"…"
After the mechanical voice faded, Jiang Tian stared blankly at the translucent panel hovering before his eyes, speechless for a long moment.
His breathing slowed. Beneath the excitement and caution was a flicker of doubt.
"Is this an anomaly trying to tempt me?"
In this world, where strange phenomena appeared without warning, trusting everything at face value was tantamount to courting death. It was only natural to question the legitimacy of a so-called "system."
After all, it had already been three years since his transmigration.
"Could it be… I triggered it by stepping into the Metamorphosis Realm?"
With a mixture of concern and curiosity, Jiang Tian issued mental commands, repeatedly willing the panel to open and close.
Only after confirming its responsiveness did he exhale deeply in relief. A gleam of excitement lit up his eyes as he clenched his fist.
"A system… It really is a system!"
For three years, he had clawed his way through life, walking the edge between survival and death. He had never once received the kind of divine favor granted to the protagonists of web novels back on Blue Star.
But now, it seemed the Goddess of Luck had finally smiled upon him.
"I must've accumulated virtue in my previous life to be blessed like this," Jiang Tian muttered with a rare smile as he calmed himself.
Having a system meant a path to steady growth—and a chance to survive. But it didn't make him invincible. If he wanted to rise, he would still need to stay cautious and keep a low profile.
He summoned the panel again and looked at his status window:
[Name]: Jiang Tian
[Profession]: Transcendent
[Realm]: Early Metamorphosis (1/100)
[Spirit]: Low-tier Earth
[Technique]: Mountain Breathing Technique – Early (1/100)
[Task]: None
"My stats are a bit low… but that's understandable," he muttered. "Still, this Task section is interesting…"
In particular, the task module caught Jiang Tian's eye. Having read plenty of cultivation novels in his past life, he guessed this might be the core function of his so-called golden finger.
"How do I receive a task?"
He tried tapping on the field, but nothing happened. Aside from the panel, there seemed to be no other interface. And even when he tried speaking to it, no response came.
So—it wasn't an intelligent system.
He sat in silence for a while before an idea suddenly came to him.
I want to cultivate the Mountain Breathing Technique.
At that moment, a virtual prompt appeared before his eyes:
[Task]: Circulate the Mountain Breathing Technique continuously ten times.
[Reward]: 5 Potential Points
[Accept?]: Yes / No
"It works!"
Jiang Tian's eyes brightened in understanding. The Task module didn't assign quests—it allowed him to create his own. Based on the difficulty, he'd be rewarded with Potential Points.
As for how those points could be used… that was still a mystery.
Jiang Tian studied the task window again, his brows furrowing.
"Ten continuous circulations? This system really doesn't care about user experience…"
This was no easy task. Even among spirit clans, it would be considered a trial for newly awakened Transcendents.
Maintaining spiritual circulation required unwavering focus, fine control, and strong mental fortitude.
Even with the spiritual strength carried over from his past life, Jiang Tian's personal best was six rounds.
Then again, his low-tier Earth spirit aptitude certainly played a part. With a better talent, maybe he could've endured longer.
"Each cycle lasts an hour. That means I'll need to maintain the Mountain Breathing Technique for ten full hours!"
He sighed. "Still… now that I've reached the entry realm, it should be possible. Difficult, but not impossible."
He had no choice. Despite the risk, Jiang Tian needed every bit of strength he could obtain.
His food supply would soon run out. Once his body weakened, it would be over.
The only way forward was through cultivation.
Only with strength could he even consider escaping this cursed place.
"In the middle of a blood rain, with a weeping anomaly just above me… this won't be easy."
He let out a long breath and refrained from starting immediately.
Instead, he rested his mind for two hours.
When he awoke, the rain still poured, and the sobbing still echoed from above.
He had expected as much.
To reinforce his position, he propped up a slab of radiant stone at the ground hatch. The glowing material emitted soft smoke—enough to ward off weak anomalies.
With the added protection, Jiang Tian felt a little more secure. He tightened his tattered cloak around him, sat cross-legged on the cold ground, and closed his eyes.
Soon, he began channeling the Mountain Breathing Technique.
His consciousness gradually drifted into the visualization world.
In his mind, he returned to the familiar mountain. This time, however, the surroundings had transformed—wisps of earthy brown essence floated gently in the air.
Time ticked by slowly. Outside, the blood-colored rain continued to fall in thick, corrosive drops.
Not far away, beside a headless statue, a long-haired woman in white leaned against the stone, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her eyes flickered, scanning the ground beneath her with eerie persistence.
It seemed she sensed something, but couldn't be certain.
One-star anomalies lacked full intelligence.
If one hid well, it was possible to evade their detection. And with radiant stones, even the weak could walk past some of them without fear.
Of course, anomaly strength varied. Even among one-star anomalies, there were different levels.
The weeping ghost above wasn't the weakest, but it was still fairly ordinary.
"Is there no one… no one to help me…?"
Her voice turned sharper, like glass scraping against stone.
In the hollow below, Jiang Tian's breathing remained steady, synchronized with the rhythm of spiritual essence.
As he cultivated, his body gradually heated—not from warmth, but from the relentless circulation of the Mountain Breathing Technique. The spiritual essence, sharp like blades, scraped at his insides, drawing sweat from his brow.
The essence of this world was not easily absorbed. For a mortal body to draw it in so recklessly was akin to suicide.
But Jiang Tian had no choice. If he couldn't overcome this level of pain, then he might as well give up now.
The path of a Transcendent was a road paved with suffering. Beyond talent, wealth, or luck—willpower was the key to walking it.
And so, despite the pain gnawing at his muscles and bones, Jiang Tian endured.
He monitored his body carefully. As long as his foundation remained intact, he would persist.
If he felt even the slightest sign of damage to his foundation, he would abandon the task without hesitation.
After all, no reward was worth compromising his future.
Fortunately, after ten grueling hours—and despite the nosebleed that trailed down his face—Jiang Tian succeeded.
[Ding!]
[Task Completed!]
[Reward: +5 Potential Points]