Chapter 8: Old Man, I Finally Caught You
Chapter 8: Old Man, I Finally Caught You
In Zheng Jian’s mind, the panel of the Resentment System was crystal clear, especially the profit column he adored—he never tired of it! He wished he could check it eight times a day, and every added point gave him the exhilarating feeling of making money.
Just moving his lips, earning while lying down!
“…” Suddenly, Zheng Jian felt this description was not entirely accurate—it sounded more like the whir of spinning wheels...
“System, open the exchange shop for me!” Zheng Jian felt inflated with pride. Over a thousand resentment points earned in just two or three days—compared to his previous days of penny-pinching, now that he had discovered the correct way to harvest benefits, those points flowed in abundantly.
“No, this system does not support voice commands!” The system did not bend to the weight of resentment points, as if to say, “Do you take me for a petty, inexperienced system? Just a thousand points, and you want to act high and mighty?”
“…” Zheng Jian was stumped. He’d always known the system was proud and unreliable, but this display of backbone was a first.
Unable to play the lord, Zheng Jian meekly tapped open the exchange shop himself.
Over the years, many items had been unlocked in the shop—unlike the sparse selection at the start. Still, everything remained within his realm of understanding; nothing beyond the scope of the Laughing Proudly world, nothing that defied comprehension.
“Besides, even if something like the Buddha’s Palm appeared, I couldn’t afford it anyway...” he muttered, continuing to scroll swiftly through the shop.
“Three Peaks of Mount Tai? No need to exchange for that; Elder Yue will definitely teach me…”
“Absorbing Star Technique? Old Demon Ren’s martial arts have too many flaws, and it’s far too expensive. Not considering it.”
“Hundred Transformations of Divine Movement? Isn’t that Wei Xiaobao’s signature lightness skill?” Zheng Jian’s interest was piqued. He lacked nothing in swordsmanship or inner energy—his only shortcoming was in movement techniques. If he could obtain the Hundred Transformations, and train it to mastery, even if he couldn’t match Duan Yu’s Misty Step, at the very least, his survivability in the Laughing Proudly world would be vastly improved!
Survival is the foundation of everything!
To have a system and fall before reaching the peak—wouldn’t that disgrace all transmigrators?
He eyed the price: 1200 resentment points, and immediately felt a pang of pain.
He even suspected the system was doing it on purpose!
Because he had exactly 1230 resentment points. If he exchanged for Hundred Transformations, he’d be back to square one, not to mention any chance at the lottery…
“Forget it. Rather than gamble on luck with a lottery, it’s better to firmly grasp the Hundred Transformations first! Zheng Jian, you must develop steadily, no reckless moves!” he told himself.
Then, decisively, he clicked exchange.
---
At once, in his mind, a vast starry sky appeared, and an indescribable force erupted within it, transforming into endless light that surged through Zheng Jian’s limbs and bones.
In that moment, Zheng Jian knew he had mastered the Hundred Transformations. This was the power of his system.
Consume the Fruit of Inner Power, and instantly gain inner strength!
Martial arts gained through exchange went straight to mastery—put simply, he immediately learned them; from then on, it was up to him to train for greater proficiency. Who knows, maybe a few moments of insight would level them up.
This was power Zheng Jian could directly wield—the true reason his strength had soared over the years. No need for painstaking practice, just exchange!
As long as the wool was plentiful, given time, surpassing the Chief of the Blackwood Cliff would not be difficult!
Who dares say I’m not a genius?
I am a genius—a genius with hacks! At this moment, Zheng Jian was filled with the superiority of a pay-to-win player.
Imagine Chief Zuo Lengchan, still struggling against the other sword sects of the Five Mountains!
While I, Zheng Jian, quietly farm in the wild, and emerge fully equipped—what can you do to me?
Zheng Jian, even while lying down, couldn’t help but arch his back in satisfaction.
---
Still at the Cliff of Reflection, still beside the “Windwatching Stone”—yes, Zheng Jian had named this huge rock as a tribute to his longing for Feng Qingyang.
With Hundred Transformations, Zheng Jian was basking in springtime success. A little trial run revealed his movement was indeed strange and elusive. Though his absolute speed wasn’t extraordinary, he was sure that in future battles, his dodging skill would be maxed out.
It was like having an innate dodge talisman—how could anyone duel him?
“So lonely…so bored…” Zheng Jian mused, idly. He’d nearly worn out Jade Maiden Peak with his footsteps, yet he couldn’t find any trace of the old man, as if the person simply didn’t exist.
But in the original story, the old man was clearly hiding in the back mountains of Mount Hua…
Clearly, years of waiting had driven Zheng Jian nearly mad.
“I’m waiting for someone, as the days slip by like water;
I’m waiting for someone, always waiting,
Waiting quietly.”
---
Zheng Jian murmured, then suddenly switched to singing, “I listen quietly to the sound of snow falling, closing my eyes, imagining it never ends… You can’t draw near, not because you’re heartless, only because you’re captivated by the view outside the window…”
Then, abruptly, Zheng Jian snapped out of it, wishing he could slap himself. “What am I singing?”
The air seemed to freeze…
Just then, in this awkward moment, he suddenly heard a soft “puff”—very faint, remarkably like…a fart.
“It wasn’t me!” Zheng Jian quickly denied, then his nose twitched as a pungent odor spread. He could no longer stay calm, and instantly leapt three yards high.
Clutching his nose and holding his breath, Zheng Jian looked toward the direction of the wind. There, he saw a figure, who was also looking at Zheng Jian.
Their eyes met, Zheng Jian was stunned, then bellowed, “Who are you? How dare you fart in the forbidden grounds of the Mount Hua Sect!”
The man hesitated, then slowly approached. No, not walking—it seemed slow, but in the next instant, he was standing right in front of Zheng Jian…
This move startled Zheng Jian into timidity; he regretted his impulsiveness. After all, it was just a fart—if this escalated into a bloodbath, wouldn’t it all be a tragedy sparked by one fart?
“Young man, I see you frequent this Cliff of Reflection—so you must be a disciple of Mount Hua? How much trouble have you gotten into? Why do you get punished to reflect so often?”
Zheng Jian didn’t respond. After a moment, he composed himself and looked closely at the visitor—a thin face, white hair and beard, clearly elderly, yet his skin was well-maintained, smooth, almost wrinkle-free. His attire was plain, his bearing extraordinary. Overall, a very handsome—extremely handsome—old man!
Zheng Jian guessed who he was. Of course, in the back mountains of Mount Hua, encountering such a remarkable old fellow with a fart like a deity, who else could it be but the reclusive super-homebody Feng Qingyang he’d yearned for?
Moreover, his words—“you too are a disciple of Mount Hua”—implied he himself was from Mount Hua.
Old man, you showed up because of a fart!
Truly, the cow sits in the wine vat—the most drunkenly awesome!
---
That’s all for today—please vote and bookmark!
(End of chapter)