Chapter 5

After a round of fighting, Chen Shicheng was already somewhat exhausted.

Moreover, he had already wasted quite a bit of time at this spawn point; he now just wanted to hurry and find the Newbie Village to exchange with other players, after all this broken game has no introduction at all, he can only rely on his own exploration.

As for the common trick in games of finding a wild monster to die and respawn, he couldn't accept it at all.

Even getting kicked hurts this much; he can't even imagine what death feels like.

"This" the Old Man looked at the broken temple gate's official road, feeling embarrassed, "Going left from here is the nearest Huangchi County Town, going right is the Li Family Village we came from; the distances from both places to this City God Temple are roughly the same, sorry this old man cannot tell which is nearer."

"Why don't you come back to the county seat with us? You'll have company on the way." The little girl beside them suddenly interjected.

The Old Man also felt somewhat moved upon hearing this, looking at Chen Shicheng with a hint of anticipation.

【Discovered Task: Escort】

【Task Description: Before dark, safely escort the grandfather and granddaughter to Huangchi County Town.】

【Task Reward: Unknown】

【Accept Task?】

"This must be accepted!"

Chen Shicheng didn't even think and chose to accept.

Actually, when the Old Man said this place lies between the county seat and Li Family Village, he had already decided to head for the county seat.

After all, even with your toes you could tell that the first two batches of closed beta players had already left the Newbie Village by this time; if he chose to go to Li Family Village, the players he'd meet would likely be newcomers like him, from whom he could hardly learn anything.

After a brief rest, Chen Shicheng set off together with the Old Man and the little girl, stepping onto the official road to the county seat.

Along the way, the forests on both sides of the road, filled with ancient primitive style, made him somewhat reluctant to leave; but as time passed, he gradually grew aesthetically fatigued, and to kill the boring travel time, he could only open his panel.

【Name: Chen Shicheng】

【Level: Lv. 0 (Unranked)】

【Experience: 32/100】

【Technique: None (currently not cultivated any technique, cannot level up)】

【Essence: 1.3】

【Qi: 1】

【Spirit: 1.7】

【Equipment: Stealing Heaven Pendant (Unique)*1, Tang Sword*1.】

【Skill: Basic Sword Technique (Perfected)+】

【Merit Points: 51】

【Money: 29 copper】

【Lifespan: 25/77】

There were no major changes, but after upgrading skills with Merit Points, the three attributes of Essence, Qi, and Spirit all saw some increase, and Lifespan also increased considerably as a side effect.

After a quick look at these, Chen Shicheng focused his gaze on the skills.

If he remembered correctly, when upgrading Basic Sword Technique, the system hinted that reaching perfection wasn't the end, and the skill on the panel also had a plus sign; seeing that, he glanced at his remaining 51 Merit Points and directly started allocating points.

【First Year, with Basic Sword Technique perfected, you feel this isn't the end, you start hard training, yet you never manage to grasp that spark of inspiration.】【Fifth Year, while you're swinging the blade, you suddenly notice an abnormality in your own blood and qi, but because this feeling is fleeting, you can only train even harder.】

【Twenty-third Year, countless rounds of hard training have given you ample experience of how sword technique moves blood and qi, but lacking a systematic framework, you can only continue to summarize.】

【Fiftieth Year, now old and frail, you finally summarized the continuation of Basic Sword Technique and comprehended a cultivation method that refines blood and qi based on sword technique.】

Success!

At the moment the system prompt ended, Chen Shicheng felt as if his body had broken through an invisible shackle, with blood and qi circulating throughout his body continuously strengthening it, allowing him to gradually surpass human limits.

At the same time, the system's prompt did not stop.

【Congratulations on independently comprehending the technique "Unnamed (Body Refining Chapter)". As the first player to comprehend a Body Refining Realm technique, you receive 500 taels of gold, Three Treasures Body Refining Pill ×5, Basic Sword Technique True Explanation ×1】

"And there's an unexpected gain!!!"

Chen Shicheng never expected that merely trying to add a point to a skill would yield such a huge reward.

Not only did it solve the problem of cultivating a technique, but as the first player to comprehend a technique, the system also rewarded him with three items!

He once again turned his gaze to his panel; the technique column had already changed.

【Technique: Unnamed (Perfected)】

【Passive Effect: For each level increase, Essence +1, Qi +1, Spirit +0.5】

Although leveling up in this game requires a prerequisite technique, it's basically just changing the soup but not the medicine; you still level up with Experience Points, each level adding a fixed amount of attributes, and whether there are free attribute points can only be known after leveling up.

Therefore, Chen Shicheng didn't understand why this technique needed to be divided into entry and perfection; he thought it was unnecessary.

So, after casually naming it "Sword Technique Body Refining Chapter", he focused his attention on the three items rewarded by the system.

Opening the storage slot, the gold didn't appear there; instead, the money column showed he now had 500 gold, while the other two rewards lay there peacefully, making Chen Shicheng feel somewhat excited.

As for the Basic Sword Technique True Explanation, no need to say more; the panel had previously hinted that its function is much like skill points, both can be used to upgrade the corresponding technique.

Chen Shicheng, who could upgrade skills with Merit Points, wasn't very interested in this; after a casual glance, he turned his gaze to the unassuming elixir.

【Three Treasures Body Refining Pill】

【Active Effect: After consumption, all attributes +1. (Within the same realm, same-type elixirs raise the attribute cap by 5 points)】

【Introduction: Refined from three kinds of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, containing the essences of sun, moon, and stars; after use it grants the effects of strengthening the physique, brightening the spirit and refreshing the mind, and filling blood and qi.】

"Holy cow!"

Chen Shicheng was shocked; the system was surprisingly generous—same-type elixirs can only be used five times, yet the reward directly gave the limit!

The effect of this elixir is also unbelievable—one pill increases attributes by 0.5 more than leveling up does, meaning at the same level, his attributes would always be five points higher than others, plus a bit more?

Moreover, he didn't know whether other players simply didn't want to comprehend it or claimed they lacked the ability, but it allowed this third‑batch newcomer to snatch first place.

Could it be that the primeval relic given upon registering the game doesn't have an ability similar to his?

Looking at the "Unique" word on his Stealing Heaven Pendant's description, Chen Shicheng's heart began to pound violently.

If the rewards for creating one's own cultivation technique are roughly the same, then by holding onto this technique and continuously pouring Merit Points into it, becoming the first player to comprehend the subsequent realm's technique once again, the advantage would gradually accumulate! "Grandpa, why is he giggling like that nonstop? I'm scared!"

It's fine, little girl, big brother is probably hungry; we just need to speed up and head back to the County Seat.

The old man shielded the little girl, quickening his steps without showing any emotion, and opened a safe distance from Chen Shicheng.

(End of chapter)