"Is this possible?"
Ning Xunqiu froze for a moment, his eyes widening at the sight of a gray interface that appeared suddenly in his vision.
[Note Writer: Ning Xunqiu]
[Fortune: Five (an ordinary person's fortune is one).]
Below that were densely packed lit-up squares, all white and blue.
White Achievement "First Meal" - Reward: Potato *3 (Claimed).
White Achievement "First Dishwashing" - Reward: Chili *3 (Claimed).
…
White Achievement "I Am of Age": Lived past sixteen, this achievement surpasses 86.1% of the population in Qingxu Realm, Reward: Hoe *1 (Claimed).
White Achievement "First Blood": First kill, this achievement surpasses 79.8% of the population in Qingxu Realm, Reward: One point of strength (Claimed).
Blue Achievement "Martial Arts Vanguard": First twelve-year-old to reach the Martial Arts Second Realm, breaking the five-thousand-year record for fastest breakthrough, this achievement surpasses 100% of the population in Qingxu Realm, Reward: One point of comprehension (Claimed).
[Congratulations, you completed the Blue Achievement "Slaughter All Directions: Thousand Kills": Accumulated slaughter of a thousand people, this achievement surpasses 99.5% of the population in Qingxu Realm, Reward: One point of root bone (Claimable).]
…
That's right, this was Ning Xunqiu's golden finger.
He called it "Life Achievement," which has five achievement levels.
[White], [Blue], [Purple], [Red], [Gold].
White is the lowest, Gold is the highest.
The reason his martial arts advanced so quickly on Cyan Mountain, aside from resources and famous teachers,
was mostly because he had grinded out a lot of [White] and [Blue] achievements, and [Blue] achievements sometimes rewarded "attribute points."
However.
He had never achieved a [Purple] achievement, even after continuously washing dishes for ten years.
And he broke through the Martial Arts Third Realm at sixteen, yet didn't earn an achievement?
"Claim the reward!"
After claiming root bone, Ning Xunqiu silently chanted in his heart.
The gray panel rotated.
[Congratulations, you've received a special achievement reward—Sword Demon Heart Eye.]
Suddenly, Ning Xunqiu felt an inexplicable sadness surge in his heart.
Thump thump thump!
His brow throbbed violently, his eyes emptied, as if everything in the world turned black and white, with only a single gray line continuously spreading.
Heart like ashes, all things silent.
Suddenly, only sensing a coolness on his face, he reached out, and his hand caught a smear of moisture.
Ning Xunqiu raised his hand, gently swiping the air, the wind swept past was severed in two.
"This, is this the power beyond the Grandmaster that I touched in the book?"
Ning Xunqiu's eyes showed shock.
He wiped his tears and calmed down, silently bent over to pick up the booklet that had fallen to the ground, dusting it off, and read it seriously once more.
"This booklet clearly writes about my future and can also complete life achievements. But the me in the book obviously does not carry a [Life Achievement] panel."
Ning Xunqiu frowned.
"In three years, Master is defeated and killed. Then some mastermind uses my little sister's wedding to lure the tiger from the mountain, and while I'm distracted, targets my junior sister and unborn child, aiming specifically at me, right? Fine, I've noted it down, don't let me catch you."
"How did Crown Prince Chu Yu know all this? All this started because of him, an absolute troublemaker."
"I surely touched the threshold beyond Grandmaster in the end, yet even with Sword Intent, I couldn't kill Emperor Jin Jiang Hong? Golden Radiance Body Protection? What can block four Sword Intents?"
"Jin Country unified the world in mere decades... But what does Yu Country have to do with me? Let me take care of my own small family first, then, start with saving Master."
Ning Xunqiu kept the booklet close to his body and leapt lightly onto the iron chain.
Before the White Cloud Peak Great Hall.
A young girl dressed in light cyan stood gracefully, from time to time she looked up at the iron chain shrouded in mist.
Thud thud.
Suddenly, a series of clinking noises from the iron chain broke the surrounding silence.
Gao Fei Xue's gaze was drawn to a silhouette speeding out from the mist, her face blooming with joy.
Ning Xunqiu lightly landed beside Gao Fei Xue.
"Brother Ning! I missed you so much."
Gao Fei Xue immediately threw herself into his arms, her voice carrying a slight sob.
"Junior Sister."
Ning Xunqiu gently comforted the softly trembling body embracing him.
After a moment of affection.
Gao Fei Xue slightly calmed down, she took a letter from her bosom and handed it to Ning Xunqiu:
"Brother Ning, Master left this for you before leading the senior brothers down the mountain..."
Ning Xunqiu took the letter without looking, retorting displeased:
"Master is so old and still learns from others to save the world, not knowing how chaotic it is outside, could ruin a lifetime's reputation."
"Junior Sister, quickly come down the mountain with me, let's bring Master back." He grabbed Gao Fei Xue and was about to head downhill.
As long as Master does not participate in the Jin Country and Yu Country war, Cyan Mountain disciples can survive.
The rest won't happen, he won't reveal his young Grandmaster strength, won't become the famed Ning Wushuang, and no one will target him because of his value.
By then, no matter who unifies the world as Emperor, he'll still live on the mountain.
Of course, once he becomes above Grandmaster on the mountain, sneaking downhill to kill a few won't be noticed, will it?
Inheriting all the insights from "Sword Demon Heart Eye," Ning Xunqiu utterly despises the hidden hand that dared to kill his entire family in the "World within the Book."
"Brother Ning."
Gao Fei Xue halted, tugging Ning Xunqiu's sleeve, shaking her head:
"Master is the descendant of a famous general of Yu Country, their family has served Yu Country for generations, and now during national peril, Master won't come back. Besides, Master is one of the five great Grandmasters of the world and can protect himself just fine."
Upon hearing this, Ning Xunqiu furrowed his brows.
Warfare and danger.
The brutality of Jianghu and the battlefield are entirely different concepts.
Though battlefield fierce generals are at the Martial Arts Second Realm, each far surpasses ordinary people in endurance and strength, armored, mounted on divine steeds, charging in battle, easily scattering the enemy.
Leading 500 elite soldiers, formed into an iron tide, even Grandmasters must retreat thrice.
After all, no matter how mighty, a Grandmaster is still flesh and blood.
Of course, Grandmaster Inner Qi is everlasting, should they not get trapped in a military array, taking advantage of the terrain one can block 500 fully equipped elite Armored Warriors, being akin to a strategic weapon.
Ning Xunqiu took up the letter left by Master and read it, growing increasingly silent.
Earlier this year, Jin Country attacked with forces, Yu Country's general Duanmu Hong defended fiercely at "Jiagou Pass," finally dying in battle.
Jin Country's general Wei Xin injured a thousand enemies, losing eight hundred, and upon breaking the pass, directly killed five thousand captives and slaughtered three cities to demonstrate.
Most Cyan Mountain disciples were from Yu Country, enraged by the news, they voluntarily descended the mountain to aid Yu Country, resisting violent Jin.
In the letter, Master also urged him, if defeated and killed, it would be the celestial mandate, not to think of avenging Master, but to take good care of Gao Fei Xue and continue Cyan Mountain's legacy.
This is a farewell, isn't it?
Embracing what must be done despite knowing it's impossible?
Ning Xunqiu suddenly clenched the letter, unable to find a reason to persuade Master.
"Brother Ning? What's in the letter?" Gao Fei Xue softly asked as she leaned closer.
Ning Xunqiu tidied the letter, gently spoke to Gao Fei Xue, "Master entrusted me with the duty of temporarily taking up the position of Sect Leader and instructed me to take good care of you."
He leaned towards her ear, whispering, "Junior Sister, today I finally broke through to the Inner Qi Realm."
Gao Fei Xue's beautiful eyes twinkled, though she had long anticipated this day, hearing the news still made her excited:
"Then let's celebrate with a lamb hotpot tonight."
"Junior Sister, you decide."
Ning Xunqiu planted a kiss on Gao Fei Xue.
The two had been together for years, married earlier last year, but Ning Xunqiu still liked to call her "Junior Sister," which was a sort of affection between the couple.
The night quietened.
Gao Fei Xue gradually drifted into dreamland.
Ning Xunqiu quietly slipped out, perched on a tree before the bamboo house, took out the booklet from his bosom, and flipped through it.
Matters of national affairs, strategy, intrigues, in all these he admitted inferior to those lifelong devoted to them.
But it didn't matter, he excelled in one thing.
Known as the cheat king.
…