After I got out of the Repository, I went to have a look at the Exchange Center.

Until now, I never checked since everything was bought with sect points or traded for other resources inside the Sect. I hadn't needed to buy too many material goods, so I had never thought to check. Now though, I needed to acquire a few things, so I was curious about the exact value of my Sect Credits.

When I saw it, I was left stunned.

I am rich! I shouted in disbelief in my mind.

The exchange rate fluctuated over time, so it wasn't specified in the book. Right now, though, 10 Credits were around the value of a gold coin.

I make five gold coins a day…

As I walked away towards the clothing store, I was in a daze – it was like a dream.

Uhuhuh, I am making gold. Mountains of gold! I let myself dream for a while before controlling myself.

I didn't have too many credits right now, so I couldn't spend too much. Still, I kept my high spirit. I didn’t know for camp supplies, but clothes and shoes probably wouldn’t cost too much.

I entered the store in high spirit.

“Good morning, Senior Sister!” I greeted with a smile.

The woman inside the store made a jump, startled. She had been alone, seemingly drawing on something when I entered.

"Good morning, Junior Brother," she greeted me with a glare.

Uh, this didn’t start well.

She took the sheet and crumpled it, throwing it away.

Uh-oh!

“I’m really sorry Senior Sister! I didn’t mean to startle you!” I bowed to her, feeling guilty.

It seems all the time I spent training to move silently had some unexpected side effects – I had to be more careful in the future.

“Sigh, don’t worry Junior Brother, it was just a sketch, and it wasn’t coming out as I wanted anyway,” she said, dropping the glare, “do you need something?”

She then took a good look at me and continued before I could say anything. "Yes, you definitely do. Come here."

She moved to an area of the store with a mirror.

"Um, Senior Sister, I can't spend too many credits." I hoped she wasn't expecting me to buy some expensive clothes.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Do you have any preference?” she asked as we stopped.

I thought about it for a moment before answering. “Yes. A sleeveless shirt and some loose pants that would be easy to move in. I would prefer if the colors weren’t too bright, but I don’t have any preference there.”

She nodded and then went off, bringing back a few clothes.

After trying them on, I choose a dark red attire with green decorations around the sleeves and buttons and a black one with silver embroidery.

I looked great in them, and Senior Sister seemed to agree.

I happily went to pay, but hearing the price almost made me back off from the exchange.

It’s fine my ass! The Sect is ripping me off!

I was buying mundane clothes, without any special effect weaved inside, but even the lowest prices were absurd.

It was still affordable for me, but sixteen credits for a regular attire was outrageous.

Unfortunately, I still had to buy them. It was useless if I changed my facial features and wore the same clothes.

After what Li Chu told me, I paid more attention, and, as he said, no one was wearing poor's clothes. They were even better than those I saw in the city, but I was so busy with other thoughts that I never noticed. I would have probably spotted it right away if I entered the Wudang Sect just as I arrived. I didn't, and when I toured the town, I had to tune out what others wore – it made me feel out of place to compare myself to them. I kept doing that in the Sect, too, unconsciously.

I was still stupefied to see the lengths people went to look good. Most Qi Gathering Disciples had to work for two or three days to get that much - without counting their expenses. Now that I thought about it, the food wasn't cheap at all here. This place was goddamn expensive. Luckily I got paid well.

“Thanks for everything, Senior Sister." I was almost in tears as I said that. Thirty-two credits gone for a pair of shirts and pants. And I still had to go choose some decent shoes.

“Come back soon,” she said with a smile.

I hope not.

After buying the shoes, my soul nearly left my body, but I soldiered on.

It was necessary expense. I tried to convince myself.

Since I didn't want to go to my house, I entered the forest to change and practice the techniques.

The Wudang Sect was located behind some high cliffs that faced the valley where Fan city was situated. The mountains facing the valley looked almost like they had been cut out by a sword to have such vertical walls. Behind them, the Sect grounds occupied a few mountains' worth of space.

Not every part of it was taken by buildings. Some places were still partly, or completely, forested. What kept most beasts out was the Formation that covered the mountains, instead of walls. People could also come and go as they wished if they had the Sect bracelet.

I thought that would have been a security risk since someone could just steal one from a Disciple, but that didn't seem to be the case.

Someone would have already thought of that.

Inside the Formation, there were still areas containing beasts of various levels, kept there for lower-level disciples to temper themselves. Outside, there were too many at the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation Level to be safe. There were also some at the Nascent Soul, from what I heard.

I had absolutely no intention to step out any time soon. If I wanted to commit suicide, I would rather go to the cliffs.

Coincidentally, they were also the only two methods a Disciple could go out without an assignment to complete or an errand for an Elder. One could also ask to leave for some time, but it required some time to be approved – it also wasn't always granted.

I wasn’t sure I could make it down the cliff, and to reach the city by the forest I would need to be, at the very least, at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Anyway, I went to one of the areas devoid of beasts, where disciples could practice without fearing an attack, and changed there. Then I tried to apply the two techniques. It took a few tries to use them correctly, and when I looked at the reflection of my face, I had a hard time recognizing myself. I could still see the similarities with my original appearance when I looked closely, but, adding my different clothes, I doubted that someone would notice.

After a few tries, I learned to alter my features at will – minor changes, but still effective.

After a few experiments, I concluded that I could easily keep it on if I only walked around. Doing an intensive task that required concentration, or physical exertion, would dispel the Technique, though.

The hearing enhancement was a bit easier to keep up, and it was good. It also filtered out loud sound and concentrated my hearing when, and on what, I needed it to – it was incredible.

Applying both together had been a bit harder, but keeping them up wasn’t that difficult since I just needed to circulate. Even with the low requirements they were still near the limit of my qi, though.

The last thing left to try was my meridian tempering. Like the other two, it wasn't difficult once it was set up.

Usually, if one had to circulate, it would barely take a thought, and the qi would start moving through the pathways. Executing Techniques during battle needed more training since one had to use some specific meridians with the right timing – it still wasn't too hard to accomplish, though.

One didn't need to fear damaging his own meridians in those circumstances. Before it could get to that point, the cultivator would feel a strain – that was when he knew he was nearing his limit. If he then decided to take it further, it could get dangerous.

He would first start to feel them stinging. That was when one had to stop. If he increased it more, it was hard to predict how much damage it would be done.

My objective was to keep them just lightly strained for as long as I could in the beginning. Then I would try to increase it with time. If I could get to the level of stinging and keep it for a few hours a day, I would surely notice much faster improvements.

The rest of the time, I would do as the Elder suggested, and circulate throughout the day keeping a reasonable speed.

After trying, I saw it was fine. Keeping it up for hours would be annoying, but it wasn’t too uncomfortable.

After doing that, I applied the techniques and tried to take a walk around.

I noticed right away that the hearing enhancement felt strange. I could feel what people said in the distance as if they were near me, but those near me would still hear at the same volume. At the start, it was disorienting since I never knew where the speaker was – but I gradually got better at manipulating it.

It was very useful when spying on conversations but a bit harder to use to spot hidden people. It was difficult to filter the right sounds, so I needed some practice before it became useful.

After the tour, I went to see how much I would need to spend on supplies when I had the credits. I couldn't stay in the abandoned houses since I couldn't apply the techniques there, and they would be dispelled after I slept, so my only option was to pitch a tent in the forest.

It would also be better to get used to it for the future – for missions outside the Sect.

As I entered the Supply Pavilion, I saw many strange gadgets in exposition. I would take a look around later after I sawwhat I wanted.

“Greetings, Senior Brother,” I said to one of the Disciples behind the counter.

"Greetings, Junior Brother. Do you need something?"

“Yes, I wanted to know the prices for tent and camp supplies.” I hoped they wouldn’t be too outrageous.

The prices of the clothes had left me some trauma.

“Sure, we have a catalog,” he said, reaching for something below his desk.

He then gave me a book and pointed at a place where there were a few couches. "You can sit there while you look."

I went over there and started reading.

I nearly spit blood.

If clothes were expensive, I didn't have words for these things. I ignored with all my strength all the more extravagant pieces, trying to find something I could afford.

The lowest prices for tents were in the hundreds.

I refused to buy them.

Just a cloth and a stick will have to do for cover. A few leaves for the bedding.

I still needed to buy a few healing pills for emergency situations.

Dammit! I thought I was rich… such a short, sweet dream…

My eyes might have been slightly moist.