《System: Game World》 Chapter 1 - The Mysterious Stone "Sigh. Why the price of black bread increased ?" sighed a youth with tattered clothes. Tang Ling was a ordinary youth in the Bao Feng City. Yes, a normal youth. As he lived in Bao Feng City, a outer city of the mighty Borkang Continent, the city was sometimes attacked by monsters. The Borkang Continent was ruled as the Borkang Empire but honestly, it couldn''t be considered as an empire. In a sense, there were 3 main cities of which were ruled by three powerful "Kings". They battled each others to gain the "Golden Throne"( Emperor''s position) and he, was a citizen of the Mysterious Fire faction. Well, it wasn''t decided by the city, it was just that the King was accorded a territory and the city happened to here. It wasn''t anything new to him as it teached in school where everyone had to attend when one was a child or punishments would follow. Thinking about that, Tang Ling thought about his sister, Tang Fuxi. Tang Fuxi was the only family member he had. His parents died by a swipe of a monster in the 34rd incident of BaoFeng''s city war. He also knew the cause, while the official reason was "a great army of monster invasion and the lack of manpower" he had heard when he followed a rich young master, he happened to that it was the ingenious tactic of the mayor to "eliminate the weeds" and the mayor lamented that the invasion didn''t killed enough "trashes". While his sister seemed to adapt to these changes, he knew that she was acting like it. He knew that this event was deeply carved on her heart and would forcelly try to expel these thoughts off her mind. She would also work for a sweatshop that sold low-quality tools for a few coins a hour. The Mysterious Fire faction didn''t really help too, in exchange of their so-called "protection", they were expected to give "tributes" to them. The corruption of the mayor didn''t help and required that each household had the obligation to give 10 credits every month which was 5 more than normal. (Note : 15 credits is the rent of a normal household) The additional expendure left many to cry and they were also ones who were really affected. The burden was immense The poor sufferings was an enjoyment of richs. Tang Ling''s heart was pained. But he recovered himself of his musings, he then looked at the dark alley. It was a small path where innocent children played soccer and other things. But as it was school time, the small street seemed quite desolate (14+ could enjoy the privileges to skip a few classes). It also meant that the Little Variety grocery was near. He then saw a small stone, this stone was just like any stone but somehow, he felt that it had a small connection to him. "Hummm... This stone was the first time I saw after recovering from my memories..." As an act of momento, Tang Ling streched his hand and took the stone. He then examined the stone as forr why it attracted his attention while it was only a stone in trillions of stones. The stone was black, black of black, it was totally different than a normal stone which were normally gray. There were also a strange carving which emited a blue lightning light. While it seemed crude at first, when one looked closely it seemed to be exquise and had a certain pattern to it. He didn''t really know about it but it could be sold at a great price. Tang Ling stored the mysterious stone in his pocket and went to the grocery with his measly coins. Only 2km to go. Chapter 2 - Fattys Crash, Merging into One Pak, plack, pak. Tang Ling rushed to the grocery at his fastest speed. The rain started and the drops were cold. While he didn''t mind the rain, it was still better than being soaked plus he didn''t want to catch a cold. Medecine was expensive. "Dammit ! Damn unreliable Ducke ! I actually believed him !" inwardly roared Tang Ling. Ducke was his neighbour, he was 20 and had the habit to exaggerate skillfully. Today, Ducke said that it was impossible that it would rain as the probabilty was 10% on the radio. Despite knowing that Ducke might have lied, he still believed and didn''t take his jacket. "Tch." Tang Ling could only hole back these thoughts about how foolish he was as beared with it and took cover in some places as he went to the Little Variety grocery. In the Feng street, one could see some flickering shadows as it took cover before going into a new place. After twelve minutes of constant running/sheltering, Tang Ling finally managed to come at the Little Variety Grocery. At the entrance, he could see a mid-aged man sitting behind the counter. "Hello Boss Amin" said Tang Ling drenched in sweat at the "extreme training" he did just before. "Two pair of black beard please" The boss Amin looked at him and passed a towel :"Take it, I go take two pair of black beard; 3 credits. Special discount !" Tang Ling thanked him, he used the towel to wipe some of the sweat and water while he took out three round silverish coins. After a few seconds, the boss returned with some black beards and Tang Ling also knew that in the pack it had more bread than other stores. A little more. But it was vital for him and Fuxi as they almost lived in scarps and a few savings wouldn''t be bad. After packing the bread, Tang Ling bowed at the boss and went out. The heavy rain lessened a little bit and he felt good. But just as he left the store, he saw a huge shadow before his eyes. No, it was a hammer of destruction. A fatty was running at him and his body collided with him. Tang Ling crashed on the ground, he could hear one bone breaking and he vomited blood. His eyes were bloodshot, all he could see in the limited vision were some shadows and a huge face looking at him with panic. What the f*** happened ? Tang Ling fainted as he could not understand what happened in this very instant. He body ozed with blood as the stone touched his blood, it shined brightly before disintegrating. As it disapeared, a invinsible gaz entered in Tang Ling''s head and a blue point tatoo appeared before it disapeared from his front head. Chapter 3 - Awakening just to see a fatty faces "Selecting Host : Tang Ling. Bound by blood and soul. Loading..10% 40% 70% 100%. Host synchronisation is 87% of the current system. Modification of Host''s body to suit the system. WARNING: Host Tang Ling body is too weak to handle the changes. Trying to see any other possibilities... WARNING : Host Tang Ling has fainted, substained 10% damage of body during binding. Possibility : Restoring body with slight strenghtening. Calculating the posibility.... 90% of success without privileges. [System] detected hidden energy that could help Host recover, it could help Host support the changes and increase his mental power. Possibility : 100%. Starting the strenghtening.... Warning : The world of Host is different from normal. Higher permission is required to change [System] template to a more suitable one. Permission granted. Choosing a random template from suitable options. Template selected : 18901599402. Strenghtening finished. " Tang Ling could only see a pile of darkness... The darkness envelopped him as he tried to relax. His mind then blanked ; he didn''t know why but he felt his body moving st his own... Faster and faster just to the speed of light. "WAIT ! WAIT !!!! What the ?!!!" cried Tang Ling, it appeared too suddently ! He then heard a cold mechanical voice : "Starting the game 10% 15% .... 100 % !" A strong light flashed unto Tang Ling''s eyes and he quickly closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he no longer perceived a blinding light and opened his eyes. What he saw a majestic fountain, a mysterious paradise with a person. The unknown person then spoke in a etheral voice : "Welcome adventurer, you''re now in the game of [Heavenly Ascention]." "Who are you ?" asked Tang Ling. He didn''t where he was and what was a game. How could a game be played like reality ? "I am Fulcia, the Seeker. I am here to welcome you and introduce you to the Heavenly Ascention world." said the black-clothed woman. Tang Ling was full of sweat. What the heck was Heavenly Ascention ? Fulcia then started to explain "[Heavenly Ascention] is a world where martial arts exist and are extremely powerful. However, they are rare and talent are needed to become strong. Martial arts are divided by cultivation method and skills. But you, player or Travellers do not need cultivation manuals (although you can still use these). You use Levels where you can gain from absorbing life force of monster..." But then, he felt light-headed and he collapsed. "Host has been ejected forcefully by exterior factors, the world''s explaination has not been finished (40%). Due to this, System has given an Apology Pack to Host. You can redeem it the next time you re-enter to [Heavenly Ascention]." "Why are you here ? Who are you" asked Tang Ling confused. Seeing that Tang Ling could speak and didn''t suffer brain problem from his "hit", the fatty introduced himself : " I am Buo Dong, son of the Great Wind Hotel''s president. I''m sorry that this incident happened. I''m pretty relieved that you''re alright." he then let his hand to make a shake. Tang Ling looked at himself and saw that he wasn''t that injured so he shook hand with Fatty Buo Dong. " I pardon you. I''m Tang Ling" Tang Ling smiled "Hahaha ! You''re truly a good man, Tang Ling ! You shall now become my brother" in response of Tang Ling, Buo Dong laughed and hugged him. "F*** off ! I''m not gay !" Seeing that Buo Dong still continued him, Tang Ling was digusted but could only say : "Okay, I''m willing to be your brother" "Yay ! I knew that you were a good man." shamelessly said Buo Dong. "Oh ! As a fellow brother, take this. I may lack at everything but my family is pretty rich !" he handed a bill note. Shameless. It was the first time that he met such shameless person. He had met shameless people in the past, the "slums" had all sorts of people but he never encountered a person that almost killed you then almost crushed you to force you to become his brother then giving him his compensation fee as "brother gift". It was no longer shameless, it was just a sun on a beach. Well, it was more because staying in a hospital cost a whooping amount of money. For commoners like him, hospitals are places to feared. They suck off your money at the speed of sound and drain you dry as an excuse of "recovering". Holy molly, people rather become disabled than go to the hospital. After leaving the hospital, Tang Ling checked the bank note that Fatty Dong : 1000. Wait. 1000 credits ?! ------ 1000 credits, it was an amount that a normal person wouldn''t have in all his life. 1000 Dimensional Coins could let someone live in his entire lifetime in Bao Feng City. For Fatty Dong, even if he was the son of Great Wind Hotel CEO; to give him as "compensation fee" was truly generous. But his aim wasn''t to live without worries in Bao Feng City... Everyone could die from beast raids even richs one with the help of the mayor. Chapter 4 - Home and embarrassing himself in the Game World Tang Ling returned to his old home. His home was actually an appartement of 150 square feet space. Indeed it looked like it was the worst condition ever but in this city, he was pretty lucky to be able to rent this appartement. Most people lived on the street or in a cramped illegal space where they lived in house made of trashes. The landlady of the building was pretty good for her locators as it only costed 20 credits a month for this small space of two. It also meant that they had no privacy but who cares ? It''s not like they were rich enough to enjoy the priviledges of having more spaces. The appartement was composed 3 rooms, a small kitchen, a bathroom and the bedroom. it was pretty cramped but life was still good. Tang Fuxi was here waiting for him as she was reading on her phone. She was using the Huashui Phone that only cost 15 coins; after a few months of savings, they were both able to buy these. As for the Web-Line? Together, they managed to hack into the low-level security password of the nearby coffee shop and they would enjoy free Webline. But they wouldn''t use much lest that the owner become suspicious. "Hello sis" "Welcome back, you''ve taken your time ?" asked Fuxi. "Well..." Tang Ling was quite embarrassed, his sister knew that he would sometime wander to search for some work before going home. So he hurriedly explained the situation. "Ah okay... Give me the bread, I''ll put some jam." she finally said as she made a "give it to me" hand gesture. Tang Ling gave her him black bread and after she put some jam, he ate it very quickly. "I go take some sleep for now, you can do whatever you want but go sleep at 9 o''clock" he warned. "Of course brother~" Tang Ling lied on his bed shett as he took some sleep. According from the previous experience, the Game World as he named would only appear when he was unconcious or sleeping, this theory was comfirmed as it was interrupted when the fatty shook him too much and awakened him. He was quite curious about the Game World, it was too mysterious. Tang Ling then heard a cold mechanic voice : "Host is now starting the System. Heavenly Ascention. 10% 50% 100%. Start" Tang Ling couldn''t believe his eyes, the Game World was so realistic; he could feel the herbs under his feet and sensation of the air. It felt more realistic than his life in BaoFeng City ! He then checked himself, he was here without any clothes only with a u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. It felt that it was saying that he souldn''t embarrassed himself any further. "Young man why are you here n.a.k.e.d ? Take these clothes." Tang Ling returned himself to the direction of the voice to see an old grandpa wearing strange clothes and had some clothes on his hands. Seeing that the old man gave him some clothes, Tang Ling could only accept it, wear it and say : "Thank you" [Ding ! Your thanks had raised the Village''s head favorability by 30.] "Hohoho, don''t thank me youngster. I am the village''s head. The village is around here. Follow me." laughed the old man as he scratched his beard. Tang Ling felt strange about his clothes; he never saw anyone wearing these things but it was truly comfortable. He used {Inspect}that the woman taught. [Villager clothes -Luxery] +1 Defense +10 HP Although Tang Ling didn''t know anything about this world, with this description he knew that he gained some gains as his Favorability with the Head was pretty good. Favorability was the impression of the people, one could gain many things if the Favorablity was high ! Tang Ling followed the village head for 10 minutes before arriving to the village. Between the 10 minutes, he and the head chatted for a few times. He learnt that his name was Huang Luo and he was the chief elder of the Lone Dawn Village. Almost everyone had the Huang surname and other villages feared them for their superior strenght; no one wanted to risk destruction of an enemy that you don''t really know. "Ding ! You''ve arrived at Lone Dawn Village (Beginner Village)" Lone Dawn Village had stone walls reaching 5 meters surrounding the village with a 10m wood walls. There was only one entrance in the village which was the main gate. The houses were made of wood and clay but had a certain style similar to Brokang core cities houses. Well, Tang Ling was quite speecheless about the 5 and 10 meters walls... Even Bao Feng City didn''t have such tall walls ! They even used the same inferior stones of the village ! Huang Luo seemed to have noticed the shocked expression and started explaining : "Although you''re now weak, in neighbour villages, they practises martial arts. Some beasts or martial artists who practise qigong can jump up to 5m, the walls are made to defend against powerful beasts or enemies who have evil intentions for this village. I garantee that we''re the only one who have such walls in the surrounding 3000 kilometers ! " his expression clearly stated that he was quite proud of this fact. After a few blabberings about the village, Huang Luo left. "If you want to meet, you can go to the mayor house !" "Mister, we wants to organise a surprise to our mothers by gifting them flowers but [Sunflowers] are outside of the walls and we don''t want that to be caught. Can you get us some sunflowers ? [Get the Sunflowers. Difficulty : None The children wants to gift sunflowers to their mothers but they can''t go outside as it is very dangerous. They wants you to gather for them. -Gather 10 Sunflowers and give those to the children Failure : Killed before submitting the quest. Unable to finish before sunset Rewards : 10 EXP and Reputation in Lone Dawn Village.] "Yes !" he said. "Mister what do you mean ?" the children looked at him with their innocent eyes in confusion. "Ahem, I mean of course I would help you." Tang Ling repeated his confirmation. "Thank you Boss !" the children bowed and started playing soccer. "Good" Tang Ling returned and went outside to gather the sunflowers. ... ... How embarrassing ! He didn''t think that he had to accept normally, he thought that he could only say "yes" and the quest would be accepted but he made a fool of himself. Chapter 5 - Rewards of the System Apology Tang Ling hurriedly gathered the sunflowers; in fact, sunflowers could be seen everywhere and came by batches of 10. But as he had a soft heart for cute children, he continued to gather more and more sunflowers... After an hour, Tang Ling opened looked at his pocket full of sunflowers. It at least contained several hundred [Sunflowers]. He gritted his teeth, damn he was influenced by the gentleness of the good-natured grocery owner and confounded the children with his sister. Oh well, it don''t really matter. He did it so no matter what, he would just give them. Tang Ling returned to the village and went to the children waiting for him. As soon as he found them he immediately gave them 500 Sunflowers. "Mister it''s too much ! We cannot accept so much flowers !" said one child. "Yes, yes ! We have nothing to give you for all these." said an another. "Well, I can''t simply discard the flowers I collected, right ? Take these, I give to you for free." Tang Ling shrugged. "Umu... Mister, we''ll take 100 of these but you can give the rest to Blacksmith Wang." "Forger Wang ?" Tang Ling frowned. Forgers and martial artist don''t exist in the real world. It was said that Forger had existed but gradually disappeared from the surface. But it was only a legend. "Yes, Blacksmith Wang is the forger of the weapons in the village. All warriors possess a weapon from him." the child said with veneration in his eyes. Forger ? Was it the term of an Artificer in this world ? He didn''t know but accepted the third child request. [Gather the Sunflowers completed. Has gathered much more Sunflowers than expected. Rewards gained : 50 EXP, Reputation to Amicable, 1 copper and Bracelet of innocent youth] (Note : Hatred, Cold, Neutral, Amicable, Admiration, Respect, Veneration) Inventory ? Well, he didn''t receive any rewards in hands so he probably received from the so-called {Inventory}. It''s a good time to check the System Gift Apology Pack. Tang Ling tried to call upon the system with his voice but after a few minutes of trying :"Inventory check, Inventory see, etc.". It was determined that the Inventory could not be activated by oral means. But could it be called by ''intention'' ? Tang Ling concentrated in his mind : {Inventory} " A grid appeared, this is the inventory " thought Tang Ling. A message bar appeared : [System note : The Inventory is where you stock your items. It is the representation of what you have. With the extra space of System Apology Gift and your basic slot, you can store up to 6 slots. A slot can have one items or up to 999 if it is a material. You can tribute space bags for inventory spaces.] In there, it had 6 slots and two were occupied : the System Apology Gift and the Bracelet of Innocent Youth. {Bracelet of Innocent Youth} Lv requirement : 0 (Uncommon) A bracelet made by various innocent children to give to someone that they trust. Made of Lun Wood (Common), the bracelet is imbdued of the hopes and qi of the children who made it. Cannot be sold, traded or dropped. Restriction : Good-natured. {System Apology Gift} Lv : 0 (Special) A gift from the System for not protecting the host to continue his dream of listening The Seeker''s explaination. It is the sort of compensation, depending of the Host''s luck, he could get great items or just trashes. The System ? Tang Ling frowned, he indeed heard the so-called System activation but what was it ? Was the System gave him the chance of experiencing a new unknown world ? Why choosing him ? Tang Ling didn''t have the answer but still opened the Gift Pack. Badum. Tang Ling appeared into a dark place.. No, it was a dark place where a golden wheel was here. "Chosen One, I am ordered to test your luck. Spin the wheel and depending of the result, you will gain something" said the Golden Wheel. Tang Ling was suprised : "Ah you can talk ?" "Of course ! Every spiritual treasures have a conciousness ! I am a Golden Wheel, a high-rank. Of course I can talk !" The Wheel seemed displeased. "Huh, so I need to spin the wheel... Ah ! Golden Wheel, do you what is the System ?" asked Tang Ling. He wasn''t known as the Fox of the Family (2) for nothing ! "Hum, I don''t know about the System that you''re talking about but I know that I was called to test your luck. Now, spin !" the Golden Wheel spat out informations before urging him to finish the deal. Tang Ling couldn''t get any informations about the System only he knew that the System didn''t have any malicious intentions about him. Tang Ling walked over and took a big breath and began spinning. The Golden Wheel was separated into 6 portions but Tang Ling didn''t know anything about what he would receive when he touch it but he knew that everything in here was good. While he never heard about the Golden Wheel, it was pretty for him when he arrived in this world. Plus the Golden Wheel seemed to have a high position so nothing trash would come out. ... As it was spinning, Tang Ling equipped the bracelet on his hand. But as soon as he put it, he felt a boost in his body. He could feel his body full of vitality, transceded his previous state and could feel that his stamina could replinish a little faster. (Wow, this bracelet is amazing !) thought Tang Ling. Just a bracelet made him stronger, this world was truly mystical. The wheel finished spinning and the point stopped at one of six portions. Then letters began to form in this space : Heaven''s. "Congratulation Chosen One, you managed to get the Heaven''s rewards." The Heaven''s Reward. Of the 6 rewards : Mortal, Spirit, Underworld, Earth, Heaven and Hell. It is one of the Tier 1 rewards (Heaven''s and Hell), it only have 1/10000 to happen. The Heaven Reward is plentiful and one gain an immense rewards ! The second tier (Underworld and Earth) was the most sought. In his entire life, this Golden Wheel only had 5 persons who had achieved the Tier 1, but it was in an era where people were blessed with innate luck not now. Could it be that he''s in a different world or the so-called [System] was behind it ? thought the Golden Wheel. Well, it wasn''t his affair. [Congratulation to Host to get the Heaven Reward, you have received : [Samishira Intent], [Yin-Yang Orb] and [Heavenly Moon Palace] [Samishira Intent](God-tier) An unknown fallen deity who died at 32st God and Demons War. His celestial body and Godly Crown and Soul died but his Intent still remains. Use : Absorb with Qi [Yin-Yang Orb] (Special- Heavenly Natural Treasure) An orb that was created by the Genesis of the World. When Chaos created the Yin-Yang and the Yin-Yang created the 5 Elements, its ''traces'' is contained into it. Accelerate cultivation speed. Humans have unlimited potential, only if they can unlock it these. The Moon Palace is a special place between the brows where is stored mental power. Only the strongest energy can reside, the Heavenly Moon Palace cannot normally exist as it is completely defy world rules. Chapter 6 - Returning to Reality The space vanished and Tang Ling reappeared on the same spot, he then looked at the [Samishira Intent] and tried to a message appeared : [You''ve not ac.u.mulated Qi, the Samishira Intent cannot be activated until Level 10] Dammit, what''s the point of giving it to me ? Tang Ling didn''t understand what was these rewards but he definitely knew that it was very good or OP. The Heavenly Moon Palace opening was not a physical-entity but more like a talent so upon receiving it, Tang Ling could feel something filling up inside of his head. The sort of "filling" made his thoughts clearer and senses sharper. He didn''t know how to describe it but it felt pleasurable. "System Tip : Levels are with experiences. You can earn EXP from killing monsters or completing quests" "The Exp from {Gather the Sunflowers} ?" asked Tang Ling. "Yes, you have gathered 50 EXP to level up to Lv 1. (50/50). Do you wish to level up ?" "Yes" [You''ve reached Lv 1. Unlocking Stats section.... Name : Tang Ling Lv 1 HP : 150/150 Qi : 15/15 Mental energy (newly awakened) : 1/5 Stamina : 10/10 --- Stealing Lv 2 : A proficient expert of stealing people pocket and opening simple locks. Medecine Lv 1 : Training upon childhood, you''ve learnt how to bandange people. Your quality of work is better than a normal person ! Handicraft Lv 2 : An amateur of manifacturing. Your profiency of hands is pretty good in term of quality of a worker. ] Tang Ling could only nod at these descriptions, even if he didn''t know why his skills were in level, the System stats sheet described himself entirely. [Evaluation : A normal person who have better strenght than others. (More information at LV5)] Even with the increase of strenght of the [System], Tang Ling was still a normal human who had more strenght than a normal bully. But if he leveled up more... Maybe he could have more strenght to save his sister ! [System Notification : You have spent 16 hours in this world (8 hours in real time). You are now required to disconnect.] Tang Ling felt a suction behind and began to plunge into darkness... After a few seconds, Tang Ling opened his eyes and saw the sun. (Hum... The dream world is twice as fast of the real one... And after 8 hours of "sleep", one would be expulsed..) "Um ?!" Tang Ling could see his stats on screen. It was exactly the same of the game ! Apart from the fact that his stats were reduced due to not having equipped the Bracelet Of Innocent Youth. Then a button and a message was here : { The items and stats of Heavenly Ascention can be used in the real world. Everything you learnt or practised in Heavenly Ascention are guarded in the real world and vice-versa (Example : your skills from real life has been synchronised in the game world. The button here can take out your items anytime in your body. Just push the button and you think what you want and it would appear (only equiments, to take out items, please go to Inventory) } Reading it, Tang Ling pressed the button and the Bracelet of Innocent Youth appeared instantly. His lost feelings of constant vitality disapeared off. After these changes, Tang Ling looked at the side and his sister wasn''t here. He then woke up and went to the kitchen. At the little dining table, there was a bowl of gruels anda small piece of paper : "Since you''ve taken your time to sleep, I prepared the breakfast for you. Go to work now and get some credits for us ya ?" This letter warmed Tang Ling''s heart and he began to eat the still-warm gruel. Finishing his breakfast, Tang Ling took his coat and left the appartement. At that moment, he saw Ducke waiting for him. "Ducke, you bastard ! This was a *flushing* rain day yesterday ! Even if you''re my partner, I won''t forgive you !" Yes, Ducke his neighbour was a teammate of his. With him, they would sometimes cooperate with each other to do some jobs like transporting beds or foods. This time was no different; they would start seeking jobs and if it''s too much, call the other one. After scolding for about 10 minutes, Tang Ling and Ducke separated themselves to job-hunt. Even if he have the System, the System wouldn''t give the money to survive. Tang Ling walked over the gray streets, here; all kind of people lived here : failed businessmen, thugs, thieves, good people, workers... It was a large area between the official "great" city that the city wanted to convey and the black streets where criminals lurks. Here, the security is minimal but was still safer than the criminal areas. Where the siblings lives was also in the grey street, although it was a little more in the "light" side. Job hunting was pretty hard as in the grey or poor areas, people are suspicious to others. If he had nothing to do and had an urgent need of credits, he could go line up to a factory or a mine. His [Handicraft] was also developped here when he was a child and was sewing cheap clothes. He could only sew, being abused, sew... For only 1 credits a day... Chapter 7 - I choose to beat you up ! The slums was bustling of activities, here Tang Ling was transporting a cart for an old lady who sold pancakes. "Yah~! Grandmother, are you alright from setting a stall here ?" asked Tang Ling while holding the stall. "It''s no problem, I still need to thank you Tang Ling, the wheels broke yesterday so the Old Elor needed about a day to repair and change the wheels... Take this quarter credit." the grandma shoved a quarter credits to Tang Ling. "No problem grandma, if you please, take caution" grinned Tang Ling. Well, it was pretty unnecessary, everyone here payed a tax to a group known as Black Tiger Group as protection fees. The group name was fierce but they weren''t tyrants, they protected peace unto their territory as long as one payed the right amount of money. With their good morals, they almost never requested a higher taxes and higher ups never exhorted money from the common populace. It could be said that they''re the most peaceful group in the entire slums. In fact, almost all grey zones are under the control of Black Tigers. "Uh... It''s pretty good. 2.5 credits for today... Not bad, at least we can have black breads with some savings." If he could catch up some interesting deals, he would have more than enough credits to save up. Even though that he had 1000 credits in hand, he still needed to work hard. This money would be used to create new opportunities of making money; not just limiting oneself. This work also helped the community and if karma existed, he would have better good deeds. Tang Ling returned with Ducke and counted their money. This place was pretty secretive and is somehow safe. This place was the Houshun Factory which used to produce dolls and shoes here. It was a popular location both for buyers or people who seeked employment but 5 years ago, the factory was shut down by a high-official man in the Boa Feng City. In these times, the Houshun Factory was used as a gathering point for many people but the upper floor was only discovered by Ducke while trying to find a spot and for many years, the team would use it for discussions. "We''ve gathered about 4 credits, 2.5 on me and you only gathered 1.5" said Tang Ling. He frowned; normally Ducke would get about 2~3 credits per day, this was not normal. Ducke could only shrug : " These times, the Black Tiger Group don''t fare very well... I just saw some thugs around here. While gangs won''t do something extreme like robbing one''s home or going to the ''Market place'' or any importants locations as it would just be like a slap on the face, they have no problems to enter to secluded locations. Expect that our ''business'' to be bad for a few days or weeks". "Don''t worry Ducke, here''s 100 credits" Tang Ling said while holding a bag full of credits. It was money for Ducke to live frugally for these days. He already knew that the Black Tigers didn''t fare well. The upper-classes who didn''t want to see a great power which had the same influence as them to appear in the slums. The thugs in the street was only a sign of it; they wanted to supress the growth of Black Tigers. Here in Bao Feng City, the higher classes were all corrupt. Not everyone was like the shameless Fatty Buo Dong who apologized and gave 1000 as compensation. These people didn''t care about justice or morals, as long that it had their benefits; they could twist the situation and make it like ''justice''. After giving 100 to Ducke, they left the secret room and started going to the appartements. They needed to be quick and stealthy. Thugs sometimes goes rampant after 5:00, it was 2 hours after school (no matter what, the Empire has strict security in schools, when it''s end of school, the security is increased). Tang Ling and Ducke took the usual path, the route was not large and it''s fast to reach the destination. Taking the least populated areas and going through blind spots, they didn''t expect to see a group of persons waiting for them. They were 4 brawny men waiting for them, they all had some sort of weapons. Surely, they weren''t here for just greetings... "Yo little guys, take out your money !" said one man. (These guys are after their money ! But how could they have known ?) "Hehehe, you may not know but we observed (stalked ?) you for quite a bit of time so we definitely know about your whereabouts. We give you two options : you either give us the money you have right now or we will take it by force. Make your choice. You have 10 seconds" said an another man while counting his finger. Tang Ling looked Ducke, Ducke also looked at him. Seeing the others faces, they smirked. " We''ll choose to beat you up !!" This was a form of communication, when there''s an enemy, they look to determine their strenght. When they looked at each other and saw the other making a sign, it meant that the enemy was weaker than them. Confirmation and procession. Ducke rushed over the first guy and with a punch, the man collapsed. As for Tang Ling, he sent flying one man with a special technique. Normally, the duo was physically stronger than normal people and trained into a special technique to augment their fighting prowess. Well, the techniques wasn''t that good as it was learnt from peeking in the Black Tiger recruits training but was still better than having no style, plus with the experiences of the Game World, Tang Ling''s body was futher enhanced so battling two-vee-four costed a lot of stamina but they could still manage it. [Stamina : 5/10] Tang Ling and Ducke was tired and hungry from the all the hard work and the battle, but it was pretty fruitful. They looted a dagger, a baseball bat and a few credits from the thugs. They managed to drag themselves to home and went to the their respective appartements and ate their meals. "Huff, huff. As always, the meals of my little sister is still the best !" Tang Ling cried out of joy. Within slum, the food here are really bad and restaurants of the ''presentable'' was expensive as f*** ! No one dared to try eat at there, the ''presentable'' part of the Bao Feng City was just a mix of a tourist spot and rich persons. 85% of the people just live in the slums. Chapter 8 - 1st Fight in the Game World Tang Ling returned to the Game World through his sleep. Again he felt the great speed of his body but was long accustomed to it. Tang Ling opened his closed eyes and saw the familiar area : the Lone Dawn Village. The fresh scent of air... The touch of earth... The never-ending valleys... These were everything that his world didn''t have. He could sense the hapiness and harmony of the village unlike the dark slums where plots and murder could be seen everyday or the white slums where one would still be wary of scams. Sometimes, he felt that this world was more real than his... Forget about it, Tang Ling shook his head, no matter what, this world and the real world are all the same. He could not compare it whenever which is real or fake, these two are real. Suddentky, Tang Ling remembered that the kids of the village said that he should give the extra sunflowers to Forger Wang but he indeed forgot about it. "Thanks boy, with these sunflowers I can relax my body." said Forger Wang when he received the sunflowers. "Hum... What would you do with these sunflowers ?" asked Tang Ling. Yeah, sunflowers are really common and don''t have any uses unless you want to beautify your garden, I guess ? "What do you mean ? Everything has its use, sunflowers are common, yes but posess some energy of the sun and earth. Sunflowers and other common herbs can be used to refresh the body ! Look !" Forger Wang demonstrated to him. He put the sunflowers to his muscled body. After a few seconds, the sunflowers began to melt and vapors could be seen. "You see ? Sunflowers refresh the body, you see, little kids are ignorant but for these common herbs can be used to accelerate your cultivation." [With the basic teachings of Forger Wang and Medecine LV1, you have learnt some insights to Herbology] [Sunflowers and ect. (Trashes) : Common herbs that can be found everywhere. They''re treated as trashes for ignorants. But for some people, they have discovered the true uses of them. [You have completed the extra quest : Sunflowers to the Forger Wang ! Received 10 EXP, 1 copper and a dagger] "As thanks, take this dagger, I know that young people like you want to explore the world. This excellent dagger that I made can protect you from some harms." Forger took out a small dark dagger and put on his hand. [Fine Lone Dawn Dagger (Common) : 8-12 ATK A common dagger that Forger Wang make for self-defense for every a.d.u.l.t villagers. It is the symbole of friendship and belonging of the Lone Dawn Dagger.] "Speaking of it, go deal with the small fries, although they don''t threaten anyone in the villages they are very annoying, plus we have more important things to do but we can''t let them unpunished !" [Quest received : Deal with these devious creatures ! Difficulty : Easy Forger Wang is long preoccupied with these evil small creatures that are very annoying. They pillage the fields, steal some items and are very annoying to everyone. But the villagers don''t have the time to spare for the imps and aren''t easy to catch. Forger Wang want you to kill 10 of them and if possible, retrieve their items "Of course, Master Forger Wang, I will accept !" "Good Go, these pests are living in the east of the villages, generally in caves." Tang Ling nodded and as he started to go to the caves, he remembered that he said that the imps weren''t dangerous to anyone but was just annoying. Could it be that he included the children ? [Huang Child LV 7] What the f*** ?! Every children was stronger than him ?! From what he thought, LVs increased one''s strenght, he, as a LV 1 gained a small increase of strenght so he could easily beat someone up. But at LV7 means that every children could just beat him up without a sweat. Don''t underestimate a little strenght, this little strenght could make one beat two if before he could beat one at the same time. Forget it, he would be able to close the gap with these children when he finish the quest. Tang Ling walked over 10 kilometers and finally found a small cave. 10 kilometers was nothing for Tang Ling, as slumers, he could easily walk for 20 kilometers without breaking a sweat. Imps around the village were all weak, but in levels they''re stronger than Tang Ling himself. Luckily, they are innately weaker than the normal level counterpart and were dumber than normal humans unless it came to the fact of destruction and stealing. They were the kings at it. [Little Imp LV 3 HP:40, Description : You don''t have enough knowledge] Tang Ling didn''t bother of the lack of descriptions, he readied his knife and pounced at the imp while crazily slasing at it. After a couple of slashes, the imps died without any chances of retaliating. [You have killed a imp gaining 10 EXP] With this encounter, Tang Ling realised that his crazy slashings didn''t have the proper technique... Well, he was pretty fast but he didn''t have anything to accelerate his knife handlings or increase his power. If he could grasp something about it, he would take less time and strenght to kill an imp. Tang Ling looked over the next imp who didn''t notice his comarade killed and tried to sneakily attack. Bam ! The sneak was successful, his attack landed on the imp''s head. Everyone knew that the brain was a weak point, a fatal one at that. But his attack didn''t immediatly killed the tarfet and the dagger was stuck on it head. Tang Ling tried to retrieve his dagger but it wouldn''t budge. The imp reacted and started speaking nonsensical things.. "Albajsalaow,pkapsojawms... ASKAWU !" Sensing something wrong, Tang Ling let go the dagger and immediatly retreated to the side. What he saw was a fireball that went to his previous place, but as it slightly scratched his soulder causing his shoulder burnt. The pain was still bearable but it caused a lot of damage. HP : 100/150. 50 damage, it meant that if he got hit he would surely die and if it scratched 2 more times he would also die. Chapter 9 - Even after facing death, wine is still the best ~! With the adrealine and the will to survive, Tang Ling pounced unto the imp and used his fist technique that he self-created in street fighting. Albeit being a scared, based on the Imp response, the fireball that the imp use would need to say some incantations and would need 3 seconds to cast. Calculating the time of chant, Tang Ling began to punch into the Imp face when it started to chant something. This technique was clearly effective as the Imp couldn''t chant the mysterious words that cast the dangerous fireball. He also noticed that the chant was somehow something that gathered a special thing that gathered unto the Imp when he started chanting and would cast his fireball. Bang ! "Hus.." Bang ! Tang Ling repeated his punchs until the Imp finally died. [You have killed LV 7 {Elite} Little Imp, gained 1000 EXP] [You''ve leveled up to LV 4] Psh ! Golden lights flashed unto Tang Ling and he immediatly recovered from all his wounds and hunger. The body''s flesh was strenghtened and his flexibilty too. "So this Imp is a special Imp, right ? No wonder that he was stronger than normal or I would just have killed him in one shot. Tang Ling started reminding him that he should never do this move again or it may happen like now. He also remembered these energies that the Imp gathered. What was that ? [Knife Mastery(Basic Insight) learnt.] [Hand Combat Mastery (Entry) learnt] [Tip : Masteries are divided in levels and degrees : Basic Insight, Entry, Peek unto the door, Advanced, Expert, Master, Grandmaster, Peak, Sage.] Knife Mastery and Hand Combat Mastery allowed Tang Ling to comprehend his insights he had a while ago. This allowed to put in use his thoughts and better control his attacks. Tang Ling began to put his mastery in use, farming the Imps, increasing his masteries. He then found the stolen items in a crude hideout. The things weren''t numerous so with a piece of cloths, he could pack everything inside of here. As he went to the exit, he re-encountered the corpse of Elite Imp and looked strangely at it. It seemed to have some secrets in it body. Tang Ling let go the items and touched the corpse, the corpse dissolved in myriad of lights and a book appeared. Tang Ling was sure that the manuel was very good but just stored in his [Inventory] and returned to the village. 60 minutes later, "Good, good. You''re pretty good kid ! To be able to defeat an Little Imp Elite without the cultivation technique ! You''re sure are good !" laughed Forger Wang after he heard his story. "Cultivation technique ? What''s that ?" asked Tang Ling. The Seeker said he didn''t need cultivation technique but could also use one... But what was cultivation ? "Hee ? You don''t know about cultivation ? What a weird fellow you''re...." muttered Forger Wang as he explained the concept. Forger Wang mostly mumbled nonsense but here''s the core of he said : Here in Heavenly Ascention, there is thing called cultivation. The process make one live longer and possess more strenght. There 9 Stages and Martial artists are named after their Martial Artist of the 1st stage, of the second stage, ect or was shortened as 1st rank. The higher the stage, the stronger you are. Then after, you can become a cultivator to immortality. [Quest received : Deal with these devious creatures ! Difficulty : Easy 25/10 Imps, Returned the stolen loots. Rewards : Lone Dawn Gourd, Increased Reputation and EXP] "This is the Lone Dawn Gourd, one of the only gourds that can hold water. Since wine is too much in case of battle, the Lone Dawn Gourd was produced to reproduce the same effect of wine which increase bravery and strenght but won''t disturb clarity, dexterity and other things that a warrior should have. " "Thank you" Tang Ling bowed. If it was like that, the gourd would give him some strenght for a certain duration of time. It would be a great help for him. [Lone Dawn Gourd (Magic-rank item) Of the myriad of containers, the Lone Dawn Gourd is a special one. It is a gourd that can hold water and wine alike without consequences. Putting water in this gourd is like wine. Wine in this gourd is a stronger wine. Every water and wine (even mythical water) can be hold. Although being a Magic-rank, it value surpass its original rank. Effect : When water is contained, if drunk has the same effect as a normal wine (water quality determines the water-wine proprieties) without the debuff {Drunk}. If it is wine, the wine quality is increased (depends; can increase by a little or by 2 ranks). The gourd assure that nothing in here hold poison or similar substances, in fact it can refine and increase the liquid quality. [Level up(LV5)!] [Stats calculation.... Name : Tang Ling Lv 5 HP : 200/200 Qi : 30/30 Mental energy : 5/5 Stamina : 10/10 Agility : 0.7 Constitution : 0.5 Spirit : 1.2 ???? --- Mathematics Lv1 : Some simple mathematics can be solved. Stealing Lv 2 : A proficient expert of stealing people pocket and opening simple locks. Medecine Lv 1 : Training upon childhood, you''ve learnt how to bandange people. Your quality of work is better than a normal person ! Handicraft Lv 2 : An amateur of manifacturing. Your profiency of hands is pretty good in term of quality of a worker. Knife Mastery (Basic) : A total amateur at knife handling at least better than a total loser. Hand Combat Mastery (Entry) : Having some experience at hand techniques, maybe it because of your handicraft and your pitiful past, you are the boss at street fighting. Note : Please note that LV1-10 is the basic of a normal person in Heavenly Ascention, you''re not yet a martial artist but a loser that isn''t as strong as a child. Extra : The stats is based on average human in the Game World, do not fret, the average of Host world is about 0.4 and something...] Argh ! Unlike the previous time where his skills were described, this time, his masteries and evaluation was very harsh, crushing his confidence to bits but at least he could be comforted that he was stronger than a normal man of his world by 0.2.... But there was also a new section : [Talent : -Heavenly Moon Palace : Talent required to be a certain class (Activated Moon Palace). Considered as the supreme talent in this area, mental power is a yes in reality. -Hyper Nimble Hands : Your hand is your thoughts. Mastery and Dexterity is increased easily. Dex +2. (Note :Dexterity is one of special stats, speed and precision of hands) Point : Not bad, you have 2 innate talents and they''re uncommon. Normal person would only have 1] Looking at the System''s "commendation", Tang Ling was quite pleased. At least he had a better than average potential. Tang Ling took his newly acquired gourd and drunk a sip. Although it didn''t make him drunk, the taste was still here and his stats were boosted by a lot. It was also the first time that he drunk wine albeit it wasn''t a real wine. In Bao Feng City, He was poor and wine was expensive, reserved to the rich. He only drunk beer but it wasn''t that good. The wine was more fragant and refined than beer. Maybe it was because the slums beer was really cheap. "Even after experiencing fear of death, wine is still the best ~!" Indeed, this gourd ''wine'' was truly good. Chapter 10 - Flame Art Manuel After looking at his stats, Tang Ling finnally took the time to open the book that the Elite Imp that dropped. The book was thin and the cover was made of leather, a material that he never came across. It was said that in ancient times, things like leather, wools and many primitives materials existed. But as time passed, the materials were replaced by synthesized materials which had greater efficiency and long lasting. He knew as he liked reading books about everything. Leather in those days are almost extinct and are only used by poweful leaders just like the royal family. Tang Ling excitedly read the content of the book, it was dropped by the Elite Imp so it was naturally precious. On the cover was written {Flame Manual} In the book were ill.u.s.trations of a human and the structure of a flame. With many scribbles and chinese words, it explained something but he couldn''t understand. The system rang out : [Reading Flame Manuel... By reading the book, Host has unclocked two hidden stats : Wisdom and Intelligence. Wisdom is the experience and knowledge of things, it cannot be quantified. Intelligence is how your brain works and how good it is. Also cannot be quantified.] [The knowledge you have do not have any relations with the Flame Manual and your Intelligence cannot replace your lack of knowledge.] [With the System''s help of maximizing the profit, you managed to understand a part of it. Learnt Flame Arts -weakened] [Discovered : Flame Art Manual (Lower Magic) A martial art that allows one who is lower than cultivators to learn power of nature. Obviously called "magic arts" it is a Magic grade as it can be considered as magic. In fact, the arts manual is lower than that. With the manual being incomplete and the weakened version by the [System], it is obviously trash.] [Learnt : Heat You can now heat the weapon to deal damage to the oppenent. Deal extra fire damage. Consumme 1 Mental energy or Qi per minute.] Tang Ling was disapointed, he knew that Heat was a trash skill that only dealt a little more damage for the unknown mental power. But it was still an extra damage right ? As for Intelligence and Wisdom, it was pretty normal, although he experienced many things, it was still in the slums where only brawls existed and no mystic powers and martial arts. So it had no inferences to the comprehension of the manual. Tang Ling carefully stored the manual and went to the Apothecary. He peeked at the apothecary as he carefully grounded the herbs and made it like paste. Tang Ling knew what he did, his father would sometimes take a bunch of weed to paste it like that to accelerate his recovery when he was injured. Although little Tang Ling was spectic, how a bunch of weeds could do the same things as modern technologies, the result proved the opposite. His wounds would heal up in 1-2 days. He then practised the various techniques that his father teached and with those teachings, his [Medecine] reached LV 2. Tang Ling recalled that there were a bunch of books that father used to read before his death. One was called {Copy of Zhong Healing Edict}. But it wasn''t his matter for now. He looked at the apocathery, his technique was more exquise than him and didn''t waste any mouvements. He was pretty sure that his {Medecine} was Lv2 peak or Lv3. Also, Tang Ling wanted to see what materials that the apocathery that he used if it could help him select better herbs. After a few seconds, the paste revealed its stats : [Shizou Paste (Common) : Heal 50 HP instantly and 100HP over 10 seconds. Cool: 30 seconds] Shizou Paste ? What could it be ? Tang Ling couldn''t restrain his curiosity and directly went to the apothecary. "Isn''t that Tang Ling the newcomer ? Welcome !" said the apothecary while smiling. This attitude was surely influenced by his reputation in the village. Tang Ling exchanged some plaisanteries with the apothecary. After knowing his name, Tang Ling cut off the chase and went directly to what he wanted : "Apothecary Huang, can you tell me the ingredients of the Shizou Paste ?" "Huh ? Do you want to gather the ingredients to me ?" asked Huang Mu, suprised. It had to be known that his medecine was cheap so gathering the herbs required a lot of time and a little profit. Even if this Tang Ling wanted to gain money, he could do anything than him. Mining or gathering fur would be better than herbs picking right ? "Nonono, you see, my father had teached me how to make bandages and pastes but didn''t teach me the herbs to pick for the paste. I would use any weeds to make bandages or paste in the past. So I''m here to see the best combinaison or set of herbs for me to create." Tang Ling was quite frank, he directly admitted his intention. He was normally a good person and didn''t really like to lie. "I see" the apothecary nodded. He was impressed of Tang Ling''s honesty and started explaining various ingredients that one could make a bandage or a paste but also some concoctions that one could make. [Shizhou Paste, Basic Bandage, Breath Powder and Qi Small Pellets Recipe learnt] Shizou Paste was to recover injuries, Bandages were to stop bleedings and start recovering, Breath Powder was a powder to accelerate qi circulation and Qi Small Pellets are the most difficult one; increase qi circulation cycles and recover qi. The effects depended on the ingredients and the quality of it. For example, if Huang Mu failed his paste and made a [Shizou Paste (Common-Failed)] it would only recover 25 HP and 30 HP in 10 seconds and if it was really trash, it could have some side-effects. Chapter 11 - Farming in Beginner Village to obtain Martial Arts After receiving Apocathecary Huang Mu teachings, Tang Ling thanked him of his teachings and bowed to him. Tang Ling returned to the plaza where people were bustling in business and joy. [Lone Dawn Villager (A.d.u.l.t) LV 12] !!! Surpassing the LV10 (Natural Growth), one if trained, would exceed LV10 and enter the realm of Martial Arts; Martial Artist of 1st Stage. But to achieve it, unless someone was like him, one needed a great efforts of training to achieve it. But the average person were all stronger than LV10 and it''s impossible for everyone to train massively like that, it takes time and time could be used to farm or sell. According to Forger Wang, there''s only one explanation : everybody at the of 14-16 practised martial arts. Even if one didn''t pratise much, he would still become a LV11 or LV12. But still, he is 14 years old and with the [System], he would definitely become stronger than them. He didn''t have to rely on natural growth but more on levels. So for an hour or so, Tang Ling decided that he would gain EXP from quests and hunting monsters. By his own means, Little Tang Ling unknowingly used the secret technique of ''farming'' EXP. [Quest : Feed the Cocoon Difficulty : None The farmers are a little tired. They ask you to feed for them the cocoons, they don''t mind giving a bit of their revenue of doing this. Rewards : 10 coppers and 50 EXP] [Quest : Find my sister ! Difficulty : Easy My sister has disapeared ! Please find her for me ! Rewards : 20 coppers and 100 EXP Note : Recommanded for people who have good eye-sight] There''s squads of hunters that hunt in forest and plains but Meat is never enough ! Kill some animals and give us some meat. Rewards : 20 coppers and 60 EXP] [Quest : Gathering fur for the winter Tailor sister Huang is in need of materials, the winter and autumn are approaching and there''s not enough clothes. She ask you to gather some leather and fur to increase her proficiency and give enoough clothes for every villagers to stay warm. Rewards : 50 coppers and 300 EXP] ... It is unknown about how Tang Ling managed to endure and finish all these quests in one hour but he still made it. What a miracle. [Name : Tang Ling Lv 9 Qi : 40/40 Mental energy : 5/5 Stamina : 10/10 Strength : 0.9 Agility : 0.89 Constitution : 0.9 Spirit : 1.25 ???? --- Stealing Lv 2 : A proficient expert of stealing people pocket and opening simple locks. Medecine Lv 1 : Training upon childhood, you''ve learnt how to bandage people. Your quality of work is better than a normal person ! (Tip : Almost LV 2 !) Handicraft Lv 2 : An amateur of manufacturing. Your proficiency of hands is pretty good in term of quality of a worker. Life Lv 2 : You can now live in sometimes in the wild without ant problem in hygiene. The house are cleaned without dust with you around. ---- Knife Mastery (Entry) : A total amateur at knife handling at least better than a total loser. Hand Combat Mastery (Entry) : Having some experience at hand techniques, maybe it because of your handicraft and your pitiful past, you are the boss at street fighting. Note : Please note that LV1-10 is the basic of a normal person in Heavenly Ascension, you''re finally in the same level of a normal youth. ---------- -Heavenly Moon Palace : Talent required to be a certain class (Activated Moon Palace). Considered as the supreme talent in this area, mental power is a yes in reality. -Hyper Nimble Hands : Your hand is your thoughts. Mastery and Dexterity is increased easily. Dex +2. (Note :Dexterity is one of special stats, speed and precision of hands) -Omni Spirit Eyes : A uncommon talent that allow one to see more precisely details. Maybe you should become a detective or a worker ? Point : Not bad, you have 2 innate talents and they''re uncommon. Normal person would only have 1] Level 9 ! Level 10 was the threshold to the Martial Artist 1st Stage ! But where could he find a Martial Art ? From the System explanation, he could also level up to LV 11 and be considered as a martial artist. But without a ''cultivation'' technique, he would need more EXP to level up. Depending of the grade, he could halve the total cost of level up and his base attributes would be upward. If his stats in LV 9 was an average 0.9 then with a normal cultivation technique, he would be able to have a stat that reached 1.0. But could he do it ? He didn''t know. Tang Ling finally gave some grains to the farmer, completing his last quest. [You have completed Quest : Grains. +10 coppers and 50 EXP] [You have reached the threshold of Natural Growth. You have unlocked Classes] Classes ? Tang Ling didn''t know about them. As it could heat his mind, the System responded : "In Heavenly Ascension, there''s no such things as classes, classes are types of martial artists. Go find the mayor and get your cultivation technique and unlock the Samshira intent and your class." Ah ! The cultivation techniques are in possessions of the mayor ! Tang Ling began to rush to the mayor. He was really excited to start cultivation, who wouldn''t ? It gave you immense strength. His helpless situation could be somehow solved. "Oh ? Isn''t that Tang Ling ? Why are you here ?" asked Huang Lei, he was quite surprised, He was just resting on his chair just as Tang Ling rushed to disturb him. He looked at Tang Ling and sensed the youthful aura of Tang Ling. "You''re already at Peak Youth ?" the mayor looked at him dumbfounded. Peak Youth was the term used to describe LV10 or the end of Natural Growth, this term was the state where the people could temper themselves as martial artists. The end of Natural Growth usually stopped at 18 but geniuses could stop at 14 to 16 and have a better foundation than others. "Yes, I''ve reached Peak Youth" honestly said Tang Ling. "I''ve heard that you have the cultivation technique that allowed the villagers to enter the 1st stage of Martial Arts so I''m here." "That''s great ! Don''t worry, the cultivation technique is a common good, it is the basic of every artists. Although the villages do no possess these treasures, cities sell these like commodities." Huang Lei took a small scroll out of a shelf. He then gave it to Tang Ling. "This is the Breathing Pattern of Body, it allows people to become a 2nd stage Martial Artist in his peak, Memorize it." The Breathing Pattern of Body scroll only had a single picture and several words. " Breath naturally and sense the ''flow'' in the air. " "Qi is the vitality of life, gather and let it circle " Then there was a simple human body and the qi path that one should open. "Mayor, I''ve memorised" After 12 minutes, Tang Ling memorised it entirely. He handed back to the mayor. "Already ?" asked Huang Lei, it was really fast, this kid had memorised the scroll only after 12 minutes and the average would be around an hour or so. ---- [Congratulation Host to have completely memorised the [Breathing Pattern of the Body] cultivation.] [Breathing Pattern of the Body (Cultivation-type) A basic cultivation technique that is spread all around the world. It full potential can only allow a person to reach LV 20 (2nd Stage). Albeit lacking in potential and might, it is the best method to lay the strongest foundation possible. Effect : reduce EXP requirement by 10% and Qi restoration by 2/min. If cultivated, give 10 EXP in 30 seconds and restore energy if "breathed".] [Name : Tang Ling Lv 10 Class : None HP : 300/300 Qi : 45/45 Mental energy : 5/5 Stamina : 10/10 Strength : 1.1 Agility : 1.05 Constitution : 1.1 Spirit : 1.30 ????] Chapter 12 - Baijiquan Tang Ling thanked Huang Lei and left his residence. He knew that evem if Huang said that it was common, it costed at least a ton of money. A normal commoner wouldn''t be able to buy it, this scroll was an acc.u.mulation of efforts from the village. To let an outsider like him read it, it demonstrated his generosity. Tang Lin returned the village and went to search somewhere quiet, where no one would disturb him and he would practise the ''Breathing''. Tang Ling searched all over the village but didn''t see anywhere he could find peace. Helpless, Tang Ling could only go to the mountain range and train himself against the monsters. The monsters around the village were now too weak for him. He now knew why Imps weren''t considered as a threat to the children. Children were about LV 5-9, they were stronger than LV3 rabbits, LV5 Deers. Only the LV 7 Elite Little Imp are considered as danger but could be easily removed by the LV10 a.d.u.l.ts. This was the strength of 3 levels. After 10 minutes of walk, Tang Ling encountered a bear. [Lorse Bear LV 10 HP : 500 Evaluation : This common bear hunted by experienced hunters, is very dangerous. Beasts naturally overpower humanoid counterparts.] Tang Ling readied his stance with his knife in hand, the bear who saw him started to salivate... This human looked quite good ! thought the Lorse Bear. But indeed, it was stupid as he charged blindly before checking his enemy''s strength. Tang Ling waited for the bear to approach and viciously stabbed many times to the neck and dodged to the corner as the bear swipped his paws. "Yah !" shouted Tang Ling, his fighting experience was small but his wits and battle prowess was quite good; it was like these tactics came from his mind and blood. This shout was to stun or distract the opponent and deal a killing blow to them. PSHA ! The tactic worked and the bear who was looking for Tang Ling was stunned for a few moments but those few moments were enough for Tang Ling to pierce it strong head. [Lorse Bear (LV10) killed. Gained 70 EXP] Tang Ling was excited, it was his first time killing a LV10 monster. The difference was real, LV 9 and 10 were differents. LV 10-11, experienced a qualitative change in strength and monsters who already have stronger body would be even stronger ! Tang Ling rested for a little bit as the fight was quite intense. A single mistake could cost him half of his life. The charge and paw attack of the bear could be fatals and being touched by those attacks was really annoying and dangerous. But here, Tang Ling made a fatal mistake and it was that he let blood flow out of it body. Blood has an unique and strong smell, the many beasts in the mountain range would be attracted as it also meant that someone had died and they could snatch the food if careful. As nature works, the nearest beasts arrived just arrived. [Fox Furret LV 7] [Strong Giant Chicken LV6] [Tiger LV 12] .... There were many types of monsters who appeared ! Tang Ling who was just resting, jumped in fright against all those enemies. Impossible, he could manage to fight against one or two but this many beasts attacking together... He wouldn''t even be able to escape ! Tang Ling put some amateur position and started finding an escape route. None ! Even with his Omni Spirit Eyes, he couldn''t find an exit path. There are 12 beasts surrounding him if he couldn''t one-shot and run as fast speed, he wouldn''t be able to escape ! But the problem was it is very difficult or even impossible to one-shot the lowest monster even if he''s LV 10 ! Tang Ling could only pray his luck. KA ! Tang Ling rushed to Strong Giant Chicken, the poor one couldn''t react so it was stabbed in the head. [Strong Giant Chicken LV6 died gained 70 EXP] Run ! Tang Ling tried to run but as his kill and speed wasn''t fast enough, the beast which was near to his prey attacked him. [Black Leopard LV 12] "Grah !" it roared out of pain but Tang Ling didn''t give it a breath and stabbed it on the other eyes, killing it; its brain was pierced. [Black Leopard LV 12 killed, gained 130 EXP] But the time that Tang Ling used to kill the Black Leopard wasn''t enough, the rest had enough time to approach him and started their ambush. "What the f*** ?! How could beasts develop their intelligence ?" swore Tang Ling. He didn''t know that beasts could use tactics ! Even in Monster raids in Bao Feng City didn''t use them, they were only gatherings of monsters to attack human cities and eat their fleshes; if they were so capable, Bao Feng City would already be fallen long ago. Tang Ling tensed up as he gulped the water in the Lone Dawn Gourd. [Drinking Lone Dawn Gourd(water) +0.3 STR, 0.2 CONS +0.1 AGI] Tang Ling felt like a dragon surging in him and immediately kicked on a random beast and stabbed on the head. [Blue Hex Cat LV9 killed. Gained 70 EXP] Ha! The beasts charged and Tang Ling began to run at his full speed. Pam ! Pam ! Pam ! His speed wasn''t enough ! The beasts were faster than him... He began to despair... Could it be the end ? Swouch ! A flickery shadow appeared and in an instant, every beasts were pulverised in a single breath... Bang ! Bang ! Bang ! The beasts literally became meat pastes... Then after killing the beasts, Tang Ling could finally see the mysterious person who helped him. It was a man of around 188 cm and had a long black hair. The man weared a cloth that had the same style as his clothes but was also different. His demeanor was like a sword, a very sharp one. The man looked at him with some interest : " You''re quite good. Come with me " he then jumped over 25 meters to land on a tree. "Let''s Go !" Tang Ling couldn''t understand the motive of the mysterious man but he still followed him. If the man wanted to kill him, he could just kill him right now and the man just saved his life so he needed to follow him. --- Tang Ling followed the man for 20 minutes before the man stopped. The trip was very tiring, the mysterious would just jump at trees at fast speed and Tang Ling needed to follow him, running for 20 minutes was really exhausting ! Then Tang Ling took a good breath to calm his body and took a look where the man stopped. Here, there was a wooden house that was suspended on a moutain and under it was a waterfall. Although simple, one would feel comfortable and the location didn`t seem to be in a bad space... The waterfall was rich and pure, Tang Ling never saw a waterfall that pure ! "This is my territory, the Above the Waterfall Mansion is the name of my place."smiled the mysterious man. "My name is Huang Bai, the master of this mansion and guardian of Huangs or the Lone Dawn Village." "You''re the guardian of Lone Dawn Village ?"said Tang Ling in disbelief, was he stronger than Forger Wang and Village Head ? These people were so strong that he couldn''t see their levels. Huang Bai seemed to have read his mind and shook his head. "No, I''m only a little bit stronger than them... My position is known in the county of villages. But I''m the master of the Martial Arts of Baiji-quan. I invited in my territory because I want you to learn Baiji-quan." "Baiji-quan ?"asked Tang Ling with a frown. The old man wanted to teach him Baiji-quan ? Tang Ling heard about it, Baiji-quan was also practised in the Lone Dawn Village, kids would train on it to become stronger. "Baiji-quan in the village is a simplified one to lay the foundation to the higher style of Baiji. In Baiji, Yin-Yang is the position, respect the six harmonies of internal and external body and the circulation of Qi." "Baiji-quan is known for its exposive power and fierceness. There is no ''flowery moves'' in all forms; our stances are always strong and flexible, called the Yin-Yang Stance." "Baiji, our moves appears like uncultured and simple but our techniques are fierce. There''s almost no weaknesses shown. Baiji''s forte is in its close combat, people fears martial artists when they''re close but Baiji masters are the most feared." After 15 minutes of explanation, Huang Bai stopped and looked at Tang Ling. "This is the end of my explanations. Take this manual, it teachs about how to circulate your qi according to the Baiqi formulation, it is the core of the explosiveness of Baiqi." [With Master Huang Bai''s teachings, you''ve achieved Basic Understanding of Baiqi-quan] (Note : Initial Comprehension, Basic Understanding, Entry Point, Small Achievement , Great Achivement, Unity and Perfection) [Baiqi-quan -Wu (Wushu Foundation Arts) Of the many martial arts, Baiqi is one of the legendary Wushu Foundation Arts. The particularity of the Wushu Arts are the facts that any stages can train and get marvelous results. Baiqi itself is just an Mortal skill but it meanings are great. It can insert itself in every arts of any stages which boost power of the skill itself. Moves: Taizhong Emperor Fist, Flying Tiger Fist, Hand of King Yama, GuanYing Venerations, Erlang Mountain Shoulders, Sinking, Thrusting, Extending, Entangling, Cross, Inch. Extra : Eight postures Eight movements method Double Eight Postures Eight postures of the dragon style Can be used with straight swords, halberts and spears] (Note : Don''t overestimate yourself ! You''re just at Basic Understanding ! You can only use a few palm moves. Do not seek death to use advanced techniques or use weapons !) Chapter 13 - Accelerate Time and Final Exam Just after he learnt the Wushu Foundation Arts of Baiji-quan, Tang Ling was immediately kicked out of the world to return to reality. "Huh ?" [Log : Host has entered a secret uninterruptable event : Baiji Master of Lone Dawn. As it cannot be interrupted, Time Acceleration (faster than normal) has been executed to let Host finish the quest. Hidden Quest finished. Player has been awarded of Basic Understanding of Baiji and a manual The Player will now be expulsed. Note : the rebound of Time Acceleration is quite big so please do not overuse your body.] "Time Acceleration ? It means that apart from the 1/2 time, the system can also accelerate time so I can finish special quests ?" Tang Ling frowned but his questions remained unanswered. He then woke up but just the action to wake up was quite painful for him. "Is that the side-effect of Time Acceleration ?"thought Tang Ling, it seemed like it. His body wasn''t strong enough to handle more than 2 times acceleration from the Game World. If it was, he would always be in this state, where a small mouvement was difficult. Thank God that after a few stretches, it was possible to walk normally. Tang Ling walked over the kitchen and as always, his sister already left. He sighed but still made some cereals for breakfast. In this breakfast, he realised that his appetite had grown larger. It was definitely because his body was stronger. As he didn''t lack in basic studies, he knew that the stronger, bigger the organism, the more energy it required. That''s why there weren''t any big species, it required more energy for nothing. Beasts here would have small to moderate size but they were fast and strong. Today as an 14 year old, Tang Ling could skip classes but this time he couldn''t. -The Final Exam and the Order Ceremony- At the age 14, people could graduate from school. They could then choose to enter to society or go to university and learn new skills. No, college and university were only for wealthy and geniuses. Although the school teaches about everything to become a civil servant. Universities are for elites ,wealthy and the Orderers. It didn''t matter, he wasn''t rich or a genius so he would graduate from school and with the Game World, he would become more powerful than ever. At 9:00 AM, Tang Ling just left home and arrived to school. The school could be said to be one of the most respectable buildings in Bao Feng City, only big bosses, mayor and some gouvernemental buildings surpass it. After all, it was built by the royal family so even if it was in the middle between the slums and ''presentable'' side, it was good and the education was for everyone and was free. The class Tang Ling was in was the {-Slum Part- Year 14yo}. Yes, the school was divided by two sections; one for the riches and poors. It was a sort of protection to slum persons to offend a powerful person while maintaining the dignity of those bullies. Tang Ling would seldom see these rich second-generation spendthrifts, they would sometimes go bully one small slum child to sastify their sadistics cravings but most of the times, apart from the usual disdain, these spoiled children would do nothing to them. "The Slums classes are in the back building." thought Tang Ling. The back building was where poor people studies and learn. This place wasn''t that shabby either, at least it was better than his room. He then saw Ducke at the entrance. "Ducke, why are you here ?" asked Tang Ling. He was really surprised, wasn''t it the time for him to work ? He already graduated, normally he didn''t have the obligation to attend school right ? "Hey, that''s hurt, I can''t visit you and my old school ?" Ducke said playfully Tang Ling began to walk over the classroom and as he opened the door, he saw numerous familiar faces. Juliette, Mansha, Lorente, Camille, Funi... Wait you said why only the familiar faces are just girls ? Well... He was a guy, right ? No seriously, Tang Ling was at most a loner. His friend consisted of Ducke and... "Tang Ling, you''re here ?" said a young baby-faced boy. Ugh. This boy with a baby face was called Eric Marshall, he was a boy that was bullied by slummers because he had a pretty face. As he couldn''t support the unjust daily treatements against Eric (he was young back then), he went against the three bullies and beat the shit out of them. It was then that he became friends with Eric. "Yeah" Tang Ling said having a strange expression on his face. Even after many years, he didn''t develop any acceptances for this baby-face Eric. Damn, sometimes he regretted that he helped him; but no matter what, Eric was now his friend. "It is kinda sad that after we''ve finish this final exam, we would quit school and won''t see each other often."responded Eric disappointed. Who the hell wants to be with you ?! thought Tang Ling but he didn''t show anything in his face. Riing ! The class has started and a woman with a tired look came into the classes. It was normal in the slum classes, teachers of slummers were victims of tiredness due to inactivity of students and contempt of other teachers. "Well, this is the Final Exam before graduation. Make sure to give your best as it can influence your next job." said Mrs. Di. This was the truth albeit most people would just become slummers, if the student performed extremely well, they could be recruited by a powerful family as an clerk or by the government. But Tang Ling didn''t want to become someone like that, entering the scheming upper circles wasn''t his dream. His dream was to live safely with his sister, as long as she''s safe, he would be fine. Mrs. Di handed the thick question sheets and the exam begun. It was just simple calculation and geometry-thing in mathematics. The exam emphasized more in history and traditions, it seemed more like a brainwash than anything. It was also because of it that his mathematics were mediocre(only LV1). But with the sometime more challenging parts of the question sheets, Tang Ling could feel a breakthrough in his thoughts as he had more clarity in his mind. [Congratulation to Host to level up Mathematics to LV2] [Mathematics LV2 : Simple questions are too easy for ya, with some time and concentration, math problems and mental calculations can be done.] ... After two hours or so, Tang Ling and the rest finished and handed their papers. The exam itself was easy after all, beside the fact that the royal family cared their reputation, the government could scheme so that their kids could graduate to university and inherit their position. The world was corrupt and still existed. After finishing the easy full-course exam, Tang Ling exited the classroom. It should take about a few hours or so before the result is shown. Brokang Empire was endowed with advanced technologies. If it was a normal exam, it would have taken about a few days but the Final Exam was graded by an A.I and an expert. This process was extremely quick, the senior that said that the Final Exam process was fast was right ! Tang Ling took a bottle from a vending machine after paying a quarter of credits. Typically, everyone here was a slummer so few would be spend money for an ''useless'' thing like drinking soda. This situation was also that Tang Ling had. When he was younger, he couldn''t afford to pay the vending machine. But as he grew up and gained some credits, he could sometimes afford to get one in a few days to relax his mind. After all, he wouldn''t perform well if he was stressed, more stress meant less money ! After two hours (for slummers, it was easy to last that long without complaining), the school released the score of the students. The result was projected and Tang Ling could easily find his name. 16th place : Tang Ling 352/400 There were a lot of hardworking students that wanted to change their lives and Tang Ling didn''t belong to them but still had a great results. 16th place to 400 persons was really good. But ''unfortunately'', rich young masters would only take notice of the first top 10 and recruit them. The others would need to scram and maybe work for an unknown shop for a meager amount of money. Tang Ling didn''t take pity on them, this was the trend of slums; sympathy is not needed in this cold place. Chapter 14 - Poking into the hornet nest After he saw his score, better than average but still wasn''t good to attract these cunning merchants, he was very satisfied. This score assured that he wouldn''t be forced by these arrogant second generation boys that wished to gain power. Neither too low that people would despite him because of his score. 450/500 in an easy test like General Graduation Final Exam meant that this person was pretty intelligent. For the slummers, the marks in the Final Exam didn''t change anything. Top 10 was a long dream to many and they feared that all their hardwork would crumble at Top11-12. It wasn''t that slummers were stupid, it was just because they didn''t have the time, money and materials to study. Unfortunately, because of it, slummers were known to be stupid and weak in the entire city (even though most of the citizens were from the slums). It wasn''t his problem anyways. The money he gained from Buo Dong would be money used for investiss.e.m.e.nt and capital. His dream to become powerful and let his sister enjoy her life, this will only start from the capital he will have. As he felt easy, he then heard a laugh, this was strangely familiar... "Hahaha! You''re here Brother Tang. I''m so happy to see you" Oh shit ! It''s this gay-fat-guy who self-proclaimed as his brother(though he agreed), Buo Dong ! "Oh. Hello Brother Buo Dong..." said Tang Ling. Fatty Dong was standing here with a disgusting smile on his face, well his intentions were pure but his face.. Ah! "Yo Brother Tang. I need to congratulate for being at 16th place : 352 in 400 ! It''s really a lot. I only had 300/400 being at 100th and something..." Fatty Dong muttered, it was evident that he was unhappy. "It''s normal ! A 16th is pretty good after all, even in slums ranking it is still better than being at 100th and something..." Seeing the Fatty depressed, Tang Ling couldn''t resist to tease him a little bit. But surprisingly Buo Dong didn''t seem hurt or anything, he happily responded: "Hehehe... At least, my bro is very smart ! Bro, I''ll rely unto you in the future" Hearing this reply, Tang Ling only had one thing in his head : Extremely shameless ! "Hey, did you hear ? The Flower Plucker had again harassed a new girl !" said Student A "Ehhhh ? Again ? This damn lecher don''t know his limit !" said an another student. "Shhhh, don''t you know that the Flower Plucker is Kan Hugu, he wield incredible influence in the city. If he catch you spreading the truth-rumours, you won''t be able to live here again !" Kan Hugu ! Kan Hugu was the son of Kan Kishu, a merchant that gained 80 credits in a day. While he wasn''t the most influential person in Boa Feng City, he was good enough to have his son enter the ''noble'' section of BaoFeng school. The ''Other'' section of the school is not to be offended at any costs. It was also why the rich students could beat other slum people without any problems; they knew that most of them wouldn''t report it and if it is, it would be treated as ''garbage'' no one would listen to the victim''s story. It wasn''t his problem, he was just here to accompany his sister home. After entering his sister''s class, he could see Tang Fuxi waiting for him. She had glasses on her eyes and had a serious expression. "Sis, let''s go home" sincerely said Tang Ling. "Um" Tang Fuxi nodded and began to pack up her things. Then a voice came out : "Ah, that''s a beautiful girl in here. Mind share ?" It was a 15-year boy who had rich clothes. There was a fellow girl classmate which looked terrified at him. As he was 15, he shouldn''t be here, at least, he would normally be in universities or working at his father''s company or something. "Hehehehe... You could ''share'' your sister to me... Or else" the boy approached him with a manovelent expression on his face. Tang Ling had encountered many incidents like that; many guys in the slums were so desperate that they chose a underaged girl to do indecent things, he would beat them up short after. But this time was a different situation : the lecher was a rich son who had terrifying influence. He was certainly the Flower Picker that Classmate A B talked. Then a hand tapped the shoulder of the lecher, it was Buo Dong. His smile looked very dangerous. "Hey~, don''t you think that messing with girls is not good ? Being a pedophile is crime ya know ?" Scary. "Buo Dong !! Why are you here ?" seeing Fatty Dong, Kan Hugu cried. The latter shrugged : "Hey, my brother''s here so may as well follow up. But I, I just saw you.. " "Why did he ran away ?" muttered Buo Dong as he looked depressed. Because you''re scary. thought Tang Ling .... .... Kan Hugu ran as fast as he could and only stopped when he felt safe. 5 kilometers, it was a distance that he never walked before being transported by his father''s car. But today, he did it with his running speed. He felt tired, extremely tired but was somehow happy. Unexpectedly, the adrenaline rush was somehow activated by the current stress. Why did he hid ? Because Buo Dong is infamous name in the school sectors ! Many playboys, gangsters or people who offended him had a misfortune happening. Buo Dong had a great influence, gaining a hundred credits per day without working. His influence was great in the city and his father, CEO of Great Wind Hotel. He had offended Buo Dong for running away but it was still better than staying here. "Damn it ! This dog-family, they deserve to die !" Kan Hugu cursed before calling someone... ... Tang Ling thanked Buo Dong again for his help. Kan Hugu had a small influence, a nouveau-rich in the city but a nobody like him who only gained 2-5 coins a day would have days of sufferings. The wrath of the upper classes are difficult to bear so Tang Ling decided to remember the favour in his mind. After 20 minutes, Tang Ling and Tang Fuxi came back to their home. "Go rest a bit, big brother will go buy some food." said Tang Ling. With his few hundred credits, even though he didn''t invest, they could still afford some higher grade food. Tang Ling went to the Little Variety Grocery (you know, where he was knocked unconscious) and bought a few white bread for a credit and a half each. Then as he returned to home, he felt something was wrong. Innately, Tang Ling could feel danger. When he was a child, he mainly relied at his intuition to escape danger from the slums. With Game Console (stats), he was more clear than everything. -Omni Spirit Eyes : A uncommon talent that allow one to see more precisely details. Maybe you should become a detective or a worker ? Omni Spirit Eyes not only increased effectiveness of the eyes but gave a ''intuition'' of danger or not. It wasn''t as powerful of effective as a pure detection talent but still gave off a weaker effect of it. Or it wouldn''t be called as a talent for detectives. He was almost 3 times stronger than normal humans (1.1 to 0.4) and his intuition was clearer when the danger was less than his strength. It meant that the less detailed, the more powerful the danger, the more detailed, the weaker. He could feel the details so it meant that it was under control. The source of the danger is him ! He could sense a person hiding in the corner wearing a coat ! Swoush ! Tang Ling instantly moved and dodged the bullet; after all, even if he was 3x agile than a normal man, he couldn''t dodge a bullet much less resist it. Mortal flesh couldn''t block the explosiveness of a bullet, so with a quick calculation, he moved before the man aimed and completely missed the target before he would attack him. Tang Ling retrieved his Lone Dawn Dagger from his inventory before taking Baji-Horse Stance and stabbed the dagger in the enemy''s heart. Although he was only at low-level understanding of the arts and that it was incompatible to Baiji, it was still better than nothing ! "You, you !" the assassin pointed at him terrified. It wasn''t the description that this bastard of employer gave him ! A fake ! A wolf disguising as pigs ! With a quick palm strike on the head after the stab, the enemy died and it solved the danger. [You have gained karma] Chapter 15 - Samishira Intent Tang Ling looted the assassin''s corpse before dumping in a trash-dumping location. In slums, brawls sometimes ended with deaths. Gangs would then stop the battle to dispose the corpses, true brothers would get a grave for them but nobodies would just be disposed. There were many ways to dispose a body and patrols would ignore deaths or anything like that as long as it wasn''t in the main streets and weren''t seen by them. Tang Ling reaped a lot of benefits and objects that the assassin had. [Bursting Glock (Common-Fine)- Pistol LV : 3 Damage : 20-100 Range : 3m Casting : Manual-On click Reload : Manual Bonus Effects : Firepower LV1 : Penetrate/ignore armors by 10 A common high-tech gun that shoot bullets very slowly but deals a lot of damage. Perfect for killer. It was produced in a firearm factory as a ''last-resort'' weapon.] [Burst Bullet (Common) - Ammunition +10 damage *30] (Note : Range is the maximum accuracy that the gun can do. Surpass the range and the gun would become inaccurate, hitting sometimes by sheer luck.) (Note +: Damage from guns are base damage and bullets give extra damage. Combined, they can do a maximum of 120 unless headshots) 120 damage ! It was a third of his total HP ! thought Tang Ling. Although it wasn''t dangerous, if it was his old self, he would instantly die (100Hp LV0) or would be gravely injured (almost dead) if shot (150HP LV1). Then he looked at the other things : a notebook, a pair of goggles, a coat and a few coins. [Clear Goggles (Common) : Adjust visibility] [Black Coat (Common) : Bought from a store for rich, it has huge value and can somehow conceal the user in darkness] Tang Ling then opened the book and skimped the content, he learnt that the man was a professional killer which comes from the Ghost Hall organisation which are dedicated to rich peoples to deal with slummers in any outer cities. They were more than a thousand men under the Ghost Hall authority and were spread to every cities. The mysterious man was only a stationary member. ''It''s terrifying organisation !'' thought Tang Ling. Who could have enough power and money to contact with Ghost Hall to deal with him ? Who did he offend ? Then Tang Ling realised that the only person that he offended recently (like an hour or so) was Han Kugu. While Han Kugu didn''t have much capital, it should be enough to afford the lowest man in the organisation ! Tang Ling was now full of murderous intents to Han Kugu as it was now an inappropriate time to deal revenge. Not many of the middle/upper-classes knew that the slums also had retaliation methods ! Tang Ling cleaned himself with some water and then returned home to cook and eat his dinner. After finishing the daily chores, Tang Ling remembered two things : the Samshira Intent and the Karma. Samshira Intent was acquired at the Divine Golden Wheel but never had the chance to use it and he somehow obtained karma from killing the man. He didn''t know the purpose of karma but it should be good for him anyways. Tang Ling layed off on the bed, entering the Game World. He wasn''t worried that he overslept, he would always sleep 8 hours plus he finished the stipulated requirement of schools. At 12 AM, he just needed to attend the closing ceremony of BaoFeng School. Sleep. Sleep... After a few seconds, Tang Ling traveled back to the Heavenly Ascension World. The only thing was he didn''t re-appeared in the Above the Waterfall Mansion''s territory but in the village. Albeit surprised, Tang Ling didn''t take long to get into a corner and began to cultivate the Samishira Intent. He was now LV10 so he could now be able to ''absorb'' the unknown fallen deity intent. ---- The Heavenly Realm, A unknown man looked at the reverend goddess that dictated their domains. She was sitting in a chair made of heavenly wood. Ji Dan Lin, Holy Maiden of Speculation She was a special deity in Heaven as she could communicate with the Heaven''s Will. Human Deities, Gods, Spirit Kings, Demons... They could only meet her once in a lifetime : When ascending to the Ultimate Realm. She had an ethereal beauty and none could deceive her. Unlike her similar counterparts, she was neutral and was good to both good and evil. Even after many Gods and Demons Wars, she wasn''t affected as she held special positions to anyone. "Greetings to the Holy Reverent Maiden of Speculation. This humble servant, Samishira of Purging Sword Sect; the War God Asura Sword by the mortals, wish to obtain his Divine Domain !" said Samishira in reverence. The Divine Lady smiled through her veil and touched a crystal orbs. She then circled the ground; as seems as it was called, the earth shook and an multitude seemingly infinite, began to emerge from the ground. Clouds shook and began to illuminate, even for a god, not many would be able to do this level of complex formation, Much less, calling upon the heavens to aid her. Normal deities could only borrow a strain of Heaven''s power. Calling upon Heaven to focus some attention, it was different. Stars shined in the Primordial Starry Sky* and after a few hours (deities don''t feel time much, an hour or a minute is almost the same), the Holy Maiden finally finished her divinition of Domains. Divinitions could be used by any supreme creatures but the divinition of domains was impossible, much less divinition against gods. Heavenly retaliations would surely follow. (Note : Taken from The Spiritual Attainment of Minghe. It is the origin of powerful stars.) "The Greater and Heavenly Way is all encompassing; everyone has its own roles. Your Domain is : Ashuran Ideals War Domain. The ideals of a better future; the noble sacrifice. Violence can do peace." said the Divine Lady. Samishira trembled. This was his Domain ! She indeed divined his alignment ! He felt that this was his destiny, his path to become this type of Deity ! He stood up and declared : "I, Samishura, declare that I forgo my mortality and accept my rightful Heavenly position. I am now, Samishura the Revolution Deity of Blood. Wars is the way to solve and get world peace ! May the Heaven attest my declaration by His Will !" Bam ! Bam ! Grey clouds appeared and lightnings started to roar in the dark skies as it acknowledged the Divine Domain of Ashura Ideals War. Resounding in all realms of Heaven, indicating a powerful newcomer coming from the mortal world. A seal pierced the clouds and immediately opened his Territory. The territory was fertile yet desolate. Samishira somehow regretted that he declared his existence so quickly, he couldn''t have more time to see Ji Dan Lin. He sighed and mumbled : "I guess that it''s time to work... Also need to meet the Asuras to establish friendly relations..." Chapter 16 - Blazing Heart of Youth and Departure Tang Ling awakened, his back sweating like it was 150 degrees celsius. Damn, this Intent was so powerful ! Cold sweats were everywhere, he could feel the immense power of a deity. Mortals like him could be killed within instants as long as Samishira let off his pressure. Tang Ling looked at the skies, nothing had changed. It meant that what he saw only took about a second to a minute. Terrifying could only be described something like a deity intent. But he still gained some benefits, he felt that his skills had been strengthened and something new blossoming inside him. This new energy felt so powerful but with his little body, he could still control it. [After fusing with Samishira Intent, you have gained Sword Intent, Blood Kill Intent] [Fusing with Samishira Intent gave you {Fiery Hope Heart}] [Sword Intent (0st Form) : Sword Intent from legends ! Albeit acquired from outside help, you managed to achieve your half-understanding sword intent, just need a little bit... Require : Swordsmanship (Peek unto the Door/Junior) if a genius(1st Form) -Sword Intent from legends, cut steel like mud~-] [Blood Kill Intent (Active-Legendary) : Reveal a bloodl.u.s.t intent that will check enemies with weak willpower. Weaker Spirit and Will will terrorize the opponents : Get status [Fear] from I to III depending of stats, decrease 10% battle power. For higher Spirit and Will, no effects or slight hesitation. For weaker opponents (less 50% owner stats), weakened by 70%. Note : This Intent was cultivated by Simashira after he killed one hundred thousand men in a single war.] [Fiery Hope Heart (Special-Unique) : From your disposition, the Intent of Simashira acknowledged you and gave you his most precious treasure-hope. The representation of a better future, your blazing hot heart full of hope can''t be contained anymore. The will to continue is unbreakable, no matter what, you shall accomplish your objectives !] Tang Ling felt a special transformation in his body. His mind felt sharper, his body contained killing experience and he felt a burning sensation at his heart. His heart ''melted'' to replace into a new more powerful heart. [Sword Mastery (Entry) : The sword is moving elegantly and moved where you want.] After experiencing the new transformation in his body, Tang Ling felt revitalised. It seemed that the intent gave him an inexhaustible amount of energy. Seeing the power-ups from the System notifications, Tang Ling was very happy with it. Sword Intent (0st Form) and Blood Kill Intent was a huge gain. But he felt very curious about the Fiery Hope Heart. The System didn''t give him any descriptions of its effect but somehow, Tang Ling felt that this heart was extremely special and mysterious. ''I could Sword Intent in the future and Blood Kill Intent could not be used against stronger opponents but Fiery Hope Heart cannot be gained normally, it is unique. It was a blessing that no one would able to get !'' thought Tang Ling. It wasn''t wrong, from the System descriptions, it was written that it Samishira, a True Deity most precious treasure ! It couldn''t be trash, right ? Tang Ling then went to Forger Wang for new quests. But Forger Wang shook his head : "You''re now strong enough to enter Jianghu, this is your destiny." [Quest Received : The Lone Dawn Youth Departs.] [Description : You''re now old and strong enough to enter the true world of Heavenly Ascension, this small village cannot restrain you anymore. Go talk with the village mayor to explore Jianghu ! Rewards : 50 EXP, ???] Tang Ling couldn''t feel sad, the Lone Dawn Village was very good to him. Even though that he only stayed for 2 days, he had some attachments to it... Under the insistence of Forger Wang, Tang Ling could shut up and go to the village to report. ... "I knew that this time would come but who knew that you would leave so early ?" Huang Luo sighed. He knew that Tang Ling would leave someday but he didn''t expect to be so quick ! "Oh well, I agree to your request and permit that you can leave the village. Your future is promising, don''t let us drag you down." Only to see a few people waiting for him. "Uncle, if you can. Please visit our village in the future" said a boy. "Yeah, we will definitely welcome you with warmth !" said a mother. Tang Ling felt a warm sensation in his body, his Fiery Hope Heart felt warm and delicate. The attention and pureness of the village was so over melting for Tang Ling. He felt emotional, leaving a single tear because he hold back the rest. "Don''t cry my boy. I have a gift for you" a familiar deep voice resounded behind him. Tang Ling returned his body and saw Apothecary, Forger Wang and Sister Tailor Huang. "I wasn''t crying." Tang Ling quickly refuted and added "A grain slipped into my eye" "Hahaha ! We all know that you feel emotional. A grain slipped into your eye ? You''re now a Peak Natural Growth(a.d.u.l.t), almost a Martial Artist. It is quite rare to get a grain on the eyes, coincidentally ''after'' seeing us !" Tang Ling shrugged and didn''t speak. "Well, well. Forger Wang, stop teasing this poor lad. Tang Ling, we''re here to send you some our products to you. Take it."Sister Tailor Huang gave him a refined cloth that looked sturdy yet comfortable. "This is my masterpiece !" proudly said Sister Huang. "It''s is sturdy and comfortable. Extremely good for travel unlike the villager cloth that is easily scratched ! Made principally of Asuran Hou Bear fur, I only made 20 of these in all my life so it''s very good. And out of those 20, only one really truly succeeded. I dare to say that it''s unique around the 50000 miles ! Even the City can''t compare !" [Starry Eight-Direction Traveller Cloth-Upgradable (Magic-Special) LV:10 +100HP +25 Defense Special Effect : Traveller Passion, Increase stamina, reduce stamina of walk, run and horse. -Made by a great artisan named Tailor Huang, it has taken more than a year to create it. The speciality of this traveller cloth is that it is made of the Great Asuran Bear, a strong beast living in the Desolate Plains, believed to be extinct. Of it, it is sturdy like a leather armor and doesn''t limit flexibility, it is also easily repaired convenient; one of the best cloth that a wandering monk could have..] Looking at this stat and description, Tang Ling felt a little emotional. It had taken more than a year to create it ! He didn''t know about the Great Asuran Bear but this thing right here was OP and upgradable. He looked at Sister Huang but couldn''t find words to say.... "Thank you." For him, he believed that superfluous words were cheap and couldn''t be represented to thank of this cloth. Only the simple and most used ''Thank you'' could be represent. Sometimes you don''t need to be complicated, simple words can express yourself. "Well, well, lad. Your contributions and feelings for the village moved us a little so it''s extra rewards." said Forger Wang and he and Apothecary Huang gave him a sword and a black box. "The proof of your sincerity and the gift to become renowned in the GodSword City." said Huang Mu. +25-50 damage A high-quality straight sword that has been tempered a hundred time. It has a sign of Lone Dawn, Forger Wang quality swords. Note : It''s very compatible to Bajiquan arts !] [Huang Medicinal Black Box (Common) The container of medicine ! Every medicine refiner need to have a hermetic box that would preserve their pills/medicine effects. Immediately craft bandages if put the good materials Effect : Store items to block the medicine scent for a year !] Tang Ling looked at them; he knew that they have good intentions. The Apothecary gave him this box because he knew that he would be hurt sometimes so he designed a crafting bandage box and it could preserve his healing herbs if he was hurt. Forger Wang knew that he practised Baiji so he gave a compatible sword and it was good as he had the half-formed Sword Intent. "I don''t usually forge good spears so I can only give you this sword" said the forger. He then went to the exit of the village and said to everyone : "Goodbye everyone. I, Tang Ling will leave this village for new adventures but I, promise : I will return to this village and see you again !" He then left. He couldn''t bear the pain of leaving this village but he somehow had the vague intuition that he had to go here; the City. In his journey, he could see plains and valley. He then remembered a quote from a book of his father. "Seasons pass and flowers falls. We, the people will change and change. Time awaits no one. I must go and you must stay. Black and White. May we meet again, my friend." [The Lone Dawn Youth Departs quest completed +50 EXP] Chapter 17 - Journey to Gods Blade It was said that GodSword City was located before a godly sword that could destroy heaven and earth. But that''s just fiction, in truth, GodSword City was surrounded with overflowing Qi and a part of the city was located as a concentrated part of ''blade'' energy. But that''s not the problem for now, Tang Ling had to travel to the GodSword City with a letter in his Inventory. 100km to go. With a map bought from a travelling merchant for 100 coppers, he could see many cities-checkpoint or something. In his way, he could see monsters but they were weak. Very weak. But he still took his time to collect their meat in fur and placed in his backpack. He only had 6 slots, he couldn''t waste it right ? After an hour, Tang Ling finally reached the nearest village. He was really grateful of the service shown by the villagers but also to his Sister Tailor Huang. This robe was boosted ! It gave him extra stamina and reduced his consumption of it. After staying in the village for a few minutes to rest and sold the fur and meat for a cheap price as an ''extra'' for the sincere treatments. The fur and meat was pretty good but it was from low-leveled beasts so it wasn''t valuable; he gained about 1 silvers from it. (Author Note : 1 gold = 100 silvers = 10000 coppers) Tang Ling left the village and continued his journey. "Dammit, I actually have to travel 100 km ?!" cursed Tang Ling. What the hell, while he could run 10 kilometers without breaking a sweat, 100 was still too much ! After an hour or so, Tang Ling saw a mysterious rabbit on a rock. The rabbit was purple and had red eyes, as he didn''t have enough knowledge he didn''t know what species was it. But he knew that it wasn''t a normal rabbit. Beasts here were around LV 8-15 and usually alone. It was why Tang Ling could advance quickly. Tang Ling readied his sword before the cute rabbit easily transformed into a giant beast. Under combat, the System gave him the opponent name. [Chaos Rabbit LV10 (Field Boss) HP : 3000] Chaos Rabbit ? Tang Ling didn''t know what was it (well he didn''t know anything...) but the rabbit here was a huge threat. 3000 HP wasn''t something he could take care easily. Tang Ling readied a posture; the Eight Postures and immediately used the Eight Posture Mouvements to approach the opponent. The Void Rabbit reacted at this closing-gap and swung his paws against him. As he was too fast, the attack failed to reach its target and Tang Ling immediately the speciality move of Inch. BAM ! The punch-power was intense and the Void Rabbit immediately lost its stability and began to struggle. Tang Ling didn''t let the monster regain its equilibrium and used his straight sword slash at his opponent. "Ya !" Under these unnatural sword moves, was imbued of the profound wisdom of Baiji and Sword Intent. After a unleashing all his qi power against the beast, the beast was filled of wounds but was still struggling to be alive. But Tang Ling finished it with a stab on its head. [Chaos Rabbit LV10 killed, gained 5000 EXP] [{Chaos Creatures} Info gained] [You have gained 10 slots in Inventory] [Level up (LV12!)] [ Calculating stats.... Name : Tang Ling Lv 12 Class : None HP : 350/350 (+100HP) Mental energy : 7/7 Stamina : 4/10 Strength : 1.3 Agility : 1.2 Constitution : 1.2 Spirit : 1.40 ????] [Chaos Creatures : Chaos Creatures are born from the Chaos itself. Mysterious creatures, they take the power-level of the first person they see and are more powerful than the normal stage. These Chaos Creatures have the habit to create havoc in the world so it''s a great merit to slay those wretched creatures !] Although exhausted, Tang Ling felt a huge sense of accomplishment. He had gained 10 slots of Inventory afterall ! He was also a little curious about these Chaos Creatures, they seemed very dangerous but how could someone handle them, they were 10x time stronger than normal and they copied their cultivation and he wondered; did Chaos Creatures had any orders or hierarchy ? Tang Ling then continued the travel, in his way, he saw a ranch in the road. There was a old man and a young girl taking a few horses with them. They seemed desolate and sad. Tang Ling approached them and asked : "Uh. Old man, what''s happened ?" It was pretty strange, the ranch looked fine so why the family seemed so sad ? "Young man, you see, this land is owned by the Red Pass, but our land has long been desolate and our business is pretty much dead. We don''t have enough finance to keep us living anymore. So we need to abandon this land and go to a random town to work." said the frail old man. "Cough ! Cough !" "Grandpa !" the little girl cried. It was the disease that grandpa had but didn''t have enough money to get himself cured ! Looking at the sick old man, Tang Ling panicked a little bit; while he lived in the slums, he still maintain a good heart. It was after a few situations that he lost hope in society. Tang Ling looked at the old man and attested its state. He then went searching for a few herbs to then crush it with a his palm and reduced it to powder. [Cold-Calming Powder (Common-Trash) (Etc) A medicine made of Fin Flowers which is known for its all-resistance. Crushed into powder with several mild ingredients, it is a good way to relieve cold for old and young; it also have a minor effect to cure a certain extent of ailment or bad status.-20% effectiveness as it was made in the wild.] After finishing his work, a bead of sweat could be seem on Tang Ling''s forehead. He then gave it to the girl : "Take this, mix it with water then let your old man drink it. This will help him alleviate the cold." The old man trembled and said :"Mister, you''re a doctor ?" Tang Ling smiled but shook his head : "No, wandering travellers need to have a basic understanding of medicine like this to survive. I''m far from the great profession of Doctors" Then he gave a few silvers. "Mister ! You can''t give us your money ! It''s too precious ! You''ve already helped us !"said the little girl. Seeing the uneasy girl, Tang Ling grinned. "Who said I donated ? I want a horse !" Chapter 18 - Red Pass -Exit of the Last Scene- Tang Ling knew this poor family would just sell this horse for about 50-100 coppers in max. While the horses were good, presently they were weakened by hunger. He knew that he had wasted a lot of money and it wasn''t worth it but he still gave it; he hoped that this family would be able to live well. He then looked at this faminished horse. Poor horse... Tang Ling let the horse eat his fill as he needed it to travel to the Red Pass. Fu Village (weaker than Lone Dawn), Red Pass and Red Reminiscence Town and GodSword City ! Red Pass was just the pass of Red Reminiscence Town, but it was like a camp or semi-town. "Hello friend, mind take a break ?" a guard stopped him with a friendly face. Tang Ling sized him if he had any ulterior motives but didn''t found one. A another good habit from the slums. "Sure."Tang Ling accepted the invitation and followed him in the camps. He followed him in a house, presumably the guard house. The guard introduced himself as Bu Fan and for a few minutes, they exchanged pleasantries and Tang Ling listened to the guard story. Bu Fang was a villager who was enrolled to be guard in this camp for 30 coppers a day. In these times, he would only train and stop villagers to pay a toll of a copper to the Pass. But now, there were many beasts appearing the surroundings while it is not seen, it could destroy the camp or at least suffer a lot of casualties in the future. So he got in the point : "Traveller, if you have the time, can you kill some monsters to relieve our burden, if you also can, find the origin of these monsters attacks. Don''t worry, our captain is very generous." [] [Red Pass Beasts Rampage. Difficulty : Medium- Hard Beasts is attacking the Red Pass Camp ! It is very dangerous for both villagers and guard and can potentially affect the economy the Town. Kill the beasts or find the reason of the beasts raids, the captain will give rich rewards. -Kill 50 Beasts (0/50) Optional : Find the reason of the raid OR eliminate/fix it Failure : Killed before submitting the quest. Rewards : 5000 +EXP, gain Bu Fang favorability, reputation in the Red Pass and Red Town, ???] Tang Ling looked at the rewards and the conditions, it was very good so he accepted. "Rest assured, young soldier Bu Fang. I will kill the beasts and if I can, find the origin of these beasts raids !" Bu Fang looked at him; it was clear that he was ecstatic. The quest that leader handed would be completed. He didn''t have any expectations for this one to find the origin but he still relied on him to do less work. Tang Ling sighed, he was somehow worried about this guy but the quest was accepted so he couldn''t change anything about it. Tang Ling stood up and said : "Well, it''s time to complete your request. I gonna see if they''re something I can take in the Red Pass Market" to Bu Fang and left the stone house. --- The Red Pass Market was a live market that was available to everyone but was more axed to deliver military stuffs. The merchants knew that the Red Pass was a militia camp so they used this fact to sell everything a soldier would need in case of battle. Weapons, armors, consumables ect. Everything could be seen in the Market. Tang Ling knew that these items were always more expensive than their city''s counterparts but still bought things. The trip to Red Reminiscence was long and he could still afford some extra charge right ? Tang Ling bought a few potions and a better boots, gloves and a spear. [Potion of Small Recovery (Common) *10: Restore 50HP instantly, cooldown of 20 seconds. Recommended for LV1-10] [Red Fire Boots (Common) LV 10 +10 Defense A common militia boot that is used by guards of the Red Reminiscence Town. It is has a very striking style] A mass-produced glove from the well known family of blacksmiths. It is able to deflect or minimize damage from an attack by 50 damages. Easy to wear and comfortable.] Potions were similar to bandages but bandages healed over time and potions recover immediately. So the potions are more valued as it could solve many dangerous situations, the downside of it (explained by Apothecary Huang and his Father) was it couldn''t be drunk so often as it contained toxins and it was hard to expel them. They also have a different cooldown so using bandages and potions was a good combinaison. [Infantry High Spear (Common) : LV 10 +20-30 damage A infantry spear that is used in wars. It has a long length and weight about 10kg. It made of processed iron and common wood. It at least is a better quality of a poor soldier.] The Spear itself was pretty trash compared to his sword but he still bought it. Baiji-quan was centered about the spear, it was compatible with the sword but spear was still the best. He was pretty curious about how he would fare with this weapon; it could be used a emergency weapon ? Tang Ling was pretty happy for these items, it cost 10 silvers; taking a huge blow to his wallet but it increased his survivability and battle prowess. He then headed off the Red Pass to hunt the beasts. .... Just after a few minutes, Tang Ling saw a beast walking over him. The beast was a lion-headed animal which also had a green tail; possibly poison. The beast''s eyes was red like it was berserk. The lion-headed beast was surprised; shouldn''t this human tremble and try to defend or run away so that he would chase him like a cat ? How could he attack him ? Surprise gave a breath of time to Tang Ling to close and began to slash the beast with his sword. The continuous burst of power was terrifying, the lion-headed couldn''t even make a single move before being finished by Tang Ling. [Lion-Headed Mush LV 14 killed +100 EXP] Now he knew how difficult how EXP gained. He was extremely lucky to have encountered the weak Chaos Rabbit that gave him 5000 EXP... To gain 5000, he needed to kill 50 Lion-Headed Mush and he could not always use the same surprise tactic. The other kills were the same, same old tactic, just some more difficult than others... After the 47th kill, Tang Ling saw a cave. The cave had an eerie feelings and was very dark. It reeked of danger, his senses told him. Chapter 19 - Jugun Tang Ling entered the cave, with his Omni Spirit Eyes, he knew that this place was dangerous but also an opportunity. There were traces of claws, a lot of them. It also had a heavy scent of wild that only beasts and plants had. The cave looked normal, even little from the outside but entering it, he could see large crystallins and the height of the cave was at least 10m. "There is a higher energy concentration here..." In the cave, it had a strong pressure, not from an aura but from an energy concentration. But what was it ? Tang Ling could knew because the System gave him an explanation. [Martial Artists are interchangeable; at LV 25 they advance in a higher rank namely : Houtian Disciples and this energy helps them in their cultivation : Hou. The Hou Energy is also extremely helpful to lower-tier and can help build foundations.] Tang Ling couldn''t find more informations about Houtian Disciples but he knew that this energy was good for him. He operated the continuous breath qi-absorption of the Breathing Pattern of the Body. Just as the System said, the Hou energy was helpful and the exhaustion of his body from the battles, recovered as fast speed; at least 3x normal time. "Hou..." After a few minutes of meditation, Tang Ling ended and came back on his feet. "This meditation was truly quick." He then walked deeper in the cave cautiously, awaiting for any beasts to ambush him. Indeed, just after he walked, a jaguar appeared and pounced at him. Tang Ling then took his spear from the Inventory, and stabbed the spear on the beast. He then retreated and swung the spear, slashing the beast and finally an another stab on the beast before it died before it could retaliate. [Black Jaguar LV 14 killed +80 EXP] ''Wow ! This spear is truly great !'' Tang Ling thought. Without any forms or practise, he could use the spear to kill. The length of the spear was the cause; he could attack at a range where the enemy couldn''t and it was why it was easy to kill the beast. Tang Ling put away the spear and took out the sword; although the spear was great, it wasn''t suitable in cave-like region where space was limited and he was more proficient at the sword. His sword mastery reached {Entry} level but his spear didn''t even reach {Basic}. The cave was full of beasts lurking around... Just in 10 minutes, Tang Ling had already slayed twenty beasts; it meant a beast would appear at every 30 seconds in average. It was so repetitive that Tang Ling didn''t even think as an ambush ! Tang Ling finally entered a room; it was the only one in the entire cave (just full of holes). He was gobsmacked when he looked at the creature in front of him. It seemed like it was a f.u.c.k.i.n.g bastard child of a plant mixed with a human. It was not even in the normal ''level'' of interaction between races. It was just... Tang Ling really couldn''t bear to see this horrible sight; this was at the level of a Mistake of Nature Itself. But with his Omni Spirit Eyes, he could see *literally* everything... But there were a problem here... The man-plant thingy contained about tens beasts in its stomach and these beasts were lying here sleeping quietly... No.. It felt that they were drained of their energies and consciousness.. "How dare you to intrude into my territory !" the voice reverberated in the cave, it came from the giant half-plant-human. Without giving Tang Ling a chance to speak, the half-man attacked ! "DIE !" As he said this word, roots rushed to him from the ground ! With the plants attacking him, Tang Ling ducked out and sent a slash to the vines. Pang ! No use, the attack only left a single scratch. Tang Ling retreated to step on a proper ground to fight but he didn''t have the chance to before being attacked by an another vine. (The plant bastard is able to control many plants !) thought Tang Ling as he dodged and once again slashed against it. This time, it was effective and the vine was cut and died... It seemed that only the main one was indestructible; at least for his strength. Just before he could reach his target, an another vine attacked him again ! With this, Tang Ling was 90% sure that it was afraid of him attacking the bastard human-plant. It somehow occured that he could use {Heat} from the Flame Manual (weakened). "{Heat} !" Tang Ling shouted, his blade began to be covered with a small orange aura, and it started heating... It''s probably the combination of {Heat} and {Sword Intent (0st Form)}. The cut was deeper than before and marks of burn could be seen, the strongest vine shrieked and fled to the nearby source of water. Using this opportunity, Tang Ling took his spear and threw to the plant, piercing it and immobilizing it. Tang Ling felt relieved that he somehow took care about this threat; it was the strongest and by immobilizing it, he could now take care of the plant-human bastard. [Spear Mastery (Basic Insight) has been achieved.] Tang Ling then rushed to the bastard person and swiftly cut every plants that tried to stop him. Just after 10 seconds, Tang Ling arrived to the controller and stabbed his hilt to the human-shaped monster which was connected to the ''tree''. His guess was right, the attack went through the man and cut him. "ARGH!!!" The human-plant screamed; this attack was effective ! Tang Ling then swung again his blade against the plant and the human alternatively. This caused huge pain (and damage) to the monster. The vines were useless against him as he cut them like butter and after a few minutes of torture, he finally killed it. [Plant-Human Bastard Variant LV 19 killed +5000 EXP] [New Information Acquired ! Half-Vine-spike] [Half-Vine-spike : The creature that is born from the conscious of a plant bread with an another species. Half-Vine-spikes are born in the mother belly; its birth kills its mother. They gain the ability of a vine-spike and some abilities (weakened) from their mothers. As they are ugly and half-half, they are rejected from every societies. They also have a mindset of killing or doing bad things that affect karma.] [You have killed a Variant (Mutated)! Left alone, it would kill a hundred people before being subjugated by pugilists. By eliminating a future threat, you have gained some karma from heaven.] [You have obtained Jugun Core (Purified)] [Level UP (12 to 14)!] Karma ! He gained karma from killing a murderer, and now gained karma from subduing a mistake from nature... With this, he knew that by killing someone evil would gain him karma but he still didn''t understand what was karma... "Thank you adventurer, I''m grateful of your help." A giant lion came out from nowhere and spoke these words. "Huh ? How could you..." Tang Ling was extremely surprised, how could a beast speak human language ? "Speak ? No, my species tongue is not compatible to human tongue. I am a spiritual beast; different to normal ones. Spiritual beasts are way more stronger than normal one and can understand human language. I''m now speaking in your mind." "Telepathy ? Then what do you want ?" Tang Ling was surprised but soon regained composure and cautiously asked. "Good, you''re quite the brave and strong one here. I am the Spiritual Guardian of this area; Herculean Heart Lion. I thanked you because you liberated from the Half Vine-spike grasps. You see, I am always sleeping and this low-tier plant managed to grip me in and absorbed my energy; without you, I would be devoured of my cultivation without knowing why." "Oh ?" Tang Ling now understood why it mutated into a strong monster, it was absorbing this lion''s strength. [Herculean Heart Lion (BOSS) LV 35 HP : 500 000? Qi : 1000/1000? Attack : 500-1500? Def : 500 ? Skills : ???? The Beast Guardian of the area. He rules the beasts and control the beasts so that they aren''t exterminated.] Strong ! This beast could kill him in a single hit and he can''t deal a single damage to the lion ! It wasn''t in the same level anymore. "As a reward to have subdued this monster, I shall give you a reward. Come here." The lion extended his paws. Tang Ling approached it, and Herculean Heart Lion gave him a jade. "This is a Disaster Guard Jade. It is used as to protect an area from natural disasters. Often used by chiefs or town mayors, it can help them reduce the damage that a natural occurrence do. But it''s best to give it to this small one." The lion pointed to the Jugun Core (Purified). "I don''t have any needs about this, this item can give enough energy to this spiritual beast." ''Spiritual Beast ?'' Two descriptions appeared on his view : [Disaster Guard Jade (Rare-Special) No Level Restriction. Guard against human disasters and weak natural phenomena. It can be used to awaken spiritual beasts.] [Jugun Core (Purified)(???) No Level Restriction "Well, I am now taking my leave." The Herculean Heart Lion looked at him and then roared to some beasts and went out the cave. Tang Ling then decided to put the jade into the core and waited for the hatch. After going out of the cave, he could see dawn. He then waited; the 16 hours was up. "Ding ! Host will now disconnect in 3...2....1..." Chapter 20 - Orderers Tang Ling woke up, he could see the sun looking at him. He then checked the clock : 7 am. The graduation ceremony will happen at around 11 to 12 am. There is still time. Tang Ling finished his breakfast and then went out. This time, he needed to deal with this rich bastard. Kan Hugu, he knew that second-generation bastards were all arrogant and the slightest offence was harsh. This time, it was a lowest-tier assassin, maybe the next time it would be a higher tier or even he would attack his sister. The search of his section wasn''t long, Kan Hugu was notorious in the city for his harassing. His activities were mostly in the Middle District. It was more easier to find his house, in a huge stone plate were written : KAN. Tang Ling then took the black cloak that the killer gave out. It was still 7:30, there were still shadows in some corners... Tang Ling used his boosted strength to jump over the 2m wall and ran to the shade of a tree before crawling at the side of the house. As Han Kugu''s family wasn''t rich enough to a bodyguard, Tang Ling could easily sneak in and went undetected. The windows were open and flashy, it was summer and the temperature was 15 Celsius. For these rich people, it was too hot. Tang Ling convienly entered the house and swiftly hid under the stairs. The cloak provided additional cover as it could mistaken for an object. As he waited a perfect opportunity, he heard a conversation between servants. Servants in middle-classes families were usually people from the slums that they picked to do the house chores for food and clothes. "Young Master Kan seems a little strange" "Yeah, I''m a little worried, if anything come to Young Master..." "Well, we could run away too" "Silence ! Young Master is just upstairs of you ! What if he could hear you ?" "Hiii !" These words scared the two servants and immediately after, they ran away to do their work. .... After two minutes of making sure that there were no one, Tang Ling climbed the stairs and stood by a door. From the servants discussion, Kan Hugu was in the second floor. Tang Ling looked carefully the second floor, it was large corridor with five rooms. Rich families naturally had more but the Kan Family didn''t have the money to get a larger house. He went close to each doors and tried to hear something that would indicate Kan Hugu''s position. There weren''t any sounds in the first, second, third room At the fourth door, he could hear some noises but no voices so he couldn''t determine if it''s the young master or not. He headed to the fifth room but could hear nothing. Thus, it was decided that Kan Hugu was in the fourth room. Tang Ling quietly knocked the door, to see if it was really him. "Why are you here ?" the voice was really familiar : it was really Kan Hugu ! Tang Ling copied the typical servant A voice and said : "I''m here to deliver some fruits." "Ok." said Kan Hugu while Tang Ling sighed in relief. He was lucky that this second generation kid doesn''t give a sh** about servants or the likes, at least cared less than the average rich kid. Indeed, Kan Hugu didn''t give a shit about servants he felt that these people were all the same and didn''t even bother to memorize their faces. The door opened and Tang Ling immediately readied his gun and pointed at the dazed young master. "You..." Kan Hugu was shocked but then panicked : "Wait... wait ! I can gi.." Tang Ling didn''t even let Kan Hugu finish his words as he fired the shot on the head. BAM ! The young master head exploded in two. Not literally, but the burst of power created a fountain of blood from the little hole. ''Hypocrite, you thought that I don''t know your machinations ?'' thought Tang Ling. Of course he knew what Kan Hugu wanted to offer. Money, he estimated about 1000-1500 credits. It was more than Fatty Dong gave him but he also knew that he would have his revenge. Life was still better than money right ? [Kan Hugu LV 0 killed +1 EXP] ... This Kan Hugu was truly weak. He somehow had the feeling that it was only by graces of the System that multiplied Kan Hugu experience to get 1 EXP... Tang Ling looked at his smartphone : 10 o''clock. He needed to run; the school was about an hour of walk to get here. Tang Ling rushed to the school at full speed, it only took 30 minutes to come in school. Why did he rush in the school if he had time ? The reason was simple : the graduation ceremony wasn''t the most important in the school but rather the Orderers Ceremony. "Huff... Huff... It''s damn exhausting !" muttered Tang Ling. At least, he was sure that he wasn''t late. "Tang Ling !" he saw Fatty Dong waving at him like an excited child. Tang Ling waved at him back and went to sit on his place. 20 minutes later, the graduation ceremony began. The ceremony was simple, for ones who donated more than 5000 credits to school, they would get a personal ceremony where the teacher would give him/her a certificate and blablabla... As for the others, their name would be written in the screen and they would get their certificate after the ceremony. It only passed 30 minutes before every rich kids passed the ceremony and the poor students received their graduations. Now, it was time for the Orderers Ceremony. The Orderers Ceremony was even more important than the graduation. Every students were required to participate as a spectator. The goal of this event was simple : Present the Orderers. But the importance and money invested in it was huge. Orderers were so rare that sometimes there were simply no one in two year. There was even a case that a city didn''t have any Orderers for 10 years ! 10 years ! Despite the Empire giving a slight attention to this matter and the City itself renting a Protector, this caused continuous attacks to the city; out of 49 attacks that they suffered, 25 were in this time period ! It showed how an Orderer was important ! "Orderers are honoured defenders of this realm. They have superpowers bestowed by heavens to protect their citizens..." the Headmaster Leo started his ramblings about how great the Orderers are. Just as Tang Ling was tired of the Headmaster''s speech, he stopped and presented the newly awakened Orderers. "I will now present you the prides of Bao Feng School !" exclaimed Headmaster. Five students stepped forwards. "Benjamin, Jessica, Seha, Samuel and Jane !" Every time, it was the same. The soon to-be Orderers would always be nobles. In this city, the people who will become Orderers were separated in two categories : ones who has a trash-talent but use a massive amount of elixirs or ones who have a certain degree of talent and use some secret medicines to awaken as an Orderer. Chapter 21 - Regeants Hello readers, I know that updates aren''t that frequent and I disappeared for a few months... The only explanation : problems. While I can''t explain it properly, I am letting you know that though it''s technically ''dropped'', I will still continue to this project. It is just that I can''t maintain a respectable constant updates so I guess that I''ll upload when I have enough time For the novel, as you may see in new chapters, the quality has dropped a little. It''s just the rehabilitation period as I didn''t produce much contents about it. There''s also some great flaws in the novel which I want to correct but I guess I''ll correct it in later chapters. I won''t bother with you anymore. Happy reading ! -------------------------------------------------------------------- It has been an hour since the Orderers were presented and praised by the teachers. Normally, the students would now go home but officials from the Inner City stopped them. They could only stay here for now... A officer came to them and shouted : " Come into a single line ! You will now enter this door." Hearing the high-rank officer talking, the students immediately gathered into a straight line in a hierarchical settings. The richer, the closer; the poorer, the farther. They were then reintegrated in the gym. But a person was waiting by the scene, he had possessed an aura of authority that made the young ones feel to bow to him. After they sat on their seats, the man began to speak. "Hello, students of Bao Feng Academy. I''m Mu Xi, Intendant of the Coral Sea City." the man glanced unto the crowd and said. Just as he introduced himself, he could see countless gasps about this. Even Tang Ling was surprised ! Coral Sea City was an inner city of the Brokang Empire. The Inner City of Coral Sea was the direct superior to the Boa Feng City and the outer cities were under its territory. Intendants are one of the highest position in the Inner City. Their jobs is to supervise the activities of the city and its subordinates cities (a.k.a outer cities). They even hold immense powers in the city so it wasn''t a surprise that even in the Boa Feng City, Intendants hold more power than the mayor itself ! In fact, Outer Ambassadors, District Supervisor (lower-tier positions) of an inner city had as much power of a mayor of a outer city ! Mu Xi continued : "You''re very lucky ! Yesterday, His Highness, the Third Prince had waged war against the Second Prince and gained twenty outer cities ! To celebrate this event, His Highness ordered that every students in His Territory will gain a fusion regent ! " Fusion Regent ! It was something that couldn''t even be bought by money ! The official market price of the fusion regent was a two hundred and fifty thousand credits but in the black market, it could even be sold to three hundred thousand ! Three hundred thousand was a lot. For people like Kan Hugu, they would never dream about the regent. Even for tycoons in both inner and outer cities, it would place a burden in their finances ! For these Bao Feng''s prides to become a Orderer, they needed to consume Fusion Regents. Fusion Regents were needed to awaken their powers. Unless one was a genius, it was primordial to buy it to awaken. The effects of the Fusion Regent was simple, it strengthened the body to become suitable vessel of the Order power. Then depending on luck or talent, they would be able to acc.u.mulate the supernatural energy and become an Orderer in-training. Just after Mu xi said, countless bottles of regents began to fall from the ceilings; one for everyone. "The bottles are locked for three hours before it can consumed. Do not try to open it, they would be rendered useless before the 3 hours countdown. Dismiss !" the Intendant added before returning back to his car. Tang Ling didn''t try to steal, grabbed one for him and inspected with his [System] Identification. [Fusion Regent (Lower Rare-Special) LV : 0 Effect : Create a Sub-Class : Fluxer.] Fluxer ? Not an Orderer ? Tang Ling was slightly confused, in his entire life, he was told that this regent could make him awaken as an Orderer, not a Fluxer ! Was it a scam or did the System malfunction ? No, it wasn''t possible. The government would never lie the populace; plus it touched the pride of the royal family, the System wouldn''t lie or malfunction either. It only meant that his knowledge is flawed but how ? Tang Ling quickly cleared his thoughts; it wasn''t time to think about it. Time would tell and ''concentrating'' on the bottle felt extremely weird... Tang Ling then quickly left the gym and went home; just like anyone else. He was eager yet calm about it. Even if he didn''t awaken as an Orderer he still had the [System], right ? ... Just as he left the school, he could see Fatty Dong looking at him mischievously. "Look at what we have here..." Tang Ling understood this Fatty true nature just after seeing him for a few times so he said : "Speak. What do you want now ?" "Look at what we have here..." Tang Ling understood this Fatty true nature just after seeing him for a few times so he said : "Speak. What do you want now ?" "Hehehe, just two, three days. You already know me."Buo Dong snickered but soon gave way to a sad expression. "My father decided to migrate to the Inner City so I don''t know if I can meet you again." after a few seconds Fatty Dong finally spilled the beans. Tang Ling felt a slight tinge of sadness, this Fatty was pretty good to him (1000 credits) but he still replied : "We will meet again. Goodbye" Buo Dong looked at him and sighed : "Thanks." Chapter 22 - Intelligent Scheme ?... Impossible ! Saying goodbye to Fatty Dong didn''t feel good. Albeit he just met him for a few days, he was still fat cash cow that he could rely on. Tang Ling returned home and saw Tang Fuxi with a couple of "friends", holding a bottle of Fusion Regent. [Diluted Fusion Regent (Common-Special) LV : 0 Description : A diluted version that sometimes appear in the dark market. But don''t compare to the common knock-off products (have 30% effect with side-effect) which is sold to rich people ! This is a original product made of advanced technology which has 60% of the intended effects with no side-effect.] Diluted Regent ? Did his sister get a regent ? But why is it diluted ? Tang Ling frowned and checked her classmates regents. [Super Diluted Fusion Regent] [Diluted Fusion Regent (57%)] [Diluted Fusion Regent (62%)] None of them had the real version of it that the graduated students had(albeit being mass-produced and only having 75% effect). The average effect was only 52%. It could be said that his sister was lucky ! Tang Ling didn''t understood why he received a 75% fusion regent but his sister got a 60% diluted fusion regent. But after he thought carefully, he was finally enlightened and understood the inner working of the distribution : Graduates were lucky as they graduated about the same time of the Third Prince''s victory and got a full version regent. The others who didn''t graduate weren''t lucky and got a diluted one. There were also a matter of luck here, if he was lucky he could get a higher effectiveness regent but unlucky, less. If one became an Orderer, it meant that he had a good talent and luck ! It would also means that either he was super talented or he was very lucky and happened to have a decent talent. After all, luck was also a type of strength. Tang Ling began to feel respect to the Empire''s scheme (or the Third Prince), by spending a little of money, it allowed geniuses born from humble households to show their talents and join the ranks of His Highness. The newly-awakened Orderer will also never betray him as he was the one who gave "life" to them. Without him, they would become a petty thief or died of hunger or similar cases. Increased Orderers meant more power to his Territory and meant that he would more likely gain the Throne ! The Separation of Power was common thing in Brokang Empire, the heirs (or princes) when born, are fated to snatch power. The princes would normally get their bases and conquer cities through ''soft'' and ''hard'' manners. They would battle each other and kill to have more territory as more territory meant a higher chance to get the Throne and it was more brutal as the Emperor is now 470 years old and could die/abdicate at anytime*. When he abdicate the Throne (death), violent wars will truly start and the last Prince (or King) remaining will become Emperor of Brokang. Principalities weren''t a joke, Princes were gods in their territory; everyone knew that. *Emperors can only reign for a maximum of 500 years. But in the history of Brokang, only one had truly reigned for 500 years : The First Emperor. The others would, in average, abdicate or die at 400 years of reign. It was pure luck that the current emperor could live this long. ( More would be explained later.) Scary. With this in mind, Tang Ling reminded himself that the Empire wasn''t truly simple and he should be careful when dealing with empire''s officials. If he wasn''t quick witted, he would never know how deep the waters a Prince had in this city ! --- The Intendant Mu Xi was standing on the hard wooden floor for about 20 minutes, waiting for someone. A black shadow came to him and said : "You''re really mean to them. Giving such a big hope to them, you really gave them diluted/mass-produced regent ? Even I, would need two 87% fusion regent to awaken. Giving them a single 80% and less won''t give them a chance to become a Fluxer." Mu Xi snorted : "Humph. They are just commoners, even if you gave them the rare 90% regent, it would still fail." "Sigh. You, and your so-called ''superior bloodline''... You actually dared to replace the bottles that Third Prince gave and replaced with inferior bottles. the shadow seemed to have opened his mouths but also didn''t. "What do you even think ? These pieces of trashes would just waste the ressources, we should give them to noble lineages like the Limunite Family." Mu Xi said. "You think, the youngsters in the Limunite Family just spend their days wasting their time. Lecherous, the current Limunite Family is just the shadow of it past. No matter how glorio.." Muxi interrupted him : "You will never understand the lineage of a noble. The families can never waver. Though that the descendants cannot match the ancestors, they still have its blood, commoners are just trash-devils !" The shadow could only look at his old helpless friend. The Brokang Empire''s noble blood were now more and more corrupt. Only the royal family retained some of their previous dignity, if this statement was somewhat true in the past; it is now completely false. No matter how ''pure'' their blood are, if they are given to these trash youths like in the Limunite Family, it wouldn''t change anything. He wanted to change his friend judgement of commoners but he already knew that this notion was imprinted in his mind. "It is impossible for these rats in this city to become a Fluxer !" ... Tang Ling waited before the regent. The wait was long but he was patient. After eating his lunch and his supper, he could see that the regent cool down was over. ''Finally, it has been like an eternity.'' thought Tang Ling before he opened the bottle with his arm strength. He didn''t need a tool to open it; he was a Martial Artist. Having 1.3 Strength, 1.2 Agility, 1.2 Constitution and 1.4 Spirit. His stats overwhelmed the common people here who had 0.3 each. So a bottle, which normal people would use tools and be tired, was easy for him to open it. He then sniffed at the bottle and felt a huge power from them; Tang Ling was certain, this regent was made of the Empire''s technology. No doubt about it. Tang Ling drunk the contents of the regent and he suddenly felt heavy. Badum ! BADUM ! His heart began to pump furiously and a part of his stomach began to activate and seemed to transform into a bowl-like organ. The process was painful, even for him it made him groan and kneel. It was only after a minute that the pain stopped and he felt a new ''organ'' in his body. It felt real yet felt like an illusion; he knew that something was in his body but this ''something'' didn''t take any space in his body. The name of this naturally occurred into Tang Ling''s mind : Broken Vessel. Chapter 23 - Broken Vessel It was said that when you awakened as an Orderer, a bowl-like organ would appear in the body. Although it was more ''spiritual'' than ''physical'', it gave the feeling of a new ''something '' in you. This is called Broken Vessel. According to some old books in the library, the Broken Vessel was used to hold the energy that an Orderer could have. It is the foundation of an Orderer and the reason which made Orderers different from normal people. This energy which wasn''t taught in school, was not just ''energy'', it had the power to change things like driving away the monsters from here. Although it was never told how much it was powerful, Tang Ling directly experienced the particularity of ''Order''. The energy here was formless and smooth. It seemed as every cells in his body was rejuvenated. It was different from Qi which strengthened, invigorated his body, cells and meridians (heat). The Order refreshed the cells in his body. It was like a cool gasified-liquid. With this powerful sensation, Tang Ling punched the air and it began create distortions in the air. It was not the effect of the physical punch, but more it changed the nature of the air. "Order can change characteristics of nature ?" Tang Ling was shocked. Mind you, even if the school was extremely backward in everything, it still taught that there were unique set of characteristics about everything. Even if it''s a slight distortion, it''s still frightening ! Tang Ling then tested the water by touching an object. Within seconds, a blue line appeared on the fork. "What the f*** ?" Tang Ling was very surprised of this sudden change. Although it changed nothing about the fork, if he could control properly the energy, maybe it would have an effect. With this in mind, Tang Ling began to sleep and entered the Game World. [Entering the Game World 10%, 20%, 60%, 73%, 100%] Before long, Tang Ling reappeared in the cave which he just killed the Vine-spike. The marks of the battle just began to disappear as time passed. "Wow ! I didn''t expect to subdue the origin of this upcoming disaster !" Bu Fang was astonished and praised. He then guided him to his commander. The Passing Reminiscence Commander, Li Shun. Commander Li Shun resided in the Red Pass Headquarter where his family and a few more important officers in Red Pass lived. The Headquarter was spacious but had a serious feel which reduced the aesthetic points by 20. "Commander Li Shun ! This is Tang Ling, a traveller who has killed a Vine-spike; the origin of all this monster troubles !" Bu Fang praised Tang Ling before Li Shun. "A Vine-spike ? It''s definitely the cause. These creatures are very mysterious and have various abilities. Honestly, I was just suspecting one of these species which had mystical powers just like the Golden Heart Lion, Battle King Ape or the Vine-spikes." Li Shun said. He then handed a blue piece from his pocket. "By the order of Commander of the Red Pass, Li Shun, the surnamed Tang will be rewarded 100 silvers and a Silver Light Badge for alleviating the pressure of a military base and killed a Vine-spike Receiving it, Tang Ling could see it more carefully. It was a silver badge with a light blue lightning. "This ?" Looking at this badge, Tang Ling was surprised and looked deeply at Li Shun. Li Shun nodded. [Silver Light Badge A recognition for military achievements of the bearer of this badge.] "!!!" Tang Ling couldn''t believe his eyes. This was a badge which had a space storage in it, albeit a little too small. It was enough to store daily necessities which would waste places in his {Inventory}. It was only after he finished examining the badge that a guard gave him a sack of leather. Inside of it were plenty of silvers; one hundred Tang Ling received it with gratitude. "Thank you." Tang Ling bowed. Li Shun waived his hand. Seeing this, Bu Fang nodded and said to Tang Ling : "Brother Tang, the Commander is pretty busy." Tang Ling understood his intention; a Commander was a great position but had heavy responsibilities. It seems that Li Shun took a break from his heavy work just to meet him. Defying a superior isn''t wise so Tang Ling bowed again and went to the exit. 100 silvers was a lot for a normal person. It needs 100 coppers for 1 silvers and 100 silvers for one gold. The old man with his grand-daughter were both very delighted to obtain several silvers for a horse. Taking account of this, it seems that silver coins had great values. With the several quests he accomplished in the Lone Dawn Village, he only gained 20 silvers which he used 4 silvers for the horse. Chapter 24 - Hunter Tang Ling then returned to his journey to God''s Blade but was later interrupted by the eight (sixteen?) hours limit again. ''Only a few kilometres ! Tomorrow, I''ll reach God''s Blade.'' thought Tang Ling as he again reawakened on his bed. Today, he didn''t really know what to do. School just finished so he couldn''t go to school and waste his time here. He could go to work and gain a few pocket change but he just didn''t feel like it. The slums are now in great instability with the smell of gunpowder everywhere, it was only a matter of time that a war would occur. As such, business is declining and earning money was twice as hard as before. There''s also the fact that he still have 900 credits Fatty Dong gave him. Yesterday he worked his a.s.s because he didn''t really know where to spend and wanted to help Ducke survive these tough times with 100 credits. Now that he thought about it, he needed a lot of money if he wanted to do business. Creating a company or just managing a store was a lot of work and investments. With all those ''shares, management, salary'' problems, a mere 900 credits wouldn''t be enough and had a medium risk to fail. These things were all relied by BoaFeng City''s bad management. First, the slums were separated which means that there were limited potential customers. Second, the rent for commercial buildings was extremely expensive and these greedy politicians would also take a ''friendly'' part of his pot of gold if he ever made a profit. And third, the city was pretty much isolated from others so there''s nothing new you could get and existing stores already had these basic goods. In conclusion, there''s nothing that he could do. But. Tang Ling remembered. There is a profession called the Hunter, hunters are people who hunts beasts for their personal gains if he remembered. According to his previous history teacher, hunters are sub-branch of Orderers. In the past, Orderers would kill beasts outside of cities but as they became more busy they didn''t have the time to hunt them. So the role were delegated to normal people. These Hunters hunted weak beasts or monsters outside of the city to then sell those to the gouvernement. This system was a win-win situation, the hunters would gain a lot of money as they risked their lives and the City would be safer to merchants without the use of Protectors. There were also Orderers apprentice (new graduates) who would kill these beasts for training. Tang Ling was confident that he would be able to become a Hunter. Name : Tang Ling Class : None Sub : Fluxer HP : 425/425 (+100HP) Qi : 70/70 Mental energy : 7/7 Stamina : 4/10 Strength : 1.5 Agility : 1.4 Constitution : 1.4 Knowing that a normal person stats was about 0.3-4, he was at least 3 times stronger than them. He also saw them; these Hunters. They were at most muscular men but weren''t comparable to the elites who practised combat techniques in the Black Tiger camps. They mostly relied in traps and sneak attacks. Only Protectors of the City could fight these beasts head-on without any worries; they could beat monster invasions so a couple of them wouldn''t be a problem. As for equipment, Tang Ling had a sword, a gun and a spear. In this case, the gun would be his main equipment to deal with these beasts. But a gun would be an overkill for most beasts. As much a beast was powerful, a bullet shot is still too much for them albeit he indeed heard that beast attacks in inner cities; the beasts here could survive even after a barrage of machine gun. Bullets cost 100 credits per bullet. Some beasts were prized by nobles so he could gain a few hundred coins if he was lucky but it could also only give him a few dozen coins which isn''t enough to cover the cost for a bullet. If he went hunting with this gun, it would be a gamble of more or less. It wasn''t his style to just rely on luck. There was also the settings of the pistol. [Bursting Glock (Common-Fine)- Pistol LV : 3 Damage : 20-100 Range : 3m Casting : Manual-On click Reload : Manual Bonus Effects : Firepower LV1 : Penetrate/ignore armors by 10 A common high-tech gun that shoot bullets very slowly but deals a lot of damage. Perfect for killing. It was produced in a firearm factory as a ''last-resort'' weapon.] [Burst Bullet (Common) - Ammunition +10 damage *30] (Note : Range is the maximum accuracy that the gun can do. Surpass the range and the gun would become inaccurate, hitting sometimes by sheer luck.) (Note +: Damage from guns are base damage and bullets give extra damage. Combined, they can do a maximum of 120 unless headshots)] It meant that he couldn''t shoot accurately after three meters. Three meters... Even with traps, it could be very dangerous. There are two choices in front of Tang Ling, a sniper/better gun or a bow. A sniper or another gun was out of question. Bullets cost 100 per shot and one needed to have a gun certificate of ownership and a few thousands to buy one so the only one affordable one was the bow. Tang Ling soon searched in his phone and got to many markets to buy a bow. Sugra Bow 22st Edition : 1000 credits PH Darkwood Bow X5 : 800 credits X12 D90 : 400 credits Looking at these bows, Tang Ling could only shake his head. The weapon sold in the web were either not enough or too expensive for him to afford. Then just as he wanted to extinguish his hopes to find a good bow and hunt with his sword, a notification appeared in front of him. Vjsorn Trading : Promotion ! Fulgur Corporation is now selling their old products at discount price ! Chapter 25 - Bow Only a few minutes after the promotion, 500 of their weapon stocks were instantly sold. Afterall, Fulgur Corporation was well known in the industry as one of the top company in Brokang. Not only what they sold were of high quality, it was also "cheap". Cheap in a sense that Fulgur Corporation priced their products fairly and wouldn''t increase by 100 to 300% when the product was unique. Tang Ling also saw the announcement so he immediately clicked on it. Fulgur corporation sold many things from common ustensiles to weapons. Everything here were cheap thanks to their research team that try to reduce cost for any products. In fact, they had the leading team of progress and their net worth was over billions of credits. Their logo was of a dark horse, meaning that they are a dark horse in the industry and that they are very efficient. Cough. Cough. This description was a waste of words and (you guessed it) fillers. Anyways, Fulgur Corporation always prided themselves to be able to produce anything decent and were bargains. Not once, they sold failed products and their name became associated with bargain and trustworthiness. Tang Ling was excited, Fulgur''s products were already cheap but they actually decided to give discounts ?!! Tang Ling didn''t dare to waste time. The promotion has already been going out for three minutes and countless users swarmed the website. He couldn''t waste time lest the weapon he d.e.s.i.r.e would be sold and he would regret for a long time... Quick ! He immediately tagged ''Bow'' in the research bar and it began displaying a large array of bows. Some expensive, some extremely cheap. Limiting the research bar to his budget, Tang Ling scanned the entire selection that Fulgur Corporation displayed to him. Strangely enough, the makers weren''t from Fulgur but when he thought about it, it wasn''t strange. The company wouldn''t be able to create everything even if you gave them a hundred so they naturally diversify the array of products to satisfy customers and everything here was fair. Feathershot ? No! He could easily spot a better now just next. Gu Flying to the Sky ? What is that ? It doesn''t look more practical than Feathershot ! Su Gang Bow from the Su Family ? It looked very sturdy and would pack a punch but it''s more expensive than Fast Fierce Furious from CarRacing ! Eh? Why would a car company would sell bows ? Tang Ling''s cheapskate personality acted once again and analysed every single godamn details of each weapons. But after ten minutes of analysis, Tang Ling was tired but soon found the most cost-effective bow in the shop. At that time, many things were already sold out and newcomers would be disappointed. it was fortunate that bows weren''t popular or he wouldn''t be able to buy anything here just like the firearms section where only bad ones remained. Blackwing : 700 credits (Stock : 7) /+/ Durable, strong bow that looks like a raven. Capable of shootings of 1200m with maximum velocity and can penetrate walls as thick of 0.1m. Buy ? ... 1000 credits (Stock : 409) Buy ! He clicked on it and a joyful song came out from it. ''Notification : You have bought xxxxxxxx for 700 credits. Shipment package will arrive at Boa Feng City in two hours ! Thank you for your purchase !'' Seeing this, Tang Ling was surprised. How could the shipping time so fast ? But then he remembered that when he ordered tableware two years ago, it arrived in a day unlike some other business who would take their time... It looked that Fulgur Corporation once again upgraded their services. Tang Ling went out for a stroll to the mail building and in the meantime, he bought some cheap arrows in a local store. With just a quick glance, one would immediately know that it wasn''t their range of specialties and it was left there for some time just in case. With this, he only had 100 credits left but he should be able to regain his investment in a matter of weeks. He hurriedly went to the mail station and there he saw his package. So fast ! he thought and was astonished that the mail arrived exactly as stated. But the astonishment didn''t last very long as he could see some strange gazes from people of the mailing station and clients. Although they didn''t take any actions or had any discrimination, it was clear that they felt uncomfortable that a person from the slum came here. He hurriedly showed the receipt and retrieved the package. Tang Ling soon forgot his discomfort from the peoples stares and with a quick glance into the surroundings, he went into the back alleys and opened it. Chapter 26 - Outside World The package was ripped off as it revealed his content to Tang Ling. On his hand, it was a black raven bow which looked very mysterious and powerful. The bow was made from scales of an unknown beast and the string was very hard. Scales on the bow slightly reflected the light and was very smooth. The string was also very rigid, it looked like it was made of a Widow Spider Queen, a dangerous spider that even her web were as sharp as blades. Obviously, it wasn''t made from it but may be from a sub-species but at least it was strong and shouldn''t break from continuous uses but it''s a little bit too strong as when he tried to pull it, it would leave a mark on his fingers... But it was in point, he should be able to demonstrate his power with this bow. Tang Ling climbed the stairs and went to the main street, the only path to one of the two gates of the city. On the gate, there was a guard who looked over the people who entered and left the city. His job was to record the names and purposes of the people who wished to enter or leave and depending on the situation, he had the authority to reject. Actually, his job was very easy as there were few visitors and merchants who wished to visit or do business with the city and fewer in the city who wished to go outside. Most of the time, he would greet hunters and that was it and the pay was very good too. "I got this position through boot l.i.c.k.i.n.g but it''s worth it !" He murmured. He then saw a boy who looked very m.a.t.u.r.e, he had a black raven bow on his back. "Halt !" Tang Ling stopped. He looked at the guard on the tower, he looked quite old around 30 or so. "Name ?" The guard inquired. Hearing, Tang Ling let out a sigh of relief. Thank god the guard here was a ''safe''. He had heard in the slum that there are a few corrupted guys that made things difficult for people who wished to leave. "Tang Ling from the slum, sir." "Motive ?" "Hunting, sir." The guard raised a brow, "Don''t you know that you need to have a license to pass the gate and hunt ?" This. He already knew but he didn''t any money left to buy the so-called license but he remembered a moment with Ducke when he had a bad day... It was two years ago. "Hey Tang Ling !" "What ?" Tang Ling lifted his head from his phone and looked at the drunk Ducke laying on the wall. "I really wish to become a hunter... Hunting beasts, gaining a huge amount of money so that I can live off as an average family with stable job which gives a hundred credits income monthly... A good wife could be good too ! Maybe I could live in the inner city..." Tang Ling looked at him strangely, "You''re drunk." "No ! I''m serious !" the young man "Yes, you are. Do you know how much investments you need to meet the basic requirements of a hunter. Strength and money ! Even strong men in Black Tiger aren''t qualified, maybe the boss is but your physical fitness doesn''t meet the requirements. Second, you need money to buy equipment! Guns, bows, traps... You need at least one of them and the cheapest cost 100 at the very least. Just to let you know, it''s at least two years of saving; that is if you stop drinking. You may also need health supplements and vitality booster from the pharmacy and..." "But Tang Ling ! If I''m lucky..." Ducke interrupted. "Shut up ! Let me finish. Hunting is like gambling but the stakes are much higher than you think. It needs a lot of preparations, it''s luck in every moves. Luck to track, luck to aim and shoot and luck to loots. This is a common proverb from experienced hunters in the industry, you need luck to locate and find tracks, you need luck to slay it without any complications and you need luck for the loot you gain can offset the money burnt." "OK. OK. I didn''t just get this idea from being just drunk. If I can''t do it, ''might as well give it to you" Ducke touched his pocket and got out a green card with silver contours. Looking at the card, Tang Ling''s almost popped off ! Boa Bao Access Card ! Despite its silly name, this card was the lowest class card to get pass the gate (exceptions like hunter licence not included) and the only function of it was to pass the gate at anytime the user wants. Costing a thousand credits, the owner could leave the city at anytime and could take with him two more persons. This card had authoritative power than a simple hunter licence. The licence required the hunter to return in three days or a fee would be charged; around 25 credits a day with a limit of 10. It also cost 5 credits for each use and the Ben Gorge Association would get a 2.5% of the reward and would also benefit to the fact that they would buy cheaper (10%-25%) the goods and sell higher to the rich since it was the only Hunter Association in the city. Of course, this practise wouldn''t work if it was in any other inner cities and some special cities where there would be competition with other groups. In fact, the Ben Gorge wouldn''t even dare to set such unfair rules if it wasn''t the fact that they were in a outer city and that the mayor and the officials silently accepted these unfair treatments to the hunters with bribes; the Brokang Empire had laws that punished such behaviours and doing so could lead to judicial pursuit against them but nobody even tried to denounce these conditions. The Association could banish them but also stop the complaint before it get out of the city; it was useless and it was an act that have no avantages but only disadvantages no matter how you looked at it. That''s why this card was so beneficial to hunters as it would allow them to keep the profit to them without sharing to anyone. Unfortunately, only rich people could get them, it cost a thousand credits to get it and middle class people or hunters didn''t have enough money to get it, they needed money to pay their daily necessities and food and the only function of this card was to pass the gate which wasn''t worth the trouble getting it. "Hmmm... Ducke, this thing has some value to it. It cost a thousand but the retail price is like 30 credits. Not worth much." Yeah. Despite its use, only hunters would buy it but it was very difficult to see them. Most of them were very mysterious and finding them in the city is like finding a needle in a haystack. Heck, even if a hunter was standing before him, he wouldn''t even recognize him ! Ducke sighed : "Knew it." They finally agreed to let Tang Ling keep it just in case. Now this agreement would let Tang Ling exit the city without much problems. The guard definitely knew that this card wasn''t his but he still let him go after he saw the card. It wasn''t his job scope anyways. Why bother putting himself in a difficult position, at the most, he will be accused of negligence and that''s it. It was no worth the trouble. The guard pushed the lever and slowly but surely the gate opened, revealing the outside world to Tang Ling... Chapter 27 - Lawless Zones The gate revealed an expanse of green to Tang Ling. There were trees and grasses but most of it was wasteland. This sight wasn''t unfamiliar to him, the ground in 3 kilometres outside the city were mostly grasses where people could farm but it''s also the protection range for civilians. There would be patrols coming back and forth to ensure that there would be no beast invasions in the near future and merchants could expect them to guard them in the three kilometres range from the city. No matter how the officials were corrupted, they understood the importance of hunters, beasts reproduce fast and without someone killing them, it could become a horde to be feared and there was nothing more covoted than money and treasures. The incentive of hunting was money and countless people dreamed of becoming a hunter without being able to but the ones who become hunters are all capable persons. In fact, some cities would let their doors open, encouraging young people to try hunting (even though most of them would lose their lives after their first hunt). Officials here kinda hoped that you were able to kill one beast before you died, a useless trash dying and a threat eliminated, it was like killing two birds with one stone. Bao Feng City didn''t allow this practise because first, they weren''t as desperate as these cities. You could say that it was pretty well-off amongst other outer cities. Second, the surrounding areas in Bao Feng City were very dangerous so it was stupid to expect a group of people to beat one beast. And third, it would be an action to be frowned upon if other cities learned about this policy. That''s why few cities would allow their citizens to hunt beasts. It was just that it was shameful to "openly" kill hundred of people but also, cities here lived a good life and good economy means that it needs people so unless that said city was very desperate or had an excess of citizens, it would never let their people be wasted. The old ways of human ressource wastage were over and the new ones came for the "good of the people". Tang Ling walked on the grass and felt a sensation of freshness on it. The city never had the space to accommodate for grass and parks and like other cities, grasses and trees would only appear in the few parks in the rich areas. It was also rumoured that the mayor had such a large garden that it could mistaken as a small forest. It wasn''t true at all. The amount of money that the mayor embezzled could buy a small forest but who would use their entire money for this ? Trees were once symbols of Brokang nobility and would be used to show off the wealth that they acquired. This was hundreds years ago and now trees became slightly more common. It could be found in some obscure websites and cost half a thousand credits for a tree sprout. If a small forest had around 50~100 trees, it meant that it cost at least 25000 credits and it doesn''t include the cost to grow them. No matter how filthy rich he was, the mayor wouldn''t even dare to think about it. Embezzlement was common in any bureaucracy, not even mentioning that outer cities were isolated, but there is always a limit. Public money had to be spent for developing the town and giving tributes to Inner cities and the ruler of the territory so the Bao Feng''s mayor could only hide minor transaction records to enrich his treasury. But he wasn''t here for trees or the vegetation, he was here for beasts. Slaying a single one could give him up to hundred of credits. If he was lucky, one or two per day, he would be able to gain profit after a few days. Walking for fifteen minutes, he walked past a large mountain and circled around it. He then looked around and saw nothing but rocks. .... Rocks, rocks, rocks and rocks... Seeing just the dry ground, rocks and rocky mountains for five hours made Tang Ling mad. He even doubted if there were anything on here at all. School didn''t teach anything about hunting so he could use his senses to find anything noteworthy but he couldn''t catch anything. The land was so barren that he thought that it was a land of death. "Huh... It seems that this day is unfruitful. I didn''t expect that hunting was so hard !" Thinking about how much he was eager to hunt and even used the one thousand credits from Fatty Dong to buy his bow, Tang Ling sighed. Maybe he wasn''t fit for hunting. Then, as he approached a giant hill that he passed before, he suddenly heard a small noise : a clear sound of something falling. Water ! Why didn''t think before this ? Beasts. no matter how strong or weak, would need to drink and eat ! For a beast to survive, it would need to have a water source and something to consume. The sound was weak but Tang Ling could infer that it wasn''t far from him and he was close to the main road ! Bao Feng City has three main roads connecting to cities. The first road connects to an another giant road which was the path to enter the inner city. Then there is a road which was built with a close neighbour of the city, Glix City. This made the economy of both cities to flourish. The third road connected to a mine, an important giant mine. Tang Ling didn''t what it was produced but the previous mayor, with various companies invested a lot for this and created a small settlement for miners. He was also invited by an official to join and was really tempted by the benefits and pay but he refused because it didn''t allow family members to join the camp. The road that Tang Ling is close, is the third one. People would bring whatever the product is mined from the camp and give it to the city. But if a beast lived here, it could only mean that it ate humans ! Reaching this conclusion, Tang Ling''s eyes turned cold; he knew that he was a little bit hypocritical; humans can eat beasts but beasts cannot eat humans ? He knew that it was hypocrite but what could he do about it ? The ones eaten were fellow humans. Taking out his bow, Tang Ling crouched and checked carefully tracks that could lead him to something. Chapter 28 - Beast (1) The surrounding had probably nothing if someone looked at it casually. But for experienced eyes like old hunters, they would immediately find a small imprint on the ground. The trace isn''t something obvious, it had a shape of a small dent and no other track after this so it could be thought as smooth hole and would completely disappear after a few days. But for Tang Ling''s Omni Spirit Eyes, if he paid enough attention, he could find it. [Talent : Omni Spirit Eyes : An uncommon talent that allow one to see more precisely details. Maybe you should become a detective or a worker ?] Although it looked very similar to a byproduct of nature, it is too irregular. The fact that it didn''t have any tracks meant that the creature was very careful and only created it due to carelessness. Looking at the sun setting, he hesitated a little bit. "If I don''t return, it should be fine. My sister know that I sometime come late and I have a Bao Bao Access card. No matter what, the consequence is few and the benefits can be huge." Tang Ling followed the direction of the track and after a few minutes, he could now see a small cave. Looking at it, Tang Ling was stunned"Huh ? Didn''t I come here a few hours ago ? How could I miss it ?" The cave was pretty large and probably three men could enter at the same time. He felt very bizarre and looked at the surroundings, everything was pretty much normal. He then saw a big mound at the left. The mound probably made it seems like there was nothing here. After assuring that there were no ambush points inside and outside the cave, Tang Ling finally jumped unto the hole. There is no ambush and he could probably take on the enemy in head-on-head battle if needed. This line of reasoning could be justified by Tang Ling''s confidence to his strenght and the power of the [Game World]. This world was extremely mysterious and wasn''t just a dream or something, whatever he had in his dream is transported to his world for his use. In any case, he was pretty sure that a hunter isn''t really stronger than him and he also had some weapons, though unorthodox, to fight with. Damage : 25~50 A high-quality straight sword that has been tempered a hundred time. It has a sign of Lone Dawn, Forger Wang quality swords. Note : It''s very compatible to Bajiquan arts !] [Starry Eight-Direction Traveller Cloth-Upgradable (Magic-Special) LV:10 +100HP +25 Defense Special Effect : Traveller Passion, Increase stamina, reduce stamina of walk, run and horse.] [Bursting Glock (Common-Fine)- Pistol LV : 3 Damage : 20-100 Range : 3m Casting : Manual-On click Reload : Manual Firepower LV1 : Penetrate/ignore armors by 10 A common high-tech gun that shoot bullets very slowly but deals a lot of damage. Perfect for killer. It was produced in a firearm factory as a ''last-resort'' weapon.] [Burst Bullet (Common) - Ammunition +10 damage *30] Although Bursting Glock dealt the most damage, it could deal the least damage in total. In the Ethernet, Tang Ling had read that although the gun could penetrate the target and shred its flesh, it more than often fail to bursting, dealing less damage than a common pistol. That''s why he wouldn''t just trust this gun and decided to use the sword instead. Plus, the Baijiquan that he learnt from that mysterious master enhanced the performance of the sword. Tang Ling took out his sword and placed the gun on his waist, he then carefully walked into the darkness. He would use his cellphone as a flashlight to illuminate the darkness... The cave was more like a maze, going up and down and sometimes zigzagging but at the end, when his cheap phone reached 50% battery, he could see the light outside. In the end, Tang Ling could see a small pond and water gushing from a hole, the water flowing gently. Here, he could see everything in surrounding kilometres and could see a small road through a small precipice... This... This could be considered an oasis in the desert ! Tang Ling was extremely surprised to see such nest in a desert-like biome. There were no vegetation around here and finding one, even if it was small is very surprising. Suddenly, sounds of steps seemed to enter Tang Ling''s ear and he took out his sword as precaution but it wasn''t enough... "What the ????" "ROARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Chapter 29 - Beast (2) Tang Ling was pushed out by the sheer amount of power from the blast of rocks and stumbled, falling down. But he knew that the enemy has arrived and he couldn''t afford to lay down and try to sooth his injuries as the beast wouldn''t let him recover. Tang Ling hurriedly tried and managed to stand up and retreated to the side and ran to the side. The beast managed to see him and pounced unto him but he suddenly halted and rotated his body to counterattack with his sword. The sword managed to create a large flesh wound unto the beast and it forced the beast unto a wall. Managing to regain some breathing space, Tang Ling took out his pistol and shot at it in a close distance. "Bang ! Bang ! Bang !" [Host has dealt 48 damage (Sword) to target ! Inflicted Minor Sprain] [Host has dealt 4 damage (Pistol) to target !] [Host has dealt 15 damage (Pistol) to target !] [Host has dealt 50 damage (Pistol) to target !] "Tch ! What''s with this thick fur ?" Tang Ling cursed and took a look at his enemy. His enemy looked like a giant black bear, with claws as large as his phone, a swipe of these could probably kill him in one shot. [Uruvia Bear LV 20 ??? : 4/5 ATK : 30-100 DEF : 29 Skills : 1. Lesser Hide, 2. Explosive Push, 3. Gnashing Teeth] [??? : Determined to be mutated Mental Energy (also known as Barbaric Flux)] [Lesser Hide; Uruvia Bears have thick fur and will reduce incoming damage. Boost DEF by 10] [Explosive Push; the Uravia Bear can use his paws to destroy buildings. Consuming 1 Flux, deals 10x damage to buildings and 1.5x to targets.] [Gnashing Teeth; Uruvia Bears can bite opponents with extreme power.] [Name : Tang Ling Class : None HP : 356/425 (+100HP) Qi : 70/70 Mental energy : 7/7 Stamina : 9/10 Strength : 1.5 Agility : 1.4 Constitution : 1.4 Spirit : 1.52] Luckily, the bear didn''t have time to respond to the sudden change and allowed him to successfully expand the distance but also take his bow out of the [Inventory]. Tang Ling took the show and with more or less difficulty, shot an arrow to the Uruvia Bear. [Host has dealt 30 damage (Bow) to the target] "What ?" Tang Ling exclaimed. The damage dealt didn''t even match that of the predicted damage he thought of. [Blackwing Bow Damage : 25~150 Range : 1200m Type : Bow and Arrows Bonus Effect : Robust; it has very strong string and can shoot arrows stronger, longer and faster. Special Effect : ??? Although the requirements are unknown, Tang Ling was pretty sure that he fulfilled those and didn''t think that he didn''t since he was able to shoot it. But looking at the damage he dealt, he was now sure that handling this bow would prove to be difficult. "ROAAAAARRRR !!!!" The bear roared as he dashed unto Tang Ling and almost bit him. Tang Ling then tried to strike unto its neck but the attack missed and only left a small wound. [Host has dealt 32 damage (Sword) to the target.] Tang Ling then tried to strike again with his sword but imbued with [Heat] ! The bear moved slightly and evaded the attack, raising its claws and pushed through Tang Ling ! Tang Ling eyes'' blinked, knowing that this attack was the Explosive Push he feared but he had no way of evading, especially after attacking... [Explosive Push !] BAM !! "ARgh !" Tang Ling was expulsed to a rock and coughed blood. The attack caused damage inside of him and his organs hurt like hell. [You received 120 damage ! Internal Organs damaged !] Condition : Seriously Injured ] "Ha... Ha.... Ha..." Tang Ling gasped heavily as he tried to regain his sense and again took out his bow. He couldn''t really think anymore, he took out an arrow and applied some strength and shot. This was a decision that Tang Ling wouldn''t even dare to think about, the bear was only five meters away and shooting an arrow would be akin to suicide ! The arrow managed to land unto the bear''s leg and... Penetrated it ! "OOUUUUUUUUUUWW !!!!!!!!" [Host has dealt 375 damage (Bow) to the target ! Target got Crippled (Leg) !] [Uruvia Bear''s HP : 446/1000 Condition : Weakened] "What ?" Tang Ling looked at his palm, not believing how he managed to deal so much damage... [Recalculating...] [Blackwing Bow (Epic-Sealed)(Comparable to Rare) Damage : 25~200 Range : 1200m Type : Bow and Arrows Bonus Effect : Robust; it has very strong string and can shoot arrows stronger, longer and faster. Special Effect : Flux Powering ??? Requirements : Flux energy (Fluxer), Requirement not met. Description : The Blackwing Bow seems like an ordinary weapon used by hunters as their weapon. Little is known about it but one thing is for sure, it is a Flux Weapon and not an ordinary one at the very least ! Created by a whimsical master who sold it in a normal website, it is made of scales of a unknown creature of the void. Flux Powering : By transmitting flux into the bow, it increase the power of the arrows. Use 1 Flux (Mental Energy)] Understanding the mechanism of this power, Tang Ling tried to recreated the feeling he just made and felt "strings" in his hands enter the power as the bow began to gleam... Pak ! An arrow launched at the bear but this time on the head. The shot wasn''t missed as it was only 5m, you needed to be prodigy of some kind to fail... The arrow touched its hand [Host have dealt 300 damage (Bow) to target. ] Looking at the bear struggling at the death door, trying to deal one last strike. Tang Ling used Erlang Mountain Lean to push the bear out of the edge. * [You have killed Uruvia Bear LV 20. Gained 2000 EXP] "Huff... Huff... Is it that hard to be hunter ? Surely not..." Tang Ling gasped as he shook his head at the thought of being hunter that hard and life-threatening. Then he remembered the corpse and his feet sprang from the ground; excited of the money that Uruvia Bear could bring him. Five hundred ? One thousand ? Two thousand ? He could already feel happy for this. This was his first hunt and he managed to get a high level beast. Once Tang Ling looked at the gigantic corpse of the bear did he sober up and feel depressed. How could he even manage to transport this huge body to the city ? Bah. He could only endure. For the sake of money. Chapter 30 - Hunter Association Tang Ling didn''t know how but he managed to transport the corpse to the city without a hitch and slowly but surely, entered the Hunter Association. The famed Hunter Association was where hunters gathers and exchanged between others. It would also be where they would sell it to interested buyers. Ben George Association acted as the unnecessary middlemen to sell. It was even made illegal to sell and buy without someone with a permit in between and it was with this power that they managed to get bad deals with every hunters in the city but they could only grit their teeth and sell it to them. The Association is very big but there were few hunters present so when Tang Ling entered, he felt that it was pretty empty and cold. But in fact, it wasn''t true. It is pretty late and most hunters would have finished their hunts and returned with loot. The only problem was that although most hunters came back, the number of hunters was never high in the beginning and the building so grand and large that the thirty-ish hunters present here seemed little. All with a few exceptions wore multiple flashy high quality equipment. A man was standing on the wall, it was obvious that he was doing it because he wanted to look cool. He wore a a flashy dark which seemed to be made of feather, his entire outift looked like a black raven. "Heh ? A newbie ? It doesn''t matter, he would eventually quit... WHAT ?" The man couldn''t believe it, the teen he just labelled as a a newbie who will eventually quit had a huge bear corpse on his back. The corpse was at least a meter longer than the greatest beast he ever hunted and that was after he set up a few expensive traps to kill it ! Did this guy managed to kill it when it was injured ? Is he one of those rich bastards, buying high-quality traps and servants to hunt ? Or did he slay it with real skills ? Tang Ling looked at every hunter in the room and he could see that they were pretty strong overall. Some had slightly inferior equipment but strong physical body, others had great equipment and other high-grade traps. But no one was weak, even "newbies". If he came here before he got the [System] and did not entered the [Game World], he would feel like an ant before them, probably 10 of old Tang Ling wouldn''t beat the weakest of them all. Now, he was strong, with stats of 1.2, he was three time stronger than normal people and he had various skills that he could use, he was now qualified to meet toes-to-toes against a hunter. The man in a flashy raven outfit ,for example, was a little weaker than him. Tang Ling estimated that he had the stat of 1.0 or less strength. But surely he had experience and a number of trump cards... [Cannot be identified. Description : Unknown. But it is estimated to have a number of trump cards that could deal serious damage even to ferocious beasts...] [Black Ravenous Armor (Rare) Effect : Can nullify some damage inflicted. Set effect (Boots and hood): Imitation of Swiftness of the Black Raven. Description : Made of a special alloy, this armor is covered in black feathers of common black birds appearing in Suo City. It was given by a Synthesizer when the latter saved him from a perilous situation. The armor was made when a master saw a giant black raven passing through him. The impact was so strong that the master became obsessed with it for the remainder of his life. This is one of his failed products (not that he managed to even capture its essence !)] [Black Ravenous Boots (Common) Defense : 5 Effect : Increase movement speed and reduce sound of walking. Description : An item from the Black Ravenous (Imitation) Set. Made of Herg Ore.] [Black Ravenous Hood (Rare) Defense : 10 Description : An item from the Black Ravenous (Imitation) Set. Made of Jidfuo Bird fur, it is extremely resistant to slash attacks but would do nothing against smashs...] [Imitation of Swiftness of the Black Raven (Mortal) : Activating it will induce an almost-teleportation to the direction that one d.e.s.i.r.e... Its speed reaching 500km/h with a range of 10 meters. This ability was reduced and changed the fuel required to activate it (Flux to vitality) to suit the owner''s needs...] [Face Blur : when putting it on, it would blur the wearer''s facial expression. ] [Intimidation : Due to the hood''s mysterious shape, it will intimidate anyone who see it.] The heck ? Tang Ling''s eyes nearly popped off. What''s with this crazy equipment ? Although he had heard about Synthesizer, it couldn''t be that OP ! At least, if everyone had an equipment like this, did this means that his cheat was useless ? [Old Soldier C.h.e.s.t Guard (Common)] [Wolf Slaying Crossbow (Common)] [Heto Breaker Musket (Common-Fine)] [City Legion Crossbow (Rare)] Well, just like him. Tang Ling approached the attendant and asked. "How much is it ?" The attendant looked at the corpse, struggling a little bit and responded : "445 credits." Hearing the price, Tang Ling frowned. Isn''t it too low as a price or... "Little girl, aren''t ya dishonest ! This corpse is a bear, it can be considered as pretty good among other species. Looking at how tall and strong its muscles are, it''s at least a 3 stars beast. Surely, even if you tried to point out every flaws to bring down the price, it would be at least be 500 credits." A man in grey soldier armour ridiculed and then laughed. "Young''un, I am Hebert but people call me Old Bert. I am letting you know that you''re being cheated. By the way, you know what you hunted ?" Hebert looked at him with gaze like ''I mean, it''s really impressive that you hunted this beast. Surely, you took a lot of time, knowing every details of this beast and struck at its weakest. You should have also done your research so it''s expected for you to know the name of the beast you hunted.'' Pressured by the gaze that could contain a million words, Tang Ling answered the name that the System gave him : "It''s an Uruvia Bear." "AN URUVIA BEAR ?!" The old man couldn''t but exclaim in shock. "A four stars, half-five stars ?" The crowd whispered, shocked by this revelation. Richard Knife Series 9 could be considered as one of the best knives in the marketplace. Its sharpness could be classed in the top 10 and is very versatile in many situations making it an all-purpose knife which cost a hundred credits for an used one. If its sharpness could not pierce the fur, it would mean that lower caliber guns and homemade ones would only leave a slight scratch on it. Even a Fluxer, renown from their mysterious powers, would not dare taking a shot from a bullet in close range. This is a half-five star beast ! In the entire hall, only veteran hunters would dare to take this task of slaying it and an a.d.u.l.t Uruvia Bear albeit the one of the weakest of the category is still a half-five stars ! Everyone looked at Tang Ling with amazement and then looked at the attendant. 445 credits for the corpse of an Uruvia Bear is really too low. A scam, more precisely. Chapter 31 - Sects (1) Tang Ling returned from the Hunter Association with an extra one thousand and two hundred credits. The gain from the hunt excited him but after talking with other fellow hunters, he understood that half-five stars were very rare and strong. Even the duo star hunters of the Association would rarely find one and would contend of 2-3 stars beasts most of the time. Still, the unexpected windfall returned everything the investment spent for the bow with a huge bonus at that. The money would be very useful to Tang Ling if he wanted to develop or to live in a better place. But he knew that as he got the [System], he would definitely choose to develop again. If it was his past him, forget trying to be hunter, he would probably try to use the money given by the Fatty Dong to go to school or becoming a business man like Buo Dong''s father. As for how he would spend the money ? He didn''t know but he would think about it after his session in the Game World... Tang Ling returned in his apartment, greeted his sister and jumped over the bed, sleeping like a log... As he opened his eyes, Tang Ling found a beautiful valley just before him and as he travelled an another hour, he finally found a city. ''SwordGod City ! I am here !'' [SwordGod City Part of the Sword Duke''s territory, it is one of the two royal cities and boast a sturdy economy with an amazing security that even nobility wouldn''t dare to cause trouble. The city is also renown for its sword qi in the air and due to the special characteristics of the place, it is filled with sword cultivators and they make up 40% of the population.] As the System said, SwordGod City was full of sharp qi, beneficial to swords and sabres. But it didn''t mean that it was a city just for swordsmen, Tang Ling could also see merchants, spear men, mercenaries and other people waiting in line to pay the toll fee. Every guard had a oppressing aura, making people very uncomfortable but Tang Ling could see that behind this oppressing aura was a deep cultivation and experience in the battlefield... He trembled and quietly took his turn to enter. "10 silvers for a head, 5 silvers for children and 50 silvers for each carriage. One horse companion free per person paid." Tang Ling counted his coins... There was about 16 silvers from which he got from the village and one hundred from Commander Li Shun. If he didn''t accept the Red Pass''s mission, he would only have 6 silvers left... Thankfully he did and was now rich to afford entry without wincing in pain. After waiting for a few minutes and paid the fee, Tang Ling was allowed to enter. He immediately blown away from the city''s grandiose architectural designs. The street were made of polished stone, policemen patrolled the street every now and then and houses looked somewhat different from his world houses... It wasn''t just the structure/architecture, it was the material ! Yes the material was different ! He didn''t really take a closer look in the past because he thought that it was just a game-something but now he could see that there was something different. Wood came from trees after chopping it (that''s obvious) but in Bao Feng City, it was very rare to even see a tree so obtaining wood would be a pipe dream for many. But now ! Tang Ling could see the legendary material that his neighbours always wanted to become rich overnight would be in front of him... Used to construct houses ! "Could it be that wood is common in this world ? It would make sense, prairies were all I could find in my travel but the ground was smooth not rough. It means that it is at least much much more to find trees than in my world where primitive material are almost extinct... Regaining himself, Tang Ling abandoned his thoughts about this right now and concentrated to things he needed to do right now. He journeyed here because the village head recommended him to go here. He did not know what to do so he just made a two days''s worth travel to God''s Blade. Tang Ling trusted the village and God''s Blade was one of the largest cities in the province. "Welcome to God''s Blade, the founding city of the northeast borders ! Created by one of the Sword Duke''s treasure swords, acting as its guardian !" a board was hanged out in the middle of the road. "Sword Duke''s Sword Carving Tablet ! Go see the place where His Grace comprehended the sword truth, writing profound sword mantras and truths on a wall !" a man shouted, promoting a museum (by how Tang Ling perceived it). "Sword Duke.. !" "Sword Duke ..!" "Sword..." "His Gra..." Gods ! Can you please shut up ? Tang Ling''s mind was probably going to explode from all this s**t he heard each time he took a single step ! Although he was known as someone quite patient and collected, hearing this cacophony was really unbearable. Soon, he was able to escape from this place where praises about the Sword Duke filled the world and realized that he was near a stage... Chapter 32 - Sects (2) Tang Ling could see a round stage where there were multiple grand halls and people forming lines to it. Again, there were lots of noise but this time, it was different. It was like the crowd, the ''customers'' who talked. It was like a constant chattering, whispering; full of excitements. A martial artist talked to one another, "I think I''ll go with Mountain and Cloud Sect. It has have an easier examination than the other first-rated sect and it really suit my style. It should be able to at least elevate my skills to Veinmaster at my peak." He pointed at a small hall which had an sign on it. "Mountain and Cloud Sect. first-rate sect. Specialize in body and palms arts." "Goodluck ! First-rate sects have strict requirements and you can only choose once a day. Brother, you failed the Great Whale Sect''s test. It''s your last chance to enter, as for me, I''m playing safe : I''m going to the Heavy Multitude Sword Sect." "Heavy Multitude Sword Sect. 2nd-rate sect. Specialize in heavy swords. Grandmaster : Holy Heavy Swordsman" Around it were more small halls that looked more like a stall than anything. "Misty Sword Sect. 2nd-rate sect. Specialize in illusion and light sword." "Heaven''s Sea School. Special sect. Cultivate knowledge, specialize in fan techniques and rapiers." "Breezing Wind Sect. 2st-rate sect. Specialize in fast drawing techniques, footwork and light sword." "Heavenly Sun Sword Sect. 1st-rate sect. Specialize in righteous swords and cultivate special breathing sun-type technique. Multiple experts came from us." "Volcanic Spear Sect. 1st-rate (top). Specialize in explosive arts and spear." Ugh. There were so many sects (stalls) and people that Tang Ling felt a little dizzy when he tried counting all of them. But after barely counting 15, he could see there was a pattern : eight out of ten taught swords ! This was too bizarre. In the Hunter Association, although the preferred weapon of choice was a hunting rifle, muskets or something of the like, there were also a lot who used unconventional weapons and bows as well. Tang Ling looked around the crowd and saw a guide in the crowd. This guy was simply hired to answer questions from the vagrant martial artists. How did he know that ? The guy was wearing a strange costume which seemingly cried : "WE ARE THE HELPERS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE WILL ANSWER THEM !!!!!!!!!!" and they seemed pretty dedicated even though most people didn''t really need their help as they already knew about those famous 64 sects. Talking with these guys helped Tang Ling understand the situation. In summary, the Sword Duke ruled this province which is called the Northern Pride Prefecture and a few others, forming the Great Tianjian Prefecture. This territory was granted by the Son of Heaven in recompense for his contributions 50 years ago and was tasked to defend the north-east border of the nation. The territory was especially rich in sword energy and so the Sword Duke suppressed the leaked energy and founded the city. As such, sword cultivators were very attracted to this location and resulted to the suppression of other martial artists. This resulted to an imbalance between sword sects and the "the others". The guide also chatted a lot about the Sword Duke''s accomplishments. Talking about his exploits before and after he received the position of Duke. The guide was intoxicated from bragging about the exploits of his idol that he forgot about the time. By the time he finished, the sects'' conference almost finished. "Crap ! I forgot about the time, he cried, Ling ! Quickly enter a sect hall now. If you take so much time, you won''t be admitted to a sect ! Sects only recruit disciples only once a year !" Once a year ? The last day of the examinations ? F.u.c.k ! Tang Ling''s face changed. Although he initially wasn''t really interested in joining a sect. But after chatting with this guy, he was pretty determined to join one, especially after hearing that vagrant martial artists didn''t have much of a future. They didn''t have ressources, techniques and connections. In other words, vagrant martial artists aren''t worth a shit ! The cultivation techniques like the released in the market were all low-level techniques. At most, it could be used to condense the "Vein" in 5th stage. They were also less powerful than their sect counterpart, making it very common for sect disciples to defeat an opponent with the same cultivation stage. With powerful artifacts and killing moves, there were even cases of one suppressing an enemy of higher cultivation. Not wasting his time, Tang Ling immediately thought of five sects : Heavenly Flame Sect, Untamed Sword Sect, Yufeng School, Mysterious Abode Caves, Wandering Sect and Pure Jade Sect. Pure Jade Sect used mystical means to create what is known as ''spells'' and wasn''t open to any martial artists. Mysterious Abode Caves was pretty much the same but was open to both evil and neutral cultivators... So his only choice is Wandering Sect right ? Tang Ling thought. The Wandering Sect was a little special. According to the guide, it was an organisation with very, very loose rules. The sect was considered as a second-rate sect but the trials are very unusual, so much so that people thought they were as difficult as first-rate sect'' tests. Compared to other sects, the Wandering Sect had vague description and a lot of it was a mystery. They weren''t famous, strong or influential but the sect still managed to survive turbulent times which exterminated sects. As the saying goes, nothing can stand the tribulations of time. Even the greatest dynasty, sect and cultivator failed to withstand the test of time, leaving only remnants. If a sect could survive three generations, it could be considered great, tens, it could be considered exceptional. Chapter 33 - Wandering Sect (1) Standing on the gate of this Wandering sect, Tang Ling could see no one standing on the gate. On the front, there was wooden plaque which was majestically written : Wandering. And besides it, laid a beautiful written poem. ''Wandering through the world, I dream of freedom. Be it warm or cold, what I experience is wisdom. The world has countless treasures, some hidden, some shown. Seeking the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of life, I explore the unknown. I am not interested in glory or fame, I only wish to travel. The world is large, with great humility, I d.e.s.i.r.e to see everything the world has to offer !'' Tang Ling was really impressed by the poem. Sects mostly showed bold and hot-blooded words and ''elegant'' or ''scholarly'' sect put well-constructed, celestial poems but this one... It didn''t talk about power nor did it talk about elegance. The poem here was rather crude if compared against the other elegant sects but in it laid something deep, something that Tang Ling could resonate with. If there was one or two words to express the state of mind of the writer, it would be ''Free'' and ''Pure'' ! These subjects somehow resonated with his heart and his conviction to join this sect strengthened. Freedom. It was almost an unfamiliar term to Tang Ling. All his life he followed the rules, officials enforcing new rules and he kept following them. He kept thinking that it was natural to follow orders, that it was for his own good. It was only after he got to know Ducke that he slowly started understand the world. The Brokang Empire is corrupt, the citizens lived a robotic life and he d.e.s.i.r.ed to break away from this rigid system. Yes ! To break free from these chains of regulations ! To have the choice of choosing his destiny ! But to be free, one must be powerful and this Wandering Sect could solve this problem ! While he thought about that, the plaque started to shine. It shined softly like the first radiance of the sun. Golden words appeared in front of him, scaring him a lot. ''Great affinity with sect''s values. Great talent'' "Great character, excellent potential and common d.e.s.i.r.e ! You are made to be a member of our Wandering Sect." an old elder came from nowhere (but probably from a side pillar). The old man could see the suspicion in his eyes and coughed an explaination : "This old man is the supervisor of these trials." Tang Ling nodded as he understood what he meant and could easily guess that he somehow managed to pass the test in a special way which wasn''t common. Uncommon enough for this unfathomable elder to come out from his hiding spot. "Follow me." Tang Ling nodded and followed him, curious about what he would encounter. He followed the old man in the building. Tang Ling only traversed two hundred meters inside but could see the atmosphere of the hall : elegant and carefree. Multiple small rivers inside were relaxing and Tang Ling could hear some chirps of birds inside a small garden. It was as though it was a small world, an utopia ! "This is an arrangement of Landscape Master Huxian, this is his masterpiece. This arrangement purifies the spirit and aid recovery as a whole. Stay here with the other disciples until the selection finishes. Until then, interact with your brothers and sisters disciples. It''s good to have some connections when travelling." To be free and unbound in Jianghu, you need either great backing or power. Possessing neither of those would only result to being bullied and killed. It was simple as that, just like you need power to survive in the slums. You need enough strength to make the other party feel they will lose out if they ever fought if stealing your house posed no consequences, well, these ruffians would gladly do that. [Player has reached Sword City and joined a faction ! Activating the Faction Expansion...] [Faction joined : Wandering Sect Other names : Freedom Sect, Traveller''s Hub, Transcendance Dao Admiration Sect (...) Noteworthy Personages : Travelling the Earth in One Step, Li Shang, the Imperial Worldly Elder and the Treasure Seeker (...) Signature Move(s) : Clear Minded Characters and Steady Wind Qigong. Alignment : Righteous (Neutral) Description : Wandering Sect has a rich history and it is shown from the many name it got through. While it has the name ''sect'' in it, it is a very loose organisation. There''s only three ranks : Disciples, Masters and Elders. Of which, there''s no sect master as elders are the ''masters'' of the branch. They''re old retirees, staying in one area and tending care to hot-blooded youngsters who wish to explore. They aren''t well-known in attacking moves but in the exceptional defense techniques and qigong they possess. As long a disciple is able to reach the required level, the sect would allow the disciple to browse the relevant skills and books in his level but services are to paid. No fee and regular payment, the sect only provide free lodging (Psst ! The Sect only survive with donations so make your part too !)] The sect''s description started very good but at the end of it... He really wish to have never seen that. Which organisation rely on charity to function ?! Probably nobody with the right mind would create such an sect. Although freedom was in the sect''s values, he expected to at least pay some taxes or something... Tang Ling could see beside the artificial landscape, a couple disciple chatting and meditating. By a couple, he meant ten. Ten seemed okay but judging from the last day participants who were around a thousand, it was little and this doesn''t include the other days. Third-rate sects, although not popular, would have slightly more than this number of disciples. ''Probably of low-key and difficult tests'' Tang Ling thought as he greeted his fellow brothers and sisters. While others only nodded at his greetings, two brothers came to him and greeted him too. Chapter 34 - Wandering Sect (2) "Don''t take this to heart. The people here are quite proud and some are even nobles of these lands." The shorter brother pointed to an elegant girl sitting on a rock around the pond and two seemingly-ordinary young men wearing simple clothes too.... But when Tang Ling looked close enough, it was obvious that these ''simple clothes'' were finer and tougher than the rest of them. Their swords inside a intricate scabbard. Although, Tang Ling didn''t know the real value of these things, it was definitely expensive. Intricate designs like these, even if sculpted in stones would rise by 200%. "Feng Ci, it''s quite rude to speak before introducing yourself. More so, when your brother just greeted and introduced himself." The older brother chimed his little brother. Finishing admonishment, the brother returned his back and greeted : "Greetings, junior brother. I''m sorry for the lack of manners of my brother. My name is Feng surnamed Cai and my brother, Feng Ci." Feng Cai presented himself with palms and fist connected. Tang Ling thought it was a strange custom but cupped his hand too. Feng Cai nodded as he thought how polite this boy was. "My brother meant that you shouldn''t feel offended from these attitudes. Other sects has it worse, disciples and elders bullying newcomers and exhorting them. And at least they acknowledge your existence even when they are stronger and nobler. Can you feel their cultivation stage ?" Tang Ling thought it was reasonable. You wouldn''t even pay attention to a beggar on the road right ? Even if it''s on your home street, it wasn''t necessary to greet them as you would feel it was beneath your status or just repulsed from the air alone of the beggar. He then checked the levels of everyone here. [Feng Ci Level 13] [Feng Cai the Water Marking Village Local Hero, Level 20] [???, Level 25] [???, Level 26] [???, Rose of Shendong, Level 29] "... They''re are strong." Some stronger by more than ten levels. In Forger Wang''s term, they were a stage higher than him (10 levels being a stage). Last time he checked his stats, he was level 15 from the small monsters he slayed in his travel. [Name : Tang Ling Lv 15 Class : None HP : 425/425 (+100HP) Mental energy : 7/7 Stamina : 10/10 Strength : 1.6 Agility : 1.5 Constitution : 1.5 Spirit : 1.59] Level 15 was in the lower end of the group and as such, wouldn''t be involved with the stronger end of the spectrum. And after Feng Cai talked to him, some took the time to chat a little with Tang Ling and from them, gave him more knowledge about the world. The Veinmaster Stage that the man who wanted to go the Mountain and Cloud Sect said, was discussed many times by the shall-be disciples. Veinmaster referred to the 5th Stage of Martial Arts and was a state where people would experience and get extraordinary abilities and attributes. The one named Feng Penteng, a bastard son from a rich merchant, said : "Veinmaster is the name given to those who reach the 5th Stage and unlocked their mysterious powers. These powers comes from the bloodline and body which make every cultivators above 5th Stage, unique. Most people at this stage, get an improvement to a particular attribute like increased power, speed, etc. But some people across history like the Heavenly Flame Monarch awakened something special at this stage." But it was a time where cultivation techniques were loosely regulated, and many techniques in the market could let the user achieve 5th stage, although it was very hard to even get close to this stage. Right now, only cultivation techniques of 2nd to 3rd stage were allowed in the market with powers monopolizing ancient scriptures. It was only two hours later that the supervisor came back and gestured to the group to come. The group bowed and followed him outside, in a carriage. "GodSword City has many, many amazing things but space here are expensive and rare. Most sects prefers being outside the city to build magnificent palaces and walls and we, the Wandering Sect also follow the tradition of being outside of the city. Only new heavyweights like Gengxi Gang Sect would establish their power in the city and their every actions watched." It took only a few minutes to reach their destinations but Tang Ling peeked a little outside and could feel the astounding speed of the carriage. The carriage felt like it was flying and was at the very least ten times better than the poor horse which he bought. ... ... Wait. Where did he put his horse ? Chapter 35 - Wandering Sect (3) [Poor Talented Horse Status : Returning to his master/ Expending energy Talent : Superior (Poor) Speed : 25km/h] Hmmm... Tang Ling could finally remember where he put his horse. Well, he had forgotten about it when he talked to the helper. It was quite embarrassing for him to just forget about his companion and the abandoned one was so loyal that it follow him even after he forgot. Thankfully, Tang Ling had made it sure to put some treats on the bag and grasses were aplenty in this world. The destination was an old well-maintained building unlike the previous hall which was more exquisite with artificial landscape in it. It was quiet and tranquil with few people in it, it seemed like a resting place... "As you know, we are an unconventional sect. We don''t have any headquarters and the places we own can, at most, be considered as a branch and these ''branchs'' are our gathering points where travellers rest from exhausting journeys. An inn !" "Yes ! We are the backbone of travellers, the guardian of the free ! For those who seeks adventures, travelling the land, it is heaven''s resting place. People comes and go, having different aspirations and jobs to achieve. Welcoming everyone of different walks of life, our inns are the safest refuge in the entire world (provided that you have the money) !" "You may think how we could boast about how secure our inns are or just curious about the legendary reputation we have for this and it''s simple : Juedui Heping (Absolute Peace)." The supervisor smiled at the beautiful graceful girl with the intention to let her explain. The noble girl nodded and spoke like she was reciting a text by heart : "Juedui Heping, also known as Absolute Peace. Legends say that its materials comes from the firmament and was formed by the will of heaven. In other words, it is an heavenly natural artifact that no man can create but it''s unranked amongst the Heavenly Artifacts'' List. Juedui Heping belongs to Lord Great Protector of Rest, Shi Xiong and prohibit physical, mental and spiritual attacks of whoever in the field. Even Dark Lord tried circ.u.mvent the artifact''s power but still failed to do any harm." The supervisor looked pleased at this explanation and added : "Absolute Peace can also divide its power to create smaller which we call Itinerant Peaces. At these lower artifacts, they have the same function as the original but can only contain it within the boundaries of mortals. Beings superior to its strength can ignore this restriction and destroy it. In a way, Itinerant Peaces which are placed in every inn we own, will protect absolutely everybody as long as they didn''t offend a powerhouse like Dark Lord or Heavenly Flames Monarch. We also have an Elder who is in one of the inns he administer and at least a Master in every inn for emergency purposes. Incidentally, I am one of such Masters and so, qualified to teach our arts." The supervisor guided the group to the inn and sat on the floor where no one was here. "My name is Gu Ze and as the tradition dictates, I will be your teacher and shall introduce you to our sect''s martial arts. Our sect has two unique breathing techniques with endless modifications from seniors. The first is Carefree Breathing Technique and the second is Endless Earth Breathing Technique, the former being the more renown and cultivated." A student raised his hand and asked : "Master Gu Ze, what is the difference between these two ?" "It''s an interesting question. well it''s like comparing Revolting Heaven and Empress of Snow cultivation technique. Both are world renown and cultivating it to the apex, leads to immortality and godhood but people knows that these techniques requires special body types which only one in a thousand years and one with the Heaven Revolting constitution will never cultivate Empress of Snow which would kill him if he ever do so. The breathing techniques are differentiated by the temperament and will lead to slightly different results. Carefree Technique cultivate the mind of the free, without restrain and is similar to Jade Qi Crane from the Pure Jade Sect. Endless Earth, in the other hand, cultivate ''momentum'' and ''steadiness'' and is similar to qi from Shaolin monks . Carefree is tied to the ''wind'' attribute and potentially favour fire or water while Endless Earth is tied to ''earth'' and potentially favour ''water'', ''wood'' or ''metal''." "The distinction between them are like light and heavy. Different but still rely on the concept of weight. Now, choose !" Fwoosh ! [Carefree Breathing Technique : Wind-based technique. Practising this technique allows one to become free in the mind and the body. Move like the wind and light as a feather, paired with Steady Wind Qigong, can make the practitioner faster than a horse and jumps into roofs as easy as breathing.] [Endless Earth Technique : Earth-based technique. Practising this technique allows one to be as steady and disciplined as a mountain both in the mind and the body. Strong as a mountain yet vast as the world. Works well with Earth Traversing Qigong.] =================================== (Undetermined) [Carefree is the state of mind. What better way to live than to be righteous ? To be without being burdened by existing. There are many complexities in this world and these can lead people to be muddled. Living by simplicity, unburdened by unnecessary responsibilities, I live by my conscience and like the wind, travel the world everywhere. -Fu Queshi] [Treasures are buried under earth, becoming hidden gems. My being does not lie on stagnation but to cultivate myself, discovering hidden talents in me. I explore earth to the inner working of the world. Humanity came from earth and so, have all the matters of the world. The world has no limit therefore, the human body has no limit. -Li Fuquan] Chapter 36 - Odd Sect Among Many Tang Ling could see the characteristics of the two cultivation methods and as the supervisor said, Carefree focused in agility and Endless Earth focused in defence. The Carefree Breathing Technique was attractive because it was very good with the sect''s signature move : Steady Wind Qigong. But Tang Ling felt that Endless Earth suited him better. What would Endless Earth offer him ? Stability. Steadiness. What did Baijiquan offer him ? Explosiveness to every direction. But to offer this explosiveness, he needed to be steady and act like a turret. His feet encroached into the ground to attack from all directions. As such, the Carefree Breathing Technique would not complement his martial art which was vital for him; at least for now. Baijiquan did not allow him to move like the wind because doing so will lead to the reduction of his explosiveness. He needed to be stable and strong with adequate stance which would lead to burst of speed and power. Endless Earth he chose ! [Endless Earth Technique (Earth Rank) chosen as Host''s cultivation method. Replacing [Breathing Pattern of the Body]] [Endless Earth Technique (Cultivation-type) A special cultivation technique born from the contemplation and enlightenment in the world. It is a technique that only disciples of Wandering Sect and fated, talented travellers are allowed to cultivate. It allows the practionner to go beyond the limit and reach LV100. Effect : Passively regenerate 5 HP, Qi and Stamina every second. In combat, the effect is reduced to 2 HP, Qi and Stamina Regeneration each second. Cultivating give 30 EXP every minute and 300 for every successful circulation. Attacks also deal 10% less damage against the practitioner than the usual. Endless Earth has three stages : Limited Earth, Endless Earth and All Encompassing World which leads to an direct upgrade to the characteristics (including the passive regeneration) of this technique. Current Stage : Limited Earth] Inhale~ Exhale~ Energy started to enter his body and seemed to cleanse impurities inside. The Qi from the previous common technique started to fade, giving way to the new energy. Inhale~ Exhale~ "Oh ?" exclaimed the supervisor. It seemed like the youth he just recruited had some potential. Endless Earth was unpopular for a reason : it was hard to cultivate with this set of technique. Talented ones would try to avoid this technique too as it slowed their ''progress'' and most martial moves were derived from the Carefree Breathing Technique and thus, Endless Earth was less attractive. This lad immediately grasped the Core and immediately started the process of changing his qi. What talent ! But the lady before him, was faster. He knew who she was, anyone living in the Northern Pride knew her title. The Rose of Shendong was famous in all the region and she was the daughter of its city lord. She had an excellent moral character and was proficient in the four arts along with a budding talent to martial arts. Her age was 16 and she almost reached Stage 3. A little push further would allow her to become a real martial artist where every moves in her martial repertoire would be unleashed with full potential. He knew that she considered his sect as a stepping stone for her success; that she would later convert her Carefree Breathing Technique to her family cultivation technique : Wind of Sylph which could only be cultivated after reaching the 5th Stage. The Wandering Sect had no purpose for him, the sect didn''t expect any disciples to become strong. His teacher once said : "The sect is not built to be an organisation vivifying for power. It is merely to develop individuals with passion of travelling; why should we need talented people ? Talent is but a small requirement, it only means to be stronger. Strength for us, is only meant to explore more and not get bullied along the way." The Wandering Sect treated everyone equally but talented ones, especially ones with a good character were rather valued in the sect. In the future, they shall be, if not killed mid-way, great people travelling the land and helping the people. If sects were to compared to gardeners, the Wandering Sect was only responsible to plant the trees in a good soil and nothing else. It would let the earth, the heaven and the wind to grow them. That is what separate the sect with other ordinary organisations; the very reason of the loose rules and which earned the respect from most of Jianghu. Chapter 37 - Preparation to Duckes Gift or Introduction to a piece of made-up gun law It took an hour for Tang Ling to complete a few circulations as instructed by the manual. It was like a motor, brand-new, it was difficult to start but with time, it would be easier. With these few circulations, the process of passively regenerating qi commenced. Although tiny, it signified that he officially reached Limited Earth and could practise the secret arts of Wandering. But the his game time almost reached its end and night creeped the sky and the supervisor noticed it and clapped his hand. "This is the end of the session. Return to your rooms." A disciple asked out of confusion : "Room ?" "Yes. Choose any of the back rooms, these are reserved for affiliated members of our sect." The disciples hearing that it was the end, scrambled to finish their last circulations and find a suitable spot to reside. Personally, Tang Ling chose a random number and went for it. There were no clear differences between rooms (traveller''s and disciple''s); each room had about the same space, table, bed, etc. If there were no rooms, why would he bother choosing carefully his room ? Plus, at that time, he would just disappear and return to his world. It was simply meaningless. ========= The wind was fresh today. It was rare to see such fresh wind in this city. This was what he felt when he re-awakened from his [Game World]. The Qi cultivated in his body intertwined with the Flux of his body, completing a complete circle. ''Energies opposite of each others posses a small of their opposite'' would describe his energy''s situation. If he remembered correctly, his father would call it ''Yin-Yang''. As for the theory, he had forgotten and most books of his memories mostly disappeared. Was it sold or burnt ? Tang Ling didn''t know. With this in mind, Tang Ling got up and prepared breakfast. Oh wait... His sister already did that. What blunder. "Bro. Gimme money." The first he heard from her was a bizarre request. It was very unusual for her to ask him money; only when it''s near special holidays would she ask for money and today wasn''t anywhere near special holidays. "Fuxi, what''s the reason ? Did someone bully you ? I''ll beat him so badly that his face..." Tang Ling said, worried. "Nononono... Bro, why are you always thinking negatively ? I just want to buy a gift for Ducke. You know it''s almost his birthday !" Tang Fuxi shook her head as she revealed her purpose. Ducke''s birthday, huh ? If he remembered correctly, it should be in three days. He indeed forgot about it while making money and becoming stronger, the excitement has made him forget a brother of him ! Although Ducke was way older than him, it didn''t stop Tang Ling from forming a bond with him. Ducke was 20 and he still behaved like a child. Mischievous, prone to violence and sometimes just fooling around. Ducke was considered by many as childish and untrustworthy but Tang Ling liked him that way. Because he ''childish'', he was honest and easy to get along. But what would Ducke like ? If it was like the other years, he would just make a small party and give some kind of local famous beer. But now, he had money (well not comparable to corporates and Fluxers/Orderers shown in TV) and he ought to give a gift matching his wealth. A pistol ! Tang Ling looked at his pistol, he checked in the web and found the pistol''s information and he found out that it was produced by a semi-military factory. The factory made weapons for the military but also sold weakened versions to the public. Ten years ago, the Burst Pistol was made and was intended to be a civilian-use last resort weapon but was cancelled when it was discovered to be more dangerous than its intended goal. In other words, it was a discontinued series (while it only had one generations and two variations). Surprisingly, the assassin from Ghost Hall managed to get a pistol discontinued ten years ago and also tweaked some details to make it more powerful. It made the civilian edition Burst Gun bordering the restricted level of firepower ! With a little of research, Tang Ling had seen a law covering the firepower of civilian-use firearms stating: '' No arms for civilian use shall have a firepower capable of killing a person in a single shot if said spot isn''t a vital spot and shall not be automatic nor burst. '' As the practical firepower which the law actually take form, it is stated that if a shot could penetrate more than 0.3 cm of cement deep, it would be subject under the additional clause of ''recreational, hunting and special-use firearms''. And the pistol in his hand could penetrate 0.295 cm of cement deep. Even though Tang Ling still had no idea what the **** it was about, he still persisted and read that civilian-use firearms could be carried without a permit in outer and frontier cities but not inner and main cities and needed to at least cost one hundred credits, and the tax for each sale was a whooping 35%. Chapter 38 - Art of Tea Tang Ling returned from home with a completely different gun in his hand. The structure of the Burst Pistol was made to shoot Burst bullets which shred flesh easily and the workshop needed to rework the design for the gun to shoot normal bullets which could be found in the market. The Burst bullets would needed to be custom-made; not suitable for Ducke and himself too, a humble slummer with no relevant connections. The change in design resulted to a reduction in firepower and lethality but increased its firing speed and magasine size. There were also similar pistols and rifles in the workshop but it was seriously expensive. After modifying the gun, Tang Ling went to a dollar store and bought paper wraps. Then returning at home, Tang Ling finished wrapping his present, ready to show Ducke his gift in 3 days. When preparing supper, Tang Ling used the moment to ask if Fuxi was able to awaken as an ''Orderer'' and the answer was negative. "You didn''t hear the news ?" his sister questioned him, "There''s practically no one who chugged the content, awakened. There''s also rumours in the school that these bottles are rigged but there''s no evidence." The bottles were rigged ? Tang Ling raised his eyebrows as he tried make sense of the situation. Although it wasn''t confirmed, the bottles should have a problem. Were the bottles fake ? No. It was impossible, if so, why was he able to become an Orderer/Fluxer ? The content was definitely real but ...? If he remembered correctly, he received a 75 % Fusion Reagent and Tang Fuxi received a diluted version of it. Although it should be expected that many would fail, the school itself has 1500 students. Excluding him, there should be others too, by luck, able to awaken as a Fluxer, especially people of his group ! It was even stated that it was better than the rich people use to awaken with no side effects... Um... Why was he thinking so hard about that ? He was an ordinary man in a slum, not a genius. Things wouldn''t be good for him to try figuring out the minds of the elite; especially when he had so few informations. Speculations would only hurt his head without anything in returns. Tang Ling looked his sister yawning on the sofa and smiled. ''I don''t know anything about the world of Fluxers so it isn''t bad that you didn''t manage to awaken, avoiding to enter this unknown world because bro has nothing to protect you...'' "zzz...." Tang Fuxi was unknowingly sleeping on the sofa. "Cute." Tang Ling whispered as he transported her on his two arms to her bedroom. It was time to sleep, today was a plentiful day. [Heavenly Ascension activating...] Tang Ling opened his eyes and saw that he was in an inn''s room. He looked around and saw his sword, resting on his waist. He then looked around the window and saw an inconspicuous horse waiting and munching some hay, it was probably fed by the inn''s keeper or a customer. Knock, knock ! "It''s time for breakfast, then the elder will continue his lessons." Feng Cai said with a smile. Tang Ling nodded and thanked as he went down to get his meal with his fellow brothers and sisters. The meal consisted of strange things such as buns and dumplings with tea. It was very strange for him who normally ate bread, cereals or something out of the supermarket as breakfast but it didn''t take long before he adjusted and ate heartily. As he felt somewhat bloated , he took the cup of tea and drunk it carefully, savouring the taste. The taste was wonderful; tea existed in his world but were expensive. The only experience he had was with instant low-quality tea leaves which were given by Boss Amin who would sometimes give him expired leaves for free which he treasured greatly. For him, these expired tea leaves were luxury drinks but this tea was made of fresh leaves which contained an earthly taste. He reckoned that if he could sell this pot of tea, he would at least get more than a thousand credits, a thousand credits may be the entire savings of lower-middle class but people would still pay such amount for a pot of tea which could be finished in three days; such are the extravagance of the rich... But Tang Ling could understand the temptation, what is considered a fortune for some could be trash for an another. 1000 credits was dust and tea was treasure. What a great fragrance... "Amazing !" Tang Ling let out a praise. The server overheard the compliment and let out a cry pf joy, boasting in the process : "The tea may be of common species, it is bred here, in this inn''s garden. It is then brewed by a tea master. So of course, it''s delicious !" "A tea master ?" "Well yeah, like you who cultivate the way of Martial, the tea master cultivate the way of tea. People in mountainous regions may not know this but there''s an art and techniques to make and brew tea. It isn''t just heating water and pouring over just like using a sword isn''t just about slashing and stabbing people. The tea is prepared by the tea master that the boss hired for a hefty sum at that." the server responded. Chapter 39 - Concentration "Like the noble lady said, Feng Cai added, tea is a relaxing drink. With precious herbs and grand master skills, it can help one achieve the state of enlightenment but we are only ordinary below Veinmaster stage disciples, It is impossible to ask for a grand master to serve us a drink, in fact, an once of Tempering''s Peak Refined Tea Herb cost 3 gold bars !" A guy accompanying the noble lady, probably a suitor, continued : "Legends says that the first tea was made of coarse leaves. At that time, people ate meat of ferocious beasts and chewed on grass to survive. A vagrant named Zhong had accidentally put the coarse tea leaves on boiling cauldron. Unwilling to waste the precious time he spent boiling it, he carefully drunk the water inside it and immediately became enlightened from the first sip. Ten years later, he ascended drinking only tea." Dring-ring-ring ! Sound of similar to his school''s bell passed quietly besides his ear... "Silent Harmonious Chime ! It would seems to that Master Gu Ze has called for us. A session to further our cultivation it would seem." The disciples who were still eating, hurried up and in a few minutes, formed a line to enter the room. "Good !" the supervisor was sitting at the center of the room. Low tables with cushions were placed in front of him. Black boxes sat on the table, hiding the content inside it. The disciples coming in couldn''t guess the master''s intention. Tang Ling remarked however that these boxes awfully resembled the Huang Medicinal Black Box which Apothecary Huang Mu gifted him. "Cultivation is often described as fighting against Heaven, to be against the current of destiny. But our sect''s philosophy thinks otherwise : cultivation is like growing up; not only in strength but also in mind. Each realm is the degree of independence which It allows and above a certain level, for each degree of independence, it would result in a test. At the utmost level, one doesn''t depend heaven to strive. And so, immortals do not need to eat or drink, do not need surface to travel or heavenly energy. Before the cultivation of strength, the cultivation of mind must be prioritized. A healthy mind create a healthy body and a strong mind is required to accept a strong body. Today, I will teach one the two obligatory course for every disciples of the sect : Concentration Tea." "Did you enjoy the tea served by the boss ? He happens to be one of the previous batchs of disciples who joined two years ago. You can call him Senior or just Boss, he will provide tea for everyone but special tea like Concentration Tea need to paid. Now, take your seat and open the box in front of you." The seats that Master Gu talked about were small cushions placed before a small table on which were black boxes which resembled the Huang Medicinal Box given by Apothecary Huang. The students obediently took their seats and carefully opened the black box. In it, deep coloured tea leaves were meticulously placed here, and besides it, were kettles and a small cup. "Concentration Tea is a tea which every righteous disciples knows to prepare. One must have Concentration Tea Leaves or Thoughtless leaves and Qi. The purer, the better. Huang Qi or the Yellow Qi, although of a higher rank than huoli qi, it is condensed and prone to release. Turbulent qi is not compatible to the tranquil qi that Concentration Tea requires. So, please use Huoli Qi to brew tea. Now follow my instructions..." Tang Ling tried to imitate the middle aged man but even with his dexterous hands, the end result was a little disappointing. The tea was better than the expired instant tea he made before but was way worse than the ones served in breakfast. A little vexed by his first failed attempt, Tang Ling grabbed an another set and tried again. This time, it was slightly better but it still didn''t offer the concentration effect he was supposed to have. Third attempt... Failed ! Fourth attempt... Failed ! The fifth one, Tang Ling made it more meticulously and he was getting more used to the mouvements he had to do but at the last second, he knocked the cup down ! Goddammit ! Tang Ling took a deep breath and looked at the others. Feng Ci and Feng Cai were still struggling, two of noble birth and two sisters wielded the tea shakily and the graceful lady brewed elegantly but one could see a pile of wasted leaves behind her... At least he was not alone ! Feeling better, Tang Ling continued trying to make the Concentration tea. Argh ! It doesn''t work ! It was now his fifteenth try and he still couldn''t do it. [Disturbed Concentration Tea (Failed-Rare) A set of precious tea wasted by a disturbed, unskilled disciple. Drinking a cup have a slight clear sighted effect but filled with side effects. 5% to activate [Clear Sighted] for 5 seconds. +5% Qi, mental energy regeneration 95% chance to activate [Fatigued] state for 15 seconds.] What could have gone wrong ? A whiff of fragrance caught Tang Ling''s nose and his jumbled mind calmed. Tang Ling reconsidered his thoughts process, his techniques after 15 sets of refining shouldn''t be bad and couldn''t be the cause of countless failures that plagued the group... Afterall, if it was the technique, techniques could be refined for years. It''s would be unlikely for the supervisor to ask a group of students master the art which could required up to tens of years. It was clear that this task could be completed in one day ! Wait a minute ! Where did he get these thoughts ? and so fast ? The noble girl of Shangdong finished her work ! A single whiff of fragrance could stimulate him, unclogging his mind ! Mind ? Mind ! It is about the state of mind ! [Leaf of Concentrated Wisdom (Magic) A leaf from a Tree of Wisdom, a rare breed only found in places where qi are concentrated. Always in the center of a prime fengshui location, the quality and quantity of tea leaves is dependant on the fengshui where the tree is. Eating it raw grants + 0.10 Spirit permanently for the first time and effects decrease over usage, one may also consume it with special refining and method, changing drastically its effect. Quality : Magic-Legendary Chapter 40 - Concentration (2) Calm down... Calm down... Tang Ling took a deep breath and concentrated to finishing the concoction. Mix, Heat, Pour. Three seemingly easy steps but these fundamental steps are paramount. Although it would seem easy, you could also say that wielding a sword was easy: it was but hack and slash, horizontally, vertically with sometimes a thrust of something. But everyone knows that it isn''t everything. Everything revolves on subtleties, so much that you can find Dao in swords. Concentration Tea doesn''t have a high requirement in techniques. In fact, peerless tea skills would make sub-par tea if it doesn''t have temper. As he entered in a state where only tea and him existed, other disciples got an inspiration from the Rose''s fragrance and tried their theories. Tang Ling did not notice the strange behaviour of his neighbour and continued his work. As he became more and more engrossed in the process, something mystical happened : light purple followed his hand, almost a replica of Master Gu Ze''s technique. Unlike Gu Ze''s purple mist, the purple formed from Tang Ling''s hand could not be detected unless one focused his/her attention to his mouvement. Master Gu Ze noticed this strange phenomenon. He smiled. "One who found the correct method without instructions. He can probably become like my senior brother if he doesn''t have a talent to cultivation. A legendary tea master, renowned in the realm, who even the almighty former emperor humbly begged for a cup of his collection." Purple Qi from the East ! The great auspicious sign signalling the coming of a Sage ! It is said in the Warring Periods, when King Xuanze was in a deep struggle against the Barbarian King, he perceived purple qi from the east. As his retainers and officials advised him to retreat in the mountain pass he waited for 7 days until he saw the Sage. The Sage was called the Sage of Changes and he advised Xuanze to enter the Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, recruit the brave warriors of Tianmu who had a grudge against the Barbarian King and set an ambush in a small hill where the terrain was flat and disadvantageous for the defending army. Two days later, the Barbarian King was defeated in battle. The Sage was never found again and King Xuanze, at his ascension, classified this phenomena as Purple Qi from the East and the qi, Sagely Qi. However, it was found later that this Qi didn''t come from Sages alone. In the thousands of years after the end of his dynasty, there were rare but multiple apparences of this type of qi. It was a sign of auspiciousness, various forms of auspiciousness. Gu Ze taught Auspicious Tea Brewing technique and it was the basic skill of the sect. In fact, it isn''t unique to the sect itself, it was also taught in many orthodox sects like Pure Jade Sect. As such, since the technique''s nature had a form of auspiciousness and the tea''s ingredients were spiritual, at its highest level could create purple qi. Soon, Tang Ling finished and left his special state. Looking at his creation''s stats, Tang Ling''s eyes twitched. Transcendant Name : The drink that allows one to see truth under cover, to see through layers of lies and notice the hidden. This tea grants the clear-sighted state, state that many long to get even one moment in this state. Enlightenment becomes easier when under this effect. -Provides status [Clear-Sighted] His skill flew and broke a few grades before reaching Super-Rare. Something that Tang Ling had never seen. It really seemed like a grade straight out of a gacha game ! Not really about strength but about rarity ?! Anyways, it would seem that it was about becoming Epic but his techniques or the ingredient limited the quality. The skill panel updated, adding a new one: [Mathematics LV2, Stealing LV2, Medicine LV1, Handicraft LV2, Life LV2, Tea LV2] [Auspicious Tea Technique Mastered (Basic-->Advanced)] A contrast could be told in this technique which he was more proficient than Baiji-quan(Wushu) despite not really knowing much about this technique. "Disciple Tang Ling, I am very surprised about your talent in tea. Although you finished later than her, the quality is beyond compare. To understand the essence of the technique in a single session, that is impressive. The delicate fragrance emitted by your work represents how dedicated you are and how great it is." Master Gu Ze spoke, taking him back of his reverie, honestly it spooked him. Tang Ling stood up and saluted : "It is because of your guidance. Your demonstrations has enlightened me." he said humbly. "Hahaha ! You are very humble. But you should know that being to be too much humble can be offensive for some people. It is said that pride is concealed in humility and making oneself humble is to indirectly boast yourself. By luck or by ability, you may think as mere coincidence but it still your achievements. Boasting doesn''t harm anybody, in all my life I have boasted and never, did I get harmed from retribution." "Yes, Master." Tang Ling bowed and thanked. But deep in his heart, he didn''t really take his advice to heart. He had seen many boasters being beaten up when trying to showing off. He was of the line of thinking that showing off without capabilities would surely, surely, surely get retributions. "Go drink your tea. It''s your reward for your hard work." The supervisor didn''t mind the slight disinterest tone of his disciple and looked at the others who were listening : "Continue preparing a satisfactory Concentration tea ! Remember that if you feel dizzy just from the smell, it is definitely a failure... We have the whole morning and afternoon for this. You ! Yes you ! Don''t you see that your drink has a strange colour ? You were surely distracted by the conversation, throw it in the container..." Chapter 41 - Insight Tang Ling took a glance on the cup and drunk it carefully. The water entered his throat naturally, like it was the missing part and before he realized it, drunk all of it and close his eyes to savour the taste. Dong ! In Tang Ling''s mind, a strike at on a bell could be heard. "What ? What is that ?" Although he was confused, he didn''t dare to open his eyes. No. It wasn''t that he didn''t have the guts to open his eyes but his mind or something bizarre, his soul inside it screamed to not open his eyes. It seemed like he was in an another universe, strange voices flowed in his ears. He could also ''see'' words rising and falling, travelling in different directions like the wind. "Fire is one of the Five Elements. The most volatile, the fiercest. It burns anything which is flammable and melt metals..." "Qi comes from Heaven and Earth, the human amass..." "Vitality is a manifestation of Qi...." "Spirit constitute the mental fortitude of a man. With great spirit, one can rule the earth..." "... the future comes from changes of the world, the stars..." The voices were like books speaking, revealing truth about the world. It was as though words of wisdom flowed inside of him and he could meditate over and over again these passages. Bang ! It was like he broke invisible shackles in his body. Tang Ling felt liberated and light. [Words of Wisdom : +1500 EXP] [Words of Wisdom : +1500 EXP] [Words of Foundational Wisdom : +2000 EXP] [Words of Stars : +145 EXP] [Words of the Righteous : +55 EXP] [Level up !] [Level up !] [Level up !] [Level up !] [Increased stats towards Spirit and Constitution !] [Status Updating...] [Name : Tang Ling Level 21 Class : Martial Artist (Second Stage) Qi : 100/100 Mental Energy : 7/7 Stamina : 100% Strength : 2.2 Agility : 2.1 Constitution : 2.25 Spirit : 2.2] The sound of breaking through was heard through the room. It surprised many people including the proud Rose of Shengdong. "Holy Sh*t ! That''s one kind of a breakthrough !" With a single cup of tea, this seemingly ordinary guy broke through the 2nd stage from middle 1st stage. There were many stories of upper quality of Stage which broke through in an instant or peak (almost in the next Stage) breaking through in intense battle but it is quite unusual for the Middle-level 1st Stage to break through instantly. Normally, the nature of 1st Stage and 2nd Stage is quite different and one must refine the qi nature to ressemble more and more to the next level and then, in a single attempt or multiple refining, enter the next stage. The former was called Breakthrough and the latter, Condensing or Blending. Although there are legends of people breaking two stages in a single breakthrough which surpassed the concept of Condensing or Blending, there are still legends. Modern day ''skipping stages'' stories were quickly debunked. Probably only the ancients could do something like that. Anyway, the ''clear-sighted'' effect completely wore off after a cup of tea''s time and it was enough for the other disciples to finish their tea, especially with the teacher''s guidance but also because of the quite heavy scent of tea. Master Gu Ze clapped his hand and the session finished. "The session is finished. You have learnt the basics of brewing Concentration tea. This technique you have learnt is a basic skill of which every disciples of this Wandering Sect''s branch is required to learn; the Auspicious Tea Brewing Technique. Other branchs may have different techniques but all of them knows a thing or two about tea. As you have experienced it, Concentration Tea helps with clearing useless thoughts and as such, permits one to concentrate in important matters or focus in a particular subject." "Yes !" Feng Ci said. "It allowed me clear my mind and understand a problem I have never managed to understand until now. Thank you Teacher for teaching this recipe. " The other disciples and Tang Ling followed his lead and expressed their thanks. "Good ! Good ! Good ! The Auspicious Tea Brewing Technique is the specialty of our branch ! But it''s nothing special, it''s like any other tea brewing technique other than it originated in ancient times. The important thing you need to remember is to brew the Concentration Tea, it needs a Wisdom Tea Leaf or something similar." Wisdom Tea Leaf ? What could it be ? This was the thought of almost every disciples. This could be considered uncommon knowledge by the common people. However, the noble girl wasn''t a everyday person, she was of the Nangong Family and the daughter of the head to boot. The so-called uncommon knowledge was but a basic knowledge for anyone to learn for any cultured family. "In Encyclopedia of Plants, Wisdom Tea leaves comes from Wisdom Trees. These Wisdom Trees are said to only grow in area where fengshui is concentrated. There are perhaps a little more than fifty locations in the realm where it can grow, every gram is worth half the gram in gold and sometimes, it can reach a thousand taels of gold for a gram ! A boorish fellow could gain wisdom as long he ate a stalk of grass growing near the tree !" she exclaimed. "WHAT ? A THOUSAND TAELS FOR A GRAM ?!" Feng Cai, by virtue of his fearlessness or perharps foolishness, cried out. The other disciples were shocked inside but did not shout out loud. The two young masters beside the Nangong girl stayed calm. A thousand taels... It should be about three months of savings but it''s kinda expensive for a gram. Like Nangong Xinyue, they knew some uncommon knowledge, a thousand taels gold would be considered cheap if it was the highest tier of tea. Rich people like them liked to throw huge amount of money to buy what would be considered useless for many people like rare vase, antiques or exotic items. For the truly rare and beneficial, the cost is unimaginable. Chapter 42 - Insight (2) The truth is that their families could afford a thousand taels of gold a gram and would surely seek any opportunities to buy it. This level of tea leaf [the highest form of Wisdom Leaf] was highly sought by high-level masters and even the Emperor! Sadly, the supply was scarce and the demand was extremely high, a thousand taels would be the market price and reaching two thousand in auctions. There were countless previous examples of ordinary people rising into prominence when they offered these kinds of things as a tribute to great sages of mountains or the Emperor himself. Anyway, if they could get this lucky and poor disciple''s experience of drinking tea and immediately breakthrough, a few hundred gold coins or ten taels would still be too cheap for them. "Cough. Cough. Cough. This kind of price is justified by its effects and rarity but what we used were normal Wisdom leaves which were carefully cultivated by experienced gardeners. You see, its name come from ancient times where disciples would drink tea made of Wisdom leaves to help them concentrate and understand the master''s monthly teachings. Its effects are varied but as long as one understood the basics nothing bad would happen. Today, however, Wisdom Trees are a dying species. During the battle between the Flame Emperor and Wind Emperor, their battle affected two hundred species, including Wisdom Trees, in their 7 days and 7 nights battle across the Mountainous Region to the Mudi Sea." Master Gu Ze paused. It was clear that many battles claimed the lives of so many plant species. "With qi is in its decline and human factors, the quality and abundance of magical plants worsened over time to the point that three hundred years ago, there were ten times more than today. Three hundred years ago, the last renaissance to date of martial arts, countless heroes stood out and fought. It destroyed many, many species but humanity gained living masters, Paragons as a result." "Renaissance ?" Although many people here were pretty much more experienced than Tang Ling on the matters of this world, it was clear from their frowns and mutterings that they didn''t know any better than him on the ''renaissances of martial arts''. But clearly, Shangdong''s Rose knew a little in the subject and explained away : "It''s not a forbidden knowledge but it''s usually restricted to great families and sects. When I was twelve, my father and I visited the Imperial Repository of the capital to pay respect to the imperial family and chanced the book discussing the phenomena. Throughout history, after the ancient times, there were peaks and low of qi in the heaven and earth. Every three hundred years or so, qi stored underground gush out their centuries acc.u.mulated qi and the concentration increase by three folds." THREE FOLD ?! Someone had their eyes opened! What was three-fold qi concentration? It meant three times the cultivation speed! It meant that even breathing, one could get a small circulation done! ... ... Three hours passed in a blink of an eye. Three hours would be the standard time which Tang Ling worked as a temporary contracted worker. He would be endlessly bored in that period of time but this time, the session was finished but Tang Ling wanted more. But time waited for no one, Master Gu Ze who taught them much knowledge in simple words and the noble lady kindly supplementing basic informations for country bumpkins captivated him. Country bumpkins included Tang Ling, Feng Ci and Feng Cai. The others had experience and well-taught so they didn''t need basic information that Nangong Xinyue provided; they directly understood the concepts that he explained but three dumb people coming from a backward place needed an update or a simplification of the matters. Honestly, although they admired Wandering''s master and noble lady''s knowledge, sometimes it was annoying to hear "stupid" questions from country bumpkins and Nangong Xinyue wasting her time adding more relevant information only available to the elites, answering. But they would never complain about that; questioning the format would be offending the provider and she may never add more knowledge again but also offend the family on her back. Even if they had powerful families, it wasn''t worth it to offend such a large family for such small issues. The two young masters behind her, for example, came respectively from the Ji and Yu Family of the Northern Lands. They were considered upper-middle-class noble families and were sent here to court Nangong''s second heir or to become her followers. Such is the power of one of the ruling hemegons of the North. "The seance is over. This is the basic introductory class of our sect. You can come every week to attend and the next one is in three days. Your seniors will be here so it will a little bit crowded but you should bear with it. Next is the Martial Library, we pack quite a few things in there so even a week wouldn''t be enough to read everything, you can come visit-" BAM ! Chapter 43 - Show of Force Bang ! Bam ! Scritch !!! Crack ! Tables crushed, planks broken, items shattered were heard loud and clear. "What is the meaning of this ?" the boss muttered and made his way to the exit. The ten of the disciples followed behind him. At the counter... "You are housing a wanted criminal! If you continue to make me wait, not only your furniture would be broken but your entire building will be razed !" A burly man screamed at the counter as other similar burly men were glaring murderously at the staff and clients of the inn with broken pieces on their feet. Their huge muscles and heavy clubs and swords showed that they weren''t ones to be messed around... "Mister. Pay for the reparations. Trust me, you wouldn''t like the consequences. Second, I don''t seem to remember any officials like you or any of these men either. " the front desk man replied coldly. "Hahaha! It seems you''ve got some backings. Let me guess... A sect, the local police or is it the government ?" the big guy smiled. "I DO know that establishing an inn in the middle of nowhere, at least thirty-five kilometers from the city and ten kilometers from the nearest town definitely has backings of a force. But so what? I am the ruler of this area! Give me the criminal and five thousand golds as compensation and I will let you go." The receptionist opened his mouth but paused for a moment. "You come neither the local government or the imperial court. Obviously, you aren''t from the Hundred Families or the Three Hundred Recognized Sects, so who are you to judge someone criminal? I know you, you are the new gang leader in Wuwei town where even the town mayor concedes to you in power. You may have overthrown the previous leader and possess equivalent power to a mayor but you are not the mayor. The man who rents a room in this inn is a respectable man who only committed one sin: that is to stand with justice when justice is weak. If we give this man to you, where would be of my morality or the inn''s reputation ?" "Heh! Well, what''s the use of an inn''s reputation or a man''s morality if they both turn to dust ?" The leader made a motion for his men to continue smashing. One of them even started drawing his weapon at an innocent bystander... "How could you protect your reputation if you can''t protect your customers ?" That''s like choosing between a rock and a hard place! The receptionist tightened his fist... Qi swirling in his fist... "Enough! [There Shall be No Fighting in My Jurisdiction !!!]" Roaring like the tiger, Gu Ze made these men tremble and some even flew away. "To see through the disguise of man, the evil at heart. Evil intentions toward the inn and its inhabitants are sensed easily. Punish the treacherous and ask the heaven for retribution; Virtuous Wind !!!" A talisman appeared from his hand and he threw it at the bunch of ruffians. It stopped mid-air and exploded into multiple flashing lights! The strong men tried to evade but it was like these projectiles were equipped with a lock-on system and pursued them until it hit! Ztuuu-! Bam! Bang! "Argh !" As some stumbled, some kneeled but every one of them, even with their strong constitution, spat blood like no tomorrow. At the sight of it, Tang Ling trembled out of fear; these men had a cultivation higher than him by at least ten levels but in one move, were at their death''s door. If one ray had hit him... The consequence would be unimaginable (or too graphic). So that''s the power of a Master? At this stage, he was sure that Master Gu Ze could single-handedly destroy Bao Feng City if he wanted to. Is that the power of martial art? Is that why Orderers could be exempt from multiple taxes and have more lenient punishment if they commit a crime? The privileges granted to Orderers comes from one thing: Power! If one had the capabilities to lay waste whenever he wants, he would either be hunted or negotiate with the government! Like a boss, Master Gu looked at the burly men with cold eyes and spat: "Go out! Our establishment does not welcome you. I will then give you ten days to pay 500 golds as reparation and compensation to the staff and customers, if not, I will not be courteous." "Y-yes, yes, yes. As you wish, sir." The hooligans trembled under the man''s pressure and quickly fled. "Hmph." Master Gu snorted out of disdain and returned back on his students and the few customers. "Sorry for the poor display. We shall pay appropriate compensation to the damages they''ve caused." "It is a generosity of your part, Master Gu. But we are accustomed to such events. It occurs daily in other establishments but here, it had no precedent. Just as I was wondering the fact that such incidents never appeared; here they come! It seems that your establishment wasn''t as heavenly as I expected." An old man laughed out loud. "Yes. Yes. To see such moves from a high-level master like you for free is a blessing for us. Why should we ask you to pay? As the saying goes, Man plans Heaven ordains." "Sigh... Of course you all can say you benefited from the exchange but I would still need to compensate for the damages these men caused to your comfort. And it is more so, to this old man. Isn''t that right, Manor Lord Wu Wutian ?" Everyone gasped in surprise at this revelation. Although some had never heard of this name, to rise in position to become a Manor Lord meant that this old man wasn''t someone to be trifled by. And for people who knew him, it would be even more surprising. Wu Wutian was considered to be one of the most senior manor lords in the nation. Who were manor lords? They were chosen ones, heroes of their time and served in an extremely high position in the court. So much so that they could have a manor in the capital! The capital; where the emperor, son of heaven, resided! Every inch of land was worth as it like plastered with gold! In the capital, a mansion could only be conferred by the Emperor himself. The old man who was exposed, laughed again: "Indeed, it is I. But how did you know I was here? My identification only reported that I was only a citizen of the realm." Gu Ze replied blandly, "Who could get an identification certificate in this world? There are at least thirty hundred million in the north, that is not to counting barbarian tribes here. At horse, it would take a little less than a month to get from the capital to here. To register every household in cities is plausible but would three hundred thousand golds in administration fees alone; totally not worth it. As such, to get an identification certificate would imply that one came from the Central Region, the Southern Region or a nobility of the Northern Region. For the identification to say that you come from the Northern Region yet a commoner is utter rubbish. And only a governor would have the ability to falsify and the only one who went missing is you, Manor Lord Wu Wutian. Although capable, you''re famed from repeatedly escaping from your duties; a habit from your younger days." "Hohoho..." Chapter 44 - Manor Lord Wu Wutian "Hohoho..." the old man smiled like it was no one''s business and with a single knock of his staff, released waves of qi everywhere. It revealed his true appearance: that of a sagely old man. Although very old, his eyes carried a tint of vibrancy and his body exuded a strange feeling of vitality... But Tang Ling didn''t have the time to admire the virility of such man; his front head full of sweat. The qi released by a single tap of his staff released a pressure that made him immobilized for a few seconds. Blood inside of him was burning, it felt like it could explode any second! Thankfully, it was only a single release of power, if there were a second, a third... He wouldn''t be in this world anymore. The supervisor stoned his face, although he knew it could be considered be an attack, it wasn''t intended. It was simply the pressure of ''existence'' of higher-level masters, the suppression of a higher lifeforms towards inferior ones! At that level, no amount of men could kill this man because as long as he willed, anyone would self-explode in a fifty meters radius! Thankfully, the Manor Lord hurriedly suppressed his aura to accommodate the people in this inn. But also because if he didn''t, a something called ''Itinerant Peace'' would probably determine he was causing trouble... "This is your newly recruited disciples? Not bad. There are a few worthy seeds here, what a waste. With your sect''s teachings, they aren''t valued enough." Wu Wutian observed the group of disciples who had their heads down with sweat and evaluated them whimsically. In a single breath, he threw at Master Gu Ze a stack of notes. "Give everyone here this as my apology. It should be enough, right ?" At the next moment, the lord thought a new idea: "How about this? I shall give you all this as an apology, isn''t it a bargain ?" And in a single breath, he threw a stack of note in the air and it divided to fly towards everyone present, landing before their hands. On it, the paper which seemed to be banknotes, had only three words. Martial Imperial Repository. In bronze. "What... Is this ?" Tang Ling was confused. "T-this is the Imperial Repository Bronze Level Pass !!!" someone exclaimed. "Heavens! This was my younger days dream !" [Martial and Imperial Repository Pass (Bronze Level) Rarity: Super Rare Effects: Allow the visit to the Martial Repository in the Bronze Hall and get a copy of a martial art. Description: It is said that the Repository contains all the books that the royal family collected through their reign. It is separated in three hall : Courageous Bronze, Outstanding Silver and Imperial Gold. Rumors have it that inside the Golden Hall, there are divine martial arts and even the ones that the Emperor practices! *Note: This pass can be bought for three hundred gold, an amount that many wouldn''t be able to acc.u.mulate in their lifetime.] "God! Thank you Manor Lord !!!" The commotions made from excitement started to make the entire establishment tremble. But it soon calmed, when the crowd noticed that he disappeared. "Huff..." Tang Ling let a sigh out of relief. So this is the power level of this world? It is comparable to Orderers in his world! Of course, he couldn''t directly compare these two because first, the power systems were different and two, in either case, he didn''t have enough knowledge to comprehend the deep power that made these two great. All he knew were common knowledge about them; the former taught in school and the latter learned in the conversation between comrades. ''But this is some crazy power right here! Even the army of Gargoyles invading the city didn''t seem as scary as him !'' But then, a strange voice which seemed to appear from nowhere, shocked him. It was from the alleged disappeared lord! It whispered two sentences : "You''re quite good; having a solid foundation. When you''ll go to your martial library, go and learn Soul Blade and Aspect of A Leopard." It dazed for a moment and Tang Ling then turned his head to see if it was real or a piece of his imagination. Three other disciples also heard, namely Feng Ci, Feng Cai and Nangong Xinyue. Perhaps they were the good seeds that Wu Wutian talked? Tang Ling saw the supervisor nodding, expressing clearly that they should listen to what the old man said. After much difficulty, the group left the inn and went to the martial library on the other side of the mountain. It was quiet with a few people meditating on couches and reading manuals standing. "These people with a badge or any sign with a wind symbol are your senior brothers and sisters. There are also strangers, they''ve earned the right to enter the library. Promising and adventurous men we all have in the library." Gu Ze said as he showed the way. "The right side contains martial skills, the left movement skills and the center, defensive skills. At the end, you can find mental mantras. If you want to search for miscellaneous stuff, there''s no real classification but it''s besides the walls. " Tang Ling observed the private library that the Wandering Sect had in its disposition. It was quite small with only a few bookshelves that really contained what everyone wanted and was comparable to the public library in Bao Feng City. It didn''t say much because although Tang Ling would call the library small, he would know that knowledge is priceless and it''s a lot of work and money for someone to collect this many books. And martial arts weren''t cabbages sold on the street, they weren''t bulls*** books that the officials bought to fill the book count and let the establishment feel more impressive than it should. With only one look, Tang Ling was sure that the books here were pretty legit. The name of each skills seemed weird but the wear from constant use demonstrated its legitimacy. [Frost Palm Manual (Palm-attack skill manual) Learn : [Frost Palm] Condense frost into one''s palm and strike with fierceness. Each strike deals 60% bonus damage and freeze. At the highest level, deals True Damage and penetrate defense under 100. If penetrated, deals extra damage, cause bleed and freeze to internal organs.] [Open Shocking Palm Manual (Palm-attack skill manual) Learn : [Open Shocking Palm] Power one''s palm with might. Deals 80% bonus physical damage and cause wave damage (depending on user''s strength). Knocks back enemies. At the highest level, it can shock people and cause internal bleeding, disrupt qi and area-of-effect.] There were six other variations of palm techniques, but it wasn''t something that Tang Ling sought for. Chapter 45 - Disciple Borrows Manuals Tang Ling took his time to search for the recommended martial skills by the Manor Lord. After all, he had no grudge against him so he didn''t have a reason to lie and Master Gu Ze silently accepted his opinion. In fact, even when he took his time, the number of martial books were quite small and eliminating a few categories, it only took him six minutes. Roaring... Scorching... Soul... Soul Blade! [Soul Blade Manual (Super Rare) Learn: Soul Blade (Freestyle School)] Learn! [Soul Blade (Martial Empowering) Level required : 0 To master Soul Blade is to be one with the sword. As the practitioner pours in his focus and intent into the blade, It becomes stronger and sharper. Using any skills with this active skill increases its effects by 10-50(by level)%. Consumes one mental energy per minute, can be adjusted for more power. 1st Level: 120% damage multiplier, +1 rank to weapon''s rarity in checks. 2nd Level: 140 % damage multiplier, +1 rank to weapon''s rarity in checks. 3rd Level: 160% damage multiplier, +2 ranks to weapon''s rarity in checks. ??? 4th Level: 180% damage multiplier, +2 ranks to weapon''s rarity in checks. ??? 5th Level: 200% damage multiplier, +3 ranks to weapon''s rarity in checks. ??? Requirement: Any bladed weapon understanding or intent is required for one to be ''one with the sword''. Remarks: The Sword! One with the Sword! Cut everything that is on your path !] This... This was a rare unexpected treasure. Compared to the other martial art manual in the library, this one was unexpectedly a lot stronger. Not because of the damage, it was only a 20% more damage at the First Level but it could stack with other skills. It meant that he could use other skills with it and effects while it was activated were enhanced by 10 to 50%! Hmm... Tang Ling thought a little while. What was this +1 weapon''s rarity in checks? [Bonus to Rarity Checks, some weapons, skills, moves or abilities are related to the rarity of the target. For example, [Break Weapon with B.a.r.e Hands Under Rare] can break any weapon under the rarity of Rare, as such if any sword of Common rarity tries to attack, he would directly shatter the blade in a single shot. However if it has a Bonus to Rarity Checks, it is considered (and is temporally) equal or superior to Rare and won''t shatter under the skills.] So if he had a Common Spear, with Soul Blade, it would be considered a Rare Spear? The only thing keeping it from ''OP'' would be the usage of mental energy. Tang Ling only had 7 points so he could only use it for 7 minutes unlike [Heat] which could also use Qi as a base. But unlike [Heat], Soul Blade wasn''t sh*t. Wait... [Requirement: Any bladed weapon understanding or intent is required for one to be ''one with the sword''.] This man knew that he had sword intent! Or how else could he recommend this martial skill to him ?! I need to know how he could''ve known that. After ten minutes, under Special-type category, he finally found it. [Aspect of Leopard (Super Rare) Description: The Leopard is known as the fastest animal to many scholars. When it sees its prey, it charge and pounce unto it; not giving any time to react. The renowned Animal Scholar went deep into the wild for a chance to observe it in its everyday life. After 30 days, he came back with a method to imitate the beast. Learn : [Aspect of A Leopard(Special-type Series Martial Art)] Requirement: Knowledge of Leopard (You have not learned yet.) Remarks: To become one, one must understand one.] Hmmm... The prerequisite is quite harsh. Unlike Soul Blade, he actually needed to learn. At least, all the knowledge he needed was in the book. "Ha. Anyways, if it''s hard, the reward would be great. Should I get another martial manual? Not really. We can only borrow two books this time and master said that a too broad set of skills is a jack of all trade but master of none; meaning that I''ll get beat down by anyone who isn''t dumb enough to learn many skills without depth." Tang Ling mumbled as he took the Soul Blade and Aspect of Leopard Manual to the counter and borrow them. The librarian glanced the books over, nodded and said: "Soul Blade and Aspect of A Leopard? These are good manuals. Hidden treasures in this library. In other places, it would cost one hundred silver coins. It''s your first time here so it''s free for now." He then wrote on his paper: Tang Ling, Wandering''s Sect Disciple Borrows Soul Blade, and Aspects of A Leopard. Deadline : 3 days. Total : 0 (5) silvers. "Do not forget to give back in a good state. I have seen many youths return with burnt, soiled and wet books. Ha... It''s alright now, the books are now refurbished to be waterproof, fire-resistant, hardened, slash-resistant, smash proof, immune to changes in temperature up to five hundred degrees..." ''Damn! Tang Ling thought, it''s not a Wutungstene alloy box containing an antique goddammit! I''m pretty sure that leather doesn''t have this type of propriety! It''s just a book! A book made of primitive material... A book made of primitive material containing knowledge... Special knowledge which can make a man powerful... Uh. It seems quite valuable... Especially the knowledge and material (basically everything). Leather cost about twenty credits per inch square and paper, one credit for every normal piece of paper. In the black market, it''s double the price. So just by its material, the manuals he has could bring him five hundred or more. So, yeah? It''s good to be fire, water, temperature changes, slash and smash resistant? Chapter 46 - Arrows Tang Ling returned to the living quarters with the two manuals. One which he could use and another which he couldn''t. Even when he could use Soul Blade, he still brought it with him so he could study the intricacies of this empowering art and advance in levels. If he didn''t, the martial art would stagnate at level one. For now, he took his time to read the encyclopedia of the leopard and gradually, it was the limit. [System Notification: You have spent 16 hours in this world and will be forced to disconnect...] [5. 4. 3. 2. 1] Tang Ling woke up again on his bed. Strength filled his body as he crackled the rested knuckles and bones. ''It is quite strange, even after experiencing sixteen hours of activity, I''m still energized. It can only mean that my experience in this world is a sort of dream. But I gain experience and power out of it. False yet true, true yet false; a paradox to marvel.'' It was only the third day since he got this System and entered this strange world. But he gained the power to overpower any ordinary person and became a hunter. If it was him from before, such a prestigious position (at least for a slum orphan) would be unattainable without luck and a lot of effort. ... ... ... After finishing breakfast, Tang Ling noticed that he ate more cereals than usual. If he remembered correctly, he also ate more yesterday too. It can be inferred that his appetite increased when he received the System; meaning that as he became stronger, he needed more energy to sustain his body. It would be a hassle to maintain this "wasteful" lifestyle if it was the previous him but with the income of a hunter, it should be easy to earn big bucks! Tang Ling readied his equipment and put the black bow on his back. It didn''t look like it but it was quite heavy. It weighs at least five kilograms and large too; making it very uncomfortable to put on one''s back. He then went to a hunting store to purchase a quiver and arrows for ammunition. He couldn''t use the gun anymore so he should depend more on his bow. "I only have in stock this quiver which can contain 15 arrows, what type do you want ?" the shopkeeper asked as soon as he asked for a quiver. "Type ?" Tang Ling frowned and asked. The other shop only sold one type of arrows and didn''t have any quivers so he had to carry around in his Inventory. "Yes. There are plenty of types of arrows. Some are meant to penetrate deeper on the target, some are designed to shatter skulls and shells and some explode in fragments on impact. If you''re willing to pay a little extra, you can get enchanted arrows made from the artificers! The arrows are separated in three categories Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 with Tier 3 being the best." he showed a collection of arrows in his case; each being a sample. Damage: 10~11 Description: A normal arrow made of synthesized wood and steel. Price: 5 credits] It was the bag of arrows he bought yesterday. [Penetrating Arrow Tier 1 (Common) Damage 10-15 Effect: Decrease defense by 10 when applying damage. Description: An arrow in a strange shape to penetrate thicker defense. Price: 7 credits] Damage: 15-22 Effect: For any defense under 20, decrease defense by 30%. Also 15% bonus damage to armored target. Description: With great craftsmanship, the arrow doesn''t lose velocity for its shape or weight. Reusable multiple times. Price: 65 credits] [Penetrating Arrow Tier 2 (Uncommon) Damage: 15-25 Effect: Decrease defense by 20 when applying damage Description: An arrow with great craftsmanship, it is a standard military arrow to penetrate beasts and humans alike. Price: 50 credits] Damage : 12-20 Effect: Can cause bleeding to the target. (Must cause damage and penetrate defence) Description: An arrow with a bizarre shape to stick into one''s body. Once hit, it is extremely likely to bleed a light amount of blood. Suitable to slowly drain low-intelligence beasts'' vitality. Re-usable at least three more times. Price: 80 credits] [Venom Scorpion Arrow Tier 3 (Superior Uncommon) Damage: 15-30 Effect: Poison. Ignore defense under 15. Description: An arrow formed from the tip of the sting of a Sand Scorpion which a Synthesizer novice extracted. The venom is extremely potent; capable of killing a huge beast in minutes, the shaft and end is also very sturdy. Poison : Scorpion Poison -15 HP/s [Greater Penetration Arrow Tier 3 (Rare) Damage: 30-50 Effect: Decrease 25 defense when applying damage. May apply crit+50%, Description: An arrow made by a professional Synthesizer as a special gift for the one who bought his work. It has been lost in route and was bought by the shopkeeper, now in the display as an ordinary Tier 3 arrow made by a novice Synthesizer. Price: 100 credits.] Oof. That is quite a lot! However expensive it was, Tang Ling still maintained a straight face. If he ever showed even a tinge of pain, the shopkeeper would despise him which would reduce his ability to negotiate the price. "One venom arrow, one greater penetration arrow, two smashing arrows and three Tier 2 Penetration arrows. I''ll offer 400 credits." Tang Ling calmly said. "500 credits", the shopkeeper responded, "normally it would be 505 credits, it''s a 5 credits off deal." "Don''t say it like it''s some kind of godly deal. I''m no fool, it''s not a 5 credits off in buying a toaster. 410 credits." "T-ch, 475 credits, it''s the lowest that I can get you." "I know that you bought from wholesale and cheap. I have done my research, even online shipping is just a little higher than your offer, final offer: 450 credits." Seeing that the shopkeeper was in the middle of deep thoughts, Tang Ling hurriedly suggested: "Look, I know that it''s a little lower than you were thinking but you will still have made quite a killing. There are also two or three more hunting shops and I''m pretty sure that one of them would accept my offer." "Ugh. You convinced me, 450 credits it is." the shopkeeper sighed. That price was really low, very low. With wholesale and with his personal connections, he managed to get those restricted goods for a discounted price but 450 credits didn''t justify all those troubles but right now, business was slow and the war between the three princes made the economy suffer. However the good news is that in two weeks, only two weeks, the Prince of Mysterious Fire would soon launch an expedition towards another prince to defend against the counterattack from the latter after the former took land from him. This expedition would need a large number of arms and as such, he would reap a huge profit. ''Perhaps, I could settle in the ric.h.e.s.t area of the inner city !'' Chapter 47 - Paulis Root Although the day started quite well, the remaining of the day wasn''t fruitful at all. Searching beasts deep into the valley, nothing came out. Tang Ling searched everywhere for a couple hours and was now resting at the Uruvian Bear''s shelter. "Only the strongest and fittest shall survive. Uruvian Bear, you lost so everything you had (your corpse included) shall be mine." Tang Ling murmured and used the moment of respite to think of something. It wasn''t a huge secret to know that Bao Feng City was built on wasteland. Here, the ground is dry and cracked from lack of water. There was no food produced in the city due to the extremely bad soil, being nicknamed death soil, even the grassland around the city was the result of the combined effort of powerful Fluxer big-shots and nothing could really be grown on here. Except for resilient species like a cactus, a Dry Despair Tree and the common-seen grass, there were few, very few beasts roaming around the region. The Uruvia Bear was part of the exception since it had a near water source. It was clear that hunters could not base themselves off just from beasts. There would only a rise in number once a decade which signifies the beginning of a Beast Tide. There are probably commissions or something to pass off as side income... Tang Ling thought for a little and unconsciously took his phone to search for information... "Shit. I forgot that there''s no wifi here." Hunters couldn''t survive just with hunting beasts. Either they do odd jobs in the city or collect materials from outside the city. Something like precious materials or herbs? Precious herbs and materials... Although not so knowledgeable in herbology and metallurgy, Tang Ling had heard of some plants that only thrived in extreme conditions in the news. Such as... "A man has found a bunch Firefly flowers in his garden !" "Shock! Twenty thousand credits for an herb !" "A rich noble is willing to pay 100 000 CREDITS for a Double Gus, a necessary component for his daughter''s treatment !" Clickbait titles like that were often fake but sometimes, had a shred of truth in it. For example, the noble''s daughter suffered a rare disease that could be solved with medications that required Double Gus as it was one of the core ingredients to create the miraculous panacea of medicine. The rest was up and Tang Ling got up for another round of exploration. It was then that he saw a small root on the ground. It felt quite familiar... Something mentioned in passing by the teacher two years ago. "Two years after a beast outbreak containing thousands and millions of beasts, the great Paulin found a root which appeared after it ended. It is now known as Paulin''s Root, a first-tier Flux plant. The root only appears in the wild or near areas where there had been invasions and there had been some mild success in an attempt to grow it in an artificial environment. Although it is considered an extraordinary plant, it is barely so..." [Wild Paulin''s Root (Rare)(Maturing in one day) Effect: Beast Evolve (Epic) Description: Discovered and researched by Paulin Flemmings, the Paulin''s Root is an evolutionary ingredient for beasts. In the world of Beasts, it is an heavenly Epic herb that can change their fate. Can be used to create Strong Vitality Potion.] "The Paulin''s Root''s use for humans is limited. There had been a few instances where it was brewed into a potion to increase the overall fitness level of the person. However, it is quite different for beasts; if they can eat it, the root triggers a strand of gene inside the beast. The beast would then evolve into a stronger version of it." He then proceeded to show an image of a Fu Dog before and after eating an artificially cultivated Paulin''s Root. If there''s one word to describe it, it would be: Ugly. If it was two: Very ugly. If it was three: Hideous but strong. The small inoffensive dog had become a monstrous dog but it is one with strength. With one bite, he shattered a Fluxer''s arm and with his paws, killed the researchers behind him and escaped. One day later, it was killed by a strong Protector and its strength is estimated to be around four and a half stars beast. If it was the Aurora Bear who ate it... Tang Ling felt a little chill at his spine. It would probably become a savage beast that even regular Fluxers cannot deal with! Anyways, what''s with this Strong Vitality Potion? [Strong Vitality Potion Effect: Gives the drinker the passive skill [Health Vigor Lifeform] (Only effective for the first time) Ways to create: 1. Find the recipe, the ingredients and attempt to brew it. (Entry in Alchemy, Potion Making) 2. Trial and Error (Master in Alchemy or Potion Making is required) 3. Buy the Cube of Alchemy for only 25000 yuan and the required ingredients (2000 yuan) !] Bruh. Why did the third option seems like the neighbor''s salesman promotion? And what was this Yuan thingy? A sort of currency? Is the System trolling me? Anyways, even though he couldn''t exactly eat it raw, the potion (if he has the chance to concoct it) is extremely amazing! It''s literally converting the precious herb''s ability for beasts to humans! The simple description could not hide the magnificence behind the potion''s effect. Right now, his Constitution was 1: 100 to Health. With minor but frequent adjustments with levels, he only had 600 HP. That''s an unexpected gain! But he would need to wait another to it to m.a.t.u.r.e. Chapter 48 - Unexpected Meeting It couldn''t be helped but Tang Ling still could not resist the urge to sigh. Without loot, he was naturally depressed but he knew that hunting was all about luck and skills. The star duo hunters in the region, Gold and Silver, were rumoured to be Fluxers with an average daily income of 800 credits and they too sometimes had a bad harvest. The walk was quite long but then he saw a man emerging from a hole. To more exact, after Tang Ling inspected it more closely, a mineshaft. "Huh, where did you come from ?" the raven man asked in surprise but then recognize him. "Ah ! It''s you, the formidable newbie who managed to hunt an Uruvian Bear, right ?" Tang Ling nodded. "Well, why are you here ? I remember that here''s my spot." he said. "Spot ?" Tang Ling frowned, it was quite unfamiliar. "Yeah, it''s my exclusive entrance to the underground ! You know, in our province, beasts are rare on the surface because of the extremely dry conditions the land offers. Alternative forms of income like plant foraging and ore extraction are subpar on the surface since plants do not grow without nutriments and water and it''s rare to see open source of ores." The conversation made Tang Ling understand the situation. The Uruvian Bear has managed to survive all this while and almost became BOSS-like beast not because of the lack of hunters or incompetence but because the main focus of the city was the underground. The city of Bao Feng is under the juridiction of the Dread Wasteland with the inner city as its master. Although the climate wasn''t friendly to the continent, it still did not compare to the Dread Wasteland. The empire did not have a population problem or a territory problem so Tang Ling has always wondered why did they set cities in the middle of nowhere. Not even the official citizens knew. But then it all made sense ! If it''s taken at face value, there is no value into investing so much ressources into this region; it should have at the maximum, the ressources put to the development should have been similar to Drought Stricken Region; only enough to create a small fortress to repel marine invaders to reach the mainland. A fortress may be expensive but it''s cheaper than building several cities; including an inner city. What is an inner city ? It''s the military, cultural and economic center of several smaller cities which they pay tributes to. At the lowest, inner cities could house at least five hundred thousand persons and at the highest, could rival core cities with tens of millions as their citizens. The Coral Sea City, although not in the top of the list, isn''t at the lowest either. "What''s under ?" Tang Ling asked. "It''s the underground network of Bao Feng City. Although it''s not comparable to the neighbouring dedicated mining town, it is a respectable location. There''s iron, copper, gold and even Flux metals like Iodun can be occasionally found. However, it''s pretty much mined out and there''s only a few beasts which we slay in a patrol. They reproduce fast and if we can''t deal with it, there would be a new addition of another force in the upcoming Beast Tide. Although Bao Feng City isn''t an important or endangered city, it is still a home for thirty thousand people so when the central government made deals with the private sector and new companies sprung out to "leech" off the new policy. They use the private sector''s will to enforce regular extermination of these lands with contracted hunters, especially when it''s an undeveloped and hard to control area." So the half-excavated underground complex still has natural ressources ? And the mining job he was offered a few years ago was to excavate the new and rich mine ? If so, it would make sense that the requirement was so stringent and the pay so good. The state wouldn''t care much of the individual salary of miners if they generates so much profit. Tomorrow, he would get the Pauli''s Root and put it inside his Inventory and then proceed to enter one of Bao Feng City''s underground channel. At least, it was better than try his luck on the wilderness. He told the black man his decision and he responded : "Well, that''s good. Give me your phone model and number; Spicy Peppers 3S, XXXX ? That''s an old and cheap model. Well, at least it can receive the data. Newbie, try changing your phone to a newer model. It''s seems that in the upcoming year, this type model would be decommissioned and many of these functionalities would not be disabled. If it is so, it would be quite a hassle to transmit a message from a higher operating system to your crappy phone." After a minute of fiddling on his phone, Tang Ling received a message which had a lot of information in it. The poor little phone which he picked from rubbish four years ago was beginning to lag and the memory storage equipped was almost used up. Tang Ling : "..." He would prefer not to talk about this. Poorness limited my choices ! Tang Ling sighed as he thought about it while walking towards the city. He felt quite uncomfortable after the conversation. The rumours about hunters may not be true but it is undeniable that most people who became good at this trade has quite a good standard of living. In fact, he learned a lot in this conversation. According to what he learnt, hunters definitely has a connection to Fluxers. To know about and get Flux materials isn''t something that an average citizen can do. To sell restricted materials as a ''mortal'' is a privilege in itself and maybe... maybe... Hunters could become Fluxers ! Chapter 49 - Beginner Hunter Guide Although the populace didn''t know how Fluxers works, the method to become one was an open secret. However even if they knew, they couldn''t reproduce it. One literally needed to be born with a silver spoon to have a chance to become a Fluxer. When the principal presented the new Fluxers in the graduation ceremony, Tang Ling could tell, eyes closed, that their parents'' net worth reaches the fifty thousand range. These rich kids smelled special, to say the least. For the very, very rich, they would eat and drink something related to Flux. Either it is the meat of ferocious beasts or treasured herbs which their parents spent hundreds or thousands of credits to buy one. As long as their child exhibit even the slightest of talent, they would spend lots of money to nourish their child in preparation for drinking the Fusion Reagent! 250 000 to 300 000 Credits for a try! With enough material resources, one could try indefinitely. Well, even the mayor didn''t have money to try it more than a few times. Tang Ling didn''t blame them, what''s the use of money if they can''t spend it? To give the result of their hard work to strangers? It''s the epitome of stupid! He, himself, used the thousand credits to improve the condition of his family and close ones; not for the old stranger next door. The theory behind it is that when eating flux creatures and plants, your body becomes accustomed to Flux energy. It will become easier for you to absorb the flux out of the regeant and form a Broken Vessel. What is a Broken Vessel? It is the container of Flux. However, like its name suggests, it''s broken and Flux continuously dissipates every second. It''s like putting water on a cracked jar. The later stage wasn''t disclosed to the public and was strictly moderated by high-ranking officials. However, no matter how iron-fist the government is to protect the information, the fact that it was inevitable that some pieces of information leaked. It is also revealed in an obscure forum that the next stage of the Broken Vessel is to slowly restore it; so to reduce the leaking until it can only be used up when a Fluxer makes a move. Tang Ling believed that when hunters performed a great performance, they could become fluxers. In fact, he suspected that the black-feathered guy was almost approaching Fluxer level. If not already. In silence, Tang Ling entered the open gate and took out his pass for the guard to see. As stated above, although the authority made all sorts of actions to restrict the informations, if you were willing, you could learn bits of information there and there. Especially in a city like Bao Feng City where intranet monitoring is non-existent. ''I should go prepare.'' Tang Ling thought. The underground is different from the wild. The constraint was more severe, with limited vision and space. To this effect, he needed something to deal with that two plus, the tools to extract the resources he sees. However, these things ain''t cheap. A simple lamp or something is cheap and the battery works for ten hours but it only provides the basic lighting tool. There''s also a space constraint that he couldn''t do much about it but it should be okay since most spaces could be fought with the majority of weapons. What''s important however was, with vision, the tools. In the underground, although the occasional loot from beasts is good, it isn''t the prime source of income. Tang Ling looked at his phone and clicked at the doc.u.ment that the man gave. [Guide for Newbie Hunters (Dread Wasteland Edition) Hello! It''s me, Jarvin! No matter if you''re a newbie hunter who just started or a veteran hunter coming to these lands, you all have to buy this guide (smirk face)! Anyway, as you may know, the Dread Wasteland is different from most hunting grounds in the continent. Here, the wild is sparse and you will be hard-pressed to even find a rabbit here. Although specialized beasts may thrive here, it''s a lot better to just go to another area. However, if you''re remotely interested in hunting in this area, you''ll already know that the real thing is underground. Here''s a rough overview of the underground network : A-01: Excellent A-02: Barren A-03: Bad Bao Feng 01: Medium Bao Feng 02: Medium Bao Feng 03: Good Thousand Bones Entrance: DANGEROUS! (not shown in the map) Glix 02: Good Glix 03: Excellent Glix 04: Medium B-01: Bad B-02: Bad B- 03: Barren Swamp of Oide: Acidic Swamp, Excellent plant, and medium ore deposit. Do not enter! ... Greysteel Minecity: Abundant (lots of untapped potential !) but is being excavated by officials. Ect. There''s also some forbidden places listed above and you should never, ever set foot here. Some are state secrets and others have particular characteristics that can kill even the most experienced hunter. At the counter, you can try buying a Night Vision Potion (3 hours) for 100 credits or patrol (pay: 15~75 credits included). There are also some old pickaxes to borrow or buy however, you can always try your luck in the ''garbage'' deposit next door, there may have some valuable second, third-hand items. Common beasts you may encounter are : One Star Grey Rat: Even a child can kill it but is dangerous in a group of 10 or more (usually 15) Two Stars Underground Bat: Easy kills, can suck blood and cause disease (get an antidote !) but the rewards are paltry compared to the efforts. Three Stars Cave Wolf: Agile, fast, hunts in packs of around three. A little stronger than the common wolf on the surface. Four Stars Tymu: Bipedal sloth-, bear-like beasts. A single slap can crush bones. Five Stars Cave Bear: Stronger than bears, the apex predator of this region. Common weapons are trifling matter before them. Seven Stars Underground Rat: Weaker than Grey Rats but are always in a group. If you see one, run! Ask assistance from the Hunter''s Association. Do not even try to fight alone, they''re at least in the thousands !] There was a lot of information to digest so Tang Ling took a break and knew that tomorrow, he should take a look at the Hunter''s Association. For now, he should get the so-called ''feeling'' and try out the advice in the forum. Chapter 50 - Expedition Breathe, swirl, condense and try to repair cracks on the Broken Vessel. Tang Ling tried to ''feel'' the fluidity of Flux. Although the post described the process, it lacked the proper method to repair the vessel. In a way, it would be like developing a fighting style from a phrase that you''ve heard someone say: "Fighting is all about legs and fists." However, while difficult, it was quite similar to the breathing technique of the Game World. So Tang Ling tried to replicate this feeling and before ten o''clock, he heard a notification. [Practiced improvised Repair Technique, +0.5% Repair. Broken Vessel -> Damaged Vessel (0.5%)] "That''s a good sign, it shows that I''m in a good direction." Tang Ling nodded before saying falling asleep. --------- It was a fine morning in the Game World. Tang Ling woke up on a bed. The bed of the inn. By that time, Tang Ling had a little clue of what happened after he "disappeared". At that stage, by means what Tang Ling could not understand, the others would simply as nothing happened. The exact reaction is still uncertain however, no one ever asked him where he went or why they couldn''t find him. However, there''s a particular state that attracted his attention. [Well-Slept After having a well-deserved sleep, you feel quite energized for the day. +60% Stamina.] This only appeared after he went to bed but didn''t appear yesterday. Perhaps it was a luck-based state, similar that sometimes after waking up, you would feel tired or energized. It meant that while he ''disappears'', this world or system still considered that he was ''here''. It''s still bizarre so he shouldn''t try to pointlessly guess. He would only do so when he felt that there''s enough information. Tang Ling stood up and opened the door, only to see a fellow disciple about to knock the door. It was not Feng Cai, this time but an unfamiliar face. Here he stood, dignified and of a sunny smile. He wore flying crane badge, a badge reserved to seniors of the Wandering Sect; representing freedom. Although unfamiliar, his face quite common and did not seem powerful, Tang Ling did not dare to be disrespectful. After all, he was a senior. In this new world, it would seem that seniority is really, really important. "Good morning, senior." Although hidden inside his white robe, a sharp eye could detect a faint outline of well-toned muscle. It was neither too little or too much, just the right proportion. In Tang Ling''s opinion, this was an example of an ideal body. The peak form of the human body. "Good morning, junior. You''re quite an early bird. The brothers necessitated some help to wake up, there was also a cold-faced youngster like you who just woke up but was still sleepy. Anyway, go to the main hall and wait for the new expedition. It''s not mandatory but it will help foster connections and help us understand you better. Master Gu will brief about the details of this expedition but knowing him, it will probably be about justice or something." The senior left leaving Tang Ling a little confused. An expedition? Is it like the rumored school trip that only rich kids could go to? *** The new disciples were waiting for Master Gu to explain the contents for the expedition. Here, the middle-aged man was accompanied by two other disciples who appeared to be seniors; one who conversed with Tang Ling and the other was a silent calm man who seemed like he tempered his mind to become one with nature. After sitting down, the inspector looked around to see if any disciples were missing, visibly satisfied to see that no one was skipping and went to talk about the details. "We will hunt some demons and monsters who are troubling the villagers. Two days ago, there had been a report of a middle-scale massacre near Wawa Village which totals twenty young men, thirteen elders, and eleven children. The authorities suspect an unintelligent monster is at work or a demonic ritual. We''ll go out and see who is the perpetrator of this massacre, the rewards of the court are 10 gold coins and choice between a weapon of the Northern Great Keep or ten items from the Chamber of Spirit." Murmurs could be heard in the room and Tang Ling could hear them; giving him a clearer picture of the situation. A middle-scale massacre usually involved around 50 people and for someone or a group to do this, they were definitely strong to both kill them and have the guts to challenge the authority. Unlike the commoners in his world, this world''s commoners cultivates martial art. In this group of fifty, there should at least be ten First Stage or even a 2nd Stage martial artist which should put a good fight against the enemy. As such, for a bunch of 2nd Stage disciples, this quest was very difficult; with a casualty at the lowest and the entire team wipeout at the highest. But since the supervisor came along, the danger was minimized. However, the rewards were also plentiful. The Northern Great Keep was a famous location that hosted the finest weapons in the northern world. In short, the minimum quality was Rare. As for the Chamber of Spirit, this was also a famous location. It was a place in which the Eternal Solitude Sect lived, and the items displayed were magical items that could save lives and were worth at least a few golds. However, the access wasn''t permitted to any Tom, D.i.c.k, and Harry. Only people who were recommended by a special officer could enter. ''Wow. This is very generous, the rewards are roughly 30 gold coins which three times more than the rewards I obtained from Red Pass!'' "Oh, I forgot about the Jugun Core I had. But it should have finished incubating long ago..." When the disciples agreed, most of them were greedy for the rewards. After all, even though some are of noble birth, they still couldn''t enter the Chamber of Spirit. This was because the people living here were very secretive and even powerful enough to not comply with the ruling governor''s demands. Excited by the idea of visiting this mysterious place, the disciples quickly prepared their supplies and waited for the start of the expedition. Tang Ling was also affected by the hype train as the Feng brothers, so he too felt quite excited about it. Chapter 51 - Expedition (2) The travel to the destination took a mere two hours. After picking up his horse who strangely waited for him, he joined the group in this small expedition. In the way, he opened the Jungun Core and was surprised found that it was a small green serpent. Not a disgusting plant. [Pet System Unlocked!] [Pet Capacity Limit: 1] [Do you wish to adopt the Pet before you? Warning: You will use up your total pet capacity.] Tang Ling thought for a while but did not see the harm about it. So he accepted. "Yes." [Pet selection confirmed. Initialization...] A bunch of data appeared in front of Tang Ling''s eyes. [Spirit Devouring Snake Rank: Yao (Monster-Yao-Spirit-Earth-Heaven) Abilities: Poisonous Fang Skills: None] A Yao rank pet, huh? Tang Ling felt it wasn''t bad, the Poisonous Fang should be useful after a few level-up. *** As they were numerous, there were no monsters trying to fight them. Although they weren''t exactly smart, they trusted their instincts very much: a group of humans would be a tough fight and would generally result in a Pyrrhic victory; simply not worth it. Arriving at the scene, there numerous corpses piling up on, resulting in multiple two meters mounds of corpses. The villagers who were in charge of organizing this, noticed them and greeted them. "Greetings, gentlemen and women, I am sorry to cause such a sorry sight. Do you mind if I ask what is your business in these regions?" a villager asked carefully. The supervisor stepped forward and responded: "We''re the ones who took the quest set by the court to solve this incident." A villager who seemed to have great authority nodded his head, calming the tense atmosphere of the villagers and went forward to apologize: "Sorry, we''ve become a little paranoid since the incident and ever since, we''ve become a lot warier. Right now, we''re burying our fellow men so you could get to the village and rest here. We''ll provide the best accommodation that we can." Gu Ze took a look at the corpse and frowned: "Mind that I take a look at the corpses?" A villager was visibly angered and shouted: "What are you doing? Are you trying to desecrate our fellow brethren?!!" The village head shouted in response: "STOP! Since this master has requested to take a look, it must be that it could lead to a clue for the perpetrator. The body of the dead is not to be defiled, yes but it''s only a look. What''s more important is to seek justice for the dead!" He then returned and invited the group to take a look: "Please." Gu Ze nodded and made everyone step forward, revealing the corpses. "Look at these dead men and women. They each has marks of injuries, what can you infer from that?" As expected, the star student Nangong Xinyue could already guess the cause of these injuries: "These injuries come from bites which showed from the bite mark around the torn flesh. It should come from a beast since humans'' jaw are not that large and strange like that. From the shape, it should be a canine-type of monsters however, I cannot guess further than that. However, since the villagers are so wary of strangers, it would mean that a stranger had cause trouble to the village. It should be reasonable to suggest that it maybe this ''stranger'' who caused this and if it so, the massacre should be orc.h.e.s.trated by a Beastmaster." Gu Ze smiled affirmatively but requested more: "Anything else?" The group stayed silent for a while as they started thinking when Feng Cai started answering: "The bite marks seem to be canine-type and the injuries should be from quick but painful bites so it should be wolves. So it''s wolf Beastmaster but there are only a few factions which have this practice, mainly in the Far North, the barbaric region so cold that a martial artist can have frostbite from traveling the region. Since the nomad hunters of the Far North are unlikely to come here, the two factions in the Northern Region are the prime suspects. However, they are tightly connected with the Yamen and have not engaged in such scandals for many years. So it should be an exiled or unprofessional Beastmaster and the only one I can think of is ''Cruel Wolf'' Pordhi." "It should be Pordhi. There are only a few rejects of Snow Monastery and Northern Wild Alliance with whom they are well-behaved. Only Pordhi is known for committing such crimes and getting away with it. From the official and trustworthy hearsay, he is known to be extremely cruel, often torturing his victims if the situation allows so. He is a 5th Stage Beast Master, True Calling and controls a few dozen grey wolves with unknown strength. He has a track record of 300 men and has a bounty of 100 gold coins with Northern Wild Alliance announcing that to anyone who manages to kill this beast of a man will receive gratitude from the victims." However, as he continued his description, his face was sterner by the minute. He stopped and declared: "It seems that this mission is more difficult and lethal than what I thought. I can do this alone but I can''t guarantee that you won''t be hurt. Fortunately, I have brought your two senior brothers so your safety should be assured. We wouldn''t want a death on the first sect expedition, it''s bad luck!" Chapter 52 - Expedition (3) Pordhi was a renowned ruthless man in the Northern Region. As his title suggests, he was infamous with hundreds of confirmed death on his name but still lived comfortably under the nose of the Court. Not only was he powerful and cruel, but he was also very cunning, like a wolf. After listening to the villagers'' description of the situation, Master Gu Ze mumbled a few incomprehensible and esoteric words and in a single shout, windstorm surged forward towards a certain direction which made Tang Ling stumble. The group then followed the Master''s instructions and stumbled into a cave nest. From the clues gathered in the way, it was almost certain to be Pordhi''s place. Indeed, it was. The System even notified him of this location. [The Cruel Wolf''s Resting Den] In the cave, a man twitched and suddenly shouted at the intruders: "Who comes here?! Do you know who I am?!" The supervisor''s deep voice could be heard: "Yes, we know and you know why we are here." The man sneered, "Well, yes. I do. You should be the ones who came here to kill me, I''m after all, worth a pretty penny..." He didn''t even finish his sentence before he threw six daggers at the intruder and lunged at him with a sword. "Awaken, my children. Come and devour the insolent fools who came into our home!" He called. Instantly, it was as though the whole nest awakened and a few dozen wolves appeared from the dark and snow. !!! "One, three, five, ten... There at least thirty of them!" Tang Ling cried out. Nangong Xinyue nodded with sweat on her forehead: "Yes, thirty of them with each and every one of them at least comparable to the Second Stage!" [Grey Wolf (Summoned) LV19] [Grey Wolf (Summoned) LV22] [Snow Wolf (Summoned) LV 23] [ Snow Wolf (Familiar) LV24] [ Snow Wolf (Familiar) LV26] And then, there was a lonely, oppressing existence amongst the pack who intimidated Tang Ling the most. [Snow Wolf King (Familiar) (Leader) LV 35] "Humm..." BANG! The fight started without any warning! It all started with the senior who greeted Tang Ling this morning, the man with a body to drool for! In a single dash, he punched a wolf and the impact created a huge hole into its body. Blood spurted and the overconfident wolves immediately went into a state of alert. They howled and gritted their teeth as they pounced from every direction. Tang Ling gritted his teeth as he prepared to impact. Two wolves pounced at him and he blocked one and dodging the other and took the chance to retaliate with a horizontal slash. Soul Blade! -75 -50 However, the sword was stuck deep into the corpse, and trying to pull it out would need a lot of strength and time, both something he did not have. Tang Ling could only take out his normal grade spear and readied his spear in front of the other wolf. Surprisingly, the wolf understood the danger of pouncing his target who was in that stance and circled him, ready to pounce once more when he would make a blunder. Tang Ling decided to hurry since they were outnumbered by at least 1:2.5. If he fought 2 wolves, it meant that some of his comrades would fight 3. Tang Ling steeled his resolve and charged at the wolf, trying to stab it but the wolf dodged the stab and immediately counterattacked with a bite. "Argh!" Tang Ling screeched in pain as a piece of flesh came off. The wolf chewed on its former flesh, his eyes revealing a tinge of mockery. Tang Ling was angered and used a strength that one would not attribute to an injured man, especially injured on the arm [Received 50 damage on the arm, Hemmorage, Maimed.] BAM! With a single swing of his polearm, he scr.a.p.ed a small wound from the wolf and slammed the pole on its head. -25 -100! His present strength with his spear could kill a normal person in a single swing but the wolf was merely stunned for a while. Taking advantage of this moment, Tang Ling dashed towards the wolf and deeply stabbed the spear into his enemy, killing it in the process. "Huff... Huff..." Tang Ling breather loudly as he circulated his Qi to Endless Earth''s cultivation method to recover his stamina. He then took off the spear and did not bother with his sword before trying to help another. Tang Ling could see a portion of the battlefield, the two seniors were engaged in a fight of more than ten wolves at once with the leftovers fighting the disciples. Tang Ling decided to help the Feng brothers, the younger one was having some problem to fight a single one, leaving the older one with three enemies. Grabbing his High Spear, he made a simple stance, took a deep breath, and thrust! The move came from Tang Ling''s stance which amplified the explosiveness it brought with it! Paika! -183! The already injured beast was immediately killed with a fatal hit on the c.h.e.s.t. "Take this!" Taking advantage of the element of surprise, Feng Cai used this opportunity to disengage and threw little daggers at the remaining wolves, injuring them even more. Tang Ling also did not stop his momentum and with a stomp on the ground, launched a powerful strike with the elbow against another wolf. Bam! -75! Under the powerful elbow strike, the wolf stumbled and Tang Ling took this window of CC to unleash a five-hit combo. -35 -46 -28 -65! All of which was conducted in extremely closed ranged, Tang Ling used fast but strong strikes to determine where it was going. The wolf died under his unescapable fast tempo of strikes without resistance. It was not surprising, since ancient times, Baiji-quan was infamous for their stickiness and how the opponent was unable to attack but the practitioner had plenty of ways to make him suffer. Try to escape? I will stick to you like glue. Try to stand your ground? Prepare to suffer. Relieved from constantly defending against three aggressors, Feng Cai quickly slew the remaining one with ease. At the same time, Feng Ci managed to steel his resolve and in a single powerful swing, he chopped the poor wolf''s head. "Done!" As the Feng brother''s battle came to an end, it also did not take long for others to end theirs too. The fastest were the two senior Masters in which, despite being attacked the most ferocious and the most in number, still defeated them like a breeze, barely breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, the other disciples were not faring well. Although they''ve finished their battle, they finished it injured with one bleeding from the arm and the legs. At the sight of the post-battle injuries, the two senior brothers frowned. In this fierce battle, injuries were to be expected but such injuries showed a lack of skills or experience. However, it is to be expected, very few people here were experts of Jianghu, they were mostly kids lacking experience in this world. "Come, we''ll regroup with Teacher." The refined senior called them out. The exhausted and battered group flinched and stood up, following the seniors to the cave... Chapter 53 - Anticlimactic Fight Master Gu Ye was standing before Pordhi as noises of steel crashing into flesh and clothes tore by teeth could be clearly heard. Then the noises stopped. For the two of them who were focused on the other party, the outcome was unclear. "Even if you ought to die and will die, I will allow you to say your final words." Gu Ye coldly said. "Look. There''s no need for meaningless bloodshed. I have a proposition for you..." Pordhi blattered. But Ge Ye could immediately see what was going on, behind his back, Pordhi was already preparing something. Knowing the underhanded trick, Gu Ye flicked his sleeve and a ''Bloom'' character appeared. "Talisman!" Pordhi''s pupils contracted. Talismans are expensive consumables that only rich masters could afford! He immediately felt danger and rolled over the ground. Swoosh! Bang! The resting cave rumbled as the dust of the strike twirled. Pordhi glanced at where the palm had gone and saw a fifteen centimeters deep palm strike on the stone. He wouldn''t die from the strike but it would severely injure him and finishing him off would be easy. There''s no time! He sweated a little but soon prepared his counterattack. Although this master was very strong, he had fought with many experts and killed them with his cunning. Pordhi''s arm trembled as they grew fur and his nails became fangs. "ROAR!" Peng! He pounced to his target but the attack missed. Ge Ye was clearly prepared for this. "I''ve already expected this!" The shout exploded into one''s eardrum as the supervisor kicked Pordhi to the wall. BOOOOOOOM! The cave trembled as though an earthquake greeted its presence in the surroundings. "..." Witnessing this, the students grew silent. One glance was only needed to know that it was a one-sided fight. That at least was Tang Ling''s thought. After all, Pordhi had a huge bounty but the fight ended so quickly and easily? The fight was hyped to an unprecedented degree but that is the climax? Tang Ling was a little disappointed. The usually silent senior seemed to notice Tang Ling and the other disciple''s disappointment and explained. "Beastmasters'' main strength relies on the strength of their familiars. We''ve only won easily because we have the number. He is only one man but has around thirty wolves under his command, if it was 1v1, the opponent would be overwhelmed and die. However, we''re now doing a 13v1 so it''s normal for him to be overwhelmed especially when faced alone against Master Gu Ze." The senior suddenly squinted, "Especially against Master Gu Ze. Look at that, with this thing, he would mitigate his weaknesses of being weaker in 1v1..." A misty form coming from the deep hole that was Pordhi''s imprint walked slowly but surely. [Toxic Shadow (Summoned Creature) LV0 HP: 1 Spirit: 1.0 Ability: Gaz-Based Lifeform, HP ratio set at 100:1 (depending on Spirit), Cannot be hurt by physical attacks. Ability: Self-Explosion (Poison), Self-explode and die in the process which liberates toxic gas around a 10m radius. Deals 100 damage per second (+1300% of Spirit per second) for 8 seconds and inflict [Poisoned] status which will carry for an unlimited of time until an Antidote is indigested.] Taking out a candle, the senior with the feather fan ignited the tip and waved his fan. "Seven Days in Sahara!" An orange gale made of sparks was from a simple candle and went to the direction of the poisonous blob. Sssssiiiii... Tang Ling''s skin was a little red from all the heat emitted. The gale of fire touched the poison blob and exploded! Psshhhh... The ''self'' which bound all the poisonous gas together was no more and as such, a cloud of unrestrained poisonous gas leaked through the hole. The disciples quickly made the smart decision of distancing themselves as much as possible, letting the poison dissipate into the air. Confirming that the air toxic concentration was no longer threatening, Gu Ye entered the small deep hole he created and took back the corpse. Looting the corpse, it was clear that Pordhi was quite poor. One decent saber, a necklace of fangs, two bone flutes, a bag containing five gold coins, two smoke bombs, and a broken jaded seal. "It''s a pity. If he had not broken this jade seal, it would sell for quite a fortune. However, he had broken and it''s now just a piece of broken jade, only worth twenty to thirty silvers..." All of his possessions were only worth a few gold coins which were a lot for Tang Ling but for these young masters, it was only pocket change, not to mention, that it would be divided by the number of people here. ... it''s not much... However, it wasn''t the loot that was important, it was the bounty. This guy was a criminal who slaughtered peasants and martial artists alike so the bounty for his head is huge. As for gore, although he felt quite unsettled, it wasn''t the first time that Tang Ling saw such events. Death in battle was usually bloody as the human would not just cease to exist after a stab or two. Arms need to be split off, vital organs needed to be penetrated or the skull needed to be bashed to kill one of these tough guys. As for the civilians outside of the slum? Tang Ling didn''t know, when he killed Kan Hugu, he only needed one or two shots into his fat body but with the power that was the ex-Bursting Glock, few would really survive from the Burst Bullets. Then suddenly, Tang Ling had a strange sensation, there was a crawling sensation on his skin. "ssssiiii..." He then remembered that he just hatched a pet and the pet was a snake. It stayed silent and immobile through the journey and even the fight but now it was awake? The small infant snake looked at him with its begging but somewhat menacing eyes, as though it was begging for something; a toy of some kind. However, Tang Ling knew that the baby snake did not ask for toys but something else. Wild animals do not need toys and Tang Ling guessed that his pet asked for food which would explain why it awakened. Tang Ling looked around but nothing really appeared to be an item of interest. However, following the snake''s gaze, he was directed to Pordhi''s corpse and immediately knew what it wanted. "If there''s nothing valuable, I''ll like to take the jade." Tang Ling stepped forward and stated his intention. If necessary, he would be willing to pay a few from his pocket to make up with the difference. "Hm? Okay." Gu Ye waved his nonchalantly, the other people just raised their shoulders. Curious but not outrageous. Whatever is the case, it was nobody''s business to poke into. The world is wide and secrets, aplenty. Even the ''legendary'' travelers in Wandering Sect would not confidently say that they know everything, in fact, the more they travel and acc.u.mulate knowledge, the more they feel insignificant in this world. Chapter 54 - Combat Examination Everyone agreed to give the insignificant jade to Tang Ling, it was essentially almost worthless. One would need the right connection and waste a lot of time negotiating with a good price of 30 silvers for this item lest it was basically trash. Since most people didn''t have the right connection and the ones with the connection would not pay attention to such low money, no one would dispute Tang Ling''s claim to get one piece of rock. After Tang Ling took the broken jade, he put it in his bag not putting it in his Inventory. The small snake slipped into the bag from his arm and encircled the broken jade as though it was a treasure. After encircling it for a while, the snake finally rested on the jade. It was quite cute. The quest achieved, Gu Ye went into the small crater he made and split off the head of the infamous bandit known as Pordhi. His head was worth 100 golds, enough for a common family to live without worry for one or two generations. "Now, it''s time to go back." Gu Ye declared after lifting the head. The crowd cheered but in his head, he wasn''t excited at all. Although Pordhi could be considered a big shot in this area, he was only so because he was so slippery. The Yamen was full of competent people and bigshots but all of them are too busy to deal with a small fry like him. The ''Cruel Wolf'' was only at Veinmaster Stage and didn''t even unlock his body''s full potential. ''The battle was quite disappointing. But it is sufficient for me to understand my students'' combat ability'' Gu Ye silently thought. A test of skills was a custom in Wandering Sect and for many generations, his sect chose to have a protected expedition to do so. Before letting off in the world, it is best if they had combat skills. For example, this Feng Ci was utterly terrible in this fight. Even if he couldn''t handle two wolves, he should have easily killed one without breaking any sweat. He lacked a combat foundation and was undecisive, a trait that would change the current of a fight. This Nangong Xinyue was a good combatant, she was able to defeat any enemies in front of her. Her combat skills and cultivation are well-rounded with nothing to point out to her. The two nobles were also pretty good, they had practiced at a young age and were only limited by their mentality. However, he had to criticize that they would sometimes overextend their movements to make it more flashy. This wasn''t a show or a friendly spar amongst nobility but a real fight, such muscle memory cause minute openings that a master would be able to pick upon. The other common-borns are also pretty good. They lacked combat skills but supplemented it with experience. This was typical for many wandering martial artists and the reason why the Wandering Sect was established. These wandering travelers had no skills to speak off and had the most rudimentary martial arts, the laughing stock of Jianghu. As such, the Wandering Sect and its subsidiary were set up to aid these people to travel the world with one of them is helping with their combat skills. As for Tang Ling... His heart was in the right place but his skills in sword and spear are laughable, it was used so poorly that he had difficulty describing his skills. After much time spent thinking for a sentence, he would describe Tang Ling''s poor display as ''wildly swinging the sword, poorly thrusting a pole, two chickens fighting in a pit.'' However, he wasn''t a hopeless martial idiot. At a tender age of 14, he was still able to achieve a good Entry level in hand-to-hand combat and is at the edge of Intermediate Mastery! An Entry Mastery in a style at such a young age is normal for an aristocrat who is trained at six years old with a professional but is quite impressive for an ordinary civilian. His combat style was also weird. Even after living 50 years in this world, Gu Ye thought he was quite knowledgeable but he had never heard or read of this fighting style. This disciple would hop around with his arms around his c.h.e.s.t like he was about to punch someone in the face but would then proceed in making several dreadful combos in a very short range and in a very short time span. The weirdest fact is that he was proficient in unarmed combat but not weapons! It should be the other way around! If he hadn''t verified that Tang Ling did not possess Buddhist Qi, he would have thought that he was a disciple of some body-cultivation fanatic monk. ''I should find a way to rectify their shortcomings...'' Gu Ye thought while he leads the group to the sect. ''Travel is travel but the world is dangerous, more so, in the wake of the Renaissance. Nevertheless, it was a custom for the sect to just let the disciples explore the world without being restrained after the so-called ''basic course''. It was less of a sect but more like an Association putting a facade of a sect, the others knew of this but still pretended to know nothing about its inner workings. Freedom is highly valued in the sect and it was the disciple''s choice to choose to travel the world unprepared, possibly dying in the process. This value also made him unable to force teachings unto his new disciples, making him quite distressed since half of the people who refused to stay in the sect for a few more days would return gravely injured or dead from the wild. That was simply the conclusion he got after decades of teaching. "Haa..." Gu Ye sighed and then turned his head to Tang Ling, "You should know that your swordplay is very imm.a.t.u.r.e. If you wish, I can give a lesson on how to use the sword." Chapter 55 - Dumpster Diving Tang Ling was quite overjoyed to receive an invitation to train his swordsmanship from Gu Ye. He had always thought that his sword skills were pathetic and it was even more apparent in this fight. Compared to his poor performance of basically stabbing and waving around, the others were so graceful and refined in their swings and counterattacks. Even Feng Ci, the one so pathetic that he wasn''t able to slay one wolf most of the fight, was still able to unleash a cool sword flash after a burst of courage. He had [Sword Mastery (Entry)] but it did not mean he was skilled in the sword. He was proficient enough to make his body react the way he wanted with the sword but he did not understand the intrinsicalities of the sword and it would be hard to progress more than his current level. It was like a kick, after a few practices, you will be able to kick when you will so but kicking has its technique like when to kick, which way to kick, how to kick with the correct strength distribution. All of that makes a master in street fighting. Not to mention, Nangong Xinyue who displayed exceptional performance in the battle, killing five wolves alone. Her graceful steps made her dodge all of the attacks and with each strike being fatal. She was the only one who was unscathed after the battle. However, it would not be today that he would be able to train since it was almost the end of the day and it was time to return to his world. ... After a good night of rest, Tang Ling finally woke up. "Even after a few days, I am still not used to this strange sensation..." Tang Ling muttered. One moment, he was active and running around fighting some monsters and the other, he felt a little sluggish but refreshed at the same time. It just feels weird. Not to mention that sleep is supposed to ''rest'' to recover energy but all this time, he was too active. Even if it was somehow a dream, he should have not been so refreshed... It only took a few seconds before the strange feeling pressing on his head disappeared and now, he was ready for another day. After eating breakfast, he asked Tang Fuxi to do the grocery and gave her twenty credits to do so. "Hm?" his sister frowned as she looked at the pile of coins on the table, "Hey! That''s too much, did you make the wrong calculation? I can''t buy that much produce; it would rot the next week! Keep the ten credits, it''s enough for now." Tang Ling took a look at her and knew she was angry. "I''ve got a harvest yesterday and got extra money to spend. ''Better spend it to get better food for us." Tang Fuxi gritted her teeth, "It''s not how it works! The excess money should be spent on quality of life improvement and investment... Argghhh! Whatever! I''ll do it!!!" She angrily pocketed the money and sprinted to the door, opening and closing rapidly. Tang Ling peeked his head to the side and shouted: "Don''t forget to send my greetings to Boss Amin in my place!" Bang! "..." No response. Did she hear it or not? Tang Ling shrugged. Whatever. It was now time to get equipment! There was two gathering equipment he had to get before going underneath. First, a pickaxe would be useful in extracting ores and a tempered and sterilized steel sickle which would enable him to harvest herbs without damaging it. He should also be able to get a night vision goggle. Tang Ling ate more quickly and finished his cereals under one minute. After finishing his breakfast, Tang Ling soon wore the Starry Eight-Dimension Traveller Cloth and went outside, directly going to the retrieval room next to the Hunter''s Association''s building. Inside, Tang Ling saw a pile of rubbish with plenty of rusty pickaxes and clumps of aluminum piling on each other. It seemed like the Ben George Association was not doing their jobs but it worked in Tang Ling''s way. It meant that he had a wider range to pick from. Time to dive in! ... ... After half an hour, Tang finally left the room with the items he found satisfactory: a rusty pickaxe and oxidized sickle. [Rusty Steel Pickaxe (Trash) Damage: 5 (x3 to ore) Description: An ordinary steel pickaxe used extensively in a rough manner to dig ores. Still usable but can break at any time.] [Ol'' Sickle (Trash) Description: A sickle used to instantly cut plants and herbs without damaging them. Sadly, the sickle has been tainted with signs of oxidation which has begun to form... Effect: Oxyded, can contaminate the herb.] Tang Ling had to say; dumpster diving is really rewarding! The pickaxe was still quite good and was only halfway towards its life and the sickle was only slightly oxidized, a result of being unused for many years. A normal herb gathering sickle cost 300 credits thanks to herb gathering unions controlling the prices and so, gaining a sickle with only the tip being rusty for free is simply a bargain. Then, he needed night goggles but he simply couldn''t trust the ones found in the trash pile. Everything here was defective and even if a goggle in good condition was thrown here, it would be crushed since the parts composing it are delicate. If he dropped the goggles to the ground, there was a 30-70 chance that it would be damaged. So, he could only go to a general store to buy this night vision goggle for 100 credits. As soon as his hands touch his new purchase, he immediately knew why it was so fragile. "..." It was basically made of plastic! The infrared glasses were exposed, loosely attached to the main part of the equipment, and were made of cheap materials, making his vision a little blurrier than normal. Hunters who goes underground would need to put an extra care to protect lest it being damaged. He wouldn''t be surprised if hunters went with two at a time, being so fragile that it was expendable... Tang Ling sighed, feeling a little scammed. If possible, it would be cool to create his own ''home-made'' goggles with more sturdy materials. However, that would only be possible if he had the time to study how night vision works and the required materials needed for this. Tang Ling put everything in his [Inventory], a lesson that he paid dearly after carrying the Uruvian Bear''s corpse like an idiot. and went outside to go to the small abode to cut down this Pauli''s Root. This root would be an excellent ingredient after an indefinite amount of time but needed to be harvested right now! Pauli''s Root may be proven useless in the long run but he couldn''t let any beasts eat it since its effects could be immediately digested after being consumed raw by beasts. This would make it evolve and become one of the focal points in the next Invasion! Chapter 56 - A Fight for A Root Tang Ling completed his usual procedure to exit the city and rushed to the place where the herb was growing. With his superhuman speed and stamina, he was able to run all the way to the location and climbed to the top of the abode. Drinking a mouthful from the natural spring, Tang Ling noticed a small shadow in the distance. About 10 meters. Cautiously, Tang Ling crouched as he sneaked to the location he saw the shadow and after a few meters have passed, sure enough, he finally saw a living being. Another beast. Sure enough, the scent of Pauli''s Root attracted the few local hiding beasts into this place. After taking a better look, Tang Ling saw a trail of blood scattered around. There was a fight. As long as one wasn''t stupid, he would know what happened. Tang Ling took out his bow and readied the arrow. The figure was of a coyote which was similar to the snow and grey wolves he fought last night. However, it was leaner and smaller than the wolves, boasting more agility than the latter. Filling the bow with Flux, Tang Ling let the arrow loose, going straight through the coyote. [Host has dealt 400 damage to target.] Although the arrow was stuck into its flesh, it did not die. Rather, as soon as it got the signal of pain, the beast rushed quickly into a hiding spot, where Tang Ling could no longer see it. ''It''s fast!'' Tang Ling was shocked, ''Even the supposed drop of blood leaking can''t be seen!'' What he used was a Penetration Arrow since he wanted to kill it in one shot, however, it had a surprisingly had a high vitality and defense. In this case, he should have used the Bloodletting Arrow... But how could he have known? However, Tang Ling was sure that his target was extremely close to death. If the coyote was so terrifying, why did it not contest the territory with the Uruvian Bear and instead waited for its death before controlling the area? Because it was weaker than the bear! In that case, Tang Ling was confident that it had around 500 to 700 HP! [Wasteland Coyote LV 16 HP: ??? ATK: 50 DEF: 10 Skills: Conceal, Dash, ??? Evaluation: Not a Flux Creature but a simple beast.] That Wasteland Coyote was still in the realm of ordinary beast and did not even acc.u.mulate Flux. If it did eat the Pauli''s Root, there was little chance that it could transform into a Ferocious Beast, something that even the esteemed Fluxers would fear. Tang Ling took a deep breath and went to search for the coyote. Wush! A bush rustled and Tang Ling immediately drew, aimed, and shot at it! "Wuuuuuu!" Fatality! That was the last howl it shall ever do, the last gasp before slowly returning to death''s embrace. Finally, the coyote collapsed as Tang Ling slowly walked towards his corpse. The body was still warm but the heart stopped beating. Not wanting to repeat last time''s incident, Tang Ling chose to put the coyote''s corpse inside his [Inventory] and noticed that it occupied three boxes of space. After looting the poor beast, Tang Ling proceeded to approach the herb and took out his sickle... Spak! With one clean cut, the herb fell and Tang Ling grabbed it and put it in his [Inventory]. The attribute did not change but it was clear that the root was at its prime and would remain so in his [Inventory]. Tang Ling let out a sigh of relief. Now that he had harvested Pauli''s Root, he had acquired the main ingredient for the Strong Vitality Potion but most importantly, he managed to stop a beast from reaching a Ferocious-class! What is Ferocious-class? In the dictionary, it is stated to be the next level in the pyramid of life after the ordinary-level. In some others which were more specific, it was a new classification of lifeform which are superior to normal beasts, six stars, and above in the hunter''s difficulty. A beast reaching this level is a league on its own, incomparable to the ones under him! In the words of a now-famous bystander who witnessed a beast evolving while fighting an Orderer, it was like two dogs fighting each other and suddenly, a dog turned into a lion; beating the sh*t out of the other. Although the difference isn''t as large as heaven and earth, it would be a qualitative change that makes one beast defeat twenty others. At that stage, only qualified Orderers can defeat one of them! There were only four or so Orderers in Bao Feng City and one Protector! Anyway, after resolving a hidden danger for the city, Tang Ling went to an underground tunnel, the one with a medium evaluation from the newbie guide. He equipped the night vision goggle but soon noticed the difference between with and without. The vision goggle filtered most things in the cave but the vision was blurred and so, the range shortened. It made it hard for him to aim at a target 10 meters away... ''Maybe I should have bought the Night Vision Potion...'' Tang Ling thought for a moment but soon rejected it. The potion only lasted for three hours and is simply not cost-effective, that is, for a newbie like himself. He simply did not know the terrain enough to warrant a three hours perfect clear vision at the same price as a watered-down permanent dark vision equipment. Rustle! After walking twenty minutes, he finally heard the sound of his first underground enemy. Piak! Tang Ling knew that he could not rely on his vision and so, closed his eyes to carefully listen to the footsteps of his prey. Plop. Plop. Plo... "Hiss....!!" Over here! Tang Ling''s eyes widened and quickly turned around, letting loose an arrow! "KRRiiii!!!" Touched! However, before Tang Ling could celebrate his shot, he became serious. Twenty Grey Rats! In the beginner Hunter''s Guide, it is said that Grey Rats are one-stars creatures. However, everyone knew that number makes all the difference. If their mind was right, even an army of peasants can kill a Protector! And these rats have no fear! They were born to be part of a collective, if the group decides to flee then they shall flee; if the group decides to fight, it shall be a fight to the death! Although Tang Ling wasn''t afraid of them, their eyes indicated that they were desperate and would attack any food sources they could find! And that food source is him! Fighting them is almost a guarantee to be injured and being bitten by a rat living in those dirty environment, it wouldn''t be surprising if tomorrow, he would spend the entire day on the bed! Chapter 57 - Being Ambushed by Rats; its quite frightening! So, Tang Ling summoned everything he had. With a vigorous throw, his spear pierced three of the rats. [You have killed Grey Rat +5 EXP] [You have killed Grey Rat +5 EXP] [You have killed Grey Rat +5 EXP] Three down! The rats were stunned but soon, they began throwing themselves at him, Tang Ling could only swing his sword, killing two more. "[Heat!]" His sword reddened, sizzling the flesh as he struck. Sensing the heat coming out from the young human''s weapon, the Grey Rats panicked; they didn''t want to become barbecued rats! [Taizhong Emperor Fist (Failed)!] PSH! One rat slammed into the wall, making loud noise, and fell to the ground. It was definitely overkill. Tang Ling immediately regretted his action, why did he waste precious time to just kill one rat?! Then he realized that Baijiquan was not as effective against smaller opponents since the whole goal of it is to lock on the opponent and launch a quick burst of punches and kicks to down a powerful opponent. What''s more, these enemies are weak individually! He has only begun to start his sequence before he had nothing to hit. He wasted a little bit of time in his set-up. This resulted in his injury! One of the rats bit his leg! [Grey Rat has dealt 10 damage to host!] "ARGH!!!" Tang Ling waved his sword randomly, and he could hear the last screams of these rats. As they screamed, he knew he hit them. "Krrriiiiii!!" "KKrrriiii!" [You have killed Grey Rat +5 EXP] [You have killed Grey Rat +5 EXP] Only 12 to go! Recovering from the headache, Tang Ling quickly distanced himself from the rats. He took out his bow and focused on rapidly shooting towards his target, reaching a shooting rate of 2 per second. Ping! Ping! Firing for five seconds, several arrows hit the ground however, a few managed to hit the intended target. [Host has dealt 12 damage to Target (Arrow)] [Host has dealt 13 damage to Target (Arrow)] [Host has dealt 10 damage to Target (Arrow)] [Host has dealt 8 damage to Target (Arrow), killing it in the process.] [Host has dealt 12 damage to Target (Arrow)] [Host has dealt 9 damage to Target (Arrow)] "Kriii!" A wave of wails of pain entered the perpetrator''s eardrum and he felt it was quite loud. The rats who were hit could hardly muster some fighting power as the arrow''s weight pinned them down to the ground. "Yes!" With many of the rats rooted in one place, Tang Ling could finally proceed to finish the rest and then kill the handicapped. And so he did. ... It took a swing of his sword to kill three of them and stopping the momentum of the strike, he slashed back and killed two more. The last one was finished off with a stab. It came with no surprise that he finished off the rooted ones easily. [You have killed Grey Rat, +5EXP] [You have killed Grey Rat, +5EXP] [+5EXP] ... From the beginning to the end, the battle only lasted five minutes. In all his fighting history, it was one of his longer and more tiring battles. Usually, in all his battles, one would start with some opening moves which one would strike (with a punch or a knife) to feel the other party''s strength and patterns and after several exchanges, a decisive strike would be made. At that time, if you didn''t already win, you would gain a so great advantage that unless your opponent had a trump card (liking bringing a gun in a fistfight), it was only a matter of time before you win. This fight, even though, rats are individually weak, they advantage in number and every swing of his sword wasted is another chance for the rats to bite him. Although they were weak, it took Tang Ling more mental energy to fight them than Uruvian Bear (although he was more injured). "Huff... Huff..." Tang Ling inhaled and exhaled, trying to regain his stamina. He then flipped the end of his pants to see the wound on his calf. Seeing that the wound was not too deep, Tang Ling sighed out of relief, it was only half a centimeter deep. Taking out [Huang Medicinal Black Box], he took a paste that was preserved in it to disinfect the wound and then took a roll of bandage to band the wound. After this, Tang Ling did not feel too uncomfortable. [Host has received a first-aid bandage, +100% regeneration to the damage caused by the wound where the bandage is.] Seeing that he was all fine and well, Tang Ling could help but sigh: "I really did not think that one-star beasts would be able to cause so much problem... Perhaps it is the difference between me and other hunters. They may be weaker than me but they have knowledge and vigilance to back them up. If it was up to them, they wouldn''t be ambushed and would prepare a trap to pick off one by one..." Tang Ling mused over, this matter was worth thinking and would be extremely useful and perhaps would be a life-saving mentality. This was just a one-star Grey Rats group, he would be fine if he was ambushed by Cave Wolves but if he was ambushed by Underground Rats... Tang Ling would prefer not to talk about this. However, it is a given that he needed to be more careful. After resting for a few more minutes, Tang Ling stood up and proceeded to take all those Grey Rats'' corpses and put these in his [Inventory]. He then proceeded to go deeper into the cave with a slight limp. Fortunately, it seems that even though it was not explored enough to have any artificial light in the corridor, it still had a ladder on the side, left by an explorer from the Hunter Association. ''Good!'' Tang Ling thought and let off the extendable ladder which touched the ground and straightened immediately after. Testing the durability and toughness of the ladder, Tang Ling was satisfied and went down to the other level. Immediately coming down, Tang Ling already saw something unusual. In the monotone vision he had, a figure with a distinct shape appeared before him. However, it was not an enemy, it was a small stream of a liquid. Chapter 58 - Preparation of War With night vision, Tang Ling was unable to determine the substance which was flowing but he was sure that it had similar properties with water. However, with no color vision, it was difficult to determine what it was, so he could only determine it with other senses. That is smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Hearing was impossible, tasting was was a big no-no; if the substance was not water and instead, was poisonous, he would regret it. First, he took a sniff and noted that it had an acrid smell. It smelled horrible. Tang Ling then tried to touch the liquid but after a few seconds, he sensed that his finger was burning and immediately retracted. "Sssiii..." Tang Ling looked at his finger, a patch of skin was burnt, leaving only dead skin tissues. "This has extremely acidic! Only a few seconds and it already corroded my skin, if I''ve drunk that, I would be half-dead!" Tang Ling cried in fear, he was lucky that he wasn''t stupid. If he had thought that it was a source of water, he would be in a state of hovering the realm of the living and the dead, a state easily weighted in the favor of death in this godforsaken place. "God, if there''s such a dangerous substance in the environment, why didn''t the guide mention this?" Tang Ling muttered out of frustration. Taking an overall look at the place, he saw that the liquid came from a crack, it seemed through the thin lines and corroded the rocky wall from the inside, making space bigger thus as time goes on, more of this ''water'' would come out. This small stream of being thirty centimeters wide and five millimeters deep will continue to grow until the source is depleted or the path is blocked. "BZZZZZZZ!!!" It was commonly understood that the hair rising happens the body sense a great danger coming. In ancient times, it is said that this phenomenon was used to try to intimidate predators, making humans look bigger. What could it be? Tang Ling wondered, there were now three choices he could make: return to the surface, continue his intended path or check out this unexpected machine roaring next door. A second later, Tang Ling tried to look through the cracks. "Can''t see anything..." Tang Ling muttered. So he decided to mine it up. Clang! Clang! Even though the sounds of pickaxe hitting stones were loud, it was completely overshadowed by the noise emitted by the machine so Tang Ling was not too worried. After a few minutes, with the strength he acquired in Heavenly Ascension, he was finally able to pierce the thick stone wall and could now see what''s inside. ... The worker on the left was checking the condition of the excavator and then turned his head to speak to the soldier: "Hey, what''s the deal of extracting Excel that far from home? We were be demanded to be blinded and stay secretive about the operation but I pretty much know that we''re about one to three hours from home. Excel isn''t rare in these regions so why bother going so far to mine it?" "..." The soldier remained silent. His cold gaze landed on the worker and he shivered, deciding not to ask again. "Shush. You know how our soldiers work, why provoke them? If you paid more closely to the news, you would be able to guess what''s going on. We''re going to war! Second Prince Derrick has recently lost a few outer cities and has been quite upset about it so there''s only another war as retaliation!" The other worker on the right laughed at the worker at the left and explained the situation, continuing: "Excel is not just a fuel for high-tech airborne cars in the capital but it''s also a precious component for Orderers as well. Did you see the impressive spell from Davis Jackson? The Great Firebomb? Yeah, it needs several precious materials with one of them being Excel. Also, Excel is very volatile and needs precious cases to contain it for a long time. Since we''re preparing for war, it''s better just to extract it right here to avoid the deterioration of the fuel and also accelerate the refueling of troops, right?" After he finished his long-winded explanation, he turned around to the soldier, only to not receive a response. "..." At the awkward silence, the worker coughed and returned to work. Click. Clang. BRUUUUUUU!!! ... "Preparation of war, huh?" Tang Ling muttered silently, "Retaliation? Just a few days ago, there was a celebration of the Third Prince of the Mysterious Fire Faction gaining twenty outer cities and he rewarded every student at Bao Feng City a chance to become a Fluxer. Is it relevant?" War wasn''t so uncommon in Brokang Continent. After ruling the entirety of the continent (as per the name) for four generations, a sense of complacency has seeped into the higher-ups'' mind and a few territories have used this chance to revolt and get their independence. When the Empire finally responded, an alliance between these kingdoms were already established and they formed a united front, defeating the advanced army and occupied a strategic location, making it hard for the Empire to invade. Since then, the military has always been taken seriously and Princes aspiring to become the Emperor would need to be versed in civil and military matters. To acc.u.mulate experiences, they are given a city and will fight each other. However, it can only involve outer cities; inner and core cities are prohibited from being besieged since they are too important to be damaged. City administrators and mayors will just change factions and give part of taxes to the said faction after conquering the outer cities they are administrating. So to say that war is coming to Bao Feng City with this slight discovery is not something inconceivable, especially if it''s linked with the capture of twenty outer cities from the Third Prince. However, Bao Feng City was in an unfavorable territory and would rarely be attacked by outside forces with the exception of Beast Invasions. In the hundreds of years of history the city had, it was only invaded once; by a group of bandits planning to make an independent city-state but swiftly repelled by the great military troop stationed in the region. What would happen if the city knew about the incoming invasion? Tang Ling wasn''t too sure. People will, that''s for sure but how many? What would be the economic losses? Would certain weapons be banned? Tang Ling really couldn''t know and couldn''t guess either. Even the war which brought the Third Prince 20 outer cities wasn''t known until Intendant Mu Xie announced in the school gym. Chapter 59 - War is coming? With a heavy heart, Tang Ling could only avoid the soldier and the two workers. It is only after a long deliberation that he had done so. The soldier protecting the two workers and the vast machine extracting Excel held a rifle, not a musket or a pistol but a last-gen rifle. Although he wasn''t clear in the specifications of the weapon, a state-of-the-art last-gen rifle could shoot multiple bullets moving at the speed of sound in a few seconds. It was incomparable to the pistol he got from the assassin from speed, power, and versatility. The soldier was also a trained man so he wouldn''t be like those boorish bandits seen on the road and panic in an ambush. Fighting him would require him to dodge the bullets he would face in the tens of meters he needed to rush to approach and face the soldier in close-combat. Since Tang Ling wasn''t confident (not even close) that he would able to dodge or tank dozens of bullets rushing at him at the speed of sound and couldn''t count on the soldier not being able to properly aim, he would have to avoid it. Plus, defeating those people isn''t worth it. Concluding from the circ.u.mstances he is meeting, they were but one team amongst many doing the same. Killing them would only alert the commander of this operation and his chance of being discovered and killed would be flying through the roof. Anyway, he avoided the group and entered deeper territories but only found another rat that he killed in a single arrow. This time, there was only one, it should be the rat who got separated from the group. Today, the loot wasn''t particularly plentiful. Even after recovering 21 complete Grey Rat corpses, the Hunter Association exchange desk only gave him 21 credits for it. Only one credit per rat, and that was a full corpse! In the waiting line, Tang Ling observed that most hunters would only gather fur or perhaps valuable organs from the creatures living underground. For hunters who hunted Grey Rats, they just took out the fur and sold it for half a credit each. With enough expertise, coming with fur and having a complete body is almost the same, and the burden of transporting corpses is lifted. However, this level of income could barely sustain the lifestyle of a hunter. By becoming hunters, one would basically accept that they could die at any moment, and would need to train hard to remain in peak performance for hunting. Because of the high-performance in physical and mental abilities, they would need to eat and rest more plus need to reserve some funds in case they are injured. Although it was a high-paying job, it was a high-maintenance one too. And the fact that the prospect is down to luck and is at times, life-threatening scenarios dissuaded many "strongmen" in the slums to participate in this activity. For example, the wound on Tang Ling''s calf was quite light in comparison to the middle-aged hunter next to him had his arm bitten off, breaking his bones. Flesh wounds aren''t that harmful but bones cracks are. If it were a cleanly split bone, it would be a non-issue. Bones would regenerate and reconnect after a month, and it would leave a small sequela after a year but if it is broken into pieces... The pieces of bones would scatter in the region and pierce the tissues. Even after waiting for a year, the arm would still be nearly useless; at the very least it would be impossible to continue the career as a hunter. The job is harsh, hard, and unforgiving but no matter how the mayor disregarded them, it is vital to maintain control in the territory. At the rate which the underground Beasts breeds, without the existence of hunters, there would be a scaled-down Beast Invasion every year. If the Beasts were smart enough to gather their force and wait for the main foreign Beast army coming every decade, it won''t just require a few Orderers and hundreds of defenders to fend off the threat... However, that wasn''t Tang Ling''s major concern. ''War is coming... I''m not sure about the specifics, but just in case, I need a back-up plan.'' Tang Ling tried to think of a plan but could only find two ways: relocating into another city or go into deep hiding. Both are impossible. Tang Ling sighed as he walked to his home. In the way, he took out two credits to purchase one large white breadstick and three credits for a sugary roll as preparation to Ducke''s birthday. ''Tomorrow, it''ll gonna be Ducke''s birthday. Now that I''ve gained an opportunity, I should give my brother a portion of my gains. Then, when I am going to be I am in a higher office, will I fully repay the friendship of Ducke.'' Tang Ling had great ambitions, with the System, he couldn''t simply be content with living humble lives in the slums of Bao Feng City... It was only an outer city of an uninteresting region, there was simply so much to know in this world! He already had a plan in mind: get enough money from being a hunter, settle in an inner-city, and become someone in the empire. This would undoubtedly be difficult and time-consuming, even the amount of money he needs lies undetermined. The future seemed quite cloudy but Tang Ling was confident that he would be able to carve his path to the top. As to what constitutes the top? Tang Ling had no idea but he could start off as Fluxers/Orderers. It is apparent that Fluxers/Orderers has great standing in the Empire. Even sons and daughters of famous enterprises, conglomerate, and noble families strive to become Orderers. That was also the reason why Beast meat is so popular, especially at the level of Uruvian Bear or higher and Fusion Regents are so highly-priced. If the powers in the Empire is so interested in Flux powers, it can only mean that it''s very important, and advancing into this direction can bring high status and respect. But now, the current situation has broken his plans... Chapter 60 - Swordmanship Being deeply worried about the future, Tang Ling could only sleep with a heavy mind. Letting the [System] transport his self into another world. [Host is now starting Heavenly Ascension, 10%, 50%, 100%. Start!] Bzzzzz... Tang Ling felt a little dizzy but soon, his vision returned clear and he once again greeted with the sight of the inn''s ceiling. "Ugh..." What should be pitch-black void has been replaced with a world full of color and vitality. Very discomforting. Tang Ling stood up and went to the small eatery in the inn. Here, he found some disciples eating but most of them were missing. Confused, he could only order a few buns for a few coppers and went to the Feng brothers. "What''s going on? Where are the others?" Tang Ling asked curiously as he sat on the bench. The brothers were munching on their noodles and when they were asked this question. The younger brother moved his face to respond but choked in the process. The older brother first finished the food in his mouth and carefully answered the question. "The Wandering Sect puts no restriction to the disciples'' ability to travel around. After their first day, they are free to roam around without reporting the master. This is also the main attraction of the sect, to inherit the sect''s pieces of knowledge and immediately put it in experience..." "That''s only an emphatically way to put it, I would rather just say that they are here for the sect''s cultivation technique and then immediately run away when they got it." Tang Ling expressed his thoughts on the situation. Feng Cai shook his head: "It is simply how the world works and the sect accepts that. As long you show enough potential and is not that bad, they will impart core techniques in the first days. Then, you can quit the sect instantly after; the badge of Heaven and Earth, Traveller Coming from afar is almost obsolete with 10 000 people possessing such badges. Less than five thousand are still true disciples, still remembering to come by and greet fellow disciples. The rest simply vanished in Jianghu, becoming vagrant wanderers or dead. The only ones who left with style were descendants of nobles who were more like patrons than disciples. They will put down their pride and wallow in humility for a few days and learn the basic crafts of the sect before quitting. The ''patrons'' of our sect consist of simply capricious young masters and mistresses dreaming of traveling around and becoming a Jianghu hero like in those stories. After a while, they''ll get bored of it and return to become the heir of the family." Hearing this, Tang Ling was a little speechless. Was the sect so pathetic that any person can enter and leave at will; like a cheap open woman? Tang Ling shook his head in disbelief. One can''t simply accept to be cucked like that. Alas, in the end, it remained a fact that the sect allowed people to join and quit wherever they like. Even Master Gu clearly explained that the Martial Library was open to outsiders too. Sigh. While eating the buns he ordered, Tang Ling was a little depressed. In his world, his city would be attacked and he had no idea what to do while in this world, the sect he depended as backing was weak. Even the bountiful and bouncy buns which he quite liked yesterday felt tasteless in his mouth. The tea, which he last liked, was bitter. Ding-ling-ling! The bell sounded, meaning that Master Gu was already waiting. Tang Ling and the Feng brothers quickly rushed finishing the meal and went to the room where the master was beckoning them to come to. As Tang Ling followed the Feng brothers, he encountered another person. It was one of the commoner cultivators from before. Apart from Tang Ling, the Feng brothers and the three noble descendants, there were four cultivators of common descent. From what he heard, they could only be considered vagrant martial artists, unable to obtain a heritage in which they can become Veinmasters. In the world of Jianghu, they composed 95% of its population and were only slightly stronger than the average person but combining with their experiences and mentality, an average vagrant martial artist could best five commoners in a fight. A more experienced one could best fifteen of them. Speaking of which, he, Tang Ling, could also be part of them. Before coming to the Wandering Sect, he only cultivated a widely-known cultivation technique with the max level being 30. To be fair, cultivation techniques leading to Veinmasters and above were monopolized by the noble families, the imperial court, and sects, making outsiders cannon fodders. It is only after one becomes a Veinmaster, which he could only get in chance encounters and institutions, that one can become ''somebody'' and to become ''somebody'', he''ll first need to become an ''insider''. Vagrant martial artists are considered worthless and so, most of them dream of entering one of three major institutions in the world. They were even those who enter third-rate sects, enduring many tasks, for the chance of becoming a Veinmaster. One has to know that third-class sects were the bottom feeder of the chain; basically at death''s door but people are still lining up to become servants and disciples of a dying establishment. At least with those sects, you had a chance to become a Veinmaster. To be sectless is to be without a background in Jianghu. Anyone could bully you and you couldn''t retaliate. The man nodded at Tang Ling and the Feng brothers before opening the door and entering. The rest followed suit. Here, the decor changed from last time. The rows of tea setups in front of Master Gu was replaced with a huge tatami and a rack of weapons on the side. The old man was meditating by the time they opened the door, it was only after they properly sat down in front of him before he opened his eyes and explained his intention. "Yesterday, I''ve offered further guidance to you all, and you''ve accepted. So today, I suppose that I can teach you a few moves." Gu Ye took a cup of tea from who-knows-where and drunk it, continuing: "Martial artists without schools, sects, and proper education are often brutes without technique. They often strike without finesse and consideration, often relying on pure body''s qualities to overpower their opponents. It is really just a competition of whose has the best strength, agility, and reaction with a little of luck. With superior cultivation technique and sometimes, an orthodox fighting skill set, it is no surprise that orthodox disciples are generally stronger than the common martial artist." Saying that, Gu Ye stood up and reached for his sword sheat which he took out, revealing a snow-white thin blade. The cold reflection on the thousand-forged steel made everyone shiver; it was clear it was no ordinary metal, capable of striking fear with just the visual contact. It was a sword of exceptional quality! [Frost Thorn Blossom (Epic) LV: 75 Remark: Extremely Dangerous! Even a feeble child acknowledged by this sword can fight evenly with you! Fragmented Information: On the middle of the blade is written in an ancient forgotten language: "The frost engulf the entire world, thorn harm everything it touches and blossom is the life in this cold winter." Fragmented Information: Extraordinary weapon only below those of legendary repute and the artifacts from gods. Worthy to even those who transcended the limits of the human body and is one step away to completion.] !!! Tang Ling''s eyes almost popped off with shock. He knew it was an extraordinary weapon, but to be that great! The normal panel of description he usually got after inspecting the item was slightly modified. He didn''t have the attack value, skills, or anything concrete about it; only knowing some trivia and that it was very powerful. "First, let''s start with the most basic move: Slash." Gu Ye gripped his blade and stood steadily. In a blink, they could only see a shadow before confirming that the slash happened. With such speed, they''ll only have to blink before never knowing how they die. "Slash, Chop, Strike. It''s all about the same movement, to waive your blade on your opponent and strike it on the sharp edge. But the intricacies surrounding a different technique and name is the way how you wave it. Let''s say..." Swish! A blast of air struck Tang Ling''s face, he was really amazed at how strong the supervisor is. Just a strike created a gust of wind! Chapter 61 - Swordmanship (2) "Waving the sword isn''t good enough. If you encounter other sect''s disciples, you would be smacked to the grounds with those skills." "The basic swordsmanship is the maximization of effectiveness in every strike with the least energy possible. But it must also have the correct movement and posture to avoid a powerful retaliation from the enemy. For example, Tang Ling, when you opened the fight with Pordhi''s wolves, you went for a horizontal slash. it wasn''t the best move as it opened yourself to an attack; an attack which you''ve paid dearly." Remembering the excruciating pain, Tang Ling could only nod. Although the wound was healed, with his surprising health regeneration, it was a lesson to be learned. If he had proper knowledge in fighting with weapons, he would be able to avoid such ''random'' injuries. "Good." Gu Ye nodded in satisfaction, he was quite happy to see a disciple reflecting on his experience. It would prove useful if he wanted to go further, not every person who can reflect is an expert but every renown experts are people who can reflect. If not, how could they improve to become the top of their fields? Only by reflecting and understanding your mistake can you refine your skills and reach the top. "First, let''s start with the basic stance. There are many stances, but most swordsmen like to use the ''balanced'' stance, that is putting the sword forward. It is capable of defending and attacking at the same time, switching between the two modes smoothly. There are some variations that differentiate schools and sects with each other but as long as you master how to properly attack and defend, you can''t go wrong with this stance." He then demonstrated the stance for everyone to see. It was the most popular stance in the swordsman''s world, so popular that it reached into the ears of the commoners. Plus, it was almost instinct to waive your sword forward towards the enemy, so any ordinary man could somehow copy the basic stance. The difference lies in the intricacies and footwork which differentiate masters with experts and experts with the general Jianghu martial artists. "Now, repeat what I have done." "Yes!" The four disciples shouted and dispersed to have enough space to train. After they have confirmed their ''boundaries'', they''ve started practicing. Swish! Swish! Swish! Numerous sounds of wind-breaking was heard as they''ve started practicing their strikes. Tang Ling was the same and started with a simple swing. Swish! At the end of the first swing, Tang Ling felt a little uncomfortable. It felt strong but the move destabilized him which meant that he couldn''t follow up with another strike. After he returned to his position, Tang Ling took another second to focus and swung! Swish! This time, it was weaker but his balance still retained, meaning that he could retaliate or continue. If his last slash was at 95% of his strength then the current one was at 65% of his strength but allowed him to continue! Again! ... One hour later. Gu Ye''s eyes shined as he watched soundlessly the progress of his disciples. Particularly, the performance of Tang Ling impressed him the most. ''What a talent. He was able to recognize the defects of his swordsmanship and adjust to make an optimal distribution of strength.'' ... ''To make a successful slash, the strike must be thoroughly controlled but even then, power and maneuverability are in contest. The more power I apply, the less maneuverable it is and vice-versa. At the extreme scale of either side, we can see a diminishing return for the sacrifice we make. A most optimal distribution would be 50% each but at this level, it is one realm lower than my actual strength; equivalent to a child undergoing puberty going against a fully-grown a.d.u.l.t.'' Pang! Swish! Swish! Swish! In a very fast succession of slash, to the common untrained eye, it seemed like two-blade light overlapping in each other, and half a second later, another blade light could be seen. [Congratulations to comprehend {Overlapped Attack}!] [Overlapped Attack LV1(Skill): Make a succession of attacks at 75% of the damage in a short amount of time. The stamina consumed is dependant on the number of strokes made, growing exponentially the more you overlap the attacks. Only applicable to slash attacks currently.] Gu Ye''s eyes shined even brighter, like the sea of stars in the night, as he said: "Continue! I want to see it again!" Even though he was tired and drenched in sweat, Tang Ling still obeyed and performed [Overlapped Attack]. Swish! Swish! Swish! This time, it was a little slower but still relatively fast compared to other slashes. But with this, Gu Ye had confirmed it wasn''t just a fluke, but the product of hard training and was engrained in Tang Ling''s muscle memory. "Huff... huff..." The other Jianghu disciple looked at him, eye-bulging. Overlapped Attack! It''s really an Overlapped Attack! As a Jianghu swordsman himself, he knows how the cast works. While an ignorant strongman can swing his sword and get the job done, a swordsman needs technique. However, some technique needs great control of strength and dexterity to execute. The Great Zhou Family''s version of Parry, Flood Dragon Counterattacking the Seven Seas, or the now-fallen noble house of Peng Songtian''s Yin-Yang Bending Water Technique is very demanding variations of Parry but are also very strong. It is said the Great Zhou Family''s Patriarch may not master the Flood Dragon Counterattacking the Seven Seas and the other corresponding techniques but when he manages to do so, he would reign the province for an era, establishing the family as one of the top hegemons of the Western Region. Dexterity is tantamount to master the weapon. At the speed where Tang Ling is doing, most people under Veinmasters would not be able to react and suffer greatly in the process. "Good!" Gu Ye was extremely satisfied, "You can rest for fifteen minutes then we''ll train in thrusting." "Understood!" Tang Ling nodded and immediately collapsed to the ground. However, he knew that laying on the ground wasn''t the greatest idea so after recuperating some energy, he used his strength to sit down and took a small vial of yellow liquid. It wasn''t urine. It is in fact the extraction of herbs he picked on the way to Godsword City. Although he wasn''t sure of the plant''s name and value, he knew that some herbs have medicinal properties if done right. This vial could accelerate stamina recovery but needs nutrients to support energy recovery. Chapter 62 - Restoring Tang Ling could tell that it was the sunflower''s essence that he was absorbing. After all, he had learned of this method from Forger Wang. Sunflowers possess the energy of the sun and earth and he was cultivating Endless Earth which belongs to the Earth element. If his hypothesis is correct, it means that his Endless Earth cultivation technique allowed him to absorb the sunflowers'' earthly energy which in turn, boost the cultivation method''s efficiency. It wasn''t only Tang Ling who had an eccentric way to regenerate Qi and stamina, the other disciples also had ways other than sitting around to replenish their energy. Feng Cai and Feng Ci both took out a brown pill and swallowed, then sat down to absorb it. The other man also did something similar; drinking from his gourd before sitting down and cultivating. It would seem that most martial artists, disciples of sects or otherwise, had some kind of methods to accelerate the regeneration of stamina and Qi. But it would seem that his method of using sunflowers was the most unorthodox. Thinking of this, Tang Ling also thought of the Lone Dawn Gourd, there was only spring water inside but increased his stats by 0.3 Strenght, 0.2 Constitution, and 0.1 Agility for 30 minutes. Strength and Agility wouldn''t help him much but the increase in Consitution would. An increase in Constitution did not only mean an increase in Health but also stamina. As the physique becomes sturdier and stronger, the capacity to store and replenish energy increases accordingly. Gullug-lug-lug. "Haaa...." After resting for fifteen minutes, Tang Ling, like the rest of the group, rose out and started a new training. "We''re now practicing thrusting!" ... "We''re now practicing parrying!" ... "We''re now practicing dodging!" ... "We''re now practicing blocking!" With every training sets, the rhythm went faster and faster. After practicing the basics, it was time for variations. For example, although slashes were simple, one could strike in every direction. Upper-center, upper left, upper right, middle left, middle right, lower left, and lower right... [You have familiarized with sword moves, Sword Intent have reacted accordingly. Progress to LV1 is at 95% (Please note that the breakthrough will be difficult and time-consuming.)] [You have learned Heavy Hack.] [Heavy Hack (Skill): Chanelling all your force in one single stroke. This skill has a long wind-up time and makes the user particularly vulnerable to attacks, however, the resulting strike deals massive damage. Able to break guards, parries, and interrupts casts. If it''s sufficiently strong, it can interrupt and cause [Backlash] to the target when in the midst of casting.] [You have learned Swipe.] [Swipe (Skill): Deals 50% damage in a horizontal line. Short wind-up time. Very fast light attack. While winding-up for the attack, Agility is boosted by 10%.] [You have learned Firm Stance.] [Firm Stance: Using the power of Earth, you can pass the pressure to the ground. When successfully blocking, 50% of the attack that passes through [Block] is nullified. Knockback effects are reduced by 30%] With this, he was able to stand firm against Feng Cai for a couple of minutes. One had to know that Feng Cai had undergone great training in his childhood. He had great trouble with three northern wolves, meaning that his strength was on par with Tang Ling. But dueling humans wasn''t just a matter of physical fitness, it was also a matter of skills. A farmer may be as strong as a martial artist by farming, but it wouldn''t best a martial artist in a fight. That was skills. Clack! Clack! Pak! Tang Ling was finally defeated by Feng Cai after five minutes. They didn''t compete on strength, martial arts, or hidden weapons. It was purely a contest of swordsmanship. Even after using Firm Stance when blocking and Heavy Hack while attacking, Feng Cai seamlessly evaded the attacks, not daring to parry or block his attacks. It was only after Tang Ling began to lack stamina that his hands were no longer firm and Feng Cai used this opportunity to strike at Tang Ling''s hands, when he was unprepared, dropping the wooden sword. "Ugh. I''ve lost..." Tang Ling sighed as he gazed over his hand. It was red from swelling from the impact needed to drop his sword. "You''ve put a good fight, Brother Tang." Feng Cai took a towel to wipe his sweat, "Pity that you''ve not used Overlapped Attack." Tang Ling shook his head, this was just consolation. The spar had been difficult for him; Feng Cai kept disengaging after an engagement. This type of slippery enemy was the counter for Tang Ling whose stance relied on being firm and still. Plus, Overlapped Attack would only be effective against a stationary target. Like Heavy Strike, Overlapped Attack could break an enemy''s guard. Heavy Strike was the application of overwhelming force to break guard while Overlapped Attack was the application of technique; the first attack would be blocked but made the blocker vulnerable to the second attack, and third. As long as the opponent couldn''t regain their breathing, they would be disturbed and be weakened. As such, attacks that can disturb the opponent''s qi and break guard are highly valued but it would at least need to land in order to be effective. But what to do if you can''t even land blows to your opponent!!! What can you do with unmatched strength when you cannot even land a hit? Of course, Tang Ling knew that he wasn''t overwhelming stronger than Feng Cai and Feng Cai wasn''t that fast either but it was the only analogy he could come with. The other disciple stayed silent but then approached Tang Ling to give him a piece of advice: "Brother Ling, although I may not be very well-versed in the currents of Jianghu, I think that this advice will help you. Although absolute speed is said to be unbroken, under the heavens, who has absolute speed? There''s a limit to everything, more so to humans. Normal humans can run as fast as 100 meters in ten seconds while martial artists can consistently move at 10 meters per second. Even Grandmaster, the nearest to Immortals, cannot compete go after a certain limit. In this world, there is nothing that can reach this supposed ''absolute speed'', there''s only faster, and faster. What we think as fast is considered normal for high-level martial artists, and what is considered fast to a Grandmaster may only be normal for an Immortal..." "If you know what you''re doing, you could try waiting for an opportunity. A good opportunity. Speaking from experience, I''ve overcome my adversaries by baiting their attacks. If you are sure that they are coming, then you''re prepared and can use it as your advantage." He then stood quiet for a few seconds and took a stance. Then he made a striking move. "Do you see that? When I struck, I am also vulnerable. This strike made me open to attacks and a single attack similar in power with the one I made would heavily injure me..." Tang Ling was enlightened, "I see, brother Zhi, to take an action means not doing another action. Just like spending time with work or family, making a move means foregoing another one for this window of time." Brother Zhi became a little stumped but finally nodded: "Uhh... Your analogy is a little bit strange but yeah. Doing something means not doing another thing. To attack means to not defend. If your opponent decides to break from their defensive position and come to attack, they expose a gap in their defenses which you can exploit." Then, Tang Ling got up and trained with Zhi Zhiyan for another hour before it was already night and was now time to return... Chapter 63 - A Single Move From the Top is a Storm to Ants Once again, Tang Ling rose from his bed and looked at the small window just next to his bed. He couldn''t help but marvel at how different were the two worlds. One was a beautiful world while the other was a dead world that seemed devoid of life. However, deep in his heart, Tang Ling knew this was not true. It was not void of life but lacking in vibrancy. Here, the world seemed monotone. Tang Ling shook his head, trying to shake off his thoughts, and succeeded. Rising from his bed, he greeted his sister and planned his schedule. Credits aren''t much of a problem now. Even if he did nothing, he would be able to live off the money made for quite some time. What was important was to change things up. He had become a Hunter full of anticipation but now, it seems that his enthusiasm has somewhat diminished. Or at least, calmed down. The prospects of a Hunter isn''t that good. The pay is great but the nature of the job made it shaky. However, in this city, where ways of becoming rich are severely restricted; a Hunter is one of the very few pathways to social mobility. If it wasn''t for the System, Tang Ling would never consider becoming an ''official'' resident''. It is said that in inner cities, everyone was considered citizens of the Empire and even slum-dwellers had proper verification and social security. Unlike in Bao Feng City, slums in inner cities were just the poorest district of the city and it is where those who lost their jobs or those with minimal skills lives but they were never excluded. Never would they face discrimination in the middle of the street nor will they be excluded from certain services in the richer area. ''Maybe I should try moving out of the city like Fatty Dong. However, that won''t be so simple...'' Moving out of the city wouldn''t be easy; the wilderness was very dangerous with Beasts lurking around the corners. There may be a few Beasts in the wasteland but every single of them can kill him if caught unprepared. This could be mitigated by traveling in a group, buying a ticket to the inner city via a Flux-powered car, or hiding your scent. However, bureaucracy dictates that moving to other cities requires the bureaucracy to proceed. Unluckily, Tang Ling had to be born and raised in Bao Feng City where corruption was particularly rampant. The mayor wouldn''t be too keen on letting his citizen, even a vagrant, to get away from his control. Tang Ling reckoned that if he allowed, a new wave of immigration would ensue. Knock! Knock! Knock! There was knocking on the door and Tang Ling hurriedly opened the door. Ducke was standing next to the door and was waiting for him. "Ducke?" Tang Ling asked, surprised. "Yes, it''s me." Ducke nodded. Noticing the puzzlement in Tang Ling''s eyes, he coughed: "There''s something I need to talk about. How about we talk somewhere more private?" Tang Ling let Ducke enter his home, and the two men walked through the hallway and sat down at the dining table. Ducke took a cigarette and lit it, taking a few puffs, he finally spoke. "There are movements from Blue Sea Bar. I''ve heard that there are some military equipment trades with other gangs in the dark. It seems that they are preparing something." Tang Ling''s eyelids shook. Everyone knew who was behind the Blue Sea Bar, if there was a move from this place, then the entire city will shake and its impact would be far-reaching. It was pretty much clear that something was brewing in the dark and one could predict that it targeted the Black Tiger Gang. There are no true kings in the underworld, and that is also true in the slums. There are only stronger and weaker factions. The Black Tiger Gang were no saints but are responsible which enabled the districts under their command to prosper. Comparatively speaking, the areas managed by the Black Tiger Gang usually are grey areas whereas areas managed by other vicious gangs would be known as black areas. But when the powerful Blue Sea Bar moves, everything will change. "What did they bring into the table?" Wu Ming asked. "Machetes, body armors, and... firearms." Ducke sighed after saying all that. Tang Ling went silent. The greatest power in this world is Flux, the power which was and still is used to defeat Beasts. He had seen first-hand how fearsome a Flux user is, the city''s Protector at that time, summoned storms and bolts of lightning, disintegrating every Ferocious Beast in his sight. However, a close second would be firearms. Firearms were introduced 350 years ago when a group of rebels fought against the city''s forces. Using a substance called ''Blackpowder'', they could throw projectiles that could kill several men in one throw. With this fearsome weapon, the battle lasted several days until powerful Fluxers stepped in but even then, the casualties were huge, even many of the mighty and noble Fluxers fell, causing the whole Empire to pay attention to this new technology. With the advent of firearms, Beasts were no longer feared as much. The rough skin which could block blades and spears were easily penetrated by a bullet, however, it did not mean that firearms can easily kill a Beast, let alone a Ferocious Beast. Wounds do not equate to death unless it is hit in a critical area, Beasts with terrifying vitality can shrug off volleys of bullets and still be able to rampage through. In a sense, it kinda felt like the HP shown on his System display. The bullets could penetrate its armor but 100 damage is only one-tenth of an Uruvian Bear''s HP and compared to the 10-meter Beast who destroyed the city wall ten years ago, bullets were like stings to It. However, humans were not so lucky to have such vitality and defense so firearms were lethal to them. The previous him would instantly collapse under one single shot and the current him would not fare that much well. Firearms are very expensive, even more, expensive than any other type of weapons but also a lot more powerful and effective. "Even the mighty Black Tiger can''t change the situation, he will be forced back into a corner against this big alliance..." Ducke finally came to the conclusion. "But why would Blue Sea Bar get involved in this? The man-in-charge shouldn''t be interested in such a petty squabble, right?" Tang Ling asked in confusion. He had not followed the news for quite some time and could not deduce the reason. "A united populace is prosperous and has ambition, but a divided populace is weak and obedient." Ducke quoted a sentence that he''d seen in the library. "But most importantly, there are rumors there shall be a war soon." Chapter 64 - An Orderers Status is Not What It Seems Ducke''s birthday carried without any issue but it wasn''t exactly festive either. It seemed that even Tang Fuxi had some ideas about what was going on. A few hours ago, there were sounds of gunshots and a battle broke in the street they lived in. The birthday celebration was quick, dry, and depressing. Tang Ling could only use this opportunity to present his gift to Ducke; the modified Burst Gun. "This is my present, it cost quite a bit to get this one working..." Tang Ling dismissively gave the pistol to Ducke when it was time to go. "Tang Ling... You..." Ducke was moved. He could feel that the exterior was made of metal, this definitely wasn''t a cheap knockoff made by some amateurs, it was a true collection-grade gift. Where it came from, he did not know but the sincerity behind this gift is immense. Although it wasn''t exactly the pistols that Cowboys used in the TV show, it was damn close! Ducke closed his eyes to restrain his tears from falling, although when he was a kid, he idolized the Cowboys of the West, a man''s tears are really precious but gratitude should never be forgotten. This was taught to him by his old man who came from Cytubis, a far-away destroyed city. According to the old man''s stories, Cytubis was a city stronghold where tradition, bravery, and strength is valued. Sadly, the stronghold fell under a Beast stampede of over 100 000 because of internal conflicts. As a man who received the old man''s grace, Ducke also retained some parts of this culture and valued camaraderie, and knew how to repay kindness with kindness. "I can''t express in words how grateful I am for you to give me this gift. I ¡ª" Tang Ling hurriedly stopped him: "Don''t fret about it, I''ve recently made a huge fortune. Look, I''ve become a Hunter." He then got up and opened a drawer where he then sneakily summoned the Blackwing Bow and presented the bow to Ducke. "See? This is my weapon." "You''ve really become a Hunter! But how did you gain such overwhelming strength?" Ducke asked in confusion. He just remembered that a month ago, his friend did not exhibit such strength anywhere and his combat performance a few days ago could only be considered above average. Not wanting to reveal his System, which should be unique in this world, he could only tell him his second secret that is rare but not unheard of: "I''ve awakened and became an Orderer." "An Orderer? You''ve become an Orderer?" Ducke asked in disbelief. Who knew that in a span of a few days, his friend would ascend to the great status of an Orderer? Who were Orderers? They were nobles-to-be! Every ancestor of those prestigious noble families were Orderers, and accordingly, they were granted special privileges unobtainable by common people. This was explicitly written in the Brokang Empire''s charter, which granted special status to Orderers and was unanimitaly accepted by everyone. Orderers are the ones who protect the people and are worth hundreds of men in combat effectiveness. Take the Great Firebomb developed by Davis Jackson for example, Orderers like him can cast a spell that can kill two hundred men in a single moment! In the business area, an Orderer as the founder can get reduced taxes. Noble families were also willing to hire them at a premium and one could easily become millionaires if he joined the military... "Tang Ling! This is a great opportunity, being an awakened Orderer is not enough! Orderers are separated into different levels and as a newbie, you can''t compare to the mighty existence that lives in the city''s center; higher than the mayor himself! But right now, you''re a little bigger ant, you need to find a teacher!" Ducke said in determination. "Teacher? Why would I need to find a teacher?" Tang Ling foolishly asked. "What''s the point of showing the awakened Orderers on stage? It would be first to show off but also to present them to the Orderer-in-charge. It''s truly important, if you don''t find someone to introduce to this world, your potential will be left untapped and you will never become those honored and revered Orderers!" Tang Ling immediately understood, he may be technically an Orderer but no one would really admit that he was one. This little bit of Flux is able to power off the Blackwing Bow but in the face of these mighty beings, it wasn''t worth mentioning. If he continues this way, he would never be able to escape this situation of being awkwardly placed in the middle of ordinary and extraordinary. === After Ducke''s departure, Tang Ling looked at the ceiling in silence. Ducke''s argument was not baseless, he had once thought that becoming an Orderer was the end of the road but the reality wasn''t simple. Rich families pumped out money like crazy for their children to gain the qualification of becoming an Orderer. A professional analyst in some paper estimated the money spent on the qualification of becoming an Orderer ranges from 100 000 credits up to a million. One million! This was equal to one year''s worth of income in Bao Feng City! If a city''s annual revenue can be spent on one person, Tang Ling ignorantly thought that this was enough for this person to become a powerful Orderer like the Protector. But lo and behold, it was only to gain the qualification of becoming an Orderer, an apprentice! If that was the case, Tang Ling could not tell how much a full-fledged Orderer would cost. Ten million? Fifty million? One hundred million? The one thousand credits gift from Fatty Dong was the biggest sum of money he had seen, and that was enough to make him happy for a long time and change his fate. Tang Ling looked at his palm and clenched his fist. As he opened back, he saw the formless energy that was "Flux". It was an energy that could warp reality, create something out of nowhere, and make impossible feats possible. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''s-status-is-not-what-it-seems_48967907383765853 for visiting. No wonder that Orderers is so respected in this world. They are not only strong, rare, and essential to defend against Beasts from who-knows-where but also possess an energy that ordinary people cannot compete with and are practically made of money. An Orderer''s death is also a loss of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of credits for the family, city, and the Empire as a whole. Chapter 65 - One Week Tang Ling felt powerless. With the so-called "natural-talent", he had taken a big step into the world of extraordinary. He thought that he had passed the hardest part but it would seem that it is only the beginning. His awakening was worth thousands of credits but to advance further, he would need to enter a complicated system where connections and money are everything. But he, himself, was just a humble man from the slums. He did not wealth nor connections. Sighing again, Tang Ling could only get up and prepare to enter [Heavenly Ascension]. ... Ducke looked back at Tang Ling''s apartment and sighed again. For all his life, he only had Tang Ling as a friend. Other people despised his social status and personality and chose to distance themselves, or even worse, trying to trick him. He had fallen for it several times and finally grown out of this stage. At the age of 24, his life changed and now, under the cheerful and honest-looking facade, was a cold abyss. In his darkest times, only Tang Ling was willing to trust and respect him. It was also him that made him realize that the world isn''t such a beautiful place, correcting his ways of life. "This guy..." Ducke shook his head, looking at the pistol Tang Ling gifted him. "He doesn''t say it but I know that he got into trouble, perhaps even danger..." Although the gun looked like the ones used by the Cowboys of the West, as a hardened underworld man, it was easy to see that it was modified. To be precise, it was a modified firearm of a now-discontinued series. This was a favorite for hitmen. It was deceptively strong and had no legal registry on who owns it. The firing power is not that strong so it can pass off as a civilian carry in most areas but the special bullets it contains are particularly strong against the flesh, tearing tendons, and bones like paper. These types of guns are very niche in the underworld but reached a sky-high price in auctions and deals. In essence, it was a disguised military weapon, and its rarity and price are second to the legendary ''silenced guns''. "Bro..." Ducke was moved. ======= During this time, Tang Ling alternated from practicing martial arts in the Game World to hunting in the real world. From hunting, he had gathered 500 credits post-tax. This made him sigh at his rapid acc.u.mulation of wealth. Rent in the slums was 10 to 50 credits every month and right now, his income averaged at 71 credits every day. Although he knew that it would thin out in the future, it is still miles away from his previous income. From practicing martial arts, he had gained new moves like [Parry], [Thrust], and [Intermediate Dodge]. [Parry (Skill): Parry an opponent''s attack, giving a window of opportunity to counter-attack.] [Thrust (Skill): You have learned the way of thrust. Thrusting motion deal more damage.] [Intermediate Dodge: Your skill in dodging has increased. The reaction time between the response and the action is shortened, the dodging range is further increased.] As time passes, the other disciples began to leave, going back to their old ways. The only companion he had was Brother Zhu who he sparred with all this time. On the sixth day, he also left. Leaving him time alone to study the [Aspects of the Leopard], and today would also be the day that he leaves. [Name: Tang Ling Level 28 HP : 843/843 (+100HP) Qi: 100/100 Mental Energy: 7/7 Stamina: 100% Strength: 2.8 Agility: 2.8 Constitution : 2.83 Spirit: 2.85] As he sparred and hunted Beasts like no tomorrow, his level increased to LV28, leaving Master Gu stumped at how fast his cultivation speed was. Master Gu sighed after hearing his intention to leave. "How have our morals changed. A few decades ago, it had been expected for students to bid farewell graciously. However, in the present, sincere farewells and thanks have become rare. Even if I don''t doubt that they are grateful for the things I have taught, no one ever reached the level of sincerity such as you." Melancholy struck him like no tomorrow, and his eyes became cloudy for a moment. ''Maybe I''m becoming old.'' he thought, ''Schools and sects have been rapidly developing over the years and now, there are hundreds of sects in the Northern Region alone. Martial arts and knowledge are now viewed like commodities and are not as sacred as before. What they become are untempered cultivators and flowery scholars not tempered generals and meritorious scholars...'' Thinking about this, Master Gu felt that such a good seedling of good morals should not fall young or degrade in shallow power; perhaps the future is not in the hands of the city dwellers but in the hands of the country bumpkins. Such people are worth preserving, for the world is better with them. "Tang Ling, I hope that you won''t involve yourself in a power struggle. Temper yourself like a real cultivator. We, martial artists, train our bodies and align ourselves with Heaven to transcend the human condition. To step on the muddy water that is the mortal world is necessary but do not overstay and immerse yourself into petty matters, you will be dragged down in the end; never to reach the top." Saying that, he tossed a broadsword which hanged the side to him: "I''ve noticed that your sword is quite common, too common for any martial artists. Although it is good enough for any gentleman traveling the city, it is not robust enough to handle any villains, monsters, and demons that can arise in Jianghu. Take this." [Northwind-Tempered Runed Broadsword (Rare) LV Requirement: 30 Attribute: Cold Steel, Sturdy. Skill: Determination Description: A Northwind blade is one of the rarest and prized blades you can find in Jianghu. The blade itself is the journey of a strongman braving the cold winter storm in search of greatness. Blacksmith Jiang Hai braved the terrible weather of Mt. Tengshan and spent three days on the peak to forge five blades: dao, jian, broadsword, dagger, and a heavy saber. Tempered by the Northern Wind which happens every five years, the blades demonstrate clear peak craftmanship demonstrating the tenacity and strength of the creator, hereby conferring him the title of Forgemaster. On the blade is inscribed a rune which is in harmony with heaven and earth, giving the wielder the determination of the forger himself!] [Cold Steel: Forged in the cold winds of Mt. Tengshan, the steel has condensed some ice attribute. Its essence can injure and kill spiritual creatures with its mere touch. Double damage against fire-type enemies.] [Sturdy: The blade is extremely hard. It is capable to resist and block attacks with relative ease. The reverse is also true, the hardiness of the blade with its great mass has the chance to damage weapons when struck against each other. The effects are limited against Magic-grade and below weapons.] [Determination (Weapon Skill): Infuse the forger''s will into oneself. For three seconds, damage incoming will be reduced by 50%, debuffs will be reduced by 25% and if he is able to land a strike before the effects wear off, the damage will be increased by 50%. Cooldown: 24h ~The sheer will and dedication of this blacksmith radiate from the blade, a will that many warriors crave for it is the ultimate glory for warriors to be fearless and strong against adversaries.~] Tang Ling was so gratified and touched that he had no words to say except: "... Thank you." Tang Ling bowed. Master Gu indicated that he could leave. Chapter 66 - Deceit In a tent. "Sir, you''ve done a good job charming these fools." A man took out Grant''s jacket and respectfully bowed to him. "No need to praise, Lopez. They are fools for a reason. They can''t tell if they are charmed or not, of course, they were fooled!" Grant laughed and after a few seconds, he calmed down. "On a more serious note, how''s the front doing?" "The two sides have not yet engaged. The expedition march is under His Second Highness while the defensive army is under General Dummkopf. From the spies have reported, the Second Highness'' army should be equal to the one under Dummkopf." "General Dummkopf... I heard that he has excelled in military tactics since young and is quite strong himself. If we manage to repel this attack, I should be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel..." Seeing his next rank so close to him made him very confident, Lieutenant Colonel could be said an important step to his career. He had only entered and became a Major of a division through the support of his family. However, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel would give him a position in His Highness''s military HQ. Thinking of this, Grant smiled and almost couldn''t control his excitement. He finally restrained himself and told the servant: "Lopez, we''ll need to train these cannon fodders up. It doesn''t really matter about their morale, as long as they can take several volleys of fire, they would be useful. Send Patrick to train them up and remember to tell the auxiliary unit to assure that the armor is not botched this time, we need them for a little more time. What about the hunters we recruited? Are they good?" "Your order has been received." Lopez bowed and looked at Grant again, "The hunters have been unwilling to cooperate so we could only force them to go with us. It doesn''t really matter, they are only here to shoot. However there are some exceptional hunters here, there is one who has the First Order of Flux, three of them have equipment made from Synthesizers while the others have good rifles in general. I''d say we got a good batch." "Hmmm... then what''s the enemy''s situation?" "Our scouts have detected the use of Excel in Nein City. It appears that they are coming big this time, sir." Lopez briefed the scouts'' report. "Colonel Kent has said that the counterattack would be manifold as payback for His Second Highness'' humiliation. However, I did not think that they would bring out the big guns..." Nein City was 100km away from Bao Feng City and boasted a superior military and economy compared to the latter. It would already be hard to defend against the normal weaponry from the military personnel sent out by His Second Highness but to bring Excel to the battlefield... "No. It won''t do. Bring another batch of ''volunteers''. I am not confident with only one batch of cannon fodders..." "One, two, three!" A group of men thrust their spears in a formation as a sergeant counted up to three. "One, two, three! Yes, that''s it! You''re getting the hang of it!" The sergeant shouted. Among the group, Tang Ling sneered. If they were really trying to train "soldiers", they would have given them firearms. Instead, like what was literally said and not implied, is that they are cannon fodders and would only result in tanking some firepower. That spear training was just a way to increase morale with minimal investment and effectiveness. They were all charmed by this major and could not think properly. How are they supposed to fight when the enemy is 300 meters away shooting at them? A squad of well-equipped men could probably shred them in mere seconds. [Spearmanship proficiency increased.] But he stayed quiet. He couldn''t convince the men in his group that the major was manipulating them. They stayed head-strong about this matter, believing that the major meant the best for them. He couldn''t also escape from the camp, the military would probably catch him and even if he managed to escape, they had his name and address in the files. "Now, charge!" "YES!" The brainwashed rough men shouted and began to ready their spears and started charging. "Yaaaaa!" Spears pierced the thin targets. "Good! Good! Good!" During this time, they''ve also received their armor. They were clearly made of metal scraps from who-know-where and the process was clearly rushed since some of them were clearly unfinished. It was clear how much they thought of them. But under the mysterious spell cast by the major, the crew gladly accepted the equipment and even praised the major for being so generous. This chilled Tang Ling''s heart even further. It seems that the effects lasted longer than he expected. In the middle of the day, the major would come and go, casting [Charm] to the group and reinforcing their morale and behaviors. On the third day, the whole army received intel that the enemy army has begun marching and they were ordered to march forward with the cannon fodders being at the forefront of this. Reaching the place where two mountains seemed to have been split from a bigger mountain, there was a gunshot. Then soon, more followed until it rained bullets. "ARGHH!" The guy beside Tang Ling cried out of pain as a bullet lodged itself into his arm. Then a guy on the front row cried as his armor failed to defend him from the incoming bullet. This time, it penetrated the guy''s stomach. "Shit!" Suddenly, the whole group woke up. Their fanatic wills dissipated, leaving only weakness and fear. This was their true nature, faltering under overwhelming force. They originally were able to think and after the enchantment dissipated, they knew that they had been tricked. It was a no-brainer. The major didn''t even hide his disdain towards them and they gobbled it up like it was sweet nectar. If they had to think, they would feel ashamed of themselves. It was a shame that even such time was lacking as they were under enemy fire. Tang Ling, who was more prepared than the group, immediately shouted: "Put the shield down to the ground! Form up a shield wall!" Instinctively, they followed the voice of the one who seems to be in control and immediately formed a shield wall with their shield. Bang! Pak! Pak! Hails of bullets came and came for what seemed to be an eternity. The bullets struck repeatedly against the heavy shields. Thankfully, the shields were not as defective as the armor provided by the army and could block off most bullets coming their way. "Huff... Huff..." Collective sighs could be heard, they... they had survived the attack. Then the soldiers behind them took out their rifles and pointed at them: "Move. Or we''ll shoot." "You..." The men were shocked to see the friendly soldiers point their guns at them. "Quick!" The man in charge of the squad behind frowned and bellowed. Immediately, they knew that if they did not move quickly, they would be shot. Gritting their teeth, they took out their shields from the ground and moved. It was humiliating but at least, there''s a chance to live. ... Chapter 67 - War! Tang Ling knew that the broadsword was precious. Even extremely precious. It was even said in the description: "A northwind blade is one of the rarest and most prized blades you can find in Jianghu." Although he was sure that it was not the best blade in the world (take Master Gu''s sword for example), it would be extremely rare and was hailed as one of the best in Jianghu. The effects were also magical. His attacks could now be regarded as ''supernatural'' and are able to fight incorporeal forms. His sword was also sturdier, capable of effectively block attacks and cut through weapons with minimal regard to durability. These two attributes would be enough to be called a superior weapon, well above his Gentleman Straight Sword. But Determination made it a dream weapon for him. This was two ranks above his previous sword. If he activated Determination, even a damn Burst Gun wouldn''t faze him. Over the days he had been with the other disciples, he had learned that even Uncommon weaponry was rare. People often traveled with fine swords but with no distinct features. Fine weapons would be heirlooms passed in peasant families while Uncommon ones were heirlooms of well-off families in the city or minor noble families. At the rank of Magic, it would become an heirloom passed from generation to generation, while at the rank of Rare, it could be considered to be a great treasure. Heck, even the Rose of Shengdong only had a Rare weapon for her use and from the rumors, she was one of the most outstanding talents in her family. It''s a pity that although she had shown her weapon in the battle with the wolves, Tang Ling had been too preoccupied with his battle to catch a glimpse of this weapon. Thus, he had no idea where his Rare weapon ranks. Nonetheless, to give a disciple a Rare weapon is a great generosity on his part. Simple thanks couldn''t express his gratitude for the gift. ... As he was busy with his daily tasks, he had noticed that the undercurrents surging. The once cheerful neighbor across the street became quiet. The landlady came in with a stern face and a wrinkled paper behind her back. Civilians outside the slums began to show worried faces. Even the guard standing on the watchtower felt like he just ate sh*t. As the days passed, news of war spread from circles to circles until pretty much everybody knew about it. This started with the rise in violence in the slums to outright protests from proper citizens. However, this didn''t change anything. Although the mayor came out and said that the war will impact the citizens of Bao Feng, it didn''t fool the majority. By ''citizens'', he meant the middle-class of the city, not the slum-dweller, and by ''will not impact'', he meant not sent into the war. It didn''t mean that they wouldn''t suffer any economic repercussions. Knock! Knock! Tang Ling opened the door, hiding behind him was his sister. In front of the door, two grown men were standing there. There were not that threatening but the professional impression made him realize that they are strong. "You have been conscripted into upcoming war. Please leave with us or we will take you by force." ... Tang Ling did not fear the two men. Although they were part of the Prince''s army, they were far weaker than him in terms of physical prowess. In close proximity with them, if he struck first, they would not have time to take off their pistols before he crushes their necks. The fact that he didn''t fear the two soldiers did not mean that he did not fear the force behind them. Just like how people obediently paid their taxes, he obediently followed them as they grouped up many other people like him and then were directed to go to the camp outside of the city. Here, they ordered to stand in line and as the other conscripts came along, a handsome man walked on the temporary podium in front of them. "Hum, hum. Welcome, conscripts! Seeing that some of you are still confused, I will brief you on your situation. Last week, the Prince conquered 20 minor cities like yours and celebrated this decisive victory. However, the Second Price did not like that very much and decided to retaliate, bringing quite a bit with him. Here''s where you come into the picture, essentially, you''re cannon fodders." Some tried to escape but were immediately suppressed by the surrounding soldiers. [Division 98 Soldier LV 10] [Division 98 Soldier LV8] [Division 98 Lieutenant LV15] The weakest of the Division was LV8 while the average level was about LV10. In comparison, the low level on the part of the conscripts made him unable to disagree that they are truly "cannon fodder". He then turned at the commander on the platform and inspected him. [Division 98''s Major, Grant Earlse LV 35 Fluxer] [Additional Description: Brokang''s Empire 98th Division Major and young master of the Earlse family, Grant Earlse has shown some potential in his awakening, resulting in him joining the military. After two years of service, he had advanced into the prestigious class of Major of a special division and is now on his way to Lieutenant Colonel!] "Calm down!" He shouted as his troops pointed their guns at the crowd, "Do not try to resist! Fighting will give you a chance to live while resisting means certain death!" He then waved his hand, "Not to mention, we won''t leave you defenseless. You will be given training and equipment for the job. You will be rewarded 500 credits!" The group of cannon fodder cheered at the thought of gaining 500 credits. I mean, they would be given equipment and training. It should mean that there is a 50% chance of survival, right? It''s worth risking their lives for! Tang Ling felt something wrong. There was nothing wrong with the major''s words but the group''s reaction shouldn''t be so dramatic. ''Not leave you defenseless. You''ll get training and equipment. A reward of 500 credits.'' ''However not leaving you defenseless, training and equipment does not change the fact that we''re cannon fodders. And the huge reward of 500...'' Tang Ling narrowed his eyes, ''The reward of 500 credits will only be given to survivors! After all, there are no guarantees and there are incentives to kill us all!'' Tang Ling looked at the honest-looking smile on the major''s face and felt a chill. [Host has been targeted with Flux Spell: Wide Charm.] [Host has been targeted with Flux spell: Charismatic Voice.] [Host has resisted the status condition.] There were no more indications needed to understand the situation. He was definitely using them as "cannon fodders"! Chapter 68 - Advancing After several bursts of fire during the journey, the group of meatshields finally arrived on one of the mountains'' slopes. It was here where the major ordered the soldiers to position themselves with the meatshields on their side. Here, the sergeant stopped the troops and carefully positioned his soldiers. There was no fear of ambush from the back since it was an open flat terrain, it was impossible for the enemy to be sitting still when they traversed the cracked ground. The only dangers are on the front. Here, the enemy could be hiding anywhere. So, the officer devised a plan. The cannon fodders will face one side while his soldiers will be aiming in another. This way, they could take care of ambushes on the west while the conscripts soaked bullets from the east. In one particular moment, the sergeant received a signal and instantly ordered the troops to move on. Tang Ling caught what the sergeant was doing and immediately cast [Inspect] to the man''s ear. [Signal Ear Receptor (Common) LV: 1 Signal Receiver: It can receive any type of signal. Encrypted Message: Once activated, send a fast unencrypted message to a particular location. The device would promptly deactivate and shut down. Encrypted Order: Every fifteen minutes (of XX:00, XX:15, XX:30, and XX:45), a certain portion of the receptor will open, containing a secret encryption formula, which can decrypt the message providing by Division 98''s Temporary Command Center. The capacity is limited to five sounds. Description: A military device exclusive to team leaders and above. Encrypted and leaves no trace, an ideal tool for the military.] The sergeant immediately ordered them to move on and stood in another place. They were ordered to kneel down and hold the shield until another order was given. The official soldiers were just behind, aiming their sights on the wilderness. Five minutes, a group of soldiers appearing to scout appeared and were instantly shot down by the soldiers behind. The ones who managed to return fire died soon after. In the meantime, Tang Ling tightened his muscles but soon relaxed them. It''s not the time yet. After the battle, the soldiers expressionlessly dealt with the corpses by dragging them away and hiding them on the corner. Although they were soldiers in different camps, they were still part of the Brokang Empire. These soldiers deserve respect. After hiding the corpses, they began marching forward towards the battlefield. Their missions have been to kill any scouts coming their way but it seems only one group came. Now, it was time to rejoin the main group and deal with them once-and-for-all. What they neglected however is Tang Ling silently approaching the corpses and taking the weapons in his [Inventory]. [Wolf T-919 Rifle (Uncommon) LV: 5 Firepower LV2: Ignore defense by 20. Raging Wolf (Skill): The rifle can switch to auto-mode. Shooting 5 bullets per second, accuracy is reduced by 40%, and recoil is increased by 50%. These debuffs increases as the duration of the auto-mode increases. Description: A beast of a weapon. Made by the exclusive military contractor "Wolf", it indeed represents the company''s philosophy of playing big, winning big. The operator of this ferocious weapon must act like a wolf to reach its full potential. Note: Although the instruction manual states that it can reach 100m, it can barely reach 100m in the test range. The actual effective range is 50 meters.] [Rifle Rounds x100 (Common) *200 Increase damage by 50.] [Wolf N800 Tactical Vest (Uncommon) LV: 10 Defense: 30 Bulletproof: Increase defense from bullets by 30. Description: Lightweight, durable, strong. It is made of the latest technology which was acquired by the military contractor "Wolf". Although weighing less than half the common body armor, it provides the same defense, making an ideal stamina-saver for a soldier. -The Wolf does not stop hunting. It kills tirelessly and weaves in and out, making it a ferocious predator.] There were also other weapons but Tang Ling did not dare to take any more than another rifle or two before acting as if nothing happened. *** The group finally joined the main army and they could see the opposing army just in front. It seems that the major managed to corner the invaders into a fight. Tang Ling could a giant war machine ahead. It was extremely huge, about ten men in height. It was a gargantuan moving cannon. The thing was so huge that even looking at the distance strikes fear in Tang Ling and his comrades. [Fiery Hope Heart''s passive activated. Fear cannot stand in face of hope.] Warmth soothed his fearful heart and Tang Ling regained his composure. Gripping his spear, he waited for orders. Sure enough, they were ordered to move again, this time, they will be tanking an entire army''s bullets. There was hope, however. Although they technically are regrouped with the main army, the major still separated them from the main army, fearing that stray bullets would hit the main army. As such, he positioned 30m away from the army in a wing formation. The cannon fodders'' supervisor is still the same but would be doubled as another group of cannon fodders will join. The doubling of soldiers behind his back is also more dangerous but thankfully, he had managed to acquire this Wolf T-919 Rifle which could shoot 5 rounds a second. This was probably the best firearm he can have at the moment. Tang Ling had heard of a breakthrough in the capital, of a firearm able to shoot 10 rounds a second. Although absolutely horrendous in long-range, it could mow down everyone in a five to ten meters range. However, it had only begun producing, and mass-producing is still a long way to go. Even then, the chance of the army supplying such a firearm is small since it was absolutely useless in a range of more than twenty meters.