Substance List

Ying peered at his new status screen. The changes filling him with wondrous feelings of joy and excitement.

That's strange. Did the translucent screen always look so... so, beautiful?

Perhaps, but he also noticed one other unique detail.

'Those words…'

The words 'Bad', 'Neutral' and 'Good' were highlighted in the different colours red, blue and green respectively.

Thinking about it, the colours did actually resonate with the type of vibe each of the constituents gave off, but he doubted that the system would be so vain.

After all, this was the most realistic game of all time, wasn't it?

'I doubt the colour scheme is purely coincidental, they must carry SOME sort of significance….' Ying surmised as he pondered his Physique's description ever so pensively.

Indeed, Ying was absolutely cheery about his latent awakening, but if this so called Physique had potential, then that indirectly meant there was a need for culmination.

And not having any source material for this kind of thing, yet, he had to resort to using his own judgement. But as if to top it all off in grand style, one final set of notifications arrived, delayed as it was.

Ding!

[Your Physique has triggered a unique feature!]

[You have awakened 'Substance list'!]

[Would you like to see the Substance list: Y/N?]

'H-huh...?'

At first, Ying was thrown for a loop. Completely unaware of how to respond, but he soon recovered from the momentary lag in thinking.

'Yes! Of course!' It was a no brainer question.

Following his response, a list of items right appeared before Ying's eyes. The list was absurdly long and showed what he assumed to be the ingredients of all the things he had just ate.

He noticed that most of them were highlighted in the 'neutral' blue colour, and only a small few were highlighted in faded green, but not a single one gleamed even the tiniest hints of crimson.

Ying nodded his head as he quickly correlated it with the unassuming colour scheme, thinking it only natural for a family like such to eat only such healthy ingredients.

But there was more.

Apparently, the 'Neutral' Constituents gave around 1 to 5 Qi per unit, while the 'Good' ones gave between 10 and 25 Qi per unit. He suddenly felt put off at how cheap the spread truly was.

'Hey, can't y'all spare me any of the really good stuff, eh? Huh, I guess that's as much as I get, being a guest and all,' Ying surmised.

The thought was discourteous. But he couldn't help it, being as unenlightened as he was on the existence of foods that actually provided Qi benefits as well as their real value…

'The food was tasty, but there are better,' Ying couldn't help but salivate as he thought of what would happen if he ate a meal with nothing but 'Good' food.

'Kukukuku~~ Looks like my plans to be a rich and powerful Lord are not out the window just yet.'

While Ying revelled in the throes of his new found ability, as well as the doors it would open for him, the sudden sound of Jiang Chu's voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"Brother Ying?" He called.

The words he spoke next could never have been expected.

"Alright...um. Since we are done eating, may I ask brother for something?" The brown haired youth said to Ying, immediately garnering his attention.

Ying couldn't quite say why, but he had a bad feeling about all of this.

'What does he want?' Ying thought in slight annoyance, he did not seem to like being interrupted from moments like these which, if I might add, came quite rarely in his life. But it might be an opportunity, so Ying nodded in affirmation all the same.

Thud!

A loud thud echoed across the room as Jiang Chu whacked his head against the wooden floor in a kowtow… again.

'Is this some sort of kink of his or something?' Ying wondered.

"In the earlier fight… I think... no... I am certain that I only witnessed merely a fraction of Brother's true power! But for some reason, my gut tells me that I am in a higher Cultivation level than Brother, so if it is alright by you, can we perhaps… spar?" Jiang Chu asked with an honest to god expression

But that didn't stop his words from causing the entire room to erupt with shocked gasps.

Duels and challenges were not rare at all in a world like this, but they could have never expected one so blatant. It sounded more like a taunt, really, than a challenge.

"…"

'What the hell?!'

Ying was also surprised at Jiang Chu's bluntness.

Granted, the only reason why he had prevailed against those bullies from earlier was due to the element of surprise, Ying's calm and calculative nature as well as a whole lot of luck… But still.

Ying expected to have left a significantly fearful impression on the latter, one that should have been enough to utterly deter him from acts such as this one.

'… Could it be? Is this guy just a battle junkie? Well, sucks to be you because I don't have any reservations whatsoever for people like that!' Ying concluded, ready to tuen down the offer, when—

A sudden expression of realization appeared on Jiang Chu's face. As though he had just remembered something important.

"Um, of course, I will make it worth your while. If you fight me, whether you win or lose, I will give you my most prized possessio—" Jiang Chu spoke, but was quickly cut off by a flustered Xian Shan.

"No! Jiang Chu, don't do it!"

She warned sternly, but after about a moment of internal deliberation, Jiang Chu simply replied by nodding at her reassuringly. Whatever this treasure might be, it seemed to be of considerable notoriety…

Ying wanted it.

Seeing that there was no dissuading the brown haired youth from making what she believed to be the greatest mistake of his life, Xian Shan recoiled and lowered her head.

'I wish I could properly convince her, but this will have to do for now. I trust my gut. And I don't know why, but it's telling me that I'm stronger than Brother Ying... on second thought, this might a little bit disadvantageous for me.'

Jiang Chu deliberated, then after articulating a fresh premise, spoke again.

"…ah, brother. As I am sure you can understand I cannot let go of such a treasure so easily," He started, scratching his head awkwardly. "So if may, I propose a change of terms. If I lose to you in our spar, I will offer you my greatest treasure… And no, it's not Xian Shan, but what I believe to be a suitable compensation for the trouble I'll cause you... If you win of course."

As soon as Jiang Chu finished speaking, a system prompt arrived—in a manner reminiscent to clockwork.

[You have been issued a Quest!]

[

Type: Sub – Optional

Difficulty: Body Tempering Stage—Third Realm

Description: The disciple, Jiang Chu has challenged you to a fight. Contest him and prove your strength!

Reward: Jiang Chu's 'Treasure'

]

[Do you accept the Quest? Y/N]

'Hmmm, interesting...' Ying stroked his chin, a single eyebrow raised as he read through the panel.

As the system would have it, it turns out that there were different types of quests. And depending on the type, a Player may be afforded the opportunity to accept or decline said mission.

The only constant in the quests Ying had received thus far was that an NPC had always been involved.

Perhaps it was some sort of prerequisite? Ying didn't know. Not yet, at least.

As soon as Ying finished reading through the panels, an inexplicable grin tugged at his lips.

'Now you are speaking my language.' He thought, before slowly conjuring his words. Projecting them with an insufferably devious tone, and an even more treacherous facial expression...

"But of course. Anything for a brother, right?"