Chapter 1

In the dim and damp underground mine, it was perpetually dark.

Jiang Yan, dressed in a thin gray shirt, carried a stretcher with another person, walking mechanically.

The mine road was uneven, and although Jiang Yan seemed to be focusing intently on the path, he was actually lost in thought.

A month ago, he was just an ordinary medical student on Azure Blue Planet, living a peaceful and quiet life. However, after a very ordinary night of drunkenness, his soul was transported to another world, and he found himself here.

After many sleepless nights, he finally reluctantly accepted this fact—he had really crossed over.

Jiang Yan was currently in an iron mine area under the jurisdiction of the Great River Gang in Guihua City. The miners in the entire mine area came from various sources, including idle men from nearby villages, but more were refugees who had fled from farther away.

In the face of hardship, to survive, their previous identities were all useless; they had only one identity—miners.

The work was exhausting, the pay was almost negligible, and accidents were frequent, yet countless people still came to earn a living, seeking a meal.

In fact, in a mine area similar to ancient times, accidents, illness, injury, brawls, and hunger could easily claim many lives.

Although in the mine area, Jiang Yan did not have to dig every day. He had a special job—he was a corpse carrier.

The Great River Gang's mine area recruited people almost every day, but people also died every day. Thus, there was a corpse-carrying team responsible for transporting the deceased out daily.

"Jiang Yan, let's take a break," said the man carrying the stretcher with him.

Jiang Yan snapped back to reality and responded softly. The two of them put down the stretcher and found a large rock to rest on.

The man carrying the stretcher with him was named Ren Tao, with a dark complexion, short stature, and somewhat muscular limbs, contrasting with Jiang Yan's tall but slender build.

Ren Tao was in a talkative mood, "There were quite a few deaths last night, Jiang Yan. Do you know why?"

Jiang Yan shook his head.

Today's task was much heavier than usual, and indeed, many people had died.

After working together for so long, Ren Tao understood Jiang Yan's taciturn nature. He was not at all annoyed and instead said in a mysterious and fearful tone, "I heard... a malevolent spirit possessed someone last night and killed many people."

Jiang Yan's eyebrows furrowed, and he pursed his lips.

"Malevolent spirit!" Jiang Yan muttered. Do such terrifying things really exist in this world? he thought to himself.

Upon arriving in this world, he immediately determined that it was not the ancient times of Azure Blue but another world. The reason was the existence of martial artists who could move mountains and seas, and bizarre demons that could wreak havoc.

This was not legend or rumor but a reality. According to Ren Tao, his village was destroyed by an unknown shadowy creature, and he had barely escaped after a perilous journey, with many of his companions falling along the way.

Ren Tao continued, "Fortunately, the Great River Gang has experts who killed that malevolent spirit."

However, many people still died.

This was a world where martial arts were supreme, and everyone could become a dragon. From the idle chatter of the Great River Gang members, Jiang Yan learned that at the high levels of martial arts cultivation, breaking stones and splitting mountains was just the beginning; even overturning the sea was possible.

Ordinary people who first entered the martial arts path were called martial disciples. Above martial disciples was the first major realm of martial arts, the three stages of body refinement.

Above body refinement was the innate stage.

The martial arts hierarchy was strict, and ordinary people had no chance of accumulating wealth or power, living only at the bottom of society.

"Hey, this person is a bit strange!" Ren Tao suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Jiang Yan looked over. The stretcher they had placed was slightly uneven, and the gray cloth had slipped, revealing an exceptionally pale face.

The face was withered, with deep wrinkles, as if all the blood and vitality had been drained from the body.

This was what Ren Tao found strange.

But Jiang Yan glanced at it and paid no further attention. Although he had rarely seen such a state, he had been a medical student specializing in anatomy before crossing over.

For him, this was nothing unusual.

After a while, the two of them had rested enough and decided to continue. Today's task was heavy, and failing to complete it would result in punishment.

Jiang Yan extended his left hand, gently covering the man's eyes, helping to close them, and softly murmured, "Rest in peace."

Unexpectedly, something happened.

In Jiang Yan's astonished gaze, a gray-black aura emerged from the man's body, swirling and then rushing to his left hand.

A cold sensation spread, and the gray-black aura disappeared like water into the sea.

The next moment, a mechanical electronic voice sounded.

"Absorbing anomaly value, Martial Arts Modifier activated. Welcome to the Martial Arts Modifier!"

A translucent green panel appeared:

Character: Jiang Yan

Martial Arts: None

Anomaly Value: 1

A mysterious and profound intention was transmitted, and Jiang Yan instantly understood how to use the Martial Arts Modifier.

Consume anomaly values to enhance martial arts levels.

Indescribable joy filled his heart, but Jiang Yan restrained himself, closing the deceased's eyes and covering them with the gray cloth, then lifting the stretcher.

In this world, there were martial artists who could split the sky and demons that could bring chaos. This was no longer the peaceful and tranquil Azure Blue.

Recalling the envy he felt when he first heard about the extraordinary abilities of martial artists and the fear when he learned about the vastness of demons, Jiang Yan's heart was now filled with a sense of stability. He had a premonition that the Martial Arts Modifier would be his reliance in this chaotic world.

"Anomaly value?" Jiang Yan thought, recalling the deceased's appearance, "This person... indeed died unusually."

Even compared to all the others he had handled before, this was different.

Usually, he had handled many deceased, but never before had he gained anomaly values or activated the Martial Arts Modifier.

He had a premonition that the deceased he was handling today were special.

...

Deep in the cave, after passing through a narrow tunnel, they entered a slightly larger cavern where bodies were haphazardly piled.

This time, Jiang Yan immediately noticed the difference.

In addition to the "special" corpses he had carried, there were more "regular" bodies.

He knew that regular bodies could not increase anomaly values, so he headed straight for the "special" ones.

He touched one to verify if it could increase anomaly values. If it could, he would investigate the cause to ensure a steady and long-term supply of anomaly values.

Approaching a withered human form, he extended his hand, and a gray-black aura emerged, merging into his left hand.

The cold sensation returned, and the Martial Arts Modifier panel appeared again.

...

Anomaly Value: 2

Before he could turn around, a cold and stern voice sounded, "Never seen someone possessed by a malevolent spirit?"

"Once possessed by a malevolent spirit, all their blood and vitality are drained, and they become mindless killing machines."

Jiang Yan turned around to see a tall, square-faced man standing beside him.

This man was named Lu Yi, the squad leader of the corpse-carrying team. Technically, Jiang Yan was his subordinate.

"So this is what someone looks like after being possessed by a malevolent spirit."

Having been here for over a month, despite the isolated information in the mine, he had learned many world facts from the diverse sources of the miners.

This world truly had supernatural powers, including malevolent spirits, fierce spirits, and blood spirits. According to legends, these spirits were born from boundless resentment and negative energy, spreading terror and feeding on human blood and souls.

Whenever a spirit appeared, people in the mine area would die.

But this was the first time he had truly encountered such a situation. Looking at the withered corpse and the grotesque face, Jiang Yan's lips tightened, and he felt a bit afraid.

This world was too insecure.

Fortunately, he had the Martial Arts Modifier, his golden finger. At this moment, Jiang Yan felt a sense of hope.

A bold yet terrifying thought emerged: the anomaly values came from the bodies of those whose blood and vitality were drained by malevolent spirits. Therefore, the true source of anomaly values should be the malevolent spirits themselves!

To become stronger and to gain anomaly values, he might have to face these terrifying and supernatural beings in the future.

Lost in thought, a large hand slapped his shoulder hard.