[Host helped a weakling, rescuing a Fourth-Rank Fire Goddess. Survival Points +200.]
Hearing the familiar prompt, Zeng Mo felt a faint disappointment.
Originally, he'd thought that helping the Fourth-Rank Wisdom Species would earn him at least a thousand Survival Points. In the end, he'd only received eight hundred.
"Looks like the thousand Survival Points I got for saving that day's Shadow Tribe really were a first-time bonus for saving a species."
Just as Zeng Mo was guessing, a middle-aged man walked over to him. After a moment's silence, he clasped his hands and said, "Although you didn't take part in the Martial Arts Hall's assessment, you did succeed in a martial arts challenge under the rules established by our ancestors. I can grant you one request, as long as it's something within the Martial Arts Hall's power."
"Ah?" Zeng Mo was stunned. He looked at the middle-aged Martial Arts Hall Master in front of him and asked suspiciously, "Can I ask you to do something for me?"
"Of course. Those are rules passed down by our ancestors. We must follow them, as long as your request doesn't violate morality or the law," the middle-aged Martial Arts Hall Master replied.
"I don't need you to do anything for me. I just..."
Zeng Mo scratched his head, but before he could finish, a young Martial Arts Hall disciple interrupted him.
"Are you looking down on our Fire Martial Arts Hall?"
"Exactly. Do you think our Martial Arts Hall isn't good enough?"
The other young disciples chimed in, too.
Seeing their reaction, Zeng Mo felt he couldn't ask them to do anything for him. He might as well really make a request.
Zeng Mo rubbed his chin and thought it over. Then his eyes lit up and he said, "All right, then. I want you to spar with me every day and let me practice cutting stones."
The disciples were stunned. They were all dumbfounded.
"You're so fast. Every time we spar, I can barely keep up with you," one young disciple said.
Zeng Mo thought for a moment and then said, "Since that's the case, I'll slow down. Each time, I'll only use twenty percent of my maximum speed."
"Twenty percent of your top speed? How fast would that even be?"
"About the same speed as me going all out," someone guessed.
"Ah, that's great. At that speed, I should be able to hit you once in a while. You've got speed, but do you even know any martial arts?" a young man asked eagerly.
The middle-aged Martial Arts Hall Master gave him a look, then turned to Zeng Mo and said, "If that's what you want, that's no problem. But it seems like you're at a disadvantage. Since you've become our Martial Arts Hall's guest, I can teach you some martial arts and moves while we spar."
Zeng Mo's eyes lit up. He immediately nodded.
With his speed, if he learned some basic moves, his combat power would improve greatly.
That sounded like a good deal.
He could earn Survival Points every day, and improve his combat ability at the same time.
Zeng Mo hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
At first, he'd only wanted to find someone to spar with, practice a little, and earn some Survival Points.
But the person he saved hadn't even made a request. Instead, he'd earned a thousand Survival Points from the Martial Arts Hall.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Hall Master." Zeng Mo smiled and cupped his hands. Then he headed off with the group.
[Wisdom Species: Fire Goddess Tribe.]
[Rank: Lord (Common, Elite, Lord, King, Overlord, Historical, Divine).]
[Rank 4: 0/50000.]
[Name: Li Qiyuan.]
[Skills: None.]
[Faith: First Savior, Third-Rank Fire God.]
[Faith Reward (Each day, the god he worships provides 100 Faith Points).]
[Mind: Somewhat anxious.]
[Analysis: He was originally a First-Rank Fire God. But during the war with the Ant People, he was captured by the Ghost Tribe. Fortunately, he was bathed in flames beneath the First Savior's grace and reborn as a new life. He will forever bear the form of a Fire Goddess.]
"Oh."
Hearing the system's description, Zeng Mo couldn't help feeling surprised.
The Fire Goddess Tribe had actually become women under the First Savior's grace. Had they recognized him as a woman?
The system even described him as sharing a body with a female. Could that be what had happened?
Then he really wasn't a villain. He was a god who'd fallen to the tenth tier of the Divine Ranks.
At that thought, Zeng Mo suddenly remembered the Martial Arts Hall Master's words. He glanced at the middle-aged man and asked, "Hall Master, if the First Savior isn't the Martial Arts Hall Master, then what is he doing in the hall?"
"He's been working as a cleaner in the hall for nearly ten years."
Li Qiyuan replied slowly.
"Holy crap, a cleaner?" Zeng Mo blurted out.
Li Qiyuan looked at him and said, "Yes. Most of the Martial Arts Hall's expenses are paid by him. When he has nothing else to do, he goes around the nearby villages, dealing with the old men and women who make trouble. When he visits our hall, he helps the elderly men and women who come here with their grandchildren learn a few defensive moves. I give him a little money every time he comes."
"Oh, all right."
Zeng Mo rubbed his nose.
So that was the old man he'd saved.
Suddenly, he heard a clear, childish voice come from the Martial Arts Hall's courtyard.
"First Savior, someone's looking for you."
"Little Fang, tell them to find the First Savior."
The First Savior replied. Out of curiosity, Zeng Mo glanced toward the Martial Arts Hall's entrance to see who'd come looking for him. And then he met Zeng Mo's eyes.
In that instant, the man's expression darkened, and he turned to run out of the Martial Arts Hall.
But—
Zeng Mo immediately activated an incredible speed boost. The instant the man stepped out of the Martial Arts Hall, Zeng Mo appeared in front of him.
"Ah! A ghost!"
The First Savior was so startled by Zeng Mo's ghostly speed that he cried out. His legs went weak, and he fell flat on his face. He no longer looked like the extraordinary expert he'd been in the village.
[The host acted bravely, using his strength to defeat a Third-Rank Fire God. Survival Points +100.]
"Ah..."
"Sure enough, the first-time bonus is gone. And the Survival Points provided by the Third-Rank Wisdom Species are only 100. It's the same even for a Third-Rank god."
"Could it be that Third-Rank Fire Gods don't count as part of the Wisdom Species?"
Hearing the familiar prompt, Zeng Mo frowned slightly, then looked with some embarrassment at the First Savior, who'd fallen to the ground.
"First Savior, weren't you going to spar with me? What, are you just going to run away?"
The First Savior heard Zeng Mo's words. His gaze darted toward the old men and women around him, who were practicing martial arts. He realized they were all watching him.
He hurriedly braced himself with his legs and forced a smile. "No, no. I was just about to run. I'm only tired, so I wanted to sit down and rest for a bit."
Zeng Mo glanced at the First Savior and immediately understood what he was thinking. Without calling him out, he said, "Oh, that's what you meant. Sure, sit down and rest. You can stay seated for the next few years."
The First Savior was speechless.
Zeng Mo tried to suppress a smile, then looked up at Li Qiyuan as he walked over. "Hall Master, I've got something to take care of, so I'll head back first. I'll come by again tomorrow."
Li Qiyuan nodded.
Zeng Mo turned and walked out of the Martial Arts Hall's main gate. A clear voice sounded behind him again.
[The host, under the furious assault of a Third-Rank Fire God and one of his kind, defeated them all. You have gained the opposite of their resentment, and earned Survival Points +1000.]
"Does that mean I triggered the first-time bonus?"
Zeng Mo's steps slowed slightly.
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