What do you mean I'm a cultivator?-Chapter 38

Jiang Cheng stirred awake as the first rays of dawn filtered through the thin paper windows of the guest room. His body felt heavy, and the lingering exhaustion from working on the well for the past few days was still weighing on him, but his Qi had begun to stabilize after absorbing the Lightning Qi. It was not yet fully integrated, but given time, it would.

He was almost certain the sluggishness of his Qi, was because of his lacking affinity. If he had a Lightning affinity, then he would have had no problem absorbing the power of the fragment with no issues.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. “Come in.” Cheng spoke, sitting on the bed, and patting his robe down.

The door slid open, revealing Elder Yaozhi. The old man held a small tray with a steaming cup of tea, the aroma rich and earthy. He placed it on the low wooden table before settling down across from Jiang Cheng, on the small wooden chair, eyes sharp with contemplation.

“You’ve done much for the village already.” the elder began, his fingers wrapping around his own cup. “More than we could have ever asked for.”

Jiang Cheng took a sip, letting the warmth spread through him before responding. “Spare the flattery, old man. I simply did what was asked of me.” he spoke, taking a sip of the tea, his words causing the elder to let out a chuckle.

But before he could say more, the faintest shift in the air caught their attention. Jiang Cheng turned his head slightly, his sharpened senses picking up the presence just beyond the door. He sighed. “You might as well come in.”

The door slid open hesitantly, revealing Lian, the elder’s great-granddaughter. Her eyes darted between the two men before settling on Jiang Cheng. “I-I brought breakfast.”

She held out a small wooden tray, a simple meal of steamed rice and pickled vegetables. Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow but took it without comment.

Yaozhi chuckled. “Lian, you don’t have to fuss over our guest.”

She huffed, crossing her arms, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

“He keeps skipping meals. Even an immortal needs to eat.”

Jiang Cheng spoke as he took a bite, not one to waste food.

“Not an immortal. Merely a cultivator.”

“Well, an immortal should at least take care of themselves.” she muttered, thinking that Cheng must not have been eating, except for the breakfast she brought him the past few days, wanting to get on his good side.

It was clear that the young girl, used to the familiar faces of the villagers, had developed a crush on the first real man she ever met, as no other villager was around her age.

Unfortunately, as pretty as she was, Cheng had no interest in settling down, much less having a relationship yet. And besides, she was rather young compared to him, and despite it being rather normal, according to one or two books he read, It wasn't something that interested him.

He knew that a real relationship needed time. And that time right now was vital to his cultivation.

Jiang Cheng picked at the rice, but his thoughts were already elsewhere. He would finish up with repairing the well and return.

Half a week later, Jiang Cheng stood before the well, the final brick in his hand. He exhaled, focusing his Qi as he pressed the stone against the structure. The energy within him surged, flowing into the cracks and crevices, vibrating ever so slightly.

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The sensation was strange the first few times he performed the technique. Unlike destructive Qi techniques that shattered stone, this one required delicate precision.

His Qi seeped into the material, connecting the two stones, one in his hand and the one in the well, forcing the stones to recognize themselves as a whole rather than separate pieces. It was slow, methodical work, partly due to his slight unfamiliarity with using the technique so many times at once, and the sluggishness of his Qi. But as the final brick melted into place, a deep sense of satisfaction settled within him.

Done.

He stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow. The well was stronger than before, its foundation reinforced, and the water purified of residual Lightning Qi. It would stand for decades to come.

Unless the world hated this well in particular, and dropped another tree on it.

The villagers gathered at a distance, awed yet hesitant. None dared approach, their reverence toward him unchanged. Only Elder Yaozhi stepped forward, his expression unreadable.

“It’s complete.” Jiang Cheng said simply.

The elder nodded, stroking his beard. “You have done more than enough.”

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Jiang Cheng didn’t respond.

“Before you go.” Yaozhi said, stepping forward and placing a small, worn book in his hands. “A gift. This contains all the knowledge I have on cultivation and herbal remedies. It is not much, but perhaps you will find some use for it.”

With surprise in his eyes, Jiang Cheng flipped through the pages briefly. The elder’s handwriting was meticulous, detailing various plants, their medicinal properties, and even a few basic pill recipes, likely learned during his time as an apprentice trainee, or whatever position the old man had managed to grab in the gardens.

What was the difference between the two terms anyway? Cheng mused, deciding to check that out. The tower of records more than likely had the answer to that and many other questions he had.

The only obstacle was that he'd have to read to find out. And the fact that he was not immortal, blessed not to age.

Elder Yaozhi gave Cheng a rare gift. Cultivation insights aside, knowledge of pill making was strictly lacking within the outer sect, and for an outer disciple like him, this was very rare.

He suspected it was to once again make sure that most outer sect disciples would remain the working hands they brought them in for.

He closed the book and tucked it into his robes, cupping his hands in a formal gesture of respect. “Thank you.”

The elder only smiled. “May your path lead you to greatness.”

Without another word, Jiang Cheng turned and walked away. He did not look back, even as he felt Lian’s gaze on his back, watching in silence.

She had never confessed her feelings, and he had never acknowledged them. Besides, she was a little too young

If she couldn’t even voice such, then there was nothing to discuss. All this was merely a crush she had on the first guy that was not from the village where she had lived her whole life. Not that he was willing to just sit in a small village in the middle of the sect's territory, and spend his whole life here.

Both he and his subconscious wanted to see it all. From the capital city, to the feared Necropolis of the Wicked Corpse Sect.

His path lay ahead, and he would not be swayed.

Jiang Cheng moved at a steady pace along the dirt road, his boots pressing into the packed earth with each step. The wind carried the scent of pine and damp soil, the quiet hum of the wilderness occasionally broken by distant birdsong. A Day or two passed uneventfully, and he welcomed the solitude.

By the second day, as he crested a gentle slope, his sharp eyes caught movement ahead. A small caravan trundled along the dirt road, three well crafted carriages moving in a neat line.

The lead carriage was the largest, covered in polished black lacquer with gold tracing the edges, its roof adorned with an intricate emblem, one he did not recognize. The second and third carriages were smaller but equally well maintained, their wooden frames reinforced with iron bands, their wheels thick to withstand rough terrain.

What truly caught his attention, however, was the number of guards. At least two dozen men surrounded the carriages, armed with swords and spears, their armor plain but sturdy. They moved in disciplined formation, their eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

Though from what Cheng could sense, none of them were close to the late stage, with the strongest being around the start of the early stage Qi condensation.

Wealthy merchants, Jiang Cheng mused, though he knew that merchants traveling through sect controlled territories rarely needed such heavy protection. Perhaps someone important was within those carriages.

It seemed like he had stumbled upon some kind of traveling merchant, passing through the sect. No one too important, though, he mused, as no sect members were guarding them.