Chapter 14: Five Years of Insignificance (Part 14)
After being subjected to multiple tests concerning his memory, the ruckus of Zhang Wei's awakening subsided, giving him a chance to finally pose some questions that he desperately needed to be answered in order to satiate his curiosity.
"So can you finally tell me about what happened after everyone started rushing towards Lin Fan like bees to honey?!
"Or if we successfully got into the outer sect?"
After Zhang Wei asked his questions with a tense expression, Tan Lin spoke up and answered,
"To answer your first question, it's quite simple."
After saying his first sentence, Tan Lin passed for a second as if he was taking a moment to recall the scene, then said with excitement,
"Wipeout! Complete domination! Carnage!"
Tan Lin took a few quick breaths, then continued with fervour,
"No matter who it was, old or young, big or small, they all stood no chance.
"Whoooosh, bang, pow!
"A few punches was all it took before every enemy was battered and bruised!
"Some got it especially rough with some bones being broken, such as Steward Qin and some famous old-generation slaves.
"I'll tell you now!
"After Lin Fan was finished with them all, he calmly looted a few of the bodies and then fashionably strutted off to god knows where!
"After he left, the whole place was deathly silent!
"Damn it, I've been in this shithole for longer than Lin Fan yet I've not even got a fraction of his coolness!"
After Tan Lin stopped talking for a bit, Jin Feng took the opportunity to speak up and said,
"As for whether we made it into the outer sect or not?"
Jin Feng smiled and said,
"We-"
*Bang!*
Just as he was about to answer, the sound of the wooden door being slammed open resounded within the room.
A series of footsteps made tapping noises as the people who were entering walked in.
As Zhang Wei and the rest looked over in the direction of the doorway, they raised their eyebrows as they saw the person at the forefront of the group of five people- Including him.
The reason they were shocked was natural, as the person donned a light blue robe which had a small diamond shape embroidered on it at the chest.
It was an outer disciple!
A true disciple of the sect!
Looking at the man who looked only a few years older than them, had a clean handsome face, and gave off a noble air, the rest couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.
To servants like them, outer disciples represented the hopes and dreams they once had.
They were lofty existences which would only converse with servants if they were ordering them about or scolding them.
It was thoroughly known to each and every servant who had been here for some time, that one should never argue or refute an outer disciple lest they wished to enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Looking at the surprised expressions on the boys' faces, the outer disciple smiled and said,
"Let me answer that question for you, Junior Brother Zhang.
"As your opponents were all unable to continue fighting due to some...unforeseen circumstances, you have all been deemed victors and took second to sixth place.
"So yes. Congratulations, you have all made it into the outer sect."
Hearing his words, Zhang Wei let out a deep sigh of relief and felt like tearing up from joy!
Yes!!!
I knew taking the risk was the correct choice!
Although there were some bumps and humps along the way, I can now finally see a clear path for me to get stronger in this dangerous world!
Ignoring Zhang Wei's moment of happiness, the outer disciple continued,
"Since the seventh to tenth place are vacant... due to unforeseen circumstances, therefore the people from eleventh to fourteenth have been moved up and therefore there will be ten of you joining the sect this time.
"I've gathered you all into one place since I want to tell you that you have one day remaining to pack up all your personal belongings for the dorms before we meet and move to the outer sect."
As the outer disciple mentioned belongings, a flash of realisation hit Zhang Wei.
R-Rich...I'm rich!
My bet has paid off!
A whole three hundred and seventy-two coppers on a 1.1:7 betting ratio!
That's around two and a half thousand coppers straight to my pockets.
However, just as Zhang Wei was rejoicing a thought appeared in his mind that brought about some worry,
Wait, my debtor is probably on his deathbed right now.
So where am I going to get my money?!
S-Surely I can get it somehow.
Should I ask this outer disciple, surely it's in some rule book that bets have to be followed.
Maybe he can help me out here.
"Umm, sir-"
Before being able to finish his words, the outer disciple cut in and introduced himself.
"Just call me Senior Brother Qin."
"Ehhh... Senior Brother Qin, I have an issue which I was hoping I could ask for help with."
After Zhang Wei nervously spat out these words, Senior Brother Qin nodded and said with a smile,
"Go on."
After a small gulp, Zhang Wei continued and said,
"I bet all my belongings on Lin Fan and would like to ask if there was any way I could redeem my winnings.
"Is there any insurance for this sort of thing in the sect?"
Hearing Zhang Wei's words, Senior Brother Qin's eyebrows raised slightly and he looked at Zhang Wei strangely for a moment.
After that, Senior Brother Qin said inquisitively,
"If you don't mind, could you tell me what kind of assets you bet with?"
Hearing that this senior brother wasn't flat-out saying it was impossible, some hope arose in Zhang Wei's heart as he replied excitedly,
"I had bet three hundred and seventy-two copper coins on Lin Fan, on a 1.1:7 ratio."
As Zhang Wei finished his words, Senior Brother Qin let out a small laugh then sighed and shook his head as if he heard something incredibly stupid, then replied,
"It's my fault for overlooking that you are not acquainted with common knowledge about the world of cultivators.
"To put it simply, in the end, mortal coins are just that. Mortal.
"With coins like that, you are able to purchase mundane luxuries, however, anything related to assisting your cultivation and almost all future transactions will be made using spirit stones.
"I won't spoil things, but you'll soon realise that any form of currency outwith these things called spirit stones are completely non-essential.
"Also, anything that would require mortal currency is supplied by the sect, such as normal food and water, hence you won't even need them.
Senior Brother Qin then paused for a moment, smirked, then said meaningfully,
"However, if junior brother still insists on wanting it back then I'm sure most servants would be more than willing to cover your losses."
After saying, that Senior Brother Qin exited the room without a second thought, leaving behind the group of ex-servants he brought.
Most of the group decided to also promptly leave, presumably to gather whatever belongings they have.
Except one.
A boy, with black hair, striking blue eyes and a facial structure that made him look very much like a certain protagonist, excitedly rushed over to the bedside where Zhang Wei was resting.
It was Fan Lin!
Watching him approach the bed, the others looked over at him curiously wondering what he was doing.
Fan Lin spoke out before anyone else could, and said with a wide smile on his face,
"Sir Zhang, I've come to show my sincerity in wanting to know more about my 'curse'!
"I know you said that the time would come when you would reveal everything, but my raging curiosity has taken the best of me!
"Oh, I apologize for my rudeness as I've not introduced myself!
"My name is Fan Lin, and I come from..."
While Fan Lin started to maunder on about his entire life story, Zhang Wei's friends all huddled together and discussed,
"Who is this guy, Brother Zhang's sneaky link?"
"Could very well be, I always used to wonder why that guy was never eager in joining our grand plan of slipping into the maid quarters and chatting up some beauties."
"If that's really the case here, then so be it.
"A brother's a brother, regardless of preferences!"
"Mhm, I agree. As long as he stays a connoisseur of roast chicken, nothing changes."
"Oi, aren't we jumping to conclusions here?
"This guy is probably just an acquaintance, he literally just introduced himself!"
"Tch, Zi Hua you dumbass!
"How could a bastard like Zhang Wei ever make other friends except from us?!"
Whilst all this commotion was happening around him, the centre of all this was laid down on the bed, brutally berating himself inside his head.
You damn idiot Zhang Wei!
How many xianxia novels actually use coins as it's the main currency throughout the story?
Like almost none!
Fuck!
From what that senior brother said, these copper coins are basically useless!
And it seems like I could probably get them by extorting a few servant friends, but in a world where random MCs pop up and hidden dangers are everywhere, why would I ever court death like that?!
Just as Zhang Wei was going to move on and try to forget the whole thing, Fan Lin mentioned something that made Zhang Wei's face light up.
"...I know it's useless now, but with the knowledge from the 'scripture', I was able to find the general whereabouts of the betting ring leader, Hou Tei's, secret safe.
"In the 'scripture', it was mentioned that the righteous protagonist did not want to touch such filthy and meagre money as it would be a stain to his name, therefore he left it behind to help fund the damages caused or something like that.
"It didn't go into much detail, but apparently the bad guy had kept it hidden away and nothing came of it.
"Anyways, I thought that to show my sincerity, if you'd like, I could help get your money back in full."
As if he were a beacon of hope, Zhang Wei gazed upwards at Fan Lin with dilated pupils and an anticipate expression on his face.
Hahaha, that case definitely holds something good that I can take!
Furthermore, if I go ahead and contribute a bit of the copper in it as per the 'protagonist's' intentions, wouldn't I be doing a task befitting a background character?
Oh Fan Lin, you truly are my golden goose sent from the heavens!
"I'll accept your sincerity, Fan Lin!
"And you don't need to stick to calling me something as rigid as Sir Zhang, just Brother Zhang is fine!"
After speaking the Fan Lin, Zhang Wei turned to the group of four and said,
"I'd like to make it clear I am attracted to women, and that you bastards need to mind your own business!
"This is a good friend of mine that I've made recently, and if any of you dare to disrespect him then I'll show you what the fourth stage of Foundation Establishment means!"
After hearing Zhang Wei's posturing, the four of them shook their heads unimpressed and Tan Lin cheekily said,
"You may have been more intimidating before, but knowing that you've probably seen and eaten more floor than an average earthworm does in its lifetime, I can't take you seriously.
"So sorry Brother, but you're forever going to be Earthworm Zhang to me, no matter how high your cultivation is!"
"..."
...
After bantering for a while, Zhang Wei decided to split up with his four friends, and travel together with Fan Lin towards the secret safe's location.
Unexpectedly, it was located in a rather open spot.
Inside the wall of one of the canteen's freezers.
It made sense as Hei Tou was said to be quite a large-boned individual, so it wouldn't be that strange for him to go about and check the quality of some of the foods he would eat once in a while.
As they looked around for a while, they soon found a slightly loose brick in the wall.
As they removed the brick, a small metal box was revealed behind it.
Zhang Wei the one that decided to take the box in his hands, then as he opened it his eyes widened.
Inside the box was a single ring, however, this ring was not a normal ring.
It was a spatial ring.
Commonly found in xianxia, a spatial ring is a magical piece of equipment which allows one to place a large number of objects within the ring due to its space dao marks, spatial magic that was put on it or something of the sort.
As his finger touched the ring, a weird sort of connection seemed to form between the ring and his conscience.
As he focused more on this connection, a vivid image appeared in his mind that seemed to portray the ring's contents.
The more he realised how this thing worked the more shocked he was!
So cool!
With just a thought I can move objects from my hand to the ring's space and vice versa!
Not only that, the size of the space within the ring can definitely hold at least three or four elephants!
Just thinking about it, how much easier school would've been with this ring?
Instead of having to lob around a bunch of textbooks everywhere in a bag, you could just have this bad boy here chill on your finger and you'd still be set!
"Hey, Brother Zhang?
"What's the verdict, is there anything good in there?"
Hearing Fan Lin's voice, Zhang Wei snapped out of his daze and quickly focused on the contents of the ring.
As he fully clocked the sheer amount of wealth contained, Zhang Wei's eyes couldn't help but tremble.
"We're rich, Brother Fan!
"...Or that's what I'd like to say but if what that senior brother told us is true then I guess we aren't so rich.
"The number of copper coins amounts to tens of thousands, there are a few shiny rocks I suspect to be spirit stones, a couple of books and remnant pages of paper I've not checked yet, and a few miscellaneous objects."
"How would you like to split thi-"
"You know I don't want any of that, Brother Zhang."
Fan Lin cut Zhang Wei off, looked him dead in the eye and began saying in a deathly solemn tone,
"I've shown my sincerity and will allow you to do whatever you want with that ring and its contents, however, now that I've done my part...
"...You tell me all you know about that 'book' which has ruined my life!"
Huh, so it's finally come to this.
Chapter 15: Five Years of Insignificance (Final Part)
"...Tell me all you know about that 'book' which has ruined my life!"
As Fan Lin said this to Zhang Wei, a scarily serious expression was etched onto his face and his sky-blue eyes were burning with an intense desire for answers.
Taking a deep look at Fan Lin, Zhang Wei knew there was no more avoiding this subject.
Doing so would just cause a rift between them and create some undesirable results, therefore Zhang Wei decided it was time for him to divulge what he knew without mentioning the system.
"Brother Fan, do not fear I'll tell you what you want to know, so please don't give me such an eerie look!"
After Zhang Wei said that, Fan Lin's stiff expression fell as he scratched the back of his head with a slightly red face and said,
"Hehe, sorry Brother Zhang, I didn't mean to be so interrogative.
"It's just that the book has really caused me to make some major mistakes, and it has screwed with my life so much that I can't help myself when the truth is right in front of me.
"Please do tell me why that thing appeared in front of me, why it seems to re-appear everywhere I go even when I burn it to ashes, and why I am the only one that can see it?!
"You might not realise, but it's laying in the corner of this freezer right now!"
Hearing his words, Zhang Wei's eyebrows arched up from curiosity and he decided to take a glance around the freezer to see if what Fan Lin was saying was true.
As he scanned each corner, Zhang Wei was unable to see anything of substance- Just the occasional bag of meat or vegetables.
Seeing that Zhang Wei had finished looking, Fan Lin let out a sigh of disappointment and said with a tinge of sadness,
"Seems like you are also unable to see it, as if you could, you'd instantly recognise its vivid and detailed front cover art or the title of the book which is emboldened in resplendent golden text!
"Anyways, could you now please tell me what's going on with me, and how I can get rid of this stalker of mine that is in the form of a piece of text?"
After Fan Lin had pleaded for a third time, Zhang Wei took a deep breath and then said in a short yet impactful way that was reminiscent of a certain famous quote back in his previous life,
"You're a prophet, Fan Lin!"
Hearing his words, Fan Lin didn't jump in shock or anything but, instead, he patiently waited in silence for Zhang Wei to continue.
"See Fan Lin, although I sympathise with the notion that, 'one man's fortune, is another's misfortune', I have to be the bearer of bad news and say that, you, my friend, have received a blessing... not a curse.
"This book phenomenon that you're experiencing is, from my knowledge, a product of your innate ability to read the current of fate!
"Naturally, fate is something that no mere mortal can dabble with, including you!
"So when one tries to change the natural flow of it, backlash will inevitably strike!
"Making an educated guess, I can imagine that the reason a multitude of unfavourable things has come about you is due to the fact that you have consciously, or unconsciously, tried to change fate.
"In fact, I'd even hazard a guess at saying that you are not even meant to be here under the jurisdiction of fate!
"Not to patronise you or anything, but you are the bringer of your own misfortune!"
After Zhang Wei finished his speech, silence descended into the chamber of the freezer.
Fan Lin still had the same smile plastered on his face, however, he seemed to be stuck staring at one place as if he hadn't quite been able to take in the reality of what had been said- He was like a computer system that was unable to compute the commands given to it.
Seeing the statue-like Fan Lin, Zhang Wei couldn't help but feel as if he had made the wrong choice by piling all this down on him like that.
You've just gone and done it, Zhang Wei!
You've messed this up big time!
I mean what bearer of horrible news puts the blame on the victim of the whole situation?
Isn't this a textbook example of gaslighting?
Fuck!
Just as Zhang Wei was going to come up with a plan to somehow cheer up Fan Lin, the man himself seemed to remove himself from the trance-like state he was in and said in a downtrodden tone, as if he were speaking to himself,
"...So it is actually all my fault.
"How could I have not noticed all this time?
"It's due to the result of my own decisions, that I made of my own free will, that I have ended up in this shit situation.
"It wasn't the book that forced me to argue with my family, it wasn't the book that made me scurry away with my sister's dowry to get all the way here, and it certainly wasn't the book that forced me to join the servant quarters.
"HAHAHAHA!
"It was me all along! And I've just used it as a scapegoat as I couldn't bear standing up for my own actions and accepting the consequences!"
After he said his piece, Fan Lin's head fell downwards facing the ground- As if the string that held his head up had been cut- and he just stood in the same place had been, unmoving like a statue.
When Zhang Wei listened closely, he was able to hear the manic whispers of Fan Lin as he said,
"I'm pathetic.
"I have nowhere left to go.
"My parents would surely beat a son like me to death.
"And they probably... never want to see my face again.
"Heh, they probably won't as well as there is no way I will survive the cruel future.
"The sealed Ancient Blood Demon... the Adolescent Mythical Thirteen-Tailed Fox... even if the protagonist does save the day, there is no way in hell an untalented weakling like me will survive the chaos caused by these trials!
"As long as I get sent on a single unlucky mission in the vicinity of these dangerous entities in the next four years, I'll be gobbled up into the pits of hell before I can even see the protagonist deal with them.
"Oh mighty Heavenly Dao, how could you forsake me like this?!"
Hearing words that contained fancy names of some boss monsters, and how potentially dangerous the future would become, the gears in Zhang Wei's mind began winding faster than they had ever before!
My brother here seems to have gone into full crisis mode, and from the looks of it, the future isn't all that sunny.
Just putting aside the fact that dangerous guys will appear, from the sounds of it our good ol' protagonist will be exiting the scene to god knows where for a few years?!
That's not A-Okay.
Absolutely not.
I've worked my ass off to follow that guy to the outer sect, and now he's gonna just get up and ghost me for a few years?!
Could this get any worse?
"While the protagonist leaves for a time skip, the Azure Profound Sect falls from a third-class sect to a fourth-class one causing there to be fewer spirit stones in circulation meaning my chances of raising my cultivation to a decent level are even more difficult."
Fuck this.
I should stop listening to mister negativity for a minute and think up something for the imminent future.
Hmmmm.
Surely there will be ways of doing background character deeds without the presence of the protagonist, after all, most background characters never even get a single appearance or mention!
So the main issue isn't the system rewards, but survival and helping the protagonist beat these dangers away from me which then, by extension, is helping myself.
And for that, I have the perfect solution!
It's following my original plan of combining my role as a good background character, who makes sure everything behind the scenes is fine and dandy, and the role of a prophet, who knows the future, and making use of the two to produce a smooth outcome!
After being immersed in these thoughts for a while, and coming up with a solid plan he could follow, Zhang Wei began acting on it by saying,
"Oi, Fan Lin!
"Snap out of it, listen to what I have to say, and you might be able to get your life back on track!"
As Zhang Wei shouted to get Fan Lin's attention, the distraught boy's head slowly turned upwards revealing a scrunched-up expression with furrowed eyebrows, which seemed to convey multiple emotions at once, such as frustration, fear, helplessness and disappointment.
Seeing him, Zhang Wei shook his head and said resolutely,
"Even though I don't know the full extent of the situation, I know that just because it seems bad now, doesn't mean you should just give up!
"If you took the time to think about the positives of your unique power and implemented them well, then you could really turn this situation completely around!
"Think about it!
"Although you cannot 'change' a predetermined outcome, which is fate, you can most certainly change certain variables around it that do not affect the overall picture!
"A perfect example can be this exact moment, although we took something we shouldn't have had according to your 'book', nothing has become of us or stopped us!
"It means that we have some leeway, and therefore a chance of survival even if we are in the eye of the storm.
"So stop being a sulking pessimist and let's team up to avoid this seemingly 'certain death!
"With your knowledge of the future, there is nothing we can't do!"
After preaching, Zhang Wei stuck his hand out waiting for a handshake.
Seeing the hand sticking out to him, Fan Lin was stunned and fell into thought.
H-He could be right!
There might be a way to get out of this.
Maybe I could even make something out of this and go back to my family!
With a small smile on his face, that looked much better than his previous expression, Fan Lin took Zhang Wei's hand and said with a determined tone,
"Fine then!
"I won't accept dying a dog's death like this, so I'll agree to team up!"
Hearing his words, Zhang Wei gave a toothy smile and felt relieved that he'd succeeded.
However, just when he thought it was over, Fan Lin posed a question which made Zhang Wei's eyebrow twitch,
"But... what skills do you have to add to the team?
"I-I'm not dissing you or anything here, I'm just curious as to what your skill set is.
"After all, we are a team."
Looking at Fan Lin with a frown, Zhang Wei's face turned a bit red and he quickly responded,
"Moral support, you bastard!"
...
The day flew by quickly as Zhang Wei met up with the rest of his friends, after separating from Fan Lin, and they walked around the servant quarters reminiscing about all the good and bad times they had in there.
Zhang Wei did end up giving a few thousand coppers to the servant quarters' administrators on behalf of Lin Fan's name, netting him another thirty days of cultivation.
Anyways, after meeting up with Senior Brother Qin the next morning, the group of nine servants, excluding Lin Fan, walked up the mountains and went through the gates which separated the outer sect area and the servant area.
If you were wondering why Lin Fan wasn't with the group, Zhang Wei wasn't too sure either.
The senior brother remained silent about it, and apparently, he was taken to the outer sect by an elder or something the day prior.
The first, and only, place the senior brother took the servants to, was the Affairs Hall, which was a large building that contained multiple counters and desks inside with disciples and elders behind them.
In this area, the servants all got officially registered as disciples and received a load of items.
These items included, a wooden token with the word 'outer' and a number written on it, three sets of robes that matched exactly what the senior brother was wearing, and another token which allowed a disciple to go to the sect library and take a technique.
After that, they each were also given a copy of the Azure Profound Sect's signature qi cultivation method and their monthly allowance of twenty spirit stones.
Then they were left to their own devices.
The number on the token they were given was the new disciples' courtyard number, and therefore many of the servants decided to make it their first priority to see their new home.
Some also decided to visit the martial library, to see decide what techniques would suit them the best.
Zhang Wei, however, decided to explore the outer sect and its intricacies.
After all, he'd finally taken a step forward in life and wanted to enjoy himself and maybe even take in the authentic xianxia experience he'd always wanted to do.
A little bit of cultural enrichment- to make it sound fancy.
He hastily left the Affairs Hall with burning excitement to discover what this fascinating place- which is a staple in all xianxia- had to offer.
However, before he could even begin his expedition a large, bulky man with a sinister expression blocked his way just outside the entrance.
Seeing the plain-looking Zhang Wei, a smirk appeared on his face and he said in a deep voice,
"Woah woah woah, Junior Brother, where do you think you're rushing to?
"Aren't you aware of the rules around here?
"Every junior is to respect their senior brothers!
"And this senior over here just so happens to be short on spirit stones lately, so I was hoping you, a junior brother, could help me out seeing that you've been given your monthly allowance!"
"..."
Nevermind.
Fuck the authentic xianxia experience!
I should've just gone to the safety of my courtyard!
As Zhang Wei was drowning in regret, the senior brother seemed dissatisfied with a lack of an answer and said angrily,
"Why am I not hearing a reply?!
"Are you mute, or is this just you looking down on this senior brother?"
Hearing that this fat senior brother was not only a scammer, but a short-tempered scammer, Zhang Wei couldn't help but think,
It really is hard being a background character.
Chapter 16: Redeeming Overdue Dues (Part 1)
Snapping out of his reminisce, Zhang Wei arose from his seat and strolled towards the exit of the vast arena.
Whilst leaving, he took one last gander around the place which was brimming with life what seemed like moments ago, only to see a completely desolate setting.
Rows of empty benches and chairs that had seated passionate viewers.
The spacious grand stage which had hosted a variety of vigorous battles had not even a speck of dust on it.
And the shallow silence which was the only thing that filled the gaping emptiness of the place.
Looking at it like this, the arena had an eerie beauty to it, however, Zhang Wei did not have the luxury to enjoy it for longer than a few moments as he suddenly burst into full speed and rushed towards the exit.
Shit!
Looks like I'm going to get another earful off that bastard for making him wait!
But it's not my fault, I was just walking down memory lane!
As Zhang Wei rushed his way outside a large wooden gateway, that had a sign saying 'exit' on it, he spotted a dashing young man with black hair and striking blue eyes leaning backwards on the side of the gateway with his arms crossed.
The young man was wearing a light blue robe that enhanced his aesthetic even more as well as a huge frown on his face which oozed discontentment and irritation.
Upon seeing Zhang Wei's face, his eyebrows furiously twitched and he instantly said with dissatisfaction evident in his tone,
"You sure took your goddamn time, dumbass Zhang!
"Was it because you were awed by that incredible fight that you've already read like five times, or was it because our great hero that decided to disappear for like four years has returned to possibly save our pitiful asses?!
"Either way, I'm still going to nag you to death for being an irresponsible bastard!
"With this attitude, how are you planning on getting through these death flags?!
"If you are intending on going down into the deep trenches of the underworld, don't drag me with you!
"And do you really think..."
As Fan Lin began unrelentingly berating Zhang Wei for his tardiness, the man himself just stood there, kept quiet, and let his mind drift off to think about other things.
Hahhhhh, to think in the past this guy was a polite little bastard who'd try his best to not speak harshly even when he didn't agree with something.
However now, just a few years later, he's a ruthless little fucker who holds nothing back and scolds me on a daily basis!
It really is true that times of crisis change people!
"...if you keep this shit up I'll tell Brother Teng to raid your storage room and eat everything of value!"
After Fan Lin ended his lecture with that last line, he let out a long sigh and said,
"Moving on, I'm sure you know as well as me that we need to rush to the library and get ahold of that broken ancient technique which Lin Fan will be returning soon!
"Furthermore, over this small timeframe of peace, we need to carefully test the limits on how much we can dabble our hands into this so-called 'fate' and what we can and can't do with the protagonist.
"Let's hurry up and go then!"
After saying his piece, Fan Lin took the lead and began walking hastily towards the sect's library.
The frown earlier seemed to be gone as new emotions of joy and anticipation could be seen from his speedy pace and the small upward curve of his lips.
Seeing him like that, Zhang Wei shook his head and smiled to himself.
I'll overlook your rudeness this time for the bigger picture!
After all, today is the day we can bear the fruit of our efforts, as well as the day...
...I can harvest all the seeds I'd planted.
Zhang Wei then quickly caught up to Fan Lin and they both made their way towards the library in haste whilst chatting along the way.
...
A sect's foundation, regardless of whether they are the biggest of behemoths or the most minuscule of midgets, is made up of two major factors- both of which factors are synergetic in nature.
Firstly... people.
Those who carry on the name, the legacy, and whatever else, allowing the sect to actually be a sect.
A sect without a single member is merely a remnant of the past.
Secondly... the heritage itself.
The equipment, techniques, and wisdom that is passed down to those that are called sect disciples, in order for them to further refine it and enrich the said heritage.
A sect without a heritage is not a sect.
It's merely a coalition of people with similar goals in mind.
So with these two key factors in mind, it is naturally imperative that the sect library, which holds a significant part of the heritage, is a place of utmost importance.
The appearance of the Azure Profound Sect's library was one which was neither too grand nor too destitute.
Just kind of... average.
It was shaped like a pavilion, and upon entering it you'd see a small counter which had the librarian stationed behind it, alongside an entire floor of bookshelves containing a variety of books.
The books on the first floor were open to all disciples, regardless of status.
However, this changed when you scaled up the building through the stairway towards the second floor.
This second floor was open to inner disciples only and contained much more of the Azure Profound Sect's legacy.
Finally, the third floor was only available to elders and prime disciples- who were the highest rung of disciples.
As a matter of course, Zhang Wei and Fan Lin were only allowed on the first floor where only basic and foundational scriptures could be found.
On average, many young disciples after choosing their first few combat techniques and cultivation methods disdained returning to look through the first floor as they, as you would expect, would rather be doing practical activities.
It was common knowledge within the various circles in the outer sect that after choosing your cultivation path and corresponding techniques, the information on other paths' foundational knowledge would just taint your own dao, and that it was just generally better to focus on practising.
As for the historical notes and general knowledge books?
Pfffft!
What idiot would spend time looking over that stupid shit instead of getting cooler and stronger through cultivation?
Zhang Wei and Lin Fan were such idiots.
You see, Fan Lin's 'book of fate' stated in chapter thirty-two that...
The mature protagonist, who always aspired to be erudite and knowledgeable, decided to stay behind inside the library after choosing his technique- Whilst all the other simpletons around him instantly scurried off.
He then carefully flipped through a few ancient-looking books and unexpectedly a page fell out from one of them!
As the protagonist picked up and checked out this rogue piece of paper, the spirit of an expert who resided within him and guided him suddenly cried out with shock and glee!
After all, they had just stumbled across an unbelievably fantastical and mind-blowing ancient technique!
...
Aware of this happening, Zhang Wei and Fan Lin spent a mind-numbing amount of time skimming through as many dust collectors within the maze of bookshelves to see if they could replicate such a miracle.
Sadly, they did not.
But they did gain something though!
...The ridicule of the young temporary librarian that managed the library on behalf of the old and mysterious head librarian- who suspiciously was not present at all after that one time Lin Fan was within the place.
But now was a chance to turn all that around!
By gaining hold of that technique, they'd at least be able to gain something from that damn library!
As both boys entered the library, they witnessed an oddly familiar scene.
In their view, a conversation between the mysterious old librarian and a dashing young man was ensuing across a counter.
The boy had a worn and torn book in his hands and seemed to be explaining something with great interest, mean whilst the old man had a satisfied smirk on his face whilst he was caressing his white beard.
After a few moments, the old man said something along the lines of,
'If you are able to reach the 'Truth Within Chiliad Thoughts', come see me.'
Afterwards, the old man took the book from the boy's hands, placed it on the counter table, then sat back down on a stool and closed his eyes as if he were snoozing.
Noticing that the conversation was over and that he had completed his goal of returning the book, Lin Fan promptly walked towards the exit, right past the two eavesdroppers as if he did not even notice their existence, and left while seemingly muttering to himself,
"To think such a figure existed in secrecy, are you really sure he is that strong and that you aren't just going senile?"
Both Zhang Wei and Fan Lin, after a moment of grimacing due to being treated like air, walked up to the counter with great strides.
Before the both of them could catch their composure and get a hold of the old tome, the ancient and musky voice of the old man spoke up and said cryptically,
"Though flames burn blindingly within the hollow darkness, the moths that bask within its brightness, at best, remain as merely accomplished insects nonetheless.
"But at worst, their ever-glorious ambitions will reduce them to eternal ashes."
Hearing the old librarian's mystical words that seemed to hold great meaning behind them, both boys pondered for a few moments before they both spoke up and simultaneously said,
"We'd like to take out this book that is on the countertop!"
Hearing such words come out of their mouths, the old man opened his eyes once more and looked at them deeply.
One of his eyebrows slightly twitched and a small frown was on his face as he thought to himself,
Do these juniors really not know what I meant, or are they playing dumb?
After a few moments of silence, the old man shook his head resignedly and mumbled,
"looks like some juniors truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth and the laws of not chewing more than one can swallow.
"Back in my day, these sorts of principles were hammered into us."
He then said clearly to them,
"You can take it out for a week, then one of you must return it otherwise disciplinary actions will be taken place for both of you.
"I wish you luck."
The old man, after saying his bit, closed his eyes again and ignored the two boys that were breathing heavily from excitement.
Zhang Wei then quickly took the book, and they both walked out with light footsteps as if a burden that had been weighing them down was suddenly removed from their shoulders.
It was strange.
Why had both the boys ignored the advice of an obviously very strong hidden powerhouse?
Did they really not understand the meaning behind his words?
Of course not!
Both boys were relatively smart and witty, and both had read a decent amount of xianxia to get the gist of what the old man was saying.
But upon hearing his words, both of them scoffed and thought to themselves something that would make the old man's eyes widen to the size of saucers!
Suck my ass, old man!
Insect?
Your mother, father, dog and ancestors are insects!
With my system/book of fate, I'll surely be able to do what you deem is not possible!
...
After they left the library they scurried back to Zhang Wei's residence, which was within closer proximity than Fan Lin's, and after entering they swiftly opened the book and greedily scanned through its contents.
The sound of pages being flipped was the only noise that could be heard within the room, except for the occasional gasp or another form of audible shock- Which stands testament to how incredible the knowledge contained within was, as it's to be noted that both boys generally knew what secrets were contained within even before opening the book.
Now, what was this unfathomable technique you may ask?
It was unnamed.
Lame?
Yeah, but it's usually the low-key things in xianxia that make bring the biggest surprises.
Following that trend, this one technique would be enough to cover up a major plot hole found in many standard Chinese cultivation novels.
Ever wondered why even though the main character was always very young compared to almost all the enemies he faces, he still completely stomps them in comprehension and combat awareness?
Have you always glossed over the fact that the main character can always do ungodly amounts of calculations and schemes within the span of a few moments?
Look no further as this tome, given that you've cultivated it to a high enough level, will boost all mental facilities to an outrageous degree!
This scripture only holds the first couple of stages of the technique, however, the book also glosses over some of the later stages and the powers one can receive by reaching the higher realms!
It's even said that the hypothetical endpoint of the technique grants one the ability to think till eternity within a singular moment!
Yes, the epitome of this thing grants you pseudo-immortality!
As they both finished reading, Zhang Wei and Fan Lin stared at each other for a bit in silence.
Only for a bit though, as soon they both nodded and they each clenched one of their fists and swung their arm up and down, seemingly in rhythm with each of the words they shouted.
"Rock, paper, scissors...shoot!"
The instant they both said 'shoot', both boys' fists unclenched.
One boy had two fingers poking out whilst the rest of his fingers were bunched together, meanwhile, the other boy's fingers were completely spread open revealing a full palm.
"Shit!
"Zhang Wei, you cheating bastard!
"I'm sure you were using that skill you gained all those years back to win!
"Let's go best of three, you chicken!"
"Fan Lin, you fucker!
"You were the one who adamantly begged for us to do one round, and now you're switching up like this?!
"And how dare you spout such bullshit!
"You know as well as I do, that in this scenario where the profits and losses are completely equal, my technique would never give me a hunch!
"Plus, even if it did, do you think I can go through all three options within an instant and decide which one is the most optimal?!"
"...Fuck!"
From this, it could be determined that Zhang Wei was the victor in that game of rock, paper, and scissors.
The premise of the bet was to determine which of the two would get to cultivate and memorise the technique first.
"Three days, eleven hours, and fifty-nine minutes, after that timer ticks to zero I'm busting in here and grabbing it no matter whether you are breaking through or taking a shit!"
After saying that, he stormed out of the residence.
After Fan Lin left, Zhang Wei had a smile plastered on his face as he instantly shifted his focus on towards the book and enthusiastically immersed himself in its contents.
...
Within a large courtyard of a similar appearance to Zhang Wei's, a particularly bloated young man could be seen walking side by side with an incredibly striking man of similar age.
They were both walking around the garden of the residence, happily while chatting and laughing as old friends would do after not seeing one another for a prolonged period of time.
The bigger boy, who had outer disciple robes on with a foolish smile on his face, said in an inquisitive manner,
"Brother Lin, I wonder if you've seen or heard of any of the Top Ten Lists?"
Upon hearing the words of his large-boned friend, Lin Fan squinted his eyes and looked at his friend with curiosity, and repeated in a questioning tone,
"Top Ten... Lists?"
Hearing the confusion in his sworn brother's voice, Bao Wei's eyes lit up and he fervently began to explain,
"Yeah, no one accurately knows how it came about, as there are mountains of rumours surrounding its origins, but one day on the sect's task board a wooden board carved with a list of ten names and heading of 'Outer Sect's Heroic Battle Rankings' appeared.
"As more and more disciples saw the board, many became curious and started to challenge those on the board to disprove what was on it!
"An outburst of fights took place, however, mysteriously none were able to replace any of the rankings!"
Bao Wei paused, took a deep breath, and then continued,
"If that was all, then it wouldn't be so surprising.
"After all, naming a bunch of strong people isn't that big of a deal.
"But it doesn't stop there!
"Not long later, another list popped up!
"Upon seeing this one, many people instantly scoffed.
"Why?
"Because it was named the 'Top Ten Heavenly Beauties List'!
"Many insistently argued that beauty was subjective and that even though topics like strength and cultivation level could be ranked, something like attractiveness couldn't!
"Call me, and everyone else, surprised when a few deadbeat outer sect disciples with nothing but time on their hands did an anonymous poll on it, and the results ended up matching exactly what the list had said!"
Chapter 17: Redeeming Overdue Dues (Part 2)
"Haaaaaa, finally."
Within a cosy bedroom, with a relatively high-quality double bed, Zhang Wei could be seen sitting with his legged crossed and a relieved yet sour expression on his face.
To think it was this difficult to achieve the simplest stage, the initiation stage of the technique, 'Simplicity Within Thoughts'.
I've spent day and night engraving the structure of that bloody 'mental palace' and trying to form a framework, yet only just completed it around three days later!
I mean come on!
That cheating protagonist bastard did it first try within moments. But even when I don't compare myself to that freak, just from what the book mentions, people with even a sliver of talent only need a few hours to a day to complete it!
Is the discrepancy between me and a decent cultivator really that cataclysmic?!
After wallowing in grief for a few moments, Zhang Wei moved on from it as he thought to himself optimistically,
But thankfully I've been able to do it, and also memorised the next steps, therefore even if the book is taken away I can rest at peace knowing I won't miss out on cultivating this divine technique!
Not only that, although the initiation stage doesn't cause any drastic changes as compared to others, I can strangely feel my thoughts flowing smoother. If I were to make a comparison, it would be as if previously I viewed the world as advanced algebra, but now it's slightly easier advanced algebra.
More than that, my emotions don't seem to have such a gorilla grip over my rationale as much anymore.
It's weird though, my emotions don't seem to have dulled, but instead, they just seem more controllable.
After thinking through the changes that have arisen within him due to the technique, he finally let it go and then a greedy smile adorned his face and he started to rub his palms together like a money-hungry merchant would when getting ready to collect his profits.
Hehe, praise be to the system and Fan Lin's OP Providence, otherwise there was no way I was gonna be able to get those lists done!
Due to Zhang Wei's intense desire to reach the first stage, he forsook any and all system notifications over the past few days to concentrate.
However, he knew all of them were going to be scrumptious and juicy rewards!
And he wasn't wrong.
[Host has successfully introduced a 'Battle Ranking' allowing smoother progression]
{Host receives three-hundred and forty days of cultivation using [Choose cultivation technique]}
...
[Host has successfully introduced a 'Beauty Ranking' allowing smoother progression]
{Host receives an ultra-rare grade random spiritual technique, Heavenly Concealment.}
...
[The host has successfully introduced a heroine to the protagonist allowing smoother progression]
{Host receives a rare-grade random item, Emergency Jade Plate Mk.1 (x3)}
...
Although he wasn't sure of what the latter two rewards were exactly, Zhang Wei's face brightly lit up from merely seeing the close to a year's worth of cultivation!
This was not only because this reward would net him an increase of around a minor realm or so, but that this reward wasn't as simple as just increasing his qi proportionate to how much he would gain from a year's worth of cultivation using the selected cultivation technique.
Oh no, its uses were way more varied than that.
You see, initially, Zhang Wei interpreted the words, 'Choose cultivation technique', as one should choose which 'cultivation technique' they wanted to use.
But that was either a misinterpretation due to his illiteracy, or the system gave a shit description- Zhang Wei liked to believe it was the latter.
What it actually meant, was to choose which 'technique' one wanted to 'cultivate'.
Are you picking up what I'm putting down?
Naturally, when someone chooses a 'cultivation technique' to cultivate, they will gain qi.
So what happened when someone chooses to cultivate a 'battle technique'?
Hehehe, instant comprehension, baby!
Zhang Wei was very chuffed at the versatility of his cheats, after all, all those systems given to other transmigrated fellows were all stingy or downright sadistic!
Though, there was one 'downfall' with this that Zhang Wei discovered.
Back when he was a servant, the only option he was given was to use his cultivation boost on the shitty qi-breathing technique given to the servants.
That was peculiar.
Didn't he also have the Green Turtle Palm Art to use it on?
The reason why he couldn't was simple.
He actually had to get initial accomplishment with the technique before he could use it as a target to cultivate.
Obviously, the ever-average Zhang Wei whose most vigorous action from day to day was sweeping the floors of courtyards, clearly never reached such a stage.
And since, on the whole, cultivation techniques did not have any levels of accomplishment, it was excluded from this restriction.
Anyways, now you can see why someone like Zhang Wei, who has quite a few incredible techniques yet not enough talent to utilise all of them, found this reward to be so amazing.
Even ignoring that, reiterating the fact that this is a cultivation world, what's there not to like about receiving free level boosts?!
Moving on from that, Zhang Wei cracked open the system inventory, which he hadn't for some time now, and gleefully gazed at the 'boxes' that no longer were empty.
He first hovered his attention over at the first box, which had a gleaming blue outline and an icon of a book with a black cover within it.
Zhang Wei then mentally 'tapped' the icon, then a larger version of the icon came up with a string of information saying,
=================
{Shadow Panther Steps}
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: Once mastered, it allows one to display the full elegance, sneakiness, and speed of a shadow panther's movements all on two feet!]
[Review: Solid movement technique if you're needing to make moves on the low.]
=================
...
After reading one, he continued scrolling through his items excitedly.
...
=================
{Emergency Jade Plate Mk.1(x3)}
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: If, and only if, the jade plate is on your person, then, when you get struck by a fatal attack the jade plate will fully mitigate all the damage of the attack and then break. Note- Jade Plate Mk.1 is non-stackable and has a maximum shielding limit of up to a spirit tempering realm cultivator's attack.]
[Review: Jade plates are handy little things that can allow the holder to gain another layer of safety, what's there not to like?]
=================
...
=================
{Heavenly Concealment}
[Grade: Ultra-Rare]
[Description: Incredible spiritual technique that allows one to disguise any aspect of themselves under the condition that sufficient attainment is achieved.]
[Review: An insanely versatile technique that is of great use to an aspiring 'Ultimate Background Character'. It allows one to escape from even the most piercing gaze or peskiest of individuals, letting a background character act in the background in peace.]
=================
...
Looking at the plethora of things he'd received, Zhang Wei was speechless.
He almost felt a tear forming in the corners of his eyes.
Finallyyyyyy!
The system has decided to do system things and reward my poor soul with some real techniques!
It seems to me though that the rewards are more focused on defence and evasion, rather than attack.
So it looks like I won't be able to slice a mountain in half with a godly technique...yet.
But wasn't there a saying that defence is the best offence... or was it the other way around?
Whatever. I'm not too bummed anyways, after all, beggars can't be choosers.
After a few more seconds of brooding over his rewards, Zhang Wei decided that he wanted to get started and bring these rewards of his into reality.
He started focusing his concentration towards the claim reward box, which was bright green in colour, that appeared just under the description of an item.
The moment he mentally 'clicked' the box, he felt the weight of an object resting on his lap.
He quickly looked down to identify the object and...there it was.
A shiny and spotless green jade slip laid bare on his lap, except for its pleasant appearance it honestly didn't look like something that could block an attack.
But Zhang Wei held some initial trust in the system.
It had already proved its prowess by being able to manipulate his luck to such an extent that he'd almost been able to breeze through the tournament.
So why would it lie now?
As he attached the jade to the waist of his robe, letting it hang down, Zhang Wei quickly jumped out of bed and scurried towards the mirror.
Upon seeing his reflection, he gave a small nod of approval and a satisfied smirk appeared on his face.
Heh, not too shabby!
Although I can admit my base looks aren't exactly exceptional, my style points have definitely gone up!
As Zhang Wei was engrossed in checking himself out a bit more and hand-combing his long hair- Which was the norm, and somewhat the etiquette, for cultivators- he didn't notice that someone had been knocking on the door repeatedly.
The guest, seemingly fed up with knocking with no response, made the most sensible decision.
He kicked his way in!
"Zhang Wei you- Eh?!"
The guest, Fan Lin, upon noticing his friend checking himself out in the mirror, couldn't help but stare at Zhang Wei with a straight face and a blank stare.
Fan Lin knew that his good pal here, though not ugly at all, wasn't quite a casanova.
In fact, you could say the man was facially challenged.
No defining features, no birthmarks or beauty spots, and no major asymmetry anywhere.
Although Fan Lin didn't know about the Ultimate Background Character System, he had read a novel before and truly did think that Zhang Wei was someone that would fit the role of a background character perfectly.
Zhang Wei, seeing the friend that rudely barged in give him a look of irony and pity, the corners of his lips couldn't help but twitch.
Looking closer at the person with almost nothing going for him except his handsome, protagonist-like looks, his fists couldn't help but clench a bit from frustration.
Fuck!
Heavens really are unfair!
How come this rude little bastard looks better than any model I've ever seen before even with a frown on his face, yet I look as plain as ever before!
"Fan Lin, you bastard!
"Can't you at least pretend to show some sympathy over here?!"
Realising he'd made his true thoughts too obvious, he gave a fake cough and said a bit nervously,
"Haha, whatever do you mean, Brother Zhang?
"I was just admiring your dashing looks.
"Now, can you hand me over that technique please?"
Now it was Zhang Wei's turn to give a blank stare.
After a few moments, Zhang Wei said in a solemn tone.
"No.
"Try again."
Hearing his words, Fan Lin's eyes narrowed for a moment, but he then quickly covered it up with a forced smile as he said with a bit more passion,
"Brother Zhang, I absolutely love the new look!
"It really suits you!
"Now hand it over."
Zhang Wei shook his head again whilst simultaneously saying,
"You forgot the, please.
"Rude bastard."
Fan Lin's patience seemed to be reaching its utmost limits, as his fake smile seemed to crumple by the second, however, he was still able to muster out one last attempt.
"Oh, my good brother!
"I've not seen you in a mere few days, yet you've become so charming!
"With such looks, I'm sure you could put anyone to shame!
"Now, If you could be so kind, could you pass me the technique... please?"
After spitting out the 'please', Fan Lin proceeded to glare at Zhang Wei with a piercing gaze that seemed to convey that he was thoroughly sick of this shit.
Seeing his grim expression, a small self-satisfied smirk couldn't help but appear on Zhang Wei's face as he made his way back to his bed and bent down to grab the crusty old book that had laid on it.
After getting the book in his grasp, he turned back around to face Fan Lin and extended his hand that held the book, as if he were motioning him to take it.
Seeing the book, the grim expression on his face lightened and he quickly grabbed the other side of the book, but, just when he was going to take hold of it... Fan Lin felt a tight grip on the book.
As Fan Lin looked back up at Zhang Wei with annoyance, wondering what other stupid shenanigans he had up his sleeve, he was surprised to see he had a contorted expression that reeked of anger.
Before Fan Lin could interject, a shout seething of rage filled the room saying,
"You thought you were gonna leave just like this?!
"You thought I'd really let you leave after breaking in here?!
"...Fix my fucking door!"
Realising that he had indeed done that, but being confused on why he was making such a fuss of it, Fan Lin said confusedly,
"Hey, why are you getting so pissed?
"Can't we can just get one of the servants from the servant quarters to sort it for a few shitty coppers?!"
Hearing his words, Zhang Wei shook his head with his fingers on his glabella, conveying his disappointment and annoyance.
"I don't know about you, but I, for one, don't like to exploit those poor bastards over at the servant quarters anymore!
"I still remember back in the days, I'd do hours of labour thinking I made a decent amount, or at least something that would help me out in the long run, just to realise it was pure slavery!
"Even with the corrupt bastards gone due to Lin Fan's upheaval, it's still a huge scam!
"How could you experience all that shit in there, then in a few years rely on the very exploitation you had to go through?
"Although I'm not an advocate of justice, don't you think that you should at least fix your own mistakes?"
Hearing Zhang Wei's speech, Fan Lin's reaction was simple.
Bewilderment.
"Yo, Zhang Wei?
"Why are speaking like you don't know?
"This is how the world works.
"The strong exploit the weak remorselessly, whilst the weak loathe the strong that exploit them.
"Although it's true I hated the people that took advantage of me, that's simply because I was weak and couldn't do anything else but get angry about it.
"However, now that I am stronger, I can take advantage of it myself- So why not make use of it for my own benefit?
"Seriously bro, I think you should hold off thinking about the protagonist and his idealism, I mean we talked about this before.
"How can someone who has always been given things off luck, really understand the mindset of those who have nothing and the subsequent desires they have to take from others to gain what they do not, or can not, have?
"What a weak person wants is not to be protected or pitied, but to have power and the ability to take for themselves."
As he heard Fan Lin's retort, Zhang Wei's eyes widened.
Right... this is common sense.
Heh, seems like even though I've been here for years there are still some things I've not adapted to.
Whilst Zhang Wei was in a bit of a daze, Fan Lin took this opportunity to grab the book off him as his grip had loosened.
As Fan Lin took hold of it, he wasted time no longer, as he made a sharp one-eighty and ran off whilst bidding farewell by saying,
"I'll sort a servant to get it fixed as an apology, but if you want to feel heroic then feel free to do it yourself!
"See ya later!"
After Zhang Wei stood still for a few more moments immersed in thoughts, he snapped out of it and shook his head whilst thinking,
Fuck, that was sooooo embarrassing!
What was I even thinking?
I'm no hero!
I'm just a simple background character!
Anyways, I've not made my way out of the house in a while, might as well go for a small walk while checking out the rewards a bit more.
Maybe even decide what to invest my close to a year of free cultivation in.
As he walked out of his room merrily, an unpleasant realisation struck him.
To get into his room, one must not only go through his room's door but also the front door.
And as far as he knew, only he had the keys to unlock his front door.
Meaning...Yep, the door was busted open.
FUCKKKKKKK!
...
On the other side, Lin Fan, was doing what every other Xianxia protagonist did whenever they felt like it.
...Breakthrough.
"Don't mess up, brat Lin!
"If my theory's correct, the ancient emperors didn't only have one unlockable innate treasure!
"First was at the seventh stage of foundation establishment, which you have already attained.
"The second one should be at the fifth stage of Spirit Tempering, where after advancing normally to the sixth stage your spirit essence would be consolidated to some degree!
"If you can refine enough essence at once and consolidate it to the pinnacle, I'm sure you'll gain something that will make you peerless within the same realm!"
The young man in question was barely focusing on the old voice in his head as he seemed to be in a state of intense struggle and pain.
He was sitting in a lotus position, yet tons of sweat seemed to escape from every single pore of his body as if he had just run a marathon.
His sword-like eyebrows were furrowed intensely, and he seemed to be whispering to himself under his breath in a trance-like state.
'Consolidate'.
'Refine'.
If one were to look from the outside it would certainly be a strange scene, however, just one look inside his enormous dantian was enough for any cultivator to break a cold sweat.
Inside there, was simply put, a torrent of pure unrefined spirit energy rampaging around
What this meant, was that even the slightest mistake brought about by tardiness would cause almost irreparable damage to the dantian- A cultivator's most vulnerable and precious area.
As the hours passed by, the liquid pouring out from Lin Fan was no longer sweat.
It was crimson blood.
As it drenched his body and dripped to the floor, the scene began looking more and more grotesque- As if a bloody demon had been born.
Another thing that changed, was that the temperature of Lin Fan skyrocketed, and it got to the point where it could no longer be compared to merely a very bad fever.
The surrounding spirit wood planks that made up the flooring, had begun to char as if it were being burned- Luckily spirit wood had a higher fire resistance, otherwise, things may have gone a tad bit bad.
The old spirit, Grandpa Yi, witnessed what was happening and got a little bit confused as he watched what was happening with the young brat he'd been with for these past few years.
He strangely felt some deja vu from seeing this happen.
Hmmm... why does it feel like I've seen this type of thing happen before?
Usually breaking through shouldn't bring about such reactions... unless for two reaso-?!
Hah...haha...HAHAHA!
That's what it is!
No way!
To think he's awakened the...
Chapter 18: Redeeming Overdue Dues (Part 3)
While strolling through the residential area of the outer sect and passing by many of his fellow daoist's abodes, Zhang Wei couldn't help but ruffle his hair due to the frustration of not being able to grasp a solid solution for the problem plaguing him currently.
What technique should I invest in?!
...Or should I split it up and invest in multiple?
No!
Fuck no!
Sure, ideally it would be cool to imagine myself being an unpredictable menace with mastery over a sea of various skills and arts...
...But realistically that's just not possible!
I know for a fact that this cultivation boost thing measures my gains according to my own talent and how far I would progress if I actually trained a said skill for x number of days.
And I know my talent sucks ass.
I'm almost certain that even if I invested a whole year into that damned cheat skill I wouldn't make enough progress to break into its next realm, let alone if I split up the cultivation boost and only invested a few months into it!
My other techniques include the Green Turtle Palm, the sect's breathing technique- both of which I don't want to use it on- as well as the 'Wealth Within Sense' technique I received from that old servant guy's storage ring and the technique I had chosen from the library when I first arrived.
Then there are also the two skills still within the system storage which I could prioritise focusing on to reach initiation in, then invest in them.
Too many options and implications!
...I'm seriously not experienced enough in cultivation shenanigans to deal with this shit!
If I had a nice little 'Heavenly Emperor's Dominating Fist' then I would obviously invest in that, but I don't!
All of what Zhang Wei had thought was correct.
With his average talent, it was almost a no-brainer that the one year of cultivation would be best used on one technique that could propel his survivability to it's maximum.
It was also true that Zhang Wei really was caught between a crossroad which he could not solve himself as he truly was lacking in knowledge regarding cultivation paths and battle systems.
To him, being able to run away from danger quickly sounded just as fantastic as having a stronger offence power- Not to mention that the other miscellaneous techniques he had such as Heavenly Concealment also sounded like a good choice.
But what would be the best for his current state and what would best prepare him for the upcoming future?
Now that was the question.
Feeling that there was no point in forcing a decision at this instant, Zhang Wei did what any good procrastinator would do and shoved the tedious things to the back of his mind and decided to go meet up with the others.
Although some things had changed by becoming outer disciples, such as weekly hangouts not always being possible due to missions and other liabilities, some things also remained the same.
One such thing was that Tan Lin's courtyard stayed as the group-up area, and, basically, everyone still decided to enter through the window of his room rather than the door- For old times' sake.
Of course, in the beginning, Tan Lin was vehemently against this arrangement being made without a single word of input from him- After all, it was his place!
He argued that he wouldn't be able to invite his senior sisters and other fairies over to his abode with peace of mind, furthermore, he complained that it would affect his cultivation with such interruptions.
Now these may have been valid points if they came from anyone else in the universe.
But a man such as Tan Lin, had the gall to say such things?!
Simply preposterous.
It was common knowledge that nine-tenths of whatever came out that man's mouth was complete and utter bullshit- And that was an absolute lowball.
Starting with the first point... it was quite naturally non-applicable.
It was a foregone conclusion that any and all women in the sect would much rather jump head-first into a toad's ditch and bathe in grime than go anywhere near his abode.
The boy was a living jade beauty repellent, no if, buts, whens or whys.
In fact, the poor bastard could also be called a jade repellent as he barely had a penny to his name.
As for the second point?
That was subjectively an even bigger impossibility.
Overall, in the friend group of six boys, including Fan Lin, the mean cultivation level was in between the first and second stages of the Foundation-Consolidation realm.
...Tan Lin was at the 9th stage of the Foundation-Establishment Realm.
It wasn't that his talent was just that bad, it was just that he didn't put much emphasis on cultivation as opposed to other things!
He seemed more obsessed with going out and completing sect missions, adamantly insisting that he'd surely run into a chance encounter that'll propel him to heights far above imagination.
'Madness' was what Zhang Wei sometimes called it, other times he dubbed it as 'MC syndrome'.
Zhang Wei, himself, except for completing the yearly task quota which was assigned to each outer disciple, had always acted like a hermit and spent his days cultivating and expanding his understanding of the cultivation world.
Over this long deficiency of 'Vitamin P', Zhang Wei's only immediate insurance and ticket to survival was to freshen up his knowledge about this new world.
He dipped his toes into numerous subjects and topics from formations, alchemy, talismans, and spiritual weapons to areas like dao physiques, history and geography.
Adding on the fact he was knowledgeable about the upcoming disasters, the prospect of going outside in the wild was truly a suicidal thought.
Anyways, with all things said, Tan Lin's rebelliousness and tears were smothered the moment it flared.
It was established that the man's abode was public property.
After taking a few twists and turns along the neatly paved path of the residential area, Zhang Wei soon arrived at the gate of Courtyard No.123.
He withdrew from his spacial ring and flashed a jade tablet which had the word 'Guest' written on it, then as if a flip was switched, the gates shot open as if they were welcoming him.
Zhang Wei weaved through the grassy area of the front yard by following a stone path that guided him to the actual house.
As he reached the end of the path and found himself to be at the front door, Zhang Wei made a sharp right and headed towards the first window.
He chapped the window three times, then unlocked it by twisting the handle, opened it, and hopped through unabashedly as if he'd done it many a time.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the one and only 'Disciple Hermit'!
"What brings your esteemed secluded self to my humble place, perhaps is it to receive a slap back to society?!
"Seriously Zhang! You are the damn definition of a mundane man!
"Four weeks!
"That's how long you've been studying the theory behind that damned 'Pentagonal Shielding Bubble Talisman' and 'Agility Acceleration Pill' for!
"I mean at this point we can all agree that this rat bastard has forgotten about our brotherhood!"
As Tan Lin's piercing voice said the last sentence, a cascade of 'hms' of approval spread throughout the room.
"Brother Tan is speaking facts!
"Even if you don't want to involve yourself with a puny Foundation-Establishment Realm cultivator, it doesn't mean you should ignore us fellow daoist brothers!"
"Ayy, fuck you, Jin Feng!
"Don't think I don't know your little 'friendship' with Alchemy Elder Ren Ying's precious little disciple!
"You're just a cheater who boosts himself with drugs, an empty shell. If we both fought I'm confident I'd whoop your ass!"
"What did you just say-!"
Seeing the two young men go at each other mercilessly, each insult getting worse they went back and forth, Zhang Wei couldn't help but ruefully laugh to himself and move his attention to the other two present.
The boy who had auburn hair and was sitting sighing to himself, seemingly sick of these arguments, was Zi Hua.
Compared to a few years ago, he looked more composed and put together than before, and his eyes carried a more mature look within them.
To the left of him was a rather bulky man with reddish hair and green eyes, who was munching on some rice crackers happily, seemingly unphased by the commotion around him.
Naturally, it was Tang Fen. Over the years the only thing that seemed to have changed about him is that he had become bulkier than before.
Seeing everyone back together like in the old days, Zhang Wei let out a melancholic sigh and said in an upbeat manner,
"Looks like all of you dweebs have finally decided to actually meet up!
"And Tan Lin you death-seeker, how dare you call me a hermit!
"I merely value my life and don't actively prance around scarily dangerous areas as a foundation establishment gremlin!
"I mean come on, at least learn to throw out a Qi punch before you battle a damn spirit beast!"
Hearing my almost lecturing words, Tan Lin's rebuttals against Jin Feng paused for a moment and he grumbled to me in an irritated tone,
"Don't chat shit, Secluded Wei!
"How will I ever be able to be like Lin Fan if I don't go through life and death situations!
"Apparently in the biography of Lin Fan, he had gone through dozens of life-threatening situations before rising to fame and dominating a sect elder's son!"
Upon listening to Tan Lin's comeback, I just slumped down on my chair and shook my head with disapproval, then said sardonically,
"Speaking of Lin Fan, have you guys heard about the scandal he's been involved in?!"
As soon as my question popped up, everyone's eyes sparkled with excitement.
The first one to pipe up and speak was aptly Jin Feng, the Cassanova of the outer sect.
"Hahaha!
"Of course I have, the guy went ahead and bagged the crown jewel of the sect, the sect leader's sole daughter, Han Xiu.
"What a fucking man, I can't count the number of times I've wanted to make a move on that chick but don't dare to due to that Nascent Soul father of hers warding me off!
"Where the real punch in the gut comes from is that apparently Han Xiu was meant to be engaged with Snobby Wang who got his ass beat by Lin Fan!
"I mean, come on!
"Could he really face-slap Snobby Wang anymore than this?!"
Everyone let out a hearty chuckle after hearing the famous story, and the conversation couldn't help but shift to the top ten beauty rankings in the sect,
"Brothers, who on the Beauty Rankings is your ideal type?
"Me personally, I'm definitely a Meng Xia type of guy, she has curves in all the right places and her luscious red lips are almost irresistible, she also has a gentle nature apparently."
"Wen Li, no comment needed."
As everyone answered one by one, Tan Lin's turn came around and the words that came out his mouth stunned everyone.
"Fuck it, boys!
"It's all or nothing!
"I'm going to try and court Gu Hua in the ninth place on the beauty rankings board from now on!"
Everyone let out an exasperated gasp and responded in concern as if they had just heard some ridiculous idea,
"Nah, stay calm brother!"
"Don't do this to yourself, Jade beauties are temporary but the dao is forever!"
"Don't fall into such a trap, you'll be bound to get a heart demon!"
Everyone tried to dissuade him from attempting such a risky endeavour, however, Tan Lin's will was unbreakable and therefore soon enough no one said anything else about it.
After all, a man had to make his own decisions and do what he had to do.
The discussions then abruptly shifted to recent updates within the sect.
"The notice on the task board has been updated recently, it says that irregular rates of demonic beasts and increased deaths have arisen.
"Even the beginner's punching bag forest has been made into a yellow zone!
"Absolute dogshit!
"Just what is happening here?
"Is some ancient demon planning on awakening for a prank or something?"
Once again, it was the ever-chatty Tan Lin that expressed his absolute dissatisfaction regarding the situation with the tone of his voice and the deep frown on his face.
Almost everyone seemed to be stunned hearing this type of news, except one.
Fair enough, Tan Lin!
You hit a bullseye with that answer!
First, the Fiendish Sovereign of Terror is going to break free from his already crumbling seal, and then a young Fourteen-Yin Netherworld Fox will awaken to avenge its mother that was hunted down by the previous patriarch of the Azure Profound Sect!
Ugh, just remembering those shitty generic Xianxia names alongside such a nonsensical situation makes it all the more infuriating!
God fucking damnit!
I and my braindead brothers aren't about to die to the guy who is unironically called the Fiendish Sovereign of Terror!
Fuck that!
As for the fox, if the dude can morph into human form and take revenge I'll respect the hustle.
If not, fuck that guy too!
Soon, the clear dark night sky dawned upon the world leaving merely leaving a radiant silver moon to illuminate the sky.
During these hours of chatting, various topics were covered from serious topics such as principles of everyone's future daos, to funny topics such as Elder Xun's crooked nose!
"Hehehehe, doesn't he totally look like some third-rate villain!"
"Holy shit, brother Zhang, your so right!"
"Yeah, never thought of it that way, plus he's a total fogey who complains for the sake of complaining!"
"His lectures are also boring as shit, I learn more from scratching my ass than whatever shit he's trying to spout!"
"HAHAHA!"
Everyone's eyes teared up from laughter, but the fun soon ended.
In major contrast to the happy mood of the room, a solemn voice rang out saying,
"Hey guys, sorry about this but it's getting a bit late and I need to go for one last trip before all nearby zones become yellow zones."
Hearing Tan Lin's sincere pleading, everyone nodded their head and got up while saying,
"No problem brother, make sure you stay safe."
"Yeah bro, I'll have a chicken wing waiting for your return."
Each person bade their farewells and good wishes until it got to Zhang Wei's turn.
Before he got a chance to say something nice, a system notification popped up.
Upon witnessing the contents, Zhang Wei's lips curled up into an unfathomable smile and he said assuredly and almost demandingly,
"Hear me right now, and promise me, that you come back to the sect area before midday. If you do so, I will guarantee that you will live to see your firstborn child!"
Everyone's eyebrows were raised at Zhang Wei's peculiarly stiff and serious words, and a short silence ensued.
However, the almost awkward experience was salvaged by Zi Hua as he spoke up in a joking manner,
"What you saying Bro Zhang, are you cursing him here?
"There is no way this bitch is ever becoming a father, I'll even bet ten thousand spirit stones on it!"
"I'm actually going to conduct a blood test on your ass if you don't zip it, Mr Fake Godking 6969!"
Everyone began laughing it off as a joke, including Zhang Wei.
However, if everyone had really seen what Zhang Wei had just seen, no one would be laughing.
In fact, beneath the exterior, Zhang Wei was shivering in excitement from what he'd just witnessed.
=============================
[Providence Update: (Protagonist) Lin Fan]
[Awakened Permanent Plot Providence, 'Dragons Are Cool... Yes?']
Description: Throughout one's personal journey, draconic influence will arise at one, or many, points. Currently, protagonist *Lin Fan* has acquired a draconic origin bloodline.
Perks:
-When enraged or determined, the bloodline will activate causing a 250% damage boost and a 50% damage reduction.
-When fatally injured, regeneration will spike by 500%.
-Due to the influence of the bloodline, physique, comprehension, and senses will be enhanced permanently.
-Under extreme conditions, enemies of lower origins will feel immense mental pressure and terror when fighting authority holders, as if they were in the presence of a true dragon.
Restrictions:
-Weak against the weak, tyrannical against the strong.
-Pride will spike due to bloodline, insolence will not be tolerated.
=================================
Hehehe, now that I'm truly witnessing the behind-the-scenes of the mighty plot armour, what's a mere fox and demon in comparison to it?
I've decided.
To reap the maximum rewards, neither strength or defence is needed.
That's what those Op Mc's and hidden experts need.
Nor is speed or escape tactics.
That's what those side characters and innocent disciples need to avoid imminent death.
Hehehe, what I require as a true Ultimate Background Character to witness and experience the scenario is some...
...Heavenly fuckin Concealment.