Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 163 | Arrival at the Middle Level | Novela.app

Following that unsettling interlude, Nie Shiyun did not sleep again for the remaining ten days of the journey. Instead, he focused entirely on cultivating within his jade pendant. His room featured a small window, which he had opened shortly after departure to observe the outside. As others had described, it was a realm of primal chaos. The oppressive sense of pressure vaguely reminded Nie Shiyun of something; the space he had traversed when ascending from the lower realm to the Upper Realm via an immortal artifact had likely been similar. Once he reached the Middle Level, there would perhaps be more cultivators who possessed relevant information than in the Lower Level. Nie Shiyun set two goals for himself upon landing: first, to continue earning money to reach the Upper Level, while keeping an ear out for any news of Zhai Bairong in the Middle Level; and second, to further investigate methods for repairing the ascension paths. Ten days later, the immortal ship arrived smoothly at the Middle Level. Most of the cultivators on board were traveling between the two levels for business or had been summoned by their families or sects. As soon as they disembarked, they scattered in all directions. As a newcomer who didn't know north from south, Nie Shiyun stood in place, looking around, which made him appear somewhat out of place. Just as he had done upon arriving at the Lower Level, Nie Shiyun first went to purchase a detailed map of the Middle Level. It seemed there were indeed many people doing business here, or perhaps every cultivator newly arrived at the Middle Level had the same need; the "detailed version" of the map he bought this time was marked with specific descriptions of numerous towns and wilderness areas. "Fellow Daoist, is this your first time at the Middle Level?" "It is." Nie Shiyun looked up from the map and toward the shopkeeper who had addressed him. This was a shop selling sundries, located right near the pier. Although the immortal ship had just docked, there weren't many customers in the shop. Nie Shiyun was the first to come in for a map today. Upon learning that Nie Shiyun had neither a sect nor any acquaintances to rely on, the shopkeeper shook his head. "Fellow Daoist, you were far too impatient. No sects have been recruiting disciples in recent years. Life is very difficult for a rogue cultivator alone in the Middle Level." "What about you, Shopkeeper? Do you belong to a sect?" Nie Shiyun asked curiously. "I am also a rogue cultivator, but this shop was passed down to me by my elders. Land fees are expensive here; it would be difficult for you to set up a storefront of your own to do business!" Nie Shiyun nodded; he understood. He was essentially a migrant worker from the outskirts entering the big city; without a good company to join, every step would be arduous. These people, however, were locals; their starting line was entirely different from those coming from the Lower Level. "Then I can only refine some dharma treasures and sell them at the trading houses to make a living," Nie Shiyun sighed. In the end, it was the same old path. Although it was hard work and required him to personally procure materials—making it inefficient—bit by bit, it would eventually add up. It wasn't as if there was no way forward. The shopkeeper looked surprised. "Oh? You are an artifact refiner? Well, that makes things much easier than for an ordinary cultivator. What grade of refiner are you?" Nie Shiyun blinked. Did artifact refiners have to take exams for grades here? "You really did come to the Middle Level without knowing anything at all." The shopkeeper looked at Nie Shiyun, feeling as though he hadn't seen such a young man in years. Seeing as Nie Shiyun had bought the most expensive detailed map during this off-season, he kindly offered an explanation. Simply put, every profession in the Middle Level required testing at a corresponding guild. Spirit-grade and below were all considered Level 1, while Immortal-grade was divided into Levels 2 through 5 based on the quality of the finished product: Mortal, Profound, Earth, and Heaven. Only by obtaining a token proving one's level could one move easily throughout the Middle Level. Otherwise, others would likely dismiss one's claims as mere boasting. Upon learning that everyone in the Middle Level looked at these credentials, Nie Shiyun was forced to squeeze this into his list of primary tasks. After learning that there was a branch of this guild in a neighboring town not far away, Nie Shiyun thanked the shopkeeper and set off toward his goal. Compared to the overall leisurely atmosphere of the Lower Level and the cultivation world of his past, the Middle Level felt incredibly bustling. One could tell from the map that there were many large towns, and they were more densely packed. With people coming and going on the streets, Nie Shiyun felt for a moment as if he were in another world. Although the architecture was still traditional and antique, it gave him the distinct feeling of having returned to a metropolis. "How may I help you?" Nie Shiyun rushed to the neighboring town that very day. As soon as he stepped into the so-called "Artifact Refiners' Guild," a comely female cultivator immediately approached him with a smile. "I am here to take the test for Level 2... that is, the Mortal-grade artifact refiner test," Nie Shiyun replied. "This way, please." The female cultivator maintained her smile as she led Nie Shiyun to the counter. Nie Shiyun observed his surroundings. The hall here was very spacious, and the decor was as exquisite as any high-end business establishment. Deeper in the room, a few scattered cultivators were walking back and forth, looking at wooden plaques hanging on the wall. He was a bit too far away to see what was written on them. Arriving at the counter, the female cultivator who had led the way had already circled around to the other side. "The assessment fee is two hundred immortal crystals. Please show your Level 1 artifact refiner token." Nie Shiyun said with some difficulty, "This... I have never taken the Level 1 test." The female cultivator was astonished. "Did you cultivate all the way to Level 2 in one go?" After all, it was almost impossible to earn money without a token. In every industry, people would come for testing as soon as they reached a certain level; cases of skipping directly to Level 2 were almost unheard of. Nie Shiyun smiled. "You joke; that would make me far too much of a genius. In truth, I only just arrived from the Lower Level today. They don't use these things there." "So you're from the Lower Level! Then I wish you the best of luck." The female cultivator's tone was very friendly, but the content of her next words did not please Nie Shiyun. "We have a rule: you cannot skip levels for assessments. I must ask you to take the Level 1 test first, and then take the Level 2 test after you pass." Nie Shiyun's lip twitched. "And the fee?" The female cultivator said with a beaming smile, "Level 1 is only one hundred immortal crystals! That makes three hundred in total. Of course, we will issue both the Level 1 and Level 2 tokens to you together." Nie Shiyun: "..." What use would he have for a Level 1 token after passing Level 2? Use it as a pendant for a flying sword? He looked at the female cultivator, whose smile seemed carved onto her face, and said, "Fine." Since those were the rules and this industry was effectively a monopoly, what else could he do but agree? Such inflexible rules and a system implemented throughout the entire Middle Level... Nie Shiyun looked around the lavishly decorated guild once more. He had heard there were many such guilds in the Middle Level. He would bet anything that there was financial backing from sects or families behind this, or perhaps they had established it themselves. The people of the Middle Level certainly knew how to do business. The female cultivator, who had just taken the immortal crystals and lowered her head to record the transaction, finished writing. She led Nie Shiyun through a corridor to an earth-fire chamber in the back. Seeing that they provided free cauldrons for use, Nie Shiyun thought it saved him the trouble of taking out his spare. After all, someone was watching the assessment. He had learned his lesson; it was better not to use a cauldron that carried the aura of a phoenix. When unnecessary, it was also best not to let others know about his Heteromorphic Fire. Thus, when the Heteromorphic Fire, Little Sparrow, caught the familiar scent of the earth-fire chamber and began to stir restlessly within him, Nie Shiyun suppressed it. Since boarding the immortal ship, he had spent every day cultivating in the jade pendant and hadn't refined any artifacts for a long time. He could feel the blazing little spark in his divine sense instantly wilting because it had no opportunity to use its skills. Nie Shiyun had been refining spirit tools for over a hundred years; obtaining a Level 1 token was naturally effortless for him. Constrained by formality, he was forced to spend a hundred immortal crystals to go through the motions, treating it as a warm-up. When facing the Mortal-grade immortal artifacts—which he had only recently mastered but had already refined in significant numbers to sell—Nie Shiyun put in a bit more effort. Although the mandatory fee was a bit of a rip-off, the task and materials provided by the Artifact Refiners' Guild were quite basic. Nie Shiyun obtained his second token without a hitch.