After walking into my cave abode, I find that a silky black curtain can be pulled over its entrance to create privacy from outside.
It's about three times as spacious as my old hut. The ambient qi in the air does not come from any specific direction. It floods in from the warm cave walls.
There is a cultivation mat, a cushioned bed, two large wooden chests, a bronze mirror, and a large shelf. It is still a very simple living arrangement, but the warm qi in the air makes me feel extremely comfortable.
Before even settling in, I pull the lottery die from my storage, and roll it on the black cave floor.
[Ding!]
[Minor Lottery Draw Successful!]
[x1 Spirit Eye Jade][2nd Tier Perception Item]
While infusing the small green and white jade eye carving with my qi imprint, I drop the rest of my belongings into the closest chest to me.
[Ding!]
[Spirit Eye Jade has bound to the Host!]
[Passive Ability: NONE.]
[Active Ability: 5 Uses, Non-Rechargeable. This artifact can be activated to grant the wielder 2 seconds of spiritual perception equal to the range of a mid-level foundation establishment cultivator.]
The small jade eye in my palm feels cool to the touch, but with my mental imprint, I can feel the enormous amount of energy within.
I let it fall into my storage, right beside the Azure Lightning Talisman I claimed last night.
The long 8-kilometer walk through the forest while using my concealment art has tired me out quite a bit. Last night, I didn't get a wink of sleep either.
I walk over to the small bed and collapse, releasing slightly more of my aura to alleviate the pressure building up.
Every single steward in this living quarters is between the first and third level of qi refinement. Every cave is over 15 meters apart. I highly doubt any of them will be able to sense my presence, so I feel safe letting slightly more than usual out.
While drifting off, a simple grin forms on my face.
A sense of fulfillment grows inside me, as the first step of this Sect's hierarchy has finally been climbed.
Now, I must keep my head down even more, and study the power structures and general sentiments of the cultivators here. I cannot get overly excited before I even reap the rewards.
–
When the sun rises early the next morning, I feel fully restored.
I collect my new upgrade cards, bringing my total to 11. However, in a matter of seconds it's brought back down to 8. I upgrade 2 more qi gathering pills, and use another on a brown and blackened pill from my storage to fulfill a promise I made two nights ago.
Without hesitating, I pop one white and gold pill into my mouth and sit down to cultivate for an hour.
Once the hot raw qi from one pill has fully settled in my dantian and spiritual roots, I get up and activate my concealment art, throw on my steward's robe, and walk outside to start my day.
The dining hall is crowded in the morning, so I stand in line and mind my own business.
The majority of stewards are 8th and 9th grade root cultivators above 50 years old.
A large amount are men too. I only spot 2 older women in total after managing to scan three dozen stewards.
There aren't any interesting secrets I've uncovered. Most are petty crimes, like stealing pills, or killing fellow stewards. I quickly decide who to avoid, but still do not strike up any conversation on my first day here.
I keep my head down, grab a tray of hot white rice, meat buns, and green tea, and sit alone contemplating what I've discovered while studying my route of servants to oversee today.
There is a faint warm flow of qi within the tea I sip, giving me a pleasant surprise.
It is at the same time that I realize this steward quarters does not only house stewards working on the western expansion project.
About half of them come from a mountain over 100 kilometers away, called the Forging Peak.
From overhearing a few conversations, it sounds like there is a mid grade 1st tier black iron mine nearby, about 20 kilometers away. That is where many stewards have been working long-term, and where many of the expansion stewards will work again once the roads and clearings have made their way up to the ravine.
I finish my meal, and hand in the tray and tea cup with a smile, heading back to my cave with a slightly broader view of this servant quarters.
For the next few hours, I cultivate in peace, eating another qi gathering pill, then slowly coming off it by absorbing the ambient qi in the air.
It certainly isn't as strong as pills, or even using spirit stones directly, but it is pleasant and feels natural.
Eventually, I tie my new storage pouch to my waist and toss in a handful of spirit fragments for show, then head off down the dirt trail to start my new route.
By the time the sun starts to get low in the sky, I arrive at the first hut on the list.
One by one, I introduce myself with a firm first impression and take away all of the wood that servants have chopped.
The majority are young boys while some are older middle aged men. Almost everyone has a full metal bin ready.
There are a few with bruises and injuries that have them limping to greet me, yet I decide not to hit a single one of them today.
In fact, if they have a full metal bin, I give them a spirit fragment. If they have extra, adding up to a full bin's worth of logs, I even pay out two fragments.
If their bin is not yet full, I do not collect it, and do not pay them any spirit fragments.
Many bow with thankful eyes, and I know they will take advantage of my fairness and work harder.
Others, especially those that did not hand in a bin, I can see only relief in their eyes.
It will be a few days until I can see if they will become slackers, or recover their injuries and make use of my leniency to better themselves.
I burn through the 30 fragments Gu Shan gifted me, and use 8 more of my own before making it to the final hut I've saved for last as the sun almost fully sets.
Xu Hong leans up against her hut, twirling her axe around with her free hand as I approach.
"Looks like it all worked out. Fancy new robe you've got there."
Her gaze looks complex, looking me up and down, trying to figure out if I just used her and will dispose of her now; or if I'll truly fulfill my end of our deal.
I collect the 4 piles of chopped wood beside her hut, then turn to her while reaching into my system storage, pretending to tap the storage bag at my side.
A bright brown pill appears between my fingers, its golden vine patterns illuminating the forest.
"If this doesn't kill you, it will certainly make your path of cultivation much easier."
It is the single remaining marrow cleansing pill that was left in Zhou Kang's possession.
I can smell its efficacy. Even with my meridians already cleared out, and my impurities cleansed, I can still feel the urge to consume this pill on the spot strongly.
It is nowhere near as strong as Xu Hong's urges.
Her pupils dilate, and the axe swinging in her hand drops to the ground.
I hear her swallow saliva as she tries to maintain composure and moves her hand forward to delicately take the pill from me.
I drop 4 spirit fragments into her hand next to it. "And for your chopped wood, I can't be exploiting my servants on my first day."
With a smirk, I turn around, but still watch the purple-haired woman bow in my spiritual vision.
"Thank you. I promise you, I will survive."
"Good. You won't be useful to me if you don't."
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Author's Note:
One chapter of Five Element Overlord will be posted every weekday: M,T,W,TH,F.
If you'd like to support me, and read 25+ chapters ahead of the public release schedule, my patreon is linked in my bio:)
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