Chapter 3

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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nXu Xiaoshou really was rich.

nHe had a small pond of spirit fishes, a fake mountain, and a few tall spirit trees in his yard.

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nXu Xiaoshou had wanted to go back to sleep after he closed the door. However, he noticed that a new section had appeared in the red interface in his mind: Store.

nHe shifted his gaze down to the text beneath it. Passive Points: 64.

nXu Xiaoshou was elated. He had earned a lot of Passive Points just now. Could it be that he had only unlocked the store when his Passive Points had reached two digits?

nHe tapped into the store. The store was empty save for a red gift box.

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n“Passive Gift Box (Purchase: 10 Passive Points).”

nXu Xiaoshou had tried to upgrade his skills with his Passive Points last night but hadn’t been able to figure out how to do it. He realized now that the Passive Points were used to purchase items.

nWithout thinking too much, he immediately tapped to purchase the gift box. He tore the gift box open and the notification panel refreshed.

n“Skill Point 10.”

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n“Passive Key 3.”

nAt the same time, the store shook as a red wheel appeared. This wheel was a size smaller than the black wheel from last time. Also, the surface of the wheel was obscured by a layer of gray fog. He couldn’t see its contents.

nThe corners of Xu Xiaoshou’s mouth involuntarily twitched when he saw the wheel, and his eyes dulled. He immediately recalled the needle that he had broken the last time.

nTwo other gray items appeared within the store section.

n“Skill Point (Purchase: 1000 Passive Points).”

n“Passive Key (Purchase: 1000 Passive Points).”

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nXu Xiaoshou was startled when he saw these two notifications. It was that expensive?

nHad he just purchased 10,000 Passive Points worth of items just with 10 Passive Points just now?

n“Wow!” Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes widened. He realized that the gift box was equivalent to a bundle for new players that didn’t measure up to his level. It might as well have been free!

nIt felt great!

n“Passive Key… That must be used to activate this wheel, right?” Xu Xiaoshou deliberated. Had the wheel upgraded itself after being ravaged the last time? It was no longer activated manually?

nHe didn’t have to think too hard about the Skill Points. Those were definitely used for upgrading his passive skills.

n“So do I upgrade the Breathing Technique?” he thought to himself. But Xu Xiaoshou quickly tossed that idea to the side. “Let me try the Passive Key first. I might be able to obtain other passive skills.”

nThe Windcloud Competition of the outer yard would be held in three days. It was a competition for the bosses who wanted to place in the top 100 of the Windcloud Scoreboard. However, to Xu Xiaoshou, it was an elimination exam.

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nHe might be able to continue training in the Tiansang Spirit Palace if he obtained a decent passive skill from this red wheel. He wouldn’t have a place to stay if he were really ousted out of the Spirit Palace.

nXu Xiaoshou inserted the key into the small hole at the base of the red wheel. The fog above his head became even thicker. He couldn’t see a thing.

n“Give me a chance. Give me something that can instantly make me stronger!”

nAfter he turned the key, Xu Xiaoshou placed his hands together and started to pray, “I don’t want techniques. I don’t want techniques. They can’t help me for the time being…”

nThe gray fog billowed. Xu Xiaoshou didn’t know what was going on within the fog, but the notification panel soon refreshed.

n“Better luck next time!” it read.

nXu Xiaoshou’s expression turned black. “What’s going on here?” he thought. “Would I really have better luck next time?”

nCouldn’t they have come up with something that an average person could use? Why was the system always so evil? It was just like the needle from the previous wheel!

nXu Xiaoshou finished venting internally. He still had two keys. Xu Xiaoshou inserted another key and then shouted like a maniac, “Go! RNGesus!”

nThe gray fog billowed. Xu Xiaoshou looked at the notification panel expectantly.

n“One extra key!” Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

n“Hey, what’s the meaning of this?” he thought. “I spent one key to get one key and nothing else? Are they just toying with me?”

nXu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes back as far as they’d go. “Do you think you’re Mr. Big Shot or something? One extra key?”

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n“Well, I’m not amused!”

nHe had used two keys and had two keys left.

nXu Xiaoshou could no longer stand such torture. He inserted one key and stopped looking at the notification panel. He estimated that sufficient time had passed and saw that the key had vanished. He then pushed his last key fiercely into the hole.

n“Nothing good, nothing good…” he muttered, trying to jinx it as he stole glances at the notification bar.

n“Obtained an Extended Passive Skill: Strengthen!”

n“Better luck next time!”

nJinxing himself had worked!

nXu Xiaoshou slapped himself on the thigh when he looked at the line of text. He’d finally gotten something good.

nHowever, after he read the sentence more closely…

n“Strengthen?”

nXu Xiaoshou was so flabbergasted he almost vomited blood.

nWhy not just say I’m scrawny while you’re at it?

n“Oh? Maybe it’s not what I think?”

nXu Xiaoshou suddenly remembered that the Breathing Technique he’d gotten the other time also had an unassuming name, yet had a marvelous effect. Perhaps Strengthen would also have an unexpected effect?

n“Let’s hope so!” Xu Xiaoshou collected himself and looked at the red interface. He noticed that the interface had changed again.

nOne, Fundamental Passive Skills.

nTwo, Extended Passive Skills.

nThree, Store.

n“There’s an extra Extended Passive Skills tab?” He looked again at the notification panel and realized that Strengthen was an Extended Passive Skill. It belonged to a different category than the Breathing Technique.

n“The classification is quite detailed…”

nHe tapped open the tab and saw a small line of text at the bottom: Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 1).

n“Could it be a technique that will strengthen my body?” Xu Xiaoshou pinched his arm. His arm hadn’t become more muscular because of the appearance of the passive skill.

nCould it be that its level wasn’t high enough?

nXu Xiaoshou was conflicted. He still had ten Passive Points. What should he use them on?

nThe Breathing Technique was a fundamental technique and naturally worth leveling up. However, it took a long time to accumulate its effects. He had only managed to achieve a breakthrough yesterday because he already had a strong foundation.

nOn the other hand, Strengthen, if it was as he guessed, was a passive skill that would strengthen his physical body. It was undoubtedly a more suitable choice for leveling up at this moment.

nHe would have a fighting chance at the Windcloud Competition if his body could be enhanced. At the very least, he wouldn’t be eliminated.

nAfter weighing the options, Xu Xiaoshou ultimately decided to use his Skill Points on Strengthen. What if there was a miracle?

nHe used his Skill Points in the interface. The notification panel immediately got updated.

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 2).”

nXu Xiaoshou constantly monitored his body for changes. He didn’t know if it was an illusion or not, but he felt that he now had more strength, but the transformation wasn’t apparent. He continued tapping on the skill level on the panel.

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 3).”

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 4).”

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 5).”

nThe transformation was much more obvious this time. Xu Xiaoshou felt his muscles bulge slightly, and he no longer looked scrawny.

n“That’s good!” Xu Xiaoshou was elated. He punched the ground, and there was a dull thud from the impact. He’d created a slight indention in the ground.

n“That’s great. It’s obvious that my strength has increased. Could the Acquired Stage of the passive skill be equivalent to the ten levels of Spiritual Cultivation of Spiritual Cultivators?” Xu Xiaoshou murmured to himself.

nThere were ten levels of Spiritual Cultivation when Spiritual Cultivators first started their training. After those ten levels was the Innate Stage.

nThus, the first ten levels of Spiritual Cultivation was called the Acquired Stage. No problem there. The technique was only an Acquired Lv. 5 right now, yet it had such power. He’d be able to break a few rib bones if he punched a person!

nIf it was as he thought and the levels of the technique were equivalent to the levels of a Spiritual Cultivator, wouldn’t his body reach the Innate stage if he put all of his Skill Points into the technique?

n“Oh, wow!” Xu Xiaoshou felt a wave of passion. It was more difficult for the physical body to reach the Innate Stage than to reach the Innate Stage in Spiritual Cultivation!

nHe had wanted to split the Skill Points evenly between the two techniques. However, he now decided to put all of his Skill Points into Strengthen. He wanted to see what kind of effect it would have.

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 6).”

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 7).”

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 8).”

nHis body’s power continuously skyrocketed. Xu Xiaoshou felt as if he’d taken drugs. He felt like he had infinite energy.

nBut after his muscles had reached a size that could be considered muscular for the average person, his muscles no longer bulged and started to tone instead, becoming perfectly defined.

nXu Xiaoshou took off his shirt, revealing a beautiful, toned body underneath.

nBoom!

nHe shattered the ground with a punch!

nIt was powerful enough to rival a Spiritual Cultivation Level Eight fighter!

nXu Xiaoshou was in awe. “Too powerful. This is too powerful!”

nHe should be able to rank within the first few hundred of the Windcloud Scoreboard just with that fist alone. It was more than enough for him to avoid elimination!

nThere was a glimmer in Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes. He wasn’t going to stop here. He still had three Skill Points, go!

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 9).”

n“Strengthen (Acquired Lv. 10).”

n“Strengthen (Innate Lv. 1).”

nXu Xiaoshou’s mind turned blank with bliss after he saw the last line of text, “Innate, to think that it’s really innate!”

nEvery inch of muscle in his body started to twitch violently. The next moment, his muscles expelled sticky black impurities that smelled immensely foul.

nXu Xiaoshou looked up and let out a long howl, giving himself a fierce slap.

nPow!

nHe wasn’t dreaming!

nHe punched the ground. With a thud, a palm-sized crater appeared, and web-like cracks spread out from the crater’s center for a few inches.

nThat was just half his power!

nXu Xiaoshou was dazed. He had only used half of his power. If he were to punch someone’s head at full power…

nHehe.

nXu Xiaoshou felt that the Windcloud Competition might be very interesting…

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