Yang Ling chose Mine Tunnel No. 2 again this time.
He had not gone far before mining for half a day, when he sensed that something was wrong.
"Something's off. I've been mining all day these past few days. Going by my previous experience, I should have leveled up by now, so why hasn't anything happened?"
"Could it be that after reaching Level 10, the required Experience Points increased all at once?"
"Or do I need to complete a Class Transfer before I can continue leveling up?"
He could not help wondering to himself.
If he needed to complete a Class Transfer before leveling up, that would be troublesome!
He had no idea what the conditions for a Class Transfer were.
Nor did he know where he could undergo one.
Unless he exposed his own strength, he might have a chance of joining the Mountain River Sect.
If that happened, it would be easy for people to associate him with the Buddhist Sutra from Ku Jue Temple!
He knew that the people of this world were not the sort to beat around the bush.
With Ku Jue Temple's influence, the moment they grew suspicious, they would not bother looking for evidence. They would probably simply kill him.
"Class..."
Yang Ling muttered softly, then lowered his head and continued working.
He wanted to see whether he could still level up.
Soon, the sun went down.
Yang Ling had not leveled up.
He returned to the wooden hut to practice his fist technique and cultivate the Vajra Mingwang Technique.
The second day, the third day, the fourth day.
As usual, he mined during the day and practiced his techniques at night, not sleeping at all.
The Vajra Mingwang Technique's Experience Points increased at a rate of eight points per day.
The Proficiency of Collapse Mountain Fist also increased by around twenty points a day.
After roughly five or six days.
Yang Ling had confirmed that he could not level up before completing a Class Transfer.
"Looks like I don't need to go to the mine shaft during the day for the time being. I should use all my time to push my Collapse Mountain Fist Proficiency."
"I've also saved up nearly twenty taels of silver. I'll buy an identity and keep the rest in reserve."
From then on, he stopped going to the mine shaft during the day and stayed in the wooden hut the entire time.
He stocked up on food and water, only leaving the hut when he needed to use the toilet.
He spent roughly twenty-two hours a day cultivating Collapse Mountain Fist.
As a result, his Proficiency began skyrocketing at a rate of thirty-five or thirty-six points per day.
In just a few days, his Proficiency broke through the one-thousand mark!
"Congratulations. Collapse Mountain Fist has advanced to Mastery Through Practice."
The game's notification rang out.
A scorching, warm current surged through Yang Ling's body.
His expression unchanged, Yang Ling continued practicing his fists.
His fist technique had gradually become more fierce.
As long as he wished, every punch could draw on the strength of his entire body.
The wooden hut was tiny, yet Yang Ling moved through it with nimble twists and shifts.
One punch after another shot out.
The surging force traveled through his spine, section by section, finally reaching his fists.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of things being torn through the air rang out in waves!
Without realizing it, he began circulating the Vajra Mingwang Technique.
Even a casual punch seemed capable of shattering the air!
With a thought, Yang Ling maintained his cultivation state and opened the Attribute Panel:
Character: Yang Ling Class: Martial Artist Level: 10 Strength: 32 (15+6) Agility: 20 (15) Mental Power: 17 Martial Arts: Vajra Mingwang Technique (Novice) Experience Points: 72/1000 Collapse Mountain Fist (Mastery Through Practice) Proficiency: 0/10000 Health Points: 210
"This is practically nonhuman data..."
"Unfortunately, there are quite a few nonhumans in this world."
"Wu Que, Wang Jing, and Huìnéng are all nonhumans. Xu Qing's attributes are the most terrifying of all. I wonder what kind of boost he gets when he circulates the Mountain River Heart Method?
"And then there's his Mountain River Drawing Sword Technique and Mountain River Twelve Fists..."
"I'm probably still no match for him. Compared to them, I'm still missing something very important."
"Experience in life-and-death battles!"
A solemn look appeared on Yang Ling's face.
He had always hidden away and mined. His only life-and-death battle had been an overwhelming victory.
Fortunately, aside from Xu Qing, Huìnéng, and Wang Jing,
he was confident he could crush Wu Que.
"Smart people never seek out opponents who are too strong for them."
"As long as I keep my opponents one level weaker than me, my odds of winning will be high."
"Wait... why am I treating the locals as my opponents?"
Yang Ling suddenly wore a strange expression.
Logically speaking, his true opponents were actually the Players who had entered the Divine Domain just like him.
"It's still the early stages of the game, so the Players aren't much of a threat yet. The locals pose the greater threat."
"Treating them as my opponents is good, too. Only then can I bring out my iron-willed drive to fight."
His attention returned to the issue of Collapse Mountain Fist's Proficiency.
"The third realm, Perfected Skill, requires 10,000 Proficiency."
"If my Mental Power can't increase any further, I'll gain 1.7 Proficiency per hour. Getting a little over thirty a day won't be a problem."
"At this rate, I'll be able to advance in less than three hundred days."
"That's the worst-case estimate. If I'm lucky, I should complete my Class Transfer during that time. Otherwise, the other Players' levels will inevitably leave mine far behind. Wanting to get chest rewards after that will be nothing but a pipe dream!"
A sense of urgency welled up in Yang Ling's heart.
This was an invisible competition.
The game only offered a limited number of rewards.
If he fell behind, those rewards would no longer be his.
"Complete a Class Transfer, charge toward Level 20, and try to get another chest."
"As for the future... It's fine if I don't get any more. At least I'll have a decent identity and status in the Divine Domain."
Before long, Yang Ling left the wooden hut and arrived at Wu Que's residence.
After being informed by the Mine Guards, he met the calm-looking Wu Que.
He quietly opened Wu Que's Attribute Panel:
Character: Wu Que Class: Martial Artist Strength: 12 Agility: 8 Mental Power: 3 Martial Arts: Black Tiger Fist (Entering the Hall and Room)
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