Scene 1 – The Price of Advancement
The next morning, Li Feng approached the traveling merchant, a man named Old Zhou.
"Young Li, what brings you here so early?" Old Zhou asked, adjusting his straw hat.
"I heard you brought medicinal herbs that help with calming the mind," Li Feng said.
Old Zhou chuckled. "Ah, word travels fast in Willow Shade Village. But rare herbs aren't cheap, boy."
"How much?"
"For the lowest-grade ones, a few copper coins. But the real mind-strengthening ones… those can go up to a silver coin per batch."
A silver coin. That was the price of a month's worth of rice for his family.
Li Feng clenched his fist. This was the same problem with body cultivation—everything had a cost. The basic cultivation manual could be purchased from a traveling scholar, but it cost three silver coins. Medicinal baths for body strengthening cost nearly five silver per batch.
Everything favored the wealthy.
Even spiritual cultivation required resources.
Was there truly no path for the poor?
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Scene 2 – Self-Sufficiency
Li Feng couldn't afford the high-quality herbs, but he wasn't discouraged. If the rich could buy their way forward, then the poor had to be resourceful.
He returned to the forest, carefully observing the plants. There were many types of vegetation—some bitter, some fragrant, some with subtle energy fluctuations.
He recalled past conversations with Old Lin. Some herbs, though weak on their own, could be combined to enhance their effects.
But theory was one thing—application was another.
His first step was to ask the older villagers, those who had lived through harsh winters and sickness. He learned that willow bark was often brewed into tea to ease fevers. Bluegrass root had been used by hunters to stay focused during long tracking sessions. River lotus, though rare, was known to calm anxious livestock.
With this knowledge, he began experimenting.
He carefully ground each ingredient, boiling them separately to test their effects. The first batch of willow bark tea left a bitter aftertaste but did make his thoughts feel clearer. The bluegrass root was too potent alone, making him dizzy when he consumed it in large amounts. The river lotus was mild but worked best when paired with the bluegrass root, balancing out its strength.
After weeks of trial and error, he found the optimal combination. A mixture of willow bark, bluegrass root, and river lotus, boiled for exactly five minutes, produced a tea that calmed his mind while sharpening his focus.
It wasn't as strong as the expensive herbs, but it was something.
A method for commoners.
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Scene 3 – The Role of Spiritual Power in Martial Souls
That night, Li Feng meditated once more, but his mind drifted to another contemplation.
Martial souls had attributes.
Some, like Evil Fire, influenced emotions. Ultimate attributes caused stagnation between rank 30 to 70. Others, like elemental affinities, affected soul skill development.
But what about spiritual power?
His theory was simple: martial souls were extensions of the soul. If spiritual power grew strong enough, could it refine the martial soul itself?
Perhaps this was why Tang San's Purple Demon Eye allowed him to resist soul shock. It wasn't just strengthening spiritual power—it was reinforcing the foundation of his martial soul.
So what did this mean for him, someone with Blue Silver Grass?
Could his spiritual cultivation elevate the potential of his seemingly weak martial soul?
If so, then this could be the missing key.
A way to surpass natural talent.
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Scene 4 – A New Exercise
With this theory in mind, Li Feng developed a new exercise.
He would cultivate his spiritual power while simultaneously activating his martial soul.
Blue Silver Grass was weak alone, but what if he surrounded himself with it?
Using the small patch of grass behind his house, he activated his martial soul while meditating. He synchronized his breathing with the rustling leaves, letting his senses extend into the environment.
For the first time, he felt something… different.
A resonance.
The surrounding grass responded to him, its presence clearer than before.
This was the first step in transforming his martial soul.
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Scene 5 – Change on the Horizon
The next morning, his mother noticed his change first.
"Feng'er, your eyes seem brighter today," she remarked.
His father, a man of few words, simply nodded in approval. "You look steadier."
His progress was small, but it was real.
With every step, Li Feng was proving that soul master cultivation could be accessible to all.
He wasn't just strengthening himself.
He was preparing to change the world.
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Scene 6 – The Merchant's Route
Before leaving, Li Feng casually asked, "Old Zhou, how often do you pass by here?"
The merchant stroked his beard. "Every two months, give or take. My route takes me from Willow Shade Village to Stone Brook, then to Clear Wind Town before heading back to the larger cities."
Li Feng's mind turned. That meant he had two months between visits to refine his methods. More importantly, Stone Brook and Clear Wind Town were both larger than his village. If his ideas were ever to spread, he needed to understand these places.
He smiled. "Safe travels, Old Zhou. I'll be waiting for your return."
The merchant chuckled. "With how fast you're growing, I'll expect you to be a soul master by then."
Li Feng simply nodded. He had no intention of following the conventional path of a soul master.
His path would be different.
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Scene 7 – The Problem of Wealth
That night, Li Feng sat by the river, staring at the reflection of the moon in the water.
Even if he had discovered a method to cultivate spiritual power, he was still shackled by reality. Cultivation required resources—medicine, food, time. His family was poor. The village barely had enough to support itself, let alone a young man experimenting with self-created soul rings and soul bones.
How could he make money?
Hunting was one option, but without a proper martial soul, he couldn't take down strong prey. He could help Old Lin with farm work, but that would only provide food, not wealth. The merchant route provided opportunities, but he had nothing of value to trade.
Unless…
He glanced down at the willow bark tea he had brewed.
The villagers used these herbs for survival, but what if he refined them further? If the traveling merchants sold expensive medicinal teas, then perhaps he could create a cheaper alternative for commoners.
It wouldn't be much, but it was a start.
With this thought in mind, Li Feng resolved to experiment further. If he could sell his teas to Old Zhou, he might have a way to support his cultivation without relying on charity or luck.
A small step, but an important one.