The driver dropped me off at a village that was built around a wide river. It was undoubtedly one of the largest ones I have seen in my life. Its waters, however, were not raging, but the current was strong anyway. People were moving about in the village, some farming, some were selling food and some were fishing or just strolling around casually. This village looked like a place where one could retire.
There were a few kids playing with sticks shaped like swords, playing warrior. And on the far side of the village was another group of slightly older kids, probably the age of 12 to 14, doing martial arts training and practices. This place looked like a peaceful area that one could spend their time in.
I looked around, trying to figure out what to do with my life. The current me has no family or relation to anyone here, so I'm going to have to get by, by myself.
"What is the young Immortal doing here?" A man asked, turning around, it was an old man, of about seventy years. He looked weakened and feeble, but a gracious smile was plastered on his face.
"I've been sent here," I replied.
"Has the Xuan Fu Sect assigned you here for a mission? If so, I would like to help, I'm the Village Head. Anything you wish I could supply it to you, Young Immortal."
"Immortal?" I replied.
"Are you not, you are wearing the Xuan Fu Sect's Inner disciples clothes."
"Oh, these" I said as I looked down, with a wry smile on my face I answered, "I've been kicked out of it. I don't have anything else to wear."
The Village Head tilted his head, wondering what I was talking about. But after a few more moments of pondering, he said. "Come, follow me." And so I did, after all, I was new here and had no idea what is going on.
The village head took me to the back of the village, there was a large hill overseeing the entirety of the village and there was a small shed on top of it. Right behind the shed was a large yew tree that shaded the small house from the sun.
"The Xuan Fu Sec was once our patrons, they have assisted us and aided us. And now, it is my duty to return some of that Karma back. You'll live here, and I will have people bringing you food." The head said.
"Wait, aren't you being a bit too generous, I mean I didn't do anything to deserve this," I replied.
The old man smiled and said, "Yes, I know, but Karma must be repaid, for all in this world is bound in a circle, and all that is given is taken back. One day, perhaps you shall end this Karma cycle, if not, another will."
I had absolutely no idea what the man was talking about, but since this was a free house and free food in a foregone world, I would be too stupid to decline it.
"Then thank you, I'll take you up on your offer." I replied to the man then I added, "But I don't even know your name."
"My name is Wang Nil," the old man smiled and said, "You could rest and practice your martial arts here, I will head back to the village as I have many matters to tend to."
The old man excused himself and left me by myself.
I looked at the shed and wondered, this place was too dilapidated, the wood was rotten in many places, and the roof had mostly caved in, it was better than staying in the open, but not by much. However, with a few nails and wooden planks, I think I could fix it up.
'But where can I get those? I also need tools, a saw, and a hammer at least. I should probably check if there is a blacksmith in this village.'
I traced back my footsteps until I reached the village, and as I had feared there were no smiths in this place. But there was a shop in the village.
Once I moved deeper a rancid smell assaulted my nose, a man just threw a bucket full of crap in the street from his window, if I was a step too close, I could have had shit all over my clothes.
When I met eyes with the man, he yelped and slammed his window shut. Perhaps he was afraid of the clothes I wore.
I walked into the shop and checked up on the stuff he had for sale. Most were grains, dried food, and some candy.
"Hello," I said.
"Young Immortal, how can I be of service," a man answered as he came hasting towards me from outside the shop.
Weirdly enough the man was sweating like he was scared shitless.
He looked like a middle-aged man, time was still grinding on his face, but he didn't look too unhealthy unlike some of the people outside. Perhaps being a shop owner was enough to supply him with proper food and nutrition.
For a moment I hesitated, I didn't have any money or anything to pay the tools, but perhaps doing some odd jobs for the people here can award me with a few coins, so I asked on the thought that I could just loan them.
"I'm looking for some tools, a hammer, an ax, and a saw if you have them."
"Of course I do, please wait a moment." The man walked deeper into the shop and entered through a closed door.
The man hastily brought me the materials.
"Do you have some nails? I could use some also."
��Yes," the man said and brought a box full of different sized nails. I took a handful of them and placed them on the counter.
"These should do, as for payment…" but before I could even speak, the man waved a hand.
"For the people of the Xuan Fu Sect I would not ask for a payment, these are not that expensive anyway. You can have them." He said.
I raised my brows; this Xuan Fu sect thingy was quite useful.
"Then I'll take you up on your offer," I replied and moved out.
I headed back to the hill with a bag full of materials to work on my small shed. There was a forest nearby and a lot of trees I could use.
Surprisingly, the pain in my joints and body became less and less apparent, perhaps I grew accustomed to it or that my brain began ignoring it. That was handy, I had a lot of things to do.
I started by hacking at a large-sized tree, some of the kids from the village came to see what I was doing. They were interested but were too afraid to get any closer.
After the first hack, the ax rattled threatening to crack and break, it was not of bad quality, but somehow the strength behind my swing. This body was stronger than your average man. So, I needed to adjust the strength of each ax blow.
It took me a couple of swings to know the exact force needed to use the ax properly and I hacked the tree down in under a minute.
Once the tree was down, I began sawing it, which was surprisingly easy as the saw was sharp and it sliced through the wood like a hot knife through butter. It wasn't that the tools were sharp, or the tree too brittle, but once again it was I who was too strong to use the tools and risked breaking them due to carelessness.
After having sheared off a good-sized matching plank, and what took me probably an hour or two of work I lumped them over my shoulder and headed to the shed. I needed to get it done before nightfall.
Once I was back, I tore off a few of the rotten wood, then replaced them with new planks. The hammer and the nail did a great job in securing their position, and after another hour I had a decent place to stay the night in.
While I was working, I didn't notice someone placing food at my doorsteps.
I had my fill of rice and a piece of dried jerky then resumed my work. I needed to make a bed to sleep on, as the one inside the house was broken and had some things that I didn't want to touch with my bare hands.
I cleared the rubble and cleaned the shed, then placed a newly made bed table inside then got one of the kids,- I say kids, but they are all the same age as me- to get me some hay. They immediately followed suit and got me some dry hay and a couple of old blankets.
Night soon came, I didn't have any interaction with anyone. I had kept myself busy this morning just to evade the hard truth. I'm in a place where no one knows who I am, where technology is no longer available. Where you can't turn on the AC if you feel hot, and your bed was made of straw instead of my comfortable King Size bed.
I died, this was true, and there is no changing it. But on the other side, I'm in a cultivation world. I came here unknowing of what to do, my future is unsure, but at the same time, in this kind of world, one can make their own future, forge it by their hands. And to do that, I have to first be able to cultivate.
I am not fully ignorant of the workings, of these types of worlds. First off, I have been too trusting to the village head, but I was still on my guard, he didn't look like the type of person who would have a malicious intent such as any run of the mill character in those stories. Secondly, I have heard that my body had shattered meridians. And also, something about cultivation deviation. This means that whoever used this body has failed in circulating the thing that is referred to as Spiritual Energy, or the World's Energy, Mana, Chakra, or whatever it is. And due to his failure, his meridians broke and are now useless.
This is undoubtedly the reason for his death, and I had reincarnated in his body. This kid has worked his body well, it is strong, more so than a middle-aged man, probably twice or three times more. Which was a good advantage.
But if I were to live in this world, like those characters of those stories I have read about, I need to tackle the biggest problem I have right now, the fact that I am unable to cultivate. Or circulate this so-called Spiritual Energy in my body. And to do so, I need a miracle medicine or an elixir. And those cost a lot of money.
So, the most important question is, how can I get this said money?
I pondered and pondered, over and over again, then it hit me like a brick on the head.
"Technology!" it's easy, it's simple and it's perfect.
I stood up and went to the tools the shop owner had given me. They were made of rough iron and were rusty, pretty bad quality. If they were made out of steel it would have been better sharper and more durable.
I know how to make steel, it was in one of the lessons I used to attend when I started studying to become an engineer. Even if this world had steel, I know the exact percentage, carbon to iron wise and how to make the most powerful steel.
Secondly, the sewer system, I just saw a man throwing a bucket of shit down the street, this is no good. This will cause and spread diseases. Also, the water they gave me with the food was not clear, perhaps they drew it off the river, I had to start a fire and heat it first.
Thirdly, the river, it's a huge power source if one could use it, building a mill there could aid in both grinding wheats, or even making a saw watermill. Even making a dam. Also, a dam, that means electricity, light, power. There is so much to do, and it's easy to do it. But the first thing I need to do is to get proper tools.
Thankfully I have the body to use and wield those tools, I have the energy to make such buildings, and I have time and patience to do them, what else can I do?
I soon fell asleep, tomorrow was going to be a big day, where I'll need to start renovating this area.