headed outside.

Hm. Although Body Tempering changed a lot about me, at the end of the day it was really just an insane physical improvement.

Qi Refinement is far beyond that.

The world truly felt different now.