Chapter 12: Exploit
Xiang Yu stared at his status screen, eyes widening as the realization struck him. He had broken through to the Body Refining realm! The text before him confirmed what his body had already revealed through that unexpected display of strength.
"I'm... actually a cultivator now," he whispered, disbelief coloring his voice as his fingers traced the characters floating in the air.
His mind raced through possibilities, trying to make sense of this unexpected advancement. Could it be that when cultivation manuals claimed an intermediate external technique granted combat power equivalent to the first layer of Body Refining, they actually meant that mastering such techniques automatically triggered the breakthrough? The correlation seemed too perfect to be coincidental.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. This development solved his immediate concern about having nothing to double. The Mountain Heart Scripture now showed ten points of progress, providing a foundation for tomorrow's exponential growth. His knife technique, however, remained at zero in its newly advanced Intermediate stage. He would need to dedicate time tomorrow to build experience there as well, ensuring multiple avenues for advancement.
As Xiang Yu made his way back to his humble dwelling, an unfamiliar feeling warmed his chest—genuine accomplishment. After days of relentless effort with seemingly no progress, he had officially stepped into the world of cultivation. It might be the weakest stage, merely the first layer of Body Refining, but it represented a concrete step toward his ultimate goal of survival.
"One small step closer to not dying horribly," he thought with grim satisfaction as he settled onto his bed of dried leaves, exhaustion quickly pulling him into dreamless slumber.
The following morning, Xiang Yu rose with the dawn, his body feeling simultaneously heavier and more responsive. Without hesitation, he returned to his training ground, but this time he abandoned the embarrassing movements of the Mountain Heart Scripture. Instead, he retrieved his practice knife, falling into the familiar patterns of slashing and stabbing with renewed vigor.
Relief washed over him as he moved through the knife forms. "At least I don't have to do those embarrassing moves anymore," he thought gratefully. The absence of that peculiar sensation of being watched also brought unexpected comfort. For the first time in days, he could train peacefully without the nagging suspicion of some forest beast observing his every move.
Perched high above in the canopy, Li Yao watched with puzzled disappointment as her senior brother abandoned the scripture training that had provided such excellent recording material. His return to knife practice offered little entertainment value from her perspective.
"What a shame," she pouted, tucking away her memory crystal. Since she wouldn't be collecting any amusing footage today, she might as well dedicate her energy to another worthy cause. "I'll capture whatever beast has been frightening senior brother," she decided with fierce determination, vanishing from the branch in a blur of azure robes.
In his private chambers, Elder Guo observed Xiang Yu's practice with furrowed brows. The boy had suddenly abandoned the Mountain Heart Scripture after only a few days. Had it proven too challenging? Too advanced for his limited talent? The elder sighed heavily, returning to his meditation posture.
In this world, cultivation levels were typically sensed through the qi a practitioner emitted. Yet cultivators only began releasing detectable qi upon reaching the Qi Gathering stage, making it virtually impossible to accurately determine the level of those still in the Body Refining realm.
...
Xiang Yu practiced his knife technique with methodical precision until midnight approached. The familiar translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes, bringing the day's settlement:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (11/100) (+1/100)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (5/300) (+5/300)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (5/300) → (10/300)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (11/100) → (22/100)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
Xiang Yu studied the notification with intense curiosity, a mixture of satisfaction and confusion playing across his features. The five points gained in his knife technique represented a respectable day's progress, but it was the Mountain Heart Scripture that truly caught his attention—a single point of advancement despite not having practiced it at all today.
"Is there something wrong with the system?" he wondered, brow furrowing as he contemplated this unexpected development. Then, like pieces of a puzzle suddenly sliding into place, understanding dawned on him.
His earlier theory about the intermediate stage of external techniques facilitating breakthrough to Body Refining seemed increasingly plausible. More importantly, it appeared that earning experience in his intermediate-level knife technique somehow translated to progress in the Mountain Heart Scripture. The exchange rate wasn't particularly generous—five points of knife technique advancement yielding just one point in the scripture—but it represented an invaluable opportunity.
For someone like Xiang Yu, lacking spiritual roots and innate talent, the Mountain Heart Scripture had proven nearly impenetrable through direct practice. Yet now, a path forward had revealed itself. By focusing on what he could improve—his knife technique—he would simultaneously advance in an area where he'd previously struggled. Two birds with one stone, with the added bonus of avoiding those embarrassingly awkward movements the scripture required.
"Thank you, system," he whispered gratefully to the empty night air, genuinely appreciative of being spared further humiliation. With this comforting realization, he retreated to his humble dwelling, allowing exhaustion to claim him until morning.
The following day unfolded much like its predecessor—Xiang Yu rising before dawn, dedicating himself entirely to knife practice with renewed vigor and purpose. His blade cut through the air with increasingly fluid motions, each repetition building upon the foundations of the last as he pushed himself relentlessly. When midnight finally approached again, the settlement screen appeared:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (24/100) (+2/100)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (15/300) (+5/300)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (15/300) → (30/300)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (24/100) → (48/100)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
A smile of satisfaction spread across Xiang Yu's face as he absorbed the day's progress. His path to invincibility seemed increasingly certain, carved through consistent effort and exponential growth. Yet something about the numbers nagged at him—the scripture had gained two points despite only five points of advancement in his knife technique. Hadn't he deduced an exchange rate of five-to-one yesterday?
Confusion prompted him to summon his full status screen:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body Refining 1st Layer]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Techniques: Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (30/300)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (51/100)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
His eyes widened with shock. The scripture had somehow gained another three points in the brief moments following the settlement. The discrepancy defied his initial understanding until another revelation struck him with stunning clarity.
The exchange rate applied not just to points earned through direct practice, but to all points—including those created through the system's doubling function. His five points of knife technique progress had indeed yielded one point for the scripture. But after doubling, fifteen additional points had materialized in his knife technique, creating three more points for the scripture through the same five-to-one exchange.
"This is incredible," he thought, mind racing with possibilities. The implications were staggering—if he could cultivate multiple external techniques to the intermediate stage, he could effectively create a points farm, generating exponential growth across multiple disciplines simultaneously. The twelfth layer of Body Refining, previously a distant dream, now seemed attainable within a reasonable timeframe.
He caught himself grinning foolishly and tempered his excitement. Such ambitions, while technically feasible, would require extraordinary dedication and time. Better to focus on immediate goals rather than distant fantasies.
Examining his status screen once more, Xiang Yu noted with pride that his Mountain Heart Scripture stood at 51 points out of 100—he would almost certainly break through to the second layer of Body Refining after tomorrow's settlement. The realization brought a warm glow of accomplishment. Merely three days since reaching the first layer, and already poised for advancement. Even Li Yao, the sect's vaunted genius, hadn't progressed with such speed.
"Don't get cocky," he admonished himself, forcing the self-satisfied smile from his face as he prepared for sleep. Pride had no place in his survival strategy—only consistent effort and clear thinking would ensure his continued existence in this dangerous world.
...
A/N - Am I moving too fast?