As an ordinary villager, Fan Zhuo had limited knowledge about Warriors. He only knew about them from hearsay rather than receiving proper information from someone knowledgeable.

  First of all, the first major realm of the Warrior path was called Warrior. Because of this, even though they practiced martial arts, they weren’t called Martial Artists. They only used that term when referring to themselves.

  Warriors began their practice by meditating and gathering extraordinary power called Internal Energy. With the help of Internal Energy, they were able to lift heavy objects and destroy solid obstacles like trees and walls.

  Dao Jun was skeptical about this Warrior path that relied on Internal Energy. From his standpoint, he felt Warriors were no different from mortal martial artists in his previous world. However, he didn’t jump to conclusions immediately—he still needed to verify this directly before making any judgments.

  Besides information about the extraordinary path, he also gained valuable knowledge about this world. There was no exact name for it, as Fan Zhuo only knew that he lived in the Chu State, which was part of the Great Tang Dynasty.

  Zhuzi Village was located in a remote area with no direct access to official roads. As a result, the people in this village were uneducated and lived solely by farming their land.

  After absorbing this newfound information, Dao Jun shifted his focus to his condition. His physical body wasn’t affected by the regression of cultivation. Right now, his cultivation was at the middle stage of the Qi Refining realm. As long as he didn’t use any spells or utilize his spiritual power, his cultivation would remain intact and unchanged.

  Next was his physical body foundation. He had once cultivated body refining to the peak stage of the Fourth Level, but now it was completely wasted, leaving him with a crippled body. If left alone, his physical appearance would start to degrade over time, turning him into a thin and weak old man.

  The last aspect of his condition was his newfound soul cultivation. In his previous world, as far as Dao Jun knew, no one had ever embarked on pure soul cultivation, not even ghost cultivators. Ghost cultivators were evil spirits or soul entities that cultivated themselves, but in reality, they were no different from Qi Refining cultivators. Ghost cultivators absorbed the yin-natured spiritual energy of the world and refined it into spiritual power, slowly transforming their yin body into a yang body.

  Dao Jun’s soul cultivation, however, was completely different. In fact, it could be considered a new branch of immortal cultivation, much like body refining. He decided to name this path Soul Refining.

  The Soul Refining Path focused purely on cultivating the soul, separating its progress from Qi Refining and Body Refining. Unlike ghost cultivation, which required cultivators to abandon their status as living beings, Soul Refining could be practiced by anyone—even ghost cultivators.

  Currently, Dao Jun’s soul cultivation was equal to the Second Level, or the Foundation Building realm of the Qi Refining path. This was mainly because he had sacrificed his nascent soul and previous soul foundation—his Sea of Consciousness at the late stage of the Fourth Level—to condense a soul body.

  Dao Jun focused his mind, and his soul body, which was located within his head, suddenly disappeared and reappeared in an empty space. This space was the mental space—different from the Sea of Consciousness, which hosted memories, soul foundations, and mental strength. Mental space was a purely mental construct designed to host the soul body. If the mental space were to break, it wouldn’t harm Dao Jun’s soul foundation—unlike damage to the Sea of Consciousness, which could have severe consequences.

  “It feels strange,” Dao Jun’s soul body carefully observed itself. “I can sense two different perspectives in real time—one from my physical body and one from my soul body.”

  The soul body expanded its divine sense to gauge its limits. An invisible wave spread from Dao Jun’s body, reaching a diameter of twenty meters. Then, he withdrew his divine consciousness and noticed something new about his soul refining cultivation.

  “Everything within ten meters is clearly projected into my mind. This is different from spiritual sense and divine sense. I don’t need to do anything—vision, sound, texture, and temperature are all within my grasp.”

  In cultivation theory, spiritual sense referred to a passive sixth sense that cultivators gained after refining spiritual power within their bodies. Its coverage was directly linked to a cultivator’s realm and soul foundation. However, the information spiritual sense provided was vague, like a misty landscape, displaying only spiritual light within its range. Because of this, cultivators couldn’t discern colors, textures, or temperatures using spiritual sense alone.

  On the other hand, divine sense was an active ability derived from a cultivator’s soul. Its coverage was the same as spiritual sense, but divine sense could interact with objects, allowing cultivators to perceive visuals, sounds, textures, and temperatures, much like a physical body. However, divine sense had a major drawback—it needed to be activated, and any damage inflicted upon it could cause severe injury to a cultivator’s soul.

  “This new ability feels like a fusion between spiritual sense and divine sense. I don’t need to activate it—it simply reflects everything directly into my soul without consuming any mental strength. But the drawback is also clear—I can’t interact with physical objects. Let’s call this ability soul perception. Based on my estimate, its range is about half of my spiritual sense coverage.”

  This soul perception was just one of the many improvements Dao Jun had gained after condensing his soul body and embarking on the Soul Refining Path. Many more mysteries lay hidden within his soul body, but he wasn’t in a hurry to explore them just yet.

  The soul body raised its head to look at the sky within the mental space. Its eyes shone with divine light as the sky above transformed. Small, white clouds gathered, merging into dark, heavy storm clouds, covering the entire mental space.

  “My divination has also received a great enhancement. Now I can visualize my luck within my mental space without relying on divination tools.” The soul body commented. However, its eyes dimmed when it noticed that the dark clouds remained unchanged since the last time he performed divination. In fact, thanks to the improvements from soul cultivation, the divination now provided a clearer and more detailed view of his fate.

  Behind the storm clouds, a shadowy phantom of a strange beast could be seen swimming freely.

  The soul body closed its eyes and recited a mystic mantra in an inaudible voice. Waves of spiritual fluctuations radiated from its form and gathered into a ball of light. The soul body opened its eyes, raised its fingers, and pointed at the black clouds—sending the ball of light soaring into the stormy sky.

  "Nothing?" The soul body frowned. He had just cast a divination technique called White Lantern Illuminating the Path. Due to his lack of proficiency, he could only summon a small ball of light instead of the white lantern with golden fire that the technique was supposed to manifest.

  The soul body fell into deep thought. Divination Arts were obscure and difficult to master. The results of divination were never clear and always presented as symbolism, abstract concepts, numbers, images, or cryptic phrases. What had just occurred could mean many things, but Dao Jun wasn’t sure which interpretation was correct.

  "Mister Warrior, that is Zhuzi Village." Fan Zhuo pointed ahead at the village gate, which was now visible in the distance.

  The village gate was crudely built, consisting of two wooden pillars with a small wooden plank on top. The words "Zhuzi Village" were written on it.

  By now, Dao Jun had fully adapted to his dual perception—experiencing the world through both his soul body and physical body at the same time. He no longer needed to close his eyes to control his soul body separately.

  This was another major benefit of condensing a soul body—Dao Jun’s mental processing ability had received a massive upgrade, allowing him to multitask effortlessly. It felt as if he had two brains controlled by a single consciousness.

  Without stopping, the buffalo cart rolled into the village. Some villagers who had finished their farm work were walking along the road, while others, still inside their homes, came out to see who had arrived.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  When they spotted the newcomer, their eyes widened slightly at the sight of his clean, high-quality robes. However, as soon as they noticed his status, they quickly lowered their heads, avoiding direct eye contact.

  Only wealthy individuals could afford such fine clothing. Naturally, wealthy families ensured their children practiced martial arts from a young age.

  Knowing this, the villagers refrained from staring too long at Dao Jun. Instead, they pretended to be busy with their own matters—finding reasons to turn away or go about their chores to reduce their contact with him.

  Dao Jun observed this cautious behavior and recalled what he had learned from Fan Zhuo.

  The first reason for this reaction was that people who wore expensive robes were often fickle and easily offended.

  The second reason was that Zhuzi Village was controlled by the Zhu family, who owned all the farmland in the area. While the Zhu family wouldn’t outright offend wandering Warriors, they were wary of meddlesome Warriors who might try to interfere in village matters under the pretense of justice.

  This combination of factors had led to the villagers' wary attitude toward outsiders.

  “Your village seems to fear outsiders,” Dao Jun commented casually, though he wasn’t particularly bothered by it.

  Fan Zhuo turned his head, forcing an awkward smile before responding.

  "Mister Warrior, my village is a poor village. We make our living through farming, and we have little contact with the outside world. Other than knowing we are part of the Chu State and which dynasty we live in, we know very little. Occasionally, a Warrior passes through, but… some of them have not been satisfied with our hospitality. Because of past experiences, most villagers are wary of outsiders."

  Dao Jun smiled slightly. “Then what about you? Why did you offer to give me a ride if you’re also wary of strangers?”

  Fan Zhuo shook his head quickly and waved his hands in denial.

  "How could I refuse? Helping each other is human nature. Since Mister Warrior has shown no hostility toward me, how could I not help him?"

  "I see," Dao Jun nodded. “Even though this village is secluded from the rest of the world, the people here still have a kind nature and help each other in times of need. Such villages are rare nowadays.”

  Fan Zhuo gave a genuine smile, with a hint of pride. "My village is indeed a good village." However, at the end of his words, it seemed as though he wanted to say more, but he ultimately chose to remain silent.

  The buffalo cart continued rolling through the inner part of the village. Various houses lined the road, each with a small courtyard, and children could be seen playing outside.

  Eventually, they arrived at a particular house.

  "Mister Warrior, this is the home of our Village Head. If you have any questions or need to discuss anything, it's best to talk to him rather than me," Fan Zhuo said as he stepped down from the cart and approached the front gate.

  "Old Man Li," Fan Zhuo called out. The front gate was open, but he remained outside, waiting for permission to enter.

  Shortly after, an elderly man stepped out of the house and approached the gate. He glanced at Fan Zhuo, then shifted his gaze toward Dao Jun.

  For a brief moment, Old Man Li looked shocked upon seeing Dao Jun’s expensive robes, but he quickly suppressed his reaction and greeted him with a warm smile.

  "Welcome, esteemed guest, to our modest village. I hope Fan Zhuo didn’t cause any trouble for you."

  Dao Jun stepped down from the cart and walked toward the front gate. He nodded at Old Man Li and said, "Hello, nice to meet you. I am a traveler exploring the world, and by chance, I arrived at your village. Would it be possible for me to stay here for a day or two?"

  "Yes, yes, of course!" Old Man Li nodded repeatedly. "It is possible. We have an empty house in the village. If the esteemed guest is fine with it, I can have Fan Zhuo take you there. However, if you find the house unsuitable, feel free to speak to me again so we can make other arrangements."

  Dao Jun glanced at Fan Zhuo, who stood ready to lead the way.

  "Alright, I will check the house first," Dao Jun replied.

  Old Man Li smiled and patted Fan Zhuo’s shoulder. "Quickly, take the esteemed guest to the empty house west of the village, near the Niu family’s residence."

  "Ah—" Fan Zhuo, slightly startled, nodded quickly. "Yes, of course! Mister Warrior, please follow me."

  Dao Jun rode the cart once more, sitting in his previous seat. With Fan Zhuo leading the way, the two continued their journey deeper into the village.

  Before long, they arrived in front of an empty house. Although unoccupied, it was clean and well-maintained. However, it was no different from the rest of the houses in the village—it was built from wood and a mixture of mud, giving it a simple, earthy appearance.

  Dao Jun used his divine sense to scan the house and found no issues. He stepped down from the cart and walked toward the front gate.

  “I don’t see any problem with this house. You can go now,” he said calmly.

  Fan Zhuo, eager to leave, nodded and replied modestly, “Take care, Mister Warrior.” Without another word, he turned the buffalo cart around and left.

  Dao Jun opened the wooden front gate and walked into the house. The interior was simple—there were two rooms, along with a kitchen area in the back.

  Both rooms contained beds made of mud, slightly elevated from the ground, with thin quilts placed on top.

  Since there was nothing else to do for the moment, Dao Jun entered one of the rooms, sat down, and began meditating. With his eyes closed, he started planning for the future.

  As afternoon arrived, Dao Jun opened his eyes upon hearing a knock at the front door.

  Standing up, he walked toward the entrance and opened the door.

  Outside, he was greeted by two well-dressed men.

  Unlike the villagers he had encountered so far, these men had better-quality clothing and strong, muscular builds. On top of that, they gave off the distinct presence of fighters, rather than farmers.

  Upon seeing Dao Jun, or more specifically, his robe, both men were momentarily stunned.

  They had traveled and met many people, but never before had they seen a robe of such exquisite quality.

  After taking a closer look at Dao Jun’s clothing, they finally focused on him. Despite his youthful appearance, which suggested he was in his mid-twenties, he carried himself with the aura of a nobleman and a scholar.

  However, between his eyebrows, there was a faint hint of arrogance—as though he had no intention of avoiding eye contact with the two men.

  “Ahahaha,” the man on the right side let out a friendly laugh, seemingly trying to ease the situation. “Are you the one who arrived at Zhuzi Village today?”

  Dao Jun smiled slightly but didn’t reply immediately.

  The man continued, “Zhuzi Village is a remote place, so it’s understandable that you might not be aware of the situation.” His expression remained neutral, but his tone carried an underlying meaning.

  “This village actually belongs to the Zhu family. Since you’ve come here, our Young Master wishes to extend his hospitality and formally welcome you. What do you think?”

  Unlike Fan Zhuo and Old Man Li, who had been cautious and respectful toward Dao Jun, these two men showed neither respect nor fear.

  In fact, Chen Liu, the man speaking, gave off the impression of someone looking down on him.

  This stirred a strange emotion within Dao Jun—one he had almost forgotten.

  After reaching the Golden Core realm, Dao Jun had long stopped being a helpless cultivator. He had avoided large cities, choosing to live in smaller settlements where he could grow in strength without attracting too much attention.

  As time passed, thanks to his careful nature, he rarely found himself in situations where weaker individuals treated him with disdain.

  This made him feel somewhat amused.

  Spreading his divine sense, Dao Jun examined the two men and detected traces of Internal Energy flowing within their bodies.

  “As I thought,” Dao Jun mused inwardly.

  “Their Internal Energy is far inferior to spiritual power. If the spiritual power of a first-level Qi Refining cultivator were measured as one unit, then this Internal Energy would be worth less than one-fifteenth of that.

  It is vastly weaker.

  As Qi Refining cultivators increase their realm, their strength improves drastically—so much so that Internal Energy would never be able to catch up.”

  On the surface, Dao Jun remained calm, but his soul body frowned as it observed the thick dark clouds hovering above him in his mental space.

  Previously, he had predicted that people who trained in martial arts might cause trouble for him.

  However, after meeting these two men, he wasn’t entirely sure whether his initial prediction had been accurate.

  “Don’t be hasty,” his soul body murmured. “Let’s observe a little more first.”

  With that thought, Dao Jun relaxed his expression and smiled at Chen Liu.

  “Since I have been invited, naturally, I should accept the landlord’s request.” His tone was calm, almost playful. “Please, lead the way.”

  “Good, good.” Chen Liu laughed and turned around, motioning for Dao Jun to follow.

  As they walked, Dao Jun continued to examine the two men with his divine sense.

  Since his soul perception could bypass physical obstructions, he was able to directly observe their Internal Energy.

  “Hmm.”

  Dao Jun slightly opened his mouth as if about to speak, but quickly closed it.

  Chen Liu noticed this and turned his head back. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  “No,” Dao Jun shook his head calmly, as though he hadn’t reacted at all. “I just recalled something I had forgotten.” He finished his words with a reassuring smile.

  During his exploration, Dao Jun found that there was nothing special about the Internal Energy these men practiced.

  However, something else caught his attention.

  Their spirits were unusually strong.

  In cultivation terms, the soul could be divided into two aspects: Mental Strength and Spirituality. Mental Strength represented self-awareness, experience, and individual willpower, while Spirituality embodied wisdom, intelligence, and comprehension ability.

  Ordinary people had weak, gaseous mental strength, while cultivators like Dao Jun had fluid-like mental strength, similar to water.

  However, these Warriors had solidified mental strength.

  Even more intriguing was the fact that their mental strength was directly connected to their Internal Energy.

  This meant that the stronger their mental strength, the stronger their Internal Energy would become.

  At first glance, this information didn’t seem particularly shocking.

  However, Dao Jun, being well-versed in cultivation theory, immediately understood what this implied.

  Unlike spiritual power, which followed a fixed path of improvement, mental strength had no upper limit.

  Which meant—

  “These Warriors can endlessly refine their Internal Energy, with no ceiling, as long as they continue to meditate and comprehend life itself?”

  Dao Jun’s soul body smiled with interest.

  “Maybe this Warrior Path is far greater than I initially assumed.”