The morning sun, now a brazen, unapologetic glare, streamed through the gaping holes in the roof of the main hall, illuminating the dust motes Li Xuan had now become intimately familiar with. He sat cross-legged on the stone floor, his newly found treasures laid out before him like a cautious gambler assessing his first hand.
The silver coins glinted, reflecting the light. There were perhaps fifty of them, each larger and heavier than any coin he'd ever handled on Earth, intricately stamped with the unmistakable symbol of the stylized falling leaf. He tried to rub off the grime, revealing a dull sheen. This wasn't just pocket change; these felt substantial. He had no idea of their value in this world, but the sheer weight of them suggested they weren't common street currency.
Next to the coins lay the small, perfectly preserved leather pouch. From it, he gently rolled out the pills. There were ten of them, smooth and perfectly spherical, each glowing with a soft, ethereal jade-green light. They radiated a refreshing, almost earthy aroma, like a forest after a spring rain. He picked one up, his thumb brushing against its polished surface. It felt strangely cool to the touch. He wanted to know what they were, but he wasn't reckless enough to swallow an unknown magical pill in a strange world. That was how you ended up exploding or turning into a sentient turnip in games.
Finally, the wooden box. He reopened it, gazing at the slender sword nestled within. The blade shimmered with an inner, almost liquid light, hinting at an unusual sharpness. It was plain, unadorned, yet radiated an understated elegance. The hilt, wrapped in dark, impossibly fine leather, fit perfectly in his palm. It felt incredibly light, almost weightless, perfectly balanced as if custom-made for his hand. This was no common iron sword. This was... an artifact. A tool of power.
"Okay, System," Li Xuan thought, not speaking aloud this time, a subtle shift in his interaction with the mysterious interface. "What exactly are these? Any identification services?"
Almost immediately, the translucent blue box shimmered, and new text appeared.
[Analyzing unearthed items...]
Li Xuan waited with bated breath, the gamer in him excited for the detailed tooltip.
[Item: Falling Leaf Silver Coin.]
[Description: Standard currency of the Falling Leaf Sect in its golden era. Each coin is roughly equivalent to 100 Common Copper Coins. Current estimated value in the broader market: 10 Common Copper Coins (due to rarity and lack of current major sect influence).]
Li Xuan frowned. "Wait, so they used to be valuable, but now they're not? Ten Common Copper Coins per silver? That's a huge devaluation! Ugh, a dying sect really means dying in every sense." Still, 50 silver coins was 500 Common Copper Coins. That was something. Probably enough for a few days of food, if he could even find a market.
[Item: Verdant Qi Pill (Common Grade - Peak Purity).]
[Description: A foundational medicinal pill. Aids in accelerating Qi gathering and purification for cultivators in the Body Tempering and Qi Condensation Realms. Consuming one pill can reduce Qi gathering time by approximately 30-50% for a period of 1 hour, or provide a burst of purified Qi for immediate use. Note: Overuse can lead to minor Qi stagnation.]
Li Xuan's eyes widened. "Accelerate Qi gathering by 30-50%? Peak Purity? This is amazing!" This wasn't just a basic health pot; this was a serious cultivation booster. The "Common Grade" might make it sound weak, but the "Peak Purity" part was key. It meant it was an extremely effective version of a common pill. This was his first taste of the System's "powerful enough to easily defeat foes" promise. If his own Qi Gathering was already optimized, then a pill like this would make him progress even faster. This was definitely a major find.
[Item: Falling Leaf Spirit Sword (Spirit Grade - Low Tier).]
[Description: A ceremonial and combat sword of the Falling Leaf Sect. Forged with spiritual materials, its blade possesses inherent sharpness and a minor affinity for Wind Qi. Grants a slight increase to attack speed and precision when wielded by a cultivator. Requires Qi Condensation Realm to fully utilize its spiritual properties.]
"Spirit Grade!" Li Xuan almost shouted. "Low Tier, but Spirit Grade! That's two tiers above Common! And it has an affinity for Wind Qi, increases attack speed and precision!" This was a genuine weapon. A far cry from his old gaming keyboard. And it was waiting for him once he reached the Qi Condensation Realm. He felt a surge of excitement. This wasn't just about surviving anymore; this was about growing powerful.
As Li Xuan absorbed the information, another line of text flickered onto the system interface, almost as an afterthought.
[New Feature Unlocked: Sect Inventory (Storage Ring)]
[Description: A spatial storage tool linked to the Sect System. Allows for instant storage and retrieval of non-living items. Capacity: 10 cubic meters. Current contents: Empty.]
Li Xuan blinked. "A Storage Ring? Seriously? You mean I don't have to carry this stuff around like some kind of pack mule?" This was the ultimate quality-of-life upgrade! He glanced at his hand. There was no physical ring, just the text.
"How do I use it?" he thought, focusing on the new feature.
The System responded instantly. [Focus mental energy on items to store. Focus mental energy on desired items to retrieve.]
He looked at the pile of coins. "Okay, let's try this." He mentally willed the coins to disappear. With a faint shimmer that only he seemed to perceive, the pile of silver coins vanished. The System interface updated: [Sect Inventory: Falling Leaf Silver Coins (50), Verdant Qi Pill (10), Falling Leaf Spirit Sword (1).]
"Whoa!" Li Xuan exclaimed, genuinely surprised. "That's ridiculously convenient!" He then willed one of the Verdant Qi Pills to reappear. It materialized instantly in his palm, cool and glowing. He grinned. This was like cheating, but in the best possible way. This was going to make his life so much easier.
He stored all the items back into the inventory. The sword, the pills, the coins – all vanished into the ethereal space, leaving the stone floor bare once more. He still needed food, but at least he wouldn't be burdened by his newfound treasures.
The immediate hunger, however, was still a very real problem. He couldn't eat coins, and while the pills seemed beneficial for cultivation, he wasn't about to risk them on an empty stomach. His mind, now slightly clearer with the thrill of discovery, began to plan.
"Okay, Step One: Survive. That means food and water. This place is a bust. I need to go outside." He looked at the main gate, which was less a gate and more a collection of broken timbers leaning drunkenly against each other. Beyond it lay... the unknown. The vast, potentially dangerous world of cultivation.
He still only had the clothes on his back, which were now thoroughly covered in dust from his cleaning efforts. He ran a hand over his face. He probably looked like he'd been dragged through a dirt pile. Perfect.
He decided his first priority was finding a source of clean water and then, hopefully, some wild edibles or a way to earn some of those common copper coins. He still had 500 potential copper coins in his virtual inventory, but using them meant finding a market and risking exposing himself. Best to conserve them for now.
As he made his way towards the main gate, a flicker of movement caught his eye. Something scuttled quickly past a crumbling wall on the edge of the courtyard. It was small, brownish, and fast. He squinted. A rodent. A very large one.
Li Xuan's eyes narrowed. In a survival game, rodents meant food. Unappetizing, perhaps, but food. He thought back to every survival show he'd ever watched, every game where he had to hunt for sustenance.
"Alright, fuzzy guy," he muttered, a predatory glint in his eye. "Let's see if this 'Accidental Sect Leader' can hunt. Or at least, catch something slower than himself."
His first real-world 'hunt' was about to begin, and it was going to be a far cry from clicking a mouse to aim a virtual bow. He was entering the wilderness, utterly unprepared, but with a new found resolve, a burgeoning understanding of his situation, and a pocket dimension storing enough treasure to spark a small sect war. The game had just gotten a lot more real.