CHAPTER 41: 41. EXPAND STORE: LIFE CIGAR [REQUEST RECOMMENDATION TICKETS]

"Such a high-class feeling."

Originally, the main hall expanded into a store that was a bit incongruous with a cigar appearing; logically, it should sell Grade-Entering Techniques or something like the Vein Technique, but the appearance of a cigar made it seem like a tobacco shop.

However, the words ’life compensation’ elevated the cigar to a very high place.

In fact, no matter what the thing is, as long as it is stuck with the word ’life’, it feels sacred. It’s like an ant which you might casually step on because it seems like nothing, but when a monk says it’s also a life and moves his foot away, the essence of the ant appears to change.

Wen Ping continued to ask, "System, what does ’life compensation’ mean?"

The system replied, "It’s quite obvious, it’s compensating for the missing part of your fate. For example, your intelligence, if you smoke these cigars made from the leaves of the Tree of Life for a long time, they will gradually elevate your brain, giving you extraordinary wisdom. Or if you catch a terminal illness and time is rapidly running out for you, smoking it can change your life and death."

"Can you summarize it simply and comprehensively?"

"Simply put, it enhances talent, and an average person who smokes it long-term can become a person of excellent talent; it heals fatal injuries, is used to resolve life-threatening injuries—be it a sore on the foot or pus on the face, the cigar in the stomach can solve them. Finally, it refreshes the mind and reforms innate deficiencies in the body; the former removes fatigue, the latter changes a person’s essence."

"Such a good thing!"

"It’s mediocre, but since the Super Sect System produces it, it’s definitely the finest quality! The Life Cigar is partly for leisure use, just like the saying ’a smoke after a meal, leisure...’"

"Stop, I actually don’t smoke much."

He doesn’t know if the world outside Cangwu City has tobacco, but Cangwu City really doesn’t have such a thing.

He has never seen smoking-related items like a trumpet-mouth cigarette or an iron-mouth pipe. So he doesn’t have the habit of smoking either; when in a bad mood, he can only stroll around Qing Lou.

This Qing Lou is not that brothel; the former is a refined place, mostly where the literati of Cangwu City gather to drink and discuss life ideals, while the latter, well, no need to say, everyone understands, and everyone wants to go.

"If you don’t like it, you can use one hundred thousand gold coins to refresh it and switch to another item."

"One hundred thousand gold coins! Not liking it would mean saying you like it, huh? I just don’t have the habit—if this cigar doesn’t have nicotine and doesn’t hurt the lungs, I can still accept it. However, how many gold coins does this effective cigar need?"

He clearly sees this system; anything not costing money is imperfect.

The Evil Spirit Knight is a good example; it doesn’t cost money, so it can only appear at night.

If it costs money, then surely it’s the Holy Knight, burning with blue flames, able to walk in sunlight, becoming a holy angel.

The system replied, "10 gold each, limited to 5 per day. If smoked for a long time, the host’s talent can be raised to another level."

"Really, if it’s five per day, then give me one to try."

Regardless if it’s good or bad, Wen Ping feels he should try it first and followed the system’s guidance to the main hall, where he found it in a drawer in a room on the first floor, in a dragon-carved, phoenix-engraved peach wood box.

Its color was dark green, and it had a different smell; Wen Ping couldn’t quite say what it was, but inhaling it made him feel refreshed, and his eyes seemed clearer than usual.

Wen Ping guessed this must be the effect of the leaves of the Tree of Life.

Later through the system’s introduction, Wen Ping somewhat understood the Tree of Life—it is a tree growing in the void deep in the universe, unseen by anyone, with its existence known only as a rumor.

This cigar is made from a leaf of the Tree of Life.

One cigar is one leaf; Wen Ping felt 10 gold was indeed very cheap.

Of course, the premise is that the cigar is truly made from the Tree of Life leaves, not just a product of the Super Sect System!

Spark!

The Fire-igniting Slave was opened, gently flicking it a few times and fire snakes began to dance.

Lighting the cigar.

Gently taking a puff.

Silently waiting for the smoke to enter the lungs, as it moved along the airway into the lungs, the feeling was quite different.

A cool sensation directly spread inside the body, the Qi in the Dantian suddenly shook as if suddenly touched at a sensitive place. When the cool feeling passed, what followed was a warmth throughout the body.

It felt as if a liquid energy flowed through the meridians; outwardly there was no difference, but when you closed your eyes and focused, you could feel it.

His body trembled, a feeling of comfort spread through him; when he felt the Qi in the heavens and earth again, it seemed to have changed somewhat.

This change came from the body, from the Dantian, as if suddenly becoming much more familiar with this piece of heaven and earth, Qi seemed like his brother.

In the past, he would sense Qi and try to absorb Qi for Body Refinement, which required a great effort since his talent was lacking.

With another puff, worry and vexation completely vanished.

"Good!"

Wen Ping praised.

"10 gold each, I’ll smoke them."

Now he doesn’t lack the daily 50 gold for cigars.

After paying 40 gold coins, Wen Ping said, "Give me the other four also."

"They have been transmitted to the box."

Upon hearing the system’s words, Wen Ping opened the wooden box and saw four more thumb-sized cigars in it.

He fiddled with them, not intending to pick them up or smoke them immediately, but feeling comfortable just moving them.

With the cigars, Wen Ping returned to the Wind and Rain Pavilion. After smoking a cigar, his feelings changed completely.

Subsequently, a personal information panel jumped into view.

Wen Ping

Gender: Male

Realm: Body Refining Tenth Layer

Sect Star Level: Starless

Talent: 1-star

A talent data appeared.

"What is this 1-star talent?" Noticing an extra item in the information panel, Wen Ping quickly asked the system.

The system answered, "After the reformation by the Life Cigar, the host’s talent has been enhanced by a level."

"That’s too fast."

"Not fast, a Starless to 1-star enhancement is quite easily done, even without the Life Cigar many things in this world can achieve it."

"Alright, I seem ignorant. But what’s the difference between 1-star talent and Starless talent?"

"For example, reaching Body Refining Fifth Layer by age fifteen requires Three-star Talent; with the host’s Starless talent, it’s impossible to cultivate to Body Refining Fifth Layer in this lifetime."

"Am I that bad?"

Refusing to listen, a turtle recites sutras!

The system disregarded what Wen Ping thought and continued, "This is the most scientific evaluation and judgment made by the system. With the host’s Starless talent, reaching Body Refining Seventh Layer is purely due to your identity, able to enjoy endless resources. However, if a cultivator of Three-star talent, they could use those resources to continuously cultivate up to Body Refining Thirteenth Layer. The difference is vast, host understands, right."

"Your meaning is that I was a waste before?" Although the system’s words were unpleasant, Wen Ping gladly accepted them.

Perhaps the appearance of the cigar was because the system pitied him, made to improve his talent.

Continuing, Wen Ping learned that reaching Body Refining Fifth Layer at age fifteen requires Three-star Talent.

With 1-star talent, under normal development, the maximum before age fifteen is the Body Refining Second Layer, level cap at Body Refining Thirteenth Layer.

To breach the Earth opening, the talent must reach Three-star.

In other words, he has to smoke every day from now on.