Chapter 18 of 100
Chapter 18
8 min read1,947 words
Chapter 17. The Best Choice (2)
Today is the day to enter the Wu Guan Island.
Sure enough, Ge Yun introduced himself and offered a gray pill.
It was a secret pill.
He didn’t forget to mention that it could enhance one’s internal energy for over a decade, just like in the past.
Xue Hui naturally swallowed it as soon as he received it.
<Your stats have increased.>
Strength 1,405 (↑85) / 1,405
Internal Energy 3,300 (↑2,000) / 3,300
His internal energy had increased dramatically, just like in his previous life.
Moreover, the stats were reflected while his abilities were already enhanced.
And there was another change.
<Your martial arts proficiency has increased.>
[Devil Subduing Martial Art]
Imitation → Beginner Level
‘Oh!’
It was a surprising change.
Just by increasing his internal energy, the word "beginner" appeared.
“Thank you.”
Xue Hui was genuinely grateful this time.
With this level of ability, he felt he wouldn’t easily be defeated even on Wu Guan Island.
* * *
“Here.”
Thud.
Ge Yun, who had stopped walking, pointed to a spot.
A majestic octagonal-roofed hall appeared, just as it did in the past.
“Since the tour is over, I will leave now.”
‘It’s activated.’
When he turned around, the same text activated.
▶ Please hand over the Secret Dragon Pill you received from Kun Ma.
▷ [Expression] Smiles wryly.
‘Sure enough, the second fingerprint has disappeared!’
Perhaps because the Sword Shadow was in his tool box, the option ‘Do you have something to say to me?’ did not appear in the list as it did in the past.
It was disappointing, but understandable.
If not, he could have obtained the Sword Shadow infinitely by repeating the past.
‘Both are challenging, though.’
After pondering, Xue Hui chose one as he felt the time approaching.
<You have chosen ‘Please hand over the Secret Dragon Pill you received from Kun Ma.’>
The story continues.
“What did you say?”
Ge Yun looked at him.
It was easy to see from his expression that he was extremely displeased.
However, there was no need to be afraid.
If his guess was correct, there was definitely an answer in this text.
“It seems you didn’t receive it.”
“...What?”
“The Fourth Disciple clearly said he would give me one Secret Pill and one Secret Dragon Pill. I just wanted to make sure.”
“...”
Ge Yun looked at him for a moment.
‘There it is!’
Seeing this, Xue Hui was certain.
He could sense that Ge Yun’s expression had become even sterner.
“Did you not receive it? Then I apologize. It might be too late, but I will go and get it...”
Whoosh!
At that moment, something shot out from Ge Yun’s sleeve.
Sure enough.
A reddish light. It was clearly an extraordinary medicinal pill.
‘This is it.’
This choice text definitely wasn’t a curse.
Depending on how it was used, it could continue to provide incredible opportunities.
“You...”
Xue Hui flinched. He had intended to ignore him, but Ge Yun called out to him.
“Yes. Is there something you... Oof!”
Thud!
Before he could blink, Xue Hui was struck in the abdomen and fell to the ground.
Thump! Thump!
Ge Yun stomped on Xue Hui’s face.
“Ow!”
Xue Hui screamed.
After a few more screams, Ge Yun seemed to become aware of his surroundings and stopped.
“Anyway, you’ll die here.”
He lowered his posture and continued speaking into Xue Hui’s ear.
“Even if you survive, you will die by my hand.”
“...”
“Hmph.”
Yellow phlegm dripped down Xue Hui’s cheek.
He laughed bitterly and stood up.
“Haha.”
A blatant laugh echoed in Xue Hui’s ear.
“...”
Watching Ge Yun slowly move away, Xue Hui moved his bloodied jaw with difficulty.
The Secret Dragon Pill he had taken out. He was consuming it.
Munch. Munch.
As he chewed, Xue Hui’s eyes gradually became clearer.
“...I will definitely kill you with my own hands.”
<Your stats have increased significantly.>
Strength 7,408 (↑6,003) / 7,408
Internal Energy 6,800 (↑3,500) / 6,800
<Your skill levels have increased.>
[Heavenly Demon Martial Art]
Beginner Level → Basic Level
[Devil Subduing Martial Art]
Fiery Palm Beginner Level → Basic Level
[Supreme Demon Martial Art]
Explosive Skill Imitation → Beginner Level
Xue Hui looked at Ge Yun with only one thought in mind.
If he gained strength, he must eliminate the Tai Huang Pavilion Master and the Wu Qian Pavilion Master.
But there was one more person he needed to deal with first.
“If I pass this place...”
With his strength and internal energy fully restored, all his stats had changed.
And.
“Next, I will kill you.”
<Your Mind Reading proficiency has increased.>
[Continuous Skill] Mind Reading
Imitation → Beginner Level
As his stats changed, so did his Mind Reading.
As a result.
[State, Status]
Ge Yun [One of Kun Ma’s Guard Warriors]
Physical Condition: Normal
Hostility: 77% (Warning)
[Value, Stats]
Strength 15,000 / 15,000
Internal Energy 12,000 / 12,000
He could also see his hidden abilities.
◎ For reference.
10,000 = 1 Jiazi (一甲子).
100,000 = 2 Jiazi (二甲子).
1,000,000 = 3 Jiazi (三甲子).
10,000,000 = 4 Jiazi (四甲子).
The level of 10,000 stats is also indicated.
* * *
Xue Hui was looking at the guardian lion sitting at the entrance of Wu Guan Island.
As expected, after a simple identity check, he was handed a bamboo slip.
Rustle.
“Choose and look.”
The Divine Command Tablet. It was the same bamboo slip as last time.
The same words, the same situation unfolded.
Xue Hui smiled inwardly.
For some reason, the guardian lion added a sentence.
“Anyway, you will do everything.”
This was also the same.
It was something he had expected.
Xue Hui immediately pointed to a character and said,
“I will choose this one.”
Swoosh.
The guardian lion took the bamboo slip.
“You chose the divine. Take it. You need to collect six bamboo slips with the character ‘body’ (身).”
The situation afterward proceeded as it did last time.
The guardian lion only briefly said what he needed to.
It was exactly the same as before.
If anything, he added,
“The time limit is one day. If you can last until this exact time, the test is over. The door on the far right is the exit. You can return through this door.”
Since he had experienced Wu Guan Island once, his explanation felt more realistic.
“There are many things inside. Secret manuals that everyone desires, treasures that help in battle, weapons used to kill enemies. The more you explore, the more you can obtain what you want.”
“I have a question.”
As soon as the guardian lion finished speaking, Xue Hui straightened his body and asked politely.
“Am I the only one taking this test?”
“...”
“Judging by the pattern, there should be others, but why is no one here? Are there other entrances?”
“...”
Swoosh.
The guardian lion leaned back in his chair.
He closed his eyes, and Xue Hui waited quietly for an answer.
After about seven minutes,
‘Did I make a mistake?’
In the silence, Xue Hui began to feel uneasy.
The guardian lion was someone of a status that would never normally speak to him.
‘...I should just go.’
The guardian lion remained silent.
Like a stone Buddha in a large temple, he sat motionless with his eyes closed.
Just as Xue Hui was about to move,
“Your eyes will naturally rise over time.”
“...?!”
Xue Hui momentarily doubted his ears.
He thought he might have heard wrong.
But the guardian lion fell back into a prolonged silence.
‘Your eyes will naturally rise over time?’
Xue Hui pondered the guardian lion’s words for a moment.
Clearly, there were other players being sent into this Wu Guan Island.
But since they weren’t visible, they must be sent in at different times or in different areas.
The ones already inside?
They would continue to fight and grow stronger.
Xue Hui himself had become exponentially stronger through several battles inside.
The phrase “your eyes will naturally rise over time.”
Did it mean that the later the entry, the stronger the opponents would be?
‘It doesn’t matter.’
Xue Hui suddenly approached the door.
If he had to fight anyway, it was better to move quickly and gain as much as possible.
“Here again.”
Creak.
Entering the test area, Xue Hui sharply scanned his surroundings.
Blue roofs, red roofs. The colorful and splendid scenery came into view.
Xue Hui stroked his chin and nodded.
Rustle. Swish.
The wind blew.
The grass of different colors and the swaying leaves seemed like a leisurely visit.
Soon, it would turn into a festival of blood.
‘Where are you?’
Swish. Swish.
Feeling the wind, Xue Hui waited quietly.
The building in front of him had an octagonal red roof.
The last time he entered this building, he was ambushed immediately.
The injuries he sustained then had plagued him for a long time.
But this time, it would be different.
Xue Hui already knew there was an ambusher here, so he planned to ambush and kill the opponent.
‘Where are you?’
But it was hard to find.
Perhaps the ambusher was skilled in hiding.
No matter how many times he changed his position outside, it was difficult to spot the opponent.
If he continued to waste time like this, he might be ambushed by someone else.
“...I have no choice.”
Swoosh. Swoosh.
In the end, Xue Hui deliberately exposed himself.
He approached the entrance of the red-roofed building, the same spot where he was ambushed last time.
But unexpectedly, the ambush he had prepared for did not come.
“...”
What was going on? Had the opponent moved elsewhere? After much thought, Xue Hui clicked his tongue.
“Tsk...”
Thinking about it, the last time he was here, he had only focused on the front and left his back completely exposed.
It was a perfect moment of carelessness, which is why he was ambushed.
‘Then I should do the same.’
Swoosh.
Xue Hui now focused on the front and sides, showing a concentrated appearance.
Although his back was deliberately exposed, making his spine tingle, the opponent was clearly a novice.
Last time, after being ambushed, he easily overpowered the opponent once he regained his composure.
[Warning! An unknown enemy has spotted Xue Hui’s weakness. How will you respond?]
‘Here he comes!’
The status window.
It meant the opponent had taken the bait. Xue Hui opened his eyes wide and focused.
▷ Counterattack.
▷ Defend.
▶ Run away.
Last time, he chose to run away. He leaped hastily and was slashed from behind.
But upon reflection, it wasn’t an attack he couldn’t avoid.
The hesitation in that moment.
That hesitation led to the ambush.
▷ Counterattack.
▶ Defend.
▷ Run away.
And he had no intention of defending.
The opponent’s level wasn’t particularly high last time.
Especially now.
Even if his past self ambushed him, he was confident he could easily block it.
▶ Counterattack.
▷ Defend.
▷ Run away.
[You have chosen to counterattack. The story will resume immediately.]
Puff.
In the moment the frozen time resumed, Xue Hui realized three things.
First, the ambusher had dug a hole in the wall and hidden inside.
Second, the opponent was closer than when he chose to run away last time.
Third.
Clang!
Xue Hui easily blocked the sword strike from above.
Even a light block caused sparks to fly, and the opponent was thrown back.
“It’s nothing.”
Xue Hui smiled wryly.
Third.
The gap in skill between him and the opponent was overwhelming.
As if to prove it, even just standing there,
[Perfect opportunity! You have spotted a weakness in the unknown enemy. How will you respond?]
The status window appeared.