As Jiang Fan kept looking, he inexplicably felt that the old man looked familiar. Had he seen him somewhere before?
After approaching, he crouched down to take a closer look.
He soon remembered. Wasn't this old man the caretaker of the nearby cemetery? People called him Crazy Old Man.
When he was very young, he had heard Tang Fugui and the others mention him. They said that all of Crazy Old Man's family had died-his son, his daughter-in-law, and even his grandson had died while attending university. He was the only one left in the family, which was why he had become so unhinged and spent his days drinking.
Rumble- Thunder sounded overhead.
Jiang Fan looked up. Dark clouds crowded overhead, blotting out the sky and sun. A thunderstorm looked about to break.
If he simply left him alone, this old man would probably fall ill after being drenched in the coming downpour.
"Forget it. For the points, I won't stoop to your level."
Jiang Fan reached down and pulled Crazy Old Man up from the ground.
[Ding! Congratulations, Master. You helped an elderly man and performed a good deed. Points +1,000]
Huh?!!
What was going on?
Jiang Fan seriously suspected something was wrong with his ears. To confirm it, he opened the system panel.
Points: 1,003 Blood energy: 33N (+) Psychic power: 1,000P
He hadn't misheard!!
What-what on earth was going on?
"Snorrrre-" Thunderous snores kept coming from Crazy Old Man's mouth.
Jiang Fan's gaze abruptly focused on Crazy Old Man, his dark pupils trembling as though struck by an earthquake.
This man-just who on earth was he?
Filled with excitement and apprehension, Jiang Fan took Crazy Old Man to the cemetery caretaker's quarters.
Looking at Crazy Old Man sleeping like a pig, he still found it hard to calm down.
He would put all that aside for now and exchange his points first.
"System, exchange them for blood energy."
[Yes, Master.]
Within a few seconds, the system panel underwent an earth-shattering change.
Points: 533 Blood energy: 80N (+) Psychic power: 1,000P (+)
Eighty N of blood energy. That meant he was now firmly at the level of an early-stage martial apprentice!
This rocket-like speed truly made it feel like a dream.
Jiang Fan stood and moved his limbs. The unprecedented feeling of lightness felt so good that he wanted to let out a yell like Tarzan.
Not only that, but he also felt his entire body brimming with strength.
Jiang Fan shifted his gaze to the table beside him, then reached out and lifted the solid-wood table with one hand.
The solid-wood table weighed around seventy or eighty jin, yet he had lifted it so effortlessly. Was this the strength of an early-stage martial apprentice?
Suddenly thinking of something, Jiang Fan decided to conduct an experiment.
With a thought, his pupils contracted slightly as he mobilized his psychic power, sending it flowing slowly toward the arm holding the table and attaching it to his arm.
Then he released his fingers one by one, until only his middle finger remained supporting the table.
Just as before, it was effortless. He didn't feel the slightest strain.
Sure enough! Just as he had guessed, psychic power could attach to his body, further enhancing his physique and strength.
Actually, he had wanted to try this experiment before, but his blood energy had been too low for his psychic power to attach to his body.
His psychic power was currently 1,000P, barely reaching the level of a junior psychic. His psychic power was therefore limited, and he could only concentrate it on a single part of his body.
Jiang Fan made a rough estimate. With psychic power attached, his strength was around five times its normal level.
This meant he had the strength to fight opponents above his stage. Not only would junior martial apprentices be no match for him, but he might even be able to vie with a senior martial apprentice expert.
At that thought, Jiang Fan was overjoyed.
At this moment, he truly experienced the exhilarating freedom of becoming rich overnight. No! Of becoming stronger in an instant.
Only after a long while did Jiang Fan slowly calm down from his joy.
He set down the table and looked at the system again, then frowned once more.
"What's going on? I still have 533 points. Why didn't you exchange them all?"
The system obligingly replied at once.
[That's because your physical constitution is too poor, Master. You need to exercise more. Otherwise, if your blood energy gets too high, you'll go pop like an overinflated balloon.] [Of course, if you insist on forcing the exchange, that's possible too. But whatever consequences follow will have nothing to do with this system.]
Jiang Fan understood that explanation perfectly.
It was just like when he had forcibly unlocked his psychic power earlier. His blood energy had been too low, leaving his psychic power stuck in the "pending unlock" state.
Looks like I'll have to work out properly when I get back.
There was no need to take risks just to gain a little more blood energy. Besides, people should know when to be satisfied. After all, he had gained so much blood energy in one go.
Just as Jiang Fan was about to close the system panel, he belatedly noticed a change in the psychic power field.
"Can my psychic power increase now?"
[Of course. You're an early-stage martial apprentice now, Master, so you can fully withstand an increase in psychic power.]
Hearing this, Jiang Fan felt a surge of joy.
"Exchange."
[All right.] Points: 3 Blood energy: 80N Psychic power: 1,053P
The exchange rate was the same as for blood energy: 10 points = 1N of blood energy = 1P of psychic power.
His psychic power had increased by 53P. Although the number was small, Jiang Fan could feel a faint, subtle change.
Just as Jiang Fan was immersed in his joy, Crazy Old Man's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Who are you? Why are you here? Are you trying to steal something, brat?"
Jiang Fan gathered his thoughts and looked at Crazy Old Man, who had come to at some point without him noticing. Then he glanced around the room, bare except for its four walls, and said, "May I ask what's worth stealing here? The dust on your table? The rats scurrying around your home? Or the rubbish all over the floor?"
Crazy Old Man choked. Looking at Jiang Fan's fair, tender face, he couldn't help grumbling, "Sure enough, pretty boys never have good intentions, and nothing nice comes out of their mouths either."
Jiang Fan was speechless. What did this have to do with his fair face? He had been born this pale. It wasn't as though he wanted it.
He wasn't exaggerating-even if he stood baking under the sun, his skin wouldn't darken in the slightest.
"Since you're awake, I should be going." With that, Jiang Fan turned to leave.
Crazy Old Man watched Jiang Fan's departing figure, then looked around his empty room. There really was nothing worth stealing.
"Wait." Crazy Old Man called out to stop Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan turned back in puzzlement.
Crazy Old Man said, "It's raining so hard outside. Are you going out to get drenched?"
Hearing this, Jiang Fan raised an eyebrow. Was Crazy Old Man showing some kindness?
The very next second, just as he was thinking this, Crazy Old Man continued, "Since you can't leave anyway, and I'm hungry, go see what ingredients are in the kitchen and stir-fry a couple of dishes for me."
The corner of Jiang Fan's mouth twitched. He had seen shameless people, but never anyone with skin as thick as his.
Who did he take him for? A servant? Someone to summon and dismiss at a whim?
Whoever wanted to cook could do it. He certainly wasn't going to.
Jiang Fan lifted his foot to head outside, then suddenly thought of something.