5: Chapter 5 A Promising Future

It was late in the Wei hour, and as the sun began to slant westward, Lin Qing and his group finally arrived at the city gates.

A steady stream of people flowed beneath the gates—travelers with packs on their backs and merchants carrying goods—all waiting in an orderly line to enter the city.

Lin Qing blended into the crowd, slowly shuffling forward with the flow of people.

Entering the city went without much fuss. Apparently, Huichun Hall held some reputation; after being asked for some basic information and paying a fee of ten copper coins, he was allowed inside.

The moment he stepped into Qingyang City, the bustling atmosphere of the marketplace washed over him.

Along the wide streets, shops stood row upon row. The cries of vendors from restaurants and tea houses, the jingling of bells from passing carriages, and the chatter of Martial Artists all intertwined.

Yunlan County was located in the western part of the Great Xia Dynasty, and its subordinate Qingyang County sat adjacent to the Qingyang Mountains. As a natural treasure trove, the county town frequently hosted visiting Martial Artists, making Qingyang County exceptionally lively and prosperous.

The time had come for the group of travelers to part ways. Lin Qing quickly cupped his hands in a salute to the others.

"Thank you all for looking out for me on this journey. It's getting late, and I have many things to attend to, so we shall part here."

The others also cupped their hands to bid him farewell. After a few brief pleasantries, they each turned and went their separate ways.

He had already learned on the road that none of the martial arts halls provided accommodation. Therefore, the most urgent matter at hand was to find a place to settle down.

After walking for only a short while, he spotted a Brokerage. Clearly, the proprietor had intentionally opened the shop near the city gate. With the Wei hour drawing to a close, he needed to secure a place quickly; otherwise, staying at an inn for the night would be another expense.

An hour later, Lin Qing tucked away his keys and paid the middleman three taels of silver. This covered a security deposit and three months' rent. The original rent was eight hundred wen per month, but Lin Qing had bargained it down to a total of three taels for the initial payment.

Although the courtyard wasn't large, it was kept very clean. The layout was simple and clear: one bedroom, one kitchen, and a small toilet.

The courtyard was paved with large stone slabs, making it convenient for practicing martial arts. There was also a well in the corner, perfectly meeting the needs of someone living alone.

Furthermore, it was only a fifteen-minute walk from here to the Panshi Martial Arts Hall. In the other direction, it took only twenty minutes to reach the Flowing Cloud Martial Arts Hall.

He gave the courtyard a quick cleaning and moved his belongings into the bedroom. After a brief tidy-up, he immediately headed out to a bookstore in the city.

His goal for this trip was very clear: to purchase a basic health preservation technique to prepare for his entry into the martial path.

Following the directions of passersby, Lin Qing quickly found a shop that sold books. In one corner of the store, various basic martial arts techniques were displayed, most of which were low-grade saber, fist, and movement techniques.

Lin Qing walked straight to the martial arts shelf, picked up a copy of the "Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art," flipped it open, and silently browsed the text and diagrams.

The technique wasn't difficult, somewhat resembling the Tai Chi or Baduanjin from his previous life. Just as he finished reading the entire content of the book, he felt a sensation. He mentally whispered "Panel," and a pale blue light screen materialized before his eyes.

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: Mortal (Breakthrough time: ∞)

Fused Cultivation Techniques (Expand)

Recorded Cultivation Techniques: Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art (0/100)

Lin Qing felt a surge of joy, but he kept a calm expression as he closed the book and casually picked up another.

He hadn't expected his System to have such a miraculous effect. He only needed to read the contents of a technique once to record it directly, without having to spend money to buy it.

Suppressing his inner excitement, Lin Qing pretended to browse casually, picking up another health preservation technique from the shelf to flip through.

However, finishing an entire technique wasn't that fast. Just as he finished recording the third one, the owner walked over. Seeing Lin Qing's patch-covered clothes, he didn't look very welcoming.

"Kid, are you buying or not? We're about to close."

Lin Qing glanced at the sky outside and didn't bother arguing with the owner; he had already gotten a huge bargain. He paid two-tenths of a tael of silver, bought the last book, the "Spleen Strengthening Health Preservation Technique," and hurried away.

Originally, having just arrived in the county town, Lin Qing had planned to find a restaurant to treat himself. Now, he was naturally not in the mood. He spent twenty copper coins at a roadside stall for a bowl of pig trotter rice and returned to his small courtyard along the familiar streets.

Closing the courtyard gate, he didn't rest for a moment and immediately began practicing according to the "Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art" recorded in his mind.

Fifteen minutes later, after completing the final movement, Lin Qing's mind stirred, and he opened the panel.

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: Mortal (Breakthrough time: ∞)

Fused Cultivation Techniques (Expand)

Recorded Cultivation Techniques: Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art (1/100), Pure Harmony Nourishing Essence Technique (0/100), Meridian-Soothing Mind-Calming Technique (0/100)

The progress for the "Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art" on the panel had increased by one point, and Lin Qing felt excited. All the various tensions from his Transmigration were eased by practicing the health preservation technique once.

Lin Qing relaxed and began practicing in the courtyard over and over again.

He had been traveling for most of the day and was already exhausted. It was only by relying on his excitement that he had practiced the technique for so long. By now, the progress of the "Clear Mind Health Cultivation Art" on the panel had reached five points.

"Damn! I forgot to buy candles."

He had no choice but to draw some water in the dark and perform a simple wash. He washed away his fatigue and the lingering confusion in his heart.

Everything was going according to plan, and he had unexpectedly obtained several more techniques.

"The future is promising!"

Lin Qing walked toward the bedroom in the dark, intending to get a good night's sleep.

"Damn! I forgot to buy bedding."