Ye Tian stood in the center of his hut, feeling the majestic power of the 6th Layer of Qi Condensation coursing through his veins. He felt invincible. He felt like a god.
He also felt... sticky.
" Sniff. "
Ye Tian wrinkled his nose. "What is that unholy stench? Did Wang Hu shit himself before he flew out the window?"
He looked down at his arms. His skin, previously yellow and malnourished, was now glistening with a layer of thick, black, tar-like substance.
The memories of the original owner provided the answer: [Marrow Cleansing]. When a genius awakens a divine body, the impurities of the mortal world are expelled through the pores.
"Great," Ye Tian deadpanned. "I have the Supreme Chaos Body, but I smell like a wet dumpster behind a seafood market."
He looked at the broken door. Outside, disciples were starting to gather, whispering about the commotion. If he walked out looking like a creature from the Black Lagoon, his "Expert" image would be ruined instantly.
"System!" Ye Tian mentally shouted. "Is there a cleaning function? An auto-wash feature?"
[Ding! The System is not a nanny. Please resolve personal hygiene issues yourself.]
"Useless trash System," Ye Tian grumbled.
He quickly scanned the room for water. The water jar was smashed during the fight.
"Plan B. Looting."
Ye Tian walked over to where Wang Hu had been standing. The bully had dropped a small embroidered pouch when he was slapped into orbit.
"A Spatial Bag!" Ye Tian's eyes lit up. "Wang Hu has been robbing disciples for years. He must be loaded. Maybe he has cleansing talismans or high-tier robes!"
Ye Tian picked up the pouch. He injected a strand of his Qi to break the seal. It opened easily.
He turned it upside down and shook it.
Plop. Plop. Clink.
Three items fell onto the floor.
1. Two Low-Grade Spirit Stones (the ones he stole from someone else).
2. A bottle of 'Aphrodisiac Pill' (half empty).
3. A pair of dirty socks.
Ye Tian stared at the pile. A imaginary crow flew over his head, cawing.
"That's it?" Ye Tian kicked the socks away in disgust. "You're a tyrannical bully and this is your net worth? Two dollars and some horny pills? You poor ghost!"
He sighed and pocketed the Spirit Stones. "Whatever. I need to find a river."
Ye Tian peeked out the shattered door. Seeing a gap in the crowd of onlookers, he channeled his Qi into his legs.
Whoosh!
He moved like a phantom, dashing toward the back mountain where the sect's river flowed.
The Back Mountain, Spirit Stream.
The Spirit Stream was a forbidden area for male disciples, reserved for the inner sect female disciples to meditate... or so the rumors said. But Ye Tian didn't care. He smelled like a walking bio-hazard.
He found a secluded spot downstream and jumped in.
Splash!
The cold water washed away the black grime. Ye Tian scrubbed furiously. As the dirt cleared, his skin revealed itself to be jade-like and glowing. His muscles were defined and sharp. He looked handsome—tragically handsome.
"Not bad," Ye Tian admired his reflection in the water. "If cultivation doesn't work out, I can always become a gigolo."
Suddenly, a cold wind blew across the back of his neck.
The temperature dropped ten degrees.
"Who is there?" A voice, crisp and cold as winter ice, echoed from the trees above.
Ye Tian looked up.
Hovering on a flying sword (because walking is for peasants) was a woman. She wore snowy white robes that fluttered in the wind. Her skin was pale, her eyes were like cold stars, and her beauty was enough to cause the downfall of nations.
Ye Tian's brain supplied the info: Liu Bing. The Ice Goddess of the Inner Sect. The dream lover of every male disciple.
She stared down at Ye Tian, who was currently half-naked in the river.
Ye Tian froze. This is a classic trope! The MC sees the Jade Beauty bathing! Wait... I'm the one bathing. She's peeping at me!
Liu Bing's sword descended. She pointed a slender finger at him. "An Outer Sect disciple? Polluting the Spirit Stream with your... filth?"
She looked at the black sludge floating downstream from Ye Tian. Her expression was one of pure disgust.
[Ding! Trigger detected. A Jade Beauty is looking down on you.]
[Please make a choice!]
[Option 1: The Simp. Cover your chest and scream 'Pervert!'. Beg for her to look away. Reward: 5 Spirit Stones.]
[Option 2: The Gentleman. Apologize profusely and explain the misunderstanding. Reward: Low-grade Healing Pill.]
[Option 3: The Narcissist. Slick back your wet hair and say: "Woman, are you captivated by my beauty? Take a number." Reward: Skill "Divine Eye of Truth" (Can see stats/hidden items).]
Ye Tian nearly choked on the river water.
Option 1 was hilarious but humiliating.
Option 2 was boring.
Option 3 was... suicidal. This woman was in the Foundation Establishment realm! She could turn him into an ice sculpture with a sneeze.
But the reward... Divine Eye of Truth. That was a legendary looting skill!
Ye Tian took a deep breath. He channeled his inner "CEO President" energy.
He slowly slicked his wet hair back, revealing his sharp forehead. He looked up at the floating goddess, keeping his face absolutely deadpan.
"Woman," Ye Tian said, his voice smooth and deep. "Are you captivated by my beauty? Take a number. The line starts at the foot of the mountain."
The forest went silent. Even the birds stopped chirping.
Liu Bing's beautiful eyes widened. Her brain short-circuited. Since birth, men had bowed to her, offered her treasures, and composed poetry for her.
Nobody—absolutely nobody—had ever accused her of peeping at them.
"You..." Liu Bing stuttered, her icy demeanor cracking for the first time. "Shameless!"
[Ding! Choice confirmed. Reward distributed: Divine Eye of Truth.]
Ye Tian felt a cool energy wash over his eyes. When he looked at Liu Bing again, a floating panel appeared next to her head.
[Name: Liu Bing]
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 3rd Layer]
[Status: Shocked / Confused]
[Weakness: Ticklish on the left foot / Secretly loves reading trashy romance novels.]
Ye Tian almost burst out laughing. The Ice Goddess likes trashy romance novels?
"You occupy the Outer Sect stream," Liu Bing regained her composure, her face turning frosty again. "And you dare speak such nonsense? Do you know the penalty for disrespecting a Senior Sister?"
She raised her hand, gathering Qi for a strike.
Ye Tian realized he might have pushed the joke too far. He needed to de-escalate, fast.
"Senior Sister," Ye Tian said, standing up (keeping the water at waist level, thankfully). "I am not disrespecting you. I am simply stating facts. I was washing off the impurities of my breakthrough. You are the one hovering above a naked man."
He pointed at her. "Strictly speaking, you owe me a viewing fee."
Liu Bing's face turned bright red. It matched her white robes perfectly.
"You—! I was passing by!" She stomped her foot on the flying sword, causing it to wobble. "I... I did not see anything!"
"Your eyes are still open," Ye Tian pointed out helpfully.
"I am leaving!" Liu Bing spun her sword around violently. "If I see you again, I will cut out your tongue!"
Whoosh!
She flew away at top speed, fleeing the scene of the crime.
Ye Tian watched her go, shaking his head.
"Cultivators," he muttered. "So dramatic. She definitely looked."
He waded out of the water and dried off using his Qi (a very convenient hair dryer). He put his old robes back on, though they felt tight on his new muscular frame.
"Alright," Ye Tian rubbed his chin. "I offended the bully, I offended the Ice Goddess, and I have a Divine Body that needs resources."
He activated his Divine Eye of Truth and looked at the forest around him.
Suddenly, the world changed. Everything had labels.
[Common Grass]
[Rock]
[Rock]
[Bug (Tasty?)]
He turned his head and spotted a faint glow near a rotting stump.
[Hidden Item: 100-Year-Old Spirit Ginseng. Buried by a squirrel 50 years ago.]
Ye Tian grinned. "Oh, this System is going to be fun."