Three Days of Thunder
The sun had barely crested the mountains when Lin Jing arrived at the secluded practice cave he'd discovered months ago—back when he'd still been struggling to feel even a trace of spiritual energy. Now, the cave's walls glowed with faint golden light as his qi interacted with the natural spiritual veins running through the rock.
SYSTEM ACTIVATION
Training Mode Enabled
All Practice Actions Trigger Crits – Effect Multiplied ×15
Lin Jing sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor and began to circulate his qi according to the Basic Body Tempering Art. Normally, disciples spent weeks on each layer, slowly strengthening their muscles and bones. But with every rotation of spiritual energy through his meridians…
CRIT! Layer 1 Complete
CRIT! Layer 2 Complete
CRIT! Layer 3 Complete
In less than an hour, he'd mastered all nine layers of the basic art—something that usually took years for even talented disciples. His body felt lighter, stronger, and more attuned to the world around him. He stood and punched the air, and a sharp crack of thunder echoed through the cave as his fist split through the air itself.
NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: Thunder Fist (Crit Enhanced)
Effect: Each strike has 100% chance to release lightning energy; Crit Damage ×25
Lin Jing smiled grimly. Chen Hao had boasted about mastering the first layer of the art—he'd be in for a surprise when he faced someone who'd perfected it in a single session.
By the second day, Lin Jing had moved on to Spiritual Energy Control. He stood at the edge of the mountain stream that fed into the sect's reservoir, cupping water in his hands and trying to shape it with his qi. Most disciples could only manage simple forms after months of practice—but every attempt triggered a critical strike.
CRIT! Water shaped into a perfect sphere
CRIT! Sphere hardened to diamond-like density
CRIT! Energy infused – Water Sphere becomes Lightning Orb
He launched the orb at a nearby boulder. The impact sent shards of rock flying, and the smell of ozone hung in the air. As he practiced, the system's new Crit Perception skill activated—allowing him to see the flow of spiritual energy in everything around him, from the smallest blade of grass to the massive veins running beneath the mountain.
That evening, Yun Qingyan found him at the stream, her face pale but determined.
"Jing-ge," she whispered, handing him a folded piece of parchment. "I snuck into Elder Ye's study while he was meeting with Elder Chen. This is his notes on the potions—they're not for healing. They're meant to enhance spiritual power temporarily, but they drain the user's life force over time. And at the bottom…" She trailed off, her voice shaking.
Lin Jing unfolded the parchment. The final line made his blood run cold: "The sacrifice of a pure-yin body will complete the ritual, allowing us to open the ancient vault beneath Thunder Peak."
CRITICAL THREAT DETECTED
SYSTEM UPDATE
Yun Qingyan Confirmed as Pure-Yin Body
Main Quest Priority Increased – Stop Ritual Before Assessment Ends
Reward: System Upgrade – Crit Range Extended to Group Targets
"They're using the potions to weaken other disciples," Lin Jing said, his jaw tight. "And once they have what they want from the vault, they'll dispose of Qingyan. We can't let that happen."
"I know," she said quietly. "But Elder Chen is one of the most powerful elders in the sect. Even if you become an Inner Disciple, you won't be able to stand against him."
"Watch me," Lin Jing said, placing a hand on her head. "I have more power than you know. Focus on staying safe during the Assessment—when the Beast Hunt starts, stick close to me. That's when they'll make their move."
On the third day, Lin Jing spent the morning preparing for the Beast Hunt. He'd fashioned a simple sword from a branch he'd found in the woods—when he infused it with qi, a critical strike transformed it into a weapon of polished black iron, etched with golden runes.
ENHANCED ITEM: Crit-Forge Sword
Damage ×30; 100% Chance to Paralyze Target on Hit
As the sun began to set, the gong rang out across the sect—signaling that the Outer Sect Assessment would begin at dawn. Lin Jing stood at the entrance to his cave, looking out over the sprawling Xuanwu Sect grounds. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and he felt his qi responding to the storm.
Chen Hao was waiting for him at the training ground, surrounded by his followers. "Enjoy your last night as a disciple, Lin Jing," he called out. "Tomorrow, you'll be begging to leave."
Lin Jing didn't respond. He simply looked at Chen Hao, and the golden light in his eyes made the other disciples take a step back.
Tomorrow wasn't just about passing an assessment. It was about protecting everything he cared about—and proving that with infinite crits on his side, even the strongest enemies could be brought low.