What did it take to achieve the first clear on a server?
Skill, stamina, game sense... Such personal abilities were of course essential. But beyond those, there was another condition that seemed rather vulgar, yet was actually more important than any personal ability.
Money.
Even in fair competitive games that didn't sell power, ample funds meant better equipment, better internet, more practice partners, boosting services, and even RMT trades... And besides, how much fairness was there in this world?
As a professional who had achieved first-clear accomplishments many times, Wu Ming had never been opposed to using money to gain an advantage. Now that he was in another world, there was even less reason to leave this most important resource unused.
As he called for the system in his heart, the world froze in that instant.
All the noise and clamor around him seemed to fade like a painting losing its colors, turning pale and indistinct... Only a Star Vortex revolved slowly at the center of his vision, its billions of stars glittering brilliantly within the whirlpool!
For some inexplicable reason, knowledge about this Star Vortex surfaced in his mind.
This was the true benefit of his transmigration: a Card Pool that contained every possibility...
Just like the ones commonly seen before he transmigrated, as long as he invested a certain amount of "resources," he could draw something that didn't belong to this world out of the Card Pool.
Those resources were Spirit Crystals. A hundred and sixty allowed for one draw, and at present, the only way to get them was by submitting guides. Wu Ming had just enough from his two guides for a ten-pull, and he was using it at this crucial moment to turn his fate around!
Once his intention was set, the stored Spirit Crystals transformed into thousands of tiny streams of light that surged out of him and swept into the Star Vortex, colliding with countless tiny stars... A moment later, several stars were jostled free by the collisions, broke away from the vortex's restraints, and hurtled toward the space between Wu Ming's brows!
Boom!
The instant they struck, blue light filled Wu Ming's vision. Then a hint of warmth flowed into his body... It seemed to have the effect of healing pain. The disruption in his qi and blood caused by forcibly comprehending the Human Emperor Scroll just now immediately settled somewhat.
Before he could savor the feeling, another flash of blue light appeared. This time, coolness spread through his feet, as though his entire body had grown a little lighter.
Wu Ming understood at once: So the blue lights are for strengthening physical attributes. The first two probably correspond to health recovery and agility. Their effects are solid enough, and they boost useful stats, but the potency... really does live up to the blue-light rarity!
Even his current body, which had almost no foundation to speak of, had undergone no qualitative change after being strengthened by the blue light. Each flash probably raised a stat from 100 to 101 or so. Even if the boost was proportional, the effect was barely better than nothing!
Unless he had a card belonging to some big shot, allowing the blue light to descend without end, then, just as was customary before he transmigrated, the key to pulling cards was always...
Whoosh!
After the eighth blue light, a purple light suddenly burst forth, then flowed into his dantian and settled there in the shape of a jade tree. The moment the jade tree took shape, Wu Ming felt an almost imperceptible resonance between himself and the plants and trees around him... This was precisely the divine power of the Wood Spirit Root!
So at the purple-light stage, one's Spirit Root aptitude could be improved? In a xianxia world, this was undoubtedly one of the most important attributes. That small increase in his Wood Spirit Root aptitude had already made Wu Ming feel new vitality sprouting in the Human Emperor Painting in his mind. His memory limit had clearly increased by at least ten characters.
However, amid the billions of shining stars in the Star Vortex, a Purple Star wasn't the end. Above the purple light, there was another level...
Boom!
A muffled thunderclap exploded overhead. A meteor of immense power tore across the heavens and earth, its dazzling golden light seemingly smelting a person's reason.
As a newcomer's bonus, after eight blue lights and one purple, the golden light arrived right on schedule!
This time, the scene in his mind was exceptionally clear. Amid the golden glow, a blue-covered book drifted slowly, the three characters Human Emperor Scroll on its cover especially conspicuous.
The Human Emperor Scroll? Was the highest-rarity reward in this Star Vortex the Human Emperor Scroll displayed in front of Dinghuang Prefecture, which anyone could read?
His question had barely arisen when the Human Emperor Scroll turned into fine powder, spreading and flowing away with the golden light.
As the last trace of golden light faded, the faded world gradually warmed back up.
The card-drawing was over, and so was the time he had to comprehend the Human Emperor Scroll... The bustle of the crowd filled Wu Ming's ears again. Surrounded by people, Liu Sanlang had already started up the platform to collect the grand prize specially prepared for him that day.
As expected, someone behind him began to sneer. His score was undeniably close to the fifth level, and already very impressive, but since it was the score of a Desolate Person, there had to be some doubt and belittlement.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Wu Ming's entire attention was on the book spread open before him... Thanks to the little strength restored by the blue light, his vision had cleared again. But everything past the first five hundred characters was still twisted and blurry, difficult to make out. Even with his improved aptitude, he could only decipher another dozen or twenty characters at most.
But he no longer needed to burn his life away memorizing the text. An invisible force from all directions of heaven and earth suddenly descended, like an infusion of divine insight, and the crystal jade that had just coalesced in his mind burst forth with brilliant light!
There was no need for anyone around him to marvel. Wu Ming clearly realized that his Human Dao Seal had ascended once again, reaching the sixth level. Though the Heavenly Book text in his mind still contained only five hundred characters, the result it actually produced exceeded six hundred... To be precise, six hundred and twenty-five characters.
The golden light that had burst from the Star Vortex was a refinement, an echo... An independent enhancement that perfectly increased the cultivation method's effect by one quarter!
With the golden light's refinement, Wu Ming hadn't broken through the shackles of his bloodline, yet he had easily surpassed the limits imposed by his bloodline itself. His level, now beyond the sixth, sent shockwaves through the entire crowd without him having to announce it.
"..."
"..."
When something truly unbelievable happened, the clamor that had been disturbing everyone's peace of mind vanished in an instant... Feeling the sudden silence around him, Wu Ming knew that he had won this round.
Then he opened his eyes and looked around. Every face he saw was gaping in disbelief. As his gaze swept across the crowd, it was as if a barrage of question marks and exclamation marks were streaming past on loop.
"Huh??"
"Holy shit!!!!"
"Whaaat!!!???"
The surroundings were completely silent, yet the shock was deafening... At that moment, the familiar feeling had finally returned.
Speechless shock was the best cheer for the top-ranked player.
Only much later did the uproar begin to rise again.
"Did they get it wrong?! Sixth level?!"
"Not just that, sixth level plus two-fifths... He cheated. He absolutely cheated!"
"Fuck his mother, that score's obviously shady! What's that little bastard so smug about?!"
"Shameless, wild-born mongrel..."
Doubt, anger, and even outright insults gradually filled the air... Wu Ming didn't need to open his eyes to see. He could hear that the hysterical roar in the latter half was probably coming from a familiar old face whose qi and blood were surging so violently that his internal and external hemorrhoids had both flared up.
If Liu Xi's earlier face-to-face sarcasm had been a comical HP -1, then this... was an HP +10 kind of pleasure.
The impotent fury and hysteria of the defeated were always music to the ears... Wu Ming lifted his head and looked down at Liu Xi and his gaggle of friends as if from on high. Then he spread his arms, a smile gradually spreading across his face.
Your triple combo of insults is exactly what keeps me moving forward. I'll take the top spot again next time, thanks!
Crack!
For a moment, Wu Ming seemed to hear an important blood vessel snap.
Just as the anger came at him, his master, Gu Bai, drifted over.
"Enough. Don't stoop to their level. You've already taken first place and become the star of the day, so there's no need to invite trouble. Also, next time you get a score like this, remember to have it officially certified right away. Otherwise, the petty-minded might talk behind your back, and enough mouths can melt gold."
As he spoke, the old man handed Wu Ming a pure white, ring-shaped jade pendant.
"This is the token issued by Dinghuang Prefecture in accordance with the law. With it, your Human Dao Seal attainment has Dinghuang Prefecture's endorsement. No matter how unwilling those petty-minded people are, they won't be able to question your score."
At those words, not only Wu Ming was surprised; several of Liu Xi's friends also looked astonished.
"Dinghuang Prefecture has a token like that?!"
"How come I've never heard of it? Don't tell me that useless old man just made it up!"
Liu Xi's face was livid. He ground his teeth but couldn't utter a single word.
At the same time, not far from the long table, a middle-aged Daoist in white robes and a tall hat explained unhurriedly, "In the past, the Immortal Alliance vigorously promoted the Human Emperor Scroll in Qiongzhou. Those who cultivated the Human Dao Seal could see one another's attainments, provided their skill levels weren't too far apart. It was nearly impossible to fake. But most people in Qiongzhou weren't cultivators, so they had no way to tell whether someone possessed a Human Dao Seal or whether it was genuine. Some old cultivators transferred here from other provinces had also never studied the Human Emperor Scroll, and couldn't tell the difference either... That's why Dinghuang Prefecture began issuing the [Mingren Jade]. It's just that Qiongzhou has been peaceful and the Immortal Path orderly for nearly a century, so few people have needed this item."
The middle-aged Daoist was named Qiu Wen. Though he didn't hold a particularly high position within Dinghuang Prefecture, he had worked diligently for nearly a hundred years and was a bona fide veteran. Even the current prefect, Kong Zhang, had less seniority than he did.
So when Daoist Qiu spoke, his words caused an uproar.
The Mingren Jade was so rarely used that many people didn't even recognize it... But Qiu Wen was a veteran official of Dinghuang Prefecture, and there was no question about the weight of his testimony! With his confirmation, Wu Ming's sixth-level Human Dao Seal could no longer be questioned!
So there really was a Desolate Person from the countryside in Qiongzhou who could attain a sixth-level Human Dao Seal on his first attempt?!
Under the gaze of the crowd, Wu Ming merely looked at Gu Bai with some curiosity.
"Master, when did you apply for certification for me? You were so prepared. Did you get burned before?"
Gu Bai smiled and said, "When you broke through to the fourth level, I went to find Daoist Qiu. I just didn't expect that you'd end up making us witness such an outstanding result... It was fortunate that Daoist Qiu upheld justice and didn't give those petty-minded people a chance to take advantage."
Qiu Wen said, "It's been many years since anyone in Qiongzhou attained a sixth-level Human Dao Seal on their first attempt... According to prefectural regulations, as long as you submit a formal application and pay the processing fee, Dinghuang Prefecture will review it and issue you a token if everything checks out. Lastly, congratulations, Sect Master Gu, on taking such a fine disciple."
After exchanging a few perfunctory pleasantries, Qiu Wen used official business as an excuse to cup his hands and take his leave, as if the commotion in front of the prefectural office meant nothing to him.
Meanwhile, the crowd's excitement was reaching its peak.
If Wu Ming's sixth-level Human Dao Seal was genuine, then there was no doubt who had won the grand prize that day... Gradually, countless eyes focused on the makeshift stage.
The Fragrant Dye Dharma Sword, a symbol of the day's champion and an item of extraordinary significance, had already been handed to Liu Sanlang by Kong Zhang.
But the moment Liu Sanlang had taken the Dharma Sword, he had seen Wu Ming's sixth-level Human Dao Seal smash the record he had just set that day, shocking the entire crowd.
Now the Dharma Sword in his hands seemed to be blazing with an undying true fire, unbearably hot to hold.
Under the crowd's watchful eyes, Liu Sanlang fell silent for a while, then shook his head and shrugged. With a quiet laugh, he carried the Dharma Sword down the stage in a few steps and went straight to Wu Ming, holding the sword out to him.
"Here. Whoever comes in first gets to hold it."
Wu Ming didn't stand on ceremony. He took it casually. "Thanks."
One dared to give, the other dared to accept. Their unruffled composure actually quieted the clamor around them for a moment.
Only when Liu Sanlang took Wu Ming's hand and raised it high together with the Dharma Sword did the cheers erupt again like thunder.
Amid the cheers, Liu Sanlang said in a low voice, "Gu Jian Sect's Wu Ming, I'll remember you. I'm Liu Qi of the Wu County Liu Clan. Next time you come to the Prefecture City, drinks are on me... You must do me the honor, haha."
With that, Liu Sanlang let go and withdrew into the crowd with a smile, no longer stealing the champion's spotlight.
Wu Ming had meant to say a few more words, but Liu Sanlang had already gone.
With enthusiasm surging toward him from every direction, Wu Ming could only pull himself together and debate with the crowd to consolidate his victory. But suddenly, his head grew heavy and his eyelids drooped. As his consciousness sank, he vaguely heard his master come to his side and sigh apologetically.
"Alas, fellow Daoists, my disciple is frail and has truly overexerted himself today. He needs to return to the sect as soon as possible to rest. In the future, we master and disciple will surely come to the Prefecture City again and personally thank you all for your kindness..."
Thanks to Qingqiu Lichou for the generous alliance leader donation! Thanks to Hehe's Godzilla and Butterfly's Dream for your donations! Thank you, everyone!
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