Chapter 17 - System update

In an empty room there were two people having an argument about the third person that had its entire scorched body layered with a special balm. This third person was a badly burned Xin Feng who had his private parts covered. His hair was gone, his skin had burned marks, and his lips and eyelids were partly melted…

The two people were Xin Fan and Liu Lue. Xin Fan was apologizing for going overboard, while Liu Lue found her master's act of injuring her junior brother unforgivable.

To end their argument, Xin Fan assured her that he would be able to recover from his state and grow even stronger. 

"Rest assured, he's already an advanced stage with the power of a peak profound cultivator. He will soon break through to the profound stage, which would metamorphose his body." The master tried to assure his disciple.

"Would he even have the will to cultivate in this state?!" The disciple was unconvinced however…

"Of course he would, he would have the determination to break through even faster instead. Also, with his character, I'm confident he doesn't like being bested by his father."

*Sigh* "I understand master."

"Good, now let us leave. With this little trial for him, he will bloom into a powerhouse who would bring our sect to greater heights."

A few minutes after the two had left, the body of Xin Feng rose a few inches away from the floor. His body faintly glowed in a red hue, before dark looking particles danced within the light while moving inwards towards his body. At this moment, the essence of reality could be felt going wild by the gods for a brief moment, however, the gods couldn't figure out what the cause of such disturbance was…

Near Xin Feng, streams of white light became visible. They moved towards his body, making it glow a bit brighter whenever one of them had combined with his soul. Soon, the process faded into an ending, as Xin Feng's body slowly came back down. His body then began to heal and improve itself rapidly, removing the state he was in completely.

*Ding*

Xin Feng woke up in surprise when he heard the sound in his mind. He was filled with doubt when he saw that he wasn't dead, but quickly recovered when he saw the familiar room and the notifications in front of him.

***

[Completed: Trials of Chaos and Balance]

[Synchronization level: 30%]

[Character status modification….]

[Complete…]

[Show Character's status? Yes/No]

***

'Uhm… Yes?'

*Fwoosh*

***

Profile

Attributes

Inventory

*Connection Ready*

***

'What's connection ready…?'

[I, am] A hoarse voice that was similar to the one that Xin Feng heard in the second reality that he had experienced, replied.

"Ehh?!"

[I am You. You are me. I am Balance, and you are a speck of Chaos that needs to grow...]

"Oh! I see…"

"Hmm… Do I have voice control now as a bonus? How do I check my profile? My finge-'

***

[Report of profile]

Name: The chosen one

Age: Infinity

Existence: Bringer of Chaos and Balance

***

[Continuing…]

***

Physical Level: Supernatural

>>Toleration

>>Eradication

>>Body tempering

>>Pain tolerance

Mental Level: Blessed scholar

>>Intelligence

>>Toleration

>>Mastery of a language

>>Mental superiority

Elemental Level: Awakened human

>>Mana detachment 

-Terra

-Water

-Pyro

-Gas

-Electro

-Air

Spiritual Level: Advanced mortal

>>Cultivation -comprehension- level

Synchronization Level: 30%

***

[Inventory empty...]

[Report completely read by user... Closing]

Xin Feng held his chin while he muttered, "A massive update huh.... Less detailed but clean I guess."

'…'

'Wait a minute…' He thought while he looked at his hand in suspicion.

"I can move?"

"Holy sh8t, I can move!"

"Overpowered…" He drooled.

[No. This is nothing but our mindscape. Our own little reality that nothing and no one can interfere with. You are only a consciousness in this place. Grow stronger]

"Noted." Xin Feng agreed, completely okay with the development of his live. From the trials and words of Balance, he knew a gist of what was awaiting him in the future. He was ready to face the upcoming responsibilities and difficulties just to spend a day with his family again in peace.

"All right, you can bring me back now."

*Fwoosh*

After Xin Feng exited his mindscape, he was back in his room that belonged to Liu Lue's mansion. He was glad he was back in the peaceful sect, where he didn't need to worry about staying alive.

'Okay, maybe the not worrying about staying alive part is a tad too much. I faced two deadly battles after all.'

Soon, Xin Feng left his room, wondering how many days had passed since his fight with the old man. After he had removed his bandages, he figured that the old man's ultimate attack might've not been as deadly as he thought, or that enough days had passed for his body to return back to its peak. Xin Feng was planning to know his fellow disciples better. He would not think about leveling up for a few days, for he wanted to take a break after facing the nightmare of trials.

As he slid the door open, a rumble was heard from Liu Lue's room. In a state of panic, Liu Lue ran out of her room, worried for Xin Feng forcing himself to move after he had been deeply injured a few hours ago. She dropped in disbelief after she saw something as great as resurrection, but her expression quickly turned neutral as if nothing was going on in front of her. She stood back up slowly, and walked back to her room with the most uncomfortable silence.

"Yo. Can I have some spirit stones please. I'm going to hang around for a few."

Liu Lue turned around with the most exhausted expression ever, before she threw a bag of spirit stones in his direction. Without saying a word, she turned back and continued to her room.

'Well… That happened.'

*Sigh*

'Alright! Time to make friends.'

He left, excited about the new culture he would experience…

Talking to the residents from Mount Liu Lue was a pleasant experience. Xin Feng's favorite were the cooks. He just couldn't help tasting every dish available, since each of them were too delicious. The dishes were mainly fish, due to the amount of water there was on the mountain.

It was a mountain with beautiful falls and lakes after all. With the owner of the mountain being Liu Lue, the place obviously looked like a paradise. Bridges made out of dark wood that had dwarf trees on its roof, rosy flowers on the sides of the road, white lilies on the lake, and the bright smile from everyone who lived there, made him feel as if he had passed to the afterlife without a sin.

There was another mountain not to far from where he was, so he decided to visit there as well. A disciple who delivered cooking ingredients was kind to give him a ride down the mountain.

Below the mountains lay enormous farm fields, and when he asked the disciple who was driving the cart beside him, he told him that farming was the way the outer disciples made a living. They sold their products or got specific requests as quests. With the spirit stones they earned, they could buy things like better cultivation techniques or martial manuals, or they could use the spirit stones to cultivate faster.

Xin Feng had given him the general excuse of him being a new direct disciple of sect master Xin Fan to gather the information, which the guy easily accepted due to him already having heard the rumors of there being a new direct disciple. The guy told Xin Feng the basic information with full enthusiasm, because he knew it would be blessing for him to have a direct disciple as a friendly.

They soon reached the establishment of the guy which was right below the mountain Xin Feng had planned to visit. When they had stopped, Xin Feng decided to help him carry the crates as a sign of gratitude.

As the two were carrying the crates into a storage room, a sound of planks breaking was suddenly heard. "You lot better not leave a single leaf behind! We don't want to leave our elder thirsty, do we?!"

The guy who Xin Feng was helping stood still, looking worried. "What's wrong?" Xin Feng asked with a tone of concern.

*Sigh* "Those inner disciples keep robbing me of my crops, trying to please their elder without spending a single stone."

Xin Feng wouldn't usually care about such deeds, but since he was in a good mood and the guy helped him out before, he decided to interfere and perhaps use his abilities. "I'll see what I can do."

"I'm sorry for causing you such trouble, but I am truly thankful and I'll do whatever I can to pay back your kindness."

"No problem, just give me some of those leaves later, okay? I could use some fine tea in the morning…"

Xin Feng walked out of the storage room, before he approached the five skinny lads that were plucking leaves from the tea trees. *U-Uhm! "I wouldn't do that if I were you…"

"You know it's illegal to steal, right?"

"Heh? Who the hell are you?!" The one who seemed to be their leader, screamed out.

"I am Liu Lue! Can't you see it on the robe?!"

"…"

"Hey boss! That's the robe of disciples under Liu Lue. Wait… no that's the same as hers! Can it actually be her?!"

"No, you stupid! That's the robe of a direct disciple of Xin Fan! This freak is the rumored old man's son who recently took the path of immortality!"

The man looked at Xin Feng, before he ran up to Xin Feng to deliver a punch that was gathering rocks to cover itself. "You think you can fool us so easily! You're nothing but a newbie who recently activated his spirit roots!"

"Ouch. Ouch. I have ears, you know." Xin Feng massaged his ear, before he easily stepped aside and punched the guy on his stomach. Xin Feng then used his lightning magic to zap away from them, before he jokingly continued. "Here, I'll give you guys an attack Liu Lue would probably use on weaklings to prove I'm her."

After Xin Feng had finished his line, he focused summoning purple lightning in the form of the bear Liu Lue had once showed him. The bear appeared, and it charged furiously under his commands.

All five of them recognized the high ranked beginner stage manual that could go against any cultivator depending on the energy provided. The skill was something only an advanced stage cultivator who had the essence of lightning could learn, which was why the four lackies fled the instant they saw the bear.

"Come back here!" The leader who was still in pain shouted while running behind them.

"Oh, don't worry! You'll all get you share!"

The bear burst into five coyotes that rapidly gained on them. When the coyotes neared them, they leaped at them, electrifying them into unconsciousness. Xin Feng zapped towards the five unconscious disciples, after telling the guy who now owns him, to bring his cart.

When the two had finished placing the five bodies on the cart, they began traveling up to the top of the mountain.

"This is the place they're from, right?"

"Yes, senior brother."

"Good. We'll solve this problem once and for all."