After choosing yes, the dark space began shaking like having a 9.0 magnitude. Leo could only wryly smile because he did not expect that this catastrophe could happen in this endless space of darkness. Although he couldn't see anything, his existence could feel the intense shaking.
As the shaking grow larger, Leo felt himself being thrown in the vast expanse of darkness. His speed is like a roc piercing in the void. Truly frightening that Leo himself felt nothing but pain. His body felt like it is getting shredded into pieces.
After travelling so fast in the darkness, his body disappeared like a popped bubble. His existence entered another realm through breaking the space and time. But Leo didn't know this as he struggled to endure like a cockroach that never dies.
Never did this realm know that the birth of sovereign is incoming. Geniuses will give way and be stepping stones to this invincible existence, ancestors will kowtow to this junior that will slay his path to the apex of the world.
...........................
In the Imperial Dragon City of the Dragon God Continent, a magnificent scene can be seen in the heavens. Several large meteors could be seen heading to the Dragon Valley as they fall with great momentum and power. One meteor of this size could engulf a whole city so the mortals looking at it felt that the judgment day finally came.
No… not only mortals fear this meteors. Even the cultivators that saw this meteor used their finest qigong to move away from this godforsaken place. They knew that these meteors brought treasures with it but it is not the time to harvest. If they become too greedy and try to catch those landing objects then they would not even get a burial.
They have powers to crush mountains and split the sea but stopping these meteors that have the ancient presence of the great dao and the extreme yang energy coming from it could easily destroy them in contact.
Some wise men derived that these meteors are signs of extermination incoming in the future. Some felt that these things are ominous that will bring destruction to the continent. Some think that an ancient devil is about to be awoken and some felt that a heaven-defying treasure is coming in the Dragon God Continent.
Everyone have their own speculations on why such a disaster suddenly came in to this world. However, one thing that they know is that fortune is always present in calamity.
They really did think that way however everyone could only wryly smile and shake their head that they are truly unfortunate. The Dragon Valley is one of the forbidden grounds in the Dragon God Continent. One can easily enter the valley without permission from anyone but to leave is like defying the heavens. Many people believed that out of hundred people that comes in to the valley, only three to five people could leave the place alive. Not to mention that they might be already traumatized or crippled.
After the world shaking landing of the meteors, many people could be seen coming to the Dragon Valley without fear. They knew that only the fated ones could receive fortune but maybe they are the one!
Although everyone could enter the valley, mortals would not dare to even get near the line that separates the Dragon Valley from another place. They knew that even small debris coming from a fight of two cultivators could kill them even if they have ten lives.
............................
After some time passed, the unconscious Leo finally woke up. He found himself sleeping in the stony ground. As he stood up, he looked around at his surroundings and could not help but gasp. This place looks like the Grand Canyon and he is currently at one of the peak of a plateau.
He stood up and immediately checked himself for any injuries. He found out that he is still in one piece and the long rod is still there.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed into slits. An ominous thought passed through his head and he immediately putted his hands in his pockets. However, his ominous thoughts were unfounded. His mobile phone is safe without any scratches in his pocket. He took it up and carefully turned it on.
Ting ting tininin…
A wonderful nostalgic melody came out from this seemingly magical device. Although Leo felt panic earlier that he is in a foreign place, he immediately became calm when he had his mobile phone.
With this phone, he won't get bored until it is discharged of battery. He inputted the password to the three-layer lock of the phone. There are obviously shameless and despicable files in this phone to make him feel nervous to the point that he installed three-layer lock to his phone.
The first thing that he actually checked is the data carrier signal. He sadly sighs because there is nothing but an X in the reception. He predicted this happening because he is obviously in the wilderness without signal but at least he tried. He immediately turned on the ultimate battery saving mode and closed the phone.
However, he suddenly frowned. He felt that he is currently missing something. He immediately turned on the phone and pressed the camera app. He immediately put the phone proportional in front of him. He carefully adjusted the angle so that a better view of him and the environment can be seen.
Yes. He is currently taking a selfie instead of thinking of what to do in his current situation. He is truly a person that keeps his priorities straight.
Just as he clicked the capture button, a great red dragon flew at the back of the plateau. It was a great shot that Leo himself felt that he might have the makings of a photographer.
He smacked his lips in satisfaction and waved his hand to say goodbye to the dragon that is flying away.
Just as he was about to close the phone, he looked at the photo carefully again. He rubbed his eyes and tried to see it even more carefully.
He could see a dragon majestically flying with its grand wings in the photo with him having a peace sign while smiling.
He suddenly felt his legs turn into jelly and his back completely wet in sweat. He is truly, bona fide, genuinely afraid! This is the first time he actually felt true fear in his life.
That was a true dragon!
Not a lizard or a serpent but a true red dragon. He could only lay his body that seemingly got sucked its energy. He even waved at the dragon to say goodbye. What if the dragon noticed and came back to say good bye to him too. Yes… Goodbye to his life.
He immediately looked at the distant sky and only saw the fleeting clouds. He sighs in relief and stood up in speed. He immediately looked for the way out of this valley and saw a stone ladder down. He walked down the stair and saw a great runic circle in the ground. He immediately knew what this is; it is a magic circle from the games he played.
As he walked cautiously near it, he saw a sparkling orb at the center of the magic circle. It was a bit removed from the ground and some pulling might help it to be fully removed from the ground.
He rubbed his hand and chanted nonsensical words. He prayed to Buddha that his life will not fall in this place.
Why does he want to get this sparkling orb? It looks like it's a genuine gem so it might sell high. When he gets out of this place, he could finally have money for himself without the support of his uncle. He could even buy things that his sister might love and be happy again.
He stopped imagining and started pulling the orb, he pulled hard but the orb only moved an inch. He mustered all his strength and pulled even harder than ever. The orb got removed from the ground and Leo carefully hold it but due to the extreme force of pulling hard, he rolled like a wheel and hit his head to the wall.
His head is muddled after the impact but the orb is still in his hand without scratches. Suddenly, he felt that something will happen and he heard an ominous clanking. The ground below him disappeared as he slides away from the place like he is riding a long water slide.
What he did not expect that at the end of the slide, he will actually roll again like a car wheel due to the inertia of the slide. He even choked to some dust. As he coughs violently, he saw many people going to the entrance in between the wall. At the top of the entrance, great words that made people feel like they are in front of an emperor are hanging.
"Dragon Valley"
Leo felt fear and immediately moved to the side. He can't even move his legs due to fear after reading the sign. Many cultivators saw this mortal walking around in front of the Dragon Valley's entrance couldn't help but laugh so hard that their stomach might burst out.
This is the first time that they saw a mortal around here and couldn't help but feel like their eyes are bulging out due laughing so hard. If five people out of one hundred cultivators could only leave this valley, then what about mortals? The answer is not a chance.
Some cultivators could be seen gloating at this mortal but some of them felt that their presences are being mocked by a peasant suddenly coming out of nowhere.
They immediately walked towards Leo and shouted in anger, "Mortal, how dare you walk around the Dragon Valley's entrance. This is not a place for peasants like you! Scram and crawl back to your dirty village before I help you bring yourself one step to the grave!"
One could easily see that these cultivators are arrogant and overbearing but other cultivators could only laugh and agree to them. A mere mortal trying his luck in a forbidden ground like Dragon Valley, is this a place where you can just go in and go out like nothing? For them this is a sacred forbidden ground that held invincible treasures that a mortal could never hold. Just by seeing this treasures might even scare them to death.
Leo could only lower his head and scram to the side because he knew that he still knew nothing about this place. It's better to not offend anybody just for petty reasons. The most important thing right now is to calm his shaking legs due to the overbearing might of the sign. The cultivators can't harm mortals for no valid reason so they didn't dare show off their grand auras to the mortal or else their soul shatters.
Leo immediately walked away with his head low from the entrance, he is still shaking but if one will look in his eyes, they could see the burning determination inside. This is the first time he encountered being treated directly with enmity. Although he always got sneers and disdain from his classmates, they never threaten him with vicious words or tell him to scram.
"This is for the better. I don't know where I am and I don't know what is happening at all. This is because of that damn flash from the phone. Is that a new kind of advanced virus? I better not download those skeptical e-pubs from that dark site anymore."
Leo could only shake his head while murmuring. He kept walking down the path where the people are coming from.
He checked his belongings once again to make sure that he have everything safe. There is the mobile phone, earphones, some chocolate candies, and the shiny orb.
He held the orb in his hands to have a feel of it. The orb seems extremely hard and the refraction of the light inside make it seems like it is very expensive. Just think about those shiny diamonds that makes one drool. This orb is just a circular form of that thing.
Just as he was grinning, he immediately remembered the things that happened before coming to the valley. He remembered that dark space that he never wanted to go back to and how he got choices if he wanted a gift or what-not.
"Where the hell are those gifts? I nearly forgot about those because of that damned dragon back then but whatever. That might be just a dream to punish me for trolling around so much."
Leo immediately put away that thought because he had more important things to do right now. He currently needs to find out on where the hell he is right now because he is walking with no directions at all.
After walking for several minutes, he found a city just miles away from him. This city is not like those from modern times, it has grand city walls and he could easily see a magnificent castle at the peak of the mountain.
Although he is astonished he still immediately took out his phone and took a selfie. Such magnificent place is like coming to a fantasy land with castles. This is his first time seeing one in real life.
He looked at the captured photo and nodded his head. He is very satisfied that he already wanted to brag in his blog about this great shot. This could even trend and help him achieve top one in the blog rankings.
After coming to this place, he still couldn't help but shake his head. There are so many great things that can happen in this world. First, he took a selfie with a dragon. Next is being almost scared to death by a signboard and last but not the least is finding a castle at the peak of the mountain.
"What a ride of life. Is this a dream or something?"
Leo couldn't help but worry. He already read too many novels to not know what is happening. Although he is trying to fool himself with thoughts of being kidnapped to another country or he is currently in a reality TV show, he still know in his heart that the thought that he had hidden in his heart have much more possibility.
In his heart, he wished many times that he could get out of the sorrow of having his heart broken by sadness. He is one of the people that wanted to get transported out of this shitty world. He wanted to be one of the chosen Hero to save a world in calamity. He wanted to be the person to defeat the Demon King to protect his love ones and never be drowned in sorrow again.
"I know. I know in my heart that I also want that thing to happen too but I have too many responsibilities in that world."
Leo could be careless with everything except for one person and that is his little sister. Although they are no longer close to each other that much, he still greatly love his sister. He still can't forget her face bursting with smiles that makes his tired body to be fully charged with energy every time he sees her.
However, his eyes right now is moist with tears. If his guess is right, he might be transmigrated to another world. He would be happy if he had no regrets but that is impossible if he left her sister alone in that cruel world.
As he was walking straight without looking at his path, he stumbled to another person and almost fell to the ground. He stopped his turbulent emotions and immediately calmed down to help the person he stumbled upon.
"I'm very sorry! I was in a daze and didn't watch where I was going."
Leo immediately bowed down to apologized and reached his hand out to help the person. He saw the face of the person and couldn't help but be embarrassed. He actually stumbled to a young girl while crying like a kid.
The girl took his hand to stand up. She dusted her clothes and immediately smiled.
"It's fine. I was also in a daze and didn't notice you so I didn't have the time to move away from your path."
Leo found that the girl's hand is very soft to touch. This is his first time touching a girl's hand since the day he got rejected from his best friend.
"Ohh… Why are your eyes reddish? Did you cry? My brother said that a man's tear only comes out if he had a problem related with his love ones."
Leo couldn't help but blushed when he heard what the young girl said. He immediately shook his head and said,
"It was nothing. I'm Cruss Leo, you can just call me Leo. Nice to meet you."
The girl found out that Leo didn't want to talk about this matter. She immediately let the matter go since she didn't want to intrude to his private matters.
"I'm Yue, just Yue. Your name is pretty weird. This is the first time I heard such surname. Well, nice to meet you too."
Yue playfully smiled and immediately took his hand. She ran holding his hand without care if someone will see them.
"Where are we going?" Leo can't help but immediately say.
However, Yue didn't give him a response and only giggled.
As they walk towards the city, he immediately found a conspicuous house just a bit from their location. He could also see smoke coming out from the chimney.
As they near the house, Leo's ear couldn't help but twitch. He could hear clanking sounds inside of the house and it's getting stronger as they neared the house.
Yue looked at Leo's surprised look and giggled. She immediately took him in the front of the house and knocked.
"Brother Gu, Yue is back with a surprise for you!" Yue shouted after knocking the door. Leo could see her smiling mischievously and couldn't help but be confused.
After several seconds, the clanking stopped and someone opened the door. Leo couldn't help but step back a few steps. His popped eyes looking up to the person who opened the door for them.
It was a big bald bear with a thick beard. This bear is too big that Leo's head couldn't even reach his shoulder. Not to mention that buffed up body that makes one feel the bear's domineering aura.
Too muscular!
Leo couldn't help but be depressed. He himself workout for a bit every morning if he have the time and he developed some good six pack abs and people doesn't notice much because people think Leo is a otaku that does nothing but play games.
Actually, the reason why Leo gave time for work out is because of his interest in training his body just like those in the novels. He didn't even have time for studying or playing around with his classmates. If not for his interest of being like those protagonist from the novels and his own self-defense then he wouldn't even bother doing exercises.
Now however, he still feel depressed on how muscular this bear is. He felt that if this guy wanted to destroy him, only a flick of his finger and he would vomit a mouthful of blood.
The big bald bear saw Yue and Leo together and couldn't help but narrow his eyes. He glared viciously towards Leo and Leo couldn't help but break in cold sweat.
"Little Yue, who is this guy that you brought? I believe that we don't take care of guests here and I only give them one word and that is scram!"
He looked viciously at Leo because he could see the distance between Yue and Leo. If he found out that Leo and Yue was holding hands just a while ago then he would be rushing for the kill already.
Leo himself knew that he just recently made the best choice of his life to immediately remove his hands from Yue's grasp after reaching the house but he still couldn't help but bath in his cold sweat right now because of that vicious glare. However, his face outside is like a newborn calf, it is without fear!
Yue and the big bear Gu couldn't help but be surprised too. They could see that Leo's face didn't contain much fear. His narrowed eyes was like it will never fear even if the heavens fall, but him stepping back and his legs that is currently shaking was not missed by their eyes so it was more surprising for them.
After a few seconds, Yue couldn't suppress her laughter anymore that tears of joy came out due to seeing such a rare funny moment.
"Brother Gu, please stop scaring him anymore. He is a friend that I met just now and I could see in his eyes that he could be trusted for the job."
Yue stopped his laughing and immediately told the big bear Gu about how he encountered Leo just a bit from here.
"So you are Leo! I'm Gu. Just call me Brother Gu and then I will be in your care today!"
Big bear Gu smiled but didn't look smiling at all and he walked towards Leo without glaring anymore and slapped his shoulders. Leo couldn't help but feel pain inside him but didn't groan outwardly.
"Brother Gu." Leo wryly smiled while calling his name. He is still in pain but he didn't want to show it because he would be too embarrassed to show that in front of Yue.
"Good good!" Big bear Gu happily said. His eyes which were arrogant and overbearing towards Leo became a little gentler. He could see that this guy Leo is not that bad. He didn't have that arrogant aura of a young master and he also didn't have that mediocrity of a normal young man.
That heavy slap just a while ago was planned to test Leo. It was to test many things about this youngster that came out of nowhere. He could understand his attitude if Leo made a fuss about it or if Leo rolled in pain due to the slap. However, he only saw Leo only smiling without saying anything about it. But he didn't miss the little fire burning inside of the eyes of Leo.
He was also a bit surprised about the strength of this young man. His body seems mediocre but when he slapped his shoulder, he could sense that the force didn't even crack a bone nor injured a muscle. If a man without training was hit by this shoulder slap then the only thing he could do is to roll down in the ground and only blame his misfortune of getting his bone dislocated.
Of course if Leo knew this then he would immediately understand the situation but in his perspective, he hides a grudge that someday he will return this favor.
"Brother Gu, this young man is brought here by Yue without knowing what to do. I wouldn't refuse if Yue wanted me to do anything but I still don't even know why I'm here."
Leo couldn't help but ask this question. He was going to the city and was brought here by Yue without being told anything at all. Well, he couldn't bring himself to say it to Yue since he still remember making Yue fall down to the ground earlier so he let her do what she wanted but he feel uncomfortable right now for not knowing anything at all.
"Then let's go! Follow me inside then I explain to you what to do."
Big bear Gu grinningly said, Leo and Yue entered the house while following his footsteps. As soon as Leo entered, he could feel that the temperature is slowly getting higher as they go to their destination.
Big bear Gu opened the black door and burst of heat wave could be felt by Leo. He didn't expect that hell is inside this room.
Leo saw many things inside the room, there was an anvil, tongs, clamps, vises and different size and shape of hammer hanging at the walls, and last but not the least is the forge. He is not dumb, he immediately understood that this place is the blacksmith and it seems that he will do blacksmith-related work.
"Are you surprised, Leo? This room is our home and pride. Although we don't have the best equipment, I'm pretty sure that they are all useful and just right for hitting those good metals!"
Big bear Gu proudly said while his chest up. You could see how he truly loves this place and show care for it.
The blacksmith is very organized; the forge is at the center of the room, the tools hanging in the wall are in good position. The place is not that messy like how it was showed in games and novels where the metal dregs are everywhere and the tools are all over the place.
"Brother Gu, although I only know a few about the blacksmith. I think this place is pretty amazing and a good place for work. However, forgive me brother Gu but I don't have the skills to assist you in forging."
Leo said with a grimaced face. He truly doesn't know much about blacksmithing except for the little knowledge that he got from playing games.
"Hahaha… Good brother you must be joking. Your job is not here to assist me in forging. I just wanted to show you my smithy as a sign of good will. The task that I will be giving to you is to chop some wood for me at the back of the house. Twenty chopped woods would be helpful."
Big bear Gu laugh while giving the task for Leo. Leo's face blushed in embarrassment, he did think too much about forging that chopping woods didn't enter his mind.
Just as Big bear Gu stopped talking, an object in Leo's pocket suddenly vibrated. Leo wanted to check out why the phone is vibrating but bringing out the phone right now would cause suspicions to its origin so he just let it go.
After getting his task, Yue showed the way to the back of the smithy. Leo couldn't help but smile when he saw the smiling face of Yue. He remembered the face of her little sister which was bursting in glee everyday on that carefree face of Yue. However, after their parents disappeared; her happiness also disappeared with them.
Leo only shook his head and didn't put the thought on his heart. He doesn't want to think about it right now and wanted to focus on what he needed to do right now.
They arrived at the back of the house, he could see the woods arranged at the side and he immediately understood that this will be the one that is needed to be chopped.
"Here we are! Leo, I'm sorry for not being considerate about earlier since I wanted to surprise you and my brother. Now, I and my brother ask for a favor since I couldn't do this rough work myself and my brother is too busy for doing menial works. Don't worry, if there's anything that I can do for you later then I will try to help."
Yue bowed down apologetically to Leo while asking for a favor.
"No no! It's just right to help you since I want to repay you for making you fall to the ground earlier. Accept this as my apology to you and we will be quits."
Leo waved both his hands and showed his agreement to do the work. Although he was going to the city, he was without plans so he has the time to do work here. He could also ask questions later to Yue and big bear Gu about this world that he transmigrated so it's worth it.
"Well then, I will be going now to do some errands for my brother. I will come back here later when I return."
Yue said and turned around. She walked away but wave once more to show her appreciation for this favor.
Leo smiled and also waved. After Yue was gone, he could now start the operation. He looked at his surrounding to check if there is any intellectual organism that could see him doing his business.
His hand riding the wind, the sleigh of his hand immediately entered his pocket and took his mobile phone. If anyone sees this device, they would think it was a treasure because there exist only one of this in this world and it was in his hands.
He immediately opened the phone and couldn't help but check on why the phone vibrated earlier. Just as he was looking for it, he saw a notice at the task bar that says,
[You have received a quest! Click to see the quest details.]
Leo couldn't help but be astonished. He knew himself the most that he had no shitty RPG game in his phone. This might be the legendary game system for transmigrators!