Chapter 14: System Foundation

Su Yi was deeply shocked. The martial arts masters of this world truly had their ways. Yet his hand remained steady as he bent the bow and nocked another arrow, releasing it in a flash.

Once more, the black iron staff blocked the arrow. The old man in black, hindered in midair, seemed about to be hurled further away, but his eyes bulged with rage as visible white steam erupted from his body. His injured right hand slashed downward, striking the ground with a forceful blow.

With a muffled thud, the earth yielded a shallow pit. Using the recoil, the old man advanced instead of retreating, flying closer to Su Yi.

“Die!” The old man’s gaze was ferocious, as if he could devour his enemy. To approach Su Yi as quickly as possible and avoid being toyed with, he desperately invoked a secret technique, worsening his injuries. Furious, he swore to himself that he would not simply kill Su Yi with a single blow, but would capture him and torture him for a day and night to vent his hatred.

As the old man swept down from above, Su Yi drew his bow to full tension once again. Their eyes met in the air, and the old man was startled to find no trace of fear on Su Yi’s face.

Why couldn’t he see the slightest hint of terror? A flicker of confusion crossed the old man’s mind.

But so what! Though wounded, blocking another arrow is nothing to me!

The distance between them closed in an instant.

Twenty feet! Ten feet! Five feet!

At this range, no matter how skilled you are, you will die!

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Su Yi’s lips.

You’re dead. Farewell.

His trump card was unleashed!

Storm and sand exploded with full force.

In that split second, Su Yi spared no effort, shortening the time required to unleash the full might of Storm and Sand.

A visible wave of energy surged forward from between Su Yi’s brows, forming a cone that roared ahead.

He released the bowstring. The wind, fiercer than a hurricane, carried the arrow at unprecedented speed.

All predictions were instantly rendered meaningless before this sudden, overwhelming force.

The old man’s expression was frozen forever in the moment before shock could even register. The missed swing of his black iron staff sent him flying backward like a willow catkin, chasing after the arrow that had pierced his forehead, until he finally crashed to the ground, unwilling to accept his fate.

Su Yi approached the corpse, gazing at the twisted, ferocious face.

“Old man, you have your martial arts, I have my mystical arts. Accept it.”

He crouched down and began searching the body.

There was little to be found: a book, a few bottles of pills, a token, and not a single coin.

Damn, the old scoundrel was penniless.

Su Yi tossed the corpse aside and entered the stone cave to loot further, finally discovering a few gold leaves, some fragments of silver, and two more books.

He didn’t neglect the bandits’ quarters either. The haul was surprisingly abundant—a basin full of gold and silver, ten gold leaves among them, likely from the sheep those bandits slaughtered yesterday.

Su Yi took some dry wood and grass from the kitchen, carried them into the stone cave and the wooden huts, then set them alight one by one.

Leaving through the stockade’s wooden gate, he descended the mountain steps at a leisurely pace. The distance to Jiang Court was just over sixty miles by foot; with his speed, he could easily arrive before noon.

Since there was no rush, Su Yi slowed his pace and took out the book he’d found on the old man in black. He was intensely curious about martial arts techniques in this world.

The cover bore no writing, but when he opened the first page, he saw a few archaic characters: “The Great Whale Devouring Method.”

Impressive! Su Yi thought, turning to the contents.

The pages were densely filled with words, interspersed with diagrams covering entire sheets. Though his mind was imbued with this world’s basic knowledge, Su Yi found that, while he recognized every character, the obscure and convoluted phrases made little sense to him.

Indeed, the notion of finding a manual and instantly mastering peerless martial arts only happens in novels, he mused.

Just then, a voice sounded in his mind, startling him nearly out of his wits.

“Detected: Host has obtained Supreme Secret Technique of the Yuan Demon Sect, ‘The Great Whale Devouring Method.’ Would you like to learn it?”

Su Yi realized that the mysterious voice in his mind could be awakened in this replica world. Ever since completing the previous task and returning, he had tried various ways to communicate with it, but every attempt had proved futile—the voice never responded.

Su Yi did not answer, but instead asked silently, “Who are you?”

“Based on your growth and knowledge background, for your understanding, you may call me ‘System.’”

Alright then, System it is!

Su Yi pressed for more answers, but the System did not respond further, simply repeating its earlier question.

“Detected: Host has obtained Supreme Secret Technique of the Yuan Demon Sect, ‘The Great Whale Devouring Method.’ Would you like to learn it?”

Fine. “Learn it.”

“Detected: Host has no internal skill foundation. Would you like the System to establish one?”

“Yes.”

“Host’s rewards from the previous replica world have been converted into physical over-limit enhancement and the skill Storm and Sand. Currently, there are no resources available for exchange. Would you like to deduct ten percent of enhancement to establish the foundation?”

Su Yi pondered briefly and gave his affirmation. Over the past days, he had realized that the System’s enhancement was fixed; no matter how much he ate or how intensely he trained, his strength, speed, and agility never improved.

Since the limit was set, it was better to sacrifice a little to gain a power that could grow endlessly.

As Su Yi confirmed his choice, he suddenly felt as if he were soaking in a hot spring; his pores opened, warmth flooded through his body, and he felt utterly comfortable. Then, a cool sensation rose in his abdomen.

It was a marvelous feeling. Su Yi sensed his awareness permeating his body, as if he could touch the intangible, refreshing energy. With a thought, he guided it through his body, first to his chest and abdomen, then to his left hand, right hand, legs, neck, and head.

Wherever it passed, he felt that part of his body rejoice, accompanied by a subtle yearning for something more. After a moment’s reflection, Su Yi tried to command the cool energy to split off a small stream and directed the corresponding body part to absorb it.

Sure enough, like parched earth receiving rain, the separated energy was instantly absorbed, and in that ethereal state, Su Yi sensed a barely perceptible enhancement in the strength of the body part that had absorbed it.