Luck: Yeah, That's my Closest Friend

The road to Stonehaven was indeed more traveled, a welcome change from the winding forest trails. Valerius walked for hours, his Qi humming along, keeping him from feeling tired. It was nice, how his body was getting stronger, almost without him thinking about it.

As the sun began to dip, the silhouette of Stonehaven appeared on the horizon. It wasn't a grand city, but a sturdy collection of stone buildings, surrounded by a rough wooden palisade. Smoke curled from chimneys, promising warmth and activity.

He approached the main gate, guarded by two burly men with rusty spears. The two burly guards at the main gate, with their rusty spears and ill-fitting armor, barely spared him a glance. Valerius saw their bored expressions and immediately thought: Security here? Easily bypassed, if necessary.

Inside, Stonehaven was a bustling hub compared to Oakhaven. Merchants hawked their wares, children chased each other through the dusty streets, and the clanging of a blacksmith's hammer echoed from a nearby forge. The air smelled of sweat, cooking fires, and something vaguely metallic.

Valerius took it all in. He observed the types of goods being traded: common herbs, rough tools, animal pelts. No rare spiritual materials, no high-grade cultivation manuals. This wasn't a cultivation powerhouse, just a regional market town.

He needed a place to stay, and more importantly, a place to cultivate in peace. His Qi was brimming, pressing against the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment. He needed quiet, and a steady supply of spiritual energy.

Just then, the familiar mental chime echoed. "Congratulations! Daily Item Granted!"

Valerius mentally opened the prompt, a flicker of dry amusement already anticipating the absurd.

This time, it was a single, perfectly preserved, dried fish eye. It stared back at him from the ethereal display, unblinking. Oh, goodie, he thought, a familiar, dry amusement bubbling up. Just what I needed for my grand ascent: a staring ocular relic. He imagined trying to explain this 'treasure' to anyone. He pocketed it, a new, peculiar addition to his growing collection of absurdities. Maybe it had a hidden property, or maybe it was just the universe's way of being consistently, hilariously unhelpful.

He continued through the market square, his eyes scanning for opportunities. He spotted a small, unassuming inn, "The Weary Traveler's Rest." It looked clean enough, and more importantly, quiet.

Inside, the common room was sparsely filled. A few merchants, a lone traveler nursing a mug of ale. Valerius approached the innkeeper, a stout, balding man with tired eyes.

"A room, please," Valerius said, his voice calm and clear. He placed a few copper coins on the counter—coins he'd carefully saved from his Oakhaven days.

The innkeeper eyed him. "Traveling alone, lad? You look a bit young for it."

Valerius offered a polite, almost innocent smile. "Just seeking my fortune, sir. Heard Stonehaven was a place of opportunity." He made sure his aura was subtly suppressed, appearing as a mere Qi Condensation novice.

The innkeeper grunted, then tossed him a key. "Room three. Quietest one. Don't cause trouble, and pay on time."

Valerius nodded, pocketing the key. Room three. Perfect. He preferred quiet. It allowed for better observation, better planning.

He settled into his room. It was small, clean, with a single window overlooking a narrow alley. He sat cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes. The ambient spiritual energy here was slightly denser than in Oakhaven, a minor but welcome improvement.

He began to cultivate, the Aether-Weaver's Loom working its magic. The spiritual energy flowed, pure and potent, towards his core. He could feel the bottleneck for Foundation Establishment, a subtle barrier that needed to be breached.

He needed a Foundation Pill, or at least a rare spiritual herb that could aid the breakthrough. These weren't found in common markets. They were usually held by the town's influential figures, or by the local cultivation sects.

Information is key, he thought. He would observe, listen, and deduce. He would find the weak points, the hidden connections, the overlooked details.

He opened his eyes. The dried fish eye was still in his pocket. He pulled it out, turning it over in his palm. Still no obvious use, he mused. But every piece has its place, eventually. He filed it away, another puzzle waiting to be solved.