Data-Driven Daoist

“What on earth did you do to offend that Gong Muhua so much?” Wen Liujie said.

They were at the discussion chamber of the Night Alchemist’s Yard—the large room with the map and the notice board. Yu Han sat by the low long-table on a straw zabuton. On the table was the empty vial of the disinfectant potion he’d just taken.

Wen Liujie paced the discussion chamber with tense steps. His hands, clasped behind his back, held a scroll he’d just taken from one of the many shelves lining three sides of the chamber.

“I exist,” Yu Han said.

“Explain,” Wen Liujie said. He stopped pacing, a serious look on his face.

Yu Han narrated the events and the final words Gong Muhua had whispered to him before knocking him out.

“Fatty, you offended someone you shouldn’t have,” Buff Baldy had whispered. “Each time you come to the practice field, you’ll end up in the medical hall for a week. Don’t blame me for this. We all have to survive.”

They lapsed into silence.

“I don’t remember any Inner Sect disciple by the name of Sima. At least, not a notable one,” Wen Liujie said, scratching his stubble. “Still, how dare he so blatantly defy the Sect Leader’s edict?”

“So the Sect prohibits it? I thought this kind of survival-of-the-fittest mentality was the norm.”

“It is. Perhaps even a year ago, it would’ve been praised. But now,” Wen Liujie said, “it directly goes against the vision of the current Sect Master.”

“What vision is that?” Yu Han asked.

“Orthodoxy,” Wen Liujie said. Then he shrugged. “Though I’m not completely sure what that means. A part of it is equal opportunities for all, whether you’re noble or commoner, Common Talent or Profound. There are some nuances that are lost on me.”

Mental Note: Find out if the Sect Leader wants to establish communism.

“Doesn’t matter. That Gong Muhua… I’ll have a word with some people I know. I can’t directly help you with this, but let’s find out who’s backing him. We Night Alchemists might be scorned, but everyone needs us. How dare a baldy make a move on a junior so blatantly?”

So it would’ve been fine if it wasn’t blatant? Yu Han tried to be positive, but his mind cherry-picked the bad parts.

“Did you train in any Martial Arts before awakening your Spiritual Root?” Wen Liujie asked.

Yu Han shook his head. Even in his past life, he was focused on aesthetics when working out.

“Let’s say—” Wen Liujie sat opposite Yu Han on a zabuton, tapping a finger on the table “—there’s an unawakened mortal who practiced your Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms for decades. Then there’s a cultivator who has the Art listed in his Dao Records, but he’s only been practicing for a month. Who’d usually win?”

“The cultivator?” Yu Han asked. It went like that in the stories—even the weakest cultivator was stronger than the strongest mortal. Besides, cultivators here had stats.

“Of course not,” Wen Liujie grinned. “Do you think you can beat an expert mortal practitioner in a fight? He’d play you like a flute. Proficiency matters.”

“You mean a drum.” Yu Han patted his belly.

Wen Liujie opened his mouth, then laughed.

“Now let’s say they practiced for the same amount of time. Who’d win?”

“The cultivator.”

“Right you are!” Wen Liujie snapped his fingers. “But suppose they have the same proficiency after training an equal number of years. Why would the cultivator certainly win?”

“Stats. Primordial Qi allocation is a cheat, not to mention Heavenly Allocations. The base quality is different.” Yu Han had only received stat gains a few times and had levelled up once. Even with that, the difference between him and the Fatty Yu of a few months back felt like night and day.

“What if the cultivator was Level 0? The initial Heavenly Allocation boosts the cultivator’s base qualities, yes, but suppose he never levels up his realm stage. He doesn’t gain any stats either. He purely practices his Martial Arts. The difference in Heavenly Allocation can be neglected over decades if the mortal practitioner trains his base qualities harder. Who would win in this case?”

“I’m still going to go with the cultivator. Because it feels like you’re leading up to something.”

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

“The cultivator would still win, all else remaining almost equal.”

“It’s Mastery, isn’t it?” Yu Han said. “I thought Mastery was the numerical representation of our proficiency in Arts. Is there more to it?”

[Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms]

Type: Martial

Grade: Elite Level 2

Mastery: Initial Step Level 1

True Qi: 188 / 200

Yu Han was proficient enough in the Art to face off against ghouls reliably now, but it was still Initial Step Level 1. If he brought it up to Level 10, or even 100, would that still be in the realm of mortals?

“Indeed, Mastery is exactly that,” Wen Liujie said. “But it’s also more than that. Mastery and Stats are similar in that way. Both are numerical representations of the cultivator’s specific qualities, but they also represent the Enhancements granted to you by virtue of having an awakened Spirit Root.”

“Enhancements?”

“Mastery represents your technical expertise in an Art; how much your Origin stats and respective substats boost each action you take with that Art; what limits of flexibility you can achieve within that Art. It makes it truly your own. And so much more.”

“Wait, so there’s a direct boost? How come I don’t feel it?” Yu Han clenched his fists. Was that action also enhanced in some way?

“It’s a mysterious thing. I have no explanation for it. Perhaps masters at the highest realms of cultivation know better? Remember when the Filth Eating Ghouls attacked you? Even if they didn’t break through the Coveralls, their feeble talons and claw swipes cost you Lifeforce. It’s this very mysterious Enhancement. Imagine it being the creature’s very soul inflicting damage to your soul. Now imagine this damage being transferable to your physical self too.”

“That’s scary. I knew monsters had levels. But mastery in arts too?” Yu Han said.

“They may or may not. But even normal actions are enhanced. You have Mastery, but you also have Stats, don’t you? Monsters do too.”

“That slipped my mind.” Yu Han scratched his head. Be more mindful, you fatty!

“Each type of Art primarily depends on one Origin stat, though there are ones that can depend on multiple. Do you know what they are?”

“I have a book where it’s recommended that people with an initial Heavenly Allocation of Body should take Martial Arts. For Spirit, they should take Spiritual Arts, and for Mind, it’s Psychic Arts. I imagine for Martial Arts, then, it depends more on the Body Origin Stat.”

Wen Liujie nodded. “Depending on what type of Art, they might depend on one individual substat more than the other. Lightness skills depend more on Agility, for example, and your Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms should depend on Strength and Dexterity, while having a direct beneficial effect on Vitality and Endurance too. It’s a good Art, although not particularly battle-focused.”

“Then what about Niu’er’s Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance?” Yu Han asked. “It was just a dance for mortal concubines, if I remember correctly. She has an Art for it in her Dao Records.”

“Anything the Dao recognizes can be an Art,” Wen Liujie said. “It’s in the hands of a cultivator that we can bring out the true power, even if the inventor might be mortal. There are many great stories about it. A mortal assassin awakening by luck, taking his self-invented dagger technique to the pinnacle. A prince of trash cultivator talent, rising to the top and becoming emperor by virtue of mastering an axe method passed down among mortal lumberjacks for generations.”

“By the way,” Yu Han said curiously, “How much Enhancement do you think my actions get?”

“It depends on the Art and your stats, of course. What’s your Body Origin?” n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Six point four,” Yu Han said.

“Not your strongest suit, then. With the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms still being at Level 1, that would be about one to three parts enhanced out of a thousand.”

“Is it even noticeable, then?” Yu Han huffed. A 0.1 percent increase? What was he going to do with that?

“Don’t just think about it in the physical sense,” Wen Liujie said. “It has mystical effects too. A gate unbroken by mortal force might crumble under the same amount of force in the hands of a cultivator. But it’s true that with a maximum of 0.3 percent Enhancement, it won’t boost your powers much—what?” Wen Liujie frowned at Yu Han’s bewildered look.

“You know what a percentage is?” Did ancient China have such advanced maths?

“Junior Brother, you mentioned your Body Origin was 6.40 yourself. Why wouldn’t I know what a percentage is? Is this some strange attempt at humiliation?”

“What? Who said that? Of course I respect you. I was just confused, since Li Yao and Huang Niuniu didn’t know.” Yu Han tried to handwave the offence away. This world had a magical status screen with decimal points. Of course they’d develop the percentage! “Of course, Senior Wen is much more learned.”

Wen Liujie puffed his chest out. “This too is because of the teachings I received as a Night Alchemist.”

“They don’t teach it at the cultural classes?” Yu Han asked. Cultural classes were apparently something of a voluntary education offered by the Sect. From what he knew, it was a mix of religious teachings, brainwashing, reading and writing, and other lessons.

“They indeed do.” Wen Liujie coughed. “But being part of the Night Alchemists makes us unique. The teachers pay special attention to us. They even let us have one learning bench by ourselves. Other disciples leave you alone to study in peace too.”

I don’t think that’s the kind of special treatment I want.

“As I was saying, 0.3 is still too little. So you should stop thinking about going to the Hidden Realm.” Wen Liujie crossed his arms with a smile, as if he’d convinced Yu Han.

“Err…”

“Give me a thousand spirit stones. That’s the cost of the lesson, Junior Brother.”

“I’ll let you have the corpse of the big Filth Eating Ghoul. The core, too,” Yu Han said. The four had agreed on this before.

“That’s generous of you.” Wen Liujie cast him a suspicious glance.

“If your cute juniors were to perish in the Hidden Realm because you didn’t prepare them enough, wouldn’t that weigh on your conscience for years to come?”

“Are you trying to act cute? Stop it, it’s scary.” Wen Liujie scooted away. “If I were to prepare you, I’d have you train for ten years first. Finish your term as a Night Soil Collector first, then you can go.”

“It might even develop into a heart demon,” Yu Han said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, you—did you just curse me? I was about to agree. That’s not how bargaining works.”

“It was your imagination,” Yu Han denied with a straight face.

Wen Liujie sighed. “I’ll have some relatively safe External Missions ready. Start low, then gradually ramp it up.”

After that, Yu Han flattered Wen Liujie until the guy was disgusted and kicked him out. He met up with Huang Niuniu, who had her fun patting the worm, and they headed for Yu Han’s hut.

“E-Eek! Why is that here?” Huang Niuniu pointed at Yu Han’s hut.

A boulder blocked the fence gate.