Chapter 9: White Cloak
The moment I saw that it was Zhuang Huai Shui’s disciple, I knew that there was a problem.
“Yes, it’s me; do you have a problem?”
“Of course,” he replied coldly. “Last time, the Wind Cloud Platform opened too fast and I was in secluded meditation, so you were able to get the top position. The next time that it opens, it is when the two of us will decide the victor!”
“I thought that it’s something huge…”I waved my hands. “If you have nothing else for me, then I am going to leave.”
“You…”
His face flushed red. He wanted to insult me and show off, but he did not expect me not to care at all. In truth, what was the point in bickering with an NPC? Rather than waste time, why not check out the rules of Black Castle?
“There’s also me!”
A furious beast’s roar echoed. When I turned around, I saw a furious Purgatory Lion standing there. He said, “July Wildfire, your battle with me has just begun!”
“Two Balls, it’s you; long time no see!” I laughed out loud.
“You!”He was furious. “July Wildfire, the two of us can’t share this world; we will meet later on Wind Cloud Platform!”
“Okay, I will wait for you!”
……
I left and wandered at the waist of the mountain. I realized that there was not a single Wild Rabbit in the forest, and all mobs had been cleared out. It was impossible to train here.
Dang dang dang~
Someone knocked onto my helmet. Ah Fei’s voice sounded. “Ah Li, why aren’t you in the beginner village still?How long will your hidden job take? Have you succeeded?”
“I did, but I can’t return to the beginner village in the meantime,” I said awkwardly
“D*mn…”He was speechless for a moment. “Then I can only train alone.”
“Are you level 10 yet?”
“Yes, I have finished my job advancement!”
His voice was filled with excitement. “I learnedtwo level 10 skills: Fireball and Wind Blade. With the two skills together, I can retreat a few steps and use them to wipe out practically all same-level mobs. Also, I have joined a training ground, and leveling there is quite safe. I’ll probably reach level 12 today.”
“Not bad!”
I was actually a little envious. “Your level is a little high.”
“Right, what level are you?”
“Level 7.”
“D*mn… Noob!”
“…”
……
The world had changed; even Ah Fei started calling me a noob. Was there any fairness in the world?! I was annoyed and headed to the Wind Cloud Platform. I looked at the empty Wind Cloud Platform and said, “Master, I have something to ask!”
Wind started to surge and accumulated to form Ding Heng. “Kid, what is it?”
“How should I increase my strength or, rather, my level?” I asked right away.
He hesitated, seemingly digesting what level was, and then replied, “Follow me. Wind Cloud Platform has a place with strong spiritual energy. You can absorb it to cultivate so that you can break through to the Energy Gathering realm.”
“Oh!”
An Undead Guardian manning the Wind Cloud Platform walked over and looked at me coldly. “Follow me.”
“Thank you.”
He was the guide so I had to respect him.
A few minutes later, I entered the back mountain of the Wind Cloud Platform. I went around a few giant stones. As expected, an ancient-looking forest came into view. Everything here seemed lifelike and there was thick amounts of spiritual energy. This was not something that the dark and heavy outer mountain could compare to. Right at that moment,a small icon called cultivation appeared at the bottom right of my interface.
Thus, I sat with my legs crossed on a slab and clicked on it.
Du!
A cultivation progression appeared on my interface, and it lasted for sixty seconds! Sixty seconds later, there was a ring!
Ding!
[System notification: Energy gathered.Have obtained 1000 experience!]
……
So that’s it!
I slapped my legsand felt like I had been enlightened. Apart from fighting in the duel arena and killing players to obtain contribution points, there was such a method to acquire EXP. If I had known this beforehand, I would not have wasted time.
Thus, I focused on cultivating.
Dark clouds gathered in front of me and formed into Ding Heng. He said solemnly, “Energy Gathering realm is the first step. If you can’t sense the spiritual energy, you won’t be able to comprehend any law. Be it death laws flame, wind, etc., you will have to learn this realm first. Little fellow, you have to immerse fully and sense the presence of energy. Only then can you break through; do you understand?”
“En.”
I nodded my head. Although I did not understand what he was saying, I could sense energy flowing in my body. Thus, I closed my eyes and sensed the way it flowed. I adapted and merged with that feeling. Not long after, the energy in my body felt much thicker.
I even felt that my pores were opening on their own and automatically absorbing the energy.
After I cultivated once, a sharp ring sounded in my ears—
Ding!
[System notification: Energy gathered. Congratulations! You have fully immersed yourself and obtained 2000 experience!]
……
Fully immersed?!
I was stunned.This was a little special?
Ding Heng smiled. “You actually learned the mysteries of energy gathering. Little kid, your comprehension ability is really amazing. If Zhuang Huai Shui and Lei Chang learn of this, they will probably regret it. I really picked up a treasure this time.”
I smiled awkwardly. “Master, actually, I don’t understand what has just happened.”
“You don’t have to; just cultivate naturally.”
“Okay.”
I felt really blissful deep down because I was praised by Ding Heng. Was it because of my 94 Comprehension that my cultivation speed ingame would be more efficient than most people? If that was the case, then that would be fantastic. It meant that Comprehension was really important!
Thus, I gathered energy bit by bit and my EXP increased. From hitting full immersion every ten minutes to hitting it four to five times in the same period, such that I reached level 10 at the tenth! Of course, I added all my stat points to Agility!
At this point, my personal interface looked quite nice—
July Wildfire (Undead Assassin)
Level: 10
Attack: 42-56
Defense: 28
Health: 1450
Critical Strike: 0.45%
Comprehension: 94
Charm: 0
Soul Star: 0
Contribution point: 208
Combat strength: 102
……
Such stats would multiply by ten once I stepped onto the Wind Cloud Platform, which was 560 Attack and over 10000 Health. Two Balls and Long Yilan probably were not my match anymore. Moreover, if I continued to win, I would obtain more and more contribution points. By constantly accumulating advantages, I might really be the king of the younger generation in Black Castle.
Three hours later, the Wind Cloud Platform opened once more!
Shua!
I was teleported to a corner of the duel arena. This time, there were more participants in the competition, roughly fifty-plus people. Among them were Two Balls and Long Yilan. Out of everyone, the two were probably the strongest.
First, skill selection. A light veil appeared before me, then a few available skills danced in my sight—
(A): After activation, 30% of damage dealt in combat will turn to health, lasting for five seconds. If selected, will consume 5 contribution points.
(A): Ignore 30% of target defense, deal 165% of damage to target. If selected, will consume 15 contribution points.
(S): Deal three attacks to the opponent;the first attack will be basedon Attack, second on Agility, and third on Critical Strike. If chosen, will consume 100 contribution points.
(S): Enter stealth mode.Upon activation, the damage to the first target will be 200% true damage. If selected, will consume 100 contribution points.
……
When I saw that, I could not help but suck in a deep breath, even my heartbeat sped up. A strong hidden skill had actually appeared! This S-tier White Cloak was a godly technique. I could turn invisible in battle, so was that not something that would let me leave the battlefield? Moreover, the next strike would be 200% true damage, which was just too overpowered!
I looked at my remaining contribution points and saw that I had 208. I used them to exchange for the White Cloak and Hunter’s Edge, then I spent the rest to get Blood Drawing Blade, which would be of some help. Just like that, I obtained a recovery ability. Now, it was time to massacre everyone!
After exchanging my points for all of them, I was left with a pitiful 3 points. At that moment, the Wind Cloud Platform competition was about to begin.
……
Hu—
The wind formed into Ding Heng’s face. He still had that celestial-look as he said calmly, “The other world adventurers have increased their attacks. Wind Cloud Platform must end quickly; we will choose the strongest of the youngest generation to face this storm. Let’s begin!”
“Yes, elder!”
In the next second, two streaks of light sent two up onto the platform. One of them was a Leopard Wolfman wearing an armor while another was an Undead Corpse holding a hammer.
“You’re asking for death!” hollered the corpse in rage, charging forward. Death energy wrapped around the war hammer, and with just one strike, he sent the Leopard Wolfman flying.
A few seconds after the corpse had fully recovered, the second challenger went up. Like before, he was sent flying with one hit.
Just like that, forty-over undead cultivators were sent flying. This Undead Corpse was not weak at all.
Long Yilan, Two Balls, and I just looked at one another, not one of us saying a word. No one wanted to head up first. We just waited for a chance to decide who would face this extremely strong-looking Undead Corpse.