Chapter 5: First Tutorial Quest (4)

In ancient China, there was a tradition regarding hair. Confucianism dominated ancient Chinese culture for over a thousand years. In Classic of Filial Piety of Confucian, they considered hair as important as every part of their body or a legacy from their parents to children. Cutting one's hair was like cutting ties with their parents, which was considered unfilial and disgraceful.

Thus, ancient Chinese kept their long hair to display their connection and respect towards their ancestors. Anyone with short hair was considered as barbaric ruffians.

Imperial authority sometimes cut the criminal's hair to shame them before they imprisoned them. It was a gesture that they didn't deserve to be treated as filial sons or daughters as they broke the laws.

Occasionally, hair-cutting symbolized death. In Romance of Three Kingdom tale by Luo Guanzhong, when Guan Yu managed to capture Cao Cao after the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao cut his hair as a substitution of himself that he had died there by the hands of Guan Yu. This action reflected their hair culture.

And in this world, the culture of the natives was the same. Miaomiao having short crew-cut hair was seen as a disrespectful person, an uncult barbarian foreigner, an unfilial man, or an ex-criminal. As a result, Mao Miaomiao was called a lowly slave as the natives didn't see him as their equal.

Miaomiao recalled the ancient Chinese culture, which reflected in most cultivation novels. He understood why everyone discriminated him.

'This is bad. My short hair is an eyesore for these people. I need a wig real fast.'

When in Rome, do as the Romans do!

Miaomiao understood the difference in cultures, but the native people didn't. Unless he had a wig or grew long hair, the discrimination would continue.

Miaomiao didn't waste his time loitering on the road anymore. He rushed toward Mountain Goose City.

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Back at Wei Huang's group, the owner of the stolen jade sword caught up with his grandfather's carriage.

Wei Feng, the youth in Mountain Goose Sect's uniform, rushed to his grandfather inside the main carriage. The escort soldiers made ways for their young master to get in.

Wei Feng sat inside the carriage and reported his trouble, "Grandfather! A slave stole my jade sword. Can you-Eh? You have it?"

Wei Feng saw his engraved sword on his grandfather's lap, but the latter's face grimaced as he examined the dimmed weapon.

Seeing that Wei Huang was busy inspecting his personal sword, Wei Feng was curious, "How did you get it? Did you run into that thieving slave?"

Sitting next to Wei Huang in the carriage, Wei Feng's younger sister was also interested in the dimmed jade sword. She answered in her grandfather's stead, "Grandfather has run into the thief, and we got the sword back. But the charged yang qi energy inside the jade sword is gone."

"Huh?" Wei Feng didn't believe it, "That's impossible. That jade sword was refined by a 4th stage blacksmith yesterday. The yang qi inside the sword is enough to recover any exhausted 2nd stage cultivator's energy to the fullest many times. How come it's empty?"

The old grandfather peered his grandson, "I also had the same idea, but I can't explain how this jade sword runs out of yang energy. Say, Feng'er, have you used this sword recently, or have you transformed into THAT body?"

"No! I've been keeping it to absorb its energy! I've never used it in a fight!"

"Then, how did your sword get to the hands of a stray slave?"

Instead of regretting, Wei Feng laughed, "I gave it to him, so he can die from qi poisoning. I want to transform the jade sword into a haunted sword in legends!"

Wei Huang bellowed, "FOOL! Only elite blacksmiths can handle cursed weapons! Even if we are demons, we won't be able to pacify angry spirits! Don't do this again, or I'll expel you from the sect myself!"

"Don't worry, grandfather. I have confidence as a proud Oni. We are the best demon race with yang qi, so those haunted spirits can't scare me!"

Wei Huang wanted to scold his grandson as he was too naïve, but he gave up, "Forget it. If you want a cursed weapon that much, I'll ask a mermaid from Blood Sea to fetch a few of them for you to practice. For now, you should focus on passing the inner disciple examination. Even if I'm the first elder of the sect, I can't help you with this."

Wei Feng smacked his chest like an ape, "I won't lose to those inner disciple chumps! The moment I activate my true power, those humans will be flattened instantly!"

"The moment you reveal your demon form, it will be our clan's demise. Don't do that."

"Just kidding! Hahaha!"

Wei Huang sighed and turned toward his teenage granddaughter. She was a half-Caucasian half-Asian beauty with gold wavy long hair. The granddaughter ignored their conversation and focused on the dimmed jade sword.

"What do you think?" Asked Wei Huang.

"It should have something to do with that stray slave. Didn't he unsheathe the sword? He might have absorbed all the qi in the sword at that time."

"That's impossible. He's only a 1st stage cultivator. I didn't sense qi or any power in his body."

"But demons like us can hide our qi, no?"

"... You mean."

"I don't know if he's really stupid or a cunning demon in a human's skin, but I'm sure that he has a secret or two. We should find him and bring him back. I have a few questions to ask him."

"Hmm," Wei Huang leaned backward as he recalled the actions of Mao Miaomiao, "It's troublesome if I go around and search for that slave. The Xu Clan and Fu De will definitely make a fuse and attempt to use this incident against us again. Let's just wait and hope that he will eventually run into one of our clan's shops, and then we can capture him alive."

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"I-It exists here!? I'm not the first transmigrator in this world?"

Half a day later in the late afternoon, Miaomiao managed to reach the town by following the road and the crowd. This time, he didn't ask or talk with anyone and dashed straight to the city.

It was tiring to keep running and walking for hours, but Miaomiao managed to get to the city in one piece without stirring trouble. Because of exhaustion, he didn't notice the town structures. He simply headed toward the nearest tavern to rest.

As soon as he picked an available table and sat, Miaomiao found himself in a modern concrete building with running electricity instead of an ancient wooden one. He widened his eyes in shock when his eyes found a running vendor machine with several soft drinks, beer, and liquor that he knew.

Pepsi

Cola

Fanta

Sprite

Heineken

Snow

Budweiser

Johnny Walker

Smirnoff Vodka

Various modern brands and products that were not supposed to exist in this novel world were everywhere.

'Hory sheet, Korea Jesus! Did someone from the modern world come here and mess with this world? Did he transmigrate here and become an internet cafe owner?'

Miaomiao had a scare that there might be others who transmigrated from the modern as well.

Still, because of the thirstiness and inner craving, Miaomiao raised his hand to call a waiter. He ordered a bottle of cold beer without hesitation, "Xiao'er, one cold Heineken, please."

A waiter rushed to Miaomiao's table to take the order. But when he saw Miaomiao's short hair, he frowned in disgust.

"Sir, one bottle of low-grade Heineken is 100 taels of silver. Not that I want to be rude, but we have a policy - cash before delivery. Do you have enough silver for the beer, sir?"

Miaomiao paused and raised his head to stare at the waiter's face in confusion. What he was surprised wasn't the rude attitude of the waiter, but he was curious by the key-word, [Low-Grade].

"Is there a grade in beer?"

The waiter passed him a beverage menu. It was made of leather and plastic.

Similar to the modern world, the menu displayed pictures of their liquor. They came in various sizes and qualities. One low-grade drinks ranged from 100 taels of silver to 200. Middle-graded ones added more zeros to the price tags, and the high-grades required reservation.

"Why is there [Grades] in drinks? Can they give me +5 strength or what?"

The waiter's face distorted, not understanding the gaming jargon. Still, he patiently explained, "I see that you're unfamiliar with spirit drinks, so I'll elaborate. Low-grade drinks can enhance and increase qi within your dantian. One bottle of a low-grade soft drink can provide about 10 to 20 strands of qi, which is equal to one low-grade spirit stone. Although it's much cheaper than using a spirit stone to cultivate, the quality of qi is different. You will need a month to digest those qi strands, but you can instantly absorb forces in spirit stones and convert them into yours within less than a day."

"Oh!"

"In short, spirit drinks are cheaper, but it's a less efficient way to cultivate. But for me and for you, my dear customer, it's cost-efficient. How about it? Would you like one?"

The waiter didn't forget to point at the price tag, stressing that it might be too expensive for Miaomiao.

Mao Miaomiao snorted. He picked one gold coin and flashed it in front of the waiter, "Do you think I don't have the money? Do you know how much it is?"

The waiter widened his eyes in shock, "Sir, have you robbed someone recently?"

"Bastard! Do you want me to call your manager!? Go fetch me a bottle of cold beer, or I'll freaking file a complaint to your boss!"

"Y-Yes, sir! Right away, sir!"

The waiter ran back to the kitchen and brought a green bottle of cold beer for Miaomiao. The glass bottle was the same as the modern world, but it leaked strange aura.

As Miaomiao opened the bottle and was about to drink it, he noticed the sneer of the waiter and nearby customers. They were looking at him as if they were looking forward to a show.

Their eyes were similar to those thugs and the brown men of Qing Clan.

'Something's wrong.'