Between different Star Realms, there are indeed varying regional cultures.

At this Celestial Hook Star's talent exchange center, there are even many vehicles parked on the roadside, with various drinks displayed on their roofs.

Qu Jianlei returned the car, strolled in casually, then kept looking around, seeming very relaxed.

However, his visit to the talent exchange market this time was not for job hunting.

Back then, when he bought water on Celestial Sharp Star and placed it on the car roof, it wasn't for finding a job; he just wanted to quickly integrate into the local society.

It's the same now; he wants to quickly adapt to the environment of Celestial Hook Star, so he chose to come here to find a way in.

Of course, he could continue to hire a "Business Guide," expecting that the results wouldn't be too bad—surely Celestial Hook also offers this service.

But he didn't operate like that, for a very simple reason: it's clichéd.

A fugitive... wait, no, not a fugitive, it's just sometimes his identity can't be exposed.

Since he wants to avoid suspicion, his approach could not be too simplistic; otherwise, it would easily draw connections in others' minds.

Qu Jianlei is not short on tactics—no bragging, he really knows a lot of strategies.

It's not blind confidence... if you had a knowledge system from an entire dimension backing you, it's unlikely you'd be ungrounded.

Qu Jianlei does not intend to stir up trouble; his goal is straightforward, to quickly integrate into the local life.

This time, he didn't plan to place water on the car roof—it's not impossible, but it's not very efficient.

The street is over a kilometer long, not many people passing by, but quite a few people staying, chatting in groups of three or five.

Qu Jianlei has never been good at selecting people; his intelligence hasn't added any points in that area.

Besides those who obviously look improper, he couldn't make too many judgments.

Qu Jianlei could somewhat perceive ordinary emotions, but you can't say just because someone is a bit cheerful they're a good person.

As he walked, he saw an Earth Attribute B-level Warrior sitting expressionlessly in an off-road vehicle, eyes vacant.

The key point was that on this person's car roof was a medium-grade beverage, implying the fee wouldn't be low.

Qu Jianlei always believed that expensive things aren't necessarily good, but good things are definitely not cheap.

So he stepped forward, lowered his voice, and spoke, "How do you charge?"

The man lazily glanced at him, noticed the other was also B-level, then straightened up a bit, "Running errands, fighting, or going all out?"

Qu Jianlei thought for a moment, "Mainly running errands, occasionally might encounter fights... the key is you need to have sufficient information."

"Information... it's okay," the man replied weakly, "Five hundred a day, fighting extra."

Qu Jianlei nodded at the off-road vehicle, "Does it include the car?"

"The car belongs to the shop owner next door," the man replied expressionlessly, "I can rent a cheap car, but you pay!"

Upon hearing the car belongs to the shop owner, Qu Jianlei couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth; this is the same line of thought as mine.

The key point was that the other party was willing to actively rent a car, which made him a bit tempted.

Whether the car rental is cheap or not is secondary; the fact that the other dares to rent a car means there shouldn't be any identity issue.

So he directly bargained, "If it's just running errands, three hundred a day."

The man frowned, a trace of annoyance flashing in his eyes.

However, considering that the other was also B-level, he snorted coldly, "A C-level university teacher makes over two thousand a month."

Your analogy... is also somewhat familiar, Qu Jianlei thought for a moment and asked, "No meal included?"

"Afraid you can't afford my meals," the man didn't give any face to the potential employer, even if the other was also B-level.

"Then there's no problem," Qu Jianlei extended his hand, "Show me your Identity Token."

Checking identity is somewhat excessive behavior, especially in this market where quality is varied and people are mixed.

The man glanced at him, chin slightly raised, "Show me your Identity Token first."

Qu Jianlei took out his Identity Token, and the man flipped through it a few times, looking at him thoughtfully.

He returned the Identity Token and took out his own, "My identity is more reliable than yours."

He might not have necessarily seen issues with Qu Jianlei's Identity Token, but should have sensed that the other's identity wasn't very genuine.

As the two conversed, someone nearby was peeking, but with two B-levels communicating, no one dared to interrupt.

Qu Jianlei flipped through it a couple of times, Big Head Butterfly already spinning about, "A local, should be no big deal."

He handed the Identity Token back, "Willits, come with me."

The man sat in the car without moving, "Call me Stone, pay first."

Qu Jianlei rolled his eyes at him, pulled out a one-thousand Silver Note, "I might only hire you for one day, get change!"

The man was stunned, blinked twice, then sighed dejectedly, "Forget it, let's go rent a car first."

Qu Jianlei nodded at this, thinking this guy seems similar to me, also not very good at communication.

It proved that he was right; the man really did not like to talk.

After renting the car, Qu Jianlei gave the other five hundred Silver Notes, and the man sat there without moving, just waiting for his instructions.

Qu Jianlei's habit was to stroll around first, although he didn't buy much.

In the evening, he booked a hotel, while Stone left, agreeing to pick him up at the hotel the next morning.

The next morning, after spending the whole morning out again, Qu Jianlei expressed his desire to rent a secluded yard, preferably a larger one.

Shitou's information-gathering skills were honestly lacking. Upon hearing his request, he called around using his watch.

Fortunately, being a B-level Warrior has its perks. Being a local, it wasn't long before he found two places.

Neither of them were particularly secluded, just in the suburbs. One was a bit simpler, but indeed fewer people were around.

Qu Jianlei immediately decided to rent the yard, paying a month's rent.

He then bought some food ingredients and invited Shitou over, saying he would host a meal.

He declared that he wouldn't cover meals because he's well aware of a B-level Warrior's appetite.

If they were to be picky about wanting Spirit Beast Meat or Superpower Rice, it would definitely be a thankless task for him.

Anyway, it was his first time hiring a B-level Warrior, so he wasn't experienced—less hassle was better.

Taking the initiative to host was different; however much you prepare is however much you eat.

After hearing this, Shitou just nodded and didn't comment, probably not too confident in his cooking skills.

But after the meal, not only did he eat a lot, but almost licked the bowl clean. "Boss, if you open a restaurant, you'll definitely make money!"

This was a sort of housewarming celebration, and Qu Jianlei arranged a little work for him.

"Help me find out if there are any estates in remote mountain areas, preferably isolated and with clear ownership."

Shitou nodded briskly, "Alright, I'll ask around later; do you need a handyman?"

"No," Qu Jianlei shook his head, "I'm just the forerunner, got folks back home."

He was planning to rent or even purchase an estate, as it was time to set up the Qi Gathering Array. There was no way he'd let outsiders come into contact with it.

Shitou pouted resentfully and took his leave.

The sky was already completely dark. Qu Jianlei began to review his gains at the Mist Mansion, while also organizing the legacy from the Pill Book.

The Pill Book didn't cover much about Cultivation, as its main focus was Alchemy rather than Cultivation Techniques.

However, even so, because there was an analysis of the performance and effects of Elixirs, it inadvertently discussed quite a few cultivation concepts between the lines.

Then Qu Jianlei was stunned to discover that his cultivation method was indeed a bit too crude.

Upon careful consideration, he even believed that there were some dangerous inclinations in his cultivation direction.

In the beginning, when he was cultivating, it was to resolve the effects of the Genetic Potion, so he referred extensively to Blue Star's Daoist Sect Classics.

Although the cultivation during this phase was crude, there were basically no mistakes.

However, after being exposed to a lot of Superpower Cultivation Techniques, he was unknowingly influenced.

As a result, his current cultivation is really starting to resemble that of an "Attributeless" Superpower Warrior.

Fortunately, he discovered it early. If he had waited until advancing to Supreme to realize the issue, who knows how bad it might have been…

He himself was a novice in cultivation and couldn't be sure if veering off at the Supreme stage could be corrected.

However, he clearly understood that even if it could be corrected, the difficulty would be unimaginable.

Everything was still salvageable at this moment; not making mistakes during Core Formation was necessary to truly solidify the foundation.

That's why this trip to the Mist Mansion had benefitted him tremendously; the resources were a minor matter, the main thing was finding the right direction.

Once the direction was wrong, and if he continued along that path, Supreme would indeed be the end.

Even if he had great luck and circumstances gradually led him to advance beyond Supreme, there would surely be no further road ahead.

However, unfortunately, the information conveyed in the Pill Book was too fragmented, making it extremely challenging to gather.

Some information was even completely contradictory, but upon closer analysis, it was evident that neither perspective was wrong.

The primary reason is that cultivators differ individually, and certain physical differences can lead to reverse adjustments.

From this, one can imagine that deducing a reasonable cultivation technique is not something that can be completed overnight.

Yet Qu Jianlei had no choice but to do so, not just for the sentiments of the Blue Star people.

If at this juncture he switched completely to a Superpower System Cultivation, it wouldn't be entirely impossible, but the limit was right there.

And within the fragmented phrases from the Pill Book, there was considerable insight into the Nascent Soul Stage cultivation concepts.

This was exceedingly rare; indeed, further up, the Soul Emergence Stage, including what considerations were necessary during foundation-building, was also mentioned in the book.

Did they think Qu Jianlei was a fool, not to pursue a road with broader prospects and instead choose one with a visible dead-end?

In this case, he'll have to trouble Xiao Hu, while Qu Jianlei must earnestly collaborate to sift through and deduce a direction.

He plans to spend a month perfecting the Supreme cultivation technique; now is the perfect time.

Then he released the intelligent terminal from the Customs Enforcement Division, "Though it consumes a bit more energy, the speed is fast."

Xiao Hu started its usual rambling, "After earning so much at the Mist Mansion, why don't you buy a large machine?"

Despite the complaints, it still got to work.

Four hours later, as Qu Jianlei was assisting Xiao Hu in screening, his watch vibrated.

It was a message from Luo Hanshuang, "Brother Ran, are you asleep yet?"

(Updated here, asking for monthly tickets, continued subscription, and recommendation tickets.)