"Humans, for helping my son, I give you a choice. You can both select one fruit to consume."

Is this for real? Kai's eyes widened. A power-up served on a silver platter? He glanced at Liu Wei, who looked equally stunned.

Zhi-Zhi, the little tortoise, let out a squeak of surprise. "Mother! You're giving them fruits? But... but you only let me have one every ten years!"

The tree's leaves rustled in what sounded suspiciously like a sigh. "Zhi-Zhi, my child, these humans protected you. They deserve a little reward."

Zhi-Zhi retreated into his shell, grumbling something about "unfair treatment" and "ungrateful humans."

Looks like someone's a bit entitled, Kai suppressed a smirk. I guess even spirit beasts can be spoiled brats.

Liu Wei looked at Kai, uncertainty clear in his eyes. "Master, what should we do?"

Kai paused, his mind racing. Could this be a trap? He considered the situation carefully. No, that doesn't make sense. If the tree wanted to harm us, it could have done so already. Why resort to tricks against Qi Refining cultivators? We’re less than ants to it.

Kai glanced at his map function and noticed a significant change. The large red dot that had represented the Ancient Spirit Tree had now turned green, indicating it was now friendly. He let out a small sigh of relief and made his decision.

"Thank you for your generosity," Kai bowed to the ancient tree.

The tree's aura seemed to warm slightly. "Choose wisely, humans. Each fruit holds the power to enhance your elemental affinity. You may never get a chance like this again."

Kai nodded, already analyzing the options before him. Okay, time to think this through. Which element should I choose?

He closed his eyes, visualizing the different paths of cultivation as if they were skill trees:

Elemental Cultivation Paths:

Fire Path:

- Offensive power

- Destruction and purification

- Yang energy

Water Path:

- Flexibility and adaptability

- Healing and purification

- Yin energy

Earth Path:

- Defense and stability

- Strength and endurance

- Balance of Yin and Yang

Wind Path:

- Speed and agility

- Freedom and unpredictability

- Yang energy with Yin aspects

Lightning Path:

- Speed and destructive power

- Heavenly authority

- Pure Yang energy

Kai opened his eyes. As much as I'd love to be a jack of all trades, that's not realistic in this world. Specialization is key.

He remembered the upcoming Azure Sky Sect recruitment. They specialize in wind and lightning techniques. If I want to catch the eye of a powerful master, I should align my talents with their focus.

Kai weighed the pros and cons of wind and lightning:

Wind: Pros:

* Enhanced speed and agility

* Versatile in both offense and defense

* Useful for information gathering (sound transmission)

Cons:

* Less raw destructive power

* Potentially less effective against certain elements

Lightning: Pros:

* Incredible speed and destructive force

* Associated with heavenly authority

* Potential for paralyzing effects

Cons:

* Less versatile than wind

* Higher risk of self-harm if not controlled properly

After careful consideration, Kai made his choice. Lightning it is. It's got speed and power, plus it's the element of heavenly tribulation. In a xianxia world, that's got to mean something. There's always some deeper dao philosophy at work.

Kai turned to Liu Wei and gestured towards the fruits. "You should choose first."

Liu Wei's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? But Master, surely you should-"

Kai shook his head. "I insist. Choose whichever fruit calls to you."

Liu Wei hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He approached the fruits cautiously, his eyes darting between them. Finally, he reached out and picked up the Fruit of Howling Wind.

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Kai nodded in approval. Good choice. It'll complement his stealthy fighting style.

Liu Wei stood there awkwardly, holding the fruit and looking unsure of what to do next.

Kai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Go ahead and eat it, Liu Wei."

"Oh! Right, of course." Liu Wei laughed nervously. He brought the large fruit to his mouth and took a big bite. His face contorted as he chewed, clearly struggling with the texture or taste.

It's like watching a kid eat vegetables for the first time, Kai thought, amused.

After what seemed like an eternity, Liu Wei finally managed to swallow the last bit of the fruit. As soon as he did, a soft green aura began to swirl around him. It grew in intensity, whipping his clothes and hair about as if he stood in the center of a miniature tornado. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the aura faded, sinking into Liu Wei's skin.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "How do you feel?"

Liu Wei blinked, looking down at his hands. "I... I'm not sure. Maybe a bit lighter? It's hard to describe."

Kai nodded, then focused on Liu Wei's stats:

Liu Wei

Level: Qi Refining Stage 3

Qi: 50/50

Strength: 20

Agility: 24

Endurance: 20

Intelligence: 13

Wisdom: 10

Loyalty: 65/100

Elemental Affinities:

· Wind: 20%

Skills:

* Basic Qi Gathering technique

* Stealth (Level 2)

* Lockpicking (Level 2)

* Dagger Proficiency (Level 2)

It really worked! A straight 20% boost to wind affinity. That's a significant advantage, Kai mused. Now it's my turn.

Kai approached the remaining fruits and picked up the Fruit of Blessed Lightning. He glanced at Liu Wei, who was still examining himself for any visible changes.

Time to show how it's done, Kai thought. He focused his qi, using his Qi Condensation skill to form a small, sharp blade. With quick, precise movements, he sliced the fruit into manageable pieces.

Liu Wei watched, his cheeks reddening slightly in embarrassment. "Oh. That... that does seem easier."

Kai smirked and popped a slice of the fruit into his mouth. Unlike Liu Wei, he chewed and swallowed without difficulty, quickly finishing the entire fruit.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a brilliant blue-white aura exploded around Kai. Arcs of electricity danced across his skin, and the air filled with the sharp scent of ozone. Kai's eyes blazed with inner light, small sparks jumping between his pupils.

As the lightning aura faded, Kai felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. He quickly checked his stats:

Name: Kai Thorn

XP: 0/2000

Level: 7

Qi: 200/200

Strength: 50

Agility: 53

Endurance: 51

Intelligence: 28

Wisdom: 27

Elemental Affinities:

· Lightning: 20%

Skills:

Qi Condensation (Level 3)

Basic Cultivation Technique (Level 3)

Unarmed Combat (Level 2)

Deception (Level 3)

Iron Skin (Level 2)

Swift Wind Step (Level 3)

Flame Palm Strike (Level 3)

Mental Fortitude (Passive)

Spirit Beast Communication (Level 1)

Qi Concealment (Level 1)

Qi Detection (Level 1)

As Kai processed the changes, a new system notification appeared:

Lightning Affinity Increased to 20%

Effect: You will learn lightning-related skills 20% faster, and all lightning skills will be 20% more effective.

Perfect, Kai grinned. This should give me an edge in cultivation and combat.

Suddenly, another system notification appeared:

Quest: Rescue the Spirit Shell Tortoise

Status: Complete

Secret Reward Received!

Kai's eyes widened in surprise. Wait, what? The fruit was the secret reward?

He furrowed his brow, a disturbing thought occurring to him. If the system expected me to be rewarded by the tree, then... doesn't that mean the system can think? Is it sapient?

A chill ran down Kai's spine as he considered the implications. He'd always assumed the system was just a set of rules and algorithms, but this suggested something more.

Hey, system, Kai thought deliberately, are you... alive?

He waited, heart pounding, but no response came. The system remained as silent and impassive as ever.

Come on, say something, Kai urged mentally. If you're sapient, now would be a great time to let me know.

Still nothing.

Kai frowned, a mix of disappointment and relief washing over him. Maybe I'm reading too much into this. It could just be a pre-programmed response based on likely outcomes.

But a nagging doubt remained in the back of his mind. The system's apparent foresight was uncanny, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than met the eye.

I'll have to keep a closer eye on these system messages, Kai decided. There might be more to this 'game' than I realized.

"The ability to condense qi…that's an interesting skill," the Ancient Spirit Tree said, drawing Kai’s attention back to the real world. "Where did you learn to do something like that?"

Kai knew lying to a Nascent Soul realm being would be futile and potentially fatal. He opted for a version of the truth. "I don’t know where I got this mark from, but whenever I channel qi through it," he said, showing the trident-like mark on his wrist, "I can condense qi into various forms."

The tree's aura shifted, and Kai felt a probing sensation on his wrist. Even though he wasn’t pleased by the rude action, he suppressed his discomfort, not wanting to offend the powerful being.

After a moment, the tree spoke again. "Curious. I sense nothing unique about the mark itself. You must have a strong background, young cultivator."

Kai shrugged, letting the tree draw its own conclusions. Better to let it think I'm from some mysterious powerful sect than try to explain the whole 'transported from another world' thing.

As the tree's attention lingered on him, Kai began to feel uncomfortable. He turned to Liu Wei. "We should get going. We've imposed on the honored spirit's hospitality long enough."

He bowed deeply to the Ancient Spirit Tree. "Thank you again for your generosity."

Before they could leave, however, Zhi-Zhi spoke up. "Mother, can I go with them? Please?"

The tree's aura flickered with concern. "My child, the outside world is dangerous. You are safe here."

"But Mother," Zhi-Zhi argued, his voice taking on a wheedling tone, "I can't stay protected here forever! How am I supposed to become a great and wise spirit beast if I never leave the forest?"

The tree's branches swayed, as if caught in an unseen wind. It was silent for a long moment before finally sighing. "Very well, my son. But you must be careful."

With another rustle of leaves, a single golden leaf floated down from the tree's branches. "Take this, Zhi-Zhi. It is a life-saving treasure that will protect you once against any danger at the Nascent Soul realm or below."

Zhi-Zhi's eyes lit up with excitement. He reached out to take the leaf, but the tree's voice stopped him.

"And do try not to lose it this time," the tree added, a hint of exasperation in its tone. "Unlike the Profound Wisdom Pearl you misplaced while 'meditating' by the river."

Zhi-Zhi's head retreated slightly into his shell. "That wasn't my fault! A fish jumped out of the water and startled me!"

Kai and Liu Wei exchanged glances, both suppressing smiles at the little tortoise’s response.

Zhi-Zhi quickly recovered from his embarrassment. He carefully took the golden leaf, examining it with wide eyes. Then, to Kai and Liu Wei's shock, he opened his mouth and swallowed it whole.

"Zhi-Zhi!" Kai exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

The little tortoise looked up at him, confusion evident in his eyes. "What? Oh! You don't know about my storage space, do you? I can store things inside my body. It's safer this way - I won't lose it!"

Kai nodded slowly, filing away this information for later. A living storage system. Even though I have my own inventory, that could still be incredibly useful.

The Ancient Spirit Tree's voice rang out one last time. "Young cultivator, please take care of my son. He can be a...handful."

"I understand," Kai said, bowing once more. "I'll do my best to keep him safe."

With that, the three of them set off, leaving the ancient tree behind. As they walked, Kai let out a long breath, feeling the tension leave his body.

Man, being in the presence of a Nascent Soul realm being is intense. It's like being a level 1 character standing next to a raid boss.

As they made their way through the forest, a notification popped up in Kai's vision:

New Quest Acquired: Tame the Spirit Beast

Objective: Gain Zhi-Zhi's trust and loyalty

Reward: ???

Let's hope the system actually gives out the reward this time, instead of piggybacking on someone else's generosity. I'd rather not have to rely on convenient coincidences every time I complete a quest.