Bam!
Shen Ren moved, his footsteps silent as he crept up behind the thief. With a swift motion, he brought the sturdy twig in his hand down hard on the back of the burglar's head.
"Arghh..."
The burglar spun around, clutching the spot where he had been struck. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw Shen Ren standing there, calm and composed.
"Y-You..." the man stammered, his voice filled with shock, but he couldn't finish his sentence. His body crumpled to the ground, unconscious, eyes rolling back into his head.
Shen Ren glanced down at the fallen thief, exhaling softly.
He had deliberately held back his strength; if he had struck with his full power, the man's skull would have been crushed instantly.
"T-Thank you..." the woman spoke shakily, pulling her disheveled clothes back into place and clutching her child tightly to her chest. Her gratitude was palpable, though her voice trembled from the shock.
Shen Ren barely looked at her, his face a mask of indifference. "No problem. You should find a safe place," he advised, his voice flat but not unkind. "It's dangerous to be out here alone, especially with a child."
With that, he turned and continued down the path, his pace brisk and unhurried.
He couldn't afford to waste time on matters like this. There were more pressing things on his mind, and while he wasn't one to involve himself in the affairs of others, he intervened when it suited him.
In his own way, Shen Ren understood his selfishness. He didn't enjoy meddling in others business, but when the situation is favorable, he would help what he could.
The woman watched him go with gratitude and sped toward her own destination.
As Shen Ren sprinted through the dense forest, his movements were fluid, his body feeling as light as the wind. With every leap and swing from the branches overhead, his energy surged, as if boundless reserves lay within him. No matter how far or fast he ran, his muscles never fatigued, and his breathing remained steady. The sensation of limitless stamina puzzled him.
Could it be due to my physique? he wondered, his sharp eyes scanning the path ahead as he jumped effortlessly over a fallen tree.
Curiosity piqued, Shen Ren focused his attention on the System's interface that had become his companion in this strange world. He mentally navigated toward the "Physique" option, hoping to uncover the mystery behind his newfound vitality.
He was not ignorant, this system is more than just a tool—it's the key to strength, maybe even immortality. If he wanted to survive in this new world, he would need to understand it fully.
He understood Strength is everything in this new world. Only power will keep him, and his family, safe.
As his focus sharpened, the details of his physique were revealed on the glowing screen before him:
[Physique: Ancient Wellspring Physique]
[Description: As chosen by the destiny itself, the bearer of this physique is granted inexhaustible Spiritual Qi, like an ancient well—deep and profound.]
Shen Ren understood the gist of it.
Basically, he would gain access to inexhaustible Spiritual Qi. From the description, he gathered that this was not normal, meaning he had acquired a special constitution.
However, confusion still lingered. "But how do I use this Spiritual Qi?"
He could feel an unknown energy flowing through his body but couldn't release it no matter what he tried.
"What's the point of having so much Spiritual Qi if I can't use it properly?" he thought.
"Wait.." his thought drifted to Cultivation Arts.
< Cultivation Arts: You can learn Cultivation Arts to increase your combat power. They use Spiritual Qi for activation >
"So, Cultivation Arts are the mediums to use Qi more efficiently. But where do I get them from?"
He focused on Achievement Shop.
< Achievement Shop: You can buy all Heavenly and earthly scriptures, treasures, cultivation manual and many more >
< Status: Locked (7 days to go) >
Shen Ren sighed inwardly looking at the description.
"So basically I have to wait 7 days to even gather learn Cultivation Manuals or Arts. Doesn't that mean, I am stuck with just 10 spiritual Qi. At least my Qi doesn't get exhausted. But I would need to absorb them more to breakthrough to higher Cultivation Rank." Shen Ren spoke to himself, the habit of talking to himself kicking in.
[ Heavenly Mandates: After 7 days you will be sent to random Spirit World. You can earn Achievement Points by doing various task ]
"Send us to random World? And that just after seven 7 days? What does it wants us to do?" Shen Ren thought with worry, but his running didn't stop. He was making evey second Count.
He let it go for now.
At least, he had been granted an inexhaustible supply of stamina.
He could feel the Spiritual Qi, the source power, being consumed and then replenished, over and over again.
He found it incredible and felt truly alive.
As he arrived at his destination, he saw various known and unknown animals roaming the city, which was becoming more dangerous with each passing moment. Some of the creatures looked incredibly intimidating.
Fortunately, their attention was focused on some glowing trees that seemed to have descended from the heavens.
But he didn't dare approach them, knowing full well that he was no match for the beasts.
Some people tried to snatch fruit from the trees but met a miserable end.
The world was growing more chaotic by the second, which filled his heart with worry.
He finally entered the Skyline Club building, which, for now, seemed to be unharmed.
He exhaled a breath of relief.
"Ahh, help!"
"Someone, help!"
The building had seven floors, and he could hear sounds of chaos coming from the ground floor.
The cries of terror and pleas for help quickened his pace.
He took the stairs, finding the elevator out of service.
Along the way, he checked each floor for his sister, not knowing her exact location. Her phone was also turned off.
He saw a few police officers entering the building, trying to subdue the rebels, but it was chaotic due to the power gap between them and the awakened cultivators.
However optimistic Shen Ren might have been, the situation was spiraling out of control. He wasn't sure if his sister was still safe or not.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The sound of gunshots echoed through the building, making his heart race.
"Hey, wait, where are you going?"