The following morning, Sogen arrived at the familiar blacksmith workshop.
The rhythmic clang of hammer against metal echoed through the room, filling the air with the scent of burning coal and molten steel.
Without even turning around, Mr. Rudriger spoke calmly,
"So... you've advanced."
His hammer paused for a brief moment.
"You won the tournament."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
Sogen smiled helplessly.
"...Yes, Master."
Unlike before, he was no longer surprised that Mr. Rudriger could discern his cultivation at a glance. After spending so much time under his guidance, Sogen had long accepted that there were countless things about his master that defied common sense.
Mr. Rudriger simply nodded before setting down the glowing piece of metal in his hands.
"Good."
"Let's see how much stronger you've become."
Without another word, he closed the workshop for the day.
The two soon arrived within the Training Realm.
The instant they stepped inside, Mr. Rudriger casually beckoned with one hand.
"Come."
Sogen drew a deep breath.
This time...
He no longer held anything back.
Spiritual Qi surged through his meridians as he unleashed the full strength of his newly advanced cultivation.
His figure blurred.
The Heavenly Mirage Footwork erupted into motion.
Like an illusion dancing through the wind, Sogen appeared from one angle after another, launching a relentless barrage of attacks.
Yet...
Not a single strike landed.
Mr. Rudriger stood calmly in place, weaving through every attack with movements that appeared almost effortless.
He didn't circulate a single strand of Spiritual Qi.
He didn't unleash any technique.
He merely moved.
Each step was simple.
Each dodge was precise.
Every one of Sogen's attacks missed by the narrowest margin, as though Mr. Rudriger had already seen them before they were executed.
Minutes later...
Sogen stumbled backward, breathing heavily.
Sweat dripped from his forehead.
Not even once...
Not even by accident...
Had he managed to touch the corner of Mr. Rudriger's robe.
Looking at the calm old man standing before him, Sogen finally understood just how terrifying his master truly was.
The difference between them wasn't merely a gap in cultivation.
It was a gulf of experience, control, and comprehension that seemed impossible to cross.
Mr. Rudriger nodded faintly.
"Your movements have become faster."
"But your intent still reaches your opponent before your body does."
"If your enemy can read your intentions..."
"...your speed is meaningless."
For the next several hours, Mr. Rudriger meticulously corrected every flaw in Sogen's movement, breathing, timing, and control.
Each piece of advice struck directly at the heart of the problem.
Only after the training concluded did Mr. Rudriger begin speaking about Spiritualists and Soul Blacksmiths once again.
The more Sogen listened...
The more he realized how little he truly understood.
Knowledge stored inside one's mind...
And genuine comprehension...
...were two entirely different things.
One could memorize countless books.
Yet without understanding their essence...
They were nothing more than words.
...
By the time Sogen left the Training Realm, dawn had already begun to paint the horizon in shades of gold.
Instead of returning to rest, he quietly sat beneath a solitary tree and replayed every word Mr. Rudriger had spoken.
He repeatedly visualized each lesson, gradually digesting every insight until it became his own.
Only then did his thoughts drift toward the mission that had remained at the back of his mind.
Unite Felix and Letinca.
Sogen rubbed his temples.
"The information is far too limited..."
Khamas refused to speak of the incident.
Rhaziel refused to let go of his hatred.
Everything surrounding that mission was shrouded in mystery.
"If I truly want to uncover the truth..."
"I'll have to start from the very beginning."
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"I need to visit the place where it all happened."
Perhaps...
Even after all these years...
Some trace still remained.
But Sogen quickly dismissed the thought.
Not yet.
Whoever had orchestrated that tragedy was powerful enough to erase nearly every clue and manipulate events from the shadows.
Entering that place with his current strength would be no different from courting death.
A determined glint flashed across his eyes.
"Before anything else..."
"I need to become stronger."
"At the very least..."
"...I must reach the Spirit King Realm."
Sogen leaned back against his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"To unite Felix and Letinca... I'll need influence."
"To gain influence... I'll need strength."
"To become stronger... I'll need cultivation resources."
"To obtain cultivation resources... I'll need System Coins."
"And to earn System Coins..."
His expression turned blank.
"...I'll need gold."
He paused.
"And to earn gold..."
"...I'll have to build a business."
Silence.
A long...
Painful...
Silence.
Sogen slowly covered his face.
"...So, in order to complete one mission, I first have to become a successful businessman?"
A throbbing headache assaulted him.
"This isn't a cultivation system..."
"It's an overworked labor system."
He let out a long sigh before suddenly calling out,
"Hey, fu—"
He coughed awkwardly.
"I mean... System."
A voice instantly echoed in his mind and a screen also appeared before him.
[Yes, Host. This System is always online.]
"...You've been awfully quiet these past few days."
[I only appears when necessary.]
"Oh, really?"
"So abandoning your host to suffer alone counts as 'not necessary'?"
[Correct.]
The corner of Sogen's eye twitched.
"And what's with this mission?"
"'Unite Felix and Letinca.'"
"Do you seriously expect me to fix a blood feud that's lasted for years?"
"Were you planning to make me work like a slave?"
The System answered without the slightest hesitation.
[Correction, Host.]
[An efficient slave receives no rewards.]
[Host receives rewards.]
Sogen blinked.
"...Was that supposed to make me feel better?"
[Maybe.]
"But it didn't."
[Noted.]
You actually noted it?"
[No.]
"..."
Sogen took a deep breath.
"I swear... one day I'm going to uninstall you."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
[Host does not possess sufficient permissions.]
"...Can I at least file a complaint?"
[Complaint successfully received.]
Sogen raised an eyebrow.
"...Really?"
[Host's complaint has been added to the ever-growing list of ignored feedback.]
"..."
"You know..."
"I used to think systems were meant to help protagonists."
[I am helping you host.]
"How?"
[Host was previously poor.]
[Host is still poor.]
[The System has provided Host with a method to become less poor.]
"...By giving me an idea to open a business?"
[Correct.]
"By giving me a mission to unite two mortal enemies?"
[Correct.]
"By making me work like a slave every other week?"
[Correct Host, how are you so smart?]
Sogen stared at the ceiling.
"...You're the worst system I've ever heard of."
[Host is also the only host this System has ever had.]
"...Was that..."
"...an insult?"
A mouth appeared in the corner of the blue panel.
It wore an infuriatingly smug smile.
[I merely stated a fact.]
Sogen sighed so heavily that his soul felt lighter.
"...Fine."
"If I'm going to suffer..."
"...then at least make me rich."
A familiar notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Another Main Objective Updated.]
Become Wealthy.
Current Progress: Pathetically Poor.
Sogen froze.
"..."
"...I'm going back to cultivation."
[Cultivation requires resources.]
"...I hate you."
[Affection not detected.]