Whoosh!
The deafening roar of the wind from Golden Dragon Peak still thundered behind me, as if nature itself was laughing at Chen Ming's bravery (or perhaps foolishness). I stepped inside, and the darkness of the cave swallowed me completely, banishing the last faint traces of dawn, plunging me into near-absolute blackness. The air inside felt damp and heavy, yet strangely a little warmer than outside, a small, unexpected relief for my still violently shivering body. The strong scent of damp earth and moss filled my nostrils, mixed with a faint, unidentifiable smell—something ancient, perhaps the essence of rare minerals, or whatever lurked in the depths. Drip... drip... drip... The rhythmic sound of water droplets falling from the cave ceiling echoed in the distance, creating a strange and soothing yet eerie melody in my ears, as if this cave had its own heartbeat.
I moved forward very carefully, fumbling along the cave walls that felt cold and rough under my fingertips, their surfaces slippery in some places. Every step felt like stepping into uncertainty, into the unknown belly of the earth, where every shadow could hide danger. Tap... tap... The sound of my own footsteps echoed so clearly in the silence, bouncing and reverberating, as if I were the only living creature in this place, a realization that made me feel even smaller. "Alright, Chen Ming," I whispered to myself, my voice echoing and sounding alien in my ears, almost like a mocking ghost's whisper. "Remember, this isn't a cheap horror movie. There are no ghosts here. Only... dragons, maybe other scarier monsters, and dense darkness that could swallow me at any moment." I tried to laugh to dispel the tension, but what came out was only a hoarse sound more akin to a desperate snort, an admission of my fear.
The air inside the cave felt denser with spiritual energy than outside, a striking difference. It felt like breathing much thicker, more substantial air, as if every breath filled my lungs with something alive, something pulsating with power. This sensation made my hair stand on end, yet also triggered a strange curiosity, an uncontrollable urge to understand. Is this what they call "heaven and earth energy" that I often read about in cultivation novels? An invisible force that I could now feel in every pore, dancing around me.
[Detection: User's Curiosity Level reached 60%. Gathering Strangeness Points...]
[+3 Strangeness Points.]
"Oh, so curiosity also counts as points?" I mumbled, feeling a little amused amidst the gripping darkness, a faint smile etched on my "beautiful" face. "System, you're really versatile at collecting points. I should be more curious then. Maybe I can become the strangest spiritual detective in this world, solving mysteries while collecting points!" My Strangeness Points were now 10.
I continued walking, my eyes straining to pierce the darkness, but in vain. This cave was truly pitch black, as if light had died here, buried in eternity. I raised my hand, trying to feel what was in front of me, extending my fingers into the invisible void. Suddenly, the sole of my foot felt something different. No longer the usual rough rock, but a slippery and slightly wet surface, feeling like thick moss. I stumbled, trying to balance myself, but gravity seemed to conspire with my strange destiny that always wanted to throw me into the most unexpected situations.
Splash!
I slipped and fell, landing with a rather loud splash, breaking the chilling silence of the cave. My body was instantly submerged in something cold, very cold, much colder than the air outside the cave, even colder than ice I had once held on Earth. The cold pierced to my bones, making me gasp and my breath catch, my lungs feeling frozen. I tried to get up, panicking, my hands and feet flailing in the water, but my body felt stiff, as if frozen, unable to respond to my brain's commands.
"What the hell is this?!" I shouted, my voice trembling, echoing throughout the cave, bouncing off the rock walls. "Ice water?! Inside a cave?! I'm going to become a real ice statue this time! This must be karma for complaining too much in my previous life!"
However, amidst the agonizing cold, I noticed something strange. The water... glowed. A faint golden light emanated from the bottom of the pool, illuminating my surroundings dimly, creating strange shadows dancing on the cave walls. And the water, though piercingly cold, felt different. There was a strange tingling sensation all over my skin, as if thousands of tiny needles were pricking me, but it wasn't agonizing pain, but rather... something else, like energy seeping in, awakening something within me.
I looked down. I was in a small pool, perhaps about five meters in diameter, its water clear but emitting a faint golden light. From the bottom of the pool, small bubbles slowly rose, blup... blup..., as if the water was boiling internally, but without burning heat, only pure energy. And the faint aroma from before now felt stronger near this pool—a refreshing aroma, like freshly bloomed lotus flowers in the morning, mixed with the rich smell of earth and a hint of sharp minerals, a strange yet captivating blend.
[Warning: User has fallen into the Golden Dragon Spiritual Pool. Spiritual energy concentration is very high. It is advised not to panic and try to absorb the energy. This is a rare opportunity that should not be wasted.]
[Detection: User's Panic Level reached 95%. Gathering Strangeness Points...]
[+15 Strangeness Points.]
"Golden Dragon Spiritual Pool?! What is that?! And how can I absorb it?! I don't even know how to cultivate! I don't even know what cultivation is besides from the novels I read, which usually only contain fights and harems!" I shouted at the system, though I knew it was futile, the system wouldn't answer. My Strangeness Points soared to 25.
The tingling sensation on my skin intensified, and now I could feel a strange flow of energy seeping into my body, flowing like invisible small rivers, cleansing every cell. It felt like something was purifying every cell, flowing through meridians I didn't even know I had, opening pathways that were previously tightly closed. This was painful, a sharp pain yet strangely also... felt good? Like stiff muscles being massaged after a heavy workout, but a thousand times over, a sensation that made me want to groan and sigh in relief at the same time. However, the piercing cold was still there, and my "beautiful" face felt even paler, my lips turning blue, contrasting with the golden light of the pool.
I tried to follow the system's advice, though I didn't know how to start, or what to do. I just tried to calm my breathing, letting the energy flow, imagining myself like a greedy sponge absorbing water, or like a thirsty plant absorbing dew. The more I relaxed, the stronger the sensation. My body felt light, as if I could float, free from the burden of gravity, an experience I had never felt before.
After what felt like an eternity, the sensation began to subside, leaving a faint warmth within me. I managed to get up from the pool, my body drenched and shivering violently, but there was a noticeable difference. I felt fresher, lighter, and strangely, a little clearer. The throbbing pain in my head had now completely subsided, replaced by a clarity of mind I had never experienced before, as if the fog in my brain had lifted.
[Detection: User successfully absorbed a small portion of the Golden Dragon Spiritual Pool's energy. User's body has undergone initial purification. Cultivation Potential significantly increased.]
[Initial Mission: Survive on Golden Dragon Peak for 1 day. Status: Ongoing. Time Remaining: 12 hours 30 minutes 15 seconds.]
[Gathering Strangeness Points from unexpected situations and strange luck...]
[+20 Strangeness Points.]
"Initial purification? Cultivation potential increased?" I stared at the system panel, then at the glowing pool behind me, my eyes wide with disbelief, a faint smile etched on my lips. "So, I accidentally fell into a magical pool, and it made me stronger? My destiny is truly strange. I was supposed to die ridiculously from chewing gum, but instead, I became... a ridiculous cultivator who gains power from embarrassing incidents! Is this what they call the most absurd 'blessing in disguise'?" My Strangeness Points were now 45. A considerable number for someone who had only been in this world for a few hours, an unexpected fortune.
I looked around the cave with new eyes, as if my vision had opened and I could see more than before. The cave walls that had previously only looked like rough rock now seemed to have intricate natural patterns, as if there were hidden formations within them, emitting a faint, invisible aura. The air dense with spiritual energy felt so real, as if I could feel it at my fingertips, even see it dancing in the form of invisible light particles, a stunning sight.
This cave was clearly not just an ordinary shelter. It was a special place, a place where spiritual energy was so abundant that even a novice like me could absorb it just by falling into it. I looked back at the pool that still emitted a faint golden light, small bubbles continuously rising to the surface, blup... blup..., as if the pool was the pulsating heart of the cave. Perhaps the golden dragon comes here to cultivate? Or is this pool the source of its power? A mystery that fueled my curiosity.
I decided to stay in this cave for a while. Although cold and dark, at least I was protected from the deadly mountain peak winds, and there was this strange source of spiritual energy. I needed to find out more about this place and my strange system. Maybe there was a hidden cultivation manual, or a treasure waiting to be found by a dazed person like me, who always stumbled into strange luck.
Night would soon fall again on Golden Dragon Peak. I had to complete this one-day survival mission. And perhaps, inside this cave, I would find more oddities that could give me more Strangeness Points.