First Encounter with Difficulty, Pangu's Question

The wind was still howling, and the stones were shaking. I leaned behind a giant boulder, my fingers digging into the rock crevices, my knees pressing against the ground, my whole body held rigidly in place. I hadn't dared to relax since that voice had sounded moments ago. My body was still trembling, not from the cold, but from knowing what was about to happen.

The first question was coming.

I silently counted my breaths, trying to lengthen each inhale and exhale. I couldn't panic. The more critical the moment, the clearer my mind needed to be. The System had just said "preparing to release," which meant it wouldn't wait too long. I had to be ready.

The gray sky above split open, and black smoke billowed from a crack in the earth. The wind whipped gravel against my back, stinging like fire. But I didn't move. This wasn't the time to worry about pain.

I started recalling those myths in my mind. Pangu opening the heavens, Nuwa creating humans, Fuxi drawing the trigrams... I'd heard these stories as a child and learned a bit more in school. Though I didn't remember everything, the key events should be correct. Especially Pangu, almost everyone in China knew he split chaos and propped up the heavens and earth.

But the question was, would the System ask about superficial knowledge, or something deeper?

I couldn't afford to gamble.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, that cold voice spoke again:

"First question released: After Pangu opened the heavens and established the earth, what did his body transform into? Answer within ten breaths."

Ten breaths.

My heart suddenly pounded faster. This wasn't an exam; this was my life. If I answered correctly, there would be a reward. But if I was wrong? I didn't know the punishment, but it certainly wouldn't be easy. In this place, any loss could be fatal.

I closed my eyes, pushing down all distracting thoughts. The sound of the wind, the pain, the feeling of suffocation – I shoved them all aside. Right now, I could only focus on the answer.

After Pangu fell, his body became all things. His head became mountains, his eyes became the sun and moon, his blood transformed into rivers, his breath became wind and clouds, his voice was thunder, his veins became the patterns of the earth, his skin and hair became grass and trees, his bones turned into minerals, and his sweat became dew and rain...

There were many versions of these accounts, but the core was the same – his body transformed into the world itself.

The question asked what his "body" transformed into, not a specific part, but the whole. So I couldn't just give fragmented answers like "his eyes became the sun." I had to provide a comprehensive summary.

I quickly organized my thoughts.

"His body transformed into mountains and rivers, his eyes became the sun and moon, his blood flowed into rivers and seas, and his breath evolved into wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning."

This answer covered the main parts and aligned with the most common versions of the legend. As for other details, like bones and hair, those might be supplementary. If the System required more specifics, it should have indicated so.

Only three breaths remained.

I opened my mouth and spoke the answer in my mind: "His body transformed into mountains and rivers, his eyes became the sun and moon, his blood flowed into rivers and seas, and his breath evolved into wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning."

As the words left my mind, a sudden silence fell over my surroundings.

The wind still blew, but I no longer felt the pressure. It was as if the entire wilderness was waiting for a result.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

"Ding! Correct answer!"

The voice spoke again, still in that mechanical tone, but when I heard it, it felt like a surge of warmth hit my chest.

I survived.

Not just survived, but truly took the first step towards surviving in this world.

"Reward issued: One Basic Cultivation Resource Pack (includes ten spirit stones, three Beginner Qi Gathering Pills, and one Amulet)."

Before I could even react, my palm grew warm, and several items appeared out of thin air.

I looked down.

Five crystalline stones lay in my palm, completely transparent, with a faint light flowing within. These must be the spirit stones. Beside them were three small, dark red pills, smooth on the surface and odorless. Finally, there was a yellow talisman paper, covered in indecipherable lines, feeling slightly warm in my hand.

These were real.

Not an illusion.

I could touch them, feel their weight, and even detect a faint bitter scent from the pills.

I quickly put the items away. There was a small pocket inside my jacket. I tucked the spirit stones and pills in, and placed the talisman paper against my chest, close to my skin. I moved slowly, afraid of dropping or damaging them.

Only after I finished did I slowly exhale.

So this was what the System's rewards were like.

Not empty promises, not just talk. As long as I answered correctly, I received tangible items. I couldn't use them yet, but I knew what they represented – the starting point for cultivation, the possibility of becoming stronger.

I looked up at the sky.

The gray expanse above remained unchanged, the cracks still spreading, and the wind hadn't stopped. But my perspective had shifted.

Just moments ago, I thought I could only wait for death, relying on instinct to cling to the ground and beg for a way out. Now, I knew I wasn't helpless. As long as the questions came, I could seize the opportunity.

Pangu opening the heavens... the very first question was about the origin of this world.

Interesting.

Perhaps the System's questions were sequential. Asking about creation first, then subsequent major events? Like Nuwa mending the heavens, Gonggong crashing into mountains, or the Three Pure Ones achieving sainthood?

I didn't know what I would face next, but one thing was clear – I needed to remember more myths, the more the better. Behind every story, there might be a chance to save my life.

I leaned against the rock, the wound on my arm still bleeding, my clothes soaked, my entire being a mess. But my mind had stabilized.

This wasn't the relief of a lucky escape, but the solid feeling of knowing I had the ability to keep going.

The wind intensified again, and a stone the size of my fist landed not far away, kicking up dust. I raised my hand to block it, not dodging. This little bit of injury was nothing.

I started recalling what other legends from the Primordial Wilderness era there were. Chaos first divided, the clear qi rose and the turbid qi sank, and Pangu split the primordial void with his axe. He was the first living being, and the true founder of this world.

After his death, he transformed into all things, and only then did everything that followed come to be.

Without him, there would be no heaven and earth, and no so-called Primordial Wilderness.

Therefore, this question wasn't so much a test of knowledge as it was a test of recognizing where I stood. This was the world formed after Pangu's death, and all rules began with him.

So, would the next question be related to the changes after heaven and earth took shape?

For example, after the clear qi rose, who was the first to become a saint?

Or, on which mountain did the Six Roots of Purity Bamboo appear?

I wasn't sure, but I knew I had to prepare.

The few items in my embrace felt heavy. Spirit stones could be used to absorb spiritual energy, elixirs could aid cultivation, and an amulet might even save my life in a crisis. Although I didn't know how to use them yet, I was sure I'd figure it out.

What mattered was that the System only recognized answers, not strength.

Even if I were just an ordinary person now, as long as my mind was quick and my memory accurate, I could obtain resources time and time again. Once I accumulated enough, I would naturally be able to establish a firm foothold.

I wasn't in a hurry.

And I couldn't afford to be.

This place was too dangerous; a single misstep could get me swept away by the chaotic currents. What I needed to do now was wait, wait for the second question.

As long as the questions kept coming, I had a chance.

I adjusted my posture, spreading my legs to brace against the ground, my back still leaning against the giant rock. The wind ruffled my hair, obscuring one eye, but I didn't bother to brush it away. If my vision was blurry, I'd use the other eye; it wouldn't affect my thinking.

Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the cracked earth. In the distance, a fissure in the ground was slowly closing, but it quickly burst open again, spewing black mist.

I stared at the crack, and a question suddenly occurred to me.

If Pangu's body transformed into the world, where did his consciousness go?

No one had ever spoken of this.

Perhaps... it was still somewhere?

As I was pondering, my mind suddenly jolted.

"The second question will be released in twelve shichen. Host, please prepare."

The voice faded, and there was no further response.

I sat in place, my fingers tapping lightly on my knee.

Twelve shichen, which meant one day.

The time wasn't short, nor was it long. It was enough for me to recover my strength and organize my thoughts, but it was also possible for accidents to happen.

But I wasn't afraid anymore.

I looked down at the area over my chest, where the talismans were placed. They felt slightly warm.

Then I raised my head, gazing at the shattered sky.

What would the next question be?

The wind whipped sand and stones against my face, and I squinted.

Bring it on.