On the ninth day after the termination of the marriage with Xu Xia, a messenger from the Xiao Family approached Xiao Ning's cabin. He carried something round in his arms, which had a dark color, similar to charcoal. Without any delicacy, he threw the object on the ground and spoke in a harsh tone:

  "This is the cauldron sent by the Xu Family." Not caring if Xiao Ning had something to say, he turned and walked away, grumbling a few things while patting his clothes, trying to remove the black stain left by the soot stuck to the metal.

  Xiao Ning bent down, looked at the cauldron lying on the ground, and let out a slight disappointed smile as he shook his head. It seems he shouldn't have provoked the Xu Family by talking about his honor. For the utensil was of the worst possible quality.

  The Enchanted Cauldron, which had been given as a form of compensation, looked like a normal pot, somewhat oval, with some dents around the body, made of cast iron and which had been forgotten on the fire during the cooking of beans for so long that it ended up charred. Seeing that black dust stuck to the metal, Xiao Ning immediately realized that the former user had committed a clumsy mistake during the composition process, resulting in an explosion.

  Indeed, this cauldron was of the worst quality. It wasn't even worth a bronze coin.

  As if it weren't enough to be made of cast iron—a terrible material for Enchanted Cauldrons—it had also already been damaged by a failure during a composition process. When an Alchemist commits a gross error during an Alchemical Composition, it is not uncommon for explosions to happen. These explosions can occur for various reasons, such as Essence Flames being too strong, too much Spiritual Energy used, or ingredients that shouldn't be put together, among other things. And the result varies according to the reason. The failure could result in a cloud of black smoke being thrown in your face, to an ephemeral but chaotic climate change while it lasted.

  The so-called "Alchemical Explosions" are indeed very common, even more so for a beginner. The real problem is when they damage the Enchanted Cauldrons. Normally, a low-quality cauldron, made of tin or aluminum, can withstand a few explosions without suffering major damage.

  But the one provided by the Xu Family was made of cast iron, a brittle and Inferior quality material. Alchemists, true Alchemists, wouldn't even consider this type of scrap as an Enchanted Cauldron. And that's when they are still new, without a scratch.

  And the one in front of Xiao Ning was dented, with cracks on the edges and bottom, looking like it could break at any instant. And as if its diminutive size, similar to a normal pot, wasn't enough, it was possible to see remains of Herbs, among other burnt things, charred and encrusted in the interior. To be honest, calling that thing Inferior quality was a flattering compliment.

  However, despite the scrap received, Xiao Ning wasn't upset, only frustrated. Nevertheless, since he needed any cauldron to practice, this one wasn't that bad. After all, even having been a great Alchemist in his past life, in this one, his control over the Essence Flames was low, his cultivation superficial, and his Spiritual Sense shallow.

  So, even having the memories of various Alchemy formulas, there was still a long way to go until he could refine Spiritual Pills and cook Purification Potions.

  The only regret was that, with this Inferior quality and defective cauldron, even practicing would become a laborious task. But... well... whatever.

  Xiao Ning picked up the cauldron and took it inside the shack. Then, with a piece of old cloth, he began to clean it. Removing the soot wasn't a difficult task; he just needed to wet the cloth a little. And even though he was unable to bring back its shiny qualities from its metallic infancy, when it had just been molded into that shape, at least the thick dust he was able to dust off. The real problem was the remains encrusted in the interior. To remove that dirt, it would be necessary to scrape with a metal spatula, which he didn't possess. Therefore, he had to make do using the dry branches piled in the firewood stack.

  Since Xiao Ning hadn't yet gathered any ingredients to make Alchemical Compositions, he decided he would first test the artifact to discover if it could withstand a Refining or Cooking. Thus, he placed it over the hole in the ground, in the middle of the cabin where the fire was lit, and invoked the Essence Flames.

  As if obeying his command, the flames jumped from his hands toward the hole and began to burn the bottom of the Enchanted Cauldron.

  While the fire heated the iron, Xiao Ning bent down and examined it to see if there was any risk of explosion. However, despite the cracks that echoed and the whispering sizzle of something old boiling, it seemed that scrap would still hold out a little longer.

  After making sure the cauldron wouldn't explode that easily, Xiao Ning increased the Essence Flames, making the orange light rise through the iron and singe the edges of the blackened metal. Suddenly, a rotten smell of poorly made mixtures infected the air and spread through the cabin.

  Xiao Ning lowered his face and gave a few sniffs. There was no doubt that the odor came from the remaining scraps of ancient Alchemical Compositions performed by the previous owner, which couldn't be cleaned using a simple wet cloth or a piece of dry wood. And these impurities would end up harming the quality and purity of things prepared there in the future. But since it was just for training, it wasn't a problem.

  Now that he had already tested the cast iron cauldron, all that was missing were the ingredients to start the Compositions. But before that, he needed to increase his strength, since the Herbs used could only be found in the higher parts of the mountain, far from the Families' territory, where no mass harvest had yet taken place. And these areas tend to be dangerous, with unstable weather and monsters lurking.

  And since he didn't want to die a second time, he needed to prepare in the best way. At least, improve his martial art a little.

  Even feeling like he could die of anxiety, Xiao Ning managed to hold himself back. In the following days, he trained quite diligently, and every day his combat skills improved. Of course, he was still weak, but it didn't even compare to a few weeks ago. He would beat the crap out of his past self.

  A few days later, roughly two weeks after the engagement was broken, Xiao Ning was sleeping peacefully on his mattress of rags. It was still night when suddenly, the light of the Eternal Sleeper Technique enveloping his body began to shine brighter. A blue beam radiated through the shack and passed through the broken window.

  At this moment, Xiao Ning opened his eyelids, and blue lightning bolts leaped from his eyes. He felt the Energy in his body grow, his muscles becoming stronger, and his senses sharper.

  Feeling the sudden change while still lying down, Xiao Ning propped his elbow on the floor and, with his body inclined, murmured:

  "Oh! I leveled up!" he babbled in a sleepy tone, a little surprised.

  It's not that this evolution was unexpected—he had already sensed that he could level up at any instant. It's just that it hadn't even been a month since he had returned, and he had already managed to advance two layers of the Mundane Realm, and this without the help of any type of pill or herbs that increase Spiritual Energy.

  If he continued evolving this fast, soon, very soon, he would reach the next Realm.

  "Well... Whatever." Murmuring this, he let his body fall and passed out. In the same instant, a blue light covered his body, indicating he was already in the deepest sleep.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  When he woke up again, the sun had already risen, and the noise of birds singing outside could be heard. He stretched and jumped up. He checked his body to see how it was and noticed that the Spiritual Energy had stabilized. Next, he concentrated Energy in the palm of his hand, and sparks charged with electricity danced between his fingers. It was visible that the Electric Palm had become more powerful.

  With his hand open, Xiao Ning lightly tapped his palm against the cabin wall. Beams of electricity ran through the wood as if looking for something to stun.

  Satisfied with the result—although it wasn't that impressive—Xiao Ning nodded in approval. The Electric Palm Technique is a skill used to numb the enemy. Therefore, he didn't expect to cause great damage or anything of the sort.

  Now that he had finally entered the 4th Layer of the Mundane Realm, Xiao Ning would no longer have to worry about entering the more isolated parts of the Ancestral Jade Mountain. Obviously, most monsters found there would be much stronger than him, but he was sure he could escape the dangers he would encounter without major problems.

  It was decided! It was time to harvest Spiritual Herbs and some other ingredients.

  But first, he needed a weapon. Neither the Electric Palm nor the Flaming Palm were techniques capable of killing monsters. They were weak and lacked destructive power. Thus, there was a need for something more deadly, like a sword or a bow and arrow.

  And there was only one place someone poor like him could get that, and it was at the Apprentice Pavilion.

  Whenever a beginner cultivator reached the 3rd, 5th, and 7th layer of the Mundane Realm, the Xiao Family would gift them by allowing them to choose something from the Apprentice Pavilion, the place where Combat Techniques and Spiritual Cultivation Techniques, as well as weapons, are kept.

  Although Xiao Ning remembered this, he didn't recall what the Apprentice Pavilion was like. To be honest, he didn't even know if he had ever been there. Even its location was uncertain to him. Therefore, without further delay, he grabbed the old cloth sack that served as a pillow, dumped the stuffing inside onto the floor—a set of clothes, the only junk possessed besides what he was wearing, and a piece of upholstery that spat dust like a pipe lover spits smoke—and set off in search of the pavilion.

  The property belonging to the Xiao Family was vast land, largely because if it weren't so, it wouldn't be possible to accommodate so many people. The problem with this was remembering where each hall and house was located. For this reason, finding a single pavilion in the middle of so many wouldn't be an easy task.

  Xiao Ning could have asked someone for the location of the Apprentice Pavilion, but getting an honest answer was the problem. After listening to some good insults during his visit to the arena used for training by the young ones, he questioned whether it would be possible to get a sincere direction.

  Keeping this in mind, he had to wander from one side to the other, counting only on luck. At one point, he ended up invading a Spiritual Hall right at the moment a teacher was scolding a student. Later, he accidentally interrupted a meeting happening in a lobby.

  Although most buildings had a sign indicating what was there, for those without any reference, Xiao Ning just walked in without knocking on the door or announcing his arrival. Because of this, a wave of complaints spread among the Xiao Family members. Since he even invaded houses, leaving only an insincere and unapologetic excuse behind.

  However, despite all the commotion he caused, he still hadn't managed to find the Apprentice Pavilion. He had already found the Weapon Pavilion, the Advanced Techniques Pavilion, but nothing of the "Apprentices."

  It was only when he started climbing a peak, near a Spiritual Hall, that he spotted a sign hanging high up with the following words: Apprentice Pavilion.

  When he finally found what he was looking for, Xiao Ning let out a relieved sigh. He was already starting to think he would spend the whole day looking for this damn place. But luckily, his prayers were answered.

  Unhurriedly, he walked toward the top of the peak. As soon as he approached, he spotted teenagers, who seemed to be the same age or a little younger than him, entering and exiting the building.

  The Apprentice Pavilion was a huge place; it seemed to be three stories high, with a structure built in a cone shape, whose highest part of the roof resembled a pointed hat. It wasn't even worth the effort to compare Xiao Ning's cabin with it. The outer wall was painted a striking orange color. On the edges of the pointed tiles, a shimmering gold could be seen, reflecting the sun's shine. And in the entrance hall, two imposing guards inspected everyone who wished to go further.

  When he got close, Xiao Ning immediately felt the aura exhaling from the guards, even though they tried to suppress it. Without a shadow of a doubt, both were in the Virtuous Realm. However, despite having practiced his Spiritual Sense, he still couldn't say exactly which layer they were in.

  But even not being able to probe that, he knew that within the Xiao Family, only the best reach the Virtuous Realm. Above them, only the Elders. And it might even seem strange for two clearly important people to be guarding a place like this, which only possesses low-level and low-quality techniques and weapons. However, regardless of which group it was, even low-level techniques were considered treasures to be protected. After all, it would be a shame to have their secrets stolen so easily.

  When Xiao Ning got close to the guards, one of them said:

  "Identify yourself!" demanded the one on the right.

  "Xiao Ning, son of Xiao Zhuang!"

  "Hm... You are Zhuang's son?" inquired the guard on the left, looking at Ning with interest. "I thought you were a useless person who was still at the second layer of the Mundane Realm."

  "Ahahaha!" laughed Xiao Ning in response, not feeling offended by the honest comment. "I think my luck has changed," he joked.

  "What did you come here to do?" questioned the one on the right, appearing to be the more serious of the two.

  "Now that I reached the 4th Layer, I thought about acquiring a weapon," replied Xiao Ning, shrugging his shoulders casually.

  "The wing with weapons permitted for someone below the 5th layer is at the back of the first floor. And unless it is a set, you can only take one," informed the one on the right with a direct voice, dispensing with unnecessary conversation.

  "No problem." Saying this, Xiao Ning finally entered the Apprentice Pavilion.

  The inside of the pavilion was enormous, with dozens of imposing shelves containing hundreds of scrolls. Not only Combat Techniques and Spiritual Cultivation Techniques were stored there, but also scrolls of history, philosophy, astronomy, astrology, geography, among other things.

  The imposing shelves formed long corridors going from one end to the other. Xiao Ning had no interest in the techniques and was too lazy to read a history book. Unless there was a scroll talking about Alchemy—which was unlikely—there was no reason to waste his time in that place. So, he went straight to the back of the room.

  Arriving there, he soon spotted a handful of weapons, very well organized, hanging on clamps on the walls or on a wide wooden counter located at the lowest part of a slope in the floor.

  There was every type of weapon there; swords were seen in heaps; clubs and maces lay on the floor because they were too heavy; hanging on the walls were bows of various sizes, and they already came accompanied by quivers and dozens of arrows; coiled on hooks were whips; and nailed to the walls, giant axes commanded respect, some single-edged, others double-bladed.

  Xiao Ning took a brief look at the weapons and soon found what he was looking for. In fact, when he decided he would go to the Ancestral Jade Mountain, he already knew which weapon he would use to protect himself. It was the same one he used in his past life, a spear. Well, he didn't use exactly a spear but rather a halberd, but since there wasn't one here...

  He walked to the seven spears propped against the wall and examined them under an attentive and quite judging gaze...

  "They are all Earthen," he murmured after checking.

  Just like techniques and cultivation itself, weapons possessed different levels, although their classification is much simpler. In fact, there are only three types: Earthen; Awakened; Ancestral.

  And just as the Mundane Realm was the lowest, the Earthen weapon was the weakest. There wasn't much difference between it and the tools used by mortals (common people who do not cultivate), apart from the material which was a bit better. The Awakened ones, on the other hand, were created by master artisans, made of rare materials and subjected to agonizing tempering. As for the Ancestral ones, if you searched the entire Central Continent, you most likely wouldn't find any.

  Xiao Ning studied the seven spears, but there was nothing special about any of them. They were all Earthen, made from the most ordinary materials. Which was frustrating, because he really wanted an Awakened one. But perhaps, for the Xiao Family, or the inhabitants of the Golden Empire in general, it wasn't so easy to obtain a weapon of that elevated level.

  Anyway, after a careful examination, Xiao Ning opted to take a spear that was a little over one meter and eighty centimeters long; ten centimeters taller than him. The shaft was made of Grey Sequoia and had a smoky color. And the tip, sharp as a needle, was of Rocky Steel, with a darkened and opaque tone.

  Choosing which spear he would take, Xiao Ning picked it up and spun it between his fingers, demonstrating mastery. Next, he invoked the Electric Palm, and threads of discharge danced through the wood to the metal tip. Despite not having practiced even once with a spear, the smooth movements he made proved that type of weapon wasn't strange to him.

  "This should do," he commented, giving his approval.

  And now that he had already chosen his weapon, it was time to go to the Ancestral Jade Mountain. And since he had remembered to bring a cloth sack, he wouldn't need to go through the trouble of returning to the shack.

  Thus, with a spear in one hand and an old pillowcase in the other, Xiao Ning headed toward the mountain.