The First Boss Drop (Please Invest)

In the main hall.

Tables and chairs lay shattered, and the floor was a mess.

Wu Sheng lay sprawled on the ground, drenched in blood. His eyes were still wide with fury, but his chest no longer rose or fell.

He was dead!

The chief of Liangshan Stronghold was dead!

Qin Shujian took several great, ragged breaths.

He had only managed to kill Wu Sheng so easily because the man had barely been on guard against him.

Clearly, Wu Sheng had never expected a lowly Bandit to possess strength equal to his own.

Having lost the initiative from the very beginning, his defeat and death were only natural.

Suddenly.

After catching his breath, Qin Shujian seemed to remember something.

He immediately picked up the Tiger-Mouth Great Saber Wu Sheng had dropped.

The moment he grasped it, he felt its weight.

A system notification arrived in his mind right on cue.

Obtained grade-nine weapon: Tiger Head Saber!

Just as I thought...

Qin Shujian thought to himself as the notification appeared.

Since this was a game, killing monsters and getting loot was how things should work.

When he had killed those Bandits earlier, they had carried nothing valuable, and he had not thought of looting them at the time.

But at a glance, the Tiger Head Saber Wu Sheng had dropped was clearly far superior to the chipped sabers ordinary bandits carried.

After setting the Tiger Head Saber aside, Qin Shujian turned to Wu Sheng's corpse, his eyes lighting up.

After a thorough search.

Wu Sheng's corpse abruptly vanished, as though it had never been there.

The bloodstains on the floor also disappeared without a trace.

Only the shattered tables and chairs remained as they were.

Qin Shujian now held two creased books and a dark iron token.

One was the Mortal Tier, Low Grade Body Tempering Scripture.

The other was the Mortal Tier, Middle Grade Black Tiger Saber Technique.

As for the iron token, just one name was engraved on it.

Liangshan!

From the system notification, Qin Shujian learned that this was the Liangshan Stronghold Chief's Command Token.

Using it would allow him to take Wu Sheng's place and become the new chief of Liangshan Stronghold.

For now, however, Qin Shujian's attention was not on the Command Token, but on the two martial arts manuals in his hands.

As he prepared to open the Body Tempering Scripture, another timely prompt appeared in his mind.

Use the Body Tempering Scripture?

Qin Shujian ignored it and simply opened the cover of the Body Tempering Scripture.

The next instant.

The Body Tempering Scripture manual dissolved into white light, and familiar memories once again flooded his mind.

Those memories contained everything recorded in the Body Tempering Scripture.

They were no different from the Body Tempering Scripture he had already learned.

In other words, this manual had gone completely to waste.

Qin Shujian felt no regret over consuming the Body Tempering Scripture. Instead, he turned his attention to the other manual, the Black Tiger Saber Technique.

Just as before, a system prompt appeared the moment he laid his palm on its cover.

This time, Qin Shujian did not open it. He silently selected yes.

The Black Tiger Saber Technique vanished in a flash of white light slightly brighter than before.

At the same time, Qin Shujian gained all the knowledge contained in the Black Tiger Saber Technique.

The Mortal Tier, Middle Grade Black Tiger Saber Technique.

It comprised three moves and eighteen forms.

The three moves were Tiger Descends the Mountain, Thunder Across a Hundred Li, and Tiger Turns Its Head.

Each move contained six subtle variations.

Only after fully absorbing the Black Tiger Saber Technique did Qin Shujian understand just how formidable this martial art was—and how lucky he had been to kill Wu Sheng.

Because—

From beginning to end, Wu Sheng had never had a chance to use the Black Tiger Saber Technique.

On a sudden impulse, he checked his attributes again:

Name: Qin Shujian

Identity: Ordinary Bandit

Affiliation: Liangshan Stronghold

Cultivation realm: Fourth Level of Martial Entry

Cultivation techniques: Body Tempering Scripture, fourth level (five levels total) (Mortal Tier, Low Grade); Black Tiger Saber Technique (+) (beginner mastery), Mortal Tier, Middle Grade

Life Source: 18

Equipment: Grade-nine weapon, Tiger Head Saber; chipped saber; worn shirt; worn trousers; worn straw sandals

The Black Tiger Saber Technique had been added to his cultivation techniques.

His Life Source had risen from 2 points to 18. Clearly, the extra 16 points had come from Wu Sheng.

"An ordinary bandit gives one point of life source, while Wu Sheng gave sixteen. Looks like not everyone gives the same amount. It varies with their strength.

"The stronger the monster, the more Life Source it gives."

Qin Shujian now had a basic understanding of Life Source.

The Black Tiger Saber Technique was somewhat different from the Body Tempering Scripture.

Rather than listing a set number of levels, it showed beginner mastery.

When Qin Shujian saw the plus sign after the Black Tiger Saber Technique, he knew it could be upgraded with Life Source, just like the Body Tempering Scripture.

But he did not upgrade the Black Tiger Saber Technique immediately. Instead, his gaze finally settled on the Command Token.

The Liangshan Stronghold Chief's Command Token.

This was no ordinary item.

After all, using the Command Token would make him the chief of Liangshan Stronghold, replacing Wu Sheng.

That meant he might well take command of every bandit under Liangshan Stronghold.

By his calculations, even wiping out all the bandits in Liangshan Stronghold probably would not be enough to raise the Body Tempering Scripture to the fifth level.

In that case, he might as well take over Liangshan Stronghold.

Qin Shujian's eyes flickered.

"The players will arrive before long. If I can't increase my strength quickly, taking over all of Liangshan Stronghold might be a workable compromise."

To avoid becoming a cannon-fodder NPC, growing stronger was not his only option. Having enough underlings could also keep him safe.

Viewed that way, becoming the chief of Liangshan Stronghold offered nothing but benefits.

With that thought, Qin Shujian no longer hesitated.

"Use!"

As he silently spoke the command, the Command Token immediately vanished in a streak of light.

A string of system notifications appeared in his mind one after another.

You have used the Liangshan Stronghold Chief's Token!

You have become the new chief of Liangshan Stronghold!

All dead bandits of Liangshan Stronghold have respawned. The stronghold currently has seventy bandits!

“You have become the chief of Liangshan Stronghold and inherited all of Liangshan’s wealth.”

You have received fifty taels of silver!

For becoming the chief of Liangshan Stronghold, you are awarded your choice of one of the following: the grade-nine weapon Tiger Head Saber or the grade-nine armor Tiger Hide Outfit!

“As chief of Liangshan Stronghold, you receive an attribute bonus within Liangshan Stronghold’s territory. Your cultivation realm increases by one level. (Note: This cannot take you across a major realm boundary.)”

“The area within a fifty-li radius of Liangshan is considered Liangshan’s territory!”

“After becoming the chief of Liangshan Stronghold, you may not leave Liangshan’s territory at will. Once you leave Liangshan’s territory, you will enter another faction’s territory, where that faction will have a high chance of detecting you.”

Note: Entering another faction's territory without permission will be considered a declaration of war if you are detected. Proceed with caution!

Note: Consider cultivating relations with other factions. You may be able to obtain permission to pass through their territory!

I mailed the contract today. If you haven't invested yet, now's the time!