You Should Go

The system said it was because he had awakened the Sword Spirit Root, causing his life form to undergo a leap.

As for his legend rating, he was just a shut-in who'd been cooped up in a newbie village smithing. What kind of legend could he possibly have?

If he hadn't ended up becoming a Magic Forger, he'd have gotten an F rating again in this lifetime, no question.

[Based on the overall rating: D+.]

[The prize pool has been updated. Beginning draw.]

A huge phantom wheel appeared in midair. It was densely packed with squares of every color.

The wheel spun rapidly.

Su Li stared at the pointer, silently praying.

Don't give me some useless social skill. Give me something practical, preferably something that can directly boost my combat ability. He didn't want to get stabbed through the heart again in his next life.

The wheel spun slower and slower.

The pointer passed over a blue square and stopped on a section glowing green.

[Draw complete.]

[Obtained innate trait: Space Ring (D-rank).]

[Once obtained, a trait is permanently etched into the soul and carries over to the next life, stacking without limit.]

[Description: Ever since you were born, you have worn an ancient bronze ring on your finger. It contains a static space measuring 27 cubic meters. No living creature can be placed inside. Time stops for any objects placed within.]

Su Li was stunned.

A Space Ring?

In those cultivation novels, wasn't this thing so common that everyone had one? How come this lousy system only rated it D-rank?

He did the math.

Twenty-seven cubic meters. About the size of a small room three meters long, three meters wide, and three meters high.

It wasn't big, but it was more than enough to hold some Gold Coins, rations, and weapons. Most importantly, there was that line: "Time stops." He could put a piping-hot roast chicken inside, leave it there for decades, and take it out still hot enough to burn his mouth.

This was a life-saving, fortune-making skill.

If he ever ran into another windfall like that box of Gold Coins today, he could just toss it into the ring. He'd like to see anyone try to steal it then!

Su Li rubbed his hands together, and most of his earlier gloom lifted.

With this cheat, even if he was a beggar in his next life, he could still become the richest merchant under heaven.

[Settlement complete. Preparing to enter the next reincarnation.]

[Special bond detected: Saina.]

[Bond level: Unforgettable.]

[Correcting rebirth anchor.]

Blinding white light swallowed Su Li's vision.

The breeze was warm.

Insects chirped in the grass.

Something was digging into his back.

Su Li opened his eyes.

Familiar leaves stretched overhead. Sparse moonlight filtered through them, falling across his face.

The Old Locust Tree.

Wading Village.

"I'm back again, damn it."

Su Li didn't hurry to get up. First, he raised his left hand. In the moonlight, he clearly saw something new on his index finger.

A bronze ring made of some unknown material. Its design was extremely plain, without even a pattern. It was firmly fitted around his finger, as if it had become part of his body.

Su Li tried to focus.

A neat, square, dim-gray space immediately appeared in his mind. It was empty, with nothing inside.

He casually grabbed a handful of dirt beside him.

With a thought, the dirt in his hand vanished. A small pile of soil appeared in the corner of the space.

With another thought, the dirt returned to his hand.

"Nice."

Su Li clapped the dirt off his hands, satisfied.

A rush of hurried footsteps came from nearby.

Su Li sighed.

No need to guess. It had to be that silly girl.

The footsteps stopped two meters away.

A small figure came to a halt. A pockmarked face, messy hair. Saina, sixteen years old.

Su Li simply lay flat at the bottom of the pit, hands behind his head, waiting for the girl to rush over and make a scene like she had in his previous life.

Saina didn't move.

She stared fixedly at Su Li at the bottom of the pit, her chest heaving.

"Su Li?"

Saina's voice trembled, thick with disbelief.

"It's me," Su Li replied lazily.

"Waaah!"

Saina suddenly let out a shriek and threw herself down.

She didn't care about acting like a lady. She straddled Su Li's waist and clamped both hands around his neck, shaking him with all her might.

"Didn't you leave the village to enjoy the good life? Didn't you want to see how big the ocean was? Why'd you come back here to die?!"

As Saina scolded him, she smeared her tears and snot all over Su Li's face.

Sena knew that since they were back here again, it meant Su Li had died too.

Su Li rolled his eyes as she choked him.

This girl really had brought back her memories from the previous life!

"Let go! You're gonna choke me to death!"

Su Li pried her hands off, annoyed.

Saina sobbed so hard she hiccupped.

Her rough little hands roamed all over Su Li, feeling his face and chest before sliding down his stomach.

"You really died?" Saina sniffled. "You were doing fine, so how'd you die? Did people outside bully you? Or did you get some sudden illness?"

Su Li grabbed the hand that was wandering lower and lower.

"Quit groping me! If you start a fire, are you gonna put it out?"

Saina froze for a moment. Her face immediately turned bright red.

She looked down at her own scrawny body, then at Su Li's face, prettier than a woman's. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the collar of her coarse cloth shirt.

"Then I'll put it out! It's not like I've never done it before!"

Su Li felt his nose grow warm.

This silly girl was just as bold as ever, even in a younger body.

His body had just fused with Sword Brows Starry Eyes and the Sword Spirit Root. He was at the peak of his virility. How could he withstand a provocation like this?

He reached out and pulled her slipping collar back into place, covering her up completely.

"Enough. Don't get all hot and bothered out here in the middle of nowhere." Su Li sat up and pushed Saina off him. "A few blind bastards got the drop on me. I'll settle that score sooner or later."

Beneath the Old Locust Tree, the night breeze was cool.

Saina suddenly hugged her knees and sat down at the edge of the grassy pit.

She lowered her head. Her messy hair fell forward, hiding her face.

Su Li brushed the dirt off his trouser legs and stood up.

He looked down at the girl.

She'd been acting all fierce, like she'd rather die a moment ago. Why was she suddenly so quiet?

"What's wrong with you?" Su Li kicked a stone beside his foot. "Weren't you going to steal one of Old Buck's roast chickens? My stomach's already churning."

Saina didn't move.

After a long while, she slowly lifted her head.

Moonlight fell across her freckled face. Her eyes were red, and snot was still running down her nose.

Su Li's heart gave a thump. He knew this girl too well.

In his previous life, whenever she looked this aggrieved yet stubborn, it meant she was plotting something big.

"You should go," Saina said, turning her face away and wiping her nose with one hand. "Leave Wading Village. Go to the city, or somewhere else."