As Lazuli analyzed the information she had just gotten a smile crept on her face, this was a game changing talent if used well. She proceded to recollect all the the different herbs she could she and stored them away, she'll try them one by one before arriving thinking that maybe another hidden gem would appear.
Of course she picked up enough grass to last her for a few days under the disapproving eyes of her traveling companions.
"You are weird girl" said the chofer who hadn't really spoken with anyone until now, his business was to steer the carriage and nothing else "you know, only Buddhist, druids and weirdos eat grass and collect those useless herbs" said one of the other passengers.
'So I'll be a weirdo in this place? Sounds fine', she already was isolated from her pears and only a crazy person won't take advantage of what's given to them. Lazuli's thoughts drowned the noise and the stares, at least for her. She decided to take a bite of the jerky with grass every 5 minutes while cultivating to get a boost.
It was then that she realized something, by circling her energy the way the manual said it got harder to move in certain areas at that new improved speed, so, why force it? What would happen if she just let the energy move through the path of least resistance? thinking nothing of it she decided to try it.
Unknown to her she had yet again done another taboo thing, traveling the unknown, or as the commun people would put it "why risk it when you could use the guides your betters left for you?" It was common knowledge that the cultivation manuals written by the sages of old where the best way to improve, if you couldn't achive supremacy with those it was either because you where lazy or because you where using a manual not in tune with you.
But this "one size fit all" mentality had its drawbacks as if even clothes where comfier when tailor made, wouldn't it be better to cultivate with a manual made just for you? Alas, it was but a dream for the common folks, as what expert would take the time to design a way just for them?
So as she circulated her energy the difference became clear as the wasted energy was minimum and it got condescend inside of her core easier and even faster than before. At her usual pace the resistance felt was minimum and she would have never discovered the right flow for her chakras, but as she increased the flow and more energy had to pass through her it was discernable something could be improved, and as Mina put it she was but a clean slate, no fears clouded her mind to improve and survive; this would help her a lot in times to come.
As Lazuli was immersed in her own little world the coach arrived at her destination, she didn't even realize it until an hour after the coach was parked in the main plaza. "You may be as weird as it gets, but are a hard
working lad, didn't had the heart to interrupt your concentration, good thing you finished, go to the registry and take a number" said the old coachman pointing the way, she gathered herself, thanked him, dusted off her clothes and walked forward, as almost all her belongings where on her ring it was a fast disembark.
The line for registry wasn't as long as she feared and in a short 10 minutes she was done with it. A wooden token with a number on a side and a magic marker on the other was all she received along with instructions to where to go next.
Aptitude test was the first as everything else was meaningless if one's body was unable to take any path, even for a merchant a minimum level of power was needed as they had to travel and protect themselves to secure deals and merchandise so if one had an affinity to the asura, cultivation or mage path was a must know before anything else, as a lot of people would be able to start growing in power but would be capped at lower levels and won't be considered grooming materials. Most "commoners" aura got stuck between red and orange.