A Visit to the Director

  Huang Di and Umbra explored the northern region, traversing forests, rivers, and lakes. Huang Di mapped the area until he came across a zone spanning nearly five kilometers, where the trees and vegetation were covered in enormous spider webs. He also spotted numerous spider-like beasts, ranging in size from mere centimeters to several meters. As he approached, he noticed a cave with a high concentration of these creatures, indicating their nesting ground. Finding no other rank 6 beast throughout the northern sector, Huang Di felt a tightness in his stomach, which led him to presume that the rank 6 beast was lurking deep within that cave. He marked the spot on his map and withdrew strategically.

  Back in the city, Huang Di stored Umbra inside his grimoire and was about to rest before setting off on another adventure when he noticed the Director waving at him from his veranda, apparently smoking a pipe filled with suspicious herbs. Huang Di approached the Elder, known for his bluntness and difficulty in negotiating.

  Upon arriving, he greeted him:

  “Director, a good morning to you, sir.”

  The Director, reclining in his chair, nearly fell backward upon hearing the young man speak with such unexpected manners. He replied:

  “Young man, no need to be so formal. We're all in the same boat here. I see you've visited nearly every leader of this ancient community, but you haven't come to pay respects to me. Are you perhaps underestimating my knowledge, boy?”

  Huang Di was momentarily at a loss for words, as he had little interest in the arts of healing, herbs, or alchemy. Thinking quickly, he said:

  “Not at all, Director. The truth is, I experienced a great breakthrough, advancing several levels at once after the incident with the statues. I needed to stabilize my cultivation, so I trained my body while consolidating my new strength.”

  With that, the Director’s sour expression turned understanding, and Huang Di relaxed slightly. The Director responded:

  “So, you’re saying you have time now. Good. Then follow me. I want to show you something.”

  Without waiting for a reply, he entered his house, leaving the door open for Huang Di.

  Left without excuse, Huang Di stepped inside and met with an entirely new world. The house was filled with machines, chairs, instruments, rare and unknown herbs, and shelves upon shelves of medications with a vast array of effects. He stood speechless before the sheer number of items. Much like the library, the space within the house was larger than it appeared from the outside, although on a smaller scale compared to the Grand Library.

  Huang Di caught up with the Director, who was sitting before a small shelf containing numerous books on medicine, alchemy, and other healing-related disciplines, including rare abilities. As Huang Di looked around in wonder, the Director began his monologue:

  “I suppose you're amazed by the size and scope of this place, aren't you? But don’t worry. So long as you do something for me, I can teach you the art to which I've devoted much of my life. Even now, I continue to refine this ancient skill.”

  “This world holds many mysteries, does it not? I believe you’ve already seen the wonders this realm possesses, where time flows differently from other places. Yes, this location, every day I observe it, it offers such knowledge that it continues to fascinate me.”

  Huang Di, astonished, had little idea what the old man was truly talking about, but chose not to offend him. Each of these elders held a powerful aura, and he feared that even with his strongest techniques, he wouldn't escape unscathed should he provoke one of them. Their very presence seemed to bend the environment to keep them grounded.

  Thus, Huang Di opted for a polite and formal approach, realizing it was the most effective course. Filling the egos and time of these elders seemed to be one of the few remaining pleasures they had left. After all, they all knew each other and had been trapped in that limited world for far too long. Their means of entertainment no longer satisfy them.

  Every elder Huang Di had encountered, except for the gnomes of the library, it was ecstatic at the visit of a new soul within their small realm, eager to form bonds with him and bring a breath of fresh air into their seemingly monotonous existence.

  The External Threat and the Bargain

  Huang Di, with his extensive experience in dealing with elders, had been surrounded by them all his life, from the grandparents at the orphanage, who weren’t really his grandparents but were treated as such by all the orphans, to his three years of coexistence with Elder Emerald. This allowed him to know exactly how to please them and benefit from their presence, and how to avoid them in order not to be scolded.

  However, this Elder, the Director, was the kind who enjoyed speaking about himself and his own feats, something Huang Di deeply despised. Still, he was wise enough to know when to push forward and when to hold back.

  Huang Di endured his stories for eight long hours. Since entering the relic, only a single day had passed in the outside world, but seven full days had gone by inside, while the Director recounted his accomplishments through mysterious tales and adventurous anecdotes. Suddenly, a great tremor shook the entire miniature world, followed by a voice he recognized from his arrival:

  “Young Huang Di, due to unforeseen complications and unfortunate delays, the time allowed to complete the first stage of the trial has been reduced to ten days in the outside world, which equals ten weeks within the Relic of Time and Space. Good luck.”

  With that, the tremor and the voice disappeared, leaving the Director’s face contemplative.

  Though Huang Di was more irritated by the situation than by the Director’s monologues, he kept his composure. The elder, noticing the change in his mood, remarked:

  “Seems like you’re under a lot of pressure. Well, I had intended to take things slow with our relationship.”

  Seizing the opportunity, Huang Di asked:

  “Director, do you happen to know anything about this sudden change?”

  The Director stroked his long beard and replied:

  “I can speculate, especially considering the exact timeframe mentioned. But why should I tell you? We don’t have a deep bond, and if you fail the trial, we’ll never see each other again. Why should I share this information with you, boy?”

  Huang Di immediately realized the Director was bargaining, seeking something in return, or at least some advantage, for the information. He considered the situation carefully: was this event isolated from the Director’s house, or was it affecting the entire miniature world? He could ask Scarlet, who might answer without demanding anything in return, but doing so could offend the Elder, which wouldn’t bode well for the future.

  Now, Huang Di had an even shorter window to reach the Earth Rank and prepare for the trial. The possibility of failure and losing his chance to obtain a high-rank armor weighed heavily on his mind.

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  Then, the Director spoke again:

  “It’s simple, boy. I just need you to gather a few herbs for me. My stock is nearly depleted. What do you say? A fair trade, isn’t it? Since this is our first official deal, I’ll throw in the answer for free. Once you’ve gathered the herbs, I’ll personally teach you the basics of herb identification, so you won’t get swindled by those shady merchants out there. What do you say?”

  Huang Di, hearing the proposal, replied promptly:

  “Deal.”

  Smiling, the Director continued:

  “When this happens, it means someone from the outside is attacking the entrance to this world, which can temporarily damage the infrastructure that supports visitor access. As a protective measure, the relic begins preparing to teleport itself to another world. Those ten days are the time it takes to complete that process. Since you’re not a permanent resident of this place, your entry is linked to the outside world. If it relocates to another dimension, there will be no way to send you back if you fail. In short, the relic’s security system has been activated and is informing you of this situation, without revealing too many details. Understood?”

  Huang Di realized then that this was happening because someone was attacking the gates bearing the four symbols of mythical beasts, thus triggering the relic’s protective mechanisms. He felt a surge of anger and a desire to go out and teach whoever was responsible for a painful lesson.

  Outside, dozens of specialists were bombarding the gates of the nine-story pagoda, the same gates Huang Di had entered through, using every ability in their arsenal. None of them realized that an invitation or key was required to open them, and that only the bearer of such a key could enter. Among the attackers were members of the main branches of the Boom House, including the Che, Qui, and Mio families, as well as his nemesis, Ye Jue, now surrounded by numerous members, including some at Sky Rank. Yet the gates didn’t budge, not even by an inch, despite the relentless assault by so many powerful experts.

  The Gathering Task and the Secrets of Herbs

  Eager to fulfill his part of the agreement, Huang Di asked:

  “What herbs can I find in this miniature world?”

  Understanding the young man's urgency, the Director replied:

  “From here, head west for about thirty kilometers. There, you’ll find a vast herb plantation. However, each herb must be harvested using a specific technique. Take this ring, it was prepared especially for this task. Use it to store the herbs. Prepare your mind now, as I’m going to transmit to you the basic knowledge of how to harvest them properly, and teach you how to open the formation that grants access to the plantation.

  With that, the Director performed a series of intricate hand movements, channeling a considerable amount of energy. Huang Di noticed that he was directing this energy into his mind, in a way like what Madame Scarlet had done, though far less gently. The transfer left Huang Di slightly dazed, even after it had ended. Now, he knew everything he needed: which herbs to collect, the correct quantities, and the exact procedures for the task.

  Still somewhat dizzy from the abrupt process, Huang Di set off in search of the herbs. As he ran, he took in the new scenery, no longer forests and rivers, but vast plains with soil of varying quality, and low vegetation. There was a wide variety of plants, fruits, legumes, and other herbs. Huang Di also noticed new beasts along the way.

  Without trees to assist in an emergency escape, he often encountered these beasts face-to-face. However, since many of them possessed some level of intelligence, those at Rank 1, 2, and 3 fled upon seeing him. Only the Rank 4 and above stood their ground, dominant in their own communities and unafraid of Huang Di, who had not yet learned to emit an aura, something only acquired upon reaching the King Rank. That was why none of these beasts dared approach the city, fearing the overwhelming auras of the beings residing there.

  Huang Di reflected on the organization of the beasts. Without a Rank 7 creature to lead them, they were disorganized, each acting independently, unlike humans, who worked in coordinated groups. Beast societies were often centered around bloodlines, with no structured communities to unite them. Yet exceptions existed: certain beasts not only led but were known as Beast Kings, a rare and formidable phenomenon. When such a being appeared, its influence through aura alone could affect all lesser-ranked beasts, causing devastation in many human cities and villages. For this reason, humanity relentlessly hunted these creatures, keeping their numbers in check to prevent such disasters.

  Huang Di soon arrived at the plantation’s location. There, he found a large network of greenhouses, clearly man-made, protected by a vast magical barrier also of human origin. He performed the hand formations he had learned to open a small gap in the barrier. A narrow opening appeared, and he slipped through quickly, the gap sealing behind him seconds later.

  Once inside, Huang Di was again awestruck; the space within the greenhouses was much larger than it appeared from the outside. He realized that a spatial-temporal formation was altering the flow of time and space within this secluded area. While the current stage of the relic operated on a time ratio of one external day to seven internal days, within the plantation, time was accelerated even further: one day outside equaled one full month inside. However, this accelerated time applied only to the herbs.

  Huang Di pondered how long these greenhouses must have been producing herbs for the Director. Without wasting any more time, he began his task, one that took a full internal week to complete. With that, of the ten weeks he had remaining, only nine remained.

  Without delay, he set off once more, determined to deliver the herbs and claim his reward.

  Inheritance and Alchemical Knowledge

  Upon arriving at the Director’s house, Huang Di found him refining several pills that exuded a powerful fragrance. He watched the process intently, observing how the transformation of herbs into pills, while different in aura from cultivation, maintained the same essence, the pursuit of spiritual growth. However, there was a fundamental distinction: while cultivation focused on improving oneself, alchemy sought to improve others, whether through objects or beings. To Huang Di, the act of selflessly aiding others was no easy task.

  When the Director finished the refinement, he collected twelve greenish pills with blue speckles. Glancing at Huang Di, he sealed the pills into a jade vial and handed it to him. Huang Di, uncertain of their meaning, furrowed his brow in confusion. Noticing the doubt in the young man’s eyes, the Director explained:

  “These are your rewards for gathering the herbs. Wait for an appropriate place to ingest them, one at a time.”

  That explanation only deepened Huang Di’s confusion. Suddenly, he remembered the orb-shaped pill that Salazar the gnome had once forced him to swallow. He concluded this must follow the same principle. Still uncertain, he asked:

  “What exactly are these pills?”

  The Director chuckled and replied:

  “Have you forgotten already? Your reward. Ah yes, I suppose the so-called experts in your world are unfamiliar with these pills. Let’s begin at the beginning. I assume you know a bit about Inheritances?”

  “A little,” Huang Di replied.

  The Director continued:

  “Inheritances are abilities that cannot be taught, only passed down. They are unique skills bestowed by their creators upon those they deem worthy. These abilities possess extraordinary characteristics and can belong to any category, even the most secretive. Typically, they are transmitted at the end of a cultivator’s life to their descendants, though exceptions do occur. Yes, they can be stolen, but at great cost. Such attempts are rare, due to the danger involved, though greed sometimes overrides caution. The most effective and least harmful method is to deceive the holder into believing you are their rightful heir. Because of their exclusivity, only one individual can possess a specific inheritance. At least, that is the theory. As you can see, I still retain the knowledge I’ve passed to you. The reason for this uniqueness is that most who pass on these abilities are nearing death and wish to prevent their knowledge from dying with them. Thus, they pass on this flame of knowledge. That’s why such abilities are called Inheritances.”

  “These pills,” he added, “are how high-ranked alchemists pass down their inheritances. Long ago, I acquired a rare ability, what I believe to be the memories and insights of a great cultivator from an ancient era who achieved remarkable feats in alchemy. From that, I created what I call a Basic Alchemical Skill Set, designed to teach pill crafting, herb identification by scent, and modernized techniques blended with ancient practices. Each of these pills contains a decade of alchemical knowledge. In other words, the foundational understanding needed to be considered a Rank 7 Alchemist. Of course, this is only the beginning. Like the martial path of cultivation, the journey of alchemy has no end, only new beginnings. In time, I trust you’ll understand what I mean.”

  Without hesitation, Huang Di tucked the pills away in his pouch, unwilling to give the Director a chance to change his mind and reclaim them. The elder laughed, watching him, then swallowed a few pills himself and returned to his vigorous state.

  After offering his thanks, Huang Di handed over the collected herbs and departed in search of a place to settle. He now needed to reach Earth Rank as soon as possible. Though he stood at the threshold of that breakthrough, much preparation remained.

  With swift steps, Huang Di moved beneath a starless night sky, lit only by the city’s glow. He made his way toward a cave in the forest, ten kilometers from the city, where he had established his personal base, a haven in the midst of this competitive world.

  Upon arriving, he shifted the stones he had placed at the entrance and slipped inside, sealing the entrance behind him. It was now eight o’clock in the evening.