“Could it be said that I somehow managed to reach the ‘Star Vortex State’?”
Su Ping forced a small smile as he saw this tiny star vortex in the original cores. His vortices were poles asunder from the star vortices depicted in the “Chaos Star Chart”.
At the true Star Vortex State, the star vortices would stretch to every corner of the original cores like a hurricane. Each of his star vortices looked more like a small galaxy in a dark, empty universe with large areas to extend to.
That being said.
While those were small star vortices, features of the Star Vortex State had already manifested.
His body would absorb the surrounding astral power automatically and at all times, to fill in the energy consumed in his daily life and to slowly develop his cultivation.
Of course, compared to when he was cultivating proactively, such development was nothing. On the other hand, many a little makes a mickle. Indirectly, this was speeding up his cultivation as well.
“There’s a big room for improvement. While I haven’t reached the Star Vortex State, my body has been strengthened several times!”
Su Ping felt the strength surging within him was definitely more powerful when compared to average people. His sight had been enhanced. He was able to see in a pitch dark environment; even the pet food’s tags and prices on the shelves were visible, and that wasn’t something an average person could achieve.
“I wonder which rank I have reached as a battle pet warrior. First-rank, I suppose?” Su Ping thought.
“The host’s information interface has been unlocked. The host can check his personal status through this property interface,” The system mentioned casually, and somehow, Su Ping felt the system was disdaining him.
Su Ping raised his eyebrows. He had gotten used to the system’s blatant eavesdropping. He knew that this system was not the respectable or honest kind. Luckily, its abilities were commendable.
“Interface.”
Su Ping said the word on his mind and a virtual panel hopped out in his sight.
Su Ping
Property: Human
Rank: Initial success of the Star Vortex State
Combat Strength: 3.5
Score: ??
Abilities Mastered: Killing Intent
That was… it?
Su Ping didn’t know what to make of this crude panel. He was a bit relieved when he saw that he was ranked at “the initial success of the Star Vortex State,” though. That was to say, he had indeed reached the Star Vortex State.
“A combat strength of 3.5… Did I reach the standard for third-rank battle pet warriors with my strength?”
This was a surprise to Su Ping. If this was the truth, he was indeed powerful!
He had never cultivated before; it had been his first try that day. The three Original Force Pellets he consumed had to be potent. It could be said that each of the Original Force Pellets had added one point of combat strength to his power, and each pellet consumed meant climbing one more rank.
He could be compared favorably with many college students in famous academies after having leapt to the third rank from zero when he had just awoken!
“No wonder Original Force Pellets are only effective to low-rank battle pet warriors. The pellet can help a person rise in rank directly!”
Su Ping exclaimed to himself how mighty the system was. Finishing such a difficult task had turned out to be worthwhile.
“Anyways, what is this score about? Why are there question marks in it?”
Su Ping noticed the score row. When he was accepting quests, he had heard the system mention something about the score. If he didn’t reach the passing line, he would be eliminated. This property was of vital importance!
“Only the system can check the host’s score,” it replied calmly.
Su Ping was speechless. The system had such a domineering personality. It was too bossy!
All of a sudden.
Su Ping felt his interface’s format looked familiar. It was like… the pet’s interface. No, the two interfaces were essentially identical!
Other than having “aptitude” instead of “score,” nothing else changed.
“Am I… also a pet in your eyes?” Su Ping could not believe it.
The system appeared to have vanished. It did not reply.
“Is it?” Su Ping could not help but ask again.
Still, zero replies.
“Damn it!” Su Ping stood up at once, hopping mad. “I treat you as a legitimate system and you treat me as a pet?!”
“I #¥%…”
“First time!”
“Now you talk, huh? I #¥…”
“Second time!”
“What? You don’t even say alert anymore? Sh*t…”
Buzzing, buzzing!
Electric arcs danced in the dark shop. The once active figure turned stiff, twitched and fell to the ground.
Su Ping was groaning, “To h*ll with you…”
“First time!”
“…”
Su decided to keep quiet.
As the dull pain faded away slowly, Su Ping crawled up and sat down in sadness. He wanted to take out a cigarette from his pocket, only to realize that he didn’t buy a pack. He heaved a sigh. “I know that you’re not going to show me. But at the very least you should tell me, how close am I from being eliminated?”
“The host doesn’t have to worry. The passing score is 60 and the warning line is 70. The system will alarm the host when the score drops to 70. Currently, the host is doing well.”
Su Ping was relieved. There was a 10 point buffer in the score. That was good.
Su Ping got up and looked at the time. He knew that it was already 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. when he came back from the Chaotic Realm of the Undead. It was 11 p.m. by then. Having been lost in cultivation, before he realized it, four hours had passed.
“I should head back. My mom will be worried if I am too late.” Su Ping patted the dust off his pants, packed his stuff, opened the shutter door, and headed home.
…
His mother Li Qingru was the only one sitting in the living room by the time he arrived.
“Be quiet,” Li Qingru whispered to Su Ping once she heard him coming in, “Your sister is cultivating upstairs. She’s contending in the academy tournament these days. Don’t disturb her.”
“Oh.” Su Ping nodded. “I’m starving.”
“Wash up first. I will heat the dishes for you.”
“Thank you.”
While she wasn’t his biological mother in the real sense, Su Ping felt she was kind and friendly. Everything was beautiful, except that…
“Mom, why is there only green pepper in the diced chicken dish?”
“Nonsense. There’s some chicken in there. The rest was eaten by your sister.”
“…Mom, where are there only potatoes and fat meat in this stewed pork with brown sauce?”
“Your sister is busy cultivating. She needs nutrients.”
“…Then, what do I have left?”
“Here’s a plate of vegetables.”
“…”
Su Ping dragged himself upstairs to his room, physically and emotionally exhausted. He wasn’t able to relax even once since he came back from the Chaotic Realm of the Undead.
“I should cultivate for a bit. I’ll be able to sleep soundly when I’m done…”
With a natural and unrestrained move, Su Ping threw himself to the cozy bed. He closed his eyes and felt the astral power around him. All of a sudden, he sensed that the scope of perception had extended far beyond the two-meter radius compared to when he was cultivating before.
His consciousness became a sphere that spread out. He could see all the astral power floating in the air.
“What?”
Su Ping noticed all of a sudden that the astral power was being pulled out of his room.
His consciousness followed the astral power. He saw that all the astral power was pouring into the room across the hallway; that was his sister Su Lingyue’s room.