Han Suo trusted his system. If it gave him a task like that, then he could definitely reach it! So he asked hopefully,
"How can I reach this stage?"
[By training your body to the extreme and ingesting a large amount of Magical Beast meat! Only when your Blood Essence Value reaches 20 can you be considered to have stepped into this stage.]
"What?! A Blood Essence Value of 20? That's absurd!" he shouted in disbelief.
In this world, most people began training their bodies from a very young age. It was common knowledge that simply by breathing in the air rich with Ki, and relentlessly tempering the body, one could grow stronger. This was the very first step in martial cultivation—the Body Refinement Realm.
People of this world had already discovered a method to measure progress within this realm since long ago. They called it the Blood Essence Value.
Through constant training, one would slowly form a special kind of blood essence within the heart. This essence acted like fuel, strengthening your body to the limit of a human's body. The more blood essence one accumulated, the stronger, faster, and more resilient the body would become.
Typically, a Blood Essence Value between 0 and 2 was considered early-stage. From 2 to 5 was mid-stage, and anything above 5 was late-stage. Cultivators could break through to the next realm whenever they felt like it in this stage. Well, as long as they reached the mature age and could sense the Ki in the air, of course.
The last time Han Suo had his blood essence measured was at age sixteen, the age considered mature in this world when most people attempted their first breakthrough. Studies showed that this was the earliest age when Ki could safely enter the body and enhance it without causing harm.
Any act of trying to sense Ki before that age was strictly forbidden, as those with high enough aptitude could naturally attract Ki without even cultivating an Inner Method.
Back then, Han Suo's Blood Essence Value was a mere 5.1—just barely enough to qualify as late-stage. But sadly, he couldn't sense Ki at all.
With no way forward, he had given up on training his body a long time ago.
Han Suo put a hand to his chin in thought.
"System, does reaching this stage bring any special benefit?"
[Of course! The peak-stage Body Refinement Realm is a hidden stage reserved only for true geniuses and the wealthy elite! Reaching it before breaking through to the Ki Gathering Realm will build a solid, unshakable foundation. You'll be stronger than your peers in the same cultivation realm, and progressing through future realms will be a little easier!]
He nodded a few times, clearly satisfied with the answer.
Afterward, he navigated to the other features. The 'Shop' tab was rather bare, containing only two items for now.
[Angel Energy Drink]
Rank: Upper Low Rank
Description: A magical potion for the hard-working. Drinking this will keep you full of energy all day, needing only a two-hour nap to recharge!
Price: 1 GP
Note: Continuous use over a period may result in a stroke. But hey, no pain, no gain!
"What do you mean 'potion'? It's in a fucking can!" he couldn't help but remark.
[Blood Condensing Pellet]
Rank: Upper Low Rank
Description: A high-quality pill designed for the talentless. Using this will help you in the process of forming blood essence.
Price: 5 GP
Note: A pack contains 12 pellets. It is safe to use! (Slightly enhances muscle growth)
Looking at the two items, Han Suo had a vague idea of what the system wanted him to do. But the problem was... it felt like dealing with some black-hearted company trying to trick him into working overtime!
What the hell did it mean by 'may result in a stroke'? And yet, this unreliable system still had the nerve to sell it in the shop like some rare treasure!
Han Suo had noticed something off from the very beginning. Maybe it was because of the corrupted files from earlier, but the system had been extremely rude, especially in those so-called 'notes'! And it even gave him an impossible mission!
When he played the game on Earth, it wasn't this way. The system was just a usual one, only informing him what he needed to know. But now, how should he put it? The system had become a bit... bloodthirsty. It was as if it had been infected by this martial world, which was filled with arrogant young masters!
Either way, he gotta deal with it. The good news was that the inventory feature was pretty neat. It acted like those high-level storage rings he had heard of in stories. Sadly, it could only store the system's items, with currency being the only exception.
The 'Gacha' tab was empty, displaying only a single line: 'In the process of excavating. Come back later!'
And that was all the functionality. There was nothing left!
When he asked the system why it was so low-level, unlike the powerful ones he had read about in novels, it replied that it had been massively weakened after crossing into this world, and only the basic functions remained.
'Sigh... why do you not have a monetization feature... That way, I could just use money to level up into a peerless master in the future!' He shook his head, feeling a bit regretful.
'Well, at least I still have a wallet with infinite space...'
Since the system had told him that reaching peak-stage Body Refinement Realm was possible, he didn't want to cultivate just yet. Doing so would cause him to break through to the Ki Gathering Realm, which wasn't ideal.
Now, the only question left was how to complete this impossible triggered mission.
As Han Suo leaned his back against the headboard, lost in thought for a while, suddenly, a brilliant idea came to his mind. He immediately called out in his mind.
'System. System.'
But after a few seconds, there was still no response. Only now did Han Suo remember that he had been communicating with the system solely by speaking. He hesitated for a moment before asking out loud,
"System, can I talk to you through my mind?"
[Negative. That function has been lost. You can only control the panel with your thoughts.]
Han Suo facepalmed, feeling hopeless about the situation he was in. People would think he was crazy if they saw him talking to himself all the time!
"Haizz... So, in this mission, I can use whatever means to complete it, right?" he said with an exhausted sigh.
[Correct, host. The process does not matter. As long as the mission is completed on time, you will receive rewards and avoid punishment.]
"Phew... Finally, some good news."
At last, Han Suo saw a light at the end of this dark tunnel. He had found a way to complete the mission!
With that, he could finally go to sleep soundly.