[Welcome to the Second Round of the Game!]
[This round is set in an open-world battle royale!]
[Every player you encounter is an enemy.]
[You can earn great rewards by eliminating other players. Once you die, you will lose your eligibility for the game and be returned to the previous world!]
[......]
[Please choose your player identity within 10 minutes!]
Zhang Nu opened his eyes. He found himself in a grand hall, surrounded by tens of thousands of statues. These statues represented various races, but they were all of the same size and height... So this is the second round of the game?
This game was not unfamiliar to Zhang Nu. In the previous round, players were divided into two factions: Demon Kings and Heroes. The paths for players in these two factions were completely different.
To put it simply, players in the Demon King faction participated in a kind of strategy game. They were confined to a fixed location where they had to build their forces, recruit followers, and develop their territories. On the other hand, players in the Hero faction engaged in a role-playing game, where they could choose an identity, roam freely, level up by defeating monsters, and challenge Demon Kings across various regions.
In the last round, Zhang Nu was the most powerful and successful player in the Demon King faction. He was the first to conquer empires and crush all other players. Over the following decade, with an almost overwhelming advantage, he became the world's most powerful Demon King.
Once his power reached its peak, Zhang Nu found there were no more challenges or excitement left. So he delegated the tasks of defending his territory and further development to his subordinates, and he decided to take part in this new round of the game.
Unlike the previous round, this was a free-for-all battle royale. This meant there were no factions, and players could kill anyone they encountered, earning substantial rewards from their fallen opponents. The ultimate goal was to be the last one standing.
Zhang Nu didn't ponder too deeply into it. His experience from the previous game taught him that, for a Hero, choosing the right starting point was crucial. A good starting point could allow him to soar to great heights and stay ahead of everyone else in any situation. With this in mind, Zhang Nu scanned the statues around him. Information began to automatically appear before his eyes. Although Zhang Nu couldn't bring his power, equipment, or forces from the previous world into this one, his unique ability remained perfectly intact.
Zhang Nu's special ability was simple: he could see through all hidden information. Whether it was a monster, a person, an item, or a location, Zhang Nu could view all the details he wanted. The target's full status, data, and abilities would appear as an interface before him.
There wasn't much time to waste. He needed to choose an identity quickly. Zhang Nu began to scan the information appearing from the statues before him.
[Hunter from Green River Village], Low-grade potential, not recommended...
[Constable from Ping'an County], Low-grade potential, not recommended...
[Bear YaoGuai of Black Wind Cave], Mid-grade potential, recommended...
[Earth Guardian of Mount Cangming], Mid-grade potential, recommended...
Seeing this information, Zhang Nu was slightly surprised. This world was very different from the previous one. The biggest difference was that the last world leaned towards a Western fantasy setting with battle Qi and magic, whereas this world had YaoGuais, earth guardians, and all sorts of spirits.
It was clear now---this second round of the game was set in a XianXia (immortal cultivation) world.Zhang Nu noticed that most of the potentials appearing before him were either low or mid-grade, which was far from satisfactory. He continued searching and quickly found one or two high-grade options.
[Thousand-Year Fox YaoGuai of Qingqiu Kingdom], High-grade potential, recommended...
[Disciple of Xuantian Sect (Innate Dao Body)], High-grade potential, recommended...
These identities seemed promising, but with a bit more time remaining, Zhang Nu decided to keep looking.
[Disciple of Xuankong Temple (Vajra Buddha Body)], High-grade potential, recommended
[Thousand-Year Ghost Cultivator of Wangu Demonic Abyss], High-grade potential, recommended...
A few minutes later, Zhang Nu found two more options. However, time was running out. He needed to make a choice quickly, or the system would force one upon him.
Just then, an intriguing piece of information appeared before him.
[Orphan of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains (Supreme Sacred Body)], Super-grade potential, highly Recommended...
Interesting. Zhang Nu took a closer look, and more detailed information appeared.
[Orphan of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains (Supreme Sacred Body)], Super-grade potential
Description: This is a mysterious orphan from the depths of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Although parentless, they possess the Nine Heavens Supreme Immaculate Sacred Body, granting them immense potential to overpower others in their realm. They are also immune to all evils and impervious to all spells.
Time was running out. Zhang Nu made his choice. He selected the Orphan of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. The game's notification sounded in his mind.
[Selection Complete!]
[Reincarnation Initiated!]
[Please prepare yourself, Player!]
Zhang Nu felt a brief wave of dizziness. When he recovered, he found himself in a vast, untouched mountain range. The ground beneath him was covered in lush grass, and a clear stream flowed nearby, brimming with vibrant life. At the same time, Zhang Nu was surprised to discover that he seemed to have shrunk---or more accurately, his age had regressed. After being reborn into this body, Zhang Nu found himself around fourteen or fifteen years old.
Opening the player interface, Zhang Nu's stats appeared before him.
Player: Zhang Nu
Level: Qi Gathering Stage One (0/100)
Identity: Mysterious Orphan of the Ten Thousand Mountains
Stats:
Vitality: 10,000/10,000
Essence: 10,000/10,000
Physique: 100
Soul: 100
Mind: 100
Talent: 100
Ability: Supreme Sacred Body (Talent)
Seeing this information, Zhang Nu felt quite satisfied. This was indeed a world of cultivation. In this world, the cultivation levels were divided into four major realms: Qi Gathering Stage, Core Formation Stage, Longevity Stage, and Ascension Stage. Each major realm was further divided into ten minor levels.
Zhang Nu had just descended into this world, so his initial level was only at Qi Gathering Stage One. However, despite the low starting level, Zhang Nu had immense potential.
Zhang Nu examined his talent.
[Supreme Sacred Body]: All stats are 100 times those of other cultivators at the same level. All cultivation techniques have their effects enhanced tenfold, and the amount of spiritual energy required for each level-up is reduced by 90%.
This talent provided a straightforward and overwhelming boost. Normally, a cultivator at Qi Gathering Stage One would start with 100 health and vitality, and all other attributes at 1. But Zhang Nu's attributes were one hundred times that. This meant that with this talent, Zhang Nu was absolutely invincible among those at the same level, and even within the same major realm, he would be hard-pressed to find an opponent.
Additionally, all cultivation techniques he learned would automatically reach their highest level. With such talent, given time to grow, he would undoubtedly become an unrivaled and terrifying existence.
Not bad!
Zhang Nu was very pleased!
He took a look around. This seemed to be an untouched mountain forest, a place where no one had ever set foot. He felt it might be necessary to leave this area.