[Mail]
[Main Task Completed]
Task: Gain the trust of Ling Ruxin, she must willingly rely on you.
Completion Rewards: 300 Spirit Stones, 3x Mystery Box, 1x Low Grade Artifact.
[Time remaining before automatic removal: 05 Minutes 09 Seconds]
His brows lifted the moment he saw the countdown ticking away.
05 Minutes 09 Seconds.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
A rare flash of disbelief crossed his face before his expression twisted. "I only claimed the bonus rewards back then… Damn it."
Before he could curse further, the system's voice slid into his mind — this time not cold and mechanical, but light, almost mocking.
"For someone who schemes against others so well, Host… forgetting your own rewards is quite funny. Perhaps I should not have reminded you at all."
A soft, drawn-out chuckle followed — playful, slow, and strangely human, like fingers dragging across silk.
"Haa… ha… ha…"
Lao Xie clicked his tongue, annoyance flickering in his eyes. "Tch. If you have that much time to laugh, how about being useful instead."
He didn't wait for a response. His finger tapped [YES] with sharp impatience.
A gentle hum rippled through the air as the panel dissolved — and in its place, three small pouches shimmered into existence before settling neatly on the floor beside him.
Each was tied with a thin jade thread, subtle spiritual energy leaking from within.
He reached out, brushing a finger over the nearest pouch.
Inside, the faint clink of spirit stones — a hundred in each.
A slow, satisfied hum escaped him. "Three hundred spirit stones… at least the system isn't stingy."
The panel flickered again and shifted—revealing a new screen.
At its center sat three small, ornate boxes drawn in shimmering outline, each pulsing faintly with different colors.
[Mystery Box ×3]
Beneath the image, neat text unfolded:
A completely random reward box.
Rewards vary from cultivation techniques, pills, artifacts, weapons, rare materials, or utterly worthless junk.
Luck determines everything.
Below the description, two buttons formed.
[USE ×1] [USE ALL]
Lao Xie stared at the screen for a beat, and a soft breath slipped from his lips, sounding almost like a laugh.
"…Even you have this kind of thing?" he murmured, amusement flickering in his eyes. "So the system also gambles now. Except here, I don't even have to pay."
He shook his head lightly, half helpless, half amused.
"Truly unpredictable."
He didn't press anything yet. Instead, his attention shifted as a light flashed again beside him — and an item slowly materialized.
A thin chain, silver-white, descending through the air like falling moonlight. Hanging from it was a small, simple jade pendant, no larger than his thumb. It gleamed with a quiet aura, humble yet elegant.
It landed softly in his palm.
Upon Inspection, a new prompt popped out.
[Item Acquired: Veilstone Pendant (Low-Grade Artifact)]
Artifact Type: Pendant
Effect: Hides the user's cultivation realm. Those below Core Formation cannot see through its veil.
Lao Xie turned the pendant between his fingers, eyes narrowing slightly in interest. "A concealment pendant?"
His thumb brushed over the jade surface once, expression unreadable. "This is basically a jackpot, isn't it?"
The corner of his lips rose, faint and slow.
And then, his gaze drifted back toward the shimmering panel with the three glowing boxes waiting patiently.
He studied the three glowing boxes a moment longer, his brows twitching as he read the description. He let out a quiet breath—the names looked fancy enough, but the moment realization settled, his expression soured.
"So it really comes down to random luck." His fingers tapped against his knee, irritation flickering in his eyes. "What kind of system gives rewards based on gambling? Seriously? What the hell."
The words slipped out without courtesy this time. It wasn't sarcasm — it was genuine disbelief.
A thought crossed his mind, and in the next moment he flicked his wrist. Another panel shimmered into view.
[INFORMATION]
Name: Lao Xie
Age: 15
Cultivation Stage: Qi Refinement, 7th Stage
Physique: Heaven-Piercing Sword Physique
Race: Human
Luck: ???
Spiritual Root: Primordial Ancient Spirit Root
Traits: Observe Lv1, Qi Absorption LvMAX
The moment his eyes landed on the 'Luck' line, his expression froze.
"…Ha." A short, humorless breath slipped out. "I can't even see my own luck stat. And now you expect me to draw mystery rewards?"
"And What the hell is that supposed to mean? Three questions mark? "He let out a sigh through his nose, shaking his head like he had just witnessed the heavens pulling a prank.
He muttered for a while, cursing under his breath—not too harsh, but filled with that irritated disbelief only cultivators burdened with system nonsense could understand.
Few seconds passed by and the system finally responded at last. "System functions are all predetermined. Mystery Box rewards operates on pure luck."
"And as for your ''Luck' stats, the only logical explanation is that the current version does not support the function display your luck. So, please just proceed—good luck, Host. "
Lao Xie clicked his tongue sharply. "Update, update… tch. Good luck, my ass."
He waved his hand in annoyance, dismissing the panel—and pressed the first button without hesitation.
[USE ×1]
Cling!
A soft hum rippled through the air, followed by shimmering motes of light swirling into existence, gathering and spinning until a small jade bottle materialized with a gentle chime before falling neatly into his hand.
[Reward Acquired: Healing Pills (2nd Grade) ×5]
He stared at it for two heartbeats. Then, slowly, his expression turned flat.
"…Healing pills?" His voice cooled, settling somewhere between annoyed and unimpressed. "Why is something like this even in the reward pool? And only second-grade at that."
The system answered immediately, "Rewards are completely random. In this world, luck is also a form of strength."
He didn't argue — because there was no point. He simply exhaled, a quiet breath through his nose.
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
His finger clicked the button again.
[USE ×1]
Shhhhk—
Once again, light gathered—this time weaving in thin threads, like drifting silk in the wind. They twisted together, shimmering, before bursting outward in a gentle pulse.
A scroll emerged, quietly unfurling mid-air before rolling back up and landing gently in his palm. The parchment pulsed faintly, warm qi dancing along the edge like silk threads brushing skin.
[Reward Acquired: Thousand Silk Qi Thread Technique (Rare)]
Lao Xie's brows lifted. He turned the scroll lightly, feeling the subtle energy coiling beneath the surface, refined and sharp like drawn strings ready to cut.
"This is.. a scroll? …Another technique?" he murmured, running a thumb over the seal. His gaze narrowed thoughtfully. "Interesting. I'll check it later."
His fingertip returned to the panel — calm, without hesitation.
One final box remained.
[USE ×1]
The moment the button shimmered, a deep hum ran through the room — low, resonant, like the tremor of a giant bell struck far away.
The air vibrated, not violently but it is certainly noticeable.
The Qi in his hut rippled, then suddenly stilled, as if holding its breath. Followed by a beam of pale light that suddenly erupted from the panel — thicker, heavier, threaded with gold like the dawn breaking through storm clouds.
Wooooom...
For a heartbeat, the world felt strangely hollow, and a faint ache pulsed behind Lao Xie's eyes — sharp, cold, then gone.
A single lotus silhouette bloomed within the glowing screen — delicate, pure, shaped from ethereal light. Its petals trembled, dripping threads of soul energy like shimmering dew.
[Legendary Reward Acquired — Soul Nurturing Lotus]
A faint breeze brushed through the hut despite no windows being open. Dust lifted. The air thickened. Even the birds outside went silent for a breath.
Then, the system's voice slid into his mind — not emotionless this time, but weighted, smooth, almost… reverent.
"Congratulations, Host. You have received a Legendary-grade treasure. Soul-Nurturing Lotus — an item coveted even by ancient beings. A fate-altering reward."
Lao Xie's eyes narrowed, the faint pulse behind his temples still lingering.
"…Soul Nurturing Lotus?" he murmured, tasting the words like they were secrets whispered by fate.
A new panel unfurled before him — golden script blooming across it like petals opening in slow, inevitable grace.