Dao of Money

Chapter 68: Star qi

Chen Ren didn’t particularly enjoy traveling in this world—at least, not by carriage.

The world itself was great. The air was thick with qi, filling his lungs with a refreshing energy that never left him feeling truly exhausted. Towering trees lined the roads, their canopies swaying lazily in the breeze. Rivers cut through fields like silver threads, their waters clear enough to reflect the sky. Everything looked like it had been plucked straight out of a painting.

But none of that changed the fact that the roads were terrible.

The carriage rattled and shook with every pothole, the wooden wheels groaned under the uneven road. And every bump sent a jolt through his spine, and no matter how he adjusted his posture, there was no such thing as comfort. The seats were stiff, the air inside stuffy, and the constant swaying made even resting a chore.

He figured this was mostly a mortal problem. The real cultivators—those who had stepped beyond these struggles—soared through the skies on flying swords, rode atop spirit beasts, or, if they were truly powerful, summoned floating boats like the one Elder Yan Xiu had used. Compared to that, his carriage might as well have been a wooden box strapped to a herd of drunk oxen.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t at that level yet.

The only upside was the frequent stops. Small villages dotted their path, giving the horses and travelers a chance to rest. Chen Ren took these breaks as an opportunity to stretch his legs—literally. While others stretched their backs or loosened their stiff limbs, he ran.

His body moved effortlessly, his feet barely touching the ground before propelling him forward again. The wind rushed past his face, and the pounding of hooves beside him was nothing but a background rhythm. Even when the carriage started rolling again, he kept up easily, the horses unable to leave him behind. It was better than sitting.

Of course, he didn’t spend the entire journey running meaninglessly. He had long since shed his laziness in this world, and he wasn’t about to waste time lounging in the carriage.

Instead, he trained. Whenever they took breaks, and he wasn’t running, he trained.

Not in his lightning techniques—those came naturally, instinctively. No, this time, he focused on something new. A technique he had won in the tournament.

[Starlight Defense], an Earth grade defensive technique.

The name was fancy, but in the world of cultivation, that was normal. He had heard of techniques like and Compared to those, [Starlight Defense] was straightforward. It did exactly what its name suggested—used the qi of the stars and moon to form a protective barrier around the user.

The diagrams in the manual showed a shimmering cover of light forming over the body, covering vital points like armor woven from the night sky. It sounded impressive. It looked impressive. But there was a catch.

Chen Ren opened his eyes and exhaled, watching the stars stretch across the sky.

He could only cultivate it at night.

“So apparently, it’s mostly potent at night since it uses the qi of the stars and moon,” Chen Ren muttered, leaning back against a fallen log. He picked on the grass beneath them as his eyes shifted from the technique manual in his lap. “I can still use it in the morning, but it won’t be nearly as strong.” He sighed, gaze flickering toward the sky, where the moon had begun its slow climb. “It’s powerful—it’s an Earth-grade technique, after all—but I don’t know how to get around this flaw.”

Across from him, Yalan was sprawled on the grass, stretching her small body. A few paces away, Hong Yi crouched over a pot, stirring the venison soup he had thrown together after hunting a deer. Anji and Zi Han sat nearby, murmuring about something he didn’t bother listening to.

High above, perched on a low-hanging branch, Whiskey lazily chewed on a berry, his tail flicking in amusement.

Yalan glanced up from the fire that was in the middle of them, meeting his gaze. “I don’t think it’s much of a flaw,” she said casually.

Chen Ren frowned. “What do you mean?”

Instead of answering, she purred. “Use the technique.”

He raised an eyebrow. There was no hesitation in her tone, just quiet confidence. Well, there was no harm in trying.

Without another word, he shut his eyes and exhaled slowly, letting his focus sink into the world around him.

Ever since stepping into the qi refinement realm, everything had changed. Almost as if the world has opened itself to him, in terms of spiritual energy mixed in the air. He had even gotten better at recognising different types of qi. It was eye opening, and felt like a whole different level of enlightenment. Before, it had been like looking at a river from a distance—he knew it was there, but it was unreachable. Now, he stood at the river’s edge, able to dip his hands into the flow.

And right now, he was

“I’m sorry,” he admitted, shaking his head. “I don’t think I can make this. I’m only good with practical weapons—blades, axes, hammers. This… looks like some sort of cultivation artifact.”

Chen Ren’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t expected that response. It wasn’t an artifact, not really—just something this world hadn’t seen before. But even if he tried to explain further, it was clear the blacksmith wouldn’t be able to craft it.

So, he nodded. “I understand.”

Turning to his comrades, he said, “Let’s try more shops.”

Black Lotus Town was known for its blacksmiths— one of them had to be capable of making the weapon.

But as they moved from one forge to the next, they received the same responses. Every blacksmith looked at the diagram with confusion, some with curiosity, but all of them eventually admitted defeat. No one could say with confidence that they could craft such a weapon.

By the time they left the last shop, the sun had dipped lower in the sky. Chen Ren exhaled, glancing at Hong Yi and Zi Han. “It seems like we’ll have no luck here,” he said. “Unfortunate.”

Hong Yi nodded, but Zi Han tilted his head slightly, eyes flicking back to the rolled-up diagram. “What even is that weapon, Sect Leader Chen?”

Chen Ren looked at him for a moment before answering. “One of the deadliest weapons in the world. There’s no production of it in the empire yet, but once I find someone capable of making it, our sect will become very formidable.”

“That strong?” Zi Han asked. Chen Ren could see the adrenaline that rushed to his eyes at the mention of power.

He nodded at that.

Hong Yi, however, remained thoughtful, eyes distant. Chen Ren placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Either way, let’s leave the weapon for later,” he said. “For now, we need to deal with your Blood Iron Sect and make you a free man.”

Hong Yi inhaled slowly, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

***

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