Zhuge Xiang opened his eyes in a daze. As his surroundings came into focus, he was startled to find himself lying in his own bed rather than by the lakeshore.
Pushing himself upright, still uncertain, he lowered his gaze. The black ring had fused seamlessly with his flesh, clinging tightly to his finger as though it had taken root—its presence bound to him by blood, as if it had become part of his very being.
Just as he stared at it, a stream of information rushed into his mind. Instinctively, he understood the nature of the ring.
It was called the Super Game System. Its origin was unknown. Because his strength was still too weak, many of its functions remained locked, but what he could access was astonishing: a character page showing his own attributes; the ability to fight monsters to gain experience and level up; rewards for defeating targets that might include magical equipment, medicinal items, or even skill manuals. New functions would appear as his power increased.
"What an incredible ring… Could this be a magic weapon beyond even the legendary grade?" Zhuge Xiang's shock quickly turned to elation.
By sheer luck, he had obtained something miraculous. Experience points—once the bar was full, his strength would advance automatically, without bottlenecks or walls. Just this alone was enough to make even the elders of the Asura Sect green with envy.
Instinctively, he summoned his character page. A translucent interface appeared within his mind, displaying simple details:
Name: Zhuge Xiang
Gender: Male
Age: 14 years, 8 months
Status: Ordinary Person
Experience: 80 / 100
His brows furrowed. It seemed that reaching 100 experience points would allow him to awaken Qi Sense. But with only half a month left, reaching that last threshold felt nearly impossible.
Despite the excitement of obtaining the Super Game System, his joy faded as soon as he considered the reality displayed on the page. No matter how incredible the ring was, if he couldn't awaken Qi Sense within half a month, he would still fail to become a formal disciple of the Asura Sect—rendering the treasure useless.
"Zhuge Xiang, you're awake. You need to train step by step. Push too hard and you'll only harm yourself. If I hadn't noticed you didn't come back and gone looking for you at the lake, the monsters might have gotten you."
The door swung open, and a tall, broad-shouldered young man entered, concern flickering in his eyes.
He looked fourteen or fifteen, but his height neared one meter seventy, his muscles thick and sturdy, giving him the appearance of someone far older. This was Niu Geng—simple, honest, hardworking. Three people shared each room; he was one of Zhuge Xiang's roommates.
"So it was you who brought me back. Thanks, Niu Geng." Zhuge Xiang immediately understood how he had ended up in bed and offered sincere gratitude.
"Heh…" Niu Geng scratched his head sheepishly. "Li Bin said that since we all live under the same roof, we should help each other out."
"Li Bin?" Displeasure flashed across Zhuge Xiang's eyes. "I told you before—don't get too close to him. He's not someone worth dealing with."
Li Bin was their other roommate. Zhuge Xiang had always disliked his personality. Li Bin had awakened Qi Sense only thanks to a distant cousin's guidance. Because Niu Geng was honest and upright, Li Bin often ordered him around under various excuses—and Niu Geng, believing that roommates should help one another, always complied.
"Come on, Zhuge Xiang, don't hold such a grudge. We're all friends…" Niu Geng said, not understanding the problem.
Zhuge Xiang could only shake his head. Loyalty was admirable, and being willing to suffer a few losses was a virtue—but tolerating someone who deliberately bullied you was just foolish. Still, he knew Niu Geng's nature well enough to realize that arguing was pointless.
At that moment, a short, skinny youth walked in—sharp features, monkey-like cheeks, eyes glinting with cunning. Li Bin.
"Heh, everyone's here. I've got great news! My younger cousin Zhao Feiyun grasped Qi Sense only two months ago, and he's already picked Ghost Step as his martial art from the Martial Arts Repository. He's a rare genius!" Li Bin boasted proudly, his expression brimming with smugness.
Zhuge Xiang didn't respond. Any reaction would only encourage him.
Anyone who awakened Qi Sense within the year could choose a martial technique prior to the assessment. There were four levels of martial mastery: First Insight, Entry, Proficiency, and Perfection. To reach First Insight within two months was indeed commendable.
"Zhao Feiyun is impressive. To grasp a martial art in two months… amazing." Niu Geng said sincerely. Then, fired up, he clenched his fists. "I need to train harder. The assessment is in half a month—I must awaken Qi Sense by then."
"I'm heading out to practice." Zhuge Xiang cut in coldly. He couldn't stand Li Bin's self-satisfied grin any longer.
The Asura Sect was a demonic sect—its disciples acted with sincerity and directness. If you liked someone, you showed it; if you hated someone, you didn't hide it.
Li Bin noticed Zhuge Xiang's impatience and resented it. But Zhuge Xiang wasn't someone he could bully like Niu Geng. Still, he reminded himself: he was about to become a true disciple. Among those who had awakened Qi Sense, who would he need to fear?
Emboldened, he stopped Zhuge Xiang. "Don't go yet. I have more good news. My cousin Zhao Feiyun found a Blood Spirit Fruit that's about to ripen. He's picking it for me. With it, I'll definitely awaken Qi Sense in half a month and become a formal disciple!"
"Really? That's great—congratulations!" Niu Geng said happily.
"Congratulations," Zhuge Xiang replied flatly. "But you didn't need to stop me just to say that."
Blood Spirit Fruits were rare treasures containing immense vitality and blood essence. For those trying to awaken Qi Sense, their effects were enormous. Without help, only one in ten might succeed; with a Blood Spirit Fruit, the success rate soared to nine in ten.
Li Bin hadn't intended to mention the fruit, but Zhuge Xiang's attitude infuriated him. He revealed it just to show off—yet Zhuge Xiang still looked utterly unimpressed.
"Of course that wasn't the only reason," Li Bin snapped, breath quickening. He glanced around the messy room and scoffed, "Look at this place. Don't you know how to clean up? What an uncultured brat."
"Who are you calling uncultured?" Zhuge Xiang's face darkened. His voice dropped to a cold growl. "Do you want to die?"
Of all insults, that was the one Zhuge Xiang could never tolerate.
His glare was sharp as a viper's, forcing Li Bin to stumble back a few steps. He had never seen Zhuge Xiang so terrifying. His mouth opened and closed uselessly, unable to utter a sound.
"Alright, alright, we're roommates. Peace matters most—don't fight," Niu Geng said anxiously, trying to defuse the situation.
Realizing he'd backed down instinctively, Li Bin's embarrassment turned into anger. "So what if I called you that? You don't even clean up the room properly, and I, Li Bin, live under the same roof as you!"
Blood surged hot behind Zhuge Xiang's eyes. He stared hard at Li Bin, fury radiating from him.
"Li Bin," he said, voice trembling with suppressed rage, "I want to fight you."