When Xiao opened the system, he saw something unexpected.
[System Notification]
Congratulations, Cultivator! You have purchased an Impure Qi Gathering Pill.
10x Exchange Activated!
Qi Condensing Pill — A pill that is completely pure, perfect for entering cultivation. You will find the pill in your inventory.
Xiao's face lit up with a big smile. No way... the system actually works like this! Getting past my peak will be so much easier now that I have the perfect pill for building a foundation. Xiao then reminisced about his past life struggles, how his imperfect foundation had slowed his progress compared to others.
He started getting excited and was about to take out the pill but Xiao reminded himself 'Not yet. I can wait until after I choose the spiritual root to take it.' He then said, "Rewards," knowing that this would bring up one of the hardest decision he would have to make.
Rewards:
Congratulations on completing the Main Quest!
You can now select your option:
Time Spirit Root
Chaotic Spirit Root
Xiao hesitated. He would have chosen the Chaotic Spirit Root without question if he hadn't looked at the System Store earlier and seen that the Time Spirit Root was 2.5 times more expensive in points. He had actually heard of the Chaotic Spirit Root in his past life — there had been one person recorded with the Chaotic Spirit Root, and that person had ruled the most powerful supreme world.
Xiao didn't know how this information had made its way into his world, but he had found it in the hidden tomb where he obtained his cultivation technique. That which was the sole reason for his success. He was thinking about the origins of that place but then refocused on the task at hand.
Now, Xiao struggled to make a decision. Should he follow a proven path that had elevated someone to the top of their world, or should he venture down an unknown road that the system claimed was even rarer?
After a brief moment, Xiao resolved, I'll either surpass everyone, or fail trying. Trusting the system, which had never failed him, he said, "Give me the Time Spirit Root."
System Notification:
Inserting Time Spirit Root...
Please lie down, as the process will take an estimated 12 hours.
Xiao laid down on his bed, and a countdown began.
10…
9…
...
2…
1…
As the countdown reached zero, Xiao let out the most painful scream of his life.
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Desperate to stifle his cries, Xiao bit down on his pillow, almost as if it were his mortal enemy. But the pain was relentless, and Xiao didn't understand why it hurt so much.
He screamed again, trying to release the agony, but even his iron will — which had brought him to the peak in his past life — was faltering. Each passing hour felt like a part of his soul was being ripped apart. Yet, he didn't give in, knowing he would regret it if he did.
By the third hour, Xiao was clawing at his arms, barely caring about the damage. At one point, he even contemplated suicide, but he pushed the thought away immediately.
By the sixth hour, he was destroying everything in the room, but the walls seemed invincible. His mind started slipping, and he tried to focus on his goals. "I will kill you, Liu Wei!" he shouted and a little bit later he started losing grip on his sanity.
Who am I? Why am I enduring this? His thoughts were crumbling.
By the ninth hour, Xiao had forgotten who he was. He couldn't tell where he was or what was happening. His soul felt shattered, and he was left with nothing but eternal suffering. He tried to scream but couldn't; it was as though his voice had abandoned him. In that moment, Xiao regretted choosing the Time Spirit Root.
Then, suddenly, he heard a monotone voice.
[System Notification]
Congratulations on obtaining the Time Spirit Root.
Xiao blacked out before he could hear the rest.
---
At the top of a distant mountain lay a figure, sleeping. The figure suddenly opened its ancient eyes, which seemed to have been closed for eons. Staring in a particular direction, the figure muttered with a melancholic expression, "It's time for its return."
Pulling out a transmission jade, the figure said two words: "It's back." Without waiting for a reply, the figure returned to its slumber, a small smirk forming on its face.
'I can't wait for the universe to be turned upside down again'
---
A few hours after gaining the Time Spirit Root, Xiao awoke, feeling more refreshed than ever, as though he had gained something truly significant. His body was completely healed, without a single scar from the intense pain he had endured.
Xiao sighed, recalling a quote she had once told him: The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow. Every challenge encountered is an opportunity for growth.
"Okay, let's see what I've gained," Xiao said, opening the system and saying, "Status."
[Status]
Name: Chen Xiao
Cultivation Level: Mortal (Time Spirit Root)
Qi Reserves: 0/0
Strength: 15
Agility: 12
Endurance: 14
Vitality: 22
Techniques: None
Xiao was kind of surprised seeing how high his stats went but realized doing the daily missions played a big contributing factor into that. Then next he started looking at his spiritual root.
Seeing that the system now listed the Time Spirit Root next to his cultivation level, Xiao asked for more information.
[Time Spirit Root]
Time Acceleration (Level 1): The user can use their qi to speed up time within a 20-meter radius, moving at twice the normal rate compared to others in that range.
Time Healing (Level 1): The user can use qi to reverse time on their body, healing wounds.
Locked
Locked
...
Xiao let out a loud laugh. "Hahaha! I'm unstoppable now!" he exclaimed, a grin stretching across his face.
Before he could do anything further, a knock on the door interrupted him. He heard a familiar voice say, "Xiao, come out in five minutes. I'll be waiting outside."