Teng Lin woke up early the next morning, the smell of gruel and bread wafting from the inn's kitchen, the promise of a simple breakfast for the guests. The room was small, bare but functional. He had been given a spot for the night due to his status as an overnight guest, but the food served was minimal—just enough to get by. There were no luxuries in Bluewood Town for someone like him, a wanderer with no means or title.
At a small wooden table in the inn's common room, his two companions sat. Chen Bo, the one who had seemed a bit lost since they met, stared down at his bowl, deep in thought. Wei Jian, with his quiet, brooding presence, wasn't much different, though he held more composure.
"So, Teng Lin, about this land," Chen Bo spoke up first, breaking the silence. "Are you sure it's the right thing? You said you wanted to settle here, but… I don't know. There's not much available, is there?"
Teng Lin paused, spoon halfway to his mouth. It wasn't an easy topic to bring up, and he felt the uncertainty hanging in the air. He had no idea how he would afford anything, but he had come this far. Something inside him kept urging him forward.
"Well, I have to try. I'm not saying I'll succeed, but… maybe this is how I get a chance to make something of myself." His voice was low but firm, his hands steady despite the uncertainty in his heart. "Who knows? Maybe I can reach the Dao through farming."
Both of his companions exchanged glances, but neither said anything. Wei Jian, though silent, didn't seem entirely convinced, while Chen Bo's brow furrowed in skepticism.
"If you say so…" Chen Bo muttered, pushing his bowl aside. "But this isn't like tending a field back home. Buying land here? You'll need more than a few coins and some determination."
Teng Lin chuckled softly, but the joke didn't reach his eyes. He didn't have much, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. He wasn't about to let the mocking words of the disciples at the Jade Canopy Sect haunt him for much longer.
"I don't have much to lose," he replied. "I'll find a way."
The three of them ate in relative silence for a while longer, but the weight of their conversation lingered. Chen Bo was lost, with nowhere to return to, and Wei Jian seemed to be waiting for something, anything, that would push him forward.
Eventually, they stood and left the inn, stepping into the morning light. Bluewood Town, despite its name, didn't have much to offer in the way of lush greenery. The streets were filled with stalls, and the market buzzed with activity as people haggled for goods, bought supplies, and exchanged words with their neighbors. But the air still had a certain heaviness, as though people in the town were resigned to their lives, their fates tied to the land and to what they could scrape together.
"Where should we go first?" Wei Jian asked, his tone flat but steady.
Teng Lin's mind immediately turned to the only thing he could think of. "We need to find someone who knows about buying land. The people in town—maybe they'll know where to look."
The trio made their way through the crowded streets, asking questions here and there, but no one seemed to have any solid answers. Most of the town's land was already taken, and few people were willing to part with what they had. It was starting to seem more and more like a fruitless venture.
After some time, they made their way toward the town hall, where they hoped to find official listings for any available land.
Inside, the town hall's stone walls were cold, and the air had a musty scent of old wood and forgotten paper. A woman behind a large counter greeted them with a tired smile, and Teng Lin approached her.
"We're looking to purchase a plot of land—maybe something on the outskirts of town," Teng Lin said, his voice steady but with a trace of uncertainty. "Do you have any listings?"
The woman looked at him with a raised brow, as though the request was unusual. "There's very little available," she said. "Most of the land around here is already claimed. You'd be better off asking locals, seeing if they're willing to sell."
Teng Lin felt a weight settle deeper in his chest. The timing of the task was slipping away. His system's countdown had already begun, and with every passing hour, his chances seemed to diminish.
"Is there any land that might be up for sale soon?" Chen Bo asked, his voice a little more urgent now.
The woman shook her head, a slight frown creasing her face. "Most people in the area aren't selling. I'd recommend making an offer to someone directly if you really want to try your luck."
Teng Lin nodded, though the words offered little hope. Making an offer would likely cost more than he had. The options were dwindling fast.
As they exited the town hall, Teng Lin's mind raced. He hadn't expected it to be easy, but the lack of leads was making the pressure worse. His system's timer was ticking down, and time wasn't something he could afford to waste. The land had to be found. There was no way he could return without completing the task.
But where? Where could he find fertile land? The town was full. There was no room left for someone like him. And the wealth needed to buy land was far beyond his means.
Frustration built up inside him as he walked along the cobbled streets, his hands clenched at his sides. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and take in the sights around him, but all he saw were empty faces. People with dreams that seemed as far out of reach as his own.
Just as he was about to lose himself in thoughts of failure, an elderly woman selling herbs from a small stall caught his eye. She smiled warmly, a kind face weathered by age, but her eyes held the sharpness of someone who had seen more of the world than most.
"Looking for something, young man?" the woman asked, her voice soft but firm.
Teng Lin approached her, sensing that there was something more in her presence than mere chance. He had no idea why, but he felt drawn to speak to her.
"We're looking for land, a place where we can settle," Teng Lin said, his voice low. "But we haven't had much luck."
The woman raised an eyebrow, a glint of recognition flashing in her eyes. "Land, you say? I may have something for you." She leaned forward, lowering her voice as if she were telling a secret. "There's a farmer on the outskirts of town, an old man who's looking for an apprentice. He lives in a valley in the Thorncrest Mountains. It's dangerous land, though, cursed, they say. Beasts roam the area, and the land's a bit… well, temperamental."
Teng Lin's interest piqued. This was a lead, a real lead. "An old farmer?" he asked.
"Yes," the woman nodded. "He's been looking for someone to take over his land once he's gone. It's not much, but if you're desperate, you might find what you need there."
Teng Lin felt a spark of hope for the first time in days. Perhaps this was his chance.
The woman's voice grew more solemn. "But be careful. There's a reason no one else will take it over."
Teng Lin's heart pounded as he processed the woman's words. The idea of heading to the Thorncrest Mountains seemed like a wild gamble, but it was the only lead he had. The thought of walking away from this town without completing his mission was unbearable. He had no other choice.
"Thank you," Teng Lin said, offering the old woman a polite bow. "Do you know where I can find this farmer?"
The woman's eyes softened as she looked at him, her voice quieter now. "Just follow the road out of town. You'll reach the valley's edge, and the farm is a bit further up. Be cautious. The path to the mountains is treacherous, and the beasts… well, they don't take kindly to strangers."
Teng Lin nodded. He wasn't sure how to feel about the risk of facing beasts in the mountains, but if there was a chance, however slim, it was worth pursuing.
"We'll go with you," Wei Jian said, surprising him. "You're not doing this alone."
Teng Lin hesitated. As much as he appreciated the offer, he didn't want to endanger his companions. "No, it's fine. You should stay here and keep looking for land. It's too dangerous for all of us to go."
Chen Bo, who had been quiet up until then, spoke up. "I'll go with you. If there's even a chance of finding land out there, I'll take it. But…" He glanced at Wei Jian, as if unsure how to continue. "I don't want to stay here without you. You've been the only one with any sense of purpose since we arrived."
Teng Lin looked at the two of them, torn between the desire to be alone in this venture and the guilt of leaving them behind. But they both had their reasons for staying in town, and he knew they weren't ready to risk their lives for an uncertain outcome.
"No," he said finally, his voice steady. "I'll go alone. You two stay behind and keep looking. I'll find something out there, even if it's a dead end. You're better off searching here for now. I'll be fine."
Both of his companions hesitated but eventually nodded, though Chen Bo's expression was still clouded with doubt. "Take care of yourself, Teng Lin," he said softly. "We'll keep trying here. But don't go and get yourself killed."
Teng Lin smiled faintly. "I'll be back before you know it. Just keep an eye on the time."
He turned and began walking, his pace quickening as he left the bustling streets of Bluewood Town behind. The weight of the task ahead hung heavy on his shoulders, but he didn't falter. The timer on his system was ticking down, and every second brought him closer to failure.
The road out of town was quieter than he had expected. There were few travelers, and the fields on either side of the road stretched for miles, empty and unyielding. The Thorncrest Mountains loomed in the distance, jagged peaks covered in a haze of mist, their sharp edges cutting through the sky like the claws of some great beast.
Teng Lin's mind wandered back to the mysterious old farmer. What kind of man was he, to live in such a dangerous place? The thought of facing down beasts and battling the land's 'temperamental' nature made Teng Lin shiver, but he steeled himself. There was no other way.
As he walked further along the road, his thoughts began to cloud with the weight of his situation. His system had given him a mission: find fertile land. But how? With his lack of resources, and now with time running out, the task felt more impossible by the minute.
The path grew steeper as he neared the mountains, the landscape shifting from farmland to rocky hillsides. Teng Lin pressed on, determined, though each step felt heavier than the last.
His legs were aching by the time he reached the edge of the valley, the air growing colder. The mountains loomed above him, dark and imposing, their tops shrouded in mist. From here, the land was almost completely still, as if holding its breath.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the towering peaks. Somewhere in this desolate landscape, the old farmer waited, ready to pass on his legacy. But was he truly looking for an apprentice? Or was there something else at play here, something darker? Teng Lin couldn't shake the feeling that this journey would lead him to more than just a farm.
With each step toward the mountains, the air grew heavier, thicker with the scent of earth and something more primal. Teng Lin didn't know what he was walking into, but he was past the point of no return. He couldn't turn back now, not when the timer was counting down, not when the only thing left was uncertainty.
By the time he reached the foot of the Thorncrest Mountains, the sun was beginning to set. Shadows stretched long across the ground, and the air turned cold, biting at his skin. He couldn't help but wonder if he was already too late. But what other choice did he have? The land had to be found. The mission had to be completed.
He pressed forward, the sound of his boots crunching against the gravel beneath him the only noise in the eerie quiet. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf's cry echoed through the trees, and he stiffened, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at his waist. The beasts the old woman had warned him about could be anywhere.
As night fell, the moon rose high above the mountains, casting long, spectral shadows across the land. Teng Lin's breath fogged in the air, and he continued onward, his resolve hardening. There was no turning back now. He had to find the farmer. He had to find the land.
The world felt vast and full of unseen dangers, but Teng Lin pressed forward, every step taking him closer to an unknown future. His only guide was the fading light of the moon, and his only hope was that he hadn't already failed.