Understanding is the Best
The sun was nearing its end cycle when Lin Feng groggily woke up, his body aching all over. His worst injuries seemed to have healed, likely thanks to Cheng Yuan's healing pills. As he slowly sat up, he took note of his appearance and, more importantly, his smell. The stench of sweat and blood clung to him, a pungent reminder of the previous day's ordeal.
Groaning, Lin Feng decided to put his clothes on the side and take a bath. He removed his robe, shirt, pants, boots, and underwear, placing them in a neat pile. Apart from the bag of Spirit Stones—now holding thirty stones—he had the 98 Intermediate Qi Gathering Pills stashed inside a bottle, the book of legends from his mother, and the knife that had turned a whole lot darker after the massacre at Qinghe. In truth, he traveled light, a fact he mused over as he washed, cleansing his body and mind.
The bath was a small but elegant space with a large wooden tub filled with steaming water. Lin Feng eased himself into the tub, sighing as the warm water soothed his aching muscles. He scrubbed his skin, removing the grime and blood, and felt a semblance of normalcy returning. For a few precious moments, the water washed away the pain and fatigue, leaving him refreshed.
After the bath, Lin Feng dried himself off and donned the standard clothes provided by the inn for customers in luxurious rooms: simple brown pants and a shirt made of soft, comfortable material. He placed his dirty clothes inside a bag near the entrance to his room, noting a small wooden plaque above it that informed him the staff would wash clothes free of charge—another privilege for the highest-paying customers.
Feeling somewhat revitalized, Lin Feng left his room and descended the stairs just in time for dinner. The dining hall of the Serene Lotus Inn was cozy and inviting, with several tables occupied by other guests. The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air, making Lin Feng's stomach growl in anticipation.
He found an empty seat and soon a server brought out the evening meal. The dishes were a feast for the senses: fragrant steamed rice, tender slices of braised pork, sautéed greens with garlic, and a rich, savory broth with chunks of tofu and mushrooms. For dessert, there were delicate pastries filled with sweet red bean paste.
Lin Feng ate rapidly, appreciating the flavors but not lingering over them. The food was delicious, but his mind was elsewhere, focused on the tasks ahead. He finished his meal quickly and thanked the server before heading back up to his room, ready to start cultivating.
Once inside his room, Lin Feng retrieved the bottle of Intermediate Qi Gathering Pills and took one. As he swallowed the pill, he felt the familiar cool sensation of Qi condensing within his dantian. The energy surged through him, invigorating his body and mind. However, he knew from experience that residual toxins from the pills could build up, so he immediately began a harsh exercise routine to negate these effects.
Lin Feng pushed his body to its limits, performing a series of intense physical exercises. He did push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and various martial arts forms, each movement deliberate and powerful. Sweat poured from his body as he worked tirelessly, his muscles burning and his heart pounding. He continued well into the night, only stopping when he felt the toxins had been sufficiently expelled.
Exhausted but satisfied, Lin Feng took another bath to cleanse himself of the sweat and toxins. The cool water refreshed him, and he felt a sense of calm settle over him. After drying off, he went to the inn's kitchen and got a refreshing juice beverage, its sweet and tangy taste revitalizing him further.
Lin Feng sat cross-legged on the floor, his hair still damp from the recent bath. The room was quiet, with only the occasional creak of the inn settling for the night. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing to delve deeper into the Gifting System. He summoned the familiar display of his Status and gazed at it, his focus intense:
Status
Name: Lin Feng
Race: Human
Class: Novice Cultivator
Level: 2 (214/400)
Cultivation Stage: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Skills:
Wind Blade - Level 1 (Proficiency: 13/100)
Phase Walk - Level 1 (Proficiency: 5/100)
Enhanced Perception - Level 1 (Proficiency: 8/100)
Rapid Fire Fist - Level 1 (Proficiency: 5/100)
Refined Qi Circulation - Level 2 (Proficiency: 32/1000)
Stone Barrage - Level 1 (Proficiency: 2/100)
Unique Skills:
Heart of True Belief - Level 1 (Proficiency: 1547/1000000)
Attributes:
Health: 230/230
Qi: 31/170
Stamina: 175/175
Strength: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Agility: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Vitality: Qi Condensation Stage 4
Endurance: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Wisdom: Qi Condensation Stage 2
Intelligence: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Dexterity: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Charisma: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Luck: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Spiritual Awareness: Lower than Qi Condensation
Mystical Affinity: Qi Condensation Stage 8
Legacies:
Legacy of the Crystal Oracle - Level 1
Communions:
Wind - Medium Communion Stage 1
Sound - Medium Communion Stage 1
Lightning - Medium Communion Stage 1
Earth - Highest Communion Stage 1
Free Skill Points: 4
Free Stat Points: 0
Gift Points: 2
Functionalities:
Gift Shop
Evolution Tree
Lin Feng sighed as he saw his pitiful amount of Gift Points. He had wanted to look for a cultivation manual in the Gift Shop, as the Overseer had stated this would help him significantly in his cultivation. However, with only 2 Gift Points, he didn't want to settle for something of low quality. He knew he needed more funds to get anything worthwhile.
Realizing that all that was left were the Legacy of the Crystal Oracle and the Evolution Tree, he decided to look into the Evolution Tree. With a determined look, he clicked on the shimmering text in the air and was presented with a diagram of an upside-down tree. The roots spread out below, with each branching path leading to new possibilities.
At the root of the tree, he saw a small box labeled "Gifting System Ver 1.0." He followed the roots downward, noticing that each time the roots broke into multiple others, there were boxes. The first two he could see, nearest to the initial root, were labeled "Gifting System Ver 1.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.1, Inspect Skill" and "Gifting System Ver 1.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.1, Exchange Shop."
Lin Feng tried to look further down, but the details seemed obscured. Frustrated, he attempted various gestures and commands, but nothing provided more information. He then turned to the Overseer for guidance.
"Overseer, do you know anything about these evolutions?" Lin Feng asked, hoping for some clarity.
The Overseer's form shimmered as it responded, "I am as clueless as you in this regard, Lin Feng. The Evolution Tree is a complex aspect of the Gifting System that even I am not fully aware of."
Lin Feng sighed, realizing that he would have to figure it out on his own. He did see, however, that there was a cost associated with both boxes, measured in Evo Points. He had no clue what Evo Points were, but he surmised it was another type of currency native to the Gifting System. Luckily, both boxes were marked at 0 Evo Points, indicating that these two evolutions were free.
With a sense of cautious excitement, Lin Feng clicked on both boxes. Notifications appeared, and after a few seconds, he received confirmation that the evolutions were successful. He had acquired the Inspect Skill and unlocked the Exchange Shop.
Curious, Lin Feng looked back at his status. Sure enough, the Inspect Skill was added to his Unique Skills list, while the Exchange Shop appeared in the Functionalities list. Intrigued, he focused on the Inspect Skill, and a small window of text appeared in the air:
Inspect Skill: Allows the user to see detailed descriptions of skills, attributes, legacies, and other aspects of the Gifting System.
Lin Feng's eyes widened in amazement. This was perfect for someone like him! He could now lift the veil of mystery that had hung over the Gifting System, his skills, his attributes, everything. He almost drooled at the thought of how much information he could uncover.
"This is incredible!" Lin Feng exclaimed out loud, his excitement palpable. "I can finally understand everything in detail. No more guessing or uncertainty. This skill is a game-changer!"
He gushed about the Inspect Skill for several minutes, talking to himself about all the possibilities it opened up. He envisioned using it to optimize his cultivation, understand his abilities better, and make more informed decisions.
As he reveled in his newfound knowledge, he almost forgot about the other addition: the Exchange Shop. It was the Overseer's interruption that brought him back to reality.
"Lin Feng, don't forget about the Exchange Shop," the Overseer reminded him.
Shaking off his excitement, Lin Feng accessed the Exchange Shop. The interface was straightforward, showing that he could transform physical items, anything material and of certain value, into Gift Points. The exchange rate, however, was extremely poor.
Curious to test it out, Lin Feng took a single Spirit Stone and placed it into the Exchange Shop. The result was disappointing: it netted him only one hundredth of a Gift Point. Worse yet, he couldn't redeem fractions of Gift Points—only whole numbers were usable.
"Well, that's not very helpful," Lin Feng muttered, frowning. "The exchange rate is terrible. I guess this is only for emergencies when I have no other option."
Despite the disappointment with the Exchange Shop, Lin Feng couldn't help but feel thrilled about the Inspect Skill. He decided to test it out immediately. Focusing on his Wind Blade skill, he activated the Inspect Skill and a detailed description appeared:
Wind Blade - Level 1 - Proficiency: 13/100:
A basic offensive skill that allows the user to create a sharp blade of wind to attack enemies.
Boosted Attributes:
Agility: +1 Stage
Mystical Affinity: +1 Stage
Satisfied with the level of detail, Lin Feng moved on to the rest of the Status Board:
Phase Walk - Level 1 - Proficiency: 5/100:
A movement skill that lets the user shift their position instantaneously to another existential plane, making them imperceptible and untouchable to anything restricted to the physical world.
Boosted Attributes:
Agility: +1 Stage
Wisdom: +1 Stage
Enhanced Perception - Level 1 - Proficiency: 8/100:
Heightens the user's sensory abilities, allowing them to perceive details and movements that would normally be imperceptible.
Boosted Attributes:
Wisdom: +1 Stage
Dexterity: +1 Stage
Rapid Fire Fist - Level 1 - Proficiency: 5/100:
An advanced martial technique that lets the user deliver a series of rapid, powerful punches in quick succession, overwhelming opponents with sheer speed and force.
Boosted Attributes:
Strength: +1 Stage
Dexterity: +2 Stages
Refined Qi Circulation - Level 2 - Proficiency: 32/1000:
Improves the efficiency of Qi flow through the body, enhancing overall power and recovery rate. Boosts the speed of inner Qi circulation by 50% and refines Qi by 2%.
Stone Barrage - Level 1 - Proficiency: 2/100:
Enables the user to launch a volley of sharp stone projectiles at enemies, causing significant physical damage.
Boosted Attributes:
Strength: +1 Stage
Mystical Affinity: +1 Stage
Health: 230/230
Represents the user's overall physical well-being and ability to withstand damage.
Qi: 31/170
Measures the user's progress towards the next stage in cultivation.
Stamina: 175/175
Indicates the user's physical endurance and ability to sustain prolonged activity.
Strength: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Reflects the user's physical power and ability to exert force.
Agility: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Represents the user's speed, reflexes, and overall mobility.
Vitality: Qi Condensation Stage 4
Measures the user's life force and resilience, impacting health regeneration and longevity.
Endurance: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Indicates the user's ability to endure physical and mental strain over time.
Wisdom: Qi Condensation Stage 2
Reflects the user's insight, knowledge, and ability to make sound decisions.
Intelligence: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Measures the user's cognitive abilities, including memory, reasoning, and learning capacity.
Dexterity: Qi Condensation Stage 3
Represents the user's hand-eye coordination, precision, and finesse in movements.
Charisma: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Reflects the user's ability to influence and attract others through charm and presence.
Luck: Qi Condensation Stage 1
Indicates the user's tendency to experience favorable outcomes in uncertain situations.
Spiritual Awareness: Lower than Qi Condensation
Measures the user's sensitivity to spiritual energies and entities.
Mystical Affinity: Qi Condensation Stage 8
Reflects the user's connection to mystical forces, impacting their ability to perform magical or supernatural feats.
Wind - Medium Communion Stage 1:
Indicates the user's ability to communicate and harmonize with the element of wind, enhancing wind-based skills.
Sound - Medium Communion Stage 1:
Indicates the user's ability to communicate and harmonize with the element of sound, enhancing sound-based skills.
Lightning - Medium Communion Stage 1:
Indicates the user's ability to communicate and harmonize with the element of lightning, enhancing lightning-based skills.
Earth - Highest Communion Stage 1:
Indicates the user's ability to communicate and harmonize with the element of earth, enhancing earth-based skills.
Lin Feng, still filled with excitement from exploring his new Inspect Skill, decided to delve deeper into his abilities. He looked at his Status board and tapped on the name of his legacy, "Legacy of the Crystal Oracle." Immediately, his consciousness was transported to an empty space, a void where he could no longer sense his body.
At first, Lin Feng admired this strange state. He floated effortlessly, a sensation that felt oddly comforting. Despite the surreal nature of his surroundings, he wasn't weirded out at all. Instead, he marveled at the infinite emptiness that stretched in all directions.
Then, from above, a gigantic glass sphere began to descend. It was enormous, perhaps even bigger than the sun in Lin Feng's perception. The sphere's surface shimmered with an ethereal glow, and inside, millions of nodes of light flickered like distant stars. Lin Feng's consciousness was drawn to one of these lights, and he tried to look closer. But before he could focus on any single point, his consciousness was rapidly whisked away toward the center of the glass sphere.
There, in the very heart of the sphere, a small purple node of light floated. As Lin Feng approached, a window appeared out of thin air, with an inscription that read:
"Are you ready to begin walking the path of the Crystal Oracle?"
Lin Feng hesitated. He didn't immediately accept; on the contrary, he felt a surge of wariness. He didn't fully understand what accepting would entail, and he wasn't one to make hasty decisions, especially regarding something so significant. He needed more information before committing.
"Overseer," Lin Feng called out in the void. The shimmering form of the Overseer materialized beside him, its presence a comforting contrast to the alien surroundings.
"Yes, Lin Feng?" the Overseer responded, its tone calm and neutral.
"What is this path of the Crystal Oracle? What happens if I accept?" Lin Feng asked, his voice steady but filled with underlying tension.
The Overseer paused, seemingly contemplating the question. "The path of the Crystal Oracle is tied to your legacy. Accepting it likely means unlocking new abilities and insights specific to the Crystal Oracle's powers. However, I do not possess detailed knowledge about this particular legacy."
Lin Feng's brow furrowed in frustration. "You don't know? How can I make an informed decision without understanding the consequences? What if it involves something dangerous or irreversible?"
"I understand your concerns, Lin Feng," the Overseer replied. "While I cannot provide specifics, legacies are generally designed to enhance the abilities of the user. Given your current state and goals, this could be highly beneficial."
Lin Feng's frustration grew. "But what are the risks? What do I have to give up? You can't just expect me to dive in blind!"
The Overseer remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "Every path carries risks, Lin Feng. The Gifting System's nature is to offer power in exchange for effort and sometimes sacrifice. If you are cautious, you may lose out on opportunities for growth."
Lin Feng's anger simmered beneath the surface. He wanted answers, and the Overseer's vagueness only fueled his frustration. "You expect me to gamble on something without knowing the stakes? How can I trust this system if it doesn't give me clear information?"
"Your caution is understandable," the Overseer said calmly. "However, you must also consider the potential benefits. The Crystal Oracle legacy is rare and powerful. Walking its path could grant you abilities that are otherwise unattainable."
Lin Feng clenched his fists, his mind racing. The Overseer's arguments made sense, but the lack of concrete information gnawed at him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts, but the anger kept bubbling up, relentless.
"I need to weigh my options carefully," Lin Feng said finally. "Tell me, what do you know about legacies in general? How do they usually work?"
"Legacies are remnants of ancient powers, passed down through generations or discovered in forgotten places," the Overseer explained. "They can grant unique abilities, knowledge, and insights. Each legacy is different, tailored to the nature of the power it represents. Accepting a legacy often means embracing its essence and responsibilities."
Lin Feng nodded slowly, absorbing the information, but his frustration only grew. "So, accepting this path could unlock the full potential of the Crystal Oracle legacy. But it could also bind me to certain responsibilities or challenges."
"Precisely," the Overseer confirmed. "Every powerful ability comes with its own set of trials. You must decide if you are ready to face them."
Lin Feng's anger was now a storm inside him. "What kind of responsibilities or challenges might I face?" he asked, hoping for more concrete answers.
The Overseer shook its head. "That is something only the legacy itself can reveal. Each path is unique, and its trials are tailored to the individual and the power they seek to master."
Lin Feng's hands trembled with suppressed rage. "You can't give me a single straight answer! All I want is to know what I'm getting into, and you can't even provide that!"
The Overseer tried to calm him. "Lin Feng, I understand your frustration. The unknown can be daunting, but you must trust in your strength and your ability to overcome challenges."
But Lin Feng's anger was now overpowering any rational thought. "Trust? How can I trust something so vague and unpredictable? This isn't a simple decision! This could change everything, and you expect me to leap blindly?"
"Lin Feng," the Overseer said softly, "you have always faced the unknown with courage. This is no different. The path of the Crystal Oracle is an opportunity for growth, to become something greater."
Lin Feng shook his head, his anger reaching a boiling point. "No! I refuse to be a pawn in some game where I don't even know the rules. If you can't answer my questions, then I'll have nothing to do with this legacy."
The Overseer was silent, its form shimmering slightly. Lin Feng's heart pounded in his chest, his mind a whirlwind of anger and frustration. He had hoped for guidance, for clarity, but instead, he was left with more questions and uncertainty.
"Fine," Lin Feng spat, his voice cold. "If none of you can give me clear answers, then I'll simply never use this legacy. I'll find my own way, without relying on something I don't understand."
With a surge of willpower, Lin Feng rejected the prompt, turning away from the purple node of light. His consciousness was rapidly drawn back, leaving the void and the immense glass sphere behind. He opened his eyes, finding himself back in his room at the inn. The experience had been surreal, but the anger and frustration lingered.
He sat there, breathing heavily, his mind still racing. The Overseer materialized beside him, its presence a silent reminder of the unresolved conflict.
"Lin Feng," the Overseer began, but Lin Feng cut it off.
"No," he said sharply. "I'm done with this. Until you or the system can provide me with clear answers, I won't touch that legacy. I can't trust something so uncertain."
The Overseer nodded, though it seemed to shimmer with a hint of regret. "As you wish, Lin Feng. I respect your decision."
Lin Feng remained silent, his thoughts a turbulent storm. He had always been willing to face challenges, but this felt different. The lack of information, the uncertainty—it was too much to gamble on. He had to find another way to advance, one that didn't involve such a blind leap of faith.
This whole ordeal had made him too angry to focus on anything else, thus Lin Feng decided to simply go to sleep, which he rapidly got to. The Overseer was still there, floating inside the room, it sighed: Obsession, anger, frustration, I knew separating his Inner Sea would have heavy repercussions but to give up on an obvious increase in power because of a few unanswered questions... Truly deplorable.