The robed man stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with disdain. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with long, flowing hair that shimmered like molten silver. His robes were embroidered with intricate patterns of dragons and clouds, marking him as someone of importance. His confidence was unmistakable—this was a man who had never been challenged, at least not by someone he considered beneath him.
Li Xiaojun, on the other hand, was trying to wrap his head around everything. One moment he was face-first in noodle soup, and now he was in a world where his wildest fantasies had come to life. But even with the chaos swirling around him, one thing was clear: he had power now. Real power. And it felt damn good.
"Are you deaf?" the robed man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I said, it's time for you to learn your place."
Xiaojun felt a flicker of irritation. Back in his old life, he was used to being pushed around—by customers, bosses, society—but here? Here, things were different. He wasn't going to be some nobody delivery boy who got stepped on. Not anymore.
The system screen floated in front of him, reminding him of his recent gains. Qi Condensation, Stage 6. That put him leagues above where he'd been just moments ago, and even though he wasn't sure exactly how powerful that made him, he could feel the raw energy coursing through his body, and it was intoxicating.
"Your place?" Xiaojun repeated with a grin, his eyes narrowing. "You sure you're the one to teach me that?"
The man's eyes flickered with surprise, clearly not expecting resistance. "Bold words for someone so weak."
In the blink of an eye, the robed man shot forward, his hand raised to strike. His movements were swift, a blur of energy and precision, but Xiaojun's new senses kicked in before he even had time to think. His body moved on instinct, sidestepping the attack with ease. The ground where the man's hand landed cracked, sending small shockwaves through the earth.
Whoa. Xiaojun blinked. His body was way more responsive than before. He wasn't just stronger—he was faster, more aware, more in tune with the world around him.
The robed man snarled, clearly not used to missing his target. "You dare dodge me?!"
This time, Xiaojun didn't wait. He didn't have time for this guy's posturing. He wanted to test his new power—and he had the perfect punching bag. With a quick mental command, the system screen appeared again, this time showing his skill points.
[Skill Points: 5]
[Available Skills: Basic Martial Techniques, Qi Manipulation, Iron Body Technique, Lightning Palm Strike...]
Without hesitation, Xiaojun allocated his points, selecting "Lightning Palm Strike" and immediately feeling a surge of understanding flood his mind. It was like his brain downloaded years of training in an instant, and suddenly, he knew exactly how to channel the technique. His hands crackled with faint arcs of electricity.
The robed man rushed in again, furious now. He moved to punch Xiaojun with a burst of energy-infused force, but Xiaojun's reaction was immediate. With a quick twist of his body, he dodged the attack, and in the same fluid motion, he thrust his palm forward.
Crackle—BOOM!
The Lightning Palm Strike connected with the man's chest, sending a jolt of electricity surging through his body. The man's eyes went wide with shock—literally—as his muscles seized up, and he was thrown backward, skidding across the ground before crashing into a tree.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Xiaojun stared at his palm, still crackling with residual energy. "Damn. That was... something."
The robed man groaned from where he lay crumpled against the tree, his once-arrogant expression now replaced with disbelief and fear. He struggled to his feet, his body shaking from the aftershock of the attack.
"How... how did you...?"
"Guess I'm stronger than I look," Xiaojun said, shrugging casually. The truth was, he wasn't entirely sure how he had done it either. The system made everything so seamless, like second nature. He didn't need years of training or a rich family backing him up. All he needed were his daily rolls and a little luck.
The robed man's face twisted in rage, his pride clearly taking a massive hit. "You... you'll regret this! Do you even know who I am? I am Xuan Yan, disciple of the Crimson Serpent Sect! You've made an enemy of someone far above your station, you fool!"
Crimson Serpent Sect? Xiaojun mentally filed that information away for later. Right now, it didn't really matter to him who this guy was—he'd already proven that power didn't care about social standing.
But Xuan Yan wasn't done. Despite the fact that he was clearly outclassed now, he spat on the ground and glared at Xiaojun with hatred. "This isn't over. I'll be back, and next time, I'll make sure you suffer."
With a final glare, Xuan Yan turned and fled, limping away into the forest, his robes tattered and his ego even more so.
Xiaojun watched him disappear into the distance, feeling a mix of amusement and satisfaction. It was the first time in his life that he'd stood up to someone and won. And it felt incredible.
But as the adrenaline began to fade, Xiaojun's mind started racing again. What exactly had happened to him? Why was he here? Was this really Murim Conquest, or was it some kind of alternate reality that just resembled the game?
Before he could get too deep into his thoughts, the system's voice chimed again.
[Daily Gacha Roll available.]
Would you like to roll now?
Xiaojun grinned. He could get used to this.
"Hell yeah, let's roll."
The familiar wheel appeared in front of him, spinning rapidly once again. His eyes followed the prizes as they flicked past: "+1 Cultivation Year," "Epic Weapon," "Rare Beast Companion," "Void-Grade Armor." The wheel began to slow down, and his heart skipped a beat as it inched closer to the grand prize section.
Finally, it stopped on...
[Prize: Enhanced Skill Upgrade – Choose one existing skill to boost by one rank.]
Xiaojun's grin widened. He wasn't entirely sure how skill upgrades worked, but he had a feeling they were going to be useful. He scrolled through his available skills, lingering on "Lightning Palm Strike."
"Let's see what happens when we take this bad boy to the next level," he muttered.
As soon as he selected it, he felt a surge of energy flood into him once more. The knowledge of the technique became even clearer in his mind, sharper, more refined. The arcs of lightning that had danced across his palm earlier now crackled with twice the intensity, making the air around him hum with power.
[Skill Upgrade Complete: Lightning Palm Strike – Advanced Level.]
"Nice," Xiaojun said, flexing his fingers. He could practically feel the energy radiating from his hands.
But even as he enjoyed his new power, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. If there were people like Xuan Yan out there—and stronger ones—then he'd need to keep getting stronger too. He wasn't just some delivery boy anymore. He was in a world where strength ruled, and for the first time in his life, Xiaojun had the upper hand.
"Well," he said to himself, looking out over the strange new world he found himself in. "Guess it's time to see what else this place has to offer."
With a confident smile, he started walking toward the horizon. There was a whole world out there waiting for him, and with his system in hand, Xiaojun was ready to take it on.