Moonlight poured through the shabby window lattice and fell over Lin Fan, seated cross-legged.
The Star-Patterned Blue Fluorescent Grass in his arms gave off a faint blue glow. Its cool essence steadily seeped into his body, nourishing his injured frame and exhausted mind. Lin Fan could clearly feel the deep wound on his back, its bone exposed, slowly healing. A prickling sensation came from the broken bone in his arm—his bones were mending.
[Health Points +3, current 68/100] [Mental Power +0.2, current 13.2] [Moonlight Spirit Condensation Technique proficiency +2, current 6/100]
His cultivation continued for two hours.
When Lin Fan opened his eyes again, the sky outside the window was already growing light. He moved his right arm. It still hurt, but he could at least manage to move it. The wound on his back had scabbed over and stopped bleeding.
"The Trauma Powder and Rejuvenation Powder really work wonders," Lin Fan murmured, looking at the two small cloth bags on the table—one held the Trauma Powder Skinny Monkey had given him, the other contained the wooden token Iron Shield had given him.
He also remembered fighting alongside Zhao Tie and the others yesterday. They had only teamed up temporarily, but the trust forged in that fight to the death was stronger than many long-standing relationships.
"Too bad every partnership doesn't go so smoothly."
Lin Fan's eyes darkened as another experience from half a month ago surfaced in his mind.
It had been his first time joining a temporary hunting team, and the first time he had truly experienced this world's cruel rules.
Flashback: Half a Month Ago
Early in the morning, over a hundred Martial Artists gathered at West Gate Plaza in Jiangnan City. Some were fully equipped, others dressed in rags, but all had the same yearning for resources in their eyes.
Lin Fan stood at the edge of the crowd, wearing the cheapest coarse-cloth martial outfit and holding a rusty short saber he had picked up at a secondhand market. He had just trained his Basic Fist Technique to Proficient Level and urgently needed a chance to gain real combat experience and earn money.
"Black Wind Hunting Team is recruiting! We're clearing Rock Rats out of the Western Suburb Mine. Applicants must be at least 1st Grade Martial Trainees; combat experience preferred! Pay is based on kills—5 Credit Points per Rock Rat!"
A bald, burly man with a fleshy face stood on a stone pedestal and shouted. Seven or eight Martial Artists stood behind him, all with fierce looks in their eyes.
Lin Fan hesitated, then walked over.
"Kid, what's your level?" The bald man looked him up and down.
"1st Grade Martial Trainee," Lin Fan answered honestly.
"Ever killed a Demonic Beast?"
"I've killed a few Steel Tooth Rats." Lin Fan remembered his encounter a few days ago on the outskirts of the city wall. It had been his first time facing Demonic Beasts alone. He had nearly died, but he had also gained valuable experience.
The bald man narrowed his eyes, seemingly assessing Lin Fan's worth. A moment later, he nodded. "Fine, you're in. I'm Liu Heizi, the team leader. The rules are simple: follow orders and split the money according to kills. If anyone hides loot, I'll chop off their hands."
Lin Fan's heart tightened, but he kept his expression calm. "Understood."
The team quickly filled out to ten people. Aside from team leader Liu Heizi, a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, the rest were all 1st Grade Martial Trainees. After a brief introduction, they set off for the abandoned mine in the western suburbs.
On the way, a thin, middle-aged Martial Artist came up beside Lin Fan and spoke quietly. "Little brother, is this your first time on Liu Heizi's team?"
Lin Fan nodded.
"Be careful." The middle-aged Martial Artist glanced at Liu Heizi, who was walking ahead. "That guy... is ruthless."
Lin Fan pondered his words.
The mine lay five miles outside the western suburbs. Weeds half concealed its entrance, and a foul-smelling wind blew from within. Bones littered the ground, some human, some belonging to Demonic Beasts.
"Rock Rats are 1st Tier Demonic Beasts with earth affinities. They're good at burrowing, and their incisors can chew through stone," Liu Heizi explained briefly. "Their Demonic Cores are in their abdomens, so don't aim for the head. We'll split into groups of three and clear the three main side tunnels. I'll wait at the entrance."
When the groups were formed, Lin Fan was placed with the thin, middle-aged Martial Artist and a silent man with a scarred face. They were assigned the leftmost side tunnel.
The tunnel was deep and winding, its walls covered in claw marks. After walking about a hundred paces, they heard a rustling ahead.
"They're coming." The middle-aged Martial Artist tightened his grip on the Iron Fork in his hand.
Five or six Rock Rats rushed out of the darkness. They were slightly smaller than Steel Tooth Rats, but their gray-brown fur blended in with the rocks, making them hard to spot in the dim mine.
The battle erupted.
Lin Fan swung his short saber at a Rock Rat leaping toward him. The blade struck its back, but only opened a shallow wound—the beast's fur was hard as stone!
[Basic Saber Technique proficiency +3]
The Status Panel's prompt flashed by, but Lin Fan had no time to look closely. Another Rock Rat pounced at him from the side. He dodged and drove out a punch.
"Bang!"
The Collapse Force from his Minor Accomplishment Level fist technique pierced through the fur and shattered the Rock Rat's internal organs. The beast shrieked and collapsed.
[Killed 1st Tier Rock Rat, Fist Technique proficiency +8]
"Fine fistwork!" the middle-aged Martial Artist praised. He thrust the Iron Fork into a Rock Rat's abdomen and accurately pried out its Demonic Core.
The scar-faced man wielded a heavy sword. Every swing crushed a Rock Rat's skull, making him extremely efficient.
The three gradually fell into step with one another and steadily pushed forward. The deeper they went into the mine, the more Rock Rats they encountered. But Lin Fan found that killing these well-armored Rock Rats improved his fist technique proficiency more than killing Steel Tooth Rats did.
[Basic Fist Technique: Proficient (312/500)] [Basic Footwork: Proficient (189/500)] [Essence: 142/150]
The battle went on for an hour. The three of them cleared at least thirty Rock Rats. Lin Fan killed eleven on his own, raising his fist technique proficiency to Proficient Level (398/500)—not far from Mastery Level.
"That's about enough. Let's head back," the middle-aged Martial Artist said, panting.
The three retraced their steps, collecting Demonic Cores along the way. Lin Fan counted twelve in his possession. One had been a Rock Rat the middle-aged Martial Artist killed and then gave to him, saying it was thanks for Lin Fan saving his life once.
At the entrance, the other two groups emerged one after another. Liu Heizi stood there with a large cloth sack in front of him.
"Hand over all the Demonic Cores. We'll count them and split the money."
Everyone put their Demonic Cores into the sack. Liu Heizi counted them. There were ninety-seven in total.
"According to our agreement, that's 5 points per rat, for a total of 485 points." Liu Heizi took out his Identity Card. "I'm taking a twenty percent management fee. That leaves 388 points, split among ten people, so 38.8 points each. I'll be generous and give everyone 39."
Some people frowned, but no one spoke up.
Lin Fan did the math. He had turned in twelve Demonic Cores, which should have earned him 60 points at 5 points each, but now he would only get 39. That meant more than a third of his share had been skimmed.
"Team leader, I turned in twelve Demonic Cores," Lin Fan said.
Liu Heizi glanced at him. "So?"
"If we're dividing the money by kill count, I should get more."
The atmosphere froze.
The other team members all looked at Lin Fan. Some were surprised, some looked on with schadenfreude, and others nodded to themselves.
Liu Heizi laughed, his smile full of mockery. "Kid, I set the rules. I decide how we split things. Got a problem with that?"
Lin Fan clenched his fists. He could feel that Liu Heizi's Essence aura far surpassed his own. He was a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, and at least at the intermediate level.
There was no way he could win in a head-on fight.
But he didn't want to just accept this. It wasn't just about the money; it was about principle.
"Team leader, before we set out, we agreed to divide the spoils according to kills," Lin Fan said, keeping his voice as steady as possible. "If you can change the rules whenever you want, who'll dare go on a mission with you next time?"
"Heh, you've got quite a way with words." Liu Heizi stood up, towering a head above Lin Fan. "Then I'll tell you the rules today: I'm the team leader, so what I say goes. You want a bigger share? Fine. Beat me, and all these Demonic Cores are yours."
He pointed at the sack of Demonic Cores, his eyes challenging Lin Fan.
The team members around them all stepped back. No one dared intervene. The middle-aged Martial Artist started to say something, but his companion pulled him back.
Lin Fan fell silent.
He was calculating. His own strength: fist technique at Proficient Level, footwork at Proficient Level, 142 points of Essence. His opponent: a 2nd Grade Martial Artist at the intermediate level. His exact strength was unknown, but he was definitely much stronger than Lin Fan.
His chances of winning were less than one in ten.
But he couldn't bear to just accept it.
"What, scared?" Liu Heizi sneered. "If you are, take your money and get lost. Learn to be smarter next time. In this world, strength is the rule."
Strength is the rule.
The words struck Lin Fan's heart like a hammer.
He looked at Liu Heizi's fleshy face, at the other team members' numb or sympathetic expressions, and at the sack of bloodstained Demonic Cores.
Then he made his decision.
"I'll fight," Lin Fan said.
Liu Heizi froze, then burst out laughing. "Good, you've got guts! Come on, let's see what makes a 1st Grade Martial Trainee like you think you can lecture me about rules!"
The two faced off in the open space by the mine entrance.
The other team members formed a circle around them, each wearing a different expression.
"Kid, I'll give you three moves." Liu Heizi folded his arms, not taking Lin Fan seriously at all.
Lin Fan didn't waste time.
He took a deep breath, channeled Essence into his legs, and unleashed his footwork at full force, charging at Liu Heizi in an instant.
His first punch aimed straight for the face.
Liu Heizi easily tilted his head aside to dodge, but Lin Fan's punch had been a feint. The real killing move came from below—his left leg whipped out toward Liu Heizi's knee.
"Not bad." Liu Heizi stepped back half a pace and evaded the kick.
But Lin Fan's assault came in wave after wave. Fists, elbows, knees, legs—he unleashed one variation of the Basic Fist Technique after another. His attacks weren't powerful enough to break through Liu Heizi's defenses, but their exquisite transitions kept Liu Heizi from counterattacking for a while.
The three moves passed in a flash.
"My turn." Liu Heizi grinned viciously and threw a punch.
The Essence of a 2nd Grade Martial Artist surged outward, his punch howling through the air. Lin Fan didn't dare meet it head-on. He used his footwork to dodge by a hair's breadth, but Liu Heizi's second punch came even faster, cutting off his retreat.
"Bang!"
Lin Fan crossed his arms to block and was sent flying, slamming into the rock wall.
[Health Points -22]
His arms went numb, and his chest tightened.
The gap in their strength was too great.
"That's all you've got?" Liu Heizi advanced step by step. "And you thought you could lecture me about rules?"
Lin Fan struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He had been watching Liu Heizi the whole time. Liu Heizi's punches were fierce but lacked variety, and he had a habit: before every punch, his right shoulder dipped slightly.
That was the opening.
But with Lin Fan's current attack power, even if he hit that opening, it would be hard to inflict any real damage.
Unless...
Lin Fan looked into Liu Heizi's eyes.
"What, you still want to fight?" Liu Heizi sneered. "Get down on your knees and apologize, and I'll spare you—"
Before he could finish, Lin Fan moved.
He poured all his Essence into his legs, pushing his speed to its limit. He didn't charge at Liu Heizi, but instead rushed toward the sack of Demonic Cores at the mine entrance!
"Looking for death!" Liu Heizi roared in fury and chased after him.
But the Demonic Cores weren't Lin Fan's real target.
He skidded to a halt in front of the sack, turned, grabbed a handful of sand, and flung it straight at Liu Heizi's face!
"Despicable!" Liu Heizi instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.
Now!
Lin Fan gathered all his strength, all his Essence, all his will into his right fist.
The Collapse Force of his Minor Accomplishment Level fist technique, the speed of his Proficient Level footwork, reinforced by 142 points of Essence—
He drove his fist into the opening at Liu Heizi's right shoulder!
"Bang!"
His fist struck home.
The Collapse Force pierced Liu Heizi's body. A crack came from his right shoulder, and his entire arm went limp.
"Ah!" Liu Heizi screamed and instinctively counterattacked with his left fist.
Lin Fan had no time to dodge. The punch struck his abdomen, sending him flying and making him spit out a mouthful of blood.
[Health Points -35, current 43/100]
A grave injury.
But he smiled.
Liu Heizi's right arm was crippled, at least temporarily unable to exert any strength. And with that last punch, Lin Fan had felt the Collapse Force surge into Liu Heizi's meridians, inflicting an internal injury.
Liu Heizi clutched his right shoulder, his face pale. He tried to channel Essence to heal himself, but the meridians around his shoulder were in disarray, preventing his Essence from flowing smoothly.
"You..." He glared at Lin Fan, his eyes full of murderous intent.
The other team members were all stunned. A 1st Grade Martial Trainee had actually injured their 2nd Grade Martial Artist team leader?
Lin Fan struggled to his feet and walked over to the sack of Demonic Cores. He reached inside.
He counted out twelve Demonic Cores and tucked them into his clothes.
Then he counted out another thirty-nine, the basic share he was owed.
"I'm taking my share," Lin Fan said calmly, his voice carrying an unshakable resolve. "You can split the rest."
With that, he turned and left, his steps stumbling but firm.
Liu Heizi wanted to stop him, but the agony in his right shoulder left him unable to move. Besides, he knew the Collapse Force in that punch was strange. He had to recover as soon as possible, or he might suffer lasting damage.
The other team members looked at one another, but in the end, no one dared stop Lin Fan.
The middle-aged Martial Artist quietly gave Lin Fan a thumbs-up.
Outside the mine, the sunlight was blinding.
Lin Fan leaned against a tree and gasped for breath. His abdomen throbbed with pain, his Health Points were down to 43, and his Essence was nearly spent.
But he had fifty-one Demonic Cores in his arms, worth 255 Credit Points.
More importantly, he understood the rules of this world.
Strength was the rule.
Without strength, you couldn't even protect what you were owed.
But strength alone wasn't enough. You also needed wisdom and courage.
Liu Heizi was stronger than him, yet Lin Fan had still managed to injure him badly. Because Liu Heizi had underestimated him, because Lin Fan had found an opening, and because he had dared to risk his life.
"Next time...I'll be stronger," Lin Fan murmured, his gaze resolute.
Flashback Ends
Morning light shone through the window lattice onto Lin Fan's face.
He came back to himself and gently touched the wound on his chest. After that battle in the mine, he had spent three days recovering, but it had also helped him break through to Mastery Level in his fist technique.
And now, he was at least three times stronger than he had been then.
"Different team leaders, different endings," Lin Fan said to himself.
Zhao Tie, Skinny Monkey, and Iron Shield followed the rules and valued loyalty. People like Liu Heizi, on the other hand, treated others as tools.
But when all was said and done, strength was what mattered. If Lin Fan hadn't been able to kill the Rat King yesterday, would Zhao Tie and the others still have treated him so courteously?
Probably not.
That was how cruel this world was—and how simple.
Lin Fan got to his feet and stretched. His injuries had healed well, so he should have no trouble with this afternoon's assessment.
He looked at the Star-Patterned Blue Fluorescent Grass on the table. Its blue glow had dimmed, but it still gave off a refreshing, cool aura.
"This grass... might help me break through to the 2nd Grade."
Lin Fan had a plan. After the assessment, he would sell the grass along with the Rat King's Demonic Core and exchange them for enough resources to break through to 2nd Grade Martial Artist.
And the Moonlight Spirit Condensation Technique on the stone slab, though incomplete, might be possible to cultivate with the help of the Star-Patterned Blue Fluorescent Grass.
Everything was moving in a good direction.
But Lin Fan didn't let his guard down. He knew that the farther one progressed along the path of martial arts, the harder it became, and the stronger one's opponents grew.
There would be no shortage of people like Liu Heizi, and a spoiled young master from a prominent family like Wang Hao wouldn't let things go, either.
He had to grow stronger faster.
"Brother, it's time to eat." Lin Xiaoyu's voice came from outside the door.
"Coming."
Lin Fan gathered his thoughts and opened the door.
A new day had begun. This afternoon would be the first step toward changing his fate.
And he was ready.
Before you continue