The gray swordgrass collapsed like an avalanche, leaving behind a ground covered in ash.

Ethan Brooks skillfully shoveled the ash into the soil; this could effectively suppress the growth of weeds, as weeds disliked the aura of fire and poison.

He moved quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the courtyard was cleared. He fetched a broom to sweep away the cobwebs in the corners. Drawing water from the well, he scrubbed the floor clean; the dust was so thick that it needed to be washed five or six times at least.

He removed the diseased leaves from the old gourd in the stone trough at the corner of the house, wound its main vine around the pavilion pillar, hung the largest gourd under the eaves, and arranged the other vines along the eaves. He carefully wiped every gourd clean.

All the doors and windows were opened to let in fresh air.

The old, weathered wooden plaque was hung back in the main hall. The bronze incense burner was washed clean, and he found a bundle of incense in the cabinet, lit three sticks, and placed them in the burner.

After a whole day of hard work, the dojo looked completely new.

As night fell, the gourds hanging under the eaves emitted a gentle glow, illuminating the dojo brightly. The clean and tidy bluestone slabs, the old and rustic wooden house, the neatly arranged utensils, and the curling incense with a hint of sweetness.

The tranquil scene before his eyes seemed like a dream hidden deep within his heart, suddenly appearing before him without warning.

So unexpected, so irresistible.

He was a little dazed.

Chapter Five: Blind Battle

As it turned out, sentiment could not defeat an empty stomach.

Snapping back to reality, Ethan Brooks suddenly realized he hadn’t eaten all day, and was immediately overwhelmed by a tidal wave of hunger.

He leaned against the wall as he walked out, his limbs weak.

People are made of iron, food is made of steel—skip a meal and you’ll feel faint. It made perfect sense.

Not far from the alley, he spotted a noodle shop and almost tumbled inside in his haste.

“Boss, a bowl of noodles!”

“Coming right up!”

After eating a bowl of noodles, Ethan Brooks finally felt revived. When it came time to pay, his eyes nearly popped out: “How… how much?”

“One hundred and fifty yuan, thank you for your patronage,” the boss replied.

“O… one hundred and fifty?” Ethan Brooks looked at the noodle shop owner as if he’d heard something unbelievable, his gaze changing, a hint of menace appearing. This young man was never the type to meekly let himself be taken advantage of.

“Newcomer?” The boss frowned. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. He pointed helplessly at the wooden sign hanging up: “The prices are right there, fair to all. Prices in the Induction Ground are much higher than in the Old Lands.”

Following the boss’s finger, Ethan Brooks saw the price sign on the wall, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

Maybe the boss was telling the truth…

Ethan Brooks walked out of the noodle shop with a face like iron. Now he finally understood why no one had taken the dojo caretaker job for over a decade, with a monthly pay of only 4,500. Barely enough to feed him? Who taught the old man at the commission center math? Step forward!

Thirty bowls of noodles!

One bowl a day, and as he patted his stomach—which still didn’t feel full after that bowl—Ethan Brooks felt dizzy thinking about his future. He had entered the Induction Ground full of ambition, believing he would become a powerful Yuan practitioner and master his own fate, but the Induction Ground had given him a harsh reality check.

If you can’t even eat your fill, how can you talk about cultivation?

The night wind made his heart shiver with cold.

No, he had to find a way to make money!

After five seconds of misery, Ethan Brooks pulled himself together. It wasn’t just about eating his fill; money and Yuan cultivation were closely linked. Back in the wilds, he had followed those Yuan practitioners to hunt wild beasts.

The skin, flesh, tendons, and bones of wild beasts were all treasures.

Bones and tendons could be used to forge weapons, beast hides could be made into armor, beast blood was mostly used to refine Yuan medicines, and beast meat was often made into Yuan food.

So-called Yuan food was food rich in Yuan energy, greatly beneficial for cultivation.

The Yuan energy system was inherited from the cultivation system. The vast and intricate cultivation system had a profound influence on the Yuan energy system, and traces of cultivation could be seen everywhere in it.

Ethan Brooks was no longer a naive youth; he knew very well that gaining great power wasn’t just about practicing behind closed doors.

As the night lights came on, the city of Songjian was ablaze with lights. Everywhere, groups of new students could be seen out and about, making the place lively. The newcomers had few worries; the excitement of entering the Induction Ground hadn’t faded, and they were full of hope for the future.

Perhaps influenced by the laughter and joy of the new students around him, Ethan Brooks’s worries eased a bit.

With his hands in his pockets, he strolled leisurely through the dazzling lights, watching the crowds and the swirling mist under the lamps. The streets were filled with the tempting aroma of food, and he found himself enjoying it. For him, this was a very special feeling. Although he was always unconsciously on guard, the bustling, vibrant city life gradually loosened the taut strings in his mind.

He wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Suddenly, a sign caught his eye.

“Blind Battle! Last five minutes, take home fifty thousand yuan!”

Fifty thousand!

Ethan Brooks’s eyes lit up instantly, like a hungry wolf spotting prey. His hand, which had been in his pocket, somehow found its way to his stomach, rubbing it subconsciously.

Still not full…

How many bowls of noodles could fifty thousand buy? He couldn’t even calculate. Why did he feel hungry again?