"What if I say no?"
Yi Tianyun looked at them coldly. These people were nothing but freeloaders. Merak Palace, constrained by outside forces, had no choice but to accept male disciples who were forced upon them.
To put it bluntly, these male disciples had ulterior motives—they were just here to find cultivation partners.
According to the rules, they could only be considered Outer Disciples, but they were still allowed to move about the palace. When they saw Shi Xueyun give him the Dragon Blood Divine Pill just now, greed immediately sparked in their hearts.
This was a top-grade Elixir Pill and incredibly expensive. If they took it, they would surely break through to a higher level.
"No?"
The leader, Fang Chen, gave a cold, contemptuous smile. "Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You think you're safe just because you have the Palace Master protecting you? We're from the Celestial Spirit Sect. Our elders are right outside. Even if I beat you up, your aunt wouldn't dare do a thing to us!"
The Celestial Spirit Sect was quite powerful. On this continent, the powers were divided into five major tiers.
First-rank powers were Palaces, second-rank were Sects, third-rank were Mansions, fourth-rank were Empires, and fifth-rank were Divine Kingdoms!
Merak Palace was naturally ranked below the Celestial Spirit Sect. Since it primarily accepted female disciples, its numbers were naturally smaller, but its Overall Strength was not weak.
However, its Overall Strength was still a notch weaker than the Celestial Spirit Sect's, so it ended up being suppressed. Because of this suppression, they believed that even the Palace Master had to show them some respect!
This was no joke. As the saying goes, you have to consider the master before you beat the dog.
Beating them was equivalent to slapping the Celestial Spirit Sect in the face. They were naturally arrogant, believing that Shi Xueyun wouldn't dare to act against them, which made snatching the Dragon Blood Divine Pill a simple matter.
"That's right. We were showing you some courtesy earlier, but you're just a piece of trash, a bastard child. You dare to act tough with us?" Zhao Hao, who was standing nearby, added with a sinister laugh. He utterly despised Yi Tianyun, feeling he was on the same level as the garbage next to him.
"Are you looking to die?"
Yi Tianyun's voice was terrifyingly cold, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes!
He grew furious whenever anyone called him a bastard child, but it was different when this Outer Disciple trash called him that. Murderous intent instantly surged forth, and he felt incomparably enraged.
"Oh, still acting tough? Looks like you really think you're invincible with your aunt around. You're nothing but a pretty boy who lives off a woman, you piece of trash!"
Fang Chen burst out laughing, his voice dripping with ridicule.
The matter had been widely gossiped about outside: the Palace Master of Merak Palace was raising a good-for-nothing!
"Either get lost, or get laid out!"
A cold light flashed in Yi Tianyun's eyes. He clenched his fists so tightly that some color returned to his pale skin.
He could disregard his own reputation, but he had to protect his aunt's!
"Damn it, I think you're tired of living! How dare you speak to me like that! Get him!"
Fang Chen cursed and rushed forward, throwing a punch straight at Yi Tianyun.
A fierce gust of wind from the punch swept forward. Fang Chen's cultivation wasn't high, but he was at the fourth level of the Body Refining Stage.
The low-level disciples of Merak Palace were generally at the third level. Fang Chen's level was considered lower-middle, so the punch he threw was naturally not to be underestimated.
In Yi Tianyun's eyes, this punch was incredibly slow. As he looked up, a frighteningly cold light burst from his gaze.
The punch Fang Chen threw seemed to slow down even more. Countless ways to dodge, and even to counterattack, flashed through his mind. Fang Chen's attack was riddled with openings! Although he couldn't really cultivate, he had studied combat techniques.
SWOOSH!
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. He took a small step to the side, causing Fang Chen's attack to hit nothing but air.
But because of his earlier overexertion, he had only just dodged when he felt his balance give way. A wave of exhaustion hit him, his legs went soft, and he stumbled to the side and fell!
As he fell, everyone was stunned for a moment, then they burst into laughter.
"Trash is trash, you fall over after just one move! The Dragon Blood Divine Pill is on you, right? Well, it's ours now!"
Fang Chen roared with laughter and reached out to grab it from Yi Tianyun's clothes.
Yi Tianyun's gaze turned cold. He knew he couldn't escape, so he quickly pulled out the Dragon Blood Divine Pill and shoved it into his mouth, swallowing it without even chewing!
This scene left them dumbfounded. A Dragon Blood Divine Pill... was just wasted on a dog like that?
"He actually ate my Dragon Blood Divine Pill! You're courting death! Beat him to death!"
Fang Chen was furious. He thought he would be the one to get the Dragon Blood Divine Pill, but Yi Tianyun had eaten it.
The three of them rushed over at once, ready to beat and kick him.
At that very moment, a crisp "DING!" rang out in his mind!
"Congratulations Player 'Yi Tianyun', you have successfully activated the Crazy Upgrade System!"
"Player 'Yi Tianyun' has gained one thousand Experience Value..."
"Congratulations Player 'Yi Tianyun', you have leveled up and reached the first level of the Body Refining Stage!"
"Congratulations Player 'Yi Tianyun', you have leveled up and reached the second level of the Body Refining Stage!"
...
"Congratulations Player 'Yi Tianyun', you have leveled up and reached the fifth level of the Body Refining Stage!"
In one go, he had jumped five levels, erupting from the first level to the fifth level of the Body Refining Stage!
A single Dragon Blood Divine Pill had allowed him to rise five levels!
'Crazy Upgrade System? This is a game system... This is literally a game!'
Yi Tianyun was completely shocked. As a gamer, how could he not know what this meant!
At the same time, their fists and feet were already coming at him. But in that instant, Yi Tianyun felt his whole body surge with power. He was no longer weak, but incredibly strong!
"Get lost!"
A sharp light shot from Yi Tianyun's eyes. He slammed his hands on the ground and began to spin rapidly, unleashing a powerful leg sweep infused with the strength of the fifth level of the Body Refining Stage!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The three of them were sent flying by his kick, slamming flat against the wall. The ones with weaker cultivation immediately vomited blood and collapsed to the ground!
"Wh-what the hell is going on? Th-this is the strength of the fifth level of the Body Refining Stage! Wasn't he supposed to be trash...?"
Fang Chen was dumbfounded. He struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with shock. Yi Tianyun's cultivation was higher than theirs. In fact, among the disciples at the Body Refining Stage in all of Merak Palace, his level was now considered average.
In this world, the ranking system was quite clear, divided into a total of nine major realms.
They were: Body Refining Stage, Spirit Refining Stage, Core Formation Stage, Spirit Pill Stage, Core Transformation Stage, Void Spirit Stage, Spirit King Stage, Saint King Stage, and Divine King Stage!
Each realm was divided into ten levels. The young Shi Xueyun was already at the Core Formation Stage, which was considered a relatively high level for a first-rank power. This just went to show how heaven-defying her talent was.
Yi Tianyun glanced at Fang Chen. The intense killing intent made Fang Chen's legs go weak, and he hurriedly knelt on the ground, crying, "Please spare me! I was wrong! I'll never try to take your Elixir Pills again!"
If he still couldn't understand the situation by now, he would be a true idiot.
He never expected that someone called trash would be so formidable, especially that killing intent. He had no idea how one could even cultivate something like that.
The key point was that his cultivation had reached the fifth level of the Body Refining Stage. While not heaven-defying, it was at least stronger than theirs.
'The rumors outside are all fake! Who said this Yi Tianyun was trash? His cultivation might not be that high, but at least it's higher than ours!'
Yi Tianyun slowly walked toward him, his gaze icy.
"I told you: either get lost, or get laid out. I already gave you a chance."
Yi Tianyun's gaze turned cold. Before Fang Chen's terrified eyes, he picked up a nearby spear and smashed it down toward Fang Chen's head.
He only wanted to knock Fang Chen unconscious, not kill him. Otherwise, the Celestial Spirit Sect would definitely come looking for trouble.
In that instant, Fang Chen roared, "Then you can just die!" With his other hand, he swiftly pulled a dagger from his clothes and stabbed at Yi Tianyun, aiming straight for the heart! A direct hit would be fatal.
Yi Tianyun swung the spear in his hand, rapidly smashing it against Fang Chen's head before the other could react.
With a loud THUD, Fang Chen was slammed to the ground, almost knocked unconscious from the impact.
Then, Yi Tianyun grabbed Fang Chen's hand and viciously pushed it toward Fang Chen's own chest. SQUELCH! The dagger sank into his chest, stopping only at the hilt.
"You still dare to sneak-attack me!"
Yi Tianyun's eyes were ice-cold. He lifted his foot and kicked out fiercely. BANG! Fang Chen was sent flying, sliding across the floor.
"Pfft..."
Fang Chen spat out mouthfuls of blood. His eyes widened, and his face turned pitch black—a clear sign of poisoning.
The dagger was obviously coated in a potent poison. Combined with being stabbed in the heart, the poison circulated even faster.
The next moment, Fang Chen's eyes bulged, and he died.
"Ding! Congratulations, you have successfully killed the Celestial Spirit Sect disciple Fang Chen, gaining 300 Experience and 5 Madness Value!"
"Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained loot: Human Level low-grade Martial Arts 'Eagle Claw Technique' and 'Falling Feather Sword Technique', and one Recovery Elixir!"
Yi Tianyun was stunned. He hadn't expected that killing Fang Chen would not only grant Experience Value, but also something called Madness Value. Most importantly, it even dropped Martial Arts like this. This was basically like getting Treasure drops!
These Martial Arts were techniques that Fang Chen himself had learned. Now they had all dropped and landed in his inventory!
'The Crazy Upgrade System really lives up to its name! It can even drop Treasures. It's just like killing monsters for loot!'
Yi Tianyun was ecstatic. He thought he could only level up by eating things, but now it seemed he could also level up by killing monsters!
"Congratulations Player 'Yi Tianyun' for successfully activating a quest. You have received a Newbie Gift Pack. Open it now?"
Yi Tianyun's eyes widened. With a thought, an attribute bar appeared before him!
Player: Yi Tianyun
Level: 5
Experience Value: 300/1000
Madness Value: 5 points
Cultivation Technique: None
Skills: "Eagle Claw Technique," "Falling Feather Sword Technique"
Divine Skill: Madness Mode (Level 1)
Items: Recovery Elixir
...
Besides this, there were also an equipment tab, an inventory tab, and so on. He was completely dumbfounded. 'These are a game's attributes, through and through! And it looks like a lot of things are still locked, probably related to my level.'
He then mentally recited, 'Open the Newbie Gift Pack.'
The contents of the gift pack appeared before his eyes: one Tenfold Experience Card (valid for one hour), two Recovery Pills, and one Level 5 Newbie Gift Pack.
"This system is full of pleasant surprises!"
Yi Tianyun suddenly smiled, a very happy smile. He knew he had been transmigrated, but he had no idea what kind of abilities he possessed.
And now he had a leveling system! As long as he kept leveling up like crazy, his attributes would grow insanely strong. Severed meridians, being unsuitable for martial arts—none of that would have anything to do with him!
He hadn't expected to activate the system after taking the Dragon Blood Divine Pill. He guessed that the pill's energy must have been strong enough to meet the minimum requirement, which was why the system had been fully activated!
He had taken many Elixir Pills before, but they had all been useless. It was clear now that they just didn't have enough energy.