Liam stared at the pop-up notification that had suddenly appeared before him, his brows furrowed in confusion.
The concept of a quest appearing in his reality seemed surreal, like something out of a virtual game. He rubbed his eyes, half-expecting the notification to disappear, but it remained stubbornly present.
"[Quest] -->" Liam read aloud, his curiosity piqued. He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing as he considered the implications. Was this really happening, or was he indeed hallucinating due to the recent changes within him?
As he contemplated the situation, his innate sense of adventure won over his skepticism. With a shrug, Liam decided to explore the quest further. It couldn't hurt to see where it led or what it entailed.
[Quest]
→Travel three kilometres
→ Perform 50 push up
→ Hunt 5 unranked beast
[Rewards: Tutorial guide, ???,???]
[Punishment : A reduction in cultivation level]
As the pop-up notification materialised before Liam, his initial disbelief gradually transformed into curiosity.
He couldn't ignore the fact that the strange text appeared right in front of him, as if beckoning him to engage with it. With a mixture of caution and intrigue, he decided to tap on the notification and explore its contents.
As the new interface unfolded, outlining a quest, Liam's thoughts churned. The tasks listed in the daily quest travelling three kilometres, performing 50 push-ups, and hunting five unranked beasts struck him as utterly bewildering. It was like he was being assigned tasks from a surreal game rather than his reality.
He pondered the idea for a moment. Could this be a side effect of the ring influence? Or was there something deeper at play? Deciding that there was no harm in investigating further, Liam mentally accepted the quest. His mind was in a whirlwind of disbelief and curiosity.
Reading the list of rewards intrigued him, especially the cryptic "tutorial guide" and the enigmatic question marks. But it was the mention of a potential punishment, a reduction in his cultivation level, that made him pause. He grappled with the notion; it seemed to suggest that there was something more to him than he realised.
Liam's confusion deepened when he realised that he didn't possess any cultivation level to begin with. He chuckled nervously, thinking that this must be some sort of elaborate prank or hallucination. But as he delved deeper into his thoughts, a sense of determination emerged.
Seating himself in a meditative pose, Liam closed his eyes and focused on his inner self. He tried to sense any changes or unusual sensations within his body. Slowly, his awareness turned inward, and he was taken aback by what he discovered.
His internal energy felt different, alive, vibrant, and intricately connected. He could almost visualise a complex core surrounded by intertwining veins of energy. He could feel the energy flowing through his body.
A mixture of awe and astonishment washed over Liam. The pop-up notification wasn't a hallucination; it was an interface to a reality he had yet to fully comprehend. The tasks weren't mere chores; they were steps to unlock his potential and tap into the energy that coursed through him.
As he opened his eyes, Liam's gaze shifted back to the punishment, a reduction in cultivation level. He realised that this journey was both an opportunity and a responsibility. If he failed, it wouldn't just be a setback; it could hinder his growth and potential.
Liam's eyes scanned the list of tasks, his initial confusion deepening into intrigue. It was an unusual set of tasks, a mix of physical challenges and what seemed like combat-related tasks. The promised rewards intrigued him, but the mention of a potential punishment gave him pause.
"System tutorial guide?" Liam muttered, his mind racing with possibilities. Could this quest be related to what the system is? And what were the mysterious rewards that were hidden behind question marks?
Despite his doubts, Liam felt a surge of determination. He had faced uncertainty before and came out stronger. If this quest was indeed part of the new reality he found himself in, he was willing to embrace it.
With a deep breath, Liam made his decision. "Alright, let's give it a try," he said aloud, accepting the quest within his mind.
After changing, Liam sneaked out of the sect to complete the task at hand.
He didn't want yuan or Lan to be worried, after the ordeal he went through.
He found himself back at the beast mountain, it brought back traumatic memories but he stayed since this was the only place around the sect where he could hunt low unranked beast.
Liam began his quest, jogging to cover the required three kilometres.
He was surprised due to energy brimming within him, usually before the ordeal, anytime he was hunting or training he got tired easily therefore limiting the time he could spend.
As he travelled around the beast mountain outskirts, while scouting for some beast.
A pop up appeared, showing completion of 1st task
He chuckled to himself, a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Well, here goes nothing."
After completing the distance, Liam found a quiet spot and started performing the push-ups. It wasn't easy, his muscles ached and protested, but he pushed through, determined to meet the quest's requirements.
"That was tough" he said while breathing intensely
As he rested after the push-ups, Liam's senses sharpened, and he spotted movement in the distance. 8 prairie dogs roamed nearby, their presence a reminder of the third task.
He was not even sure if the type of beast would count towards the task completion.
Hours passed, and as the sun began to set, Liam stood before the bodies of the defeated prairie dogs.
He was tired but exhilarated, his heart pounding with a mixture of accomplishment and satisfaction.
"I did it," Liam whispered to himself, a sense of pride swelling within him.
With the completion of the quest's tasks, a warm sensation spread through his body, and a pop up appeared before him.
"[Quest Complete] Rewards: System tutorial guide, Cultivation+,?? "]
(A/N: Cultivation+, means increment by a minor level)
Liam's eyes widened in amazement as he read the rewards. It was all real – the quest, the challenges, the rewards. The systems within him had orchestrated this experience, and he was just beginning to scratch the surface of their potential.
(A/N: If you do find any typos kindly notify me, I plan to use a grammar checking app later on to check for typos)