Dragon Scale Island, respawn point.
A flash of white light appeared as Jiang Su entered the game.
After savoring the shock of the opening cinematic, Jiang Su began exploring the game.
He remembered that the Night Watchman Manual mentioned he had access to a hidden store that ordinary players didn't.
So Jiang Su opened the store menu.
A dazzling array of goods immediately appeared before him.
All kinds of strange items, gorgeous equipment, colorful potions, and more...
But Jiang Su's gaze settled on the special category in the product list: "Night Watchman Goods."
He clicked it, and the list changed.
A series of brand-new items and pieces of equipment appeared before him.
[Five Thunder Method—Intermediate]
Technique Details: After the Five Thunder Method advances to the intermediate level, the lightning it summons will carry righteous qi, making it highly effective against evil creatures.
Technique Price: 3,000 Soul Power (purchasable with Soul Power only)
[Demon Subduing Incantation—Intermediate (Meditation Method)]
Technique Details: After the Demon Subduing Incantation advances to the intermediate level, the quality of the spiritual energy within the body will improve, enhancing the practitioner's physical abilities and boosting the effects of their spells.
Technique Price: 5,000 Soul Power (purchasable with Soul Power only)
[Heaven and Earth Boundless—Intermediate]
Technique Details: After Heaven and Earth Boundless advances to the intermediate level, the user will gain the "Soldier" seal, greatly increasing the power of the weapon in their hand.
Technique Note: Heaven and Earth Boundless has nine levels, from lowest to highest: Lin, Soldier, Fight, Person, All, Formation, Column, Forward, and Move. Once fully mastered, the user will receive the blessing of the Nine Syllable Mantra.
Technique Price: 10,000 Soul Power (purchasable with Soul Power only)
[Exorcism Sword (Red Quality)]
Equipment Details: A sword has two sides, and so do the affairs of life: the first cuts away vexation, the second lust, and the third greed and anger. Whoever wields this sword will receive the blessing of Daoist energy.
Daoist Energy (Equipment Skill): The Daoist energy stored in the sword can automatically protect its wielder. Its defensive power depends on the quality of the wielder's spiritual energy. Once the Daoist energy is depleted, the wielder must replenish it with their own spiritual energy, which the sword will automatically convert into Daoist energy.
Price: 6,000 Soul Power (purchasable with Soul Power only)
[Exorcism Bell (Red Quality)]
[Demon Subduing Robe (Red Quality)]
[Haoran Righteousness Art (Basic Passive)]
[Soul Summoning Guidance (Basic Spell)]
[Sword Control Art (Basic Spell)]
[Tao Follows Nature (Basic Passive)]
[Cloud Soaring Technique (Basic Spell)]
As he gazed at all the goods in the Night Watchman Store, Jiang Su's eyes turned red with envy.
Spells, equipment, potions, items, and more...
Not only were there advanced versions of the spells he'd inherited, but there was also a vast selection of spell-related items to choose from.
If he could get his hands on these items, Jiang Su figured he'd never have to fear monsters or evil spirits again. He could just close his eyes and slaughter them all.
As he browsed, Jiang Su also noticed that aside from various enhancement potions, almost everything in the Night Watchman Store required Soul Power to purchase.
He glanced at his Soul Coin balance and couldn't help sighing.
Seeing something he couldn't have was a miserable feeling.
At last, Jiang Su's attention settled on an option at the very bottom of the "Night Watchman Goods" list.
[Strength Conversion]
Function: Materializes the user's in-game strength and equipment in the real world.
Conversion Cost (Divine Power): The cost of each conversion depends on the user's strength. The stronger the character and the higher the quality of their equipment, the more Divine Power the conversion requires.
Conversion Note: You may choose what percentage to convert, or convert individual pieces of equipment.
Curious, Jiang Su immediately clicked the "Convert" button.
A game prompt appeared in his mind:
[Game Prompt: Strength conversion failed. Your character's strength in the game is the same as in reality, so conversion is not possible.]
So that was how it worked!
At that moment, Jiang Su understood how to convert his in-game strength into real-world strength.
But he still had questions.
Why had that mysterious being made me grow stronger through a game?
Could there be something strange about this world?
As a practitioner, he could clearly sense the "spiritual energy particles" drifting through the air in the Boundless Realm. Comparing them with the thin spiritual energy in reality, Jiang Su began to form a theory.
Curious and eager to find out, Jiang Su could hardly wait to earn Divine Power and Soul Power.
After closing the store menu, Jiang Su began exploring the game's other features, preparing to experience the rest of the game.
A moment later, he set off.
Following the new player's instructions, he first went into a thatched hut and picked up a pickaxe, then headed east toward the Abandoned Mine.
The rise of an exorcism master began with mining.
Jiang Su didn't mind the humble start at all.
Compared to fighting monsters and evil spirits, he thought mining to grow stronger sounded like pure bliss.
He took in the otherworldly scenery along the way and passed many players, but didn't speak to any of them. He headed straight for his destination.
More than ten minutes later, Jiang Su reached the entrance to the Abandoned Mine.
Wearing a hemp shirt and carrying a pickaxe, he walked right in.
Holding an oil lamp, he made his way through the dark mine. After a while, he reached the first level of the Mining Area.
A large number of players were already hard at work inside.
Jiang Su looked around, found an open spot, raised his pickaxe, and started mining.
He was lucky: it took him less than twenty minutes to dig up a level-one ore.
Jiang Su checked the ore's stats and grinned.
Other people mined to enjoy the game. He mined to stay alive.
The currency he could exchange for ore would be a huge help in fighting monsters and evil spirits and improving his own strength.
So with every swing of his pickaxe, Jiang Su automatically imagined:
Lifespan +1 minute
Lifespan +1 minute
Lifespan +1 minute
He didn't feel tired at all. If anything, the longer he mined, the happier he became.
It was a kind of joy other players couldn't experience.
Immersed in the delight of mining, Jiang Su failed to notice a group of players approaching him.
"Do you know that white-haired old man? Why's he taken our Alliance's spot?"
"I don't know him. Does anyone here?"
"I don't know him either. Maybe he's a solo player."
"Who cares if he's a solo player or from an enemy Alliance? This is our turf. Anyone we don't recognize is an enemy. Get him!"
While Jiang Su stared at them in confusion, something struck him hard on the back of the head.
He turned around and saw a group of players glaring at him.
"What Alliance are you with? Don't you know this is Fire Wolf territory? Who said you could mine here?"
At those words, Jiang Su flew into a rage.
I'm the Night Watchman personally chosen by the mysterious being! Who do you think you are compared to me?
"Who said this place belongs to you? I only know it's a resource area for new players. How did it become your territory?"
The group's expressions changed at once as they looked at Jiang Su's smug face.
"Beat him up!"
A group of figures rushed toward Jiang Su and began kicking and punching him.
At first, Jiang Su had wanted to fight back.
But he quickly realized that the players were much stronger than he'd expected.
Their Blood Gladiator units were especially strong, even stronger than him. Their punches hurt so much that he grimaced.
Once he realized this wasn't reality and that every player's summoned unit was stronger than he was, Jiang Su immediately backed down.
"Stop! I surrender. I give up!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Don't hit my face! Have mercy, heroes!"
"Young people, have some honor! If you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one!"
After a flurry of kicks and punches, Jiang Su was left bruised and battered, questioning his life choices.
Thanks to Cthulhu24, Copper Divination Immortal Master, Proud Son of Heaven, Arbitrary Advance, Crazy Me, Elapsed Time ac, Flying Fish 594, Demeanor Zhengzhuo, Book Friend 160313135412283, Nightmare Seven Treasures, Whoever I Point To Is A Great God, Clear Morning Star, Yi Xiaozhi, Decay, Super Nightingale, Wu Wu Wu, God Fall, Ji Xia, Flowers Bloom Grass Green, Yu Sheng Ke Ban, and everyone else... for rewarding this book.
Thank you all for your support!
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