Chapter 7: A Servant’s Legacy

The morning air was crisp. Smoke curled from chimneys as villagers prepared their morning meals. The scent of fresh porridge and steamed buns drifted through the air.

Chunhe sat at a small wooden table in the village's only eatery, finally having his first proper meal since waking up in this world.

A bowl of steaming porridge, thick with rice and a hint of ginger.

Soft, juicy dumplings, filled with minced meat and herbs, their skins slightly translucent.

Two braised eggs, their deep brown color from long hours of soaking in soy sauce and spices.

A simple glass of hot water, pure and warm, warming him from the inside.

He took his time, savoring each bite. After enduring so much pain, this meal felt like heaven.

For the first time, he felt like he was truly alive.

Yet, as he swallowed the last spoonful of porridge, reality hit him again.

Nothing in this world was free.

He was still penniless.

The villagers didn't mind him. They only remembered how he entered the village—torn clothes, bloodied, and barely alive.

Chunhe wiped his mouth and observed the people around him. The villagers were simple folk, wearing patched-up clothes, and went about their work.

He noticed something—their tools were in terrible shape.

Rusty sickles—barely sharp enough to cut grass.

Chipped axes—that looked like they had seen years of wear and tear.

Crude knives, bent and dull, barely useful for skinning animals or chopping wood.

From their conversations, he learned that there was no blacksmith in this village. It didn't take long to learn why. The village had no blacksmith.

If they needed repairs or new tools, they had to travel to the next town. That meant time, effort, and money—things most of these people didn't have in abundance.

This gave him an idea.

In the world of cultivation, certain professions were highly respected and protected:

Alchemists – Masters of pills and elixirs.

Formation Masters – Experts in defensive and offensive arrays.

Artifact Refiners – The blacksmiths of the cultivation world, who crafted weapons and armor.

These people were not just important. They were untouchable. Even powerful sects needed them.

If Chunhe wanted to build a future, he had to become someone valuable.

But right now?

Right now, Chunhe had no resources. He couldn't afford to attract attention, especially since the sect was still looking for him.

But if he could lay low and work toward one of these professions, he would gain value in this world.

His fingers brushed against a worn-out old ring hidden in his sleeve.

It was the only thing the original body's owner had managed to keep.

The hiding spot? Under his crotch.

"…That coward might have been weak, but he sure knew how to hide things."

The previous owner had lived a miserable life. As a servant boy, his senior servants extorted him constantly. Any wages he earned were snatched away.

But there was one thing they never found—his true wealth.

His salary? Stolen.

His resources? Snatched away.

His dignity? Trampled on.

But he wasn't completely stupid.

After looting and joining the sect under pretext with a new identity, the original owner had secretly hidden his true wealth.

This ring contained only 1% of what the original owner had stolen.

The remaining 99%?

It was safely locked away in a vault house, like a bank, owned by a powerful merchant house.

If he could get that money back...

He could change his fate.

He focused his will on the storage ring, activating its storage function.

Inside, he found:

Gold, silver, and spirit crystals – A small fortune, but not enough to last forever.

Manuals on herbs, ores, and heavenly treasures – Valuable for an alchemist or blacksmith.

Weapons and artifacts – Some Middle rank, some Low rank.

A few pills – Possibly for healing or cultivation.

This was enough to start something, but it wasn't much.

He needed a long-term plan.

If the sect found out he was alive, they wouldn't let him go.

For now, he would stay low, gather information, and find a way to reach the merchant house.

And when the time was right?

He would take back everything that belonged to him.

And most importantly—

Survive.

To Be Continued...