"So? Am I supposed to feel happy or what?"
Jin Yu stared at the screen, reading everything over and over again.
"Well... I guess it’s a happy occasion. No more painful breakthroughs."
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he continued.
"So... first, attribute points?"
A pause.
"My attribute is influencing people's emotions, so... what will the points even be used for?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, gaze fixed on the floating screen.
"Looking back, I've never really gotten any influence points aside from the negative ones. Have I ever actually helped someone before? Or made them happy?, Why is it always negative emotions?"
He folded his arms behind his back and began pacing like a schor pondering the mysteries of the world.
"I can’t seem to think of any..."
"Let’s start with those close to me. First, Haozi......Have I ever made him happy?"
His brow furrowed deeper.
"I don't remember getting anything like gratitude points when I gave him the Sanctum Sword Technique... even when he broke down. His eyes were filled with gratitude and... trust? But still, definitely no points."
He scoffed.
"I got points for his fear, though."
"Moving on..."
"Min Li, that overly fttering simp." He rolled his eyes.
"Always looking at me with reverence, but again, no points for that.
So, what else..."
"... ah, yes. Kang Li. That pompous, ft-che— ahem! I mean, kinda arrogant."
"I don’t remember getting gratitude points at the auction either."
"Every influence I’ve ever earned points for has been... irritation... frustration... anger... fury... killing intent—"
Wait!
A shiver ran through him.
"Why do those emotions feel... familiar?
Like I’ve seen them before. But that’s stupid, feelings can’t be seen...
Still, it feels like I’ve witnessed them. Where?"
He furrowed his brows, trying hard to remember, but came up empty.
"How could I have seen emotions...?!"
He clenched his fists and racked his brain, trying to pce the sensation.
"How could I have possibly seen them?"
With a dubious expression, he walked slowly, still lost in thought.
Wait!
He stopped again.
Me... threads...Red Sovereign...
His brow furrowed deeper, frustration rising.
"Why are my memories so incoherent? What happened to me? Did someone mess with my brain?"
For a full minute, Jin Yu stood motionless in the forest, straining to remember. But nothing came.
Red Sovereign...? Who is that?
---
Somewhere...
In a Red, Desote nd.
A world consumed by endless purgatory and negativity.
A man stood still.
Facing a distant throne, he didn’t move. His long hair flowed to his waist, just as motionless as him.
Then, as if stirred by a will, he moved, just a subtle twitch. His eyes shifted sideways in a slow, elegant gnce.
At first sight, he looked normal just like any human.
But his cold, red eyes that seems like it could pierce worlds told a completely different story.
For a millisecond, something fshed within them.
Then, just as slowly, he turned back toward the throne.
And remained silent.
---
Back In The Forest...
A red fsh passed through Jin Yu’s eyes.
"Ugh! Forget it. Thinking won’t solve anything."
He sighed in irritation.
"So, aside from the attribute points, my bloodlines were also recognized. But why is the second one unavaible? It must be from my mother’s side."
He scrolled further.
"Qi affinity too... Two types. But again, the second one’s locked. Is it because my mother in this world is... dead? That’s why I can’t access her bloodline or Qi?"
He shrugged.
"Forget it. No use overthinking."
A grin crept onto his lips as his gaze nded on the progress bar and influence points.
Next Breakthrough: 100%
Influence Points: 610,000
He rubbed his hands together in excitement, then pressed the [+] beside Internal Strength.
Ding!
—20,000 influence points
—20,000 influence points
—20,000 influence points
—20,000 influence points
---
"I’m not fckin’ surprised. I knew you were a bitch. a point-grubbing btch! Keep raising it!"
Each press caused the progress bar to drop by 10%.
Ding!
Nascent Soul Realm – Initial Stage Reached!
Like scorched earth receiving rainfall,
Like a withered tree drinking divine dew,
Like a dying man swallowing an heavenly pill,
That was how he felt.
He could sense the second core that once nearly killed him was now spinning smoothly, absorbing Qi from some unknown source, likely the system.
And as it absorbed, it also gave, to his brain.
A soft stream of Qi trickled upward, massaging his mind, gentle and cool like a mother’s touch.
A sigh of ecstasy almost escaped him.
For a full minute, the Qi bathed his brain. Then, greed took hold. It devoured faster, until the stream became a torrent, like a dam breaking loose.
All of it collided with his mind at once,
Yet he felt no danger
Crack!
Jin Yu stiffened.
"Wait... did my head just crack?"
Crack Crack Crack.
The sound grew louder.
"That’s definitely a crack, but why doesn’t it hurt?"
He focused and something felt… open.
He reached toward it.
And then—WHOOSH!
His mind was yanked inward.
---
A short gasp escaped his mouth.
"Wha..."
His mouth suddenly formed a perfect O.
"What on Solenthia is this pce?"
Before him stretched a long, glowing river beneath a starry sky.
The stars—
They dotted the heavens like silver thread stitched across the dark canvas.
It was breathtaking!
Wait....Thread!
He snapped out of his trance, eyes scanning his surroundings.
Then, down at himself.
"Is this... my soul?"
His form glowed gently like a dim moon, illuminating the strange world.
He looked at the river again.
"My sea of consciousness...?"
It was beautiful, but dark.
"Should it be this dark...?
I read somewhere that the sea of consciousness reflects your heart and soul.
Is mine that dark?"
He scoffed.
"Bah. What do humans know? A cool color like this is only fitting for a cool guy like me. A cool, handsome man"
He admired it a moment longer.
"Still... it’s definitely more of a river than a sea."
He hovered over the water, inspecting it like a scientist.
"Am I supposed to touch it...?"
He bent down, dipping a finger in.
If felt cold and refreshing.
Wait… When was the st time I even took a bath...?
He gnced around suspiciously.
"Can I… bathe in it?"
No one in sight.
He began lowering his legs toward the water, Then—Jolt!
A sudden shock snapped him back.
His eyes flew open, only to see a pack of wolves surrounding him.
Two had bitten into his legs and were tugging viciously.
Jin Yu: "..."
He stared at them in silence.
The wolves’ teeth had only gripped his clothes.
There was no scratch, not even torn fabric.
"Hey."
His calm voice echoed.
The wolves froze.
Then, slowly, they released him and backed away, growling lowly. The rest followed suit.
Ding!
+1000 Influence (Fear)
Ding!
+1000 Influence (Fear)
Ding!
+1000 Influence (Anger)
Ding!
+1000 Influence (Shock)
Ding!
+1000 Influence (Caution)
---
"Backbiting, huh?" He flicked his robe to shake off their spit and gred at the wolves.
"Then let me test out my new strength on you."
