5 Ups and Downs of a New Life (1/2)

Shin Sumi first made a stop at the Cultivation Resources Pavillion to get her first monthly payment of spirit stones.

According to the rules of the sect, each disciple could get a few resources per month to help in their cultivation.

Of course the amount one could receive varied depending on the color of their robes.

The clerk in charge of the Pavillion when Shin Sumi showed up was a red-robed disciple.

He first laughed when Shin Sumi asked for four lower grade spirit stones.

”Who do you think you are ? Ahaha Brother Gu, come and look at that baby chick who thinks she is a phoenix !”

Without saying a word, Shin Sumi closed off her heart from the feeling of guilt rising once again in her guts.

On the outside she forcefully wore a smile full of contempt and disdain as she produced her identification medallion.

As soon as the two red robed clerks saw the imprint on the medallion, their jaws dropped.

Even though they couldn't use divine sense to check what was inside the identification medallion, the simple word 'green' hand carved on its surface was enough to make them swallow their words.

”Now you wouldn't want to bear the consequences of angering that baby chick, would you ?”

Shin Sumi almost blushed. She couldn't believe she actually said those words out loud !

Who would have thought that the feeling of being superior and seeing others tremble in fear would be so exhilarating ?

Shin Sumi received her four lower grade spirit stones from the clerk who was now bowing as deeply as possible.

”I have to be careful though. Until I actually make progress in my cultivation I can't afford to let anybody know who I'm supposed to be.”

Shin Sumi remembered a sentence she had read in a book once. It had a deep impact on her as it said : 'The higher a man climbs, the harder the fall will be'.

Turning her head back towards the two red robed disciples, she spoke in a quiet voice.

”Ah, another thing. I remember your faces. If word were to spread that I'm actually a green robed disciple, that would ruin my disguise. You wouldn't want that, would you ?”

As she left, the two clerks immediately gave up on all ideas of telling their friends. A green robed disciple was bound to attain the Core Development stage one day or another, meanwhile it wasn't even sure that they would themselves get to the Liquid Realm.

The fear of offending such a high class disciple was a lot more significant than the satisfaction of telling a juicy story.

Once outside of the Cultivation Ressources Building, Shin Sumi let out a deep breath.

She wasn't used to lying and trying to be overbearing like that, it wasn't like her. Or at least like the old her.

Now that she was decided to change, Shin Sumi wouldn't let herself be bullied by the likes of Chu Erlong for too long.

Shin Sumi walked for a while in the lower valley, taking in the sights for the first time.

She visited most of the cultivation buildings and the major landmarks, as well as the secondary valley where disciples grew crops and raised beasts.

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With her status in the Honorary Disciples class, Shin Sumi didn't actually have to work the fields or the farms. Just like having a courtyard, it was one of the perks of being above the others.

Shin Sumi slowly learned that it was how the cultivation world worked. The talented had a better status, and just like the strong feed on the weak, the talented had better access to cultivation ressources without having to work as hard as the others.

It was profoundly unfair, ensuring that the strong always remained strong. But how could Shin Sumi complain ?

She had no talent at all, and would never have been allowed in the sect if not for coincidental circumstances.

She didn't ask for it but the world now viewed her as strong. It was a rare chance to climb up the ladder, as long as nobody found out she was actually the worst of them all.

Luckily for her, Shin Sumi didn't have to resort to her status to pick up a few grains of spirit plants and flowers.

The introduction to the different species being cultivated in the fields in the newcomer's guide was very concise, but Shin Sumi knew that they were a source of Shinsoo.

Normally the Shinsoo imbued in one of those spirit plants was too low to cultivate even for a red robed disciple but Shin Sumi had virtually no trace of spiritual energy inside her.

By growing the plants inside her private courtyard, she was hoping that it would allow her to bathe in Shinsoo even in her sleep.

The sun was setting above the clouds when Shin Sumi decided to head home.

The lower valley couldn't be considered as huge, but was still big for a mortal and the walk home took time.

When Shin Sumi finally closed the door of her courtyard behind her, she was yawning from not having slept in more than a full day and having walked so much.

Too tired to plant the seeds immediately, she left them on the table inside, with her four low grade spirit stones.

The courtyard had been unmanned for years but the water in the pond was still clear and fresh, alimented with spring water coming from a small waterfall.

Shin Sumi's clothes fell freely on the stone bench as she untied her robe.

In the privacy of the courtyard walls and closed gate, the cold water of the pond embraced her as she bathed for a while.

After getting rid of her sweat and the light layer of dust on her skin, Shin Sumi laid down on the rocks, half submerged in the pond.

The water had a soothing effect and Shin Sumi slowly drifted into sleep, not even bothered by the lazy fish swimming around her.

She woke up the next day feeling completely rejuvenated. Her eyes still unfocused opened to the flashing of her wrist.

The dark red pattern was once again showing, but this time something about it was different.

The leaf seemed more alive than before, and was oriented in a different way !

”I am certain that yesterday the point of the leaf was towards my hand ! This time it's the complete opposite !”

Getting up and drying herself, Shin Sumi once more donned her robes, not leaving her wrist out of her sight.

As soon as she turned around, the leaf turned with her; itself always pointing in the same direction ! The house in the back of the courtyard !

Following the leaf as if it was giving directions, Shin Sumi entered her house.

The first thing she saw upon opening the door was the table.

Everything was exactly as she left them. Drawing a bit closer, Shin Sumi discovered the nut.

There is was on the table, munching on the seeds she had brought back from her trip to the fields.

”Noooo ! What are you doing ?!! Don't eat them, I need them to cultivate !”

As soon as she saw the strange scene, Shin Sumi tried to push the nut away from the seeds.

Her hands brushed the table a few times but the nut would always slip between her fingers, eating a bunch of seeds each time.

For once the nut would not allow her to touch it, ironically.

It was only after seeing the nut gobble up the four low grade spirit stones in one fell swoop that Shin Sumi finally managed to get her hands on it.

Frustrated as she was, she yelled a bit at the nut laying on her palm, unmoving.

Throwing it away in a corner, Shin Sumi was really angry.

In order to calm herself down, she proceeded to clean the house a bit.

”Urgh that damn nut... What am I going to do now ? I wish I had a book to read... I miss the library ” she mused in silence.

The amount of dust she wiped with her old robes still dirty from her adventures in the forest showed how long it must have been since the house had its last occupant.

When Shin Sumi was finally done with the inside of the house, she started cleaning the courtyard too.

Ignoring the leaf on her wrist, Shin Sumi worked the whole afternoon.

It was with a calmed down heart that she looked at the entire courtyard, a smile on her face.

The place was now much more attractive and colorful. Removing the moss that had grown everywhere had been a strenuous work, but had been worth it.

The stones that made the steps leading to the house were almost scintillating with different colors.

The bench under the little plum tree was covered in intricate carvings.

Now that she had cleaned everything up neatly, the courtyard gave Shin Sumi a sense of familiarity that she had never felt before.

It was as if now the courtyard was her home. It was hers and no one else's.

A whole day had passed while she was cleaning, and the sky was darkening again.

”Now what can I do ? I would have given cultivation a try if that damn nut hadn't eaten all my seeds and spirit stones !”