5 Ups and Downs of a New Life (2/2)
Shin Sumi was forcing herself to calm down once again when suddenly her wrist started pulsing.
”What is ... Uh ?”
The leaf pattern was still dull, and no light was emitted from it, but Shin Sumi could feel something.
It was like a pulse calling her from the inside. It was a peculiar sensation; the likes of which she had never experienced before.
She just couldn't ignore it!
Full of curiosity and a little bit of apprehension, she once again walked inside her room.
The corner where she had thrown the nut to was empty, it was nowhere to be seen.
Without even trying to ask herself how the nut could move for the thousandth time, Shin Sumi followed the red leaf contrasting with her skin to find the nut.
The nut was inside her robes, in the top shelf of the dresser.
”Seriously ?” Shin Sumi couldn't help but ask, as she found the nut in the folds where her upper torso would have been, had she worn the robes before.
But that wasn't as surprising as what she found next to it.
The nut was unmoving, just like any inanimate object, in the middle of a bunch of seeds.
When Shin Sumi was in the fields the previous day, she had brought back a fistfull of spirit plants and spirit flower seeds.
The seeds were all brown and hard to recognize from one another, at the time.
So how could the seeds now be all colorful and giving off a fragrant aroma ?!
Carefully, Shin Sumi picked up the dress, not letting anything fall to the floor before she reached the table.
The nut rolled almost immediately along her fingers, returning to her wrist where it disappeared in a flash of light.
The leaf symbol disappeared as well, her wrist once again returning to its natural white and smooth complexion.
Judging by sight alone, the amount of seeds seemed to be somewhat the same as what she remembered picking up.
But something was still missing.
”Where are the low grade spirit stones ? I need them more than the seeds ! Ah ?”
Spreading the seeds on the table, Shin Sumi quickly found what she was waiting for.
The four low grade spirit stones she had acquired were not bigger than her pinky nail, approximately the same as the many seeds.
The only difference was the murky white color that the spirit stones gave off.
Carefully picking them up from the colored seeds, Shin Sumi observed them a bit closer.
The four stones were a bit bigger than what she remembered, but not by much. The most interesting though was the golden gleam they emanated.
In comparison the previous four stones were definitely a lot less pure and their light was dull.
”I know what they are ! High grade spirit stones !!”
Closing her palm tightly around her treasure, Shin Sumi fetched the newcomer's guide with one hand and nervously turned the pages.
”Where was it ? Where was it ?! ”
It was evident with the tone of her voice that she was more than confused and excited by the idea of having four high grade spirit stones right there in her hand !
What was a high grade spirit stone compared to a low grade one ? Comparing the two was like comparing the Heaven and Earth !
A low grade spirit stone contained a bit of Shinsoo inside. It wasn't something rare at all, and even a sect like the Dark Sky Starry Sect had a good amount of them.
In fact the Dark Sky Starry Sect had enough to provide all their disciples with their monthly stipend for thousands of years.
But it was still low grade spirit stones. Even though they had a bit of Shinsoo naturally imbued into them, it was not a lot.
Shin Sumi had read in the book that a middle grade spirit stones was worth roughly a thousand low grade ones !
That was already a rarity for small sects and the Dark Sky Starry Sect would only give some away to disciples for meritorious services or as a prize for tournaments.
But that still wasn't too rare, as the Dark Sky Starry Sect still had a few to spare.
But a high grade spirit stone was worth a thousand middle grade spirit stones !
Even a single one had enough Shinsoo to make up for the sect's expenses for more than a year !
Shin Sumi couldn't help but read all the information she had over and over again.
Her eyes were shining like two bright pearls and her jaw was continuously open.
”It's... It's really an Immortal treasure !!”
Shin Sumi didn't dare to part with her four high grade spirit stones for even a second as she danced a bit in excitement in her room.
When she finally calmed down enough to think rationally again, she blurted out ”Little nut ! Come out !”
For a few seconds nothing happened. But then in a flash of light way less impressive than before, a little grey nut materialized with a leaf pattern on her skin.
The nut didn't seem to move at first, as if it was wondering if Shin Sumi was still angered or not.
Seeing as she had tried to stop it from eating the seeds earlier, the nut was now a bit suspicious of her.
”Come on, I'm not gonna throw you away this time ! I swear !! Little nut, did you do that ? Was it you who turned the low grade stones into high grade spirit stones ?!”
Now convinced of her good intentions, the nut started to roll around happily.
From the outside it looked just like a grey ball randomly rolling around, but somehow Shin Sumi could feel that it was genuinely happy.
The sentient nut felt more proud than ever.
”How did you do that ? It's just like the book isn't it ? Everything you steal becomes better ?” Shin Sumi couldn't help but ask.
What the nut had done with the seeds and the spirit stones was exactly the same as what the book had done with the Shinsoo Gathering Manual.
Although the nut was sentient, it clearly did not have a high level of intelligence, it simply kept rolling around happily.
Shin Sumi felt a little disappointed.
”If I'm staying in this Dark Sky Starry Sect to cultivate, I'll have all the time I want to understand things. Maybe once I start cultivating I will be able to understand more.”
Until the nut had produced the four high grade spirit stones, Shin Sumi had still been hesitating as to whether to leave the sect or stay for a bit longer.
Since she had no talent, cultivating normally would be painstakingly long. But now, the highly concentrated Shinsoo of the stones could give her a better chance at cultivation !
Besides, being in a real Immortal sect was a once in a lifetime chance. Even though Shin Sumi still didn't feel like it was made for her, at least it was a good opportunity to get her hands on Immortal books.
”It's such a pity that only Liquid Realm disciples have the rights to access the sect's Library of Spirit Arts and Techniques.”
Luckily for her, the strange sentient nut-book that seemed connected to her by destiny gave her all the reasons she needed to stay in the sect.
”It's decided. As long as I can keep on reading new books, Shin Sumi will become an Immortal !”
Soon after the sentient nut was back inside her wrist, Shin Sumi felt herself yawning a few times as the clouds became darker and darker; all the handiwork of the day and the excitement had a toll on her body.
Shin Sumi put all the seeds on the bench outside, intending on planting them all the next day.
”Now the spirit stones...”
Afraid of leaving her newfound treasure out in the open, Shin Sumi put the spirit stones in her bag of holding and proceeded to hide it under her mattress.
”It's probably paranoïa, but just to be sure.”
The courtyard was quite isolated from the rest of the sect but she couldn't risk having someone look inside the window and seeing the spirit stones by accident.
Unlike the courtyard which was hidden by the tall gate and walls erected all around, the house had windows providing a direct view at the sect outside.
Shin Sumi was about to go bathe in her private pond when an idea emerged in her mind. Quickly running back inside, she picked up one of the high grade spirit stones.
When she entered the fresh water, she was holding the spirit stone tightly between her white fingers.
Putting it in a rock crevice to make sure the current wouldn't move it at all, she finally relaxed.
Shin Sumi found sleep easily this night, her excitement and tiredness being washed away by the running water all around her.