Chen Guo was sizing up the Venerable Taoist's combat strength, noting it at 1,785—a notch below that of the Ghost King Sun Chengzong.
It just goes to show, there's a clear divide between the rare elites and the regular ones.
When the Venerable Taoist suddenly addressed him, Chen Guo jumped in surprise.
This was the first monster he had encountered that could actually communicate.
"You can talk?" Chen Guo exclaimed in astonishment.
"I am not a mute, naturally I can speak," the Venerable Taoist responded.
"You!" Chen Guo was taken aback, "You've retained your sentience!"
The Venerable Taoist explained, "My mind is a tumult of confusion, yet it's also piercingly lucid. I'm lost in a fog, yet see with utter clarity. Benefactor, you've yet to answer my question."
Chen Guo replied, "I'm here to slay demons and banish monsters. If you've kept your wits about you, then you must realize you've become a monster. It would save me trouble if you took your own life!"
The Venerable Taoist retorted, "This world's descent into chaos stems from the extraterrestrial devils. It is you, the true monsters, who deserve death! Death!"
With that, the Venerable Taoist launched an attack on Chen Guo.
His Buddhist martial arts were impeccable, particularly the Great Palm Seal, which packed a formidable punch.
Chen Guo, however, was unfazed and struck back, muttering disdainfully, "In the end, just another monster."
He had no interest in uncovering the history of this world or in the sorrowful tales of these monsters. If killing them meant more slaughter points, then so be it.
The fight itself was unremarkable.
The Venerable Taoist's combat strength stood at 1,785.
Chen Guo's, on the other hand, was a towering 3,705.
The battle was a complete rout.
Within a handful of rounds, the Venerable Taoist lay defeated.
"At last..." With his eyes closed in death, the Venerable Taoist whispered, "I am liberated..."
"You have slain the Level-8 Elite Venerable Taoist, earning 3,500 Slaughter Points!"
"You've ascended to Level-9!"
"You have completed the survival mission 'Nine Deaths One Life'! Awaiting handover..."
"Your Buddhist reputation has increased by 140 points!"
"You've obtained an ordinary Sarira!"
"Ordinary Sarira: Use it to break through the limits of Buddhist martial arts divine abilities!"
"You've received a Star Gate Key!"
"Star Gate Key: Grants access to the Blessed and Heavenly Lands, where you may encounter serendipitous adventures!"
Amidst the flurry of notifications, Chen Guo realized he had completed the survival mission.
This allowed Chen Guo to breathe a sigh of relief. Regardless of what the future held, he wouldn't be wiped out by the system anytime soon.
Without a word, Chen Guo assessed Venerable Pu Dao's strength and initiated the Omnipresent Duplication.
"Ding! Duplication initiated. You have duplicated the Secret Sect's Great Palm Seal!"
"Secret Sect's Great Palm Seal: A technique from the supreme yoga practices, the apex of worldly martial arts, renowned for its formidable power!"
"At last, a skill!"
Chen Guo mused.
From the ordinary monks, Chen Guo had only gained some attributes, but it was Venerable Pu Dao who truly delivered, gifting him the Secret Sect's Great Palm Seal.
Skills, naturally, the more the merrier. Regardless of their potency, each skill was an ace up his sleeve.
The more aces, the more varied your strategies.
At that moment, Chen Guo glanced at his attribute panel:
Name: Chen Guo
Identity: Trial Challenger
Level: 9 - ???
Strength: 301
Agility: 310
Endurance: 276
Spirit: 299
Charm: 204
Talents: Heaven Level Omnipresent Duplication, Universe Level Flying Thunder God Art, Universe Level Electromagnetic Dominator...
Skills: Playing Dead, Concealment Art, Secret Sect's Palm, Singularity of the Sword, Mao Mountain Body Technique, Yellow Turban Warrior Technique, Heavenly Master Talismans, Heavenly Demon Whip Technique, Myriad Spirit Gu...
Combat Strength: 4,260
Rating: Rising Star!
Reflecting on his abysmal initial attributes, Chen Guo figured that with his current prowess, he could single-handedly wreak havoc on an entire nation back on Blue Star.
Regrettably, a return to Blue Star seemed out of reach.
In that moment, Chen Guo found that the ordinary Sarira could enhance the Secret Sect's Palm, so he opted to break through.
His philosophy was simple: never hoard resources. If there was an opportunity to boost his combat strength immediately, he would take it without hesitation.
Since you never know who your next enemy might be or the dangers they pose, it's always best to be as strong as possible.
Life isn't a game where you can leisurely power up; you need to seize every opportunity to enhance your strength.
That way, when the unexpected strikes, you're prepared to defend yourself to the fullest.
Chen Guo was still puzzled about how to complete the survival task, so he turned his focus to the star gate key.
"Would you like to use the star gate key?"
"Yes."
After a moment's thought, Chen Guo selected "Yes."
"You have pinpointed the location of the Blessed and Heavenly Lands. These lands offer substantial rewards but may also harbor dangers. Do you wish to enter the Blessed and Heavenly Lands?"
"Yes." "No."
Chen Guo again chose "Yes."
Suddenly, a blue portal materialized before Chen Guo, presumably the teleportation array leading to the Blessed and Heavenly Lands.
Without hesitation, Chen Guo stepped through the portal.
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, yet also an eternity, Chen Guo found himself in another world, a much smaller one.
Before him stretched a field of various spiritual mushrooms and immortal herbs. His equipped Medicine King Treasure Bible came into play, enabling him to identify these valuable botanicals.
"Thousand-year polygonum multiflorum: indispensable for concocting thrombin pills!"
"Polar Ginseng: crucial for crafting Origin Pills!"
"Century-old Meaty Lingzhi: vital for making Tiger Vigor Pills!"
The array of herbs was dazzling, each a spiritual herb of great value.
Chen Guo didn't hesitate to harvest these herbs, stowing them away in his Cosmos Bag.
But then, Chen Guo sensed something and turned, waiting in silence.
Shortly after, a group approached him.
"You're from Jutrela, aren't you?" the leader inquired. "I'm Frank, hailing from the European sector, Beginner Village No. 4577!"
Chen Guo expressed his surprise, "Can this place connect to other regions?"
"Absolutely," Frank confirmed. "With a star gate key, there's a chance to enter this realm. Within lies a gravely weakened immortal, and we'll need to team up to take him on!"
"Oh..." Chen Guo mused, "Is it impossible to take him down solo?"
Frank replied, "That deity may be at death's door, but he still boasts a combat power of 6000. Plus, he's guarded by a cadre of puppets. We'll need to pool our team's strength to stand a chance against him!"
Chen Guo remained noncommittal with an "Oh..."
"I extend a heartfelt invitation for you to join my team. We'll share the loot equally," Frank said, gazing earnestly at Su Mu.
"I..."
Before Chen Guo could respond, a glint of silver sparked in Frank's eyes.
"Trial challenger Frank has unleashed his Heaven Level talent—Charm Human!"
"Your mental fortitude surpasses Frank's."
"Your spiritual cultivation exceeds Frank's."
"Your Clear Qi Robe has diminished the mental assault of Charm Human!"
"You've resisted Frank's mental attack!"