The gates of Runetether loomed before me. The walls and gate were built from sturdy wood and rough-hewn stone
Comparing Runetether’s protection to the cities would be insane.
It was such a far cry from the strange metal structures the gates and walls of the cities walls were made of that it boggled the mind.
I still had no idea what they were made of and the fact that every layer had the same kind of wall.
Well, except for the fact that the slums had a single stone wall and shanty town which barely even had one.
That fact had always irritated me.
If anything or anyone of sufficient strength decided to take over and invade the poor would be culled.
I shook my head out of that contemplation and approached the gate.
The guards looked bored but professional as I paid them the entrance fee.
“Nice place. Do you know…”
They continued scanning the road and didn’t even react to my words.
The two copper coins I paid to enter were good, but maybe I should pay for directions.
I handed him a silver and he finally looked at me.
“Yeah?” The big burly guard wearing shiny silver colored metal armor that encased his entire body except for a weathered face and a mustache goatee combo that gave off the first-class instinctive feeling of someone demanding to be viewed as the most manly.
He was clearly trying to be giving off a vibe that stated, ‘I am a dangerous guard who you don’t mess around with.’
He was at the 7th level of body tempering.
“Can you give me a rundown of the town’s structure?”
He nodded and continued being gruff and stern-faced as he began, “Village hall is at the centermost point of the village square. There’s a couple of shops for each profession a cultivator would need. There are also plenty more catering to mortals.”
He then gave me a smirk of pride, “We have a much larger chance of letting mortals keep living their entire lives without dying. If they don’t go to the damn city they can live happily. No need for cultivation for people who just want to live. The market square is slightly off to the north of village hall and there’s a ton of stuff sold in stalls there. You want to know the best places and the ones to avoid? You'll have to pay more.”
At least the information he gave me was pretty comprehensive, but the fact that he started ignoring me again was a bit off putting.
I entered the town and walked ahead.
The air was clean but had a hint of something when you passed by a shop.
It was cold so most of the town’s air was tinged with the scent of woodsmoke. My mouth watered as I passed by a particularly packed bakery.
The scent of sweets and freshly baked bread was overwhelming and the cheap prices in the window made me halt in my tracks.
“Okay. Sweets now, Inn after.”
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I found lodging at a modest inn and sat on the bed that was surprisingly soft.
The wooden beams and thatched roof exuded an unwaveringly welcoming warmth.
For just thirty coppers a night I got a private room with a comfortable bed, a hot bath from a barrel powered with a level one beast core for an additional 5 copper, and three meals a day with only another stupidly small upcharge of 4 copper a meal.
I gladly paid the three silver coins required for ten days.
It was a fraction of what I would have paid for a squalid, rat-infested hovel in the city.
Cities were evil, I concluded.
Remembering their exorbitant prices and blatant exploitation for places that were were just garbage of the highest degree-.
I shook my head.
Bath.
Sleep.
Find out my new talent.
Find a new goal besides hopefully settling down.
That was the plan.
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The next morning, I made my way to the village hall, a simple wooden structure that served as the seat of local governance.
I approached the clerk, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.
"I would like to have my talent measured," I stated, placing a gold coin on the counter.
I had prepared a sob story, a fabricated tale of woe to explain why a sixteen-year-old like myself had never undergone the Talent Measuring Ceremony.
But to my surprise, the old clerk simply nodded, her expression devoid of suspicion or judgment.
"Of course, young man. That will be 5 silver, dear." she replied, pushing the gold coin back at me.”We aren’t the city. Please hide that and never show it here. Crime and jade and all that, you know?”
I nodded and handed her the silver.
I quickly hid the gold that was worth a thousand silver and shoved it back into the tiny storage ring.
The prices here are so much cheaper, it was baffling.
The woman with the grandmother-like appearance and demeanor left her seat and a younger woman took her place.
The first woman brought me to another room and smiled.
She gestured towards a small, crystal orb resting on a pedestal in the middle of the room. "Just place your hand upon the orb, and it will reveal your aptitudes."
I did as instructed while trying to hide my absolute bafflement.
The fact no one was guarding the orb made my brain hurt but I-
No, that is completely nonsensical and dumb.
I discarded the logic of the city and put my hand above the orb.
A flicker of nervousness danced in my chest as I prayed the pill had done something good.
The moment of truth was here so I put my hand on top of it from its hovering position.
The orb pulsed with a soft green light, its glow intensifying until it settled into a steady hue.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
High Green.
Disappointment washed over me like a cold wave.
The Talent Enhancing Pill, a treasure I had deemed a miracle, had only elevated my talent from Orange to High Green.
Still mediocre and still far below the standards of the worst sects.
It was the peak of most normal clans before a sect would even look at someone to sneer at.
Only the lowest of barely approved factions would approve me to work with them.
I sighed and then thanked the clerk and left the hall.
The clerk looked at me with pity.
My steps were heavy with disappointment and the weight of unfulfilled expectations as the clerk tried to console me verbally. “There’s always hope. If you can earn enough money-”
I smiled at her and shook my head. “Thank you, grandma, but I think I’m fine. I appreciate you trying to console me but I would like to think alone.”
She gave me a soft and grandmotherly smile as we arrived back at the front desk. “You should find work. Try learning a trade and that will give you fulfillment. Not everyone must be a great cultivator.”
I nodded and gave her a false smile as I exited the front hall.
The pill had given me a boost, but it wasn't the solution I had hoped for.
I wandered through the village but the idyllic scenery did little to lift my spirits.
Children played in the streets as their laughter echoed through the air.
It was different here.
Merchants were hawking their wares with friendly smiles instead of guarded looks.
The streets were wide and clean and the prices of things were fair.
The demands for barter as well as the demeanor of employee’s of most establishments were honest.
It was a world away from the cutthroat environment of the city.
I shook my head.
I just had to live this life and become as strong as possible while decompressing from the torture of the city.
I'd honor Plum next go around with my cultivation.
I’d honor him this go around by naming my firstborn after him and settling down.
I moved towards a nearby oak tree and sat down.
As I sat beneath a towering oak, its leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, I contemplated my future.
High Green might be enough to carve out a decent life in this peaceful village.
But it wouldn't be enough to reach the heights I had once dreamed of, the levels of power needed to truly change my fate.
I closed my eyes, Plum's words echoing in my mind: "Live a long life, for both of us."
Perhaps, peace and tranquility were more valuable than the relentless pursuit of power.
I hope that in this quiet village, I could finally find the solace and stability that had eluded me for so long.
But a part of me, a stubborn ember of defiance, refused to be extinguished.
I had come too far, sacrificed too much, to simply settle for mediocrity. High Green might be my current limit, but it wouldn't be my final destination.
With effort I smothered my ambition for this life.
I would gain enough points by living so that I can be ambitious next time.
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Clear bright sunlight streamed through the paper windows of my room.
The lack of yellow tinge roused me from a slumber. The sleep was deeper and more peaceful than any I'd experienced in years.
The absence of the city's cacophony and the comforting scent of wood smoke and fresh bread wafting from downstairs was something that relaxed me.
The plush mattress beneath me on top of it all made me smile.
It was a luxury I'd almost forgotten existed.
It was also much cheaper than I thought possible.
After I took a leisurely bath and ate a surprisingly delicious breakfast, I set out with a newfound sense of purpose.
Today, I would find an apprenticeship.
I would find a way to build a life in this peaceful village.
I decided I would be an alchemist, or at least an herbal doctor.
I was rejected by the first village alchemist who only after being rejected did I find out had a bad reputation. A clerk was the one who kicked me out after looking at my clothes.
The 2nd alchemist wouldn't even hear me out when I said I wasn't here to buy anything.
The third and most popular village's alchemist and apothecary was a modest shop nestled between the bakery I had eaten at the day before and a clothier that sold mortal quality clothing.
The scent of dried herbs and pungent concoctions hung heavy in the air as I opened the door.
Even if I had never smelled this, I felt like it was a familiar and comforting aroma.
An old man with a long, white beard and smiling eyes greeted me from behind the counter.
His weathered face was etched with lines that spoke of a life well-lived, and his smile held a warmth that was absent in the cynical faces of the city's alchemists.
"Welcome, young man," he said, his voice surprisingly strong for his age. "What can Old Man Herbal do for you today?"
"Old Man Herbal?" I couldn't help but ask, "Is that your actual name?"
He chuckled, a hearty sound that filled the small shop. "A name given, not born with," he explained, his eyes twinkling with something I couldn't identify. "You see, many years ago, I woke up with no memory of my past, but with a strange knowledge blooming within me and expanding like a bush that would not stop growing. I could identify every herb, every root, every ingredient used in the alchemical arts. So, they called me Old Man Herbal, and the name stuck."
I found myself drawn to this enigmatic old man
His barebones story resonated with the loss I felt. Losing one's memory isn’t the same, but I wanted to be as calm about my loss as him and his memory.
"I'm Spiritward," I introduced myself, "and I'm seeking an apprenticeship."
He looked me up and down, his gaze appraising yet kind. "An apprentice, eh? And what skills do you bring to my humble shop?"
"I'm a quick learner," I replied.
He chuckled again, his long white beard shaking with mirth. "Quick learner, eh? A valuable skill in the alchemical arts. Very well, Spiritward, you're hired."
He handed me a stack of worn books, their pages filled with intricate diagrams and extremely small lettering. "These will be your starting point," he instructed. "Learn the properties of these herbs and by week's end, we'll see if you have the makings of an herbalist. Then maybe you might have a chance at becoming an alchemist."
I took the books with a mixture of excitement at the chance and absolute terrified fear at the deadline.
This was a new beginning that I wouldn't waste.
Year 16, month 1, day 6.
Exhaustion clung to me like a second skin as I stumbled back towards Old Man Herbal's shop.
A mere seven days to devour ten volumes of dense text was an immense effort.
Each page was crammed with intricate diagrams and the indecipherable names of countless herbs.
Even with the slight mental boost from reaching Level Four Body Tempering I still felt like my brain had been squeezed dry.
My neurons burned and every last drop of concentration was wrung out in the desperate attempt to meet the old man's impossible deadline.
I pushed open the shop door.
The scent of herbs and concoctions washed over me like a wave of bittersweet nostalgia that came from seemingly nowhere.
Old Man Herbal looked up from his workbench, his bushy eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Back so soon, young Spiritward?" he inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Did you give up?"
"No, sir," I replied, my voice hoarse from fatigue. I placed the stack of books on the counter with a thud, my arms aching from their weight. "I've finished."
A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he quickly replaced it with a scrutinizing gaze.
He picked up a book, flipped it open to a random page, and pointed to a detailed illustration of a spiky, purple-flowered plant.
A curtain of chi obscured the text.
"Tell me, Spiritward," he challenged, his voice stern, "what is this herb, and what are its properties?"
I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I dredged up the information I had crammed into my exhausted brain. "That's Deep Night Nightshade, sir," I answered, my voice gaining confidence as the knowledge flowed. "Highly poisonous, but in extremely small doses, it can be used as a pain reliever and a sleep aid. It grows near places where yin chi is Prevalent. Depending on it's medicinal age it can be used in many things. Above 100 years, It also becomes a key ingredient in the Shadowstep Elixir, which-"
I continued, listing multiple herb's properties, uses, and potential dangers, my voice growing stronger with each word. Old Man Herbal listened intently, his expression shifting from skepticism to surprise, and finally, to a grudging admiration.
"This herb then?"
An hour later.
"This one as well."
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30 minutes passed again and I had listed another herb and its properties.
When I finished, he closed the book with a snap, a wide smile spreading across his wrinkled face. "Well, I'll be damned," he chuckled, shaking his head. "You've done it, Spiritward. You've actually done it."
He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with a newfound respect. "I'll admit, young man, I underestimated you. I thought you'd either give up or fail spectacularly when I tested you. But you've proven yourself worthy. From this day forward, you're not just an apprentice. You're my disciple."
A surge of relief washed over me, warming the exhaustion that still clung to my bones. I had earned his respect. I had taken the first step towards a new path, a path that Plum would have been proud of.
Old Man Herbal reached beneath the counter and pulled out another stack of books, these ones even larger and bound in faded silk. "Acupuncture," he explained, placing them in my outstretched arms gently this time. "The art of manipulating Chi flows through the body's meridians using needles of different kinds. Learn the theory of this, and you'll be well on your way to becoming a true healer. After this, come back and I'll give you a pill compendium to read. Take your time with these. I don't expect you to be done with these until the dawn of next month."
I took the books with a smile and as my heart filled with a renewed sense of purpose I walked out into the street with the massive stack balancing in my arms.
I had a mentor now, a purpose, and the memory of a friend who believed in me.
That was enough to keep me going, one step at a time.