It was really convenient.
The instantaneous travel between the Immortal World and the true outlands.
The uncomfortable feeling that plagued him disappeared the instant he was back in the vicinity of the Immortal World.
There was indeed no place like home.
Even if the home found you unworthy.
It was a tiring walk on the way back to the East Immortal Fort, but he got back and submitted his mission at the Adventurer Guild.
The excess beliol nightshade flower was also sold there for more contribution point, which he exchanged for some gold and silver.
He was in dire need of a change of clothing.
Something he took care of immediately.
The clothes he bought was made of a fabric that also functioned as a very light armor.
His current fighting style was one that emphasized swiftness and agility.
Not getting hit was more important than any added defense.
Armor would only disturb his rhythm and mess up his fighting style.
His current plan was to leave the East Immortal Fort as soon as it dawns tomorrow.
He could live here, but it was too taxing having to draw in essence with this much focus.
It was in no way smooth.
The Adventurer Guild offered lodgings, which he took advantage of for the night.
It was a quiet night.
*
Neo wasn’t going back to the City of Immortal Glory.
There was an out of way town somewhere around here.
It was close enough to The Outlands, that it was just a few hours away, but far away enough that it wasn’t affected by its harsh conditions.
There was a merchant’s carriage going to the town, and Neo was quick to hitch a ride.
Walking would have been irksome.
He looked forward to the day he could finally ditch carriages, and walk the land as he pleased.
His essence was just too low, and he still needed to rank up once.
The town was truly out of the way.
However, its liveliness could rival any city.
The small town was full of adventurers.
No, the small town was populated wholly by adventurers.
Retired ones, budding ones, active ones, their families.
This was a town dedicated to the adventurer lifestyle.
Neo looked around.
The children swinging at training dummies.
The ones running around, chasing each other in a mock fight.
Arrows striking at targets.
It was quite the sight.
The carriage stopped at the largest inn in the small town.
It was still early in the morning, yet close enough to noon.
He got off the carriage, and said his farewell to the merchant.
The man was easygoing and nice.
He had made the journey a pleasant one for Neo.
Being able to spin one interesting tale after another as they moved on the road.
Inside the inn, the common floor was surprisingly devoid of people.
He saw the inn keeper sitting at the bar.
He walked over.
There was still some rooms available in the inn.
He chose one of the rooms on the topmost floor.
He had the thought of touring the town.
However, he decided it was a better use of his time to draw in essence and cultivate.
The more he cultivated his essence now, the earlier he could rank up.
Breath after breath.
He operated his cultivation technique.
The road to reaching the peak of F-Rank was long.
A technique could only do a part of the job.
The environment also mattered.
This mortal world was the only barren part of the Immortal World.
A barren part that was nothing compared to the size of the whole Immortal World.
Every effort to draw in essence was a chore.
Reaching the peak of the F-Rank was already a time consuming task.
Going for the absolute limit was inconceivable.
But that no longer concerned him.
Not having a bloodline was truly a great loss when it concerned cultivation.
If one was lucky or unlucky enough to be born with a bloodline here in this mortal world.
They would most likely miss out on a lot.
The chance to go for the absolute limit of each rank.
The chance to try for the Ex-Rank.
Having the will was not enough, the energy of the mortal world simply could not provide what was needed.
That was not a problem that concerned him.
He only needed to reach the peak of the SSS-Rank.
There, he might try for the chance to become a loose immortal or maybe not.
That was all far away.
Now, the F-Rank was enough to give him a headache.
Breath after breath, his essence grew.
Gradual and steady.
*
Night came.
Neo decided to take a break from cultivation.
Today, he would go down to the common floor.
He wanted to know what it was like to sit among that crowd.
To feel what it was like to revel all night.
This was something he had steered clear of since he arrived in the mortal world.
Down at the common floor, it was quite the merry sight.
Drinks were overflowing.
Every table never seem to run out of something to drink even as they were downed almost immediately.
The night seemed to have just gotten started.
Conversation flowed among the patrons.
The day’s gossips and long running ones.
Neo sat in an out of the way corner.
He knew no one here and decided to observe.
He took it all in.
Bang!
A large cup was dropped on the table before him.
The barmaid stood before him, one arm held akimbo as she leaned forward.
“Courtesy of the house, Mister.”
Her plunging neckline drew attention, but Neo was able to look away.
He turned his head to the bar.
There was the inn keeper who also worked as the barkeep.
The man seemed to feel his gaze.
He turned his head to Neo and nodded with a smile.
The man seemed to notice everything and everyone here.
Even Neo who thought he was inconspicuous enough.
“Where are you from, Mister?” The barmaid hadn’t left.
She seemed to lean much closer now.
“Haven’t seen you around here before.”
Even as Neo could almost feel her face in his.
He kept eye contact, his eyes never drifted.
“Nowhere and everywhere.
I go where I need to be.”
He was polite.
His eyes gentle.
Something in his eyes captivated the woman, but soon she shook her head as she came back to her senses.
She still had work to do.
She could only leave in a hurry.
However her head kept turning back to look his way.
Even as she served at other tables, her eyes kept drifting to him.
Neo was surprised.
Although he had never used this technique in a situation like this before, it surprised him that it had such an effect.
It was a combat technique used to distract an opponent’s attention.
However, it seemed to have a charm effect if used in the right situation.
(^o^)
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