The Beginning, Martial Arts Modifier

The dark and damp underground mine tunnel never saw the light of day.

Jiang Yan, dressed in thin grey rags, walked mechanically while carrying a stretcher with another man.

The mine path was uneven. Jiang Yan appeared to be focused on the ground, but in reality, he was lost in thought.

A month ago, he was just an ordinary medical student on Azure Planet, living a quiet and plain life. However, after a very common night of drinking, his soul transmigrated to this other world, and he ended up here.

After countless sleepless nights, he finally had to accept the reality: he had truly transmigrated.

Jiang Yan was currently in an iron mining area within the territory of Guihua City, owned by the Dahe Gang. The miners in the area came from diverse backgrounds; some were idlers from nearby villages, but most were refugees who had fled from much further away.

The world was full of suffering. To survive, their previous identities were all useless; they had only one identity: miner.

The work was exhausting, the pay was negligible, and accidents happened frequently, yet countless people still came to scrape a living and beg for a bite to eat.

In fact, mining in a place similar to ancient times meant that accidents, illness, injury, brawls, and starvation could easily claim a living soul.

Though he was in the mining area, Jiang Yan did not have to mine every day. He had a special job: he was a member of the Corpse Carrying Squad.

The Dahe Gang mining area recruited people almost every day, but people also died every day, so the Corpse Carrying Squad was formed to transport the deceased out.

"Jiang Yan, let's take a break."

Jiang Yan snapped back to reality and responded softly. The two men set down the stretcher and found a large rock to rest on.

The man carrying the stretcher with him was named Ren Tao. He had a dark complexion and a short, stocky build, which contrasted with Jiang Yan's tall and thin frame.

Ren Tao was in a talkative mood. "There were quite a few people who passed away last night. Do you know why, Jiang Yan?"

Jiang Yan shook his head.

Today's task was much heavier than usual; indeed, too many people had died.

Having worked together for so long, Ren Tao understood Jiang Yan's taciturn nature. He didn't feel annoyed at all; instead, he said in a tone filled with mystery and fear, "I heard... a Fierce Sha possessed someone last night and killed quite a few people."

Jiang Yan's brows furrowed, and he pursed his lips.

Fierce Sha! Jiang Yan whispered to himself. So, such terrifying existences really do exist in this world, he thought silently.

Upon arriving in this world, he had immediately concluded that this was not the ancient era of Azure Planet, but another world entirely. The reason was that this place had martial artists capable of moving mountains and draining seas, and strange demons that wreaked havoc on the world.

These were not myths or legends, but real existences. According to Ren Tao, his own village had been destroyed by an unknown shadowy monster, and he had only managed to escape here after trekking through mountains and rivers, barely surviving while his companions fell one by one along the way.

Ren Tao added, "Fortunately, the Dahe Gang has experts who killed that Fierce Sha."

However, quite a few people had still died.

This was a world where martial arts were supreme and everyone aspired to become a dragon. From the gossip of the Dahe Gang members, he had learned that here, when martial arts were cultivated to a high level, splitting stones and breaking monuments was trivial; one could even overturn rivers and seas.

Ordinary people entering the martial path were known as Martial Apprentices. Above the Martial Apprentice was the first major realm of martial arts: the Three Body-Refining Realms.

Above the Body-Refining Realms was the Xiantian realm.

The martial hierarchy was strict and rigid. Ordinary people had no possibility of acquiring vast wealth or power and could only live at the bottom of society.

"Huh, this person looks a bit strange!"

Suddenly, Ren Tao let out a sound of slight surprise.

Jiang Yan looked over. The stretcher they were carrying was slightly tilted, and the grey cloth had slipped, revealing an exceptionally pale face.

The face was withered and covered in wrinkles, as if all the essence of the body's blood had been sucked dry.

This was why Ren Tao found it strange.

But Jiang Yan only took one look before losing interest. Although he rarely saw such a state, he had been a medical student before transmigrating, specifically in the anatomy department.

To him, this was nothing.

After a while, the two had rested enough and intended to continue. Today's task was heavy, and there would be punishment if they didn't finish it.

Jiang Yan reached out his left hand and gently covered "his" eyes to help close them, whispering, "Go in peace."

The unexpected happened.

In Jiang Yan's astonished gaze, a grey-black stream of air flew out from "him" and lunged at his left hand in a swirl.

A cold sensation washed over him, and the grey-black air vanished like water into the sea.

The next moment, a mechanical electronic voice rang out.

"Weird Value absorbed. Martial Arts Modifier is now activated. Welcome to the Martial Arts Modifier!"

A pale green, transparent panel appeared:

Character: Jiang Yan

Martial Arts: None

Weird Value: 1

A profound and mysterious consciousness was transmitted, and Jiang Yan instantly understood how to use the Martial Arts Modifier.

Consume Weird Value to upgrade martial arts.

An indescribable ecstasy filled his heart, but Jiang Yan held it back firmly. He calmly closed the deceased's eyes, covered him with the grey cloth, and lifted the stretcher.

In this world, there were martial artists who could rend the heavens, but there were also demons wreaking havoc. This place was no longer the peaceful and quiet Azure Planet.

He recalled the envy he felt when he first heard of martial artists transcending the mortal realm, and the terror he felt when he learned of the vast, overwhelming power of demons and monsters.

At this moment, Jiang Yan's heart felt only a sense of calm; he had a premonition that the Martial Arts Modifier would be his reliance in this chaotic world.

"Weird Value?" Jiang Yan thought back to the appearance of the deceased just now, concluding, "This person's end... was truly unusual."

It was different from every other body he had collected in the past.

He had collected many deceased persons before, but never once had he gained Weird Value or activated the Martial Arts Modifier like he did today.

He had a hunch that the bodies he was handling today were not ordinary.

Deep within the mountain cave, after passing through a long, narrow corridor and entering a slightly larger cavern, a number of corpses were piled up haphazardly.

This time, with intent, Jiang Yan immediately noticed the difference.

Aside from the "special" remains like the one he had carried earlier, there were many more "conventional" corpses.

He knew very well that conventional corpses could not increase his Weird Value, so he walked straight toward the "special" ones.

He would touch them to verify if they could increase his Weird Value; if they could, he would get to the bottom of what caused these bodies to form, ensuring a long-term, stable income of Weird Value.

Walking up to a withered, humanoid figure, he reached out, and a stream of gray-black energy flew out, merging into his left hand.

It felt ice-cold to the touch, and the Martial Arts Modifier panel appeared once again.

Weird Value: 2

Before he could even turn around, a cold, sharp voice rang out: "Never seen someone possessed by a 'Sha' before?"

"After being possessed by a Fierce Sha, all their essence and blood are absorbed, their consciousness is wiped clean, and they become a monster that knows only how to kill."

Jiang Yan turned around to find a burly, square-faced man standing beside him.

This man was Lu Yi, the squad leader of the Corpse Carrying Squad; strictly speaking, Jiang Yan was his subordinate.

"So this is what it looks like to be possessed by a 'Sha'."

He had been here for over a month, and although he was in a mining area with limited information, the mine slaves came from all walks of life, so he had long since learned much of the world's common knowledge.

This place truly possessed supernatural powers, including paranormal entities like Fierce Sha, Severe Sha, and Blood Sha. It was rumored that Sha were born from endless resentment, evil thoughts, and other negative forces, spreading terror and feeding on the essence, blood, and souls of the Human Race.

Every time a Sha appeared, people in the mining area were bound to die.

But this was his first time truly encountering such a thing. Looking at the withered remains and the hideous face before him, Jiang Yan pressed his lips together tightly, feeling a flicker of fear in his heart.

This world lacked any sense of security.

Fortunately, he had the Martial Arts Modifier—his golden finger. At this moment, Jiang Yan felt a specific emotion once again: hope!

A bold yet terrifying conjecture was born, a guess he wanted to deny but felt certain of: if Weird Value came from corpses drained of their essence by Sha possession, then the true source of Weird Value must be the Sha themselves!

To grow stronger, to gain Weird Value, he might one day truly have to face these terrifying, paranormal existences known as "Sha."

Just as he was lost in thought, a large hand slapped heavily onto his shoulder.