1.2

'Hmm....first of all was that an actual dream or was it real?', Ling Gaofeng pondered before finally getting out of the bed.

The dream felt real, unlike to lucid dream that could only be described as vague even though it has the characteristics that can be considered real it is still comparable and easy to identify. When their lips met, Ling Gaofeng felt a burning sensation inside of him. It surprised him about the actions of the other man, his mind was shallow and constricted with wanton thoughts kept surging.

Ling Gaofeng stood and dressed himself up, currently he still have 15 days before the annual examination of Peak adepts, he'll need a lot of preparations for it in order to escape from the terrible end of his character.

If ever he met the protagonist he was sure that he'll have to keep his eyes open for possibilities that the young man would sense him as a threat or worse way possible. He turned his head to his sides, an old oak with it's branches gnarled in a twisted way time could only bend. The sun casted rays of golden hues through the open windows sending light and heat from the soaring sun.

He stretched for the last time before turning his head towards the door, sliding it open to his right and closed it without any noise. He could feel strange presence nearby, he'll need to be alert now especially after the incident or the dream he initially thought.

Ling Gaofeng thought he could live at peace notwithstanding the waves of threats lurking beneath the surface of his so called home. Lengge on the other hand woke up feeling refreshed, the young man blinked multiple times as he scanned his surrounding taking notes of the inanimate objects in his house.

Lengge felt something was off, and what's worse than that he couldn't remember the nightmare he sighted. When everything was about to end up into bloodshed his vision fell pitch black, he could hear soft whispering of someone familiar yet couldn't recognize whose voice it was.

[System: Warning!! Error occurred!]

....

The original Jin Xin already reached Transcendent but in his condition he was stuck in Core foundation. He'll need to cultivate and engage in different meditations in order to reach that level Jin Xin managed to. Even if he once killed a large beast, the odds are still spinning he won't be able to kill a strong enemy.

The first day went well, Ling Gaofeng lost himself in his own thoughts. He felt terrified every time he remembers there will be no more chances for him to live, he kind of regretted giving Wugu Li to Madam Wugu rather than keeping the small frail baby.

"It's cold, the winter war would broke later on mid November...", Ling Gaofeng muttered, his head low and a hand on his hips. His lips pursed, and forehead crinkled at the thought of the war. It was a bloody month, he knew it was fictional and only happened in the book yet it was now his reality. Forced to experience the traumas each character had faced, he never wanted it in the first place, if only he knew the odds in his path he would have killed himself in the first place.

" System can i kill myself?",

[System: Alert! Player 00012499 is restricted with sudden and abrupt actions that is against the rules of this world.]

"So i lack the ability to decide what to do with myself??"

"... System???.... you're such a ghoster"

The silence fell against Ling Gaofeng's ears, he couldn't believe his luck, to be true he knew he'll die in the end yet he just wants to see how the world will spin under his hands. He's already lucky to see the day before his eyes completely shut down.

He's not a good guy in his previous life, he was unruly and he knew it all too well. He was the kind of person to jump on people with no reasons at all, he felt like his life was empty and boring.

Yet when he reached adulthood, reality slapped his face hard. He can't live like an enthusiastic, hard headed, and foul mouthed bull in the streets if he wants to make a living.

He studied hard to pass his exams, he wanted his parents to feel pride for him someday and that day will never come as he knew it.

In this new life, Ling Gaofeng was anxious about death. He'd kill himself in the most peaceful way rather than die in the most painful way without any justice preserved just for him, who'll fight for him anyway? who'll bury him in this life when no one knows him? who will mourn over his grave?. Ling Gaofeng felt sick just thinking about it, he wanted a happy ending too, he doesn't want to be selfish but he can't help it, he was born to survive not for the others but for himself.

"....WAIT- why am i thinking about such things!? get it together Ling"

Ling Gaofeng took another step and halted in his tracks, closing his eyes and dissolving into a clear liquid slowly absorbed by the ground beneath his liquid body. He materializes in front of the gate of Emei Snow Mountain, he'll need to take notes of the doing of master Bai, and there he dissolved into liquid once again.

Ling Gaofeng followed the tunnel connected to the palace of Emei snow mountain. The place were advance than any other peaks, a village—like for those Peak adepts to stay in while waiting for the lists of official participants.

Emei Snow Mountain has high standards, they often take care of noble Peak adepts and natural talents of those adepts. Rumors also spread around, that Emei Snow Mountain are in charge of taking demon—blooded disciples.

Careless gossips of pros and cons swirled into Ling Gaofeng's ears. The commotion of both sides amongst the participants have caused havoc in his way, parting to another different route. He made way through the tubes and ended up in the vast land where the groundskeeper are doing their tasks. He swam around taking notes of the intricate carvings on the walls, 'walls!?'.

Ling Gaofeng halted and analyzed the wall, it was nearly as high as a sky. The walls were just as tall as the gates of the mountain, no one noticed it—even the other peaks were unknown to the plans of the mountain.

Ling Gaofeng's body slowly materialized, his senses finally became normal.

"What the-", a stench of rusting iron came into his nostrils, the pungent smell was everywhere. He was far from the palace and the village, when Ling Gaofeng took steps the pungent smell became stronger.

His hand rested on the rough texture of the wall, the green moist mosses kissed the skin of his fingers.

Ling Gaofeng slowly stared up, his eyes unblinking.

"!???", His face rapidly became distorted, wrinkled forehead and crinkled nose. His eyes was locked on the multiple crimson liquid leaking on the upper part of the wall, Ling Gaofeng feared it was blood. It seemed fresh, and the pungent smell indeed came from the wall.

The mystified wall became the main focus of Ling Gaofeng, he noticed the weird signs carved on the wall it was incomprehensible and he was unable to decipher it's meaning.

"I have so many questions...why is there blood leaking down, and the smell i don't think I'll be able to handle it", Ling Gaofeng dissolved once again, he pooled down and swam back to the village.

It was eerily silent and the participants must have been tired of their blabbering. Ling Gaofeng waited for seconds, assessing the place and committing it to his memory.

A loud bang echoed through the area, Ling Gaofeng noticed a caravan on its way to the palace's head temple. The guards alerted everyone to stay out of the unknown caravan's way, The eunuchs have also carried their task inside the palace locking both of the doors.

The guards had to deal with the participants' carelessness and locked them up to their rooms. The stench smell of combined blood and soil spreads, the caravan stopped in it's tracks and the driver jumped out of the vehicle.

Ling Gaofeng pooled to the caravan's wheels, peeking at the holes of the vehicle. He catch a glimpse of skin inside, he took a sniff and immediately regretted it. Ling Gaofeng hurried his way out of the mountain, he couldn't contain himself from the information he sealed in his thoughts, he might get caught if his qi suddenly drops and accidentally expose himself.

The wind blows cold, and the branches of the trees sways gently and hypnotizing. The woods were filled with mystery and danger, you might find a demon or a creature you thought were just a myth yet inside this book everything is possible and anything isn't a coincidence.

Ling Gaofeng measured his qi, he blinked in surprise to see that his qi haven't dwindle in half. He took a minute to rest, his mind was a mess at the moment.

He was staring blankly at the sky when his eyes fell onto something, 'a beetle??' he thought to himself. He took the poor insect into his palm and gently caressed the back of the insect, the beetle reminds him of the one that Lengge gave him.

"ah right!, i still have it", he pulled a small clothe from his sleeves and unwrapped the clothes revealing the small golden beetle, he thought the golden beetle was an actual insect, the size of the two were comparable the gold one weighs lighter while the other weighs heavy and breathing.

He analyzed the interaction between the two, he noticed how the insect seemed to distance itself from the golden beetle. Ling Gaofeng pushed the insect with his finger towards the golden beetle which caused the poor insect to stumble upside down. Ling Gaofeng sighed heavily, he gained his composure once more and connected the dots around the back of his head.

The blood from the walls, and the strange caravan might have been a part of the Emei Snow Mountain's plan. Like in the original book, the great wall of Emei Snow Mountain will eventually fall and expose their crimes whereas they use their own people's flesh and bones to strengthen their defense mechanism—the wall.

From children to adults, it was a disgusting and brutal way to die, if not by the hands of the enemies but to the hands of your own leaders.

Most of their victims were from their people, enemies, and outsiders who have caught Emei's illegal doings. What was even more gruesome is that they'll burry you between thick layers of the wall to hide any concrete evidence that can be used against them.

Ling Gaofeng almost forgot about the side stories from the book, he knew he's missing a lot of what's happening.

"Hey System, would you mind if i take a look at the shop centre?"

[System: ◌]

Black mist coulded Ling Gaofeng's vision, slowly a dark-violet tab popped up before him.

[System: Available items includes: Talisman, Ocean's key, siren's scale, common bamboo flute, jade bowl, and Phoenix hairpin]

"Is that all???", Ling Gaofeng scratched the back of his head and reads the description given from each items.

He crunched his nose, none of the items given were useful in his situation. Ling Gaofeng took another gaze at the items and proceeded to buy common bamboo flute.

[System: Purchased, common bamboo flute]

"I missed playing flute...now how do i play this again it's been so long since i've got my hand on this instrument"

"You know how to play flute shizun?"

"Huh"