Chapter 6: Commoner
Lin Feng and Yang Li were walking around Blazing Sun’s Martial Plaza.
Within the Blazing Sun District, this place was the biggest commerce zone for battle-related equipment, it was the heart of all transactions. From accessories and crystalline compa.s.ses, to genetic nutrient basins, elemental battle suits, and even Elemental Cores. It was possible to buy it all here. Naturally, the quality compared to Sunset City was much poorer, but to regular ancient martial artists and genetic warriors it was good enough.
“Ah Feng…You aren’t actually looking to buy an elemental battle suit, are you?” Yang Li said nervously as he looked towards Lin Feng.
Turning his head, Lin Feng saw the serious look on Yang Li’s face and burst into laughter, “You have that much money?”
Yang Li shook his head side-to-side like a rattle drum and said with a bitter face, “If I had that much money, I would’ve bought genetic fluids long ago.”
“Exactly.” Lin Feng laughed and said.
Sometimes this brother of his was so easily confused. It should be know that even the worst elemental battle suit was still much more expensive than genetic fluid.
“Then, Ah Feng, what did you come here to buy?” said Yang Li as he laughed foolishly.
“Ancient mind cultivation skill,” replied Lin Feng with a glint in his eyes.
“Oh.” Yang Li nodded his head, and then suddenly looked at Lin Feng with surprise, “Ah Feng, you switched to cultivating ancient martial arts, right, how could I not think of that! Ancient martial artists can breakthrough the limit too, just that their cultivation speed is a bit slower. Then… Ah Feng, you can already sense the energy of Heaven and Earth?”
“Yeah.” Lin Feng replied casually. The ways to sense the energy of Heaven and Earth could be found everywhere, there was no need to spend anything on them.
The rank of the ancient mind cultivation skill was unrelated to whether or not one could sense the energy of Heaven and Earth—all that matters is the ancient martial artists talents.
“Incredible! It’s only been a month,” Yang Li said as he clicked his tongue, “So many ancient martial artists from just the step of sensing need to spend a year on it, and some even several years.”
“I guess.” Lin Feng said with a smile. Sensing the energy of Heaven and Earth was certainly a threshold for ancient martial artists; only by crossing over can one continue to cultivate. Over 90% of ancient martial artists have to spend a lot of time just on this first bottleneck, so it wasn’t surprising that Yang Li would think that way.
He was already extremely proficient with the first layer of the《Nine Dragon Sutra》 and could use it with ease, but…
His mother warned him that unless he was forced to, he must not reveal it.
Since he has already stepped onto the path of an ancient martial artist, sooner or later, he would need to fight. Therefore, he would have to quickly solve this problem. And, the only method is——to cultivate another type of ancient mind cultivation skill, one that he could reveal to others. Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to display his true strength, but at least he would be able to use it freely.
After all, it is possible to separate fighting and cultivating.
Endless streams of people, all sorts of stores, all kinds of bars, gaming centres, women and men talking cheerfully—together created a lively atmosphere in the Plaza. No matter how advanced technology gets, consumer demand would always exist.
Lin Feng scanned the small vendor booths outside one after another. The things for sale here were a mess, and quality was even harder to ensure. However, there was one benefit, and that was the price. It was more cheaper than the products sold at regular stores by around 20%-30%. To Lin Feng, every little bit counts.
After all, besides the money left behind by his big brother, there was only meagre amount his mother earned from knitting.
It was still possible to get by with the tiny amount saved, but they were strapped for cash when it came to buying things.
“What’s wrong, Ah Li?” asked Lin Feng as he saw Yang Li looking around everywhere.
Yang Li knitted his eyebrows, looked around in all directions and whispered, “I keep feeling like someone is staring at me.”
A glimmer flashed across Lin Feng’s eyes. Laughing casually, he said, “How come I don’t feel it? It must be your delusions, this place is so crowded, sometimes recognising a stranger isn’t too uncommon.”
“That’s true.” Yang Li mumbled as he nodded his head. Suddenly, he said with a pout, “Yang Li, your mind has always been meticulous, and your vigilance was always better than mine. If someone locked onto you, you’d know for sure. When we were small, that fatty Lei and his friends would always try to catch you but they never succeeded once.”
“Yeah.” replied Lin Feng, as his eyes glanced backwards to the right. Laughing lightly, he said, “Let’s go. I remember that there’s ancient mind cultivation skills up ahead.”
As he finished speaking, he continued to walk forward with Yang Li.
Ta~! Not long after the two left, a youth dressed in all black slowly walked out from the dense crowd on the right; his eyes flickered with a sharp glint. On his back was a two metre long rod which revealed black, metallic l.u.s.ter.
Xiao Shiyuan, 17 years old. Brain region depth: 9.80%, 1st rank.
Neo-weapon, lightning rod.
“Bang!” “Thump!” “Crack!” … a cacophony of noise.
Sounds of angry cursing; sounds of discussions; and sounds of crying converged together, reverberating in a corner of the Plaza.
Lin Feng was just in the middle of selecting an ancient mind cultivation skill, when he turned his head around due to the noise. In an instant, his gaze deepened. There were five rude and vulgar looking men. They were big and brawny, with arms as thick as their thighs. Each of them wore a grey tank-top which clearly displayed a symbol of a vulture’s head. Among them, there were two who were currently smashing up a booth, while the other three robust men were surrounding a pair of elder and youth, kicking and cursing.
Faintly, one could hear the sound of the elder and youth crying for mercy. However, the three men paid no attention to it; rather, they cursed even more maliciously, and trampled them even more vigourously.
The surrounding audience formed layers upon layers, all discussing among themselves, but not one person stepped forward to stop it.
What was this all about?
Lin Feng suddenly stood up, with a menacing look on his face.
“Stop,” Yang Li pulled on Lin Feng’s wrist and whispered, “Don’t be rash.”
Lin Feng made a fist, as he said through clenched teeth, “Even beating the elderly, they’re beasts lower than even pigs and dogs!” He was furious inside, but Lin Feng was still able to forcefully contain his rage and didn’t lose his reasoning. These types of incidents where the weak gets bullied happen much too often. Even if he took care of this incident, he wouldn’t be able to handle a hundred of them, a thousand of them. And in any case, he currently … had no qualifications to take care of it.
“As long as you don’t hand over enough protection fees, let alone the elderly, they’d beat the pregnant and children just the same,” The stall owner sighed and said, “Just a while ago, there was a pregnant woman who was beaten and had a miscarriage and almost died too.”
Yang Li wrinkled his brows, “The Security Guards don’t care?”
“How much can they care about?” The stall owner said bitterly, “The Vulture Gang is mainly the bully around these parts, just idle gangsters. As the saying goes: ‘a powerful dragon cannot crush a snake in its old haunts’.[1] The most the Security Guards can do is catch a few troublemakers. Smashing the booths is still trivial. You try not handing over your protection fees, and the next day they’ll come to your place and smash your home!”
“Mavericks.” Lin Feng could feel a fire burning in his heart.
“Ai~, who told us to be commoners.” The stall owner shook his head, carrying along a bit of dreariness and weariness.
Commoners!
Lin Feng felt his heart ache.
He was very clear on the status that commoners had. Disregarding the beating today, even if they died, it wouldn’t mean anything; it was the law of the jungle—the reality of this world. Genetic warriors had special privileges; ancient martial artists had the Ancient Martial Artist Alliance backing them up, but commoners?
They had nothing.
Simply put, they were just a wretched existence; meat on the chopping board.
“I cannot let mother and sister live like this!” A brilliant light could be seen in Lin Feng’s eyes. He bit down on his teeth tightly. Commoners with no status or power were just like ants in this world—free to step on. Currently his mother and sister were still able to receive the Inst.i.tute’s protection, but after two months…
“Once I graduate, I’ll apply for the Blazing Sun District Security Guards.” Lin Feng nodded his head as he made a firm resolution.
Despite his brain region depth deteriorating, his strength did not weaken. Becoming a Blazing Sun District Security Guard shouldn’t be hard.
Perhaps the amount of trivial matters that the Security Guards have to deal with regularly is excessive, but as long as his mother and sister could be safe, would a bit of sacrifice be such a big deal?
“First enter the Security District, then become an ancient martial artist as quickly as possible.”
“And then become a City Guard.”
Lin Feng said quietly to himself.
He already had a clear plan for the future.
Sure, a sect would be nice, but at the moment it was more realistic to become a Security Guard and City Guard.
The disturbance quickly ended, and before the City Guards hurried over, the five burly men from the Vulture Gang had already left. The elder and the youth who were beaten had significant injuries, but their lives were not in any danger. After all, the Vulture Gang weren’t stupid. Killing people brought them no benefits, since their main goal was only money in the end.
“After being beaten half to death, they still have to thank them for being merciful.” Yang Li shook his head in a dumbfounded manner.
“To survive, there’s no choice but to bow your head.” Lin Feng said with a heavy tone.
“Reality sure is cruel!” Said Yang Li, his voice full of lament.
“Sometimes there are certain things where even if you don’t want to do, there would be an invisible hand that forces you to do it in the end.” Lin Feng’s eyes flickered, as he slowly replied. He didn’t lose his cool, nor did he lose the righteousness in his heart. If it were the him from a year ago, he would definitely have not been able to withstand it, but the current him has truly matured.
That one year to Lin Feng was extremely valuable.
“We’ll split up here, Ah Li.” Lin Feng waved around the three books in his hand and smiled, “Thanks.” He purchased a 9th tier ancient mind cultivation skill book, a 7th tier blade skill book, and an 8th tier qi skill book. Yang Li fought to pay for all of them, but Lin Feng didn’t put up a fuss about it and simply let him do as he pleased.
One mind cultivation skill book, and two battle skill books.
Even though the quality of the two battle skill books were better than the mind cultivation skill book by at least one tier, their overall price was still a bit lower than the price of the latter.
The rarer something is, the greater its value. Besides, to ancient martial artists, mind cultivation skills were much more important than battle skills.
“170 copper coins, all together it’s still less than 2 silver coins. No big deal.” Yang Li replied with gusto. Indeed, the price wasn’t even one-fifth of the price of a bottle of genetic fluid, but Lin Feng knew that the amount was almost half of Yang Li’s savings. Originally, he only wanted to buy a single mind cultivation skill book, but Yang Li was being willful and stubbornly added in two battle skill books. If he didn’t put a stop to it, perhaps he would’ve spent even more.
“I’m heading off, my good brother!” With a deep look in his eyes, Yang Li beat his chest with his right hand, “It’s in the heart.”
As he finished speaking, he pressed down on the crystalline watch on his left hand and a light projection slowly materialised. Yang Li leapt onto a black hovercar and left. Lin Feng stared at Yang Li’s leaving figure, a warm feeling once again rising in his heart. Perhaps, Yang Li wasn’t good with his words, but he was a true bosom friend.
Ah Li was not like him. This time, with enough genetic fluid, he would be fully capable in raising his brain region depth to the 2nd rank. He would have a good chance of entering into one of the Three Big Advanced Genetics Inst.i.tutes.
His future prospects were bright.
Therefore, there were some things that he didn’t want him mixed up in.
Shua! A cold glint flitted across Lin Feng’s eyes, and without turning his head, he emotionlessly said, “Come out.”
Lin Feng’s voice fell deeply and a black figure slowly appeared from a dark part of the alley behind him. Wearing a plain, black outfit, the figure looked looked as firm and indomitable as his weather-beaten face. On his back was a lightning rod that was almost two metres long, emitting a black, metallic l.u.s.ter. All of this made the dark atmosphere even more eerie.
Lin Feng turned his body around; his right hand already holding onto a twenty centimetre long cylinder made from metallic alloy.
“Zi~~~” Following the flow of genetic energy, the cylindrical metal object bursted out with bright, white light. A beam of light slowly condensed into a seventy centimetre long sabre.
Neo-weapon, lightsabre!
Staring at the youth in the black outfit, Lin Feng’s gaze sharpened, “Didn’t think it would be you.”
Xiao Shiyuan. At the Inst.i.tute he was once second to only himself, and currently, he was the number one genius who was the highest on the ranking of brain region depth. He practically already had half a foot inside Crown Elite Inst.i.tute, and certainly before long, he would be able to fuse with an Elemental Core and become a real genetic warrior.
“Don’t blame me!” Xiao Shiyuan said through clenched teeth, as a hint of struggle could be seen his eyes. Suddenly, with a violent shout, he drew his lightning rod out and pressed down on the activation b.u.t.ton.
Zi! An electric snake was spat out as the lightning rod carrying 500 volts headed straight for Lin Feng.