After the two men from Xusu Pavilion was utterly defeated by Yang and then left, Yang continued his cultivation.
While he was cultivating, he found himself in a black, void world in which he was floating. He was looking around and couldn't see anything except one thing. That very thing was a blue skeleton sitting in front of him just like he was.
Yang: What the hell is this?
Yang wanted to stand up, but he couldn't move, and the skeleton in front of him changed. The skeleton was staring at him, and in its eye sockets, two blue eyes appeared and said eyes were staring at Yang. As the skeleton gazed upon him, Yang felt terrified and wanted to speak up, but something grabbed his shoulder.
Yang looked at his touched shoulder, and he found himself outside of that nightmare. He was back in his territory, and it was already morning. The thing he left touching his shoulder was nothing more than a simple leaf.
Yang: What the actual fucking hell was that? Was that the same thing that is inside me? Wait... did I just make another breakthrough while I was experiencing that illusion?!
Yang stood up and dusted himself, then he walked to his house and entered. The first thing he could see was Mig as she was trying to start a fire in the furnace. Then he noticed that the books were placed on the ground in order; each of them was closed except the one that the sect master gave him. That one was opened, but he couldn't see it for the text which was previously above it, was now fully covering the whole book: "Required Foundation Conception 3".
Yang: It seems I have reached that 500 strength if that is what it means.
Mig: I am sorry, Yang... Yesterday evening I was so focused on trying to cultivate I forgot about the fire.
Yang looked back at Mig, and he was a bit surprised because her text changed: "Injured 23 ".
Yang: It's not a problem, but it seems both of us managed to breakthrough.
Mig: Congratulation, Yang... wait, how did you know I made a breakthrough as well?
Yang: That is my secret.
Yang walked over to the mirror, which was next to the books, and he looked inside to check his text. His text did change just as he anticipated: "Uncultured 506".
Yang: So I barely went beyond 500, and the only thing left for me to do is reach that required level to see what is in that book. But from yesterdays events, I can see that this world has people who can not accept their failures. It is similar to one of the novels that I have heard of... The MC is always looked down on by others... Since, presumably, I am the MC here, I must get ready because I will definitely see Xiu's face at least once, but when that time comes, he will have an even more powerful backer than that "diamondless" brother of his.
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Yang decided that they would only focus on cultivation for a few days, and he wanted to read the book given by the sect master the day before he would come back to ask Yang to join his sect. The days went by quickly, and both of them improved quite a lot. They only stopped for a few hours a day to tend to their basic needs; they barely even slept because they got insignificantly tired every day.
The weather changed drastically, and it started to snow, so they left the corpses outside in the snow so that it would not rot that fast, but it also meant that the furnace needed to be filled with wood constantly if they didn't want to catch a cold.
They soon burned through their stockpile of wood, so Yang had no other choice but to go out and cut down a few trees, which were later chopped up. Unfortunately, as days went by, the weather got worse and worse, and the height of the snow outside also grew with each day.
After four days of intense cultivation, the two of them reached Foundation Conception 3. Yang decided that it was time to read that martial art manual as well. He memorized its content in an instant, but he didn't want to test it yet.
Yang: Over these four days, I didn't go into that strange black realm with that skeleton. Was that only a nightmare? But that felt too real back then. Also, I think Mig is progressing faster than me; she must have a greater understanding than I have since I am new to this stuff.
Yang picked up the fourth book, and he couldn't see that text now, so he was about to open it, but Mig stopped him.
Mig: Yang, can I ask what you are going to write?
Yang: Write?
Mig: Yes, why would you pick up that empty manual?
Yang: Empty?!
Yang opened it quickly and looked inside, and just as Mig said, it had no content; however, there was something Mig didn't see, or rather couldn't see. Yang could see a text above the first page:
"Welcome "player" Yang, You have been pre-chosen to participate in our game! Or should I say Pre-created? Since you came from a different world, I will have to tell you a few things. First of all, you must complete the quest assigned to you. Should you fail the quests, an adequate punishment shall be issued. Secondly, there are holes in space; people may refer to it as dimensional break or other strange names; you might be familiar with another term, "Dungeons". There are some which YOU must conquer to advance. Finally, a dungeon will be opened soon near your house, and your quest is to conquer it! Good luck, "player" Yang."
Yang: What kind of manic bastard would create such a fucking thing???!!!
???: Manic? Bastard? I don't know... I don't think any of them are true when it comes to me!
Mig: Whose there?
Yang: What the?!
Yang turned around in a hurry, and he noticed a young lady sitting on the pile of dried grass. The girl was well built and greatly tanned, and she was wearing a revealing bikini; she also had a sunglass on.
???: Don't you think that you are not being watched. I have been assigned to observe you
Yang. Just who...
???: Silence!
Yang felt a sudden and powerful push, and he was pushed down to the ground. Mig instantly dashed at the intruder and smashed her in the face, but she didn't even care about being punched; only her sunglass broke. Yang forced looked up into her face, and he was shocked. The girl had no human eyes; it was more like a spider's eye.
???: Heed my word Yang for you are the luckiest "player". Failing the quests will cause pain worse than death or even hell.
The girl stood up and walked over to Yang, who started sweating. The girl lifted Yang up, who was still immobilized, and she stared into Yang's eye.
???: I am the messenger of beings of higher dimensions Yang!
The girl licked Yang's face, which increased his uneasiness because the girl had a very long and sharp tongue, which slightly cut Yang's face. His blood was flowing down on his cheek. The girl smiled and cleaned licked Yang once again.
Maid: I, as the maid of those beings, have warned you, Yang!
The girl let go of Yang then instantly vanished. Yang fell, but he could stand up finally; also, his injury faded as well.