As Lan An tucked the Yan token into his Black Skull Ring, the System's mechanical voice echoed in his mind: "Keng, cultivation has reached Early-Stage Three Cauldrons. Proceed with System upgrade?"
Lan An paused, recalling Jin'er's words: the System required Three Cauldrons to upgrade. He'd expected a long grind, but this cave's unexpected fortune had accelerated his path.
Pondering, he recalled Jin'er mentioning rewards and new functions with the upgrade. Yet, he wondered how long it would take and whether tasks would pause during that time, stalling his progress.
After a moment's thought, he commanded, "Display my information."
Keng.
A luminous panel materialized in his mind:
Host Information:
Host: Lan An
Spiritual Cultivation: Early-Stage Three Cauldrons (equivalent to Late-Stage Golden Core)
Soul Cultivation: Early-Stage Golden Core
Physical Cultivation: Early-Stage Third Turn
Cultivation Art:Immortal Genesis Scripture
Skills:Spirit Fist, Spirit Bullet, Four Spirits Soul Guardian Technique, Mother Earth's Requiem
Artifacts:Black Skull Ring, Spirit Blossom Orb, White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye
Inventory: Healing Blossom Pill x1, Thunder-Fire Mysterious Art, Demonic Thought Pill recipe, Array Records, Ice Slaughter Sword
Pending Rewards: One random Upper-Grade Earth-Grade skill summon
Surveying his stats, Lan An noticed a new "Inventory" section, consolidating unused items stored in his Black Skull Ring. A convenient feature, grouping diverse treasures in one place.
"First, summon the Earth-Grade skill," Lan An ordered. His clash with Han Qing exposed his limited skill repertoire compared to clan prodigies. Without the Strange Fire, defeating Han Qing would've been grueling, perhaps forcing him to tap his soul power.
Keng, confirm random summon of Upper-Grade Earth-Grade skill?
"Yes."
Keng, initiating random summon. Countdown: 10, 9, 8… 3, 2, 1.
Keng, congratulations, Host has acquired Upper-Grade Earth-Grade skill: Eight Trigrams Heavenly Reversal Palm. Temporarily stored in System space.
"Upper-Grade? Not bad," Lan An nodded, pleased. A jade tablet etched with an Eight Trigrams pattern appeared in his hand.
Without hesitation, he pricked his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the jade's center, eager to master the skill.
Instantly, the skill's details flooded his mind:
Eight Trigrams Heavenly Reversal Palm
Grade: Upper-Grade Earth-Grade Skill Origin: Signature technique of the Tai Chi Elder Function: Defensive skill, capable of deflecting all attacks from same-realm opponents from any angle
Lan An sucked in a breath. This is absurdly powerful. Absolute defense against peers meant he could withstand assaults from countless same-realm foes, unscathed, as long as no higher-realm cultivator intervened.
Laughing with exhilaration, Lan An scrapped his plan to leave Shan Mu Forest. He needed to master the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Reversal Palm and the Phoenix Guardian from the Four Spirits Soul Guardian Technique. With the Blazing Heart Cauldron formed, he now qualified to cultivate the Fire Phoenix, adding it to his Earth Bear.
"Alright, System, begin the upgrade," Lan An said, seizing the chance to train.
Keng, System initiating upgrade. Countdown: 12 days.
"Looking forward to it," Lan An murmured, a smile curving his lips as he ventured deeper into Shan Mu Forest.
Ling Wu City
Nestled in the southern reaches of the Bing Tian Frost Continent, Ling Wu City thrived under the dominion of the Seventh-Rank Mu Tian Sect. Its towering walls, stretching endlessly, housed millions. A melting pot of factions, it buzzed with activity, its proximity to Shan Mu Forest drawing cultivators to hunt beasts and temper themselves.
The city's lord, an outer elder of Mu Tian Sect with Early-Stage Spirit Transformation cultivation, ruled with absolute authority, a mortal emperor in this cultivators' domain.
On the bustling main street, a wiry youth with shifty eyes darted through the crowd. Chen Jiang, a Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivator, lacked prowess but excelled in gathering gossip, profiting from the city's secrets.
His gaze locked onto a newcomer at the city gate. Clad in a black robe with purple accents, the youth's chiseled frame stood 1.8 meters tall, his long black hair flowing freely. His striking face, paired with a silver eye and a closed one, exuded an enigmatic allure.
Not ordinary, Chen Jiang assessed. Discolored eyes from cultivation arts were common, but this youth's calm, almost playful demeanor—unfazed by Ling Wu City's grandeur—set him apart. His silver eye gleamed with ambition, as if the city were a challenge to conquer.
Lan An sensed eyes on him but ignored them, distracted by the System's voice: Keng, Overlord System upgrade complete. Reached Level 2.
Keng, awarded one Upgrade Gift Package.
Keng, unlocked new function: Lucky Shop – Prestige Points.
"Jin'er!" Lan An called inwardly.
"Here, Young Master," Jin'er replied, materializing beside him, invisible to the bustling crowd.
"Explain the new function," Lan An said, strolling through the street, too focused to explore it himself.
"As you know, the Lucky Shop sells items for you—skills, arts, pills, weapons, talismans, beast eggs, rare treasures," Jin'er began. "Their quality varies, with prices reflecting their value. At Level 1, the shop offers items from Mysterious to Lower Spirit-Grade."
"No Yellow-Grade?" Lan An asked, curious.
"Too trashy. The System disdains them," Jin'er said flatly.
Lan An's mouth twitched, but Jin'er continued, "The shop offers five items daily. Whether you buy or not, they refresh tomorrow. You can pay to refresh them sooner."
Nodding, Lan An recognized the mechanic, akin to chance-based shops in his past life's games. Finding treasures depended on luck—and having enough currency.
"Open the Lucky Shop," he commanded.
Keng.
A small panel appeared, listing five items with prices:
Middle-Grade Healing Blossom Pill: Restores qi and heals physical injuries below Spirit Transformation instantly (no soul healing) – 100 Prestige Points
Blizzard Blast: Lower-Middle Mysterious-Grade skill – 800 Prestige Points
Earthshatter Spear: Middle-Major Mysterious-Grade weapon – 1000 Prestige Points
Wood Spirit Essence: Third-Tier-Middle Intermediate herb – 1000 Prestige Points
Ancient Tomb Sword Art: Lower Earth-Grade art – 2500 Prestige Points
Scanning the list, Lan An found only the Healing Blossom Pill appealing. Even the Earth-Grade art seemed lackluster. Frowning, he asked, "How do I earn Prestige Points?"
"Through tasks and achievements," Jin'er explained. "Also, by spreading your fame. Each person who knows your name grants 1 Prestige Point. The degree of their reaction amplifies it: admiration yields 10 points, envy or jealousy 100, heartfelt respect 100. The greater your deeds, the more points you earn."
"So, Han Qing's jealousy gave me 100 points?" Lan An mused.
"His hatred surpassed jealousy, earning 300 points," Jin'er said coolly.
Lan An's lips twitched. Isn't this encouraging me to stir trouble? Earning respect was noble, but sparking envy seemed far easier.
Still, Jin'er's words clarified Prestige Point acquisition. Whether to inspire awe or incite hatred would depend on the situation.
"Open the Upgrade Gift Package," Lan An ordered, leisurely admiring the city. Wooden structures exuded natural fragrance, interspersed with elegant pavilions, sprawling estates, and towering spires. Mortals hawked wares alongside cultivators' stalls, a vibrant tapestry of life. Without cement or chemicals, the air brimmed with spiritual energy, ripe for cultivation.
Keng, Upgrade Gift Package opened successfully.
Keng, Host received 5000 Prestige Points.
Keng, received one random Lower Spirit-Grade movement art summon.
"That's it?" Lan An asked. Compared to the Newbie Package's forbidden art, this felt modest, though a Spirit-Grade movement art was no trifle.
"Young Master, it's just one upgrade," Jin'er huffed, her cheeks puffing. "It can't compare to the System's initial binding."
"Fair point," Lan An chuckled. Even Eighth-Rank clans like the Lan Clan lacked Spirit-Grade movement arts. Greed had clouded his judgment.
"Young Master, you're clearly a peerless prodigy," a sleazy voice interrupted, halting Lan An's plan to summon the movement art. "New to Ling Wu City, I wager? I've lived here my whole life, knowing even how often the City Lord… relieves himself. For 20 Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, I'll spill any secret you desire."