"Arooo!!"
With a final howl of agony, a brown giant wolf, standing half a man's height tall, collapsed limply onto the ground. It dissolved into a shimmering ball of white light, leaving behind a few faintly glowing copper coins, several bottles of potion, a wolf pelt, and an ancient-looking book.
"Huh?! This is... a Skill Book!!"
Lin Feng's eyes lit up. He let out a whoop of joy and lunged forward, snatching the book before anything else. A Skill Book! He'd only just taken down a measly Level 5 mini-boss! The drop rate for these was supposed to be astronomically low according to the official guides for this newly launched VR game, Soul Master World. He'd only been playing for half a day and had just reached Level 8 himself, still without a single skill. His luck was incredible – not only stumbling upon a mini-boss while solo grinding, but having it drop a Skill Book!
Forgetting the other items scattered on the ground, Lin Feng eagerly examined the book in his hands.
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""Equipment Restoration Art": Upon learning, grants the auxiliary profession 'Equipment Restorer', enabling the repair of equipment."
"Learn Skill? Yes/No"
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A small, transparent virtual panel materialized before his eyes. A grin spread across his face. "Not a combat skill, but an auxiliary profession? Nice! Really nice! The servers just opened, and I've already landed a profession! Wonder if I'm the first? Heh heh..."
Without a second thought, Lin Feng selected 'Yes'. Instantly, the book dissolved into a stream of white light that surged into his body.
Opening his status panel, he saw the previously greyed-out 'Auxiliary Profession' section now illuminated. A new skill resided within it.
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"Equipment Restoration Art (Apprentice Level)"
"Skill EXP: 0/100"
"Description 1: Can currently repair White-grade equipment."
"Description 2: Skill levels: Apprentice, Novice, Master, Grandmaster, Divine Artisan.
(Hint: Higher skill levels allow repair of higher-grade equipment and may yield unexpected rewards. Strive to level up!!)"
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After reading the description, Lin Feng was itching to try it out immediately. He glanced down at the two-foot-long iron sword in his left hand.
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"Name: Iron Sword."
"Grade: White."
"Requirement: None."
"Attack Power: 15."
"Durability: 5/10."
"Description: An utterly ordinary iron sword, devoid of any notable features."
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It was a standard newbie weapon. Half a day of monster-slaying had halved its durability. Focusing on the sword, Lin Feng willed the skill.
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"Equipment Damage: 50%."
"Materials Required for Repair: Common Iron."
"Repair? Yes/No."
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Lines of text promptly appeared. "Huh? Requires materials..." Lin Feng frowned slightly, checking his inventory. He had a few lumps of Common Iron – basic White-grade materials – dropped by earlier monsters.
"Repair."
As the mental command was issued, a faint glow enveloped the iron sword. Simultaneously, two lumps of Common Iron vanished from his inventory. Lin Feng also noted his MP (Magic Points) decreased by 10.
Inspecting the sword again, its Durability was now firmly back at 10/10. Checking his skill interface confirmed his Skill EXP had increased to 3/100.
"Not bad! At least I won't need to spend money at the blacksmith for repairs anymore," he mused, a satisfied grin forming. "Plus, I can repair gear for other players... that's a solid money-making avenue! Especially during dungeon runs when you can't just pop back to town. Heh heh... fortune awaits!"
Having tested the Equipment Restoration Art, Lin Feng felt a wave of elation wash over him. He was practically floating on air.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Just as he was basking in his success, a sudden jolt of unease shot through him. He looked around, startled.
The environment around him was distorting and flickering erratically, as if the signal was unstable.
"Game lag? Or is my VR pod malfunctioning? Power outage?"
Confusion flickered in his eyes. An instinctive sense of dread washed over him. He immediately tried to log out. But before he could…
Crack…
A faint, almost imperceptible sound of shattering echoed in his ears. Then, Lin Feng watched in utter disbelief as the entire world around him fractured like glass. Darkness engulfed his vision. It felt like a black hole had opened before him, violently sucking his very soul into its depths!
Consciousness fled.
......
...
Eastern Loong Continent, Xia Kingdom, Southern Territories, Qingyun City.
Though located within the borders of the Xia Kingdom, Qingyun City wasn't governed by mortal rulers. This was not a city for ordinary folk; it was a city for cultivators. Nominally, it served as a subsidiary city to the fourth-tier sect, the 'Biquan Sect'.
While Qingyun City ranked among the lowest tier of cultivation cities on the Yueyun Continent, lacking even a single Golden Core cultivator, it was undeniably a place where those who walked the path gathered – a haven for low-level cultivators.
Evening painted the sky with the fading hues of sunset. A young man clad in rough-spun hemp clothes walked with a solitary air down the bustling street, seemingly indifferent to the surrounding clamor.
He stood about six feet tall, leanly built, with short hair cropped just above his forehead. His face wasn't classically handsome, but it was pleasant enough. Though weariness etched his features, his eyes held a clear, sharp gaze, leaving a generally favorable first impression.
The young man's name was Lin Feng. In Qingyun City, he was an utterly insignificant minor rogue cultivator.
"Finally saved up ten low-grade spirit stones," Lin Feng thought, his hand instinctively brushing against his chest, as if reassuring himself the precious items were still there. Anticipation and excitement warred with a familiar undercurrent of disappointment and resignation within him.
—Reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining. For others, it was a simple step once they had the spirit stones. Yet, he had failed three months ago. It had taken him another three grueling months to scrape together another ten low-grade spirit stones. Would he succeed this time?
"Maybe… I truly just don't have the aptitude for cultivation…"
The bitterness of his arduous cultivation journey made his lips twist into a wry smile. He touched his chest again, his fingers tracing the outline of the object hanging beneath his shirt against his skin. Instantly, a fierce determination blazed anew in his eyes.
"Don't give up!! Even if it takes ten times the effort of others, I must succeed! Only with sufficient strength can I uncover the whereabouts of my parents!!"
Fueled by this resolve, Lin Feng unconsciously quickened his pace. He turned into a narrow alley branching off the main street's right side, heading towards his meager dwelling.
Silence enveloped the alley, starkly contrasting the lively street he'd left behind. An ordinary person might find the place unnerving, even sinister. But Lin Feng had walked this path countless times. Head down, he moved briskly.
Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks, staring ahead with shock.
—Two young men with unfriendly expressions blocked his path.
Robbery!
The word flashed through his mind. Frowning, Lin Feng turned to retreat.
He froze again. Two more men – one tall, one short – had appeared behind him, seemingly out of thin air.
Lin Feng's heart plummeted. He pressed his back against the left wall, watching the four figures close in. Forcing his voice steady, he demanded, "What do you want?"
"Hmph! Playing dumb?" sneered the muscular man with a square jaw from the right pair. His grin was vicious. "Be smart. Hand over everything you've got willingly, or we'll break both your legs!"
A muscle twitched near Lin Feng's mouth. After a brief hesitation lasting only a couple of seconds, he swallowed his humiliation. He reached into his robe and pulled out a small cloth pouch, tossing it towards the muscular man. "My silver's all there. Take it. Let me go."
"Heh! Knows what's good for him." The muscular man caught the pouch with a smirk of triumph. He didn't even glance inside, his eyes still locked onto Lin Feng with a cold glint. "But you think I waited here this long just for a bit of silver? Stop playing the fool! Hand over the spirit stones you're hiding!"
"..."
Lin Feng's pupils contracted sharply. A flash of raw fury ignited in his eyes, but he wrestled it down once more. Slowly, agonizingly, he reached inside his robe again. His fingers closed around three chicken-egg-sized, milky white crystals. His knuckles turned white from the force of his grip. Reason screamed that resistance would only earn him a severe beating. After the barest moment of hesitation, he flung the three low-grade spirit stones towards the thug.
"Haha! Smart lad! Saved me the trouble of roughing you up." The muscular man's eyes lit up with greed as he snatched the stones from the air. A quick glance confirmed their authenticity, and he laughed heartily before stuffing them into his own robe.
"..."
Lin Feng's fists clenched so tightly his nails threatened to pierce his palms. He watched, powerless, as the fruits of an entire month's backbreaking labor disappeared into the other man's possession. Despite his iron will, a flicker of deep-seated resentment and hatred finally surfaced in his gaze…
"Hmm?" The muscular man's eyes narrowed dangerously, catching Lin Feng's expression instantly. Without warning, his right hand lashed out like a viper!
Slap!!
Lin Feng saw only a blur. Before he could react, a searing pain exploded across his right cheek. The sharp impact left a distinct, red handprint.
Shock jolted through Lin Feng. Even at the meager Qi Refining Level 3, his physique and reflexes far surpassed an ordinary mortal's. Yet, he hadn't even seen the blow coming. This meant the muscular man's cultivation base was significantly higher than his own!
While reeling from this realization, Lin Feng felt a powerful grip seize the front of his robe. He was yanked violently off his feet. Panic surged as he struggled, but the man's arm felt like an iron clamp. Escape was impossible.
"You got a problem with this?!"
The muscular man's voice, thick with malice, hissed in his ear. Lin Feng saw the cold, murderous intent flashing in the man's eyes. Fear instantly doused his resistance. Gritting his teeth, he forced out a strained whisper, "N-no... nothing..."
The muscular man watched Lin Feng's expression with cruel amusement, then suddenly burst into harsh laughter. With a contemptuous flick of his wrist, an immense force slammed into Lin Feng. He was hurled backwards like a ragdoll.
Thud!
His body slammed into the unforgiving stone wall behind him before crashing heavily onto the hard-packed earth of the alley floor.
As the muscular man threw him, his fingers snagged on the thin cord around Lin Feng's neck. The cord snapped taut with the force of Lin Feng's flight, then broke. A small object arced through the dimming light, clattering onto the ground a few feet away.
It was a ring. An ancient-looking, unadorned black ring.
...
"Worthless coward!!"
The muscular man's voice, dripping with scorn and mockery, echoed in Lin Feng's ears. A wave of violent rage surged within him, but once again, he choked it down.
"Huh?"
Then, Lin Feng's expression contorted in sudden, dawning horror. He instinctively looked down at his chest. Terror, pure and absolute, flooded his eyes.
"Oh?"
At that very moment, Lin Feng heard the muscular man utter a sound of surprise. Looking up, his blood ran cold. The thug was bending down, picking up the black ring from the ground!
"NO!! GIVE IT BACK!!"
In that instant, Lin Feng snapped. It was as if a primal switch had been flipped. He erupted from the ground with a raw, guttural scream, lunging towards the muscular man like a wild beast, hands desperately clawing towards the ring.
This sudden, explosive transformation stunned all four assailants. Moments ago, he'd been a submissive 'coward', enduring the theft of valuable spirit stones without a real fight. Now, for a simple ring, he was berserk?
"Hmph!!"
Recovering quickly from his surprise, the muscular man's eyes hardened with ruthless intent. A disdainful snort escaped him. His foot shot out with blinding speed, catching Lin Feng squarely in the chest just as he closed in.
Thump!
Lin Feng was flung back several meters, the breath knocked out of him.
Unfazed by Lin Feng's desperate charge, the muscular man finally looked properly at the ring in his hand. His expression shifted instantly from casual interest to intense scrutiny. His eyes widened further, disbelief washing over his face.
"This... a Spatial Ring?! It is a Spatial Ring!! Haha! You actually had a Spatial Ring?!" Recognition dawned, followed by unbridled, ecstatic greed. The muscular man threw his head back and roared with laughter.
"GIVE IT BACK!!"
That laughter was the sound of Lin Feng's heart freezing solid. Scrambling to his feet, ignoring the pain, he charged again, his voice a ragged, desperate shriek!
"Looking to die?!"
This time, the muscular man didn't need to act. The shorter, stockier thug beside him sneered. He stepped forward, his fist driving hard into Lin Feng's chest with a sickening thud.
Whump!
Lin Feng was sent sprawling backwards once more.
"GIVE IT BACK!!"
Like a man possessed, ignoring the agony radiating through his body, Lin Feng staggered upright yet again and charged.
Crunch!
This time, the taller, lankier thug intercepted him. His fist, powered by Qi Refining Level 3 strength, connected squarely with Lin Feng's temple.
The impact was brutal. Lin Feng was lifted off his feet, flung nearly ten meters down the alley. He landed heavily in a crumpled heap and lay utterly still, seemingly unconscious.
The muscular leader finally tore his gaze from the priceless treasure in his hand, his initial shock replaced by a cold, calculating cruelty as he looked at Lin Feng's motionless form. A spark of murderous intent ignited in his eyes.
"Fourth Brother! Finish him!!" The muscular man's voice was a low, vicious snarl. What had started as a simple spirit stone robbery had yielded an unimaginable prize – a Spatial Ring! Even Foundation Establishment cultivators might not possess such a treasure. In the lowly circles of Qi Refining cultivators, it was beyond precious. Eliminating Lin Feng was now essential to avoid future complications.
After all, the kid was a nobody, a rootless rogue cultivator. His death would raise no significant ripples.
"Yes, Big Brother!"
The tall, lanky thug ('Fourth Brother') blinked, momentarily taken aback by the order, then his own eyes gleamed with savage understanding. He drew a dagger from his belt and strode purposefully towards Lin Feng.
At that precise moment...
CRACKLE!!
Without any warning, a jagged bolt of grey lightning lanced down from the darkening sky. It struck Lin Feng's prone form with unerring accuracy.
BOOM!!
A muffled explosion tore through the alley. Lin Feng's body convulsed violently, instantly charred black. Thick, acrid smoke billowed from his smoldering clothes, carrying the nauseating stench of charred flesh into the still air.
"Urk..."
The sudden, violent spectacle shocked all four thugs. 'Fourth Brother' halted mid-stride, staring dumbfounded at the smoking figure who had just been struck by lightning.
"Th-this..." The muscular leader stammered, his eyes wide with stunned disbelief. His expression turned utterly bizarre. Has this kid committed worse sins than me? Struck by lightning out of the blue...
"Boss... he looks... dead?" 'Fourth Brother' ventured hesitantly, eyeing the motionless, blackened form.
The muscular man frowned, peering intently at Lin Feng. There was no sign of movement. Struck by lightning... he couldn't possibly survive...
He felt no inclination to inspect the charred 'corpse' up close. With a dismissive wave, he commanded, "Let's go!!"
The unexpected windfall of the Spatial Ring made him anxious. Lingering risked unwanted witnesses. He hurriedly led his three underlings away, disappearing down the alley towards the distant street.
...
The four figures vanished into the twilight. Silence, thick and absolute, reclaimed the narrow alley.
Then... a faint twitch. The index finger on the left hand of the charred, seemingly lifeless Lin Feng moved. Just once.