Chapter 15: Opening Rewards—Flying Swords and Pets!

“Young master, you’re back!”
The butler took the backpack and reported on the storm that had hit in the evening.
“That’s good to hear. Did you see a giant bird flying over the rooftop?”
“Huh? What giant bird?”
“Never mind. Are the talisman papers and brushes ready?”
“As you instructed, along with the makeshift kitchen, everything’s prepared…”
“Show me!”

Ye Hui had sent a message to the butler earlier with his old-fashioned phone, asking them to prepare the necessary items for his side professions.
He was determined to grind experience to his heart’s content!

Half an hour later...
“Huh? Side professions also require spiritual energy???”
Ye Hui was dumbfounded.
He had planned to spend the entire night leveling up both the talisman craft and spiritual chef side professions until he couldn’t grind any further.
But once again, the system betrayed him!
The spiritual chef profession required ingredients infused with spiritual energy to gain experience faster.
Making talismans also needed spirit-infused ink, brushes, and paper to be effective.

“System, where do I find these materials?”
[Host can gather materials near the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Sect, refine talisman brushes, ink, and papers, collect ingredients, or purchase from the system shop...]
“Shop? I’ve never seen such a thing. Where is it?”
[Due to incomplete factors, the shop is currently not open.]
What a rip-off!

“Sigh, fine, I’ll have to grind experience in the real world. Without spiritual materials, the experience gained is less, but at least there’s hope...”
Skills from the game could be used in the real world.
If they could be used, they could certainly be leveled up.

Ye Hui searched through the household storage but found no usable spiritual materials.
“This stupid system always mistakes mundane items for treasures of the cultivation world, but when I actually need it to make a mistake, it works fine...”
This is blatant favoritism!
Who will feed me popcorn!

“Forget it, I’ll just unlock the adventure maps first!”
Ye Hui took a refreshing shower, washed his hands, and burned incense.
Looking at the footage on the camera on the table of the cute little sparrow flying over the crescent moon...
It looked a bit creepy...
“Cute little sparrow hidden with the power of luck, I summon you as my archrival to grant me the best rewards... Let luck descend!”

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Ye Hui cosplayed as the Cardcaptor Sakura.
“System, unlock all adventure maps!”
[Adventure maps unlocked ×2]
[You found a map and followed it to the ruins of the Ancient Sword Sect, scavenging scraps. You picked up a low-grade flying sword “Azure Edge.” After dripping blood to bond, you discovered it was the standard sword for outer disciples of the Ancient Sword Sect, sharp beyond compare. With sword control skills, it increases flight speed...]
[You scored a bargain at the black market and obtained a treasure map. Following it, the location was empty. On your way back, you were chased by a spirit beast again and found a spirit bird egg. After hatching, you gained a spirit bird chick named “Azure Sparrow”...]

“Huh? A flying sword? A pet?!”
Ye Hui couldn’t help but grin widely.
The lucky bonus from the cute little sparrow was truly extraordinary!
He instantly received two standard treasures from the cultivation game...

“With a flying sword, my movement speed is faster. Seems like my bicycle mount can retire...”
Ye Hui opened his backpack and took out the Azure Sparrow.
Once a living creature reward is taken out, it can’t be put back in unless there’s enough oxygen inside the bag.
“From now on, I have my own mascot!”
Cultivating in the world of Cardcaptor Sakura, if others have it, so must I.
The system really loves me!

Ye Hui’s expression changed swiftly as he began to play with the small chick in his hands.
Though a spirit bird chick, it was ugly, like a newly hatched chick.
It only had a few blue down feathers, showing no trace of the immortal realm spirit bird’s aura...
“Chirp chirp!”
Well, the sound matched.

Ye Hui examined his attribute panel.
[Attributes: Strength 0.5, Spiritual Power 0.1, Constitution 0.1, Comprehension 1, Luck 2, Divine Awareness 0.1]
[Talent: Spiritual Energy Perception (Basic)]
[Skills: Basic Cooking, Basic Talisman Craft, Sealing Technique, Fundamental Breathing Technique]
[Side Professions: Spiritual Chef, Talisman Master]
[Pet: Azure Sparrow]
[Items: Flying Sword, Vajra Talismans ×5, Flight Talismans ×10, Marrow Washing Pill, Clow Card “Tree”...]

“The attributes are still too low...”
Ye Hui stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The decimal points on the attribute panel were glaring.

“Oh right, this Fundamental Breathing Technique...”
He suddenly remembered this skill.

It was one of the two rewards he earned after completing the “Hidden Cave Stealth” side quest at Sakura’s house.
He had been in a rush to return and hadn’t checked it yet.

[Fundamental Breathing Technique: Using special breathing methods to absorb a small amount of spiritual energy, a standard auxiliary technique for outer disciples of the Ten Thousand Laws Sect, increases the speed of spiritual energy recovery...]

“System, did you mistakenly put the beginner’s gift skills into other quest rewards?” Ye Hui asked in confusion.
He couldn’t understand why in this cultivation mini-game, the beginner’s gift didn’t grant basic skills but instead he obtained one of the basic skills through a side quest!

[The immortal sect’s promotional text is for reference only. Actual content is subject to sect rules...]
But this system was just the game interface Ye Hui created in his previous life, so naturally, it had no immortal sect rules.
That was part of the game’s content.

“Oh right, the Marrow Washing Pill from the beginner’s gift! That should increase my attributes a bit!”
Ye Hui took the Marrow Washing Pill.
Immediately, a wave of heat radiated from his stomach through his internal organs, penetrating muscles, like weak electric currents coursing through his body, with a tingling sensation spreading; his skin gradually warmed...

“What is this...”
Ye Hui forced his eyes open and saw gray liquid gradually seeping from his skin.
“The special effect of marrow washing often described in novels, but in reality, it’s so terrifying; it feels like being possessed by the ‘Venom’ from comics...”
Ye Hui quickly struggled to the bathroom.
Even while walking, he still felt the strength in his body growing, as if he could stamp a hole in the ground.
He bathed to wash off the grime from his skin.

Sitting cross-legged under the cold stream, Ye Hui gradually felt his body turn into a ball of fire, shifting at will, as if capable of performing various difficult movements...

[Ding! You have consumed the Marrow Washing Pill. Your cultivation aptitude has improved. You remain a mixed spiritual root but can become a Qi Refining period cultivator within your lifetime...]

“Well, still a long way to go!” Ye Hui muttered.
No matter what, raising his constitution was a great gain.
With this constitution, he should be able to backflip like Sakura, right?

“Could the Marrow Washing Pill’s effect be to give an ordinary worker the legendary anime god body? Like anime characters who remain unscathed no matter how severe the injury...”

After the heat subsided, Ye Hui examined his newly increased attributes, feeling joy.
[Attributes: Strength 2, Spiritual Power 1, Constitution 5, Comprehension 1, Luck 2, Divine Awareness 0.7]

Unfortunately, the game didn’t allow attribute points to be allocated.
Otherwise, he would max out his stats!

After finishing up, Ye Hui had someone bring food, selected the kinds the Azure Sparrow liked, and began feeding it.
Afterward, Ye Hui kept practicing talisman crafting, and when tired, relaxed by practicing cooking.
Without spiritual energy, he used the Fundamental Breathing Technique, sitting cross-legged to cultivate...