"So hungry. Seriously, am I going to starve to death right after being reincarnated?"
Sitting by the side of the barren road, staring at his dirty, tattered clothes, Luo Ming wailed in his heart.
After crossing over to this world known as the Martial Extreme Continent, he immediately felt a wave of intense hunger. Organizing his thoughts, Luo Ming was on the verge of tears.
Since he had already crossed over, couldn’t he at least have a somewhat reliable identity?
He was an alchemist. More specifically, he was an apprentice alchemist.
Being given the identity of an apprentice alchemist was bad enough, but the heck is with him being expelled from the Bipolar Sect? Having his Achilles tendon severed and being thrown in such a desolate place to fend for himself, what sort of cruelty was this?
Thankfully, he could endure this. Had it been the person from his previous life, he probably would have passed on by now.
Wait, that person was already dead. How else would he have crossed over here?
Well, the details are not important.
"Why do you have to be so ruthless, come back, everyone, come back, I've been wronged!" Luo Ming yelled inside his heart.
Naturally, the disciples who left him behind and had already gone would not be able to hear.
"I'm so hungry, if I'm not starved to death, I'll probably die of illness." Luo Ming grumbled, the place where his Achilles was severed had already become infected.
Why is it that others come over and have a patriarch father, luxury cars, beautiful companions, or at least a loyal ancient-bloodline maid?
Even if he were a waste of space, at least he didn't get to utter the phrase "Thirty years in the east of the river, and thirty years in the west of the river" wasn't it? And now he's about to starve to death?
"I won't accept this, where's the system? If you don’t come to save me, it’s gonna be late!" Luo Ming wanted to cry. Isn't a system a staple in crossing over?
Boom!
It was as if a call had been heard. Suddenly, a burst of clarity appeared in Luo Ming's mind. Where his sea of knowledge was originally blank, thirteen enormous golden characters suddenly appeared: "The Dao produces one, one produces two, two produces three, three produces all."
Below the golden characters, there were two packages, one large and one small. Upon closer inspection, there were two characters written on each package.
One read 'ordinary,' the other read 'advanced.'
"What the hell is this, my system? Can the stuff inside these packages be taken out and eaten?" Luo Ming muttered to himself, beginning to attempt to touch the packages.
But once his hand stretched over, the package immediately shone brightly and astonishingly moved from its position right in front of him to a very distant place.
It was completely out of reach!
"So this thing can be seen but it can't be touched, huh? Shouldn't there at least be an instruction manual or something?" Luo Ming grumbled, his face soured as a grumbling noise emanated from his stomach once more.
He was nearly starving to death and this thing was still making a mockery of him.
"Insufficient Points, item level: 1,
Ordinary package requires 1 point, advanced package requires 50 points.
Current points: 0
Cannot exchange."
Luo Ming was so hungry that he was already starting to feel dizzy. Seeing these words, he couldn't help but pause.
The system... Having read so many novels, how could he not understand this?
In other words, this package can be opened, but it requires points. Where can I get these points?
There's no announcer, could you at least give me an instruction manual?
"As a conscientious system, can't you be a bit more reliable? I'm about to starve to death and you're still playing riddles with me? Let me ask you, how can I exchange for points?"
"Request received, exchange for points, 1 gold coin detected, proceed with the exchange?"
So gold coins can be exchanged for points!
Luo Ming had a moment of realization. He still had the memories of this body's original owner.
Now, the only thing he had left was a gold coin hidden in his shoe, originally kept for emergencies. However, it turned out to be unused in the end.
The purchasing power of a single gold coin, Luo Ming estimated, was the equivalent of a hundred bucks from his past life. A pill concoctor, left with only about a hundred bucks, enough to buy a few bowls of noodles, showed just how dismal his situation was.
"Yes." Luo Ming didn't need to think twice.
What a joke, whether or not this system was reliable wasn't the concern now; the key point was he didn't have any other choices.
As soon as he said that, he instantly felt his shoe was empty, as though he had suddenly lost something.
"Exchange successful, current points 1, please select your package."
"Regular package."
He only had one point, and the advanced package cost 50 points, there was no way he could choose that.
At the same time, Luo Ming's hand suddenly felt heavy. A package identical to the one in his mind instantly appeared in his hand.
Smelling the fragrance from inside, Luo Ming nearly broke into tears.
This must be food, definitely food!
He hastily unwrapped the package, and immediately, a bowl of noodles appeared before Luo Ming's eyes.
"You unscrupulous system! Charging me a gold coin for a bowl of noodles, you're the first one to be this ruthless." He grumbled while devouring the noodles. Feeling somewhat full, Luo Ming wore a disgruntled expression.
If the previous owner of this body knew about Luo Ming's current thoughts, God knows what he'd think.
"Brother, I was on the edge of starvation and couldn't find a place to spend my gold coins. But you, the moment you wanted to eat, you got it straight away. I also want to experience this kind of 'cheating'."
As Luo Ming continued eating, he suddenly felt a little off.
His spirit had surprisingly improved a lot; his mind even seemed much clearer. And besides, there was a trace of energy circulating through his meridians.
This was Spiritual Qi, it had to be!
Taken aback, Luo Ming quickly realized what this was.
In Martial Extreme Continent, where martial arts were supreme, the latter stages of body cultivation were admired by all. The ones who could achieve the perfect refinement of the body in this state were the stalwarts of small families.
After reaching this state of body refinement, the next one was the Qi transformation stage. The previous Luo, an apprentice alchemist, got stuck in a bottleneck after reaching the late stage of body refinement and could not progress even half a step further. He could not detect even a fraction of spiritual Qi inside his body.
The ability to utilize Spiritual Qi was the key difference between an apprentice alchemist and a true alchemist. Without the ability to utilize Spiritual Qi, the refinement process for most elixirs would remain theoretical.
Not to mention reaching the Qi transformation stage, even the hope of entering it was probably why the Bipolar Sect didn't discard him that quickly.
A worthless person like him wouldn't be worth the attention of those in power. In their eyes, sweeping away such a person was no different from getting rid of a pile of trash.
As for being wronged or not, if a pill refining master could make people frown, what about an apprentice, hehe, who'd care?
Moments later, after swallowing a bowl of noodles, seemingly endless energy seems to have brewed inside Luo Ming's body.
"What is this..." Standing up, sensing the changes in his own meridians, he could hardly believe all this.
To think he had actually stood up, weren’t his leg tendons severed?
And...
The spiritual power surged, the swing of a hand can turn the aura into nonexistence, and the strength sent into the palm can make the air flow without moving.
That’s right, he had directly skipped the state of physical perfection and breakthrough, and entered the initial stage of Qi-transforming!
That is to say, the pill formulas that he wanted to use but couldn't use in his mind before, could now all be used in an instant!
According to Luo Ming's memory, the number one genius of the empire, Luo Feiyu, had taken a full month to breakthrough from the later stage of the body tempering stage to the Qi-transforming stage, and it was a significant process full of challenges.
How long had it taken him? Less than a quarter of an hour!
The breakthrough was as simple as eating, no, it was eating. The limbs that were severed seemed to be several times more stable than before.
This is just too miraculous!
The happiness came too suddenly. An apprentice pill refiner, no matter how many pill formulas he can remember, was like a walking book. However, being able to utilize spiritual power meant Luo Ming had instantly become a real pill refiner.
All that was left was getting certified.
"Ah, I really want to feel what the state of perfect body tempering feels like. A person's life is not perfect if they haven’t fully experienced things." Luo Ming said with a cheeky grin.
Others struggled step by step, not to mention the bottleneck. From the late stage of body cultivation to the early stage of Qi transforming, they had to experience the realm of Perfection in between. As for him, he simply leaped over it.
Of course, if his comment were heard by others, who knows how they would pound their chests in envy and frustration?
Who wouldn't want to soar to the skies and level up? You achieved that with just one gold coin and you're still not satisfied?
"If a simple package could be so incredible, then how amazing a premium package must be? No, I need to think about how to earn some money first." Eyeing his points displayed as zero, Luo Ming started thinking.
Once a path is chosen, you must keep going. Let's not mention the misunderstanding for now, it is certain that he couldn't return to his sect. After all, they say 'A good horse never eats the grass behind it'.
"I'm an alchemist, and I can't let myself die from a lack of money. If one place doesn't hold me, another will." Slapping his palm, Luo Ming's mouth turned upwards.
Equipped with a system and transcending realms, why would I lack money in this world?
Today you ignore me, tomorrow I'll be out of your league. With this system, do I care about your trivial Bipolar Sect?
Buddy, I'll gladly accept your body. Don't worry about the previous false accusations, as a youth embodying the core values of socialism, I'll get back your reputation as a return.
"I really am a kind person!" Luo Ming sighed deeply.
Alchemy, the most powerful and rarest occupation on the Martial Extreme Continent.
As the saying goes, while teachers are easy to find, an alchemist is hard to come by.
The prestige of an alchemist goes without saying.
And prestige symbolizes wealth, a lot of wealth coming your way.
In the distance, dust scattered and a sudden animal-like howl interrupted Luo Ming's blissful immersion.
"Scram, you blind beggar, dare to block my horse!" What caught the eye was a burly man, who looked ferocious and extremely angry.
But after recognizing the aura emanating from under Luo Ming's feet, his expression changed.
Spiritual energy!
Just now, he had been hurrying and dust-covered, not paying much attention. Who would have thought that he'd provoke a powerful person? I mean, mister, how come a master like you would dress so raggedy?
Now it was no wonder that he had been cursing at Luo Ming. After all, Luo Ming had been so hungry that he had stumbled countless times. Now, other than dust, he was all covered in mud. If he didn't look closely, he would indeed be mistaken for a beggar.
"How dare you speak to me like this," Luo Ming's face flashed with anger, but he was somewhat amused.
Just as he was worrying about having no money, someone came to his rescue.
He retrieved some memories and immediately recalled the pretentious style of the elders in the Bipolar Sect.
To raise one's prestige, two words would do, no matter who the other party is. Upon hearing "this seat", wouldn't they tremble in fear?
Indeed, he is a master!
Upon hearing the other party calling himself "this seat", the burly man's scalp tingled. Could it be that he was a formidable practitioner of the void? Oh dear, how could such a powerful being appear here?
If he was just a qi cultivator, it would be fine. But if he was a formidable practitioner of the void...
"Senior, please forgive me. I didn't know you were practicing here. I have offended you greatly. Please forgive me."
This must be a formidable practitioner engaging in tough cultivation. I've heard that some of them do not care about appearances and do not bother with minor details. They look just like beggars. This senior...
Hmm, a beggar? That seems likely. After all, how could a beggar have spiritual energy?
"Hmph, you bumped into me, and think a simple apology can absolve you?"
"Do you mean, Senior..."
"What else could I mean? I was immersed in perceiving the Qi of heaven and earth, but your bump...Oh, my back...I can't...I need to catch my breath. It seems I've deviated from my training due to this shock. I'll remember your face, cough, cough..."
That said, Luo Mingsoul, who is always headstrong, would certainly deem such behavior beneath him. His pride simply wouldn't allow such conduct.
However, at this moment, Luo Ming feels no pressure at all. In his past life, as a courier, he has encountered countless unreasonable customers. The most frustrating part was that he had to endure it, with no place to voice his grievances.
After traveling to this new world, becoming one of the dominant party, why should he still endure?
With such a great field of vision and excellent control over the horse, yet this big man didn't show any sign of slowing down. If it weren't for his sudden breakthrough, his enhanced agility would have him blown away.
Not a single camera around, not even a license plate number for this horse, who could he report to if a collision occurs?
And yet he still has the audacity to behave so rudely after bumping into someone. People like him definitely deserve a lesson. Why refuse such easy money?
The big man was left speechless. This vibrant, eloquent fellow, claiming to have deviated from his training?
If that's the case, I would like to experience a deviation once.
And by the way, I didn't even bump into you, okay?
However, at this point, if he still didn't get what the other party wanted, he would be a fool.