Who's there?!
Kinson Wexford?
No, it couldn't be Kinson Wexford.
Kinson Wexford would have struck and slaughtered him already, given his ruthless and bold domineering personality. That immortal master's presence should be a storm, not a whisper.
As for others… the rest of the Payne Clan should be focused on scrambling for the fifty Bone Tempering Pills promised by Kinson Wexford, not stalking after a branch disciple like Lordi Payne.
At first, Lordi Payne wondered if he was just being overly paranoid, but his expression quickly changed.
He realized that the number of unseen gazes fixed on him was increasing.
What had started as one or two faint, almost imperceptible stares had rapidly multiplied into a suffocating presence, as if countless eyes from all directions were silently watching him. The air thickened, pressing against his skin like a tightening noose.
This feeling…
His mind flashed to the byobu screen in Kinson Wexford's room.
He glanced around, eyes darting, but the surrounding stretched empty—nothing but lanterns swaying in the breeze.
Yet the stares grew sharper, almost solid, as if unseen hunters circled closer, their breath grazing his neck.
It felt as though he was being surrounded, with something invisible closing in on him from all sides, inch by inch.
Lordi Payne's face turned grim. His current cultivation level was too low, and his knowledge too limited. He had no idea how to deal with this situation.
Panic clawed at him, but he forced a decision: Keep moving.
After all, turning back meant facing Kinson Wexford—certain death.
If it was just this eerie feeling, he could grit his teeth, pretend it wasn't there, and push forward. He broke into a run, boots pounding dirt, willing his fear to stay buried.
However, after running for just a short while, Lordi Payne suddenly felt a chill creeping over his spine, icy and wrong.
Not the cool touch of wind, not the natural shift of night air. This was something deeper, sharper, wrong. It slithered up his spine like frozen fingers, sinking into his bones.
Lordi Payne faltered.
He hadn't felt anything like this since his earliest days of cultivation, when the world of qi was still new and terrifying. But now? Now he was a seasoned cultivator, his body honed, his spirit tempered. His blood should have been burning with exertion, his skin slick with sweat from his frantic sprint—yet here he was, shivering as if fell into an icy river.
This isn't right.
Something was hunting him. Something unnatural.
And he had no idea how to escape it.
Soon, the icy sensation spread throughout his entire body. It felt as though he had been plunged into a freezing abyss, and even his consciousness began to grow heavy.
"Why this happens?" Lordi Payne realized he couldn't let this continue. He abruptly stopped and quickly reviewed everything that had happened: The byobu screen must be the cause!
Of course the byobu screen was dangerous, no matter whether Kinson Wexford prevent it from harming the Payne Clan members or not, it didn't make sense the cold attack until now. Last night, when the system taken control of Lordi Payne's body, he had cultivated right in front of the screen for a long time. Then he returned to his cottage and attended the gathering in the main hall, Lordi Payne had felt nothing unease until now he left the crowds for a while.
Why was this happening now?
"System, I want to cultivate!"
Feeling his thoughts growing increasingly sluggish and his sense of crisis skyrocketing, Lordi Payne suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He called out firmly, "Select the Bone Tempering Art! Smart Duration! One-Click-Cultivation!"
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System is at your service!
…
The mechanical voice of the system echoed in his mind, sounding more comforting than ever.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> [OCC] - One-Click-Cultivation activated.
> Features: Temporary practice, smart duration, and questionable decision-making.
...
The moment the system seized control of his body, Lordi Payne gasped as if surfacing from deep water.
The unnatural chill gripping his spine dissolved like mist in sunlight. The mental fog clouding his thoughts lifted, sharpening his awareness once more. He exhaled hard, shoulders slumping in relief.
He couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. "I knew it!"
Now he understood. Last night, when he'd cultivated for hours in front of that cursed byobu screen, the only unease he'd felt was the sensation of being watched—no creeping dread, no soul-deep cold. At the time, he'd assumed the artifact hadn't targeted him.
But he'd been wrong.
The protection hadn't come from his cultivation. It had come from the AllFullOS system controlling his body.
A shudder ran through him. He didn't know which possibility unsettled him more—that the screen's malice had been real all along, or that only the system's intervention had kept him alive.
Regardless of the reason, he was safe for now.
The familiar agony of the Bone Tempering Art flared to life, his bones cracking and reforging themselves. Normally, he dreaded this pain. Now, it felt like a lifeline—proof he was still him, still breathing. Lordi Payne's anxiety eased, but his desire to flee far away grew even stronger. He needed to get as far from the Abyss Pit Sect's territory as possible, far from their nightmarish demonic artifacts.
"Damn those demonic sects and damn theirs cursed artifacts!"
Lordi Payne thought bitterly. "Even some random disciple's leftover belongings are this sinister. After all these years of diligently staying low-key, I almost got myself killed!"
As the Bone Tempering Art continued to circulate, Lordi Payne felt as though he had been brought back to life. Even the sound of his bones cracking and reforming seemed oddly pleasant.
But then—
The system suddenly chimed again, its mechanical voice announcing.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> Detected severe depletion of host's blood Qi. Pending…
- Continuing cultivation of the Bone Tempering Art will cause irreversible damage.
- (Error: 193).
> Pending…
> Analyzing available options...
> Pending…
…
Lordi Payne: "?!"
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> Scanning cultivation requirements...
> Detected lack of Restoration Material: [Blood Qi pills].
- Host inventory: EMPTY
- Error: Insufficient materials for restoration.
> Executing optimal solution...
> All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System™ has decided to be *GENEROUS* today!
> Blood Qi Pills x3 will be gifted to the host for FREE.
> Processing...
…
Lordi Payne: "Wait…"
Before he could finish his thought—
The system halted his cultivation mid-cycle. His body jerked upright like a marionette pulled by invisible strings. Then, in one fluid motion, it spun him 180 degrees—boots grinding against the dirt as his entire orientation reversed in an instant.
Before Lordi could even process the sudden movement, his legs surged forward without his command, sprinting at full speed toward the one place he'd sworn to avoid:
Mountain Grimvale.
——
Deep within Mountain Grimvale, in a cavern silent as a tomb...
A hunched figure slumped against the jagged cave wall suddenly convulsed—cough! cough! COUGH!—spewing a viscous arc of black blood across the stone. His breathing came in ragged, wet gasps, each one weaker than the last.
He gasped for breath several times, as if gathering some strength, then tremblingly reached for a jade vial. With great difficulty, he brought the vial to his lips.
But before he could pour out the pill inside, a violent spasm wracked his internal organs, and he was overcome by another fit of coughing. The vial slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the cavern floor.
When he finally managed the cough, he reached for the vial, but his movements suddenly froze. His head snapped up, and he stared intently into the dark passageway ahead.
A moment later, a rat scurried past.
Skitter-skitter.
The man's expression remained wary, and he subtly palmed a dark, round bullet in his hand.
After a long while, when nothing else happened, he gradually relaxed and tucked the bullet back into his sleeve pocket. His eyes filled with venomous hatred as he muttered, "The Abyss Pit Sect… Hah, who would have thought I, Woods Tinshee, would be pushed to such a state? Even a mere rat has me jumping at shadows!"
He laboriously picked up the jade vial but didn't immediately take the pill. Instead, he rubbed the bullet in his sleeve pocket, his eyes glinting with malice. "If only Shifu Master had succeeded in transforming his cultivation technique, we, his direct disciples, wouldn't have ended up like this. But I joined the holy sect too late, and my strength is too weak. Now, escaping seems impossible… Otherwise…"
Woods Tinshee's expression shifted a few times. He sighed softly and raised the jade vial again. Just as the pill was about to slide out, a shadow moved in the tunnel.
Woods Tinshee' head snapped up just as a figure exploded into the cavern—
"The FUCK?!" Lordi Payne's eyes locked onto the bloodied cultivator slumped before him. The man's ragged breathing, the stench of iron in the air—this had to be the traitor the sect had turned upside-down to find.
The system remained silent.
Then—movement.
His hand shot forward, snatching the jade vial from Woods' grip. Before Lordi Payne could protest, his own fingers tipped three Blood Qi Pills into his mouth. The metallic tang of concentrated Qi flooded his tongue as his body forced him to swallow.
Lordi watched helplessly as his own hand flicked the jade vial away like trash. It bounced once before clattering into the darkness—the hollow sound echoing through the cave like a death knell.
No explanation. No hesitation.
Just like last night, the AllFullOS System wasn't leaving.
Lordi felt his knees bend against his will, his body settling into a cross-legged position on the cold cavern floor.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> Item: Blood Qi Pills
> Quantity: 3
> Status: Gifted successfully.
> Resuming cultivation process...
Lordi Payne: "?!!"
What the hell?! Are you doing this again???
At least last time, Kinson Wexford's room had been empty. This time, the victim was right in front of him, staring wide-eyed at him!
Woods Tinshee was initially shocked.
After all, he was in a precarious situation, on high alert. Even the passing of a rat had put him on edge. The intruder had moved so quickly that he hadn't even had time to react. By the time his pills were snatched, his first reaction was fear and astonishment, leaving no room for anger.
But then—
As the system began cultivating, Woods Tinshee realized that the young man before him was merely a third layer Qi Refinement Stage cultivator.
After observing for a moment and confirming that he hadn't misjudged, Woods Tinshee was so furious he almost passed out on the spot. The intense emotion aggravated his injuries, and he broke into another fit of violent coughing. He shot a deep, venomous glare at Lordi Payne but didn't immediately attack. Instead, he began crawling painfully toward the jade vial in the corner, coughing all the while.
"System! Can we kill him first and then cultivate?"
"Kill him now, hurry!"
"I'll rate you a five-star if you kill him!"
"If you don't want to kill him, that's fine too! Just run away, and I'll still give you five stars!"
Lordi Payne felt like he was about to vomit blood. "You motherfucker idiot! Stop cultivating!!!"
The system remained indifferent, completely focused on cultivation.
Thus, Lordi Payne could only watch helplessly as Woods Tinshee, after resting three times, finally crawled to the jade vial. With trembling hands, he opened the vial and swallowed the remaining Blood Qi Pills in one go!
After that, Woods Tinshee struggled to sit up. He shot a venomous glare at Lordi Payne and also began cultivating.
Lordi Payne's heart sank. He could tell that Woods Tinshee was severely injured. Rather than truly cultivating, Woods Tinshee was likely using the medicinal energy to temporarily suppress his injuries.
And once his injuries were stabilized, what he would do next was all too obvious!
After a while, before the system could finish its cultivation session, Woods Tinshee opened his eyes first. He gave Lordi Payne a sinister smile, then picked up a rock from the ground and hurled it at him.
Lordi Payne: "System?!"
Thud!!!
The next moment, a lump formed on Lordi Payne's head.
At the same time, the system chimed.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> External attack detected.
> Cultivation session status: TERMINATED
> Host control: RESTORED
> Thank you for using the All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System™ (AllFullOS v1.0.0)
> Feedback request:
- We value your opinion! (No, really, we do.)
- If you are satisfied with our service, please give us a five-star rating.
> Tap to Rate: [☆☆☆☆☆]
Yes, the system had fled.
Lordi Payne: "???!!!"
"Fucking bastard, I don't know if you're pretending to be stupid or if you really are," Woods Tinshee said with a cold laugh, relieved after hurling the stone to test. "But since fate has brought us together, I'll send you on your way today!"
Before Woods Tinshee finish speaking, a faint green light flickered at his fingertips!