Chapter 29 - Penalty??
Li Chen landed harder than he had anticipated.He found himself flat on the ground.A sudden jolt of pain surged through him, causing a soft grunt to escape as he remained on the floor for a moment, staring blankly into space.
"…Just great."
He rubbed his lower back, grimacing slightly before pushing himself upright. Dust clung to his robes as he attempted to clean himself off, patting his attire in a futile effort to reclaim some semblance of dignity after the tumble.For a brief interval, he just stood there.Finally, he cleared his throat, straightened his posture, and acted as though nothing had happened.Only then did he take a proper look around.That was when the bewilderment begin.The landscape was… unusual.The ground sprawled out like a desolate wasteland, cracked and dry in certain areas, yet it didn't feel quite like a desert. There was no oppressive heat, no wind rustling through the terrain. Just an unsettling stillness that hung in the atmosphere, not entirely settling in.
Above him, the sky was different as well.Two moons hung in the air.One was a bit larger than the other , both were faintly illuminated, casting an uneven glow that barely brightened the area.Surrounding darkness lingered, not thick enough to obstruct his vision, but sufficient to give the entire setting a sense of being eerie… as if something was missing.
Li Chen frowned slightly
"Where on earth have I been brought…"
"This is an incomplete space ."
Before he could ponder further, he heard the voice reply.
Li Chen didn't even flinch this time.
"Of course you'd make your entrance now" he muttered under his breath.
"This space is a remnant of a God-level expert's residual Qi. It exists as a fragment, disconnected from the real world."
Li Chen's expression tightened at that revelation.
A God-level expert?
He surveyed his surroundings again, this time with more concentration.Even in its fractured state… even damaged…was this really something left by a single individual?
A chill ran down his spine.He kept his silence, but the thought lingered. How much Qi would be required to create something like this—even unintentionally?Before he could delve deeper into that thought, a faint blue light caught his eye.The system panel.It had been present for some time.He simply hadn't taken the time to notice it.
[Mission: Loot items worth 50 copper coins] [Status: Failed]
[Penalty: Initiating…]
Li Chen stared at the display for a moment, exhaled slowly, and waved his hand slightly.
The panel vanished.
"Alright then... let's just get this over with."
The very instant he spoke those words, the ground began to shake.At first, it was a mere tremor, almost a gentle vibration, but it quickly intensified. The earth below him shifted violently, forcing him to maintain his balance as the disturbance radiated outward.Li Chen narrowed his eyes.
Something was definitely wrong.
Then he sensed it , a presence right behind him.His body reacted instinctively before his mind could catch up. He spun around sharply, just in time to see the ground crack open.Something erupted from beneath. A lengthy, robust creature emerged from the soil, its segments of hardened tissue faintly shimmering in the low light. As its head lifted, it exposed a mouth lined with jagged, tusk-like structures that pointed outwards like sharp hooks.
Li Chen acted without delay.
Inspect
A display popped up.
[Name: Burrowing Fang Worm]
[Grade: Level 7 Beast]
[Strengths: Toxic fluid discharge, hardened exterior, subterranean mobility]
Li Chen clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"A level 7…"
That was right around his own cultivation stage .Yet that wasn't even the most frustrating aspect.Creatures at the same stage with human cultivators typically held the upper hand.Superior physique, sharpened instincts, and no reluctance when it came to killing.
"Of course, you'd present me with something like this," he grumbled.
The worm took no time to hesitate.
Its form shifted and then seamlessly subsided back into the earth, vanishing almost at once.
Li Chen frowned, bemused.
"Really?"
He barely processed that when the ground next to him erupted.The worm leapt forth again, its tail lashing out toward him.Li Chen swiftly retreated, narrowly evading the strike. Just as he attempted to regain his stance, the creature lunged forward , a burst of dark liquid shot directly towards him.Li Chen swerved to the side, just managing to dodge it.A few droplets splattered on his robe's hem.It hissed as it made contact.The material corroded rapidly, disappearing within moments.Li Chen glanced at the damage, then shifted his gaze to the earth.
"…How irritating."
The worm had vanished once more.Silence enveloped the surroundings.Yet it wasn't devoid of movement.Li Chen remained still, muscles coiled, his gaze probing the ground beneath him.Then a slight shift.He reacted instantly.The worm surged forth precisely where he had stood previously, its jaws snapping shut on mere air.
Li Chen landed several paces away, keeping his breath steady.
Again.
And again.
The same sequence occurred.The worm dove underground, It resurfaced,It attacked,It vanished.
Initially, Li Chen remained entirely on the defensive. Each strike was aimed at him from varied angles, compelling him to react instead of taking the initiative. His reflexes were sharp, but he couldn't spot an opportunity to strike back.A tail swipe grazed his side.Not deeply, but it stung nonetheless.Another close call left a superficial scratch on his arm.
Li Chen retreated again, releasing a slow breath.
"This is going nowhere..."
He lowered his gaze slightly to the ground.If he continued to pursue it like this, he would just keep responding.So instead , he closed his eyes briefly, spreading his spiritual sense outward ,then reopened them.His focus adjusted.He allowed the spiritual sense to diffuse outward, delicately and intentionally, skimming along the surface beneath him.At first, there was no reaction.Then , a shift. Something wriggling below the surface.Li Chen's gaze sharpened.
"There you are…"
The instant he sensed movement below him, he sprang into action.The worm erupted from the ground.However, Li Chen was already sidestepping.He didn't halt.
Shadow Step
His form blurred as he closed the gap in an instant, appearing alongside the creature's vulnerable side. He brought his hand down decisively.
Crushing Palm.
As his blow struck the tough surface of the worm, energy compacted, and released in a swift motion.A dull thud resonated.
The worm jolted back a bit, but it was enough.Li Chen remained steady.The worm twisted aggressively, attempting to escape, but he pressed forward, taking advantage of the brief moment before it could burrow away.
He struck again.
And again.
Each blow was accurate, each one more powerful than the previous.The worm emitted a low, distorted wail before driving its body into the ground once more .
Li Chen stepped back, his breath coming a little harder now , but this time… he wasn't reacting out of instinct.As it moved again,He sensed its presence before it even broke the surface.He sidestepped early, completely dodging the assault, then turned and struck as soon as it appeared.The tempo transformed gradually.The worm remained a threat.Yet Li Chen was finally keeping up with its rhythm.
A spray of venom brushed against his shoulder causing him to winced slightly as the sensation seared, but he pressed on.A tail swipe pushed him back.He regained his footing and surged forward once more.Time became a blur of rapid actions.Until eventually,The worm broke the surface again.Without delay, Li Chen acted.
Shadow Step.
This time he appeared straight above it.His palm descended with all his remaining strength.
Crushing Palm.
The impact was decisive.This time, instead of escaping, the worm crashed to the ground. Its movements slowed, then came to a halt.
Silence enveloped the area.
Li Chen paused for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.
"... Finally."
Li Chen advanced, crouching slightly as he delved into the creature's body, extracting the beast core without hesitation. A faint dark glow emanated from within, pulsing once before fading in his palm and dispersing into subtle dark particles that floated toward him.
A familiar notification materialized.
[Burrowing Fang Worm Defeated]
[ 300 XP]
[ 3 Skill Points]
Level up!
Level [8]
XP - 75/400
He glanced quickly at it, ready to dismiss it when another panel flickered into view almost immediately.
[New Skill Unlocked: Seven Star Phantom Strike]
"...Oh?"
The panel expanded on its own.
[Skill Unlocked: Seven Star Phantom Strike][Description: A refined Qi technique that divides a single strike into multiple phantom impacts. The user swiftly targets critical points, making it extremely difficult to defend as real and false attacks overlap. Designed for precision to breach strong defenses rather than overwhelming force.][After Effects: High Qi and stamina consumption. Limited to one use per activation. Cooldown period: 2 minutes.]
Li Chen's eyebrows raised slightly as he scanned the details. It appeared to be a valuable skill despite its drawbacks.In comparison to Crushing Palm, which emphasized brute strength and large area effect, this technique was more concentrated and precise, intended to penetrate rather than simply overpower. He unconsciously stretched his fingers, almost as if he were testing its texture already.
"…Not bad."
A slight smile appeared on his face before he could suppress it.First had been the beast core. Now, a fresh skill? .
Li Chen released a soft breath, shaking his head slightly as he glanced up at the dim twin moons glowing above.
"You refer to this as a punishment?"
He then let out a small scoff, rolling his shoulders as he felt the earlier fatigue settle deeper in his body.
"If this is the way you intend to reprimand me…"
His hand tightened a bit more around the beast core.
"You may want to reevaluate your approach."
Li Chen lingered for a moment longer, allowing the information to sink in before he breathed out slowly. He rolled his shoulders one time, then redirected his attention.
"Show stats."
The familiar blue interface flickered into existence.
[Name: Li Chen]
[Realm: Peak Mortal Plane]
[Level: 8]
[XP: 75/400]
[Strength: 8]
[Agility: 11]
[Endurance: 10]
[Intelligence: 3]
[Available skill Points: 3]
Li Chen's eyes skimmed the panel, pausing momentarily. Three points. Not a significant amount. This time, he acted without delay. Speed wasn't the problem. Even in combat, he had managed to react, evade, and keep pace. What he truly lacked was the force necessary to make those strikes impactful. Too many of his blows had landed without delivering a decisive finish.
"...What's the use of speed if my hits don't deliver enough power?" His hand moved swiftly.
Two points were allocated to Strength. The panel flickered again.
[Strength: 8-10]
He hesitated just briefly, then turned his attention to the last point remaining. His eyes shifted to another category.
Intelligence.
He had overlooked it for quite a while. Most of his energy had gone into merely surviving, reacting, and strengthening himself in the most straightforward manner. But after that encounter… observing movements, adapting, sensing the creature below the earth… That had all been instinctual.
The final point was assigned.
[Intelligence: 3-4]
Once he distributed the last point to Intelligence, Li Chen finally noticed the mild damage on his shoulder. The pain had subsided somewhat. His robe was ragged, with a few singed edges fluttering gently, yet he shrugged it off. It didn't matter. He had made it through. With the beast core absorbed, XP and skill points secured, and a new skill acquired… if this was to be considered a penalty, it was certainly the most lenient one he'd ever encountered.