C1 Tianyi Country! Yu Yin

"Detached" is a realm unknown to many, yet it represents the lifelong aspiration of everyone on the Fengyun Continent. Over time, as the pursuit of the world's inhabitants became relentless, six extraordinary abilities—Mind Control, Sealing, Wrathful Incantation, Life Extension, Animal Shape, and Divination—emerged on the historical stage. Within a mere millennium, these powers transformed the vast continent, bestowing upon it a vibrancy it had never before seen.

For tens of thousands of years, the nation of Heavenly Strange Country, with its population exceeding ten million, has stood unchanging in the western highlands of the Fengyun Continent. Nestled among the mountains of this nation lies Lan Tree Town, with a large river to the east, its waters sourced from the melting snows of the mountains.

At dusk, a sturdy young man with a green headscarf sat by the riverbank, his gaze fixed on a thatched hut engulfed in flames. Just an hour earlier, his mother had received a letter from his father, who had been missing for sixteen years. She fell silent, then began speaking in riddles to him.

"Yu Yin, remember this: In this world, there is no absolute right or wrong. If you don't fight for what you want, you'll end up with nothing!"

With those words, his mother struck him unconscious with a stick. When he awoke, his home was nothing but a blazing inferno. Yu Yin, shaking and with eyes wide open, stared unflinchingly at the ruins of his home, unmoved by the comforting words of the neighbors who had gathered to help extinguish the fire.

Ten days later—

Inside a local weapon shop, Yu Yin was assisting a burly man in selecting a weapon. He had been hired as an employee of the store. Due to insufficient agricultural yields to sustain the populace and the vast, sparsely populated lands teeming with ancient beasts, hunting had become the primary means of sustenance, supplemented by farming. Consequently, a strong martial culture thrived.

The burly man, for instance, was in need of a new saber after his own had snapped during a hunt. It's noteworthy that the prevalence of this martial culture had led to an abundance of blacksmiths and weapon shops across the continent. Even in a small town like Lan Tree Town, over half the shops were dedicated to weapons and blacksmithing—a testament to the widespread martial spirit.

From a young age, Yu Yin's aspiration was to become a conjurer. However, to achieve this, he needed to travel to the Great City's 'Root Casting Hall' and pay 100 silver coins for a talent test. He had been diligently saving for this opportunity.

After today's earnings, he finally had enough money, including travel expenses. He had even prepared what to tell his mother upon departure, but her sudden death left him reeling in confusion.

"This one feels right," the burly man declared, lifting a long saber from the wall and appraising it. "This saber weighs nine kilograms, its blade forged from Western Mountain Steel and honed to perfection. It's a top-grade weapon, priced at seven hundred copper coins," Yu Yin stated, regaining his composure.

"That's pricey!" exclaimed the man, taken aback, as seven hundred copper coins equaled a month of his wages.

In the Mortal Continent, the currency system comprised diamonds, gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins. A single diamond was worth 100 gold coins, one gold coin equaled 100 silver coins, and one silver coin was worth 50 copper coins. The average family's annual income was a mere two gold coins.

"If it's not to your liking, feel free to shop elsewhere," Yu Yin said, his tone detached. His mind was elsewhere, and he had no interest in haggling.

"Don't underestimate me. I'll take it for seven hundred," the man retorted, mistaking Yu Yin's detachment for disdain and responding with indignation.

As the man left and dusk approached, Yu Yin turned and entered the back hall of the shop.

"You're seriously quitting?" asked the weapon shop's owner, a portly middle-aged man, in disbelief.

Yu Yin had been working at the shop since he was twelve, and after more than four years, the owner never imagined he would leave.

"My mother has passed away. I'm going to use the money I've saved to go to Xuan Long City and test my talent. I'm determined to become a conjurer!" Yu Yin declared, his fists clenched with resolve.

The man let out a soft sigh. "Yu Yin, do you know why over ninety percent of people can't become cultivators?"

Yu Yin's brow furrowed as he looked at the man. "It's because even those with the talent for cultivation must endure a life-and-death trial to truly become a cultivator."

"Life-and-death trial?" Yu Yin's frown deepened; he had never heard of such a thing.

"To become a cultivator, one must unlock the corresponding acupoints for the six sacred vocations: wrathful incantation, mind control, divination, sealing, life extension, and animal shape. These acupoints are Xun, Palace, Li, Horn, Feather, and Shang, and they're the body's limits that must be opened."

"These six major acupoints are known as the Profound Entrances. Without immense willpower, one risks death at any moment. Reflect on this carefully and don't squander your resources," the man advised him.

Who hasn't been young and impetuous? In his youth, he too aspired to be a revered cultivator like Yu Yin. Yet, when faced with a life-and-death decision, he, like most, chose to abandon the path.

More crucially, like the majority, his innate talent fell short of the threshold required to become a cultivator. To qualify, one's heart strength must be at least 30, and meridian strength at least 25.

Like most ordinary people, his heart strength ranged from 5 to 10, and his meridian strength from 15 to 20, making the prospect of becoming a cultivator impossible for him.

It's worth noting that heart and meridian strength are at the heart of cultivation, with the maximum for each being 100. Only those who reach these specific values can become cultivators.

Take Yu Yin, who longs to be a conjurer; the prerequisite is a heart strength of over 60. If his talent doesn't measure up, the path of the conjurer is closed to him. Should he qualify for cultivation, his options would be limited to the lower thresholds of wrathful incantation, animal shape, or mind control, which require a meridian strength of 25, 30, and a heart strength of 30, respectively.

"I believe in myself, and fear isn't in my vocabulary," Yu Yin stated firmly.

"I wasn't afraid back then either, but have you considered this? If you're just an average Joe, a hundred silver coins is no small sum for you," the man said, furrowing his brow.

"Mother's gone, so the amount of money doesn't matter to me."

"Please find someone else. Yu Yin will have no regrets," he declared, looking up resolutely.

"Alright, here's your pay. I'll give you ten days. If you don't return by then, I'll hire someone else."

Yu Yin gave the man a solemn nod, accepted the pouch of coins, and walked away.

The man watched him go, shaking his head with a soft sigh. "Ah..." he muttered. He knew all too well that having goals didn't guarantee success; after decades of life, he understood that success was rare. Yet, he didn't dismiss the notion entirely – having dreams was always a positive thing.

As dusk fell, a light rain began to fall, unnoticed at first. At the town's edge, Yu Yin sprinted after a departing convoy with remarkable speed.

The convoy was tasked with collecting iron ore for Xuan Long City, and due to the iron mine in Lan Shu Town, they would arrive for transport at the end of each month, always leaving at dusk – a pattern Yu Yin had thoroughly observed.

Seven or eight carriages, each draped with a thick waterproof tarp, moved at a steady pace, each drawn by a pair of horses.

"Brothers, please wait!" Yu Yin called out, dashing through the rain.

At his shout, the carriages halted. An elder in a straw cape hopped down from the central carriage to confront him.

"Kid, what's all the yelling about?"

Panting, Yu Yin approached the elder, wiping the rain from his face, and quickly said, "Sir, I'm looking to get to Xuan Long City. Could I trouble you for a ride?"

"I'll pay," he added hastily.

The elder didn't mince words, asking directly, "How much will you give?"

"How about ten copper coins?"

"That's not enough."

"Well, what's your price?"

"No less than thirty."

"Sir, could you possibly go lower? I urgently need to get to Xuan Long City."

"Considering you're young, I'll say twenty-five. Take it or leave it and find someone else."

"Fine, I'll pay. Could I also borrow a rain hat?"

"There aren't any extras in the carriage..."

The sky had turned pitch black. Guided by the old horse's instinct, the sound of hooves echoed in the darkness, though the rider remained unseen.

Beneath the iron ore hides, Yu Yin was huddled inside, the cold stones and damp cloth causing his body to shiver. He closed his eyes, silent.

Time slipped away unnoticed. Suddenly, the hides were pulled back, and blinding sunlight flooded in, along with the old man's laughter, waking Yu Yin from his slumber.

"Kid, we've reached Xuan Long City. Time to get going," the old man chuckled.

Yu Yin leapt from the carriage, rubbing the grit from his eyes. He nodded, scanning the large courtyard and the sound of hammering metal. After locating the gate, he hurried off.

Xuan Long City was vast, divided into seven major districts with a web of roads crisscrossing throughout. Shops of all sizes lined the streets, bustling with activity.

"Yu Yin! Always remember, in this world, there is no absolute right or wrong. If you don't fight for it, you'll end up with nothing!" His mother's last words to him resonated in his mind as he walked down the lively street, teeth clenched.

"Mother, I've taken it to heart," he murmured.

In a corner, a middle-aged man in fine clothes, his face slick with grease, watched Yu Yin's disheveled but inherently handsome appearance, his gaze flickering with calculation.

After a moment's contemplation, he stepped forward to follow Yu Yin.

"Young man, are you looking for someone?"

"Mind your own business!" Yu Yin scowled. Having worked in a weapon shop for years, he had encountered all sorts of characters. His skills in discernment and judgment were far beyond those of a mere child. Unacquainted with the stranger who had approached him so boldly, Yu Yin sensed ill intent and preferred to keep his distance.

The man's eyes flickered as he spoke, "I mean no harm. I noticed you seemed quite disheveled and thought you might have run into some trouble, so I approached to see if I could offer any assistance."

"Thanks, but I'm perfectly fine," he replied with a detached expression before walking away.

Watching Yu Yin's retreating figure, the man inhaled deeply. He had hoped to play the good Samaritan, perhaps even make a favorable deal out of it, but it turned out that Yu Yin was no greenhorn. Feeling a twinge of disappointment, he resigned himself to look for another opportunity.