NOVEL NEXT Chapter 64: Five Years
"Hey boss! Can we get some more liquor?"
An elderly man's drunk voice echoed through the slowly emptying dining area of the inn.
From around the counter, the old woman grumbled in a rather loud voice.
"Get lost, you old man! I promised Sister Xiang to not let you drink any more than one bottle."
Hearing her response, the old man pouted and quietly left the inn after putting his payment on the table.
Seeing the last customer of the day leave, the old woman let out a deep, relieving sigh.
"Tian! Mira! The customers are gone!" She called out.
From a door behind the counter, two figures emerged.
Both Feng Tian and Mira came out smiling. Their bodies had somewhat matured. Too mature to be compared to their 5-year-old self.
After all, a total of 5 years had passed since then.
Lucian had finally turned 10 years old, and so did Mira. Their heights had increased. And while Lucian's body had grown stronger with muscles, Mira wasn't that far behind in fitness either.
Just by looking at their physiques, one could easily tell they had trained.
Dressed in light blue robes, they hopped their way playfully to the front of the counter.
"Good work, you two." The woman said, smiling.
"Mmm...!" Both Lucian and Mira nodded in unison.
"Now go and freshen up, then we'll have dinner together!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Saluting dramatically, both of them left chuckling.
***
Standing in his room, Lucian silently picked his clothes from the nearby drawer.
"In the last 10 years, so many things have changed." He muttered in a low voice, dozing as he began changing his clothes.
Removing his inn uniform, his newly formed muscles were revealed. A well-shaped physique strengthened through years of strict training.
He then removed the clip holding his hair together, letting it flow majestically down his back.
'Who knew the innkeeper would turn out to be a kind-hearted woman? Realizing that I had decided to take care of a lower-class child, the lady offered us to stay here and work in the inn. And thus, for the last five years, we've been earning our keep.'
'Though, in the meantime, I have not been able to advance my cultivation.' He shook his head, though not in disdain but with an expectant smile.
It wasn't that Lucian couldn't advance his cultivation. In fact, in the first two months, Lucian had sensed the breakthrough nearing. However, he didn't want to.
The technique that he had inherited from Tianlong Bai—Abyssal Qinglong Soul Scripture—strictly prohibited any advancements.
"According to what I read, it strictly restricts any advancements in cultivation until the age of 10. The scripture refers to one's soul as a 'flame' and body as a 'holder.' To harness such flame, one must need to hone their physique to the edge before the age of 10."
The scripture also warned disciples to not take the warnings lightly. For if one were to learn soul arts before the age, their own soul would begin to weaken.
Before long, it would diminish, leading to an end without reincarnation. However, if one were to start too late, the body wouldn't be able to withstand the gathering soul pressure.
In the end, the body would explode.
Either way, what awaited Lucian was death. Thus, he had no choice but to play by such rules.
However, that didn't mean that Lucian didn't make any progress.
---
———————————————————
[#~Status~#]
———————————————————
[Name] - Feng Tian (Lucian Cross)
[Race] - Human
[Cultivation] - Body Forging Realm
└ [Stage] - 1st
[Lifespan] - 10 / 125 years
[Talent] - ???
***
[Element of Creation] - Infinity (Sealed)
└ [Traits] - [Transcendence (E)] (Sealed)
***
[Unique Authority] - Infinite Qi
└ [State] - Sealed
***
[Stats]
└ [HP] - 1000 / 1000
└ [Stamina] - 1000 / 1000
└ [Qi] - 5 / 1
└ [Note: Each numeric value represents a year's worth of Qi.]
***
[Attributes]
└ [Strength] - 17
└ [Agility] - 20
└ [Dexterity] - 18
└ [Intelligence] - 30
└ [Endurance] - 16
[Current Unassigned Points] - 0
***
[Inventory]
└ [Reinforced Leather Armor] (×1)
└ [Iron Longsword] (×1)
└ [Common Qi Gathering Pill] (×25)
└ [Common Body Tempering Pill] (×20)
└ [Minor Healing Pill] (×30)
└ [Common Spirit Recovery Pill] (×20)
└ [Common Bone Strengthening Pill] (×15)
└ [Common Blood Circulation Pill] (×15)
└ [Common Detoxification Pill] (×10)
└ [Minor Stamina Recovery Pill] (×15)
└ [Common Meridian Warming Pill] (×10)
└ [Common Iron Skin Pill] (×10)
└ [Lower-Grade Qi Replenishing Elixir] (×20)
└ [Common Blood Restoration Elixir] (×15)
└ [Minor Muscle Repair Elixir] (×15)
└ [Minor Focus Enhancement Elixir] (×10)
└ [Lower-Grade Spirit Stones] (×40)
└ [Cracked Spirit Stones] (×30)
└ [Common Beast Core (Body Forging)] (×12)
└ [Common Beast Core (Qi Condensation)] (×8)
└ [Common Beast Blood Vial] (×20)
└ [Common Beast Bone Fragments] (×25)
└ [Basic Qi Gathering Array] (×6)
└ [Basic Defensive Array] (×6)
└ [Basic Qi Stabilizing Array] (×6)
└ [Basic Healing Talisman] (×25)
└ [Minor Defense Talisman] (×20)
└ [Fire Talisman (Low-Grade)] (×15)
└ [Empty Jade Bottles] (×50)
***
[Current Tasks]
└ [Main Task] - Survive the Divine Purge!
└ [Status] - Pending
---
"Lord, help my eyes..." Lucian blankly stared at the softly humming system window.
"Well, anyways, I got a shit ton of items through the system's daily sign-in." He grinned slightly, slipping his hands into his newly washed pair of robes.
As the black overlapped white, he fastened the belt and quickly adjusted his hair.
Then, he headed downstairs. Before long, he sat with Mira—dressed in a mix of teal and white—across a shared table.
On the tabletop, a few dishes were set steaming hot. Lucian looked at Mira, slightly drooling as she widened her eyes before her favorite food.
At last, as the innkeeper came and sat down, they began eating their dinner.
It was then that Lucian softly spoke, "Aunt, I believe it's time."
Hearing his words, the woman froze. She slowly looked at Lucian. Although he had aged, she could see the outlines of a childlike face overlapping his true appearance.
She smiled bitterly, "I see... Since you've called me Aunt... Know that this place is equally yours. If things get rough, come back. Alright?"
"Of course." He silently nodded.
Even if it had only been 5 years, without a doubt, Lucian had grown closer to the inn, the woman who offered him kindness, a true friend—Mira, and the memories that he unexpectedly made in this place.
He had thought of this day the moment he accepted the old woman's offer to work as an inn-boy. Though, now that the day had arrived, he hesitated.
Ever since that day, Mira became popular throughout the entire town. She was becoming known as a specialty of this inn. Her honest and never-ending comments were what truly fueled her fame.
There were even times when Lucian simply filled her mouth with food to let her and himself take a breather.
However, today she sat in complete silence. Unmoving.