I Can Only Cultivate In A Game
Chapter 252 - 252: The Selection

(( The Next Day ))

Victor stood quietly at the edge of Lingyun Town's central plaza, calmly observing the massive estate that now housed the annexed Bai–Qin family.

This grand compound, which had evidently swallowed almost half the town, was nothing short of ostentatious, boasting intricate architecture and lavish gardens that starkly differed to the humble buildings surrounding it.

As he watched, numerous youths dressed in black-and-crimson robes moved arrogantly through the streets.

Their very presence instilled fear into every passerby. From the moment anyone with such robes were seen, the people in the surroundings turned wary.

Their attire matched those guards he had seen at the Lingyun Rest and the Trade Pavilion, marking them unmistakably as scions of this oppressive new regime.

Observing their unchecked dominance, Victor narrowed his eyes.

Lingyun Town had once been humble, peaceful, even welcoming. Now, it resembled a domain of oppression, where fear was the currency of the day.

Victor followed a bunch of them from the distance, observing their actions and trying to gain as much info as he could.

Suddenly, a group of four youths from the annexed family strutted arrogantly towards a particular direction and pandemonium ensued.

Their laughter echoex harshly in the ears of the wary townsfolk as they blasted through the goods of a vendor.

In a matter of moments, an elderly street vendor was groveling at their feet as he pleaded for mercy.

Sscattered vegetables and fruits could be spotted strewn across the muddy road.

"Please, young masters, that's all I have! My family will starve if you take more!" the old man begged desperately with his forehead pressed into the dirt.

One of the youths sneered and kicked the old man's goods aside carelessly. "You should feel honored, old fool. It's your privilege to serve our family."

Another laughed cruelly. "Besides, your daughter is growing up quite nicely. Maybe offering her to our young master will secure your miserable lives."

The old man's face paled as he trembled violently. "Please! She's still young! Spare my daughter!"

The youth grinned sinisterly. "Don't worry. We'll wait until she's ripened. But remember, refusing our generosity won't end well for your entire family."

Nearby, the vendor's young daughter stood trembling as she hid behind a broken cart with widened terrified eyes.

The lecherous glances from these arrogant youths made Victor's anger simmer dangerously. The oppressive air thickened with fear while bystanders nervously cast their gazes away, pretending not to notice the cruelty taking place before them.

Every fiber of Victor's being urged him to strike them down, yet he held himself back, fully aware that rash action now would jeopardize his ultimate goal.

He needed to dismantle this oppressive regime entirely, not just punish a few lowly thugs. He took a deep breath and calmed himself as a new plan began to formulate.

At that moment, a new notification flickered into view, alerting Victor to the completion of his previous objective.

[Objective Complete: Investigate the current situation of Lingyun Town.]

[Rewards Received: 25,000 Wisps of Qi, +3% Bloodline Integration progress, Enhanced Qi perception.]

Following the rewards, another notification promptly appeared, presenting him with a fresh quest:

[New Quest Received: Change the Fate of Lingyun Town.]

[Objective Added: Uncover more detailed information about the annexed Bai–Qin family.]

Fang Chen's eyes brightened briefly as he absorbed the new quest details with a faint smile.

This was exactly what he needed... getting to play hero and also getting rewarded for it.

Now how to go about the situation...

'Looks like infiltration is the best option...' Victor muttered internally.

He decided that he was going to infiltrate their ranks and dismantle their regime from the inside.

Later that evening, Victor silently explored Lingyun Town, gathering intelligence from hushed whispers of fearful yet defiant townsfolk. For a better reading experience, visit NovelFire.

He discovered that the annexed family had recently announced a recruitment drive. Any talented young cultivators, regardless of their backgrounds, were welcome to join their ranks, further solidifying their grip over the town.

Victor immediately realized this was his chance. He needed to get inside to understand their structure, leadership, and vulnerabilities.

Although, since he was significantly stronger than the average cultivator in Lingyun Town, his rank would raise alarm so he would have to suppress his aura.

This would ensure he appeared just talented enough to warrant recruitment, but not threatening enough to draw unwanted suspicion.

Victor wasted no time. He quickly located Tarkos, who was meditating quietly in the modest room they'd secured at an inn located on the outskirts of Lingyun Town.

"Tarkos," Victor voiced with a hushed but urgent tone. "I need a favor."

Tarkos slowly opened his eyes with a faint smirk crossing his lips. "When don't you?"

Victor rolled his eyes slightly. "I'm serious. I need you to find a trader selling medicine or pills capable of temporarily lowering or at least masking a cultivator's true cultivation realm. I want to infiltrate the Bai-Qin family. "

Tarkos raised an eyebrow with an amused expression. "And what makes you think I don't already have something like that?"

Victor paused with a slightly surprised look. "You do?"

Tarkos chuckled while leaning forward slightly. "Did you forget who you're talking to? I'm an assassin. Masking my cultivation rank is practically second nature. Here." He reached into the folds of his dark robes and pulled out a small jade bottle before gently tossing it to Victor.

Victor caught it neatly and examined the tiny jade bottle carefully. "How long does it last?"

"One pill should last roughly two days," Tarkos explained calmly. "But it will completely suppress your cultivation aura and appearance, making it appear as though you're only at the Qi Refining Realm, stage three, at most. For best results, you should avoid heavy combat or excessive Qi usage, as it can cause the effects to weaken prematurely."

Victor nodded thoughtfully and gripped the bottle tightly. "Perfect. I'll need exactly this."

Tarkos gave him a cautious glance. "Just be careful. If they detect your true cultivation, your infiltration plan will fall apart."

"I understand," Victor assured him confidently. "This is a risk I'm willing to take."

The next morning, Victor rose early.

He carefully took a single pill from the jade bottle and swallowed it. Almost immediately, he felt a strange but gentle wave ripple through his dantian, compressing his dense and powerful Qi into a small fraction of what it truly was.

He checked himself briefly and found that his aura indeed seemed to reflect only a modest Qi Refining Realm, stage three. Perfectly believable and non-threatening.

Quickly changing into simple robes, he slipped into the bustling streets of Lingyun Town, swiftly arriving at the recruitment site set up outside the Bai–Qin family compound.

Already dozens of nervous youngsters had lined up, eager for a chance at wealth and power.

One of the Bai–Qin family elders stood at the gate, flanked by two stern-faced guards, carefully appraising each candidate.

"You there! Step forward!" called the elder, pointing towards Fang Chen as he approached the line.

Fang Chen walked forward and bowed politely. "Senior."

"Your name and age?" The elder's gaze was sharp, scanning him quickly.

"Chen Fan, sixteen," Fang Chen responded smoothly, keeping his voice humble.

"Extend your hand," the elder commanded.

Fang Chen obediently stretched out his hand, and the elder grasped his wrist, pouring a trace of Qi into him to gauge his cultivation. Fang Chen remained completely calm, relying on the effects of Tarkos' pill. After a moment, the elder nodded slightly, clearly satisfied.

"Not bad, not bad. Qi Refining Realm stage three at only sixteen. Acceptable talent." He released Fang Chen's wrist and scribbled notes on a small jade tablet. "Next!"

Fang Chen stepped aside quietly, internally relieved that it worked perfectly.

As he moved away, he glanced at the other candidates. Most ranged between seventeen and eighteen years old, with cultivation levels ranging from stage one to stage four of the Qi Refining Realm. Fang Chen noted carefully that no one present exceeded stage four, which confirmed his earlier suspicions about the local cultivation standards.

It was just like he recalled from back then...

After an hour, all the candidates had been measured and recorded. The elder stood before them once again and spoke in a loud voice, silencing all conversations.

"You've all shown potential. However, your entry isn't assured yet. Exactly one week from now, you shall return here at dawn for your physical and martial evaluations. Only those who prove themselves during these trials will be admitted into the esteemed Bai–Qin family and granted unparalleled resources and opportunities."

The young cultivators murmured amongst themselves nervously. Fang Chen merely smiled quietly as his mind already formulated his next steps.

"You are dismissed," the elder concluded curtly.

Fang Chen quietly left the recruitment site and immediately headed back to his rented room at the inn. Tarkos was waiting patiently with his arms folded casually across his chest.

"How did it go?" Tarkos stared at Victor curiously.

"Flawlessly," Victor confirmed while showing a subtle smile. "They accepted my false rank without suspicion. I'll return in a week for their physical tests."

"Very good," Tarkos praised lightly. "But remember, don't underestimate them. Always remain vigilant."