Li Hao, back in his small house, sat on his mat in the cultivation room.
It was a 5×5 meter room with thick, strong wooden walls and white-painted interiors.
The soft floor was made of wooden planks, coated in tree sap to give it a glossy sheen.
Li Hao sat in a lotus position with both hands resting on his lap, meditating with his eyes closed.
His calm breaths filled the room, and his vitality was like that of a wild beast.
His eyes opened slowly, revealing the starlight marks within his pupils, a brilliant mix of blue, white, and purple.
As his awareness sharpened, his eyes fully opened.
A surge of spiritual intent burst forth as a wave of spiritual Qi blasted out.
A suppressive force enveloped the entire room as spiritual Qi within 10 centimeters of his body began to boil.
Then, it all calmed down—as if nothing had ever happened.
"Mm. This Cosmic Void Qi is stronger than I thought," he murmured.
Cosmic Void Qi was the energy he developed after awakening the Cosmic Celestial Bloodline.
Even though it was powerful, what he currently possessed were only trace amounts in his inner Qi core.
Still, it was potent enough to push his combat strength to the peak.
His force output was double that of a normal second turn, first layer cultivator—
reaching the level of a second turn, second layer in raw physical force alone.
He could crater castle foundations and split massive stone statues.
Li Hao looked at himself and thought: with his current combat ability and techniques,
even killing a second-level talent with five percent more strength than him was possible.
If he reached the ninth level peak, overpowering the sect master might not be impossible either.
Li Hao slowly exhaled, eyes scanning the brightly lit room.
He stood and stretched, his joints cracking slightly after having sat for several days.
He had sustained himself purely through spiritual energy.
Just then, his stomach growled loudly.
Li Hao realized how hungry he was—his cultivation session had pushed his body to the brink.
It hadn't just been a few days; he hadn't eaten in three weeks, even before he arrived at the academy.
Though spiritual power could nourish his body for a time,
he was still in the second turn. He was still a Mortal—and Mortals needed to eat.
Li Hao stepped out of the cultivation room and glanced toward the kitchen.
He blinked slowly, his eyes resting on the empty table as he thought about what he could cook.
He sighed, turned, and walked out of the house,
his gaze lifting toward the calm sky over the Martial Academy.
The breeze brushed against his face, the sound of birds chirping gently,
and warm sunlight filtered through the trees.
He walked out of his courtyard at a steady, unhurried pace,
as if his destination were just a few meters away.
…
Li Hao walked for several hours, soaking in the serene forest and the tranquil atmosphere.
Eventually, he reached his destination.
The sound of chatter grew louder, and the scent of iron, food, and medicinal pills filled the air from hundreds of meters away.
Before him stood a market—crowded with stalls, small buildings, and lively voices.
Martial disciples filled the area—some dressed in blue outer garments with lotus patterns,
others in black with sword emblems, silver bands wrapped tightly around their wrists,
and white inner robes that completed their sharp appearance.
Li Hao stepped into the crowd.
His small frame, youthful height, and round cheeks made him easy to overlook.
His age was evident, both in face and stature.
He walked unnoticed, his presence quiet like a mouse.
He entered a small store, and the bell above the door rang softly in his ears.
The aroma of roasted meat filled the room.
His lips parted, but no sound escaped.
He stepped inside and gently closed the door behind him.
The interior was warm and well-kept, with a brown wooden floor, wood-paneled walls,
and dark blue paint giving the space a cozy feel.
Chairs were scattered throughout, all wooden.
Li Hao walked quietly to the nearest seat by the window and sat down.
He gazed outside, then softly called out, "Waitress."
His voice flowed through the room like a melody sung by an angel.
A waitress arrived quickly.
She looked at him curiously, surprised he didn't already know the menu.
But seeing his young appearance, she didn't question him.
"Well sir, we have pork kebabs, chicken wings, roasted chicken, barbecue cow ribs or steak, etc."
"Do you have Beast Apprentice meat?" Li Hao asked.
"Yes, we do. We have beast meat up to the spiritual beasts at the Transcendent Peak martial level," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Such foods from the martial realms weren't cheap.
Only those with deep pockets could afford them.
Li Hao thought to himself—
Even the least expensive, like wild boar, cost at least ten silver coins.
It wasn't unaffordable, but it could add up quickly.
He currently had 106 silver.
It wasn't enough to keep him full for a whole month.
"Next time, I'll hunt beasts myself," Li Hao thought.
With his strength, capturing a second turn beast would be easier than buying one.
"Okay, I'll take the bear steak. Make seven of them for me," Li Hao said.
"Yes, sir," the waitress responded before walking away with his order.
Li Hao looked out the window at the crowd flowing past.
He didn't focus on any one person—
he just stared quietly at the ever-moving river of life beyond the glass.