As the sun reached the middle of the day a slim, beautiful blond walked into a rundown tea shop near the ports. When she entered, Kara walked over to Aria’s table, sat down, grabbed the empty cup, and poured tea into it.

Smiling she said, “Aria, this whole cultivation thing is super cool. Do you know how crazy this world is? Where we came from we used math to show how the universe works and then built technology to use those math formulas of the universe but this place is crazy. They absorb this ‘qi’ into their bodies and can actually interact with the world through the key. So, like, we don’t need math formulas and technology to make explosions, just use your qi to interface with the fire element in the world and compress it, boom an explosion. Want to travel across a large distance? Find someone who understands space energy to interface with it and spatial warping is possible… No more math!! We can understand universal laws and interface with them via our bodies and qi energy as a medium.” Kara was truly excited. She wasn’t a fantasy novel fan in her previous life and hadn’t read martial arts cultivation books so this concept of universal laws and energy was new and exciting to her.

Aria’s face lit up. He had always dreamed of being in a xianxia cultivation world and when he saw ‘qi’ and ‘void element’ on his stats page he was hoping that was the kind of world that he was sent to. So, with his face flushed red he spoke. “Kara, no need to wait for me, tell me everything you learned. Every last detail, I’m really excited. This sounds like the books I used to read and I want to know everything!”

Kara proceeded to explain what she learned. Basically this world focuses on qi absorption and martial arts rather than electricity based technology. Every step of cultivation involves absorbing qi into your body, the difference is what happens with the qi once it enters you. The first cultivation realm is known as ‘Tempered Body’ with three common levels and one dangerous one. The levels most people go through are the tempering of the skin, then the bones, and then muscles and tendons. However, those who wish to reach legendary heights also temper their entire spinal column (Specifically their nerves) and their brains. Most people don’t do this because without an understanding of those parts of the body you’re likely to die if you inject high amounts of qi there. The second cultivation realm is known as the ‘Elementary Core’ and is split into low, mid, and high successes in the realm. This one entails filling your dantian with qi and compressing it to form a solid core. Then you absorb elemental energy into your body as you did during the tempered body so your body is closer to the elements and qi into your core to strengthen it.

“The unfortunate thing,” sighed Kara, “Is that cultivation techniques for the ice element aren’t common in this city which focuses more on water so I’d either need to marry into a large family here or wait until the next Tower level. Marrying into a family here isn’t an option because it would prevent me from going to that level without my husband and force me to actively ‘dual cultivate’ with my husband….” She blushed as her words trailed off at the end.

“Oh, Oh!” Suddenly understanding what dual cultivation meant, Aria blushed as he said, “Don’t worry. Let’s just go to the second level and then we will find you one. Apparently you live longer the higher your cultivation realm so one year shouldn’t be the end of the world. But I have some bad news about a boat. So it seems I’m considered to be at the level of bone tempering which is the minimum level that is accepted for travel to the second level on a boat. However, if I don’t prove I’m skilled with a weapon usable against birds and water based qi beasts, but, I can’t show people my deagle or it would probably cause us more problems until we have some strength to keep ourselves safe from others. This world’s laws are very different from Earth’s in the sense that there aren’t really any. The strong set the laws and have control. So the only real solution I can find is to find someone desperate enough to take us or to buy a boat and hope we don’t capsize or get lost…”

Kara fell into contemplation for a few minutes but, as she was contemplating, the owner of the tea shop walked into the back room. Just as Kara began to speak, she was interrupted by the old man.

“Young man, I believe Liam told you the story of him and his sister but what he didn’t say is that, before their parents left three years ago, they paid for the two to study under a well-known captain for two years until their chaperones came to take them to the second level. Unfortunately they never came and might have died on the way here. I’ve taken care of them since then while preparing a small boat for them to use to reach the second level if they can find a small crew of capable people to be the guards and carry the supplies. I know you have some secrets about your weapon but, I can assure you I don’t care about it. I’m near the end of my lifespan so even if your weapon was god himself, I won’t covet it. So, attack me with your weapon and if I am impressed by it then I can permit them to be your boat crew, if you approve of them that is.”

Kara’s eyes lit up but knew this wasn’t her decision. “Aria, it’s a good opportunity but I’ll leave it up to you. I’m not great with my bow and it’s definitely weaker and not as risky as your deagle so if you don’t want to show it, we can find someone else.”

“Sigh. Kara, this involves both of our lives. Although we’ve only been looking into this for a week, it’s pretty clear that we can’t get a ride on someone’s boat without proving we wouldn’t be useless baggage… I might not be able to trust the old man but, I’ve talked to the kid a lot so I think I can trust him and his sister. Okay, I’ll do it. However, old man, this weapon is very dangerous so you have to take it seriously and if you get hurt or die, it’s not my responsibility.”Aria was truly concerned. A .50 caliber bullet was quite dangerous on earth and it would probably be dangerous in the Tower too, even if the enemy was stronger than him.

“Come on kid, you don’t really think you can hurt me do you?” Asked the old man, however, upon seeing the concerned look on Aria’s face he decided to be serious and a white shimmering light tightly wrapped his body. This light gave off a cold feeling.

Taking a deep breath, and feeling a bit nervous using this for the first time, Aria slowly lifts his left hand while imagining the deagle. As the deagle appeared in his left hand, the old man’s eyes lit up in surprise as she shouted “Stop! Get rid of it! Put it up now!” Shocking Aria as he panicked for a moment before imagining the deagle disappearing.

“W-wh-what’s wrong? It’s just a weapon, although it may look a bit unique, it still shouldn’t be anything extraordinary.” Stuttered Aria.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? All of you, get in the back room now! Don’t ask questions and don’t come out. This is far more serious than you can imagine,” demanded the old man.

Aria, Kara, and the siblings were confused but still ran into the backroom but, just as they ran into the backroom the door to the tea shop was kicked open by three old men.

“Come on old Jia, are you intentionally trying to get yourself killed? Taking out a soul weapon treasure in our city on the first level?” Laughed one of the men.

“Yeah old fox, what’s going on here.” Queried another.

“This city is run by our three families. We let your shop stay without trouble since you’re going to die soon anyways and lack ambition but if you’re going to be taking out treasures for a split second like your teasing us, I might just get a bit angry.” The third man, while he spoke last, exuded a stronger pressure than the other’s, causing him to appear to be the leader.

As if expecting this, Old Jia took a deep breath before speaking. “Listen up dirty old fogeys. Before I say anything else, toss out some money to pay for that door you broke.” As the third man tossed out a low jade, he grumbled, “Irritating basterds destroying my shop. Fine. Listen up as I’ll only say this once. Yes I have a treasure, but you can screw off if you want it and wait til I die of old age before you fight over it. I’ve got some kids heading to the second level on my qi boat soon, and took out the treasure to attract you all here for a deal. You all hate sending your daughter’s out of the city because chances are they’ll be assaulted on the boat. Each of you can send one female on the boat to the second level and my little friend Aria will ensure they arrive safely to your family branches at the second level. If they don’t get there safely, your second level family branches can just kill the kid, that’s the guarantee but the price is 10 mid jades per person.” Towards the end, as he stated his price, Old Jia had a content smile on his face.

The leader hesitated for a moment before saying, “ Alright Old Jia, we’ll talk about it and come back a week from today with a decision.” After he spoke, the three nodded at each other and headed off in the same direction as if to discuss something.

Once the three left, Old Jia called them back out of the backroom and was quite irritated. “Dammit kid, do you have any idea what you did?”

“No sir. I only took out my weapon, is there something wrong with it?”

“Jesus kid, you scared the hell out of me. Why would you take a soul weapon out on the first level? It’s fine on the second level since they are more common, but using one here without a backing is asking to be robbed, especially yours. Soul weapons are special, when someone reaches the Elementary Core Realm they can form a weapon linked to their soul and Nascent Soul Realm cultivators can link a soul weapon to a weaker cultivator’s soul. They are much stronger than normal weapons and get slightly stronger as the cultivator gets stronger. I don’t know how you did it but not only have you fused with a soul weapon, your body has an element already. Something that shouldn’t be possible unless you’ve formed a core…” After grumbling for a moment, he seemed to be startled before asking, “Wait… Does your lady friend… Does she have an element too?”

Kara hesitated before replying, “Yes sir. I have the ice element and a shortbow soul weapon.”

Time seemed to stop for Old Jia as he slowly turned to Aria and Kara. “Who are you guys? How can both of you already have elements in your bodies in the Body Tempering realm?”

“It’s… complicated.” Aria wasn’t sure what is and isn’t common knowledge for people of the low realm nor did he know what people thought of Linley. It wouldn’t be a good idea to threaten him if he was worshiped here…

“Hang on, you said the ice element right? But you barely have any qi in you… Do you not have a cultivation technique or something?” Old Jia was confused at how she could have a soul weapon but not a cultivation technique yet there was barely any qi in Kara. Plus, it wasn’t circulating and instead just flowed about randomly and ineffectively.

Laughing with embarrassment, Kara glanced at Aria, “Haha, I couldn’t find one for sale in the city so I’m waiting until we reach the second level. Aria has one for his element so he’s going to do the fighting until we get there.”

Old Jia looked at the two like they were just stupid. “Guys, the world’s linked to the towers mainly have mortals, people can only enter the tower when they at least reach the skin level of Body Tempering which means they already have a cultivation technique yet aren’t strong enough to need a new one. So of course you won’t find any in the first level. You might find a body tempering technique for sale in the second level but it will only be the most basic. If you want one with a specific element for Body Tempering you will only find it for sale on the third level but it will only use the elements to temper your body, not absorb the elemental energy into your body because, unlike you two, people in the Body Tempering level can’t store that in their bodies yet.”

Kara looked like she was about to cry at the news that she might have to marry someone to simply get a cultivation technique since it would be a while before they could reach the third level. It might even take a few decades… However, before she teared up, Aria said, “Don’t worry Kara. Let’s just get to the second level first. We can find a solution when we get there, there’s always a way as long as we try.”

Sighing, Old Jia spoke, “Sigh. Listen, you can keep the boat and map I’ll provide as payment for keeping the two safe to the city their parents went to. I have an ice cultivation technique since that’s what I cultivate and I don’t mind selling it to you since my lifespan is coming to an end anyways, however, I want 5 mid jades as payment so I can keep my tea shop running. Also, you can’t take it out of your spatial bag until you leave on the boat for the second level.”

Kara was extremely excited. She felt like she owes Old Jia quite a lot since not only is he providing a boat, a crew, but also a cultivation technique to her. She started crying and gave him a hug as she said, while choking up, “Thank you! Thank you so much! The boat, helping us get a crew, teaching us about soul weapons and the Tower’s levels, yet you're even selling me a cultivation technique....”

Aria and Kara thanked him a few more times before confirming with the siblings that they are willing to take charge of the boat. Old Jia told them to come to the tea shop a week and a half later ready to go. He’ll set up the boat at the docks and have their female passengers at the shop too. So, with a few hours left in the day, Aria and Kara went out and explored the city together while they bought enough food for a few more people.