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By the time Wei Long returned to the town, night had fallen, and the streets were quiet. The marketplace, once filled with vendors and townspeople, now stood empty, the stalls covered and the lights dimmed. A cool breeze swept through the town, carrying with it the scent of the river that snaked through the valley.Wei Long made his way to the town hall, where the mayor was likely still attending to his duties. Despite the fatigue that weighed on him, he walked with a newfound sense of purpose. The battle against the bandits had changed something within him. He had faced danger head-on, and though his cultivation was still raw, his instincts had proven strong. He wasn’t just a boy from the village anymore—he was a cultivator, however unrefined.
Inside the town hall, a few lamps flickered, casting long shadows across the stone walls. Wei Long approached the mayor’s office and knocked firmly on the door.
“Enter,” came the mayor’s gruff voice from within.
Pushing open the door, Wei Long stepped inside to find the mayor seated at his desk, scribbling away on a piece of parchment. The man looked up, his sharp eyes narrowing as they settled on the young cultivator.
“Well? Did you do it?” the mayor asked, setting his quill aside and leaning back in his chair.
Without a word, Wei Long reached into his satchel and produced the proof of the bandit leader’s demise—a worn, bloodstained badge that the leader had carried on his armor. He placed it on the mayor’s desk, the heavy silence in the room stretching for a moment.
The mayor stared at the badge, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t think you had it in you, boy.”
“I told you I could handle it,” Wei Long replied, his voice steady. “Now, about the reward.”
The mayor nodded and pulled open a drawer from his desk. He produced a small pouch filled with silver coins, which he placed on the desk with a soft clink. Wei Long reached for it, but the mayor’s hand suddenly shot out, resting atop the pouch. His eyes met Wei Long’s, a hard glint in them.
“There’s more to this world than bandits and silver, boy,” the mayor said, his voice low. “You’ve proven yourself capable, but if you plan to survive out there, you’ll need more than just brute strength. You’ll need allies. Information.”
Wei Long’s hand paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What are you getting at?”
The mayor leaned forward, lowering his voice. “The world outside this town is dangerous, especially for a young cultivator like you. There are forces at play that you can’t even begin to understand—powerful sects, hidden clans, ancient enemies. If you’re smart, you’ll stay here, work for me. I have more jobs like this, and I can pay well. In time, you could even rise in the ranks.”
Wei Long’s mind raced. The offer was tempting. Staying in the town, working under the mayor, would provide stability—something he had rarely known. But deep down, he knew that he couldn’t stay. There was a bigger world out there, and he had barely scratched the surface. The mayor’s warning only made him more curious about the forces at play beyond this small town.
“I appreciate the offer,” Wei Long said slowly, “but I’m not staying. I have my own path to follow.”
The mayor’s expression darkened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he removed his hand from the pouch of silver and sat back in his chair. “Very well. But remember this: the path of a lone cultivator is fraught with danger. You won’t always have the luxury of picking your battles.”
Wei Long nodded, accepting the pouch of silver. He turned and made his way toward the door, but before he could leave, the mayor’s voice called out once more.
“If you ever change your mind, boy, you know where to find me.”
Without replying, Wei Long stepped out of the office, the weight of the silver coins in his hand a reminder of the reward he had earned—and the risks he had taken to claim it.
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Back in the marketplace, Wei Long approached the stall where the old man had been selling cultivation manuals. The night had grown colder, and most of the vendors had already packed up and gone home, but the old man was still there, sitting quietly behind his stall, his gray beard rustling in the wind.
“I’ve got the silver,” Wei Long said, placing the pouch on the stall’s counter.
The old man raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised to see him again so soon. He reached for the pouch, counting out the coins with practiced precision, before nodding and handing Wei Long the cultivation manual he had been eyeing earlier.
“This will teach you the basics of energy refinement,” the old man said. “But remember, cultivation is not just about power. It’s about balance. Control. If you push too hard, too fast, you’ll lose yourself.”
Wei Long accepted the manual, his eyes scanning the worn cover. He had heard warnings like this before, but he couldn’t afford to wait. The faster he could grow, the sooner he could face the challenges ahead.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Wei Long said, turning to leave.
The old man watched him go, his eyes lingering for a moment before he spoke again. “Good luck, young cultivator. You’ll need it.”
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Wei Long returned to the small inn where he had rented a room. It wasn’t much—a simple bed, a small table, and a flickering candle—but it was quiet, and that was what he needed. He sat down at the table, unrolling the cultivation manual in front of him.
The text inside was dense, filled with diagrams and explanations of how to refine spiritual energy, how to focus the mind and body to draw power from the world around him. It was far more detailed than anything he had seen before, and as he read, Wei Long realized just how little he truly knew about cultivation.
For hours, he studied the manual, absorbing every detail, every technique. His mind buzzed with new information, and he could feel the possibilities expanding before him. But with each page, the challenges ahead seemed to grow larger. The world of cultivation was vast, and he was only at the beginning.
When the candle had burned low, Wei Long finally set the manual aside. His body ached from the battle earlier, but his mind was sharper than ever. He knew that he couldn’t stay in this town much longer. The mayor’s offer had made that clear—there were forces moving beyond his understanding, and if he stayed here, he would only be caught in their web.
His path lay elsewhere, beyond the hills and rivers, beyond the safety of this small town. But first, he needed to cultivate. He needed strength. Only then could he face whatever challenges awaited him in the world beyond.
Wei Long closed his eyes and began to meditate, letting the energy flow through him, guiding it with newfound precision. His journey had only just begun.