0043. The Red Moon’s Cultivation Rooms

The stairs creaked softly beneath their steps as Nile and his group ascended to the third floor of the inn. The moment they stepped into the hall, an overwhelming presence of mana brushed against their skin. Unlike the worn and casual atmosphere of the lower floors, this space felt refined—structured.

A large hall stretched before them, its high ceiling adorned with faint glowing patterns that pulsed rhythmically, reacting to their presence. Embedded into all four walls were heavy wooden doors, each carved with intricate symbols and shimmering with faint energy barriers. The air here was thick with a suppressed force, a silent testament to the controlled environment needed for cultivation.

Jennifer walked a few steps ahead, her heels clicking against the polished stone floor as she turned to face them. "Welcome to the heart of my inn—the cultivation floors."

She gestured around, her eyes sweeping across the locked doors. "This inn holds more than fifty Level 1 cultivation rooms and eighteen Level 2 rooms. Each room is embedded with a specialized array to enhance mana circulation, allowing cultivators to train efficiently while minimizing external disturbances."

Nile scanned the area, his mind already working through what he saw. The inscriptions on the doors weren't just decorative—they served as both locks and regulators, controlling the flow of energy within. The design was meticulous.

Jennifer's tone dropped slightly as she continued, her expression hardening. "However, the Level 3 cultivation rooms are a different story." She paused, her gaze drifting toward a section of the hall. "I had five of them… but four were forcefully taken."

Jessica's brow furrowed. "Taken? By whom?"

Jennifer's lips curled into a humorless smile. "By the wolves," she said, voice laced with bitter amusement.

Arin tilted his head. "Wolves?"

Jennifer let out a slow breath, crossing her arms. "That's what I call them. The town mayor's family and the three largest local gangs. Each of them took a Level 3 cultivation room, claiming it under their authority. They didn't pay for them, didn't negotiate—just took them."

Veena's fingers tapped lightly against her arm as she listened, her expression unreadable.

"They left me with only one Level 3 room," Jennifer continued. "It's still under my control, but if I push back too hard, they might try to claim that one too."

Jessica scoffed. "And the town allows this?"

Jennifer's smirk deepened. "The town mayor's family is one of the wolves. Do you think they care?"

A tense silence settled over the group. It was a familiar story—powerful forces seizing control while those beneath them were left with scraps.

Nile, however, wasn't dwelling on the injustice. His focus remained on the single Level 3 room Jennifer still controlled. If the others had been stolen, then that one must hold some significance.

"Does that last room have any special features?" Nile asked, his voice measured.

Jennifer's gaze flickered toward him, assessing. "You catch on fast," she said, lips curving slightly. "Yes, it does. The reason they haven't taken it yet is simple—it is reserved by the overseer.This is the only one I am being paid for."

"So, they don't want to start a full-blown fight over it and be noticed by the protector overseer," Jessica muttered, catching on.

Jennifer nodded. "Exactly. They can't take it by force without drawing too much attention. But they're watching, waiting for an opportunity to change that."

Veena exchanged a look with James, something unspoken passing between them. Meanwhile, Nile's mind was already moving ahead. This town had its own hierarchy of power, and Jennifer was barely holding her ground. That meant anything they did here would have consequences—whether they intended it or not.

But for now, the focus was on alchemy.

Jennifer turned back to Nile, her calculating gaze sharpening. "Enough talk. You wanted a Level 1 cultivation room for your test, and you'll get one." She stepped forward, pressing her hand against the array of one of the doors. The symbols flared briefly before the door unlocked with a click.

"This room is reserved by an alchemist of Lv 1 who is fanatic about Alchemy and desires to elevate his Alchemy rank to lv 2 as well, but he has gone to the City right now so it's fine if you use the tools,just don't blow everything up. Let's see if you're really as confident as you claim."

The door swung open, and the faint scent of refined herbs and residual mana drifted out. Inside, the room was small but precisely structured—a stone table in the center, an alchemical furnace in the corner, and shelves lined with small jade containers. The walls were reinforced with formation runes, ensuring stability during alchemy practice.

Nile stepped forward, taking it all in.

This was it.

His first true test—not just of his abilities, but of the knowledge he had barely begun to understand.

And he wouldn't fail.

Nile took a slow breath as he stepped further into the room, his gaze scanning the shelves filled with jade containers. The soft glow of the formation runes along the walls made the air hum with residual energy, a clear sign that powerful concoctions had been refined here before.

Jessica whistled lowly as she peered over his shoulder. "So, this is where real alchemists work."

Jennifer smirked from the doorway. "More like where they experiment. Alchemy isn't just about following recipes—it's about understanding how materials interact."

Nile walked toward the alchemical furnace in the corner. It was small but well-crafted, its body covered in delicate engravings that shimmered faintly. He placed a hand on the surface and felt a subtle pulse of warmth. The furnace was already preheated, meaning someone had used it recently.

"Do you even know how to use that?" Arin asked, arms crossed skeptically.

Nile didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Jennifer. " Give me the ingredients and wait outside"

Jennifer gestured to the table, setting down a thumb-sized tube, an inch thick, alongside neatly bundled herbs. "Help yourself. Here's a portion of Body Stimulus Paste and ten sets of ingredients for it. Just try not to waste everything, or you'll be paying for them."

She then tapped her ASD against Nile's with a metallic clink before handing him a jade slip. "Here's the recipe for the paste. Let's see if you can manage to succeed even once, or if you're just full of hot air."

Nile gave a silent nod as the others stepped out of the room. The door shut behind them with a soft click, and the protective arrays activated, sealing the space from outside scrutiny.

He took a moment to survey the room. The shelves along the walls were lined with small, neatly arranged containers, each labeled with fine script detailing the herbs and materials inside. Frostleaf Grass, Ember Root, Spirit Dew, Thunder Bark… Some of the names were familiar, while others were entirely new to him.

A quiet thrill ran through him. Unlike Veena's structured lessons, this was uncharted territory. There was no guidance, no safety net. It was just him, the ingredients, and his knowledge.

And he would not fail.