Where's the promised Third Honkai?!!

Fu Li, apple still in his mouth, flipped to the second entry—the first B-rank ability.

[Name: Human Immortal Path] [Rank: B] [Type: Permanent] [Effect: Builds a perfect digestive system based on the organs within the human body used to absorb energy. This system can instantly decompose ingested matter and convert the absorbed nutrients into Honkai Energy. Additionally, by coating saliva with the user's Honkai Energy, it produces a fatal corrosive effect on all objects, especially organic matter, to facilitate consumption. This ability allows the user to perfectly absorb nutrients, making them increasingly vigorous, gradually harmonizing their qi with heaven and earth, and nearly halting aging.] [Note: Immortals are thieves. What do they steal? All things in heaven and earth.]

He swallowed the fruit pulp. "This one's not bad."

"A D-rank Breath Concealment is a byproduct of this ability." Prometheus the cat poked her head out. "Will Host use saliva to attack enemies?"

Her slightly expectant little eyes were super cute.

"That would be a pretty weird image."

Fu Li didn't say whether he would or wouldn't. He felt the changes in his body, then exhaled and said:

"Basic attributes have improved a bit, and particles in the air are constantly converging into my body... Does 'breathing' count as a form of 'ingestion'? Pretty convenient."

Just like the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in other high-magic worlds, the atmosphere of the Honkai world also contained invisible Honkai energy.

Normally, this Honkai energy remained inert like helium or neon gas, only able to be manipulated through specific methods.

For example, Honkai technology, spells and skills for controlling Honkai energy, or the cultivation methods passed down from Shenzhou.

"By this classification, the Human Immortal Path is also a type of cultivation method." Fu Li glanced at the Character Panel. "So, the 'Permanent' slot in the panel refers to continuously running passive abilities?"

"Yes." Little AI confirmed. "Among the three skill-related categories on the panel, 'Permanent' represents abilities that run indefinitely, 'State' symbolizes buff-type skills that last for a certain duration, and 'Active' refers to instant burst techniques and moves."

She moved her slender, jointed fingers. "For example, the Partial Amplification Technique in Host's state slot."

[Name: Partial Amplification Technique] [Rank: D] [Type: State] [Description: Allows a specific part of the user's body to enlarge five times and become as hard as iron. The magnification can be freely adjusted between 0 and 5 times. Can be used for attack or defense with this skill.] [Note: Don't force it in. People die.]

"This is the most typical state-type skill. Its effect and duration depend on the energy Host inputs."

At this point, Little AI paused.

She half-squinted her ruby-like, beautiful eyes, carefully observing Fu Li's expression.

Only after finding that this guy seemed completely unfazed by the keywords 'specific part of the body,' 'enlarge five times,' and 'hard as iron,' did she continue with a subtly mixed tone:

"I'm quite surprised Host didn't draw any active skills. But I suppose I don't need to give a special example for that."

"Yeah."

Holding a half-eaten chair leg in one hand, chewing something, Fu Li said vaguely:

"I can basically understand the items in the inventory just by looking at their names. What's that Galaxy Bat thing?"

"This."

Prometheus pulled out a thick baseball bat nearly a meter long from under her skirt.

The bat's appearance was quite impressive. The grip was a combination of black and gold with a futuristic tech feel, while the barrel was engraved with flowing, iridescent crystal-blue patterns.

[Name: Galaxy Bat] [Rank: C] [Category: Item/Weapon] [Description: A bat-type item from a future world. Extremely sturdy, capable of dealing massive blunt damage. Comes with Hidden Edge Mode. Hidden Edge Mode: This weapon has the property of a sheath. The wielder can store a bladed weapon no longer than two meters inside it. Once stored, it automatically charges. The longer the charge time, the greater the cutting power when drawn. Limited to one strike.] [Note: Rules are meant to be broken!]

A sharp whoosh cut through the cramped apartment as Fu Li swung the Galaxy Bat. He couldn't help but remark: "As everyone knows, compared to baseball's fame in the sports world, the baseball bat's influence in the cold weapon world far surpasses it."

Without any spatial equipment available at the moment, this was already the least suspicious thing he could carry.

Seeing him put away the bat with satisfaction, Little AI floated closer. "Host looks happy."

"Of course."

Tapping the table with his fingers, Fu Li ultimately couldn't hold back his thoughts from this girl—the only one who knew he was a reincarnator:

"How should I put it, Prometheus? Even though I've been saying I'm too weak to amount to anything, the truth is, going from an ordinary person not even D-rank to being just one step away from the legendary S-rank in only two years—that talent is top-tier even in those super-large organizations."

How did large organizations nurture promising juniors? And how had he, Fu Li, crawled through the mud all alone?

This is like how everyone flocks to civil service exams. Fresh graduates not only have no financial difficulties but also enjoy preferential policies for new graduates while attending prep classes, throwing themselves into it wholeheartedly.

Meanwhile, corporate slaves have to face the pressures of life, mentally and physically draining workloads, constant harassment from brain-dead bosses, and family members who say things like, "Just squeeze in some study after work! Back in my day, we suffered way more than you pampered youngsters, blah blah blah," full of assumptions and zero understanding.

For Fu Li to break through to the critical rank within two years under such circumstances—even if it was only at the moment of death—his talent was at least as high as that of Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, the universally acknowledged cheater and miracle magnet who seemed like a child of destiny, "Bianca Durandal Atagina," who reached S-rank in four years.

Yet even someone like Fu Li had monsters he could never catch up to no matter how hard he tried.

He closed his eyes, and three graceful figures, fellow survivors of Changkong City, appeared before him.

If there really were so-called children of fate in this world, it would definitely be those bug-like Trio.

As the saying goes, three parts come from returning to one's roots, seven parts from hard work, and ninety parts from connections. In the past, Fu Li truly couldn't match those three in talent or backing, and every chance reunion left him deeply discouraged, even giving rise to self-deprecating thoughts like, "Genius might just be the threshold to seeing your backs."

But now?

The young man opened his eyes again, his gaze burning bright.

Chapter 7: "Intersection, Kiana"

Catching a glimpse of the fog completely dissipating outside the window from the corner of his eye, Fu Li rose from the room that had been stripped down to just a secondhand laptop and a single-shoulder backpack.

The taste wasn't great, and a slight feeling of fullness crept in, making him realize that the Human Immortal Path's digestive ability had its limits.

Or rather, it was he who had limits, having just begun cultivating the Human Immortal Path.

Staring at the bare walls, Prometheus muttered blankly, "You actually ate it all..."

The Human Immortal Path didn't provide any beautification features—what it tasted like was what it was.

"I bought all the furniture myself from the secondhand market. I couldn't take it with me before leaving, so why not make use of the waste?"

Fu Li held the laptop in his left hand while his right hand skillfully logged into the author backend.

"By the way, I didn't eat the underwear because I still need to wear it. I also didn't eat the parts that touched the floor—some things I just couldn't bring myself to put in my mouth."

After typing a few words on the keyboard, he suddenly remembered something: "Prometheus, can I talk to you by 'thinking' when I'm outside?"

Talking to himself was just too stupid.

"Of course. The system originally had that function."

"Good."

Packing his things into a canvas backpack filled with underwear, Fu Li said to Little AI, who was aimlessly floating around, "Preparation's done. Time to get to the real business."

"Where is the host going?"

"I'll explain on the way."

As he 'thought,' he changed into a dark coat that had been washed until it was pale blue.

The average temperature in the Far East in March was around 10°C. With his body strengthened by the Human Immortal Path, wearing too little wouldn't cause colds or fevers, but standing out in a crowd wasn't ideal either.

His chuunibyou phase was long over; there was no need to be a show-off for the sake of being different.

Watching Fu Li sling the backpack over his shoulder, Prometheus said with regret, "It's a pity the host doesn't meet the conditions for using the Fourth-Dimensional Skirt."

[Name: Fourth-Dimensional Skirt] [Grade: D] [Category: Item] [Effect: A seemingly ordinary skirt that appears to match most tops. When worn by a human female (limited to the broad definition of beautiful girls not part of the LGBT community), the area between the thighs and the hem will transform into a spherical three-meter-radius dimensional storage space. It also possesses the peculiar property of 'making people feel like they can see it while actually not being able to.'] [Note: The art of ambiguity!]

Little AI suggested reluctantly, "Maybe the host should try again? The system panel might be wrong."

"You think I don't know whether it's wrong or not?"

Fu Li shot a sidelong glance at this ill-intentioned little thing and gently pressed down on the door handle.

With a creak, he stepped out of the room.

"What nice weather."

Raising his hand to block the nine o'clock sunlight, Fu Li squinted leisurely as he passed by Room 201 next door.

Little AI said teasingly, "Not going to say goodbye to the white-haired beauty next door?"

"An old veteran I worked with as a mercenary once taught me: if a man wants to succeed, he must first kill his romantic brain, then kill his nostalgic brain. Cherish the present, cherish your family, cherish the future."

Carrying a baseball bat, Fu Li walked slowly down the stairs, smiling harmlessly at a neighbor out for a stroll, and continued in his mind, "Luckily, I have no family, so I only need to cherish the present and the future."

His answer was evasive, yet it fully expressed his stance.

As for family, well, it wasn't like he had none.

At least in the WeChat group named "Old Fu Family Happy Forever," there were still dozens of people with the surname Fu.

Unfortunately, those distant relatives treated Fu Li with utter indifference, basically ignoring him entirely.

That wasn't because they were heartless. First, it's common in modern society for many cousins to not visit each other for years, to the point where they wouldn't recognize each other's faces. Second, his parents, who died young, had done some outrageous things, even changing their surname to the homophone 'Fu' out of spite—so he bore the brunt of the guilt by association.

"And what about that mysterious being releasing the mist?" Seeing that her host didn't want to dwell on that topic, Prometheus considerately shifted the conversation. "That fog this morning—there's no way it was natural."

"So you saw I deliberately waited until the mist dispersed before coming out. That thing will be handled by someone."

In their mental conversation, Fu Li's presence grew distant, eventually fading as he disappeared among the rows of towering and squat buildings.

Minutes later, on the opposite side from where he had departed, a flash of white came jogging from afar.

Silver-white hair cascaded like a waterfall, tied at the shoulders with orange ribbons into twin braids practical for movement.

A sailor uniform with a white base and black trim clung to her body, showcasing her figure and vitality while also giving an impression of pure flawlessness.

Her bright eyes sparkled brilliantly, and her delicate skin glowed with luster.

Though her smile was silly and naive, and her exquisite, pretty face was smudged with a bit of dust, it still couldn't conceal her breathtaking beauty that could shame even a lotus.

"Morning, landlady!"

The girl raised her hand, cheerfully greeting the acquaintance who was taking a walk downstairs.

The landlady, who had just assumed Fu Li had taken a baseball bat out to beat her up, replied stiffly, "M-morning, Miss Kiana."

The girl's noble bearing easily inspired goodwill, but for someone as despicable as the landlady, that brilliant smile like the morning sun only exposed the ugliness in her own heart.

Not to mention that the landlady had just driven away Fu Li, who was acquainted with her.

Then again, did a simp count as an acquaintance? Probably not.

The woman harbored malicious thoughts in her heart, but her words came out with feigned concern: "Out and about so early in the morning, all travel-worn—where have you been?"

She knew Kiana wasn't home; otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to bang on Fu Li's door so early.

That little girl was just too nosy.

"Ahaha~"

Kiana patted her empty, growling stomach and grinned foolishly. "A junior high school girl invited me out for breakfast! You know my appetite, landlady—when someone's treating, of course I eat like crazy!"