Money makes you run around

As the day wore on, Damien could feel the tendrils of fatigue wrapping around him, reigniting a familiar pain that had become his constant companion. He returned to his colleagues for lunch, his hand subtly reaching into his pocket to retrieve a painkiller. He swallowed it discreetly, his actions unnoticed by all but one — Little Alex, who chose to remain silent.

Damien was gradually mastering his new vehicle, a marvel of advanced technology that was surprisingly user-friendly, as long as he steered clear of the manual driving mode. On his journey home, he became a silent observer of the world around him: children lost in their games, young couples whispering sweet nothings, expressing their love, fathers returning home bearing gifts for their children, and the tantalizing aroma of home-cooked meals wafting from houses. A pang of envy pierced his heart.

A new day dawned, and with it came Damien's first customer: a group of college students heading to a karaoke bar. Among them was a young woman, about 19, her fair skin contrasting with her high-end fashion. She was eager to demonstrate her newly created technique, a manifestation of her awakened voice ability. This technique manipulated air vibrations to induce a trance-like state in her listeners, creating an illusion. This ability fascinated Damien, stirring thoughts of how wonderful it would be to see his family again, even if it were merely an illusion.

The girl's cheerful demeanor earned Damien a tip upon their arrival at the karaoke bar. The rest of Damien's day was consumed by thoughts of the girl's ability and his own potential. He pondered the possibility of cultivating his own abilities and questioned what the scientists had done to his body over the years. He decided to seek Little Alex's advice on cultivation and how to begin the process, bombarding him with questions during his free time.

Alex, taken aback, asked Damien if he had ever tried to cultivate before. Damien admitted that he was young and hadn't started cultivating before he fell into a coma due to a tragic accident, which had lasted for about 40 years. Alex was shocked and explained that everyone, except a few prodigies, began their cultivation journey with the help of the All-knowing God.

Hearing about the All-knowing God for the second time, Damien showed a serious expression on his face and asked for more details. Alex described the All-knowing God as a powerful entity whose arrival on Earth marked the beginning of the cultivation era. This god was first mentioned at the second cultivation conference, where influential figures from various clans and sects discussed it.

Eager to learn more, Damien rushed home in the evening, found the conference video online, and watched it attentively. The conference, which lasted over three hours, featured speeches from prominent figures in the cultivation world. Damien learned that a laboratory in Switzerland had been attempting to create a new form of energy but had instead attracted a powerful being to Earth. The arrival of this being had decimated the surrounding area and resulted in the deaths of all the researchers involved. However, it also brought spiritual energy to Earth, transforming it in some way.

The scientists discovered that Earth was no longer a small planet, but something more like it had become a small corner of in a new realm. The powerful people on Earth at that time decided to keep this information secret to avoid causing panic. They made contact with the All-knowing God, who provided them with a way to become stronger and unlock their hidden potential. They spent the first 20 years after the awakening confirming his words. At the conference, they revealed their research on a method to contact him and make a contract, which enabled them to start cultivating.

They created different ways to cultivate and become what they are today: powerful clans, sects, and royal families. Damien was infuriated by their selfishness. They had withheld crucial information about awakening from the rest of the Earth's population for over 20 years until they became strong and unchallengeable. Then, they released their knowledge.

He researched these powerful sects and found that the major cultivation methods could be categorized into body cultivation, weapon cultivation, and bloodline cultivation. Body cultivation was popular among those who hadn't awakened any powerful abilities. Weapon cultivators, the most numerous group, channeled their energy into their weapons, making them an extension of themselves. Bloodline cultivators fused powerful animal characteristics into themselves, enabling them to transform.

Damien was amused to see that concepts he had seen in anime and web novels had become reality, as he saw a vampire and a werewolf giving speeches. Damien began researching the significant events of the past, reading about the wars with other humans on newly discovered continents after his coma, and the treaties with newly discovered races like mermaids, elves, and animal people. He realized that the world had changed drastically from what he once knew.

He considered fleeing to a distant land to escape his pursuers, and yearned for freedom from his miserable life. However, he concluded that strength was respected everywhere, and the weak were merely tools for the strong. Therefore, he decided to become stronger and start his cultivation journey. He researched how to make a contract with the All-knowing God and found that he needed a catalyst with spiritual energy to initiate his first contact with this powerful being.

Damien resolved to save enough money to buy a catalyst in the coming weeks. The monotonous days of work continued, and with each passing day, he saved more money. He asked Alex where to buy a catalyst and accompanied him when Alex wanted to buy a low-level spiritual plant. With the money Alex had saved, he bought a refined spiritual pill made from the spiritual plant. This pill could help the body expel impurities.

Damien learned that as people began cultivating, they developed special needs, leading to the emergence of new industries. The pill was azure in color and came in a fancy case. He found a similar pill online at a lower cost, but Alex insisted that the Heaven Refining Sect, a renowned sect specializing in refining and alchemy, produced top-quality pills. Their pill guaranteed 30% more effectiveness than other competitors.

Damien thought it was a waste of money, and they were just charging an IQ tax, merely a branding and advertising gimmick.

He decided to take more driving orders to make more connections, hoping to meet a pill refiner who could offer him a discounted price. True to his plan, he spent the next few days asking every passenger if they knew a pill refiner who charged less than the market price. He even asked his boss, almost getting thrown out in the process.