Chapter III

“Welcome to Blue Ink City's summoning stone, under the control of the Arctic Lotus Sect. I'm Elder Xie, and I'm here to introduce you to the world that awaits you." Elder Xie's voice, booming with authority, demanded silence and commanded attention.

"Oh man, he's flying! Holy crap! No jetpack? That means he's a cultivator!"

"Hey man, tell us how to fly!"

"Yeah, speak up! We want to know how you do that without any technology. Or are you using some kind of wire for a show?"

Zayn scratched his head. These were foolish questions. He glanced at the levitating Elder Xie, unable to discern his expression due to the distance. However, he was sure the elder was on the verge of exploding.

"Silence!" Like lightning cracking through clouds, Elder Xie's voice cut off the pointless chatter. "Discipline is the aspect you mortals from distant lands must improve on quickly. Otherwise, death will be inevitable, especially facing a powerful cultivator like me. Now, unless I grant permission, no one utters a single word."

Elder Xie continued; his voice laced with seriousness. "I've known the world of cultivation since birth, and even now, I can't predict the treacherous paths it may throw you into." He scanned the crowd, his intense gaze forcing everyone to focus and stay quiet.

"I'll provide you with basic information you should know as a cultivator. But before that, remember: the cultivation world has unspoken rules. You are all weak bugs, and discipline is paramount. The strong prey on the weak. Respect senior cultivators, and don't offend those with greater power until you have strong backing yourself. I hope you ignorant mortals from distant lands understand these things."

He paused, letting his words sink in, before continuing after a few seconds. "To become a cultivator, you must have a spiritual root, which allows you to absorb the essence of heaven and earth—spiritual energy. There are countless races in the world, each with their own cultivation methods. However, one thing remains constant: everyone absorbs spiritual energy. Without it, cultivation and the journey to immortality are impossible."

"Inheritance is a legacy passed down by a cultivator to future generations."

"Now, any of you with questions may raise your hands."

Zayn felt like he was back in school but remained stoic. He had no questions, and even if he did, he would prefer to solve them himself.

Several players raised their hands. Elder Xie pointed to one, and the individual inquired, "What are the dangers we should be aware of in the Blue Ink City Region?"

Elder Xie smiled and praised the player for the good question. Zayn, however, sensed a hint of anticipation in the elder's smile, almost as if he'd been waiting for this particular query. "Evil beasts of the forest, demonic sect bastards, and those… stupid cultivators from the Cui Yu Sect. These are all treacherous elements you'll encounter in the Blue Ink City region. Be wary of them all." Elder Xie's voice hardened as he harshly pronounced the final sect's name.

"Yes, now you—"

"Elder Xie, pardon me, but isn't the Cui Yu Sect also one of the sects in the Blue Ink City region? Why are you calling them like that?" A female player interrupted Elder Xie's address.

Zayn saw Elder Xie glare at the female player standing a few meters away. The elder's brow furrowed, and a different kind of smile, almost mocking, appeared on his face. He inhaled sharply before switching to a benevolent mask. Zayn understood. This man clearly disliked interruptions, and the player had struck a nerve. 'What a nasty personality for an NPC,' Zayn mused in his wait-and-see approach, luck was clearly not on his side today.

"Discipline is the most fundamental thing one should know when they embark on the journey of cultivation," Elder Xie said, his words laced with a smile that belied the harshness in his voice and expression. "You all receive these cultivation techniques from our sect quite easily. Yet, you now trample on our dignity by accusing me of lying and defaming a sect when clearly, I was merely providing basic information. Alright, you all want it the hard way. Let me make this interesting for you all to demonstrate the treacherous nature of the cultivation world." Elder Xie's smile sent shivers down spines, as he twisted words of female player to his own accord.

"You currently stand in the outer region forest of the Luminara Mountain Range. If you move forward, you'll escape the forest and reach the southern entrance of Blue Ink City. Beasts lurk in the shadows, waiting for my departure to pounce and devour you. Only those who reach the forest's edge will receive cultivation techniques. The rest of you can rot for all I care. And yes, the first one out gets a middle-grade Earth ranked cultivation technique!" Without another explanation, Elder Xie vanished into thin air.

The silence of the surrounding was broken by a player's shout. "You stupid idiot! You could've kept your mouth shut and listened, but you had to rub him the wrong way!"

"Girl, don't have patience, huh? Didn't many other players hold in their curiosity? Do others not have the brains to ask questions? They do! But you just had to show off."

Everyone began blaming the situation on the girl. However, the surrounding soon fell silent again. A new set of characters floated in front of everyone.

Ding! New Quest

Quest: Exit the outer region forest of the Luminara Mountain Range and reach the southern entrance of Blue Ink City.

Difficulty: Hard

Reward: The first to reach the southern entrance will receive a middle-grade Earth ranked cultivation technique, and the rest will only get a mortal ranked cultivation technique.

Description: Elder Xie is dissatisfied with the behaviour of your group and thinks your group lacks discipline. To teach you all a lesson, he intends for you to punish yourselves by making you all exit the dangerous forest on your own.

*** *** ***

Zayn glanced at the new quest, his mind already racing with strategy. As a veteran VR gamer, he knew the importance of initial quests; they were crucial and sometimes offered hidden rewards. He'd already seen three players sprint away the moment the elder vanished. Scowling at his own carelessness, Zayn launched himself forward in a dash.

Boom! Before he could react, his body slammed into something solid. "What the hell?!" Disoriented, Zayn struggled to comprehend what had just happened. Red blurred his vision, and a warm liquid ran down his face. A metallic tang assaulted his nose, threatening to trigger his gag reflex.

'What's happening? Why is everything red?' He rubbed his eyes frantically, the crimson haze clearing. The metallic stench remained, sending shivers down his spine. 'Red... is that blood?'

Ding! You have killed a mortal.

Ding! You have acquired a peak-grade earth ranked weapon: A long sword.

The kill notification sent his mind into overdrive. 'I killed someone?! This is Heavenly Ascension; killing here feels real, which is why it attracts all sorts of criminals... There is no time to dwell on that. Is my face covered? Yeah, I can feel blood on my face. I can't let anyone record me.'

Killing wasn't a problem; he knew it was only a game, even if it felt terrifyingly real. In his heart, he didn't feel a shred of remorse. Before this, he played as an assassin and he killed for his gain, but the real problem was a recording. If someone put it on the internet and those people found out, this would be the last time he could play Heavenly Ascension, and they would take this opportunity away from him and his friends too.

Zayn's eyes darted around frantically, mirroring the movements of a cornered animal seeking an escape route. The mere thought of a recording sent a wave of dread through him, realizing the catastrophic implications it could have for not only himself but also his friends.

"He killed him!" A female voice shirked.

"He's a scavenger!"

"I didn't even see him! How is he so strong? Isn't he a new player? Is it a bug?"

Two metres below, a lifeless body lay sprawled, its skull fractured like a watermelon. Zayn could still feel the impact—a slight tremor as if he'd swatted a fly. A thought struck him: could it be his locked stats? Those stats were way too high and if his calculations served him right which always did then if those stats were now his real stats than he was way beyond beginner player stage.

'No time to waste.' He cautiously took a step forward, then another—BOOM! Just like before, he rocketed through the air like a human cannonball, unable to control himself and colliding with another player. This time, however, his vision barely kept pace with his speed. He watched with wide eyes as the player went flying, a lifeless doll tossed aside with all his ribs broken and a few protruding out of his chest, splashing warm blood across his face.

Ding! You have killed a mortal.

Ding! You have acquired a low-grade, spirit-ranked battle technique: Earth Collapsing Punch

'What the hell? I killed some random players, and they are dropping their high ranked things. Why don't I get such initial gifts?'