Thirty-five gold coins in his inventory. A sum that would bring joy to an ordinary person, but for Lin Fan, it was merely a grain of sand in a desert. He knew that to truly change his fate, to save his family from destitution, this amount was utterly insufficient. His goal wasn't paltry sums, but massive profits from 'multiplying' resources, and beyond that, the power of cultivation itself.
The simple wooden door of his virtual rented room clicked shut, severing Lin Fan from the outside world. This was the only place he could safely delve into his secret. He took out the grey jade pendant, placing it on the table. A careful plan had already formed in his mind: first, he needed spiritual energy. Without it, the pendant wouldn't work. Second, he had to find a basic cultivation technique to get started, then use the pendant to optimize this process.
Spiritual energy permeated the Nine Realms Immortal Realm, but it was incredibly sparse. To absorb it, players needed a "Basic Cultivation Manual." Lin Fan opened the novice item shop. He had 35 gold coins.
"Basic Cultivation Manual: 20 gold coins."
The price was steep, but it was a prerequisite. Lin Fan didn't hesitate; he bought it immediately. A small blue book appeared in his inventory. "Basic Cultivation Manual – Elementary Cultivation Guide."
He sat cross-legged on the floor, beginning to read. "Absorb spiritual energy, guide it into the Dantian, circulate through meridians..." The terms were foreign, but thanks to the game system, he easily understood them. He followed the instructions, attempting to sense the invisible flow of energy around him.
An hour passed, then two. Lin Fan felt a slight warmth, but not a single trace of spiritual energy. Other players usually took a few hours to a day to "sense" spiritual energy. With his mortal aptitude, this process could take even longer.
"I can't waste time like this," he thought. "I have the jade pendant."
Lin Fan took out the pendant. He remembered its effect: "accelerate the growth of heavenly materials and earthly treasures... or refine low-grade items into ultimate quality!" Perhaps it could also refine the spiritual energy around him?
He tried placing the pendant in his palm, attempting to 'activate' it with his thoughts, but there was no response. He recalled how it worked with the mushroom: it needed Spirit Dew. So, spiritual energy was also a form of energy.
Lin Fan returned to the forest. This time, he wasn't looking for mushrooms. He searched for areas where spiritual energy seemed to congregate more—usually near ancient tree trunks, or under large rocks. He had learned to sense faint energy from experienced players' forum posts. He found an area where the spiritual energy felt a little denser, though still very weak.
He sat down, placing the jade pendant on the ground, right in the center of the spiritual energy gathering spot. He focused his thoughts, trying to "absorb" the spiritual energy into the pendant.
And this time, it worked!
An invisible flow of spiritual energy, but one that felt significantly purer than the surrounding air, began to be drawn into the pendant. The jade pendant didn't glow brilliantly, it merely warmed slightly, and a transparent stream of spiritual energy, like clear water, began to swirl on its surface.
"This is pure spiritual energy!" Lin Fan realized. The pendant wasn't directly "growing" spiritual energy; it was "refining" the sparse spiritual energy in the environment into a much purer form!
He quickly began circulating the Basic Cultivation Manual. With the pure spiritual energy from the pendant, the absorption process was many times faster than normal. A cool sensation from the pendant flowed into his body, then circulated through his meridians. The abundant spiritual energy gradually formed a small current in his Dantian.
An hour later, Lin Fan suddenly felt a slight "pop" in his head.
Congratulations! You have broken through to Qi Condensation Stage 1!
You gained: Spiritual Energy Shield (Basic) skill.
Lin Fan could barely believe his eyes. Qi Condensation Stage 1! It only took him just over three hours since buying the cultivation manual! While others took at least a day, even several days, to "initiate" and sense spiritual energy. He had drastically shortened this process!
He stood up, feeling his body lighter and more energized. This was the power of cultivation! And more importantly, this was the power of the jade pendant!
The excitement lasted only a moment, quickly replaced by intense caution. "I must conceal this!" Lin Fan told himself. Such rapid cultivation speed would undoubtedly draw attention. He couldn't let anyone know about the pendant's secret.
He disabled the display of his level and character name above his head, a common practice among gamers to avoid scrutiny.
With his breakthrough to Qi Condensation Stage 1, Lin Fan could now use Spiritual Energy Shield. He tried activating it. A faint layer of light surrounded his body, and he felt a significant increase in his defensive capabilities.
He knew that at his current level, he could venture further. Areas with monsters of levels 5-10 would offer a higher chance of dropping more resources, and perhaps even rare spirit herbs for him to "nurture" the pendant.
A decision was made. Lin Fan prepared to leave Novice Village. He didn't want to stay here too long, where his unusual progress might easily be noticed.
Before leaving, he stopped by the market again. He bought some low-grade "Spirit Recovery Pills" (a type of elixir that restored a small amount of spiritual energy), even though they were quite expensive. He needed them to sustain his cultivation when away from the pendant, or in emergency situations.
As Lin Fan stepped out of the village gate, a chilling sensation suddenly washed over him. He turned his head, seeing no one suspicious. But the intuition of a survivor told him: he was being watched.
He didn't stop, continuing to walk normally. But internally, his guard was raised to its highest level. Clearly, his successful sale of the 'enhanced' mushroom at four times the price had drawn attention. "Nine Realms Immortal Realm" didn't just have ordinary players. There were also hidden forces, those who specialized in hunting "anomalies" or precious resources.
He headed straight into the forest, choosing a less traveled path. He didn't want to follow the main road leading out of the village. He knew he was being followed.
After about ten minutes of walking deeper into the forest, Lin Fan suddenly stopped. He hid behind a large tree, listening. Faint footsteps behind him. Only one person.
"Hey, Nameless One, what's the rush?" A calm voice called out, but it carried an underlying chill.
Lin Fan turned around. It was a player named "Black Wind," Level 8, dressed in dark leather armor from head to toe, holding a gleaming dagger. He stood not far from Lin Fan, his eyes sharp and clearly unfriendly.
"Is something wrong?" Lin Fan asked, his voice steady.
Black Wind sneered: "Heard you just joined the game and already rolling in cash, even selling weird items at high prices? Must have quite the lucky encounter, eh?"
His eyes clearly revealed greed. Lin Fan knew he had noticed his transaction. This was someone who specialized in preying on new players for loot.
"Just a bit of small luck," Lin Fan replied, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going." He moved to slip past Black Wind and leave.
"Not so fast!" Black Wind's lips curled. "Brother, everyone wants to have fun and get rich in this game. But there are also unwritten rules. Good stuff should be shared. Or, hand it over."
Black Wind drew his dagger, its blade gleaming with a cold light. The threat couldn't be clearer. Lin Fan was only level 2, facing a level 8, fully equipped. The win probability was zero.
However, Lin Fan wasn't scared. He had anticipated this. The jade pendant was still his ultimate secret. He wouldn't expose it.
"Hand over what?" Lin Fan asked again, his gaze sharpening slightly.
Black Wind laughed loudly: "Don't pretend. That mushroom of yours, I heard it was top-grade. And surely, you have other secrets." He pointed directly at Lin Fan's inventory.
Lin Fan frowned. He didn't know about the pendant, but he knew about the mushroom. So, information about his transaction had spread. He understood that his caution was still not enough.
"I have nothing of value," Lin Fan stated firmly.
Black Wind's brows furrowed, his patience running out. "Nothing? Then I'll just have to find out myself!"
He lunged forward. Lin Fan quickly activated his Spiritual Energy Shield. A faint, shimmering layer surrounded him, but it was pitifully thin against the attack of a level 8 opponent.
Black Wind swung his dagger. Lin Fan dodged by instinct but still received a slash to his shoulder.
HP: 90/110.
A searing pain shot through him. Lin Fan didn't panic. He knew he couldn't fight back. He had only one option: run!
He turned his back, sprinting deeper into the forest. Black Wind sneered, giving chase. He thought Lin Fan was just a weak prey. But he didn't know, Lin Fan wasn't just running away. He was looking for an opportunity.
And that opportunity was drawing near.