Player: Lin Yuan Level: 0 Experience: 0/1 Talent traits: None ...
Lin Yuan lay on his bed, staring blankly at the translucent screen that had appeared out of thin air before him.
He really had probably transmigrated.
He had left the familiar Blue Star for this so-called Azure Star, a place that seemed familiar yet different, and had even acquired a transmigrator-exclusive cheat?
A Game Panel?
It looked a little bare-bones, with only a handful of fields to consult, but it was simple and easy to understand. In a nutshell, he would earn rewards by leveling up.
And those rewards...
Seemed to be these so-called talent traits?
"Now that's interesting."
Lin Yuan flipped up off the bed with a carp-like kip-up.
Wasn't this just one of those little games where you mowed down monsters? He knew those all too well.
Back in the short-video era of his previous life, he had played plenty of mindless little games. He had some experience.
Now it was simply the real-life version...
As for why he had accepted the reality of transmigration so readily?
What could he do? That was just how things worked these days.
Anyone who could become a protagonist either had two dead parents or two parents who were kings.
Unfortunately, Lin Yuan belonged to the former category.
With nothing tying him down, he naturally didn't care which planet he lived on-life was life, wherever you lived it.
Besides, from what little he had learned since transmigrating, this so-called "Azure Star" was anything but ordinary. It was far more interesting than Blue Star.
"Five hundred years ago, the Astral Realm invaded..."
"Heaven and earth underwent a tremendous upheaval, and higher cosmic stellar energy appeared..."
"Humanity's sages pioneered the stellar martial path, and great numbers of Starry-Sky Warriors emerged..."
"Starry-Sky Warriors refined cosmic stellar energy to vastly improve their physical abilities, easily wielding fifty thousand kilograms of strength and moving faster than tigers and leopards..."
"Those with even greater cultivation could soar through the heavens and burrow through the earth, cleave mountains and shatter peaks, their sword light casting its chill across fourteen provinces..."
"This was the 'era of stellar changes'!"
"A glorious age belonging to Starry-Sky Warriors!"
As Lin Yuan recalled the basic circumstances of this world, his heart yearned for it, and his blood could not help boiling with excitement.
This was the kind of world he belonged in...
Who hadn't once been young?
Who hadn't dreamed of transcending the ordinary?
And who could resist longing for a hero's life, soaring through the heavens and burrowing through the earth, roaming freely as they pleased?
In his previous life, he could only dream about it. But now...
Lin Yuan had truly arrived in a high-martial world!
"If I've come all this way only to muddle through another mediocre, pointless life, wouldn't that be far too boring?"
The corners of his mouth lifted.
An intense hunger blazed in his bright eyes.
The next day, Lin Yuan visited the Hunter Association and officially registered as a professional Hunter.
Hunters were, in fact, part of an official institution under the Azure Star Human Federation.
In the era of stellar changes, the world had entered the age of stellar martial arts.
Starry-Sky Warriors stood far above everyone else, possessing the greatest martial power and the highest social status and privileges.
Everyone wanted to become a Starry-Sky Warrior.
But reality was cruel. Not everyone possessed the aptitude to become one.
On the contrary, only a small minority ever had a chance of becoming those exalted Starry-Sky Warriors.
Barely one in a thousand. They were exceedingly rare.
Most people cultivated their entire lives only to end up as "Hunters," never gaining entry to the stellar martial path.
And the distinction between a "Hunter" and a "Starry-Sky Warrior" lay in whether they had refined natal stellar force!
The stellar martial path began with body tempering.
Body tempering had four steps: first, skin tempering; second, tendon refining; third, blood tempering; and finally, marrow cleansing.
After completing all four steps, one attained body tempering grandmastery and foundation establishment perfection. With no weaknesses inside or out, the body became resilient enough to withstand the onslaught of violent cosmic stellar energy. Only then was one qualified to attempt refining natal stellar force and transform into a true Starry-Sky Warrior!
Otherwise, forcibly practicing a Breathing Technique and drawing cosmic stellar energy into the body before reaching body tempering grandmastery would only backfire, making the body burst and killing the practitioner.
Thus, anyone could cultivate in the body tempering realm, but not everyone could achieve perfection.
Some possessed outstanding aptitude and exceptional talent. After just six years of cultivation at school, they might reach body tempering grandmastery, refine their first wisp of natal stellar force, and become Starry-Sky Warriors.
Far more people, however, had mediocre aptitude and no particular strengths. Forget six years-even after twelve years or several decades, they could not reach body tempering grandmastery, leaving them barred from the stellar martial path.
Most such people changed careers to become "Hunters."
Even if they could not reach body tempering grandmastery, more than a decade of body tempering still trained their bodies over many years, granting them strength ordinary people did not possess!
"Step one, skin tempering: train the skin and membranes throughout the body to attain two hundred kilograms of strength!"
"Step two, tendon refining: temper the tendons and bones within the body to attain four hundred kilograms of strength!"
"Step three, blood tempering: refine the blood until it is like lead and mercury to attain one thousand kilograms of strength!"
"Step four, marrow cleansing: cleanse the bloodlines and jade-like marrow, clearing every tendon and bone to attain two thousand kilograms of strength!"
"Once all four steps are complete and body tempering reaches perfection, the flesh alone can possess five thousand kilograms of strength!"
He had to admit that Azure Star's starry sky martial arts system had some truly extraordinary qualities.
Even in the initial apprentice realm, those who cultivated deeply enough could wield five thousand kilograms of strength. In an ordinary low-martial world, they would probably be supreme grandmasters.
Here, however, that was merely the threshold of the true stellar martial path...
"Once I broke through the womb's bewilderment, only today did I know that I was me..."
Lin Yuan was filled with emotion.
He had not actually transmigrated today. He had already been in this world for eighteen years.
He had transmigrated through birth. Perhaps the world's consciousness had been interfering, trying to "ban" this visitor from another world and eliminate the virus. From the moment he was born, Lin Yuan had fallen into the legendary "bewilderment of the womb," living in a haze, unaware of his true self.
He had simply believed himself a native of Azure Star, stumbling through life until he turned eighteen.
Only today had an unexpected accident allowed him to break through that bewilderment, awaken the true self of his previous life, and unlock his very own cheat.
"The Game Panel..."
"Judging by its introduction, its functions are simple. It's the usual kill-monsters-and-level-up setup. Once my experience fills up, I can level up, and every level-up draws a reward."
Lin Yuan adapted readily. Once he understood everything, he immediately took action to test his ideas.
Becoming a Hunter was the first step!
"Where does experience come from?"
"Killing monsters, obviously..."
"And as for monsters... the fierce beasts in this world should count, right?"
Lin Yuan soon had a target.
Hunters hunted-but what did they hunt?
On Blue Star in his previous life, they hunted wild animals. On Azure Star, they hunted powerful fierce beasts!
"That mysterious cosmic stellar energy didn't just benefit humans. The countless wild animals across the earth all evolved as well."
"Or should I say... mutated?"
After registering as a Hunter, Lin Yuan sat in a corner of the Hunters' hall and leafed through the handbook provided free of charge.
It clearly detailed the characteristics and strength of all kinds of mutated fierce beasts in the Wilderness Zone, along with their most valuable parts and materials-
"Ferocious Gray Rabbit: a common herbivorous mutated fierce beast with powerful jumping ability, adept at kicking attacks. Relatively weak, with adults possessing roughly two hundred kilograms of strength. No particularly valuable materials, but its meat is delicious and popular with many households..."
"Bloodthirsty Dire Wolf: a common predatory mutated fierce beast. Adults measure nearly three meters long and stand one and a half meters at the shoulder. Fast, with sharp fangs and claws; even a casual strike carries five hundred kilograms of force. Its poor defense makes it a top choice for many blood tempering apprentices seeking combat practice..."
"Tyrant Ferocious Tiger: a top-tier predatory mutated fierce beast, mutated from the king of beasts. Its physical abilities stand at the pinnacle of mutated fierce beasts, with five thousand kilograms of strength. Only marrow cleansing apprentices who have reached body tempering grandmastery can match it head-on. Its bones, penis, heart, and tendons... are all premium fierce beast materials worth a great deal..."
From the weakest herbivorous mutated fierce beasts to the king of top-tier predators, the Tyrant Ferocious Tiger, thousands of species, large and small, were recorded in the handbook. Its comprehensive information left Lin Yuan clicking his tongue in wonder.
Good grief. These really are monsters from a high-martial world. Even an unremarkable little rabbit can unleash two hundred kilograms of strength?
On Blue Star in his previous life, that would probably rival some of the best champion boxers!
Without a certain level of body tempering cultivation, he really would have no way to handle these outrageously powerful experience monsters.
Fortunately, he was not an ordinary person too weak to truss a chicken-or rather, thanks to the miraculous cosmic stellar energy in this world, even ordinary people had better physiques than those on Blue Star in his previous life.
Any random person who had never cultivated could exert one hundred kilograms of strength. Once they began body tempering, even completing the simplest first step of skin tempering would immediately send that figure soaring to two hundred kilograms.
Well, that would probably let them put up a fight against the Wilderness Zone's weakest Ferocious Gray Rabbits...
What kind of dark joke is this?
Naturally, Lin Yuan was no ordinary person either.
Being eligible to register as a Hunter meant that his body tempering cultivation had at least reached the third step, the blood tempering stage. Otherwise, he would not even qualify to enter the Wilderness Zone.
But that was all.
In this life, Lin Yuan had ordinary talent and mediocre aptitude.
Government benefits had allowed him to attend a martial arts high school and cultivate free of charge, but after six years of hard work, he had only barely broken through to the third step of body tempering-the blood tempering stage-and acquired five hundred kilograms of strength.
That might have been impressive on Blue Star in his previous life. But on Azure Star, a powerful, extraordinary world gradually approaching the realm of cosmic high martial arts, it merely left him lost among the masses.
The truly exceptional prodigies had already entered the fourth step, marrow cleansing, within those six years. Some had even reached body tempering grandmastery, refined their first wisp of natal stellar force, and become true Starry-Sky Warriors.
People like him, who only barely broke through to the third step after graduating through the joint high school examinations, were a dime a dozen. They were the most ordinary sort and, barring unforeseen circumstances, had practically no hope of entering the stellar martial path.
Fortunately, heaven never sealed off every road.
In the end, Lin Yuan had awakened his true self and unlocked the miraculous Game Panel, once again gaining a chance to pursue the stellar martial path!
"The Wilderness Zone..."
After registering as a Hunter, Lin Yuan wasted little time. He made a few preparations and boarded the dedicated train to the Wilderness Zone.
After disembarking, Lin Yuan walked through the Wilderness Zone.
He wore a black combat suit and a communications bracelet, with a Hunter backpack on his back and a gleaming ice-blue battle sword hanging at his waist. Fully armed, he radiated a sharp, formidable air.
These were all professional Hunter equipment, manufactured using specialized techniques. They offered some protection and a full range of functions, but they were expensive as well.
Still, there was no helping it. To do a job well, one first had to sharpen one's tools.
Being a Hunter was an extremely dangerous profession, after all. As a newcomer, how could he not prepare thoroughly?
"Now it all depends on whether this Game Panel delivers. If I come back empty-handed, I'll lose even the underwear on my backside..."
Lin Yuan winced at the expense.
It was simply too expensive. The combat suit alone had cost him two hundred thousand Azure Coins, and the Ice-Blue Battle Sword another two hundred thousand. Add the communications bracelet, Hunter backpack, short throwing spears, and other necessities, and the whole set came to a full six hundred thousand!
All his previous savings amounted to just over one hundred thousand, nowhere near enough. In the end, he had borrowed five hundred thousand to put together a complete set of equipment.
He had gone all in.
"That damned hunter loan actually charges a full 20% interest..."
Lin Yuan gritted his teeth.
Twenty percent interest!
In other words, although he had only borrowed five hundred thousand, he would have to repay not five hundred thousand, but a full six hundred thousand!
Just like that, they had fleeced him of one hundred thousand Azure Coins!
It was an undeniable rip-off.
But there was no choice. These were necessary upfront expenses. Entering the danger-ridden Wilderness Zone barehanded, without a good weapon or a combat suit that could save his life?
Then it would be hard to say who was the hunter and who was the prey...
"I'll set a small goal first: kill a rabbit to test the waters, and see what this Game Panel is really worth..."
Lin Yuan wisely listened to his fear and dared target only the weakest Ferocious Gray Rabbits.
For other Hunters, even killing a hundred gray rabbit fierce beasts would not cover their costs. It simply wasn't worth it.
But Lin Yuan was different.
His primary objective was not hunting, but leveling up!
Only by killing monsters could he accumulate experience. Only when his experience filled up could he level up, and only after leveling up could he receive rewards.
If the Game Panel delivered and its rewards were good enough, he might turn his fortunes around in one leap, like a salted fish springing back to life!
Once his strength improved, he would have the confidence to tackle stronger fierce beasts, instead of rushing off to his death the moment he left the beginner village...
Soon, he found his target-
Out on the grassland, Lin Yuan crouched furtively in the grass, his Blue Ice Battle Sword already drawn. He stared intently at a gray rabbit leisurely grazing a short distance away.
"The Gray Rabbit Plains really deserves its reputation as a safe map and the best practice ground for beginners. I've barely arrived, and I've already found a target."
But...
Wasn't this rabbit a little too big?
The corner of Lin Yuan's eye twitched.
The gray rabbit was round and plump, with sleek gray fur and an enormous body. Its two huge ears drooped to the ground, and it was nearly as tall as an adult human.
Someone might believe him if he called it a tiger...
"What you learn on paper always feels shallow. I wouldn't have known without looking, and one look gave me a fright..."
"Are we sure a big fellow like this only has two hundred kilograms of strength?"
Lin Yuan had his doubts, but he had no better options. He could only steel himself and go ahead.
Still, he did not charge straight in. Instead, he quietly drew a short spear from his back, gathered every ounce of his strength, and hurled it with all his might the moment an opening appeared-
Whoosh!
Propelled by an explosive thousand pounds of force, the sharp metal short spear streaked like black lightning, pierced the air, and crossed dozens of meters in an instant, skewering the big gray rabbit engrossed in its meal and pinning it to the ground. Blood splattered five paces away.
A one-hit kill!
Even as it died, the rabbit never discovered where the danger had come from. Tremendous force coupled with the sharp metal short spear had torn through its heart, lungs, and chest in an instant, like a bullet from a heavy sniper rifle.
"Beautiful!"
Lin Yuan panted lightly, his eyes brimming with excitement and exhilaration.
This was his first hunt.
Although it was only a Ferocious Gray Rabbit, one of the weakest creatures, the significance was extraordinary!
Of course, the most important thing was-
"Ding~~" "Player has killed a Ferocious Gray Rabbit. EXP +1..." "EXP is full. Congratulations on reaching level 1." "Please draw your talent traits..."
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