One sneeze ended Marquis and Daniel's plan to smuggle Fang Fang into the city.
Wen Chyou's elation turned into a quick hop. She ordered Ben Austin to impose a fine on Daniel and Marquis, whereas Fang Fang was sent away to wait in line.
'Such a shame that I cannot enter the city tonight. But the night is as good as any other time for cultivation.' Fang Fang thought.
He gazed at the imposing Gate of Liberty from a distance. The structure comprised two towering watchtowers, each stretching a remarkable 100 meters into the sky. As he tilted his head upward to view the entire edifice, he noticed the light patches that adorned it, glowing like magma blocks.
Inside these towers, hidden from his view, lay an array of amenities. There were guest rooms, a cafeteria, medical care facilities, and more, luxuries that remained out of reach for non-residents like him.
Daniel and Marquis, however, were granted a room for the night since they had identity cards.
Despite their earnest pleas, Fang Fang was not allowed to use the facilities.
While it wasn't the outcome he had hoped for, Fang Fang knew he could make the most of the time by cultivating.
'I was afraid I wouldn't wake up, but I feel fine now. The amusing thing is, my first memories of this life is hearing Marquis and Daniel's conversations as they traveled with my coffin.
'After a few days, I got proper control over my body under the desert sun. Sunlight was the catalyst for my awakening. Seems like they kept me underground all this while, and it adds up, considering Marquis is an ant-human.
'But a question remains, did I transmigrate into this world after being exposed to sunlight, or was I born in this body? The second possibility makes more sense.
'Either way, my body is pretty weak right now. Fortunately, I did not sustain injuries while fighting the rat-humans. Only heaven knows what type of predicament I will face in the test tomorrow.
'I must start cultivating diligently if I want to continue pursuing my dream of eternal life.'
Deep in thought, Fang Fang walked away from the Gate of Liberty. His vision filled with a line of people seated on the ground, extending far into the desert. Marquis had explained to him that these were beast-human immigrants seeking entry into the city.
"Bro, I still remember that time I sat in that damn line for two whole days," Marquis had said. "It was some crazy shit cause ain't none of those fools bothered to mention there was a separate line for teens. Probably none of the poor suckers around me knew, but I called them bitches, anyway. That's when I dropped my first curse; this city got me before I even stepped foot inside. Alright, just hang up front and ignore the bitches till I get you something to eat."
The line was diverse, filled with humans of various appearances. Some resembled Luca with deep black eyes and slicked-back hair, while other's physical features bore a closer resemblance to Marquis's reverse triangular torsos and braided hair.
Some individuals waited alone, maintaining a considerable distance from their neighbors, while others engaged in conversation with newfound companions.
Families formed small circles, conversing among themselves.
All the people waiting in this line were beast-humans, and it appeared that there were separate lines for pure-humans and children of all races.
In the line, Fang Fang noticed a gap surrounding a hooded person. The individual sitting in front of this mysterious figure appeared fearful, constantly glancing sideways as if afraid of a sudden attack. The woman behind the hooded person maintained a distance of at least one meter.
As Fang Fang approached, the hooded man shot him a venomous glare, his pupils initially appearing round and green but after a blink transformed into sinister diamond-shaped slits.
'He must be a snake-human,' Fang Fang speculated. He gave the man an innocent smile and signaled that he wanted to pass.
With a calm look on his face, Fang Fang continued walking closer, and luckily the snake-human eventually closed his eyes, choosing to ignore him.
A guard wearing a red-colored uniform passed by in the background.
. . .
'Phew, he let me pass without causing any trouble. Seems like most of them don't want to cause problems before entering the city. With these many people gathered, I wonder if there is a dream cooking cauldron in the city.'
Fang Fang entered the teenager's corner, a vast area with hundreds of beds spread out. These beds were unique, each one was equipped with a semicircular tent attached to the top.
He watched as some kids energetically bounced on the thick, springy mattresses, while others were busy showing the opening and closing of the canvas that covered their beds to their parents waiting in the line.
A guard approached Fang Fang and after sizing him up, handed a key with the number 68 etched onto it.
Fang Fang wasted no time and quickly located bed number 68. Settling down, he closed the semicircular lid of the bed, effectively isolating himself from the bustling world outside. It was spacious enough for him to sit up straight inside the enclosed space.
'Stealing Embernit isn't a reliable option. From earlier experience, I can assume that the power isn't even permanent. But let's say, I manage to get a permanent one by the cultivation methods of this world. That would have its own flaws.
'For example, if I get a power similar to Daniel's secret Embernit, then it can only heal injuries. I would need a second Embernit to make up for my lack of offensive abilities.
'Furthermore, it could take a substantial amount of time to obtain a second Embernit.
'So, I must follow the path from my previous life. The old cultivation system was superior and a lot simpler. I even remember the steps and my experience would help me.
'The first step of the old cultivation is the Hermit Breathing Technique. If I can master it now, it should pave the path for me to reach the Qi Acceptance Realm.
'Depending on the Embernit powers of my opponent, I might not be a match for the Level 1 cultivators of this world, but when combined with Grand Theft, I should be able to hold my own against two opponents.'
Fang Fang began practicing the breathing technique. He took a sharp breath and tried to feel its circulation throughout his body. It took him fewer than ten attempts to sense the air entering through his nostrils, transforming into a vital energy in his heart and then resonating throughout his entire being. This mental state was crucial, serving as the foundation for preparing his body to become a vessel capable of containing Qi.
Fang Fang mastered the breathing technique after just fifty breaths, feeling a tiny circle forming in his abdomen. As he reached one hundred breaths, the space within continued to expand. However, at the 109th breath, a series of knocks echoed at the base of his bed.
"Marquis?" he asked, still deeply immersed.
"Open up," came the voice from outside, the knocks now evolved into insistent raps.
Fang Fang, thinking it was Marquis with food, ceased his meditative immersion and opened the tent flap of his bed.
But, it was a sixteen-year-old boy named Wichai Lee who greeted him.
Wichai wore a hoodie that concealed his spiraling hair, and his wide face, particularly his wide nose, bore a resemblance to a Fu Dog. His features seemed unusually broad for his age, and it was fortunate he didn't have a beard otherwise the guards would have stopped from entering the teenager section.
Not recognizing the visitor, Fang Fang tried to pull the canvas shut, but Wichai Lee stopped him.
"Huh wait, I know what you doing. My grandpa do it too, but can you stop? Your snores disturb me."
"Foolish child, it's not snoring." Fang Fang pushed the canvas with both hands but Wichai Lee's right hand did not budge.
Notably, there was no Emebernit's glow coming from Wichai Lee. Either this boy possessed such strength without an Embernit or the tattoo was beneath his underwear.
"My grandpa said that too - it not snoring, it breathing technique." Wichai Lee mocked Fang Fang by mimicking an old man's voice. "It the real cultivation bla-bla-bla."
"It's the true cultivation." Fang Fang resorted as he got up on his knees and used his body weight to push down the bed tent's cover. His face flushed red without any progress.
"Alright then, my grandpa didn't succeed, tell me if you make past snores. I reward you with a secret technique on success." Wichai said, releasing his hold and causing the tent's canvas to close with a sudden whoosh.
'How dare this mortal treat me this way?' Fang Fang was annoyed but then, a realization struck him. 'Wait... there is true cultivation in this world?'