Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
Lee clicked his tongue. "TF is interrupting my cultivation session?"
He yanked the door open.
Chulan stood there sweating, grinning like an idiot. "You bastard. How long does it take to open up? 😂"
Lee leaned against the frame. "I was getting to the good part. Welcome, junior."
Chulan shoved past him. "Bro shut the fuck up and take me to the gaming room. Also, where's your fridge? I ran here in excitement. Need chips and coke."
Lee snorted and pointed. "Fridge is there. Help yourself, you freeloader."
Chulan grabbed a Coke, cracked it, chugged half. "Now bro, what was that shit you were saying on the phone? You used your dad's manual to jack off? 😂"
"My grandfather, you asshole. And I didn't jack off with it." Chulan wiped his mouth. "Granddad told me stories when I was little. Said when I'm tired of this life, recite the spells and I'll transmigrate to another world. Start over fresh. I didn't study the manual properly, I guess. Anyway, I used the spells on my new cultivation RPG game. The graphics and design were almost shit. I was hoping to pull myself into the game world. Live the real thing."
Lee laughed. "But fuck shit. This game is dope. You sure this is my game? Because I don't remember creating a bald forty-two-year-old man as the avatar."
"You retard. Can't even recognize your own game. 😂" Chulan plopped down next to him. "Enough talk. It's game time."
Chulan eyed the screen. "Have you thought of a name for the dude yet?"
"Yeah. Flaming Fool."
Chulan rolled his eyes. "Not that, you pussy. That's the player name. I mean the cultivation name. The one people in the sect will call him."
Lee thought for five seconds. "Hnmmm. How about 火焰傻瓜."
Chulan choked on his chips. "Huoyan Shagua? 😂 What will I do with a degenerate like you? You named him 'Flaming Fool' as player name. Now 'Flamefool' as cultivation name."
Lee shrugged. "Short form can be Huoyan. Easy."
"Hey, pass me some chips, you cunt." Lee grabbed the bag. "I hope you wrote some good jade beauties in this game."
Cut to Jade River Sect, Azure Dragon Continent.
Flaming Fool sat cross-legged on a flat rock by the forest edge. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His meridians still burned, but the chaotic rush had slowed.
[Internal Monologue – Inaudible to Lee] Finally calmed the qi meridians. Seems the controller knows his shit. Wish I could cut the control from the other side. At least let me be the protagonist instead of a damn puppet.
A new chime rang.
[New Mission: You're too sloppy. Practice self-defense using bamboo sticks from the forest.]
Flaming Fool clicked his tongue. This is a drag.
He stood, walked a few steps, spotted a thick bamboo stalk. With a casual chop of his bare hand, the stick snapped clean. No effort.
He stared at his palm. That reminds me. I'm stronger now. Stronger than the strongest human back home. No wonder I didn't die from that sky fall earlier.
He gripped the bamboo. Lee took over. The body swayed into basic stances. Thrust, parry, spin, strike. Twenty minutes straight. No breaks. Sweat poured. Meridians warmed again, qi flowing smoother.
Rustle, rustle.
Someone coming.
Lan Xu stepped out from the trees. Gray robes, spear in hand. "Hey, what are you doing here?"
Lee spoke through the headset. "I heard the thud from earlier. Came to check it out."
Flaming Fool's mouth moved. "I heard the thud from earlier. Came to check it out."
Lan Xu nodded. "Oh. I see! I don't recognize your face. Name and post?"
Lee answered in Chinese, calm and smug. "Wǒ de míngzì shì huǒyàn shǎguā."
Flaming Fool's voice echoed the same. "Wǒ de míngzì shì huǒyàn shǎguā."
Lan Xu blinked, then burst out laughing. "Huoyan Shagua? What bullshit name is that? 😂 Did a fool screw your mom?"
He waved a hand. "Ah. Anyways. Go back to your post. I'll check it out."
Flaming Fool nodded. "Sure!"
Lan Xu turned his back.
The body moved on its own. Tip-toeing. Silent.
Flaming Fool's mind screamed. Hey? What's happening? I thought I'm supposed to go back to the post.
The hand reached out. Snatched Lan Xu's sword from the sheath.
The blade plunged straight into Lan Xu's heart from behind.
Lan Xu gasped. "Nǐ?"
Huoyan yanked the sword free. Blood sprayed like a broken tap. Lan Xu crumpled, eyes wide, dead before he hit the ground.
The sword clattered to the dirt.
Huoyan stared at his blood-soaked hands. What happened? What just happened? Why did I kill him? Arrgghhhh.
Cut to Guangzhou.
Lee clicked his tongue. "This MF is loud as fuck. It's just a cock guard. I guess now he can go screw your mom on the other side. 😂"
Chulan leaned in. "You can turn on full control in the settings."
Lee's eyes lit up. "You bastard. Why didn't you say so earlier?"
He navigated the menu. Toggled it.
[Full Control Mode Activated.]
[Consciousness Resistance Suppressed.]
Cut back to Jade River Sect.
It hurt at first. Felt like a bird yanking the plug out of his brain, pulling noodles of thought with it.
Then everything went blank.
No more screams inside. No more regrets. No more Zhang Shi.
Lee flexed the fingers. Rolled the shoulders. Smirked at the dead body.
"Now the fun starts. Let's see what the Jade River Sect has in store for us. 😈"
The red hair swayed in the breeze. Lemon-green eyes gleamed. Scar across the left eye looked fresh, dangerous.
He wiped the sword clean on Lan Xu's robes. Sheathed it. Took the guard's jade token too. Extra contribution points never hurt.
Time to head back. Shift almost over. Sleep sounded good.
But Lee wasn't tired.
He glanced toward the distant sect buildings. Lights flickered in windows. Some glowed warmer. Women's quarters, maybe.
A grin spread.
Let's scout a little more.
Huoyan stood over the body a moment longer. Moonlight made the blood look black. Thick. Sticky on the sword hilt.
No heartbeat. No breath. Just dead weight.
He sheathed the sword. The metallic scrape echoed soft in the trees. Hands felt steady. No tremble. No nausea. The old panic was gone — erased like a bad save file.
He wiped palms on Lan Xu's robe hem. Left dark streaks. Then on leaves. Rough texture. Green smell mixed with copper.
Time to move.
Huoyan turned. Path back to sect walls curved ahead. Stone steps uneven under boots. Each step crunched gravel. Legs felt light stronger than yesterday's delivery runs ever were. No ache in knees. No burn in lungs.
Qi lingered in veins. Warm. Slow trickle. Like afterglow from the bamboo swings.
He breathed deep. Inhale mist off the river. Exhale faint black mist — impurities pushed out. Tiny. Barely visible.
[Qi Absorption: +0.03% toward Qi Condensation Layer 2.]
Small. But free.
Torches along the wall flickered orange. Shadows danced on gray stone. Distant voices , guards changing shift. Laughter. Someone complaining about Elder Wang's whip.
Huoyan kept pace casual. Head high. Red hair swayed. Scar pulled when he smirked at nothing.
No one stopped him yet.
Halfway down the steps, a small bridge arched over a stream. Water glowed faint blue. Spirit energy thick enough to taste — sweet, cool, like mint in the throat.
He paused. Leaned on the rail. Wood creaked under elbows.
Looked down. Reflection stared back: lemon-green eyes sharp, scar jagged from brow to cheek. Face handsome in a dangerous way. Nothing like the balding mirror back in Guangzhou.
Good customization.
A disciple hurried past on the bridge. Young. Outer. Carried a basket of herbs. Glanced at the red hair, then quick away. Eyes wide. Probably thought "arrogant new guard" or "don't mess with scar-face."
Huoyan let him go. No point starting shit yet.
Continued.
Barracks loomed closer. Long low building. Wood weathered. Lanterns hung outside doors. Smell hit first: sweat, boiled rice, cheap wine, unwashed feet.
Guards outside. Three now. Fat mustache guy rolling dice with two others. Clack-clack on crate.
Fat guy looked up. Squinted.
"Oi! You the new one? Huoyan Shagua?"
Huoyan nodded. Voice smooth. Lee's choice.
"Yeah."
Fat guy snorted. "Weird name. Anyway, you're late. Roll call done five minutes ago."
Huoyan shrugged. "Forest noise. Checked it."
One of the others skinny, pockmarked laughed. "Lan Xu went that way earlier. You see him?"
Huoyan met his eyes. Calm.
"Nah. Probably off chasing shadows."
They chuckled. No suspicion. Yet.
Fat guy waved lazy. "Shift's over. Get inside before Elder Wang notices. Bunks are first come. Find an empty one. Don't snore."
Huoyan walked past. Through the door.
Inside: dim. Oil lamps low. Rows of bunks wood frames, thin straw mats, gray blankets folded rough. Air thick. Snoring already from some corners.
He scanned. Empty spot near window. Third row. Moonlight would hit it.
Huoyan crossed the room. Boots soft on creaky floorboards.
Passed a snoring guard. Smelled sour breath.
Reached the bunk. Dropped onto it. Frame groaned. Mat thin , felt every slat underneath.
He leaned back. Back against wall. Legs stretched.
Hands behind head.
Red hair fanned on the pillow. Scar itched faint in the cool air.
Outside crickets. River rush faint. Occasional laugh from courtyard.
Huoyan closed eyes halfway. Let qi circulate passive.
Breathe in. Out. Meridians tingled. Dantian — small, warm coal.
[Passive Qi Gathering: +0.05% progress.]
Slow. Painfully slow.
But steady.
No rush.
Lee's mind drifted. Sect map in head: alchemy hall for pills, library for scrolls, contribution hall for points, women's bathhouse for... scouting.
Tomorrow: breakfast. Steal extra rice if easy. Patrol duty. Watch for openings.
Grin tugged lips.
This was just the tutorial.
Real fun starts soon.