"oohh!, it's good to be out and about!"
"but I still prefer being in the safety of my nine trigrams all purpose defense formation"
Ethan was out in the herb garden, seated on a simple chair, in front of an ornate round desk, with a similar chair opposite his own on the other side.
On the desk, was a fancy kettle, still letting out steam, half empty with a fresh brew of herbal tea _ simple snacks and cookies on ceramic plates that also looked half eaten.
Ethan gazed ahead at the workers on the field going about their business, as he began to contemplate this last two weeks.
Two weeks before his stunt double arrived at the state capital city _ Ethan was given a mandate by the patriarch(family head now patriarch) _ that he is to report every morning to the herbs garden and assist with the work, due to them being 'short staffed' _ pending when he gets his spirit root tested.
Ethan looking around the herb garden, at the obviously overstaffed workers in grey robes, going about their business, found it hard to believe he was actually wanted here because they needed more hands.
He had been spending a lot more time with his mother lately _ ever since two weeks ago, when he was forced to start 'apprenticing' here _ all he did was, get here in the morning _ have some tea and snacks with his mother _ they would talk and laugh about any and everything they observed and he would return to his chamber before noon.
Ethan didn't mind this, since he used this opportunity to get to know more about the people around him and about his family by talking to his mother all the time .
But whenever he asks her about anything related to her family, she seems to always change the subject.
Ethan noticed this, but chose to ignore It, since she was not comfortable talking about it for some reason _ he would simply give her the time she needs, and when she's ready to tell him about the other side of his family, he would gladly welcome it.
He noticed his mother was particularly happy these days, since he was always spending time with her ever since he started apprenticing here, and that's all the more reason why he didn't mind going out in the herb garden.
If someone were to attack him right here in the open, he would have to rely on his other trump cards to defend himself and use that opportunity to dash for his courtyard.
Ethan had decided to push his new system mission ahead until after this his period of apprenticeship, which shouldn't be long since a child's supposed to get their spirit root checked before they two, so they can start gaining background education in the right discipline according to their spirit roots.
That is assuming the child has a spirit root to begin with _ most don't, and that's fine in this world _ the population of mortals are almost ten times that of cultivators since not many are destined to go on the part of cultivation.
The probability of having a spirit root becomes higher if one's parents both have spirit roots or either one of them has a spirit root of descent grade.
Ethan has also found out by putting his ears on the ground, that he apparently has a title amongst the people in his family .
'The cowardly son '
No doubt thanks to the yapping parrots who worked as his maids when he was still in his mother's courtyard and observed how he was terrified of the outside world.
After Ethan's mom got wind of this unflattering title, she dismissed those two maids after publicly chastising them for starting rumors about a kid _ Ethan personally didn't mind such a title _ but being called cowardly in a cultivation world is a monumental insult and to be called so and also be a prospective heir of a family makes it all the more embarrassing.
The rate at which the title stuck and quickly became public seemed suspicious _ like someone was intentionally trying to make it stick.
The missing head maid didn't register much with Ethan's mom .
She just casually asked Ethan why she hasn't seen her around him as of late, and he told her he was also wondering the same thing .
Ethan is about a year and a half now, but he looked like a five or six year old kid _ well, that's if you don't pull up his robes and see the monstrously defined muscles and veins underneath.
He learned from the system that since it's actively shielding his providence from being exposed, likewise his realm of spirit or mind cultivation can never be detected.
But that doesn't mean he had gained the skills of a stealthy assassin, the system doesn't shield his presence, movement, sound or actions _ just his cultivation and providence.
The past two months had been relatively chill, just the occasional visits from his mom and sisters, which he always hastily cuts short before abruptly returning to his cultivation _ at least until this last two weeks, where he was assigned to 'apprentice' with his mom _ more like freeload on snacks and tea if we're being honest.
There has been some preparations going on in the family for a while now, the rumor is that the ancestor would be coming out of seclusion ?!
Which left Ethan completely befuddled _ he didn't even know he had an ancestor _ but apparently, they have an ancestral hall where all the priced relics of the family are kept, and it also functions as a seclusion chamber for their ancestor.
And only the reigning patriarch of the family and the pronounced heir can gain access.
It is said to be located deep within the mountain, the base of which the Li family grounds rest.
And that a very high grade spirit vein is buried deep within _ on which the cultivation chamber of the ancestor was built.
How high was the grade of the spirit vein ? _ no one knows, but it couldn't be that high, since high grade treasures would be sensed by powerful cultivators.
Seeing as Ethan's father is just a foundation establishment peak realm cultivator _ this family shouldn't be able to lay claim to a high grade spirit vein.
Unless the speculation of the ancestor of the Li family being very strong is actually true.
But that also doesn't make any sense _ since the patriarch of the Li family is at present the most powerful individual here.
And he is only at the foundation establishment peak realm, so how powerful can this so-called ancestor of the Li Family be?
Most of this info, Ethan gathered from discussions with his mother, and some from rumors from gossiping family members he picked up with his keen hearing.
Ethan's schedule during this time was _ wake up early and get to the herb garden _ at noon , leave the herb garden and return to cultivate his sutra of a bald immortal monks technique for the rest of the day _ all the while cultivating his spirit and innate qi passively.
But while seeping tea in the garden, with his mother out in front giving instructions to the workers _ he pondered the current predicament of his body double.
The level of his sutra of a bald immortal monk's technique is not enough _ and he would either have to raise its level or raise his own cultivation.
Ethan made note to start working on all this simultaneously, as he also pondered how he would start making his own money .
He came to a startling realization, that the gossip he had heard from his maids when he was a baby, that his Li family was very rich. _ was sadly just an overexaggeration.
Well, from the point of view of maids, that were also mortals _ the Li family might seem very wealthy and powerful.
So it took Ethan's stunt double getting to the state capital to realise just how humble his little family actually is _ and how expensive the world of cultivation was.
In fact , he was proud of his father, for cultivating up to the peak of the foundation establishment realm, it must have taken a lot of family resources and decent talent on his end.
Ethan had come to realize that cultivation was for the very wealthy _ his family could nurture a lot of qi gathering realm and foundation establishment realm cultivators and elders, thanks in large to the fact that they manufacture and sell cultivation pills.
But the quality or quantity of the pills the family makes _ compared to what was out there, was just managing to corner a tiny share of the market.
An alchemist can only make so many pills in a month or a year _ it requires a team of very talented alchemists who also have the required cultivation, to put out pills of high grade and large quantity.
Take Ethan's father for example, who's revered as an alchemy lord, of which am sure is simply a title.
Because there are prerequisites to actually being an Alchemy lord _ one of which is being at the spirit integration realm.
Without the cultivation base of a spirit integration realm cultivator or something close _ producing earth grade pills are basically impossible.
Secondary Professionals can hold titles _ but don't be deceived _ their actual skill level might not even come close to that _ that's one weird thing Ethan has come to understand.
The most common pill grade qualities out there are mostly at the low to artifact grade.
Mortal to earth grade pills are as hard to come by as immoral grade treasures, and they are mostly auctioned and priced ridiculously high.
It also doesn't mean once you are an alchemist and you have a proper fire spirit root or its variant and an appropriate cultivation realm to boot, that you would automatically become a capable alchemist.
No, you might even be a spirit integration realm alchemist with a superb alchemy spirit root and still not be capable enough to make a simple high grade pill.
Having the right cultivation and the right spirit root, are just the prerequisites _ your comprehension level for alchemy determines your success and failure rates in producing cultivation pills.
The same applies to every other secondary or primary profession in the cultivation world.
That's why the Monica 'True' is added to titles given to genuine secondary profession holders in the cultivation world _ to differentiate people who are simply holding a title _ and those who have been consistent in proving that title true.
The Li family mostly make and sell low and mid grade pills _ with the occasional high grade, of which the success rate is very low _ and only the current patriarch of the family is capable enough to make these high grade pills without wasting herbs.
So to summarize _ Ethan desperately needs a new source of income _ he had asked his system if it could maybe reward him with gold or imperial coins, but the System simply ignored him, not giving any response.
Just as he was pondering what he would do to rake in money fast and live without depending on his humble family _ Ethan's face suddenly contorted in displeasure, as he abruptly brought down the tea cup he was moving to his mouth for another sip.
"You dare ?!" Ethan's sight from the herb garden instantly shifted to the state capital.
.....
Ethan's stunt double was rasing after this spry young lad as he meandered through the passing pedestrians.
Ethan could have immediately caught this six year old looking deviant, but he was currently running at the pace of a normal six year old boy.
Gotta be careful, since he also noticed that right as he stepped out of the silent Parrot, two young men with late qi gathering realm cultivation had been stealthily tailing him from a distance.
'Shit'
'I guess my cocky act didn't fool everyone'
'I wonder who instructed them to investigate me'
Ethan muttered underneath his breath as he continued to chase after the kid _ hoping the kid would soon make a turn to somewhere secluded, so he could quickly get back the last of his dwindling supply of gold.
The shopkeepers and businesses around didn't even bat an eye as they saw this kid being chased around _ almost like they've seen this exact scene countless times.
Only the pedestrians moving about would occasionally move away in shock, and chastised the misbehaving kids from behind.
Ethan realized this street must be where this kid operates, targeting and stealing from naive young masters on a regular.
Luckily, just as Ethan was getting frustrated and wanting to quickly end this _ the kid made a turn for an alley.
Must have been his go to route for when he steals .
Then the kid glanced back briefly to see if as always he had lost the weak and pompous young master in the crowd _
But his face completely lost every other remaining color when he saw a relaxed Ethan simply strolling into the alley, hands behind his back, no longer running _ he just walked one step at a time, like a predator approaching a cornered prey.
....
YUE POV
Yue was horrified as she ran through the streets of the capital .
It was supposed to be an easy mark _ grab and dash and then disappear like always.
Most times these young masters are with their family guards, but she only targets those who don't have their guards with them.
And normally, they don't bother to run after some few coins when stolen, and simply stay in place and command arrogantly _
"Stop right there thief! "
Very gullible brats _ and once they see I have run away, they go about their business like nothing happened, or report me to the local enforcers _ but I always wait a full week before going back to work _ so the heat can die down from those looking for a kid with my description.
And even when these spoiled young masters decide to be athletic for once and chase after me _ they usually get tired in a few seconds and begin gasping for air.
Since they haven't started cultivating yet and they don't have any physical endurance that poor people like us do _ it has been smooth sailing for dear old me.
But what's this demon ?!_
we've been running for a full thirty minutes, but he isn't stopping _
He just keeps running exactly twenty meters behind me_
Not even calling out to anyone that I have stolen from him _ and his face is so relaxed _ like he's just going for a stroll.
He looks my age _ like a regular spoiled young master_ maybe a little more handsome than most _ but those eyes _
I can feel something is wrong with this one _
I have to loose him _and fast _
I decided to go through some of my best corners for the ultimate confusion and lose him at the other end of the street _
'What ?! '
'How did he follow me here ? '
Wooosh!
....
Ethan was now in front of the kid _ he had been fifty meters all the way on the other side of the street just a moment ago .
'How ?! '
Ethan arrived in front of the kid and he used his mind technique to short circuit the kid's brain, causing him to go unconscious immediately.
'how did he...!?' that was the last thought Yue had before she lost consciousness and lay sprawled on the ground.
...
Ethan didn't have time to question this boy, he could feel those two cultivators getting closer to his location .
He could easily take care of them but that would raise more questions about his identity _ and since he can't brainwash them yet _ his best course of action was to try and lose them.
He quickly patted down the unconscious thief and retrieved his gold coins.
He was about to quickly make his escape from the alley when he actually got a proper look at the kid on the floor.
He was dressed in a brown tattered male robe, gaunt cheeks and pale skin with cracked lips and a short black hair that looked almost ashen brown.
Clearly this child has been neglected, malnourished and living on the streets _ Ethan could sympathise a little bit _ but that's it.
This is a cultivation world _ there are uncountable people like him in similar situations.
Even in his previous world and previous life _ the homeless and less fortunate are rampant everywhere.
If he gets to a position in life someday where his safety is secured and he can without putting himself at a disadvantage or bearing a crippling burden _ he wouldn't hesitate to do so.
But in this life, safety and survival was the utmost, and he wouldn't be endangering himself for nobody or taking responsibility for someone he doesn't even know.
Still, he took out five gold coins from his gold pouch and placed it inside of the child's pocket _ but when he observed the child more closely _ his features seemed slightly more feminine, even though he was wearing a male robe and his hair was cut like a dude's.
Curious, Ethan ran identify on the kid _ and the moment he did _ he had his eyes bulging out their sockets and mouth hanging wide open like a koi fish _
....
[Name: Lian Yue ]
[Age : 6]
[Cultivation Realm: none]
[Physique: Bleeding Moon [grade(immortal)]]
[Spirit root: Yin and Yang [grade(Immortal)]]
[Comprehension : Immortal]
[Providence : Connate Celestial]
[
[Talents :
Petty Theft (Grandmaster)
Improvising (Master)
]
...
Ethan : "...
"Holy Shit!! _ A Protagonist?!"
A/N
Powerstones gets the novel recommended to friends of similar interests and encourages the author _ please support the novel with powerstones.