Chapter Two: Good Fortune System
"The Good Fortune System...binding initiation."
The cold, mechanical voice echoed in Hao Tian's mind, like a thunderclap in the sky. Hao Tian trembled, his previously scattered consciousness forcibly pulled back to reality by this strange voice.
He struggled to open his swollen, red eyes. All around him was still that dilapidated hut; nothing had changed, and he wondered if he had heard it wrong.
"Who...who is speaking?" Hao Tian asked, his voice so weak that he could hardly hear it himself.
He was completely aware that there was no one except him in this room, so he was mostly certain that it had to be an illusion due to his severe beating.
However, the next moment, the voice rang out again, crystal clear and unmistakably real.
"System binding successful. Host: Hao Tian."
"Scanning the host's physical condition... 30% of the meridians are damaged, the dantian is depleted, there are multiple fractures, and vital signs are weak. Assessment: critically ill."
Hao Tian's pupils contracted sharply. This was definitely not an illusion! The voice could accurately describe the terrible state of his body at this moment, even more so than he himself knew it.
Just as he was filled with doubt and uncertainty, a pale golden light screen suddenly appeared in his sight, hovering in the void.
On the light screen, there were only a few lines of text; however, it made Hao Tian narrow his eyes in shock.
[Good Fortune System]
[Host: Hao Tian]
[Realm Level: Martial Origin Realm Level 3]
[Karmic Points: 0]
"What...what is this?" Hao Tian had never seen such a bizarre sight before. Even the legendary magical treasures within the sect could not manifest directly in a person's sight.
As if sensing Hao Tian's confusion, the system's emotionless voice began to explain to him:
"This system is called 'Good Fortune System.' It aims to help the host to plunder the creation of heaven and earth by doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, and to reverse the predetermined tragic fate."
"Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. This system is the one that has escaped, the host's only chance to defy fate."
Hao Tian was stunned. Doing good deeds? In this dog-eat-dog world of cultivation, kindness is often synonymous with weakness, a path to death. But this system was telling him that doing good could defy fate?
"System... what exactly are you for?" Hao Tian asked the doubt he had in his mind. He craved power, revenge, and survival. Whatever this system was, not to mention doing good deeds, he was willing to sign even a devil's contract as long as it could give him the strength to change his hopeless situation!
The system responded immediately:
The core functions of this system are as follows:
"First, the system will randomly issue a 'good deeds task' once a month. The host must complete the task within the specified time to gain the rewards. The system will reward the host with corresponding Karmic points based on the difficulty of the task and the degree of completion."
"Second, the use of Karmic Points. Karmic Points are the medium for communicating with the power of heaven and earth. The host can consume Karmic Points to forcibly enter the state of enlightenment."
"Third, each time a host completes a mission, his luck will increase to some degree."
Upon hearing the word "enlightenment," Hao Tian's heart clenched, and his breathing became rapid.
Enlightenment!
That is the highest realm that all cultivators dream of! Legend has it that only those with unparalleled talent or those with great fortune can enter a state of enlightenment by chance.
In a state of enlightenment, a cultivator's mind is in harmony with the Dao, making obscure and difficult techniques readily understandable and seemingly insurmountable bottlenecks as fragile as paper. A single moment of enlightenment is often equivalent to years or even decades of arduous cultivation!
For someone like Hao Tian, enlightenment is nothing but a myth, an unattainable dream.
"How many points... are needed for an epiphany?" Hao Tian asked immediately.
"Current exchange rate: 10 Karmic Points can be exchanged for 1 minute of 'Elementary Enlightenment' time."
One minute?
Hao Tian's heart sank. What can you do in a minute? It's gone in the blink of an eye. But then he thought, It's an epiphany! Even a fleeting moment of inspiration is enough to change many things.
"Given that this is your first time binding with the system, a Newbie Gift Pack is being issued. Would you like to claim it now?"
"Newbie Gift Pack?" Hao Tian was pleasantly surprised and immediately spoke without hesitation. "Claim it! Claim it now!"
"Ding! Newbie gift pack successfully opened. Congratulations, host, you have received 20 Karmic Points."
As the system notification ended, the [Karmic Points] column on the screen instantly changed from "0" to "20."
Twenty points... that's just two minutes for a moment of epiphany!
Hao Tian stared intently at the number, his eyes flashing with a crazed light.
His current physical condition is extremely poor; his meridians are damaged, and if he were to recuperate step by step, he would need to stay in bed for at least three months. Zhao Hu will be coming to collect the sixty spirit stones in three days; if he cannot return them at that time, then he will definitely be beaten even more severely.
He doesn't have time!
This system is the only chance to break free from this cage.
"Zhao Hu... do you think you've got me cornered? If this system is real, today is the day I, Hao Tian, will be reborn!"
Hao Tian took a deep breath, enduring the tearing pain in his chest, and forced himself to sit up cross-legged. His hands trembled as he silently recited in his mind:
"System, consume 10 Karmic Points to activate Enlightenment!"
"Ding! 10 Karmic Points deducted. Elementary Enlightenment Mode activated; duration: 60 seconds. Countdown begins..."
Boom!!!
The moment the system's voice fell, Hao Tian felt as if his brain had been struck by a divine thunderbolt that seemed to split the heavens and the earth.
His head, which had been throbbing and buzzing from the severe injuries, suddenly became clearer than ever before. It felt like someone who had been struggling in the mud for a long time had suddenly soared into the heavens, looking down upon all living beings.
Everything around him has changed.
The previously imperceptible flow of spiritual energy in the air became clearly visible to him, like colorful threads intertwining in the air.
The sound of the wind in his ears, the chirping of insects in the distance, and even the sound of his own blood flowing through his body became incredibly clear, as if the whole world was opening its arms to him.
Time seemed to slow down countless times at this moment.
Hao Tian dared not waste a single second, and he immediately began to activate the basic cultivation technique commonly used by outer disciples of the White Star Sect—the Origin Refining Art.
This low-level cultivation technique, which he had practiced for three years and was already thoroughly familiar with but had never been able to improve upon, now gave him an extremely unfamiliar feeling as it flowed through his mind.
"I see...I see!"
"I was such an idiot before! The energy flow path of this meridian is wrong…and something else is wrong there…the martial energy here is somewhat stagnant…"
In a state of sudden enlightenment, Hao Tian instantly saw through the countless errors in his cultivation over the past three years. Those problems that had troubled him for countless days and nights, those obscure characters that had puzzled him for so long, were now as simple and clear as one plus one equals two.
With a thought, the remaining martial energy within him began to circulate along a completely new and near-perfect path.
Call--
Suddenly, a whirlwind arose out of nowhere in the once-silent thatched hut.
The martial energy of heaven and earth within a radius of 100 meters seemed to be summoned by some powerful force and frantically converged towards this dilapidated thatched hut.
Normally, when Hao Tian cultivates, the martial energy is only a trickle, sometimes even intermittent. But now, under the blessing of his enlightenment state, the martial energy surging into his body is like a river overflowing its banks, violent and turbulent!
Three times... Five times... Ten times!
Compared to regular cultivation, the amount of martial energy flowing through the body has increased by ten times!
The rich martial energy seeped into his pores, frantically cleansing his damaged meridians.
Urgh!
The excruciating pain from his meridians being stretched open by the violent martial energy almost made him faint, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
Compared to the humiliation he has suffered today, what is this small amount of pain? Even if this pain increases a hundred times, he will still not back down today as long as there is even a one percent chance of him being strong.
Time passed second by second...
The bruises inflicted by Zhao Hu and the others were rapidly healing under the cleansing effect of martial energy. The damaged meridians, nourished by the martial energy, healed at a visible speed, becoming wider and stronger.
The bottleneck of the third level of the Martial Origin Realm, which had blocked him for three whole years and driven him to despair to the point of wanting to commit suicide, appeared so fragile and vulnerable under the onslaught of the torrent of martial energy.
"Break for me!!!"
Hao Tian roared inwardly.
There were no obstacles whatsoever, nor any difficult challenges.
Everything happened so naturally, so effortlessly.
Click!
It felt as if an invisible shackle within his body had been completely shattered.
Boom!
An aura several times stronger than before erupted from Hao Tian's body, blowing away all the dust and weeds on the ground, and even the dilapidated wooden door was shaken and rattled.
Martial Origin Realm, Level 4!
Moreover, it wasn't just the initial entry into the fourth level. The violent martial energy didn't stop after helping him break through the barrier but instead surged forward all the way, directly pushing his cultivation to the middle stage of the fourth level of Martial Origin and even faintly approaching the late stage!
His previously depleted dantian was now filled with pure martial energy, which was more than twice as pure as before!
"Ding! Enlightenment time is over."
As the system notification sounded, that wonderful feeling of controlling the world and being omnipotent instantly receded like a tide.
A strong sense of dizziness and emptiness came over him, causing Hao Tian to sway, but he did not fall.
He slowly opened his eyes; the bloodshot veins had faded, replaced by a sharp glint like a sword.
He lowered his head, looking at his hands. His once pale and powerless palms were now brimming with explosive power. He clenched his fists slightly, and crackling sounds emanated from his knuckles—a symbol of his strength.
"Martial Origin Realm Level 4..."
Hao Tian murmured to himself, feeling the surging martial energy within his body. Two lines of tears flowed down his face again, but this time, they were not tears of despair but tears of joy.
It's been three years!
After enduring scorn and humiliation for three whole years, he has finally crossed this insurmountable barrier today!
Not only that, but the severe injuries that were originally enough to paralyze him have been almost completely healed under the baptism of this enlightenment and breakthrough. Apart from some superficial wounds that are still aching, his internal organs and meridians are no longer a problem, and he is even stronger than before he was injured.
"What a heaven-defying system! What a profound enlightenment!"
"One minute... just one minute, and I was transformed, accomplishing what I couldn't do in the past three years!"
He glanced at the system panel; he only had 10 Karmic Points left.
"Too few... 10 points can only be exchanged for one minute. This feeling of being in complete control is too fascinating. I need more Karmic Points!"
Just as Hao Tian felt a strong desire for Karmic Points, the system notification sounded in his mind again.
"Ding! A new month begins; system tasks are issued."
Hao Tian's spirits lifted, and he quickly looked at the light screen.
A line of silver text appeared on the screen, standing out prominently.
[Monthly Task]
[Mission Description: Outer disciple Tie Han is being beaten by Zhang Hu's subordinates at the foot of the sect's mountain. His life is in danger. Please go and rescue him and defeat the attackers.]
[Task Time Limit: Half an hour]
[Task Reward: 30 Karmic Points]