[Devoured a Qi Condensation Beast. You have received 1 attribute point.]
Xu Qingxian blinked.
His lips parted, stunned into silence.
"I can get attribute points by… eating?"
His voice barely escaped him, filled with disbelief.
"…What the hell?"
His breath hitched in his throat as he stared at the golden luminescent screen floating before his eyes, half expecting it to vanish like a mirage.
[+1 Attribute Point Gained.]
For a heartbeat, Xu Qingxian stood still.
Then a deep, booming laugh erupted from his chest, echoing through the silent chamber like a bell striking in a vast canyon.
Outside, Lin Fan rubbed his nose awkwardly, his brows furrowing. Had the young master finally snapped?
The cold air inside the palace felt heavier now. Though puzzled, Lin Fan didn't dare speak. Xu Qingxian may have been just a mortal, but his presence carried weight.
Inside, Xu Qingxian composed himself, wiping the grin from his face. He inhaled gently and returned to his meal, curiosity simmering beneath the surface.
With calm precision, he devoured the first dish entirely.
Yet as he finished, his brow furrowed.
No message.
No points.
Nothing.
He turned to the second platter of beast meat, eyes narrowing in thought. Taking a careful bite, he chewed slowly. The flavor was rich and bold, a harmony of charred edges and tender, fatty depth that melted on his tongue.
[Devoured a Qi Condensation Beast. You have received 1 attribute point.]
His hand trembled slightly as he lowered the chopsticks.
So it wasn't just any meat.
There was a pattern here.
His mind raced. Was it one point for each serving?
He reached for the third slab of meat and sliced into it without hesitation. Each bite awakened his taste buds with the warmth of spiritual energy, coating his throat with a faint, tingling heat.
Again, the familiar screen emerged.
[Devoured a Qi Condensation Beast. You have received 1 attribute point.]
A breath caught in his lungs as realization settled in.
For every jin of beast meat consumed, he gained an attribute point.
Xu Qingxian sat back, overwhelmed.
This changed everything.
Now, he had two clear pathways for growth.
Spirit stones and food.
The image of himself lounging casually while munching on a monstrous, godlike creature—his sword technique strengthening in the background—flashed through his mind. The thought was absurd, even delusional, yet it thrilled him.
A wide grin crept across his face.
If beast meat worked, what else might grant him attribute points?
The system remained a mystery, its full capabilities hidden. But the possibilities only deepened his determination to test everything.
Without delay, he turned to the steamed buns and noodles.
Five soft buns rested on a bamboo tray, their surfaces glistening with steam. The noodles lay nestled in bowls of aromatic broth, rich with the scent of scallions, herbs, and seared oils.
He dug in with fervor.
The moment he swallowed the last bite of a bun, the screen responded.
[Devoured a basic food. You have received 1 attribute point.]
His heart skipped again.
So even ordinary food worked.
With childlike delight, he polished off the rest. The broth slid down his throat, comforting and rich, while the final bun dissolved on his tongue.
By the end, he leaned back, a relaxed expression softening his features.
Another screen surfaced before his eyes.
[Host: Xu Qingxian]
[Cultivation Technique: Basic Sword Technique: Refined Sword Technique]
[Allocate 2 Attribute Points to Basic Sword Technique?]
[Y/N]
He ignored it for now.
"You may come in and clear the dishes," he called calmly.
The door opened with a faint creak, and Lin Fan stepped inside. Silently, he cleared the plates and bowls, bowed, and turned to leave.
Xu Qingxian raised his voice gently. "Do you have any cultivation techniques with you?"
Lin Fan paused.
For a moment, he hesitated. Then he turned back and replied, "This servant is poor and has only managed to obtain the Basic Qi Gathering Technique. I had hoped to step onto the path of cultivation one day."
Xu Qingxian nodded slowly.
The cultivation world was built upon tiers—basic, intermediate, advanced, profound, and beyond. While profound-level manuals were as rare as phoenix feathers, even basic ones carried a price that most couldn't afford.
"Bring me the manual," Xu Qingxian said. "Let me study it."
For someone like him, whose comprehension was shallow, starting with the fundamentals might unlock surprising outcomes.
Perhaps, if evolved properly, even the most basic technique could become extraordinary.
Lin Fan bowed and removed a worn scroll from his storage ring. The leather was cracked and the ink had faded, but it still pulsed faintly with spiritual energy.
Xu Qingxian accepted it and dismissed him with a wave.
"And tell my sister," he added as Lin Fan reached the door, "to gather as many cultivation techniques as she can. Especially the basic ones. I want to study them."
Though confusion flickered in Lin Fan's eyes, he bowed again without question and departed.
Left alone, Xu Qingxian turned his gaze back to the floating prompt.
[Allocate 2 Attribute Points to Basic Sword Technique?]
[Y/N]
He selected yes.
A strange warmth coursed through his limbs the moment he confirmed it. It wasn't painful, but it was intense—like water flooding through dry, cracked earth.
His understanding of the sword expanded in a rush.
Xu Qingxian's eyes lit up. Within his mind, the most rudimentary sword movements—stab, chop, cleave—began to change.
Each motion grew sharper, smoother, more deliberate. It was as if centuries of swordsmanship had been condensed into his awareness.
He could feel the intent behind every strike, the seamless transitions, the deadly grace that lived within each motion.
What once felt clumsy now danced through his thoughts like flowing silk drawn tight against a blade.
A new name etched itself into the panel.
[Cultivation Technique: Basic Sword Technique: Flowing Sword Technique]
He closed the screen and turned to his robe.
Tucked inside was a small pouch left by his sister.
He opened it and found ten pale spirit stones, each one laced with silver veins. As he picked one up, he could feel the gentle thrum of spiritual energy pulsing within.
[Convert 10 Low-Grade Spirit Stones into Attribute Point?]
[Y/N]
He hesitated.
Before using them, he reached for his phone.
There was still the matter of the badge—the deaths of other transmigrators weighed heavily on his mind.
He unlocked the screen.
A new message blinked at the top.
Opening it, he found it was from the Transmigration Group Chat app, explaining how to purchase data.
Xu Qingxian chuckled softly.
Finally, some clarity.
He navigated to the purchase page. When he saw the pricing, his smile vanished.
One gigabyte of spirit internet cost ten low-grade spirit stones.
He stared at the screen in disbelief.
It was outrageously expensive.
Still, he had no choice.
With a quiet sigh, he tapped the purchase button.
The spirit stones in his hand dissolved into shimmering particles.
A notification appeared instantly.
[You have received 1GB of Spirit Internet Bundle. Please use it wisely.]
He dismissed it and opened the group chat.
[Transmigration Group Chat – 99 New Messages]
His heart jumped.
Then another message popped up at the top.
[Ten group members from the new transmigration badge have died. A short clip recorded just before their deaths has been uploaded. Please watch the video and remain cautious.]
Xu Qingxian's expression darkened.
"So many already…"
His fingers tightened around the phone.
The world he had entered was no game.
It was real.
And it was lethal.