My Tavern in the Cultivation Wasteland

Green River City came into view beneath the afternoon sun.

The road grew crowded long before Chen Wei’s caravan reached the gate.

Farmers pushed carts loaded with grain and vegetables. Merchants guided spirit beasts through the traffic. Cultivators passed in small groups, some wearing sect robes while others carried little more than a weapon and storage bag.

Chen Wei’s three wagons slowed near the entrance.

One of the guards recognized him.

”Back again?”

”Unfortunately.”

The guard glanced toward the wagons.

”Anything troublesome?”

”Only customers.”

”Those are usually worse.”

Chen Wei laughed and handed over the entry documents.

Lin Yuan waited beside the first wagon while the guards checked the cargo.

A short while later, they entered Green River City.

Noise surrounded them immediately.

Vendors called from roadside stalls.

The smell of roasted meat drifted from a restaurant near the gate.

A shop displayed rows of weapons beneath red cloth awnings, while across the street two cultivators argued over a bundle of medicinal herbs.

Chen Wei guided the wagons toward the commercial district.

”You coming with me first?”

”Where?”

”Warehouse.”

Lin Yuan looked at the wagons.

”No.”

”Good choice.”

Chen Wei pointed farther down the street.

”Three streets north, then east at the stone bridge. Thousand Treasures Pavilion takes up half the corner. You won’t miss it.”

”You’re not coming?”

”I have cargo to deliver.”

Chen Wei gave him a knowing look.

”Besides, if I walk in with you, they’ll think I’m expecting a commission.”

”Are you?”

”I wasn’t.”

Lin Yuan stared at him.

Chen Wei waved him away.

”Go look at your techniques.”

”I’m only looking.”

”That’s what worries me.”

The wagons continued down the street.

Lin Yuan watched them disappear into the crowd before heading north.

He hadn’t gone far when the smell of something sweet reached him.

A bakery stood beside the road.

Rows of golden pastries rested behind the open window.

Lin Yuan slowed.

Xiao Lan’s voice immediately came to mind.

The pastries.

He continued walking.

Later.

Cultivation first.

Thousand Treasures Pavilion was impossible to mistake.

Four stories of dark wood and pale stone rose above the surrounding shops. Gold characters ran vertically beside the entrance.

Thousand Treasures Pavilion

People moved constantly through its doors.

Some wore expensive robes.

Others looked like ordinary wandering cultivators.

A young man walked out holding a narrow wooden case against his chest with both hands.

Lin Yuan stepped inside.

The noise of the street faded behind him.

The first floor was spacious, with counters arranged around the hall.

Weapons.

Pills.

Talismans.

Spirit herbs.

Formation materials.

Several glass cabinets displayed items Lin Yuan couldn’t identify.

A young attendant near the entrance welcomed him, but didn’t follow when he continued farther inside.

Lin Yuan preferred that.

He passed the weapon section.

A dark sword rested inside a glass case.

Low Spirit Grade — 75 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Another cost one hundred twenty.

Lin Yuan kept walking.

Five spirit stones for a good kitchen stove suddenly seemed like an excellent deal.

Near the back of the hall, a wooden sign stood beside a staircase.

Second Floor

Cultivation Techniques

Combat Arts

Movement Arts

Specialized Inheritances

Lin Yuan climbed the stairs.

The second floor was much quieter.

There were no shelves filled with cultivation manuals. Instead, wooden screens divided the room into separate counters and sitting areas.

A woman in dark blue Pavilion robes looked up as Lin Yuan approached.

She appeared to be in her late twenties.

”Looking for a technique?”

”Foundation Establishment.”

Her attention sharpened slightly.

”What are you cultivating now?”

”An ordinary Qi Refining technique. No attribute.”

”And you’re at the ninth layer?”

Lin Yuan nodded.

”Weapon?”

”Sword.”

She pulled a thin booklet from beneath the counter.

”Are you looking for a sword-focused cultivation technique?”

”No. I use a sword, but I don’t want my cultivation path tied entirely to it.”

That earned a small nod.

”Budget?”

Lin Yuan looked at the booklet.

”I’m comparing first.”

The corner of her mouth moved.

”So less than you’d like.”

”Two hundred to four hundred.”

”That’s better than most people who say they’re only comparing.”

She opened the booklet.

”Anything you absolutely don’t want?”

”Rare cultivation requirements. Expensive resources needed just to practice the technique. And I want the complete Foundation Establishment inheritance.”

The attendant turned several pages.

”You’ve thought about this.”

”I’ve thought about how expensive fixing a bad choice would be.”

”Even better.”

She stopped on one page and turned the booklet toward him.

Lin Yuan recognized the name immediately.

Flowing River Foundation Art

Price: 280 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

The detailed description was longer than the one Chen Wei had brought.

Its circulation was smooth.

Advancement was considered stable.

It required no specific attribute or unusual cultivation environment.

Lin Yuan read farther.

”Moderate Qi refinement.”

”It doesn’t specialize,” the attendant said.

”So it’s average.”

”Balanced.”

”That sounds more expensive.”

She smiled.

”Flowing River is popular among wandering cultivators for a reason. It doesn’t give you unusually dense Qi or exceptional circulation speed, but it also doesn’t demand much from you beyond cultivation.”

Reliable.

Straightforward.

And almost within his current budget.

”What about Ninefold Stone Breathing Art?”

The attendant flipped several pages.

”Three hundred sixty. Stronger emphasis on dense Qi and foundation stability, but it performs best with an earth-aligned cultivation environment.”

”I don’t have one.”

”Then I wouldn’t put it near the top of your list.”

That was enough.

Lin Yuan moved on.

”Clear Wind Scripture?”

Another page.

Clear Wind Scripture

Price: 420 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

Its circulation emphasized control and responsiveness. Despite its name, a wind attribute wasn’t required, though cultivators with one gained additional benefits.

The attendant pointed to part of the description.

”People who rely heavily on movement arts or weapons tend to like this one.”

”Because?”

”Qi responds quickly when redirected through the body or a weapon.”

Lin Yuan read that section again.

”Does it improve swordsmanship?”

”No.”

”Good.”

That answer made her look at him.

”You don’t want it to?”

”I want my mistakes with a sword to remain my own.”

She laughed.

”Fair.”

The technique was attractive.

The price was less attractive.

”What makes it worth another hundred and forty stones over Flowing River?”

”Better control. Faster circulation once you’re familiar with it. Easier transitions between normal cultivation and active Qi use.”

She paused.

”And reputation.”

Lin Yuan looked up.

”So part of the price is the name.”

”You’re learning.”

”Painfully.”

The attendant turned another page.

”Then this might interest you more.”

Lin Yuan looked down.

He didn’t recognize the name.

Returning Current Foundation Art

Complete Foundation Establishment Technique

Characteristics: Stable foundation, adaptable circulation

Special Requirements: None

Price: 320 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

”This wasn’t on the list I saw.”

”It returned to sale yesterday.”

”Why?”

”A local cultivation clan held the distribution rights for the last two years. Their agreement ended.”

Lin Yuan leaned closer to the description.

The technique wasn’t as fast as Clear Wind.

It didn’t produce Qi as dense as Ninefold Stone.

Instead, its circulation was less rigid than most Foundation techniques.

That caught his attention.

”What does adaptable circulation actually mean?”

”It doesn’t mean you can rewrite the technique whenever you feel like it.”

”I assumed doing that would be a good way to die.”

”At least you’re sensible.”

She turned the booklet slightly toward herself.

”Some techniques are very rigid. They work well when you follow the intended circulation exactly, but combining them with certain auxiliary methods or combat arts can become troublesome.”

”And this one?”

”More forgiving.”

She tapped the page.

”If you change combat arts later, learn an auxiliary method, or develop your cultivation in a direction you didn’t originally expect, Returning Current usually gives you more room to adjust.”

Lin Yuan went quiet.

Blackstone was still developing, and he had no idea what opportunities he might encounter later.

A technique that left him room to adapt suited him.

”What’s the weakness?”

”It doesn’t excel at anything.”

Lin Yuan looked at her.

”Again?”

”That’s the cost of flexibility.”

”So Flowing River is balanced, and Returning Current is flexible.”

”Roughly.”

”And Clear Wind has better control.”

”Yes.”

Lin Yuan looked between the pages.

Three techniques.

Three different reasons to buy them.

”Is there one that’s flexible, fast, produces dense Qi, has excellent control, and doesn’t need special resources?”

”Of course.”

The attendant turned several pages.

She stopped.

Then rotated the booklet toward him.

Lin Yuan looked at the price.

1,400 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

He pushed the booklet back.

”Returning Current suddenly looks much better.”

The attendant laughed.

Lin Yuan stayed at the counter for nearly an hour.

He looked at a few more techniques, but none remained under consideration for long.

One required regular use of a specific cultivation pill.

Another favored a fire attribute.

A cheaper inheritance stopped at Middle Foundation Establishment.

Lin Yuan closed that page immediately.

Eventually, he returned to Returning Current.

Three hundred twenty spirit stones.

”What would I actually receive if I bought this?”

”A sealed inheritance jade.”

Lin Yuan looked up.

That was new.

The attendant reached beneath the counter and placed an empty gray jade slip in front of him as an example.

”The technique is recorded inside. Once purchased, the seal is released for the buyer.”

Lin Yuan picked up the blank example.

It was cool and smooth against his fingers.

”Can I copy it?”

”The inheritance has restrictions.”

”Meaning?”

”You can study and cultivate it normally. You cannot simply duplicate the Pavilion’s inheritance and sell copies.”

Reasonable.

He returned the jade slip.

”How many copies of Returning Current are available?”

The attendant checked a record beside her.

”Seven at the moment.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

At least there was no reason to rush.

”Do you offer reservations?”

”Thirty days. Ten low-grade spirit stones.”

”And the ten counts toward the purchase?”

”No.”

His interest disappeared.

The attendant noticed.

”That was quick.”

”I’m not paying ten stones for the privilege of paying another three hundred twenty.”

”You’d be surprised how many people do.”

”They’re richer than me.”

”Probably.”

Lin Yuan looked at Returning Current once more.

He liked it.

That was dangerous when he hadn’t even expected to find it today.

”What would you choose?”

The attendant didn’t answer immediately.

”For you?”

”Yes.”

”I wouldn’t.”

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

”Useful.”

She leaned one arm against the counter.

”If I tell you to buy Returning Current and you regret it twenty years from now, you’ll remember the woman at Thousand Treasures Pavilion who told you what to do.”

”Fair.”

”I can tell you what each technique does. I can tell you its known weaknesses. The choice is yours.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

He respected that answer more than a recommendation.

”Then I’ll think about it.”

”Good.”

She began closing the booklet.

Lin Yuan stood.

”One more question.”

”Go ahead.”

”If I buy one before I’m ready for Foundation Establishment?”

”You can study the inheritance and prepare. Don’t force Foundation circulation early.”

Simple enough.

The attendant pulled out a small information slip and wrote several lines on it.

She handed it to him.

”The three you spent the most time considering. Current prices.”

Lin Yuan accepted it.

”Thanks.”

”If you come back to buy one, check with us again. Availability can change.”

”I will.”

”And try not to spend your technique money downstairs.”

Lin Yuan glanced toward the staircase.

”The swords?”

”The swords.”

”I own a tavern. I’m familiar with customers spending money on things they didn’t plan to buy.”

The attendant smiled.

”And yet you’re inside Thousand Treasures Pavilion.”

Lin Yuan paused.

He decided leaving was easier than answering.

Outside, afternoon light covered Green River City.

Lin Yuan stopped beside the stone bridge.

He took out the information slip.

His eyes settled on one line longer than the others.

Returning Current Foundation Art — 320 Low-Grade Spirit Stones

He had two hundred forty-three available.

Seventy-seven short.

Lin Yuan folded the slip.

He hadn’t chosen yet.

Flowing River was cheaper.

Clear Wind offered better control.

Returning Current simply interested him the most.

That was enough for today.

He slipped the paper away and started walking.

Then a familiar smell drifted across the street.

Sweet.

Warm.

Lin Yuan stopped.

A pastry stall.

He stared at it.

Xiao Lan had somehow survived the entire afternoon in the back of his mind.

Lin Yuan crossed the street.

”How much?”

The vendor named a price.

Cheap enough that Lin Yuan didn’t need to think about it.

He paid and accepted a paper-wrapped box.

After spending an afternoon looking at cultivation techniques worth hundreds of spirit stones, buying pastries felt strangely pleasant.

Lin Yuan tucked the box away carefully.

He had come to Green River City expecting to compare a few techniques.

Instead, he was leaving with one name still on his mind.

Returning Current Foundation Art.

Lin Yuan smiled slightly.

Seventy-seven more spirit stones.

Then he could decide whether it was truly worth buying.