Ebraham stared at the glowing stats, heart hammering, when the blue screen pulsed. A holographic figure materialized beside it—a translucent woman in flowing Kalabhra robes, her form shimmering like desert heat. "Greetings, Master Ebraham Thomas Emmanuval, Heir of the Empire," she intoned, voice resonant yet mechanical. "I am the System Administrator, fragment of the Kalabhra's lost technology. The Great Emperor bids me relay his words."�She bowed, eyes flickering gold. "My Successor," the emperor's voice boomed from her, deep and commanding, "you burn to hunt relics, but you are unready. Those sites crawl with guardians—ancient beasts and spirit wards that crushed armies. Your frailty would end you at the gates. Heed this path: a marked temple in Sichuan awaits. Shatter the false deity's head within. A portal opens. Seek Ji Tiandao. Show him the sigil on your back—he will forge you into a weapon." The hologram dimmed, message complete.Confusion swirled in Ebraham's mind—Ji who? Sigil where?—but a ding lit the screen:Quest Unlocked: Temple of Trials
Objective: Travel to Sichuan Temple → Destroy Deity Statue → Enter Portal → Find Ji Tiandao
Reward: Basic Training → Stat Unlocks → First Relic FragmentJourney to the TempleHe packed light—passport, cash from his castle vaults, the tome pulsing in his bag—and boarded the next flight to Chengdu. Sichuan's misty peaks unfolded below, the system pinging directions to a "historical site" amid tourist throngs. No alarms, no pursuit; the terrorists seemed a fading nightmare. At the temple gates, rope barriers and signs warned "Protected Heritage," but the sigil on his chest warmed, parting crowds like an unseen hand.��Inside the Ancient MarvelStepping past oblivious visitors, Ebraham entered the heart of the temple—a breathtaking relic of Tang-era glory, upturned eaves curling like dragon wings, red-lacquered pillars etched with coiling serpents and phoenixes supporting a vaulted ceiling painted in faded gold murals of celestial battles. Incense hung thick, mingling with stone dust; massive incense burners flanked a central altar where the deity statue loomed, its serene jade face hiding whatever secret lay beneath. Marble floors gleamed under shafts of sunlight piercing lattice screens, every beam and bracket a masterpiece of dougong interlocking woodwork, whispering of empires long faded.��Heart pounding, he scanned for guards, then located the marked spot—a shadowed alcove behind the altar. Dex: 18 made his movements fluid; he vaulted a barrier, fist cocked. The statue's head shattered under one enhanced blow, jade fragments exploding like green fireworks. A low rumble shook the floor. Violet light erupted from the stump, swirling into a portal—roiling energy framed by ancient runes.Ebraham glanced back at the stunned tourists, then leaped through. The world twisted, and he tumbled into shadow, the system chiming: Quest Progress: 75%. Welcome to the Hidden Realm.�