'System, oi system. Where are you? Come out, come out wherever you are...' Wu Ming once again called out in his mind, but even after a long time, there was no response.
He thought with resentment, 'This is just the worst betrayal ever. Not even that time when my uncle pranked me by pretending to be a girl on the internet and invited me over for some "hot passionate sex" did I feel this betrayed. Fuck!'
After spending a bit more time cursing his luck, Wu Ming finally decided to focus on the orb he had obtained.
"You are my only hope now," Wu Ming said in a low tone, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the orb.
But even after staring at it for a while, nothing happened. Wu Ming had no idea what use this orb might have, if it even had any at all.
After thinking it twice over, Wu Ming was more certain it held some hidden value. Even if it was just a tiny ball of light now, it was once part of those big-shot systems.
By this logic, it had to be a treasure.
The problem before him was figuring out how to unlock the secrets of this treasure and make the most of it.
'In situations like this, the main characters from those novels would usually try to insert their Qi or divine sense into the treasure. There was one more method… what was it? I can't seem to remem— Ah, right, the iconic blood drop method.'
'Hmm, should I give it a shot?' Wu Ming didn't hesitate long before deciding it was worth trying.
He stood up and scanned the room. He spotted a basket full of exotic fruits on a nearby stand, with a small knife placed beside it. Wu Ming walked over and picked up the knife, then without wasting time made a small cut on the index finger of his left hand. Scarlet blood immediately oozed out.
"I just hope this doesn't ruin the orb or something," Wu Ming's expression was stiff as he let a drop of blood fall onto the orb.
As the drop of warm blood touched the scarlet orb, it was quickly absorbed. The orb began to tremble and emit a rich, bloody glow.
Swoosh—
In an instant, the orb shot toward Wu Ming and vanished into his forehead. He felt no trace of pain or harm.
"Okay, now what?" Wu Ming sat in silence.
Nothing happened.
His impatience grew, so he closed his eyes and thought of the orb of light.
Not a second later, Wu Ming's vision changed and was now in an endlessly pitch-black space. And in this world of undisturbed darkness, he could see only one single light.
As he concentrated on the light, his vision shifted, bringing the light right before him. Wu Ming observed it intently and immediately recognized that the light took on a human shape. More specifically, his own form from his past life on Earth. Wu Ming instinctively understood that this was his soul.
But before Wu Ming could jump out of his amazement, he saw a tiny, golden-brown, almond-shaped seed floating before his soul.
The moment his eyes met it, a string of information drilled into his brain. After Wu Ming fully grasped the information, he couldn't help but feel greatly elated.
'I see, so that's what this treasure is all about. Seed of Eternal Enlightenment! What a treasure I have found, amazing!' Wu Ming was overcome with joy at this moment.
The Seed of Eternal Enlightenment was a treasure of the highest order, its value nearly unparalleled.
It had three stages of evolution, each more astonishing than the last. First was the Seed of Comprehension, which drastically enhanced the cultivator's learning and thinking ability. Whether it was cultivation arts, formations, alchemy, or any mortal or Immortal discipline, Wu Ming would find them far easier to grasp, like breaking through a paper screen rather than an iron wall.
Next came the Wisdom Sapling, which not only retained the previous benefits but also granted an endless flow of inspiration. If Wu Ming ever wished to modify techniques, refine pill recipes, or create something entirely new, all he had to do was meditate under its grace, and inspiration would flood his mind. For others, such breakthroughs could take decades or even centuries, but for Wu Ming, the process would be vastly accelerated.
But the final evolution was what truly defied reason. The Tree of Heavenly Insight not only granted all the prior benefits but also allowed the cultivator to extract secrets directly from Heaven and Earth itself!
Such an outrageous treasure could even ignite the greed of mighty Immortal Emperors and Demon Venerables.
Wu Ming pulled his focus back from the soul realm, a grin stretching so wide it was difficult to keep his eyes open.
'Hehe, this is a wonderful treasure and will certainly be of great help. But if I had full access to those systems, this wouldn't be that amazing. It would have just been another awesome treasure, that's all.'
'But now, this is my ace to survive and, hopefully, thrive in this cultivation world, so I shouldn't complain… wait! Maybe I should complain. After all, I was unjustly thrust into this situation without a single opinion. I have every right to be pissed. But then again, complaining won't change a damn thing, so what's the use? Fuck, I'm getting sidetracked. The issue here is evolving this Seed of Comprehension into the Wisdom Sapling phase.'
'The Seed requires Mind-Opening Lotus to evolve… and not just one or two, but a ridiculous amount.'
Wu Ming's fingers tapped against his knee as he calculated. 'A single Mind-Opening Lotus is already worth a fortune. Alchemists hoard them like gold, and even an inner disciple has to trade favors to get their hands on one. And I need ten thousand? Tsk, this is more than just troublesome.'
His smile faded. 'Fuck… Where the hell am I supposed to get that many from?'
Mind-Opening Lotus is a rare spiritual plant that nourishes the soul and expands or strengthens one's divine sense. It's a Purple Rank high-grade spiritual plant, it wasn't some common weed growing on the roadside.
'This is fucking terrible! Even if I sold my organs, I wouldn't be able to afford a single one!'
Wu Ming rubbed his temples. 'Okay, okay, calm down. Let's think logically. I'm in a sect, the Black River Sect. It should have a treasury, a contribution system, or at least some missions that reward valuable resources. Maybe I can earn them somehow.'
He frowned, recalling the details that had previously flooded his consciousness. He was a mere outer disciple, his status was at the very bottom. He had no authority, no backing, only some spirit stones.
'Damn it. If only I had transmigrated into some peak master's son or the young lord of a great clan, I'd have a mountain of resources to throw around. But no, I just had to start as a sheep in some backwater sect. Bull-fucking-shit!'
He smacked his thigh, 'Fine. I'll just climb my way up. The sect has factions, power struggles, and plenty of ambitious bastards and hot-blooded morons. Most importantly, outside enemies. There must be a way to take advantage of that.'
Wu Ming exhaled slowly. 'If I had wealth, I could buy it. If I had strength, I could simply snatch what I need. But as an lowly outer disciple, I have neither.'
His gaze turned cold. 'Resources determine strength. And strength determines survival. If I want to rise to the pinnacle, I can't afford to sit around and just cultivate slowly like the rest of these fools, scraping by on the scraps tossed to them by those in power.'
'I must cultivate diligently, master techniques, complete missions. And at the same time, scheme, plunder, or kill for my goals.'