"What???" His head burned with a sharp pain, and then he fainted.
When he woke up, he found that the headache had almost disappeared, but there were many new memories that he had never known before. Rune began sorting through his new memories.
Then, suddenly, he realized:
"So this is what happened? I really did transition to the original world. It seems my memories weren't completely erased."
Rune started recalling the last scene before leaving planet Earth. A final word appeared on the screen:
[Temporary]
"So, I guess I'll regain all my memories soon."
Suddenly, the system's voice rang out:
[An incomplete cultivation technique detected: "Moon Steps."]
Rune looked at the system screen, but it was different from before. It was semi-transparent and dim in color.
"It seems the system used up all its energy to transport me to the original world," Rune thought.
"System, when can you restore your energy?" Rune asked.
[Time remaining to restore system energy: 989 years]
"That's way too long! Why so much?" Rune wondered.
[Do you think traveling through time and space across countless light-years is easy, you fool?]
"Alright, alright. At least you haven't lost your attitude. But is there any way to speed up the process?"
[The system draws its energy from the host. The stronger the host becomes, the shorter the duration significantly]
"Hmm." Rune felt enlightened.
"Then I must complete the study of this technique."
Rune examined the technique in his hands and began reading it.
[The incomplete technique "Moon Steps" has been learned]
Rune absorbed the technique at an unusually fast pace.
"That's strange..." Rune was astonished. He thought he would need at least an hour to memorize and understand this technique, but in just a few seconds, it was nearly impossible.
"Status," Rune commanded the system.
This was one of the system's functions.
[Name: Rune
Gender: Male
Stage: None
Talent: Unmatched Insight
Bloodline: ????
Stored Techniques: Moon Steps (Incomplete)]
"Unmatched Insight..." Rune read slowly. "Why didn't I have this before?" he wondered.
[Some talents activate under certain conditions]
"I guess transitioning to the main world and activating the system were those conditions," Rune thought.
"Bloodline? I have a bloodline?" Rune asked in confusion.
A bloodline was a powerful way to surpass ranks and easily defeat stronger enemies. But how could Rune possess a bloodline? He was born to an ordinary family in a poor city on a mid-tier planet in the original world.
[Unavailable at the moment] the system hesitated before responding.
"It seems I'm too weak right now," Rune sighed.
In his previous life, the system would refuse to tell Rune certain things because he was too weak to hear them.
"They say knowledge is poison to the weak."
"Well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I can become stronger now," Rune thought. "But how can I cultivate without a cultivation technique?"
[The host can spend some Soul Points to purchase cultivation techniques]
"I can do that?" Rune was immediately intrigued. "But what are Soul Points?"
The system opened a window in front of Rune.
[Soul Points:
These points allow you to use the Knowledge Store.
The system is all-knowing.
With enough Soul Points, you can learn all the world's secrets.
Soul Points can be obtained by collecting souls]
"Interesting," Rune said as he browsed the list.
[Zero-grade life: 1 Soul Point.
First-grade life: 4 Soul Points.
Second-grade life: 16 Soul Points.
Third-grade life: 64 Soul Points.
Fourth-grade life: 256 Soul Points.
Fifth-grade life: 1024 Soul Points.
Immortal life: ??????]
Rune read the texts in astonishment.
"Soul Store," Rune commanded the system.
[Currently unavailable]
"It seems there are some conditions for activating the store," Rune thought. "System, what are the conditions to open the store?"
[The host must obtain enough Soul Points to unlock the store]
"Alright. That makes sense," Rune replied.
"But how can I practice an incomplete technique?" Rune held the technique in his hand and pondered.
Practicing incomplete techniques was extremely dangerous. One could suffer severe injuries or even become crippled if the technique failed to activate properly.
[The host can spend some Soul Points to restore the missing part of the technique and improve it]
"I can do that too?" Rune was greatly surprised. "The system really is all-knowing."
"Alright, I can kill beasts from the zero grade to collect Soul Points and exchange them for a cultivation method, then I can practice 'Moon Steps.'" Rune immediately made his decision as he flipped through the yellow paper.
But this time, he noticed something strange...
On the back of the paper, a cultivation method up to the third world was written.
Mortal cultivation methods were divided into five stages:
Bone Refinement Stage.
Muscle Refinement Stage.
Tendon Refinement Stage.
Internal Organs Refinement Stage.
Skin Refinement Stage.
Each stage was divided into four levels:
Beginning of the stage.
Middle of the stage.
End of the stage.
Peak of the stage.
A cultivator had to gather spiritual energy from nature and use it to refine the appropriate part of the body to perfection, allowing them to advance to the next stage.
"Even though it's a common cultivation method, it serves its purpose," Rune thought happily as he read through the cultivation techniques. "With this, I won't have to wait to gather Soul Points to buy a cultivation technique. I can collect the points and use them to fix 'Moon Steps' instead."
Common cultivation methods were popular because they didn't require a large amount of energy, making them accessible to any cultivator. However, cultivators preferred to find techniques that suited them.
For example, if someone was born with an affinity for fire laws, it would be best to use a cultivation technique of the same nature. This way, they could cultivate twice as fast with half the effort and even more efficiently.
Rune immediately began reading the cultivation method.
[You have comprehended a first-level cultivation method]
[You have comprehended a second-level cultivation method]
[You have comprehended a third-level cultivation method]
In just a few seconds, Rune managed to understand all three cultivation methods.
"Anyway, it's time to return this technique," Rune thought as he stretched.
But he quickly noticed something terrifying.