Journey of true Cultivation

"Senior, you are correct! I am a cultivator!"

Without saying anything else, Yuan admitted it outright, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

Hearing Yuan's direct confession, Elder Viktor nodded in satisfaction, pleased by his quick response.

"Good. Come in,we will talk in the living room."

As Elder Viktor invited him inside, Yuan's expression brightened, appearing genuinely happy.

But it was all an act.

The moment he stepped forward, his caution heightened.

After all, this house could be laced with runic formations,traps designed to restrain or even kill him instantly.

Though such an ambush was unlikely, as rune formations were high-level techniques, it was still a possibility.

In the cultivation world, anything could happen.

Even Young Master Basilisk had encountered unforeseen dangers despite his experience.

Yuan had learned from those mistakes.

And so, he quietly activated a protective shield, coating himself in Azure Basilisk Flames, prepared to react the moment anything suspicious occurred.

Following Elder Viktor, Yuan stepped into the living room.

It was simply furnished,a few leather seats, wooden chairs, a bonfire, and a handful of paintings decorating the walls.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But that didn't lessen Yuan's caution one bit.

He remained on high alert, his senses sharp, prepared for anything.

"Brat, sit wherever you want."

With that said, Yuan chose one of the wooden chairs, carefully ensuring that no runic formations were inscribed upon it.

Seeing Yuan take a seat, Elder Viktor grabbed a chair nearby and sat down as well.

Now that both were seated, the old man finally spoke.

"So now, brat, tell me your real situation. Where do you come from?"

Nodding his head, Yuan sighed deeply before speaking, his voice tinged with sadness.

"It's not much different from what I told the knights before," he began.

"My uncle and father had important business to attend to. They couldn't leave me alone in the city, as they would be gone for a few years. That wouldn't have been good for me since we had no one else to look after me. And as I am still in the Mortal Awakening Stage, I couldn't just lock myself in a room and cultivate for years, so they decided to take me with them."

As he spoke, Yuan sighed again at the mention of his father and uncle, his eyes darkening as memories resurfaced.

"We traveled with a caravan,one that carried several other cultivators. All of them were at least in the Blood Purification Stage, with the caravan leader himself at the Meridian Awakening Stage. But… we were ambushed. Betrayed.

"Fellow Daoists,people my father had trusted for years,turned against us. A fight broke out. My father and uncle wanted to flee, but… they realized they were too weak to resist."

At this point, Yuan's eyes began to tear up, his voice trembling.

"They… they saw no way out. The enemy was too powerful,three Meridian Awakening Stage cultivators were among them. The caravan could do nothing to help us. And with even more enemies appearing, the situation was already hopeless."

His hands clenched into fists.

"But then… my father realized something. Their leader… he couldn't afford to keep fighting. He was looking for an escape."

"Seeing this, my father and uncle fought their way out,cutting down their enemies, trying to at least create a path for me to escape. And they succeeded."

Tears fell freely now, his face contorted in grief.

"I survived. Even though the heavens abandoned my father and uncle… they granted me a sliver of favor. Just enough to give me the strength to reach Young Master Lucas and avoid starving to death."

The old man studied Yuan's face carefully, observing every facial expression, demeanor, and subtle movement.

Everything Yuan said made sense,even the starvation.

After all, the first thing he asked Lucas for was food, not where he was.

So… was the boy telling the truth?

Closing his eyes, Elder Viktor fell into deep thought.

He needed to decide carefully.

But after just a brief moment, his thoughts shifted to his own past.

With a sigh, he finally spoke.

"Alright, I will trust you for now. But tell me,where did you come from? And where were you headed with your father and uncle?"

Hearing this, Yuan's expression visibly brightened.

But internally,his mind raced.

This was a dangerous question. A gamble.

One he had to take.

Even though he wasn't confident about many things, this time, he had no choice but to rely on Basilisk's memories.

He could only hope that these cities still existed…

Or, at the very least, that Elder Viktor didn't know enough to question him.

Taking a deep breath, he answered.

"Yes, that's no problem. I came from Sweeping Tail City, part of the Heavenly Alliance, and we were headed to Crystal City, under the Yellow East Sect."

For a brief moment, Yuan watched the old man's reaction,waiting for any sign of doubt or suspicion.

But then,Elder Viktor simply nodded.

The gamble had paid off.

"Sweeping Tail City… I believe I've heard of it before. It should be quite far from here."

His voice carried no trace of doubt,only casual acknowledgment.

"And you were headed to Crystal City? Well, that's not too far from here. From this village, it should take about a year's travel to reach it."

Nodding his head, the elder's tone subtly shifted,no longer as cold and cautious as before.

Now, he spoke to Yuan in the same way he had spoken to Young Master Lucas,more casual.

Then, the elder asked,

"So, brat, what do you plan to do? Do you have any goals? Do you seek revenge, or something else?"

Hearing this, Yuan fell silent, his mind momentarily blank as he contemplated the question.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke.

"Elder, I think I want to join a sect,either a low ranked or a middle ranked one."

"Hmm… you want to join a sect? A middle or low ranked one?"

Elder Viktor rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.

Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, he nodded.

"I believe the next disciple selections will take place in a year. All sects will be searching for new disciples then, so you might even have a chance to join a high ranked sect."

He paused briefly before adding,

"However, I have an old friend in a cultivator clan. He's a high-ranked servant there. If you wish, I could ask him if he can arrange for you to join their army."

"A cultivation clan?"

Yuan was stunned by the offer.

For a moment, he considered it.

But then,something deep within him stirred.

A deep seated hatred surfaced from the depths of his soul, an instinctive rejection so strong that it made him disgusted at the mere thought of it.

Even if the clan was powerful, even if they were an elite family, he felt repulsed by the idea.

Without hesitation, he shook his head firmly.

"Excuse me, Elder, but I really don't want to join a clan.

"My father once told me that the internal factions within clans are far more complex and dangerous than those of a sect. I don't want to be involved in their power struggles or caught up in any political schemes."

Hearing Yuan's words, Elder Viktor nodded in approval, unknowingly acknowledging the wisdom of Yuan's 'father.'

"Indeed, faction conflicts within clans are far more complicated."

His tone carried a hint of agreement, but he still pointed out the other side of the argument.

"However, clans do have their advantages. If you are in danger, they will always protect their own. And if an enemy comes for them, they stand unified against outside threats."

He then shook his head and sighed.

"But, I won't judge your decision. This is your cultivation path, after all.

"Do as you wish,as long as it doesn't involve harming innocent people."

With that said, Elder Viktor left the room, walking towards the kitchen. Before leaving, he asked,

"Are you hungry?"

Yuan shook his head. "I already ate. I can eat later."

Hearing the rejection, Elder Viktor simply nodded.

"Alright. Then wait here while I eat. After that, I'll show you your room."

Yuan waited patiently until the elder returned.

Once Elder Viktor finished his meal, the two of them walked up to the second floor.

The upper floor was plain and simple,just a hallway with five doors and a few paintings on the walls.

Yuan glanced at the paintings only briefly,his real focus was checking for runic formations or hidden spiritual treasures.

But after a thorough scan, he found nothing suspicious and lost interest in them.

Elder Viktor walked towards the last door at the end of the hall and opened it.

"From today onward, this will be your room. You'll use it and sleep here."

Stepping inside, Yuan scanned the room.

It was simple a bed, a wooden table with a chair, a wardrobe, and just enough space to move around.

Nothing extravagant.

Nothing luxurious.

But Yuan didn't care.

Even sleeping on the floor wouldn't have been a problem for him.

Seeing that Yuan wasn't dissatisfied, Elder Viktor nodded.

"The bathroom is the first door on the right. You should rest now,we'll talk more about your situation tomorrow. But for today, let's forget everything. You've been through too much, and sleep will help calm your mind."

He continued,

"If you get hungry, go to the kitchen,there should be some leftover food. As for water, just take one of the bottles I keep stored."

With nothing more to say, Elder Viktor left the room, closing the door behind him.

Now, Yuan was alone.

As Elder Viktor had suggested, Yuan knew that resting would help ease his mind.

Even though he could endure far greater hardships, allowing his body to relax would keep him in peak condition.

But before he could let his guard down, he spent the next few hours inspecting the room.

He checked every corner, every inch of space,looking for hidden runes, formation arrays, or spying treasures.

Yet, he found nothing.

No traps.

No formations.

It was as if this room truly belonged to him.

With everything checked and secured, Yuan finally allowed himself to relax.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began thinking about his next moves.

But before he could organize his thoughts…

Sleep overtook him.

His body gave in, and he fell into a deep slumber.

The night passed without incident.

Then

The first light of dawn spilled through the window.

The sun began to rise.

And with it,a new day began.