Yi Fan was walking on the purple grass. A few hours later, he saw a disciple of Strom Manor. That guy, seeing him, instantly shouted, "Hey, come here."
But Yi Fan ignored him and kept walking on his way. The disciple became angry and moved to attack Yi Fan. He was Initial Stage, third layer. Yi Fan had only just broken through this realm earlier. The man lunged and tried to punch Yi Fan.
Bang.
Yi Fan blocked the blow instantly. He had reached only Initial Stage, first layer, but because of his special physique his strength equalled to Initial stage 3rd layer. His body had a firmness and a speed that balanced out the gap in realm.
Yi Fan did not stop. Since his breakthrough he wanted to test his strength on someone. That was why he attacked him with countless punches and kicks. Each strike was measured, not wild. He used simple moves, fast and steady.
Bang. Bang.
He hit him again and again until the disciple had no strength left to stand. The man lay on the ground, breathing hard. Yi Fan looked down and said, "Although I could kill you, I will not take your life this time. Do not come in front of me in the future."
He stood there for a moment. He thought, "My strength is equal to this guy. I need more strength but I cannot cultivate right now. Should I look for missions by which I can get breakthrough points?"
He commanded the system, "Open Mission Option."
A panel opened in front of him. The light of the panel was simple and clear.
[Mission]
[*Affection level
*Killing
*Merit point
*More (haven't unlocked)]
Yi Fan asked the panel to show the Affection level missions.
[Affection level]
[*When someone of Initial Stage fell in love with you then you would get (10–90) affection points.
1 affection point = 1 breakthrough point.
*For Initial Stage 1st layer cultivator: 10 affection points.
*For Initial Stage 2nd layer cultivator: 20 affection points.
*For Initial Stage 9th layer cultivator: 90 affection points.
*When someone of Qi Transformation stage cultivator fell in love with you you would get (100–900) affection points.
.....]
He then checked the Killing mission.
[Killing Mission]
[*When someone of Initial Stage cultivator was killed by you, you would get (10–90) killing points.
1 killing point = 1 breakthrough point.
*When someone of Qi Transformation stage cultivator was killed by you, you would get (100–900) killing points.
*.....]
Yi Fan looked again at the Strom Manor cultivator who lay on the purple grass. He thought, If I kill him I can get 30 breakthrough points which would promote me to Initial Stage, second layer. I need only 20 breakthrough points to reach that layer. The idea tempted him. It was simple counting in his head, but his hand did not move.
Some time later, he walked over the purple grass again. He checked the Merit point missions. They were like the others, but the difference was that he had to do a favor for another cultivator — save their life, cure their sickness, or help them in some way. Helping would give Merit points. It was slower, but it felt cleaner to him.
He noticed the cultivator he had not killed earlier was following him now.
Flashback
Earlier, when Yi Fan had read the Killing mission and looked at that man, he had asked, "What's your name?"
The man had replied, "Huo Li."
Yi Fan had started to mock him. "Huo Li means sudden power. Do you get sudden power when you fight with someone?"
Then Yi Fan's eyes had gone dark and he had said, "I will not take your life if you become my subordinate and take an oath in heavens name that you will not betray me. I will even help you to get an inheritance of this place."
Huo Li had not wanted to accept, but he had had no way out. So he accepted.
Yi Fan thought, "One person can only take one inheritance at a time. But using Huo Li I can take two inheritances at the same time. Not only that — because I am doing a big favor for him, the system should give me 30 breakthrough points. With that I am indirectly helping him to get out of this place which does not exist in the real Martial Peak novel. If the system considered it, then it would give me more breakthrough points.
It would fulfil the condition for getting Merit points: I have to make a favor or save their life when without my help they could not get it or save themselves."
He looked ahead and saw many stone tablets put on the ground in a small clearing. He investigated all of them. When he stood before a green stone tablet he found a technique drawn there. The strokes were old but clear.
When he tried to understand it, he found it was a defensive technique. He called Huo Li and told him that this was only one level lower than a ethereal grade technique. Huo Li was shocked. Yi Fan then explained what trial he would face to get it and how he could pass the trial.
Huo Li sat cross-legged and began to learn the technique. He was serious. He closed his eyes and followed Yi Fan's instructions slowly.
Yi Fan thought the stone tablet had the power to show illusion. He hoped Huo Li would be successful in learning this technique by his method. He stayed near and watched, ready to help if something went wrong.
Then he searched a little longer and found the true inheritance owner's words carved on another tablet.There-
×××This was my Emptiness Sword Technique. In this place a sword was hidden which was made from Emptiness. With my technique my inheritor could sense that sword and could use it.
If my inheritor succeeded in getting Divine Sense, he could use this sword by his Divine Sense.
I warned you: if you were not successful in overcoming my trial you would be directly teleported out of this place and go outside without any inheritance.×××
Yi Fan read the warning and then sat cross-legged in front of the tablet. He started to learn the method. The words on the tablet sank into his mind. His breath slowed and the world narrowed.
Then he fell into an illusion.
First he found himself in a brothel. In front of him a woman slept without clothes. He was shocked when he saw his own body naked. He did not understand what the trial meant at that moment. The scene was clear and vivid and it made him feel embarrassed and weak.
Next the scene changed. He was cordoned by many women who smiled and moved close. The place smelled faintly of perfume. He left them and opened a door. When the door swung open his vision changed again. This time he was in an empty space. There was nothing in that place. Everywhere there was only darkness. Yet the darkness felt alive and pressing. It moved like a cold sea.
He felt the same feeling he had felt on Earth while always playing games on the computer — a lonely, chilling feeling. He had not felt this since he reincarnated in this world. The trial seemed designed to pull out his inner loneliness and make him face it.
His heart ached, but he somehow comforted himself and thought, "I am no longer on Earth. I do not have to spend my life only on video games. I have a better life in this world." Still, a part of him did not believe the trial was only about feelings. The test had other layers.
He kept searching in the emptiness with the method. He concentrated on the space inside his mind and tried to push past the loneliness. Hours later he said aloud inside his head, "At last I sensed it.The sword had been in my hand since I started learning the technique, but because I had not truly learned the method before, i had not been able to sense it."
In the real world his eyes opened. He had completely mastered the method and he could now easily sense the sword in his hand. A fine, cold presence hummed at his fingertips.
He put it into his inventory. It was a Heaven-grade, low-level artifact. He had first thought to call it "Invisionable Sword," but "Emptiness" suited it more because it could not be put into any ordinary bag. If he threw it away now, before reaching Immortal Ascension and gaining Divine Sense, he would not be able to sense it again. Even with Divine Sense he would still need this technique to find it.This time he sense it in his hand because the trial creator make some array so that it will be in his hand during start of trial.
While he was thinking about the sword and its limits, the inheritance ground released him. He was teleported out. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a forest of the secret realm. The air smelled of wet leaves and the light between the trees was soft.
He looked around. Huo Li was still learning the defensive technique of the green tablet nerby. He already get it from there and that time he had been released.Yi Fan felt a small relief that Huo Li had not failed. He thought again of the system and of breakthrough points. He hoped the system would count what he had done for Huo Li. For now, he had the sword, the knowledge, and a small increase in confidence.
To be continued