010 Wrath of Fu Shi

  I staggered down the mountain, each hurried step jarring my already exhausted body. My legs screamed in protest, but I didn’t care. Pain didn’t matter. Fatigue didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except my vengeance.

  That bastard was going to die.

  I activated my Mind’s Eye, pouring quintessence into it. If I was going to hunt him down, I couldn’t afford to lose him.

  Ping! -33 quintessence.

  Ping! The Mind’s Eye has new functions!

  Marking. A simple but effective ability. As long as my target was within range, I could track him with ease. But I wasn’t done yet.

  I needed more power.

  There were countless superpowers I could think of—abilities that could bend reality itself—but I settled on one for its sheer versatility.

  Telekinesis.

  Ping! -20 quintessence.

  Ping! Acquired Telekinesis.

  I clenched my fist, testing the new ability. The ground trembled as I exerted my will, and a few loose stones lifted into the air. Good. This would be useful.

  Next, I recreated the lightning rod I had used when forging the system. But this time, I refined it, saturating it with lightning essence until it evolved into something far more destructive.

  Ping! -20 quintessence.

  Ping! The Lightning Rod has evolved into a Light Saber.

  I held the metal stick in my palm, feeling the crackling energy humming within. With a flick of my wrist, a blade of pure light extended from its tip. It was unmistakable—an homage to a certain movie franchise, but far deadlier than fiction.

  This wasn’t just light. This was Heavenly Tribulation Lightning. No ordinary cultivator would be able to defend against it. The sheer destruction contained within this weapon sent a shiver down my spine.

  Perfect.

  I deactivated the blade and tucked the hilt beneath my robe. With this, I wouldn’t need to rely on qi to maintain its power. It would last as long as the lightning essence within remained.

  That bastard wouldn’t even have the chance to beg for mercy.

  “I’ll slice, stab, and reduce him to ash,” I muttered, the rage burning hotter with every word. “I swear on my name, he will die a miserable death.”

  I knew I could resurrect the dead. That should have made revenge feel meaningless, but it didn’t. I needed this. Bi Yuan deserved vengeance. And after everything I’d been through, I deserved it too.

  “I’ll kill him for the mental damages I suffered.”

  It sounded petty, but I didn’t care. Maybe this world had changed me. Maybe Fu Shi’s memories had seeped into my own. It didn’t matter.

  All that mattered was making that bastard regret ever crossing me.

  I sighed, running a hand through my graying hair. “I was pissed because Bi Yuan died helplessly… Sigh… Fucking shit…”

  My body ached. I was too old for this. I had to fix that.

  I spent the rest of my quintessence on age regression.

  Ping! -10 quintessence.

  Ping! Age Reversal by 100 years.

  A wave of warmth spread through me, and the stiffness in my joints faded. My body felt lighter, stronger. I wasn’t young, not by a long shot, but compared to before, I was practically reborn.

  According to Fu Shi’s memories, I had been 813 years old. Now, I was 713. A mere century shaved off, but enough to restore some vitality. My hair was still gray, but that was the least of my concerns.

  I checked my status.

  [Name: Fu Shi

  Quintessence: 0

  Players: 1/1]

  No quintessence left. I had spent it all. But I didn’t feel weak. On the contrary, I felt more prepared than ever.

  Taking down an Essence Gathering expert (5th stage) would be difficult, but not impossible. More importantly, I knew I wouldn’t die—not to anyone below that level, at least.

  And that demonic cultivator?

  He was already dead. He just didn’t know it yet.

  Though my blood boiled with murderous intent, I wasn’t going to be careless. Charging down the mountain might have looked impulsive, but it wasn’t. I was decisive, not reckless.

  Losing control of my emotions wouldn’t help. If anything, I needed a clear mind to deal with that bastard properly.

  "Anyway… I was once a Perfect Immortal at the pinnacle of cultivation. What could a meager Spirit Mystery realm do to me?"

  Of course, that was only half-true. It wasn’t me who had reached that peak, but old Fu Shi. Still, that didn’t bother me. More than confidence, I had faith—faith in my strength as the Game Designer who would reshape this world.

  Was that hubris? Absolutely.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  What did a game developer from the 21st century know about real combat? About taking lives? Nothing. And yet, I couldn’t let that shake me.

  A mere demonic cultivator at the Spirit Mystery realm wouldn’t stop me.

  I pressed forward, my killing intent unwavering.

  Using telekinesis to lighten my movements, I leapt from branch to branch with effortless agility. Each step propelled me faster, allowing me to maneuver through the dense forest like a phantom.

  Flying outright was possible, but I wasn’t confident I could maintain it for long. Instead, I zigzagged through the trees, conserving my strength while keeping up my speed.

  At the same time, I activated my Mind’s Eye.

  Zha Dong was still fleeing, soaring through the sky with frantic desperation. He had a destination in mind—that much was clear. But I didn’t need to know where he was going. I only needed to know where he would be.

  I smirked. "You won’t get far."

  He could fly all he wanted. I would intercept him soon enough.

  As I pursued him, my thoughts drifted.

  Bi Yuan’s death had unsettled me more than I wanted to admit. Even though I had brought her back with my quintessence, the memory of her lifeless form refused to leave me.

  It was terrifying how powerful this system truly was. And even more terrifying—how much I had come to rely on it.

  The way resurrection worked… I had a gut feeling. This power wasn’t universal. It was limited.

  Only 'players' could be revived.

  That made sense. After all, my system was modeled after my dream—the dream of creating the best MMORPG, not just on Earth, but in the entire universe. It had been an absurd goal, something I had pursued with obsessive fervor.

  Then, I woke up in this world.

  If not for the system, I might have lost my mind. Maybe even taken my own life. Because what was the point of existing in a world where I couldn’t create or play games?

  That thought had tormented me back then.

  But instead of breaking, I had embraced my reality. Through acceptance, I had created the system. Through that system, I had found purpose again.

  And now… I held the power of resurrection in my hands.

  That should have been exhilarating. But instead, it unsettled me.

  If I expanded the system the way I intended, would life still hold value? Would I start treating existence like nothing more than a game mechanic?

  That fear gnawed at me.

  And that was why Zha Dong needed to die.

  Only his blood would settle the storm in my mind.

  ROOOOOAR!

  A deafening roar erupted from the forest, a tide of raw qi shaking the air.

  A bear.

  The tree I had been about to land on exploded into splinters as a massive claw struck it from below.

  But I had already seen it coming.

  My Mind’s Eye had warned me moments before, and with a flick of my will, I used telekinesis to halt my descent. My body floated for a split second, just long enough to shift direction and land on another branch.

  The bear let out another earth-shaking roar, its eyes glowing with qi-infused malice.

  An ambush.

  I grinned. "Not bad. But you're in my way."

  The hunt wasn’t over. And I didn’t have time to waste.

  I floated in mid-air, weightless, untethered by the pull of gravity.

  Telekinesis was a convenient ability.

  No need for flying swords. No need for cumbersome movements.

  Just will it, and I soared.

  Yet, as smooth as my flight was, something dared to block my path.

  A massive bear, easily at the peak of the Martial Tempering Realm, stood before me. Its eyes gleamed with hostility, and its hulking frame rumbled with deep, guttural breaths.

  It was offended.

  Why?

  Because I had trespassed on its territory.

  "You filthy beast," I sneered, hovering in the air. "Wanna have a go? I'll mince you into small bits until all you have left are bones."

  An exaggeration, of course. I had no time for that.

  I was on a mission.

  ROOOOOAAAAR!

  It seemed my threats meant nothing.

  Or perhaps, the beast simply didn’t understand.

  Typical.

  Unlike Bi Yuan, this one was just another unintelligent lump of fur.

  "Fine. Have it your way."

  Without another word, I reached under my robe and pulled out a small metallic cylinder.

  With a mere thought, the Light Saber activated.

  BZZZZZTT!

  Lightning-like energy surged from the hilt, forming an azure shaft of light.

  A sci-fi fantasy weapon, completely out of place in this world of cultivation.

  I rushed forward, my Mind’s Eye tracking every motion of the bear with absolute clarity.

  Its massive paw swung downward.

  A direct hit would have crushed me instantly.

  Too slow.

  I twisted my body, sliding under the beast’s belly.

  Then—

  SHHHHHRRRRK!

  The Light Saber sliced through flesh, the searing heat cauterizing the wound instantly.

  A satisfying, sizzling sound filled the air.

  The bear let out a horrid screech, its movements growing sluggish.

  I didn't even give it a second glance.

  "You’re lucky to die so easily," I muttered. "I have no time to mince you into pieces. Consider yourself fortunate, you dumb beast."

  With that, I dashed forward, not bothering to watch its final moments.

  It wasn’t personal.

  Just necessary.

  Still…

  Was there even a point in mocking it?

  It couldn’t understand me anyway.

  Ping! Received 1 quintessence.

  "Huh?"

  I paused for a moment, mid-flight.

  So killing Martial Tempering beasts rewarded quintessence?

  Interesting.

  It was a small amount, but any gain was a gain.

  I immediately spent the quintessence to restore my physical and mental stamina.

  With this, I wouldn’t lose control of my Telekinesis due to exhaustion anytime soon.

  Efficient.

  As I continued moving deeper into the forest, I encountered more beasts.

  Each one that dared stand in my way was slaughtered.

  Each one added to my quintessence count.

  Ping! +1 quintessence.

  Ping! +1 quintessence.

  Ping! +1 quintessence.

  "Hmm… Not bad," I mused. "If I accumulate enough, I’ll have more quintessence to work with."

  The temptation to slaughter everything in sight was there.

  It would be profitable, after all.

  But—

  I had no time for distractions.

  The demonic cultivator who killed Bi Yuan—

  I could not let him escape.

  That was non-negotiable.

  ***

  **

  *

  Zha Dong soared through the sky, standing atop his flying sword like a specter cutting through the night.

  His robes billowed, his long black hair trailed behind him, and his grip on the sheathe of his blade was tight—tighter than it had ever been.

  A bad premonition weighed heavily on his chest.

  There was no clear sign of pursuit.

  No visible enemy in the distance.

  Yet—

  He felt it.

  A presence.

  One so overwhelming that it sent chills crawling down his spine.

  Something—no, someone—was watching him.

  It was an intuitive feeling, honed through years of slaughter and cultivation.

  A predator’s gaze.

  An unseen hunter lurking in the shadows.

  "Fuck, I better finish this fast..."

  He gritted his teeth, urging his flying sword to move faster.

  His mission was still incomplete, but he had no intention of sticking around any longer than necessary.

  Then—

  A sudden disturbance caught his attention.

  Through his Spiritual Senses, he saw it.

  A wave of movement—a migration.

  The sky behind him was flooded with birds, blackening the horizon as they took flight in panic.

  Below, the ground quaked as countless beasts stampeded through the forest.

  Not just prey animals like deer or boars.

  No.

  Even predators—bears, tigers, and wolves—were fleeing.

  Beasts of all kinds, some even possessing cultivation, ranging from the 1st stage to the 3rd stage, ran without hesitation.

  As if something far more terrifying had entered the forest.

  As if something unnatural had disturbed the balance of power.

  Zha Dong's face darkened.

  "This… This isn't a coincidence."

  For a moment, an unsettling thought crossed his mind.

  "Just what kind of monster did I provoke?"

  His heart pounded.

  His fingers trembled.

  The premonition of death grew stronger with every passing second.

  He needed to get to the village—fast.

  And more importantly—

  He needed to survive.