Ling wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the foul stench of blood and booze woke him up. It seemed like his hands and feet were tied, and a blindfold covered his green eyes.
His head still ached slightly from the earlier encounter, and his memories were a little fuzzy. He had left the sect and was ambushed not even a few steps out of the gate.
But just as he thought his organs were going to be harvested, his interface flashed. He checked it out of curiosity, and the moment he did, his eyes widened.
Name: Ling Tianlei
Lifespan: 100 years
Talent: Low-Grade Mortal Root
Cultivation: First Stage Tempered Body (Qi: 1/1,000)
Legacy: None
Bloodline: None
Physique: None
He had gained the lowest grade talent, and his cultivation jumped up to the First Stage Tempered Body. It wasn't anything great. But for someone who couldn't even cultivate before, it was a blessing.
There was a faint energy swirling in his Dantian, and while he had the basic knowledge of how to cultivate and manipulate it, he couldn't do much with his current cultivation.
"This one's awake!" a man shouted. Immediately, a dozen people barged into the place Ling was trapped in.
The footsteps approached him, quieted down, and then his blindfold flew off his face, revealing the large cave he was in.
Jagged stalactites loomed on every wall, the cave barely lit by a pale beam of light filtering through cracks above.
He didn't have much time to admire his surroundings, since the man who had taken off his blindfold picked him up by the neck and threw him backward.
Ling expected to land painfully on his back. Instead, he fell into some kind of pit, where a dozen other people were all lying tied up.
Despite his calm exterior, he was panicking. His palms were sweaty, and his heart was practically beating out of his chest.
Are they waiting for something? If death was their goal, they could have ended us already...
"Fellow cultivators!" a thunderous voice rang out, causing each and every person present to shiver in fear. Ling wasn't spared either, as he found it hard to even draw a breath.
"I'm certain all of you are confused, but look at this encounter as an opportunity! We took you from the streets and brought you into our trial grounds!" the voice added. "We have generously given you a treasure to awaken your trash talents and even forcefully guide Qi through your meridians."
The voice paused, and Ling could practically see the mischievous grin forming as it continued.
"Congratulations, all of you have broken through to the First Stage Tempered Body realm!"
Despite the grand introduction, not a single person cheered. Even Ling was biting his lip, still trying to keep his consciousness from slipping away due to the pressure he felt.
What realm is this guy? Qi Transformation...? Higher? Ling contemplated. Then, he felt his hands and feet regain freedom. As he looked down, he realized the ropes had been cut.
The thunderous voice rang out again, containing a trace of authority. "You may call me the Trial Master, and from this moment on, your first trial has begun!"
Although the Trial Master hadn't mentioned what kind of trial it would be, Ling only needed one glance to realize what it was.
A battle royale. They'd have to kill each other until the Trial Master was satisfied.
Ling's thoughts were interrupted when he felt another person crash into him, an old man. It seemed like he came here for a fight, and just as Ling was about to give it to him, someone appeared behind the old man and twisted his head, killing him in an instant.
No blood spilled, only a moment of silence and the sound of a body hitting stone.
Ling stared at the corpse for a few moments, his fingertips trembling. And soon, chaos erupted.
"AAAH! She killed someone!"
"Run!"
The people scattered around the pit, trying their best to escape. But with each attempt, a person rose up and killed the ones in panic.
As for Ling, he was still staring at the person who had just killed the old man.
She had messy brown hair that cascaded down to her waist and striking blue eyes that didn't match the ruthless expression on her face.
That being, the face of someone ready to kill him without hesitation.
But Ling had an advantage, and that was knowledge.
He took a deep breath, letting the chaos fade into the background noise. A warmth swirled in his Dantian. It was faint, like a calm flame ready to be stirred. As he centered himself, it moved sluggishly, almost on its own.
The cold sensation in his limbs faded, replaced by the same warmth that had swirled quietly in his Dantian.
His muscles tensed, and his bones hardened. Even the subtle dizziness he had felt earlier had vanished.
He felt like he had been reborn, and as he glanced toward the woman across from him, he prepared to fight.
But as if out of instinct, Ling tilted his head, dodging an incoming fist.
He didn't just let it fly past, as he caught the hand mid-swing, steadied his footing, and yanked hard.
But maybe it was a little too hard, since he heard a loud crack, followed by a faint dripping sound, which was none other than blood.
And of course, the scream that soon followed.
"AAAH! My fucking arm! You will pay for this!" the man yelled in anger, clutching his broken arm that had been dangling uselessly at his side.
With his other arm, the man attempted to swipe at Ling, but once again, he evaded effortlessly before gripping the arm with his hand and staring straight into the man's frightened eyes.
Then, without even batting an eye, Ling tightened his grip, crushing the man's remaining arm.
But just as he thought that would be the end of it, the woman from earlier walked up to the man, pulled out her hairpin, and stuck it straight into the man's neck.
She didn't even bat an eye while killing the man. Yet once her gaze traveled toward Ling, she simply nodded in approval and began walking away.
He took a step to follow, but another fist swiftly flew toward his face, cutting him off, but he raised his arm just in time to block it.
Ling skidded back a few feet, then glanced back at the attacker. And the moment he did, his eyes widened.
"...Uncle Feng?"