Cultivation Online

”What a coincidence...” Yuan muttered aloud.

”Anyway, do you mind if I ask you a few questions regarding Gaia’s System? Believe it or not, but I just registered, and I have no clue how it functions.”

”...What kind of questions?”

”For starters, how do I increase my Credential Rank?”

”You contribute to society, and pretty much everyone can achieve Rank 3 just by living an ordinary life. However, if you do something bad or get arrested, your credentials will drop.”

”I am trying to reach Rank 9. How long do you think it would take?” Yuan then asked.

”Credential Rank 9?” Doctor Ying stared at him with a dumbfounded face.

’Is he really fine in the head...?’ she couldn’t help but wonder inwardly.

Doctor Ying shook her head and said, ”Forget about Rank 9. Most people cannot even reach Rank 5. As I told you earlier, an ordinary person can attain Rank 3 simply by living a normal life and staying out of trouble. However, to reach Rank 4 or Rank 5, you would need a high-credential profession, such as becoming a police officer or a doctor.”

She continued, ”If you wish to rise beyond Rank 5, you will need to join the military, enter the special forces, or become a politician. That said, most people who reach Rank 6 or higher are born into privileged circumstances.”

”Is that really the only way? Join the military?”

”Don’t tell me you’re really thinking about it? Forget about it. With your low cultivation and lack of talents—” Doctor Ying suddenly stopped mid-sentence when she recalled that he somehow had the Perfected Heavenly Refinement physique.

”Hey, let me ask you a question of my own first. How did you acquire the Perfected Heavenly Refinement physique?”

”Officer Mei asked me the same thing. Why do you want to know? Is it something impressive?” Yuan asked.

Considering that even children in this world were Cultivation Gods, Yuan would not have been surprised if his physique was nothing special—especially after being told that everyone possessed the same physique.

However, seeing that both Officer Mei and Doctor Ying were interested in his physique, he began to think it might be special even by this world’s standards.

”Are you asking me that because you seriously have no idea?” Doctor Ying narrowed her eyes at him, looking doubtful.

”I’m getting tired of repeating myself,” Yuan sighed while shaking his head.

”...”

After a moment of silence, Doctor Ying spoke. ”Perfected Heavenly Refinement is the highest attainable rank. As far as I am aware, nobody other than you has ever achieved it.”

”How many ranks are there?” Yuan then asked.

”Eight. The Heavenly Refinement physique can be refined a total of eight times. However, Perfected Heavenly Refinement is not included among those eight ranks. If we count it, then it would be the ninth rank.”

’Nine times, huh? I don’t recall evolving my physique that many times... Did I skip a few steps? Or are our physiques completely different, and this is merely a misunderstanding?’

”How do you guys train your physiques?” he asked a moment later.

”Whatever we’re doing, it’s clearly not as efficient as your methods, to reach the ninth rank with that level of cultivation...” Doctor Ying sighed.

”So, are you going to tell me or not? I won’t blame you if you don’t want to.”

”Sorry, but I don’t know how I acquired this physique,” Yuan lied for the first time since his arrival in this world.

”Why am I not surprised?” Doctor Ying shrugged. ”Anyway, we’re done here, so please leave. I still have patients to see after you.”

”Alright...”

Yuan left the hospital shortly after.

”Looks like the quest is gone...” Yuan muttered in a low voice when the notification vanished.

He looked around before taking a seat on the side of the staircase and proceeded to ponder his next steps.

’What should I do now? It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this lost...’ he sighed inwardly.

He had no idea how to leave this place, nor had he been given any hints before arriving here.

”This situation feels like I am inside the Stairway to Heaven, undergoing one of its trials—”

Yuan’s eyes suddenly widened as a thought flashed through his mind.

”Wait a second...”

Then, he recalled a certain line from the technique he’d acquired from the mysterious being sealed within the cavern.

”I think I know what to do now...” he mumbled.

”What kind of trouble are you going to stir up now?”

A familiar voice unexpectedly responded to Yuan’s mumbling.

”Hm?” Yuan turned his head and found Officer Mei standing beside him with her hands on her hips, looking as though she had just caught a troublemaker in the act.

”Officer Mei. What a coincidence,” Yuan stood up and greeted her with a calm smile.

Officer Mei turned to look at the hospital before asking, ”Did you just finish speaking with Doctor Ying?”

He nodded before inquiring, ”Did you deliberately recommend me to your childhood friend?

Officer Mei immediately clicked her tongue in annoyance. ”She told a crazy man like you about our relationship? I should never have trusted her.”

”Did you really send me to this place because you think I am crazy?” Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, starting at her with a doubtful gaze.

”I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she shrugged.

Seeing her reaction, Yuan confirmed that she had ulterior motives.

”What do you want from me?” he then asked.

”The truth,” she calmly replied.

”I already told you the truth. You just don’t want to believe me.”

”How can anyone sane believe your nonsense?”

Yuan sighed, ”Forget it.”

”...”

After a brief pause, Yuan continued speaking, ”Before you leave, I have a quick question. Where do I go to join the military?”

”Huh?” Officer Mei raised her eyebrows at his unexpected question.

”You... want to join the military? This is so random. Why?” she asked, her interest piqued.

”I want to—need to raise my Credential Rank,” he answered without hesitation.