Steadily Upgrading Everything!
Chapter 27: I feel like I belong

Chapter 27: I feel like I belong

The ten days had passed like a blur of herbs, flames, and slashes.

John now sat alone in his quiet room in the Nine Sky Inn, his back resting against the wooden wall, a single oil lamp casting soft golden light across his face.

The shadows danced as if whispering the passage of time.

He let out a slow breath, then opened his status panel with a thought.

---

[System Panel — Updated]

Name: John Coral

Age: 25

Cultivation: Spirit Seed Realm (1127/3200)

Upgrade Slot: Empty

Skills:

• Meditation (Level 6 – Max)

• Breathing (Level 5 – Max)

• Spatial Awareness (Level 5)

• Slow Toad Breathing Skill (Level 10 – Max)

• Double Face Lizard Technique (Level 7 – Max)

• Basic Flame Control (Level 3)

• Alchemy (Level 5)

• Twelve Circle Slashes (Level 3)

---

A grin crept onto John’s face as he studied the panel.

Alchemy at level five, Twelve Circle Slashes at level three, and a full upgrade slot at his disposal.

All signs pointed to readiness.

"And tomorrow is the entrance exam... the gateway to the Blue Cauldron Sect." He muttered to himself, his voice calm and determined.

But tonight...tonight, he would let the worries of cultivation rest.

With a relaxed sigh, he left the inn and melted into the vibrant night of Nine Sky City.

The streets pulsed with excitement. Dozens of lanterns lit the narrow alleys in orange and red, their soft glow casting swaying shadows across vendor stalls and silk-draped windows.

John made his way to the Nine Sky Martial House to sell the last of his refined pills.

His visit was quick, efficient. When he stepped back into the street, the weight of 400 newly earned spirit stones in his spatial bag reassured him.

From there, he headed toward the east district, where opulence and entertainment mingled with the air.

The Drunken Phoenix Lounge stood tall, a masterpiece of intricate carvings and fluttering banners.

The scent of aged plum wine and fire-seared meat beckoned as he entered.

Musicians played gentle zither melodies while graceful dancers moved like flowing rivers under silk curtains.

John picked a seat near the window and ordered without restraint, roasted snow rabbit basted in beast-fat, smoked thunderbeast ribs, spiced spirit mushrooms, and a steaming bowl of golden broth infused with rare herbs.

Beside it, three bottles of Nine Petal Plum Wine glistened with condensation.

He drank slowly, savoring every bite.

The flavors sang on his tongue.

He watched the dancers swirl, their movements blending with the rhythm of the music, a brief reminder of beauty and luxury in a world often drowned in blood and survival.

"For once," he whispered with a wistful smile, "I feel like I belong."

After the feast, he indulged in a full-body massage from a renowned spirit masseuse.

The woman’s fingers moved like flowing water over his tired muscles, and he nearly drifted off under her skilled touch.

Hours later, fully relaxed and satisfied, John stepped back onto the emptying streets.

Moonlight bathed the road in silver. The crowds had thinned, replaced by silence and flickering torches.

He made his way through the quiet back alleys toward the Nine Sky Inn, the warmth of wine still tingling in his blood.

But as he turned into a narrow, dimly lit passage, three hooded figures stepped forward from the shadows.

They moved like ghosts, silent, synchronized, and with unmistakable intent.

"Well, well..." the man on the left spoke with a smug chuckle.

"Didn’t expect the alchemist boy to be walking back alone, especially after making such a profit."

The one in the middle stepped forward, pulling back his hood just enough to reveal his eyes, bloodshot, hungry.

"Heh. We watched you walk out of Nine Sky Martial House earlier. You looked rich, and soft."

The third man, taller and broader than the other two, cracked his knuckles, his breath hot in the cold air.

"Hand over the spirit stones and everything else you’re carrying. Maybe we’ll let you walk back without a limp."

John didn’t flinch.

His eyes slowly swept over them each one giving off the aura of a Blood Refinement Realm cultivator.

"Three against one," he said softly, his expression unreadable. "That’s not fair."

The leader sneered. "Afraid?"

"No..." John shook his head and gave a small smile. "I was talking about you three."

The air changed.

The three men’s expressions stiffened.

"What’d you say, brat?" the burly one growled, stepping forward.

"I said..." John’s smile widened slightly. "You’ll need at least six to make this interesting."

"Tch! Arrogant fool—" The shortest of the trio lunged forward with a dagger, aiming for John’s side.

But his blade struck only air.

Woosh!

John’s figure blurred, faster than the eye could register, and reappeared behind the man.

A palm strike cracked against the back of his neck, sending him collapsing unconscious to the ground before the other two could react.

The second man widened his eyes. "Wh-what—?"

"His cultivation...! I can’t read it!" the last one shouted in panic, backing away.

John sighed. "I was going to let you leave with a warning... but now you’ve seen too much."

He flicked his fingers, and in an instant, his aura burst forth, just a flicker of his true strength, enough to freeze the remaining two in place with sheer pressure.

Then he vanished again.

A fist slammed into one of their stomachs, folding him like a leaf in a storm.

The last tried to run, but John appeared before him and swept his leg, knocking him down.

Before the man could even raise his weapon, John’s palm hovered near his chest, glowing with subtle Qi.

"Let me guess," John whispered, "you thought a Bone Refinement realm alchemist was easy prey?"

The man swallowed hard and nodded with a tremble.

John leaned in. "You were wrong."

A few seconds later, all three lay on the ground, unconscious but alive.

John dusted off his sleeves and pulled his hood lower.

The night wind carried away the tension as he turned toward the inn once again.

"It’s a good thing I had fun earlier," he muttered to himself. "Because tomorrow... everything changes."

Next day, the sun had barely climbed above the tree line when John stepped out from the Nine Sky Inn, the cool morning air brushing against his disguised face.

Today, the long-awaited Blue Cauldron Sect Entrance Examination was finally here.

He had changed his appearance once again, now resembling a twenty-five-year-old man with a calm and mature demeanor.

His aura was fixed at Blood Refinement Realm, the minimum requirement to enter.

There was no need to draw attention, especially when so many forces were involved.

As he made his way toward the southern sector of Nine Sky Clan, the familiar paths gradually gave way to a swelling crowd of hopeful cultivators.

Excitement and tension crackled in the air as hundreds of participants gathered along a well-guarded trail that led to a wide, open clearing bordering the Deep Havoc Wilderness.

John’s eyes narrowed as he reached the outer edge of the examination site.

At the far end stood an enormous gate, unlike anything he’d ever seen, made entirely from shimmering blue marble, its arched frame etched with ancient inscriptions.

The most impressive feature, however, was the thin, translucent veil of spirit energy that shimmered like a curtain across the gate.

A soft hum buzzed faintly through the clearing, and cultivators passed through the veil one by one, each being carefully scanned and either accepted, or rejected.

John tilted his head, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"A spirit filtration gate?" he whispered.

"They say it only allows Blood Refinement Realm cultivators or higher to pass," said someone beside him, a lanky young man, nervously clutching a leather-bound cauldron book.

John glanced sideways but said nothing.

He could already sense the layered spiritual mechanisms embedded in the marble, likely designed by a team of high-level formation masters from the Blue Cauldron Sect itself.

"Must be expensive as hell to make something like this," another muttered nearby.

John silently agreed.

This gate wasn’t just a test, it was a message: only the worthy would enter.

He waited patiently in line, listening to murmurs and small conversations that drifted around him.

Some participants talked about their mentors, others recited pill formulas nervously under their breath.

A few tried to boast about their alchemical lineage.

Finally, after nearly an hour, his turn came.

Taking in a calm breath, John stepped forward and crossed the blue threshold.

A pulse of spirit energy swept over him, cool, invasive, and intelligent. It scanned his cultivation level, intent, and even attempted to peek into his core essence.

But his disguise held steady.

With a soft, almost approving vibration, the veil parted and allowed him through.

Fwhoom.

On the other side, his eyes widened in awe.

Before him stood a colossal hall, seemingly conjured overnight.

Giant pillars of white jade supported a crystalline ceiling high above, and all across the marble floor were rows upon rows of stone counters, over a thousand in number, each fitted with a pill cauldron, neatly stacked herbs, and an inscribed alchemical array.

John had seen many impressive sights in his new life, but this... this was on a whole new level.

"This entire place... was it built just for this exam?" he muttered.

"That’s right," said a voice beside him — bright, confident, and edged with pride.

He turned to see a young woman around his age.

She wore an elegant green robe with a vine-embroidered sash, her black hair tied in a high braid.

A clan sigil shaped like a leaf shimmered faintly on her chest.

"I’m Riara GreenBlade, of the GreenBlade Clan," she said, offering a hand.

"Pretty crazy what Blue Cauldron Sect can pull off in ten days, huh?"

John shook her hand, offering a polite nod. "John. It’s incredible craftsmanship."

Riara’s eyes sparkled.

"Apparently, this entire facility was constructed by Formation Elders from the Blue Cauldron Sect. They brought in resources from four different provinces just to make this happen."

She turned slightly and gestured around with theatrical flair. "Each of those cauldrons is made from Ten Thousand Tempered Stone, and every herb here is spirit-farmed, nothing below second grade."

John raised an eyebrow. "You seem well-informed."

She grinned. "Let’s just say I like knowing who I’m competing with. And as far as competition goes... you don’t look like much of a threat."

John smirked faintly. "You’d be surprised."

Riara chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. "Well, I’m not just a pretty face. I can successfully refine Grade Three Pills — not always, but enough to catch attention."

"Success rate?" John asked casually.

"Ten percent," she said, proudly.

"That’s solid," John replied humbly.

He chose not to reveal his own success rate, which, thanks to his Level Five Alchemy skill and maxed-out Meditation, was far beyond anything most here could dream of.

Riara looked at him with playful suspicion. "You seem pretty calm. Don’t tell me you’re one of those ’silent genius’ types?"

John just smiled. "I’m just here to learn."

Riara tilted her head, amused. "Well then, John Just-Here-To-Learn, may the best alchemist win."

And with that, she turned and walked away toward her designated station.

John stood still for a moment, letting her words settle.

Then, he scanned the massive chamber once more, eyes sharpening.

"This is it," he whispered. "Let’s see how far I can take this."