"Are you sure you want to buy the Breeze Whisper Robe for 500 system points?"
"Yes."
The Breeze Whisper Robe has been added to your inventory.
Xiao didn't bother taking out the robe just yet, deciding to do that in the morning. For now, he finished his daily challenge and then began cultivating. Since becoming a cultivator, he no longer needed to worry about food, as his body could sustain itself off qi for longer periods.
He didn't waste time seeking food and water like before. Instead, he simply sat down and began cultivating, hoping to reach the Qi Condensation stage by tonight. Though most of his progress had been reset because of the power in the brush he held, it had a beneficial side: it improved his intake of qi, allowing him to absorb it faster than before. What used to take an hour now only took 45 minutes.
With this advantage, Xiao cultivated from late afternoon straight through to the early morning.
Early the next morning
Xiao cultivated patiently, not rushing the breakthrough. He took his time, ensuring that his qi was fully purified and condensed. His approach was steady and smooth, drawing in qi from the stars, which was already pure, and even more so when processed through his spiritual root.
He felt a wall of resistance within his body, but held on, knowing that rushing the process would lead to an unstable foundation. When he finally pushed through the barrier, it was as if the wall wasn't even there.
As he broke through, Xiao gasped. He felt immense power surging through his veins. Every muscle in his body was more compact and powerful. Now, he could finally manipulate qi outside his body, rather than merely storing it. He could fight with real strength instead of relying solely on wit and luck, though he would still need both. Nonetheless, it felt good to have power.
With that breakthrough behind him, Xiao headed to the town square to complete his mission. He retrieved the brush and bucket from Fang, noting that Fang didn't seem to realize Xiao was a cultivator. Xiao was acting as though his life force was still drained from painting yesterday, trying not to raise suspicion.
Xiao was now certain Fang was part of a scheme, but he didn't say much and proceeded directly to the final pedestal.
When Xiao began painting, he noticed that the brush wasn't draining nearly as much qi as before. He wondered whether this was because of how pure his qi had become, or if it was due to his advancement as a cultivator. Either way, he continued to act as if the task was even more exhausting than the previous day, to avoid drawing attention.
He finished much more quickly this time, with some time to spare before the anniversary festivities began.
Xiao moved toward a secluded area and said, "System Rewards," pulling up the rewards section to claim his reward for completing the main quest.
Congratulations on Completing the Main Quest:
You may now select your reward:
Infinity Edge
Seeing that there was only one option this time, Xiao said, "Infinity Edge." He was excited, as he hadn't seen this item in the system store.
You will now find the Infinity Edge in your inventory.
Xiao pulled out the Infinity Edge and was surprised by what he saw. A rusted blade lay in his hand, appearing as though it had endured countless trials and barely survived.
Xiao swung the sword with proficient technique, surprised by how smoothly it moved, despite its weathered appearance. He infused it with qi and found that the blade had a perfect elasticity that even the best blacksmiths couldn't replicate. His qi flowed into the sword as if it were reuniting with a long-lost brother.
As Xiao held the sword, he felt a connection deep within, and a thought crossed his mind:
"Need blood"
Instinctively, he cut his hand on the blade's edge. As his blood dripped onto the sword, it began to glow. After twenty seconds, the sword vanished.
"Huh? What happened?" Xiao thought, confused by the sword's disappearance. He checked his system inventory and his surroundings, but the sword was nowhere to be found.
Panic set in until he realized something extraordinary, his spiritual sea had opened. This was a surprising development, as the spiritual sea typically only opens at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Xiao thought of summoning the Infinity Edge, and in an instant, the sword reappeared in his hand.
Relieved that the sword wasn't gone forever, Xiao resumed cultivating, waiting for the anniversary to begin.
Three hours later
Xiao left his secluded area and found hundreds of people out and about. Families were walking around, seemingly unconcerned about the murderer on the loose. Everyone looked drained but happy to be outside.
The most people Xiao had ever seen at once before this was just a few dozen, and that was while walking all over town.
Even though he wasn't yet at the main event of the anniversary, it was bustling.
Xiao approached a young woman who looked tired and stressed. "Hey, do you know why so many people are out when there's a murderer on the loose?" he asked, even though he already knew about the anniversary.
The young woman looked at Xiao like he was a ghost.
"What are you doing out here if you don't know the reason?" she asked.
"Well, that's because I got tired of staying inside the infinite hallway," Xiao muttered, lying under his breath.
"Oh, that terrible place," the young woman sighed, then continued, "Everyone's out here for the Zhu family's eldest son's 22nd anniversary, which is about to begin."
"Why isn't everyone scared of the murderer?"
"That's because the Zhu family said they've set up a formation to protect us." The young woman now looked impatient. "I'd better get going. I need to meet my family. If you have more questions, ask someone else."
With that, she quickly walked away, as if not wanting to be seen with Xiao.
Xiao sighed and started walking toward the town square to get a better idea of what was going on.