Wang Xuan stared at the faint glow on the back of his hand as it grew brighter and brighter for a full minute.
The noise of the Shanty Town still drilled into his ears, but he seemed unable to hear it.
"It's time to go."
He murmured it softly, as if speaking to his former self.
He had nothing much to pack. The washed-out clothes on his body, the old shoes on his feet with soles nearly worn through, were all his possessions. Oh, and the few remaining credit notes in his pocket.
He pulled open the door and walked out without looking back.
The Public Tower Gate was not too far from the Shanty Town, about a forty-minute walk. The roads were crowded with people heading in the same direction. Most were young, with expressions much like Wang Xuan's—nervousness, unease, and a numb sort of anticipation.
"Did you hear? Old Liu's son from the East District went in yesterday. No idea what Talent he awakened, but it better not be like his old man's E-Rank Talent, 'Swift Step.' Other than running a little faster, it's useless."
"E-Rank is already pretty good! Better than awakening nothing! My cousin went in last time and got jack shit. Wasted an opportunity for nothing."
"Yeah. The chances of awakening a Talent get worse every year. Once all five chances are used up, you really become expendable... Fuck, just thinking about it is enough to make you despair."
"What else can we do? The Longevity Families and the Royal Clan go in like they're returning home. Resources, intelligence, cultivation manuals—they have everything. What about us? We're just feeling our way across the river. If we drown, we drown."
The discussions around him drifted into Wang Xuan's ears.
After walking for about half an hour, he arrived at the Tower Gate.
Even though he had seen countless pictures and descriptions in textbooks, Wang Xuan's breathing still caught when he saw it in person.
That was not a "gate" at all.
It was an enormous curtain of light that filled his entire field of vision and stretched infinitely upward, as if connecting heaven and earth. Countless incomprehensible streams of light and runes flowed across its surface. It emitted a faint hum, radiating an authority that made one's soul tremble.
Before the light curtain lay an incomparably vast platform, already packed with people. It was a sea of dark heads, everyone craning their necks to stare at the light curtain and wait.
Wang Xuan squeezed into the crowd like a drop of water merging into the ocean.
The mark on the back of his hand grew hotter and hotter. Its glow had stabilized, no longer flickering.
He had no idea how long he waited.
Then, the light curtain that pierced through heaven and earth trembled slightly.
A deep, majestic voice that seemed to ring directly within everyone's mind spread outward.
Immediately afterward, the light near the bottom of the curtain, close to the platform, softened and formed one oval entrance after another, each large enough for a single person to pass through.
"It's open!"
"The Tower Gate is open!"
"Charge!"
The crowd instantly erupted, surging toward the gates of light like floodwaters bursting through a dam.
Wang Xuan was swept along by the tide of people, moving forward against his will. Ahead of him was a lanky young man who kept muttering, "Bodhisattva, bless me, give me a Talent." Behind him was a short, plump girl who had already been frightened into tears.
As he neared the gate of light, Wang Xuan felt an invisible force sweep across his entire body.
It was gentle, yet impossible to resist.
The next moment, pure white light flooded his vision.
His body seemed to lose all weight as he sped through some kind of passage. A howling sound filled his ears. No, that was not wind—it was the sound of countless streams of information rushing past.
Amid that chaotic passage, a cold, mechanical, emotionless voice rang directly in the depths of his consciousness:
[Origin Earth Star lifeform detected. Age requirement met.] [Heavens Tower entry authorization confirmed.] [Talent awakening procedure initiated...] [Scanning...] [Scan complete.] [Talent assessment: Unique Rank.] [Talent name: One-Click Max.] [Talent Ability ①: Defy Conservation! (Unlocked)] [Talent description: You may ignore all requirements and bottlenecks of any cultivation method, instantly raising any skill, cultivation method, or technique you possess to the maximum level permitted by the current world's rules. You may also ignore any negative effects associated with the cultivation method. Cooldown: None. Cost: None.] [Talent Ability ②: Locked!] [Talent Ability ③: Locked!] [Talent binding: Soul-exclusive.]
A simple interface appeared before Wang Xuan's "eyes."
At the top were the words "Wang Xuan."
Below them was a line of flashing golden text: [Unique Rank Talent: One-Click Max].
Below that were several lines of fine print, identical to the mechanical voice's explanation.
Unique Rank?
Only one of the three abilities had been unlocked, but the description of the first ability alone was already outrageous. It simply defied common sense!
If I obtained the Sunflower Manual, wouldn't I be able to learn it directly without having to castrate myself?
Wang Xuan froze. In martial arts worlds, there were countless Divine Arts and Ultimate Arts. Some of the more powerful ones were indeed formidable, but learning them required paying a price.
At the same time, the textbooks only recorded Talents from E-Rank to A-Rank. Ordinary people had not been heard of awakening an A-Rank Talent for nearly a thousand years. Those were things only the direct descendants of the Royal Clan and Longevity Families could possibly possess.
Unique Rank? I've never even heard of it!
Before he could think further, the mechanical voice sounded again:
[Talent awakening complete.] [Welcome to the Heavens Tower.] [First entry detected. World level locked: First Floor.] [World classification: Low Martial Arts. (Power limit: Xiantian.)] [Randomly assigning initial Plot World...] [Assignment complete.] [World name: Secret of the Linked Cities.] [Time anchor: Ding Dian is trapped in the Death Prison!] [Transmission beginning.]
Secret of the Linked Cities?
Wang Xuan's heart lurched. Wasn't that the novel he had read in his previous life?
In this world, information regarding the specific Plot Worlds within the Heavens Tower was restricted by its rules and could not be widely spread or discussed. When ordinary people entered, they were truly blind, relying entirely on luck.
But he knew Secret of the Linked Cities!
He knew the general plot. He knew the people inside. He knew where martial arts manuals might be found!
That was the information advantage brought by transmigration!
However, he immediately recalled a note from the textbooks: there were rumors that the Longevity Families and the Royal Clan possessed a method to partially circumvent the rules of this "information blockade." That was why their people could always find benefits with such precision after entering.
No wonder they could monopolize everything... Wang Xuan sneered inwardly.
There was no time to think.
The white light flashed intensely again, then vanished abruptly.
His feet became solid beneath him, and Wang Xuan felt gravity once more.
At the same time, air carrying the scents of earth, livestock, and faint cooking smoke filled his nostrils.
He opened his eyes.
Before him was an old bluestone street. Low earthen and wooden buildings lined both sides, with cloth banners hanging outside that read "Wine," "Tea," and "Inn." Pedestrians came and went, dressed in coarse linen. Some carried shoulder poles, some led donkeys and horses, and the street buzzed with noise.
The sunlight was a little harsh.
Wang Xuan lowered his head and examined himself. He was still wearing the same old clothes, but their style seemed to have automatically adapted to the era. He looked like a down-and-out poor scholar or peddler, not too conspicuous.
He reached into the corner of his inner lining.
Something hard—a small lump.
It was still there.
Over three years, he had secretly worked odd jobs and painstakingly saved credit points to trade for ten taels of silver on the Black Market.
Precious metals on Origin Earth Star had long since been monopolized. Gold and silver could not even be found on the open market, much less purchased. As for where the Black Market's silver came from, he had heard it was brought out of Plot Worlds by the previous batch of Players.
This was his initial capital in this world, his only support for breaking the deadlock.
The gates of light around him flashed continuously. One young person after another appeared on the street, dressed normally yet all carrying the unmistakable aura of outsiders.
Some looked around blankly, some stared about in excitement, and some had already gathered together to whisper among themselves.
Meanwhile, the "ancient people" originally on the street continued selling flatbread, hurrying along the road, and going about their business. They turned a blind eye to these suddenly appearing newcomers.
That was the rule of the Heavens Tower.
It rationalized the arrival of these "Players" as part of the world's background.
Wang Xuan took a deep breath and suppressed his accelerating heartbeat.
First step: make money... No, he already had money, though not much.
First step: gather intelligence. Figure out exactly which point in the plot this was and which town he was in.
Second step, and the most important one: find martial arts! Find martial arts he could learn!
He touched the hard ten taels of silver in his robes.
Ten taels of silver is a little meager for starting capital... but with my Talent... Wang Xuan glanced at the Talent description interface only he could see. It should be enough for me to get off to a quick start.
Before you continue