17 A healing beauty?

Zhen Shi was completely entranced as he continued to stare at the skeletal planet within his dantian.

This was a process that was next to impossible! Creating something from nothing! Not a bit of his science and physical knowledge could help him make sense of this process that kicked the theory of conservation of energy in the balls...

As such, he decisively gave up on his prejudiced thoughts and observed the process from a fresh point of view.

Continuing to observe the growing planet, Zhen Shi got a vague feeling... A vague feeling that he had begun to comprehend the basic laws of what had taken place.

But, after a few more moments, Zhen Shi concluded that he would be unable to figure out anything else and gave up.

Nevertheless, his cultivation had risen to Core Formation Stage-4, greatly increasing his strength, speed, and usage of qi. Since this was the actual cultivation stage where one could use elemental energies, his elemental control should've increased by quite a bit as well.

Temporarily putting this matter aside, Zhen Shi focused his attention upon his body. Since the time he had realized that he hadn't died for a second time and had faced that overwhelming throb of memories, he had felt a warm energy pulsing through his body and rapidly healing his wounds. Even going so far as to heal all of his internal wounds! While he was still unable to use qi for a while, he was no longer in a critical state!

Although he had neglected it before, he now realized that someone had probably healed him!

Zhen Shi thought hopefully, 'Could it be that like a true hero, after being severely wounded, I was discovered by a beautiful maiden? Seeing my handsome visage, she must've instantly fallen in love and nursed me to good health!

Yes! That is the only possible explanation!'

????????????

At the same time, Zhen Shi's darkened vision cleared as he instantaneously gained back control of his body and came out of his internal world into the real world.

He could also feel that he was in the hands of the blurry figure. He could also feel soft and tender hands applying bandages on his wounds that were mostly healed and only gave a dull ache now and then.

Imagining the beauty that was treating him, Zhen Shi couldn't help but smile. Unable to wait any longer, he groggily opened his eyes unable to wait any longer.

And what awaited him was the 'beautiful, stunning and utterly-bewitching' face...

...of an old man. The old man was dressed in an old-fashioned black and white butler uniform. His face was full of wrinkles showcasing the wisdom he had obtained over the years, and his hair and beard were as white as snow.

Realizing that he had misunderstood the situation, Zhen Shi's eye twitched, ಠ_ಥ, as he complained mentally, \"FUCK! System where's my promised beauty? I don't want to make love to a wrinkled old butler!

And how are their butler's anyway? Wasn't this supposed to be a world based on easter martial arts, where everyone wears Taoist robes?\"

System: \"...\"

However, regardless of how much he ranted mentally, Zhen Shi dared not complain to the old man holding him. After all, no matter what, this old man must've played a role in healing him.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the aether around the old man showing his strength to be at, 'Soul Transformation- Pinnacle!'

Besides, Zhen Shi had a personal golden rule, 'Never mess with old-men, especially those with hidden expert vibes!'

Unaware of his patient's thoughts, the old man calmly raised his head and smiled at Zhen Shi. Nevertheless, he lowered his head and once more continued to wrap the fresh bandages, while Zhen Shi looked on.

Moments later, the old man finished wrapping up the bandages, stood up straight and spoke in a wizened voice, \"Young man, care to tell me how you ended up in the young lady's room? Suddenly appearing while heavily injured and on the verge of death? Even if you had entered the city with such grievous injuries, it is impossible to directly transport here bypassing the mansion formations. So care to tell me how you managed this?\"

The moment the old man had begun to speak, Zhen Shi's mind worked rapidly to make up a suitable cover story. A good lie shouldn't be too far from the truth... As such he spoke out calmly, \"Well... it's a long story...\"

Seeing that the old man was waiting expectantly, Zhen Shi continued, \"I was out hunting in the forest when I accidentally stumbled upon some strange ruins. But before I could explore it, I was suddenly attacked by a law-tier beast!

The Beast's attack happened to rip apart space, and deciding to leave things to fate instead of facing sure death, I jumped into the spatial tear.\"

Zhen Shi finished with a pleased smile, \"And it looks like my gamble paid off.!\"

The old man paused in thought for a moment and asked carefully, \"I'm sure that you are aware that surviving through turbulent space is impossible for non-sovereigns. So how did you?\"

Zhen Shi thought quickly, 'I know how I survived... It's due to the primordial chaos base. But I can't say that... Might as well feign ignorance and hope this old man takes the bait...\"

As such, he frowned and replied, \"I'm not too sure... Perhaps I was lucky?\"

The old man paused in thought again and replied, \"Luck didn't save the countless poor idiots that were ripped apart by turbulent spatial chaos before you. Maybe the space within the region of those strange ruins is exceptionally stable and saved you. There are some unique magical enchantments... Where were these ruins?\"

'Yes! The old man took the bait and blamed it all on the 'strange ruins'! As for the next question, since I have no idea where I am right now, might as well mention a real place from my fragmented memories...'

Thinking so, Zhen Shi answered thoughtfully, \"It was within the Berthlien forest close to Hubei city, which is close to where I'm from.\"

He wasn't lying, the Zhen mountain range was very close to this Hubei city...

The Old man nodded while in thought, \"The Berthelien Forest is the largest forest in the Central Plains, separating the plain into two roughly equal parts...

Its southern edge is close by, while the edge closer to your Hubei city is also within the southern edge, but still roughly around 100,000 km straight through the forest!

This means that you've been transported through such a great distance! You're a long way from home, young man!\"

Zhen Shi fell into thought, \"In that case, I must've initially been pretty close to this place... After all, I was nowhere near that Hubei city...\"

Ignorant of Zhen Shi's thoughts, the old man continued, \"And there are indeed rumors of ruins within the forest closer to the Zhen Clan, but they are under their guard along with hordes of demonic beasts... How the hell did you end up there?\"

Zhen Shi was flabbergasted, 'There were actual ruins there? Damn! And it's common knowledge? How unlucky...'

Nevertheless, he shrugged innocently and replied, \"I have no idea. Maybe I was lucky?\"

The old man seemed to accept this and smiled as if he was satisfied with Zhen Shi's answers.

While Zhen Shi heaved a sigh of relief at successfully tricking the old man, the old man continued with a bright smile, \"Either way, you sure did give our young lady a startling surprise.

Oh! And you have to thank her for healing you! I doubt you could've survived those wounds if you had ended anywhere else within the Lyonesse Kingdom. Our young lady was blessed at birth by goddess Eir of the Heaven palace, granting her unparalleled healing prowess!

While I usually consider forces such as luck with a grain of salt, if you had ended anywhere else, your death is pretty much certain! And yet you ended up within the bedroom of the only person with the capability to save you! It's almost as if you're blessed by the gods and have someone watching over you!\"

Zhen Shi had already pinned the coincidences that led to him surviving on the mysterious system. As such, he ignored that part and focused on this 'young lady' and thought, 'Oh well! I was right in the end! It WAS a beauty that healed me!\"

The old man shook his head with an ignorant smile and continued, \"Even so, I'm sure it was only a coincidence. And I suppose this old butler should leave you to your recovery.\"

And as if to reassure Zhen Shi, \"Don't worry. Our Lord, Count Brishman is well known for being kind-hearted. He is already aware of this matter, and you should be safe here.\"

Saying so, the old man turned around and took a step to leave...

However, Zhen Shi looked down at his body and noticed that besides his bandages he was wearing only a pair of black pants. As such he spoke out with a tinge of worry and shame, \"Old man, what did you do with-- No, I mean-- Was there a piece of cloth on my person?\"

The old man paused and frowned in thought, 'A piece of cloth? The only thing on this child's body besides blood was that...'

Immediately, the old man began to laugh out loud!

Wiping tears of laughter off of his eyes, \"Young man, do you mean that filthy loincloth? I suppose it must have,\" the old man paused as he struggled to find the right words, \"sentimental value to you? Thank god we didn't throw it away since it was your only belonging. It's probably been washed by now... But don't worry, I'll have the maids return it to you!\"

Zhen Shi began to weep mentally, 'Noo! My 10x action and reaction speed cheat! Washed just like that!\"

He stared on with dead eyes, ರ_ರ. Almost as if his soul was on it's way to the afterlife, while his dreams of utterly shattering people with his godly speed collapsed all around him.

'Even if it was shameless, power is power! But now... Alas!'

While Zhen Shi continued to lament the death of his cheat, the old man turned around and asked, \"Oh yes, young man, I didn't quite catch your name?\"

Zhen Shi spoke thoughtlessly with his mind still on the tragic loss, \"Zhen Shi.\"

\"Zhen?\" A look of worry arose in the old man's face. But he quickly returned to normal with a shake of his head and left quietly, with the door closing behind him.

Now left alone in the room, Zhen Shi spent a few more minutes wallowing in sorrow before he put that matter aside and thought mentally, \"Status!\"

He could sense that he was currently unable to utilize his cultivation and was rather worried...

User: Zhen Shi

Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage 4(Currently Injured and Recuperating)

Cultivation energy: Unreachable

Race: Probably Human

Cultivation Path: Base-

Skills: [Draconic Wind Steps(Movement Technique)-First Step-Minor comprehension] II II [Unarmed Water Style(Martial Art)-Initiate] II II

Exp points: 400/20,000

OP(Otaku Points): 45

-Fake Tarzan ([Bestial Instincts]-Permanent 2x action and reaction speed increase)

Zhen Shi almost puked blood at the insulting status, but deciding to be the bigger person, he remained silent.

But the main reason for being silent was because he was slightly confused. 'When did reach almost completion of Grade 2? Based on my understanding, it shouldn't have improved this much!

Wait... could it be that while my clothes were being changed, the skill was activated automatically? SHIT! Was it that old man? Was that why he was smiling so much?'

Zhen Shi shook his head, 'No! No! It was the young lady who healed me. It has to be her. Or at least some maid...' and consoled himself as such.

Looking for a distraction, Zhen Shi was reminded of his unopened chests.

As such, he thought out, \"System show me the available chests.\"

Ding!

A small box with 5 squared opened up in front of him. One was a special unlocked chest and another was a Greater Random Loot Chest.

Zhen Shi raised an eyebrow at the fact that the locked chest was unlocked now. Nevertheless, he calmly thought of opening them.

Ding!

Greater Random Loot Chest opened! Set of 4 Law Tier Grade-9 Arachnid corpses corresponding to the 4 elements!

'Eh? Not one dead spider, but four of them? And for the four elements...? Most importantly, they are grade 9 Law tier! These spider corpses are now the most powerful items I own! Such a valuable reward must've been given since I skipped nearly 4 cultivation stages to kill that Ammit-Xue Yuegui! Does this mean that the rewards would be greater if the opponent is of a much higher level than me?'

Ding!

Special Unlocked Chest opened!

Ding!

Congratulations to the user for gaining the unique skill !

Material based Transformation Skill: [Upgradeable. Currently consists of two of the four auspicious beasts; the Azure Dragon of the East and the Vermillion Bird of the South. Through the integration of one true azure dragon scale, and one true vermillion bird feather, the user will be able to gain power on par with pure-blooded demonic beasts!

The Azure Dragon will grant ferocious attack power, clawed attacks, a draconic tail, and scaled defense. The Vermillion Beast will grant great agility, and control over a speck of regenerative Vermillion flame. To upgrade, it is necessary to discover materials related to the other two auspicious beasts.

Possible Side-effect: Overexerting the skill to gain greater power while the user is still weak might cause a bestial bloodlust...]

Seeing this next to overpowered skill, even considering the side-effect, Zhen Shi was extremely excited!

But he couldn't help but feel that something was off... As such, he fell into deep thought until he finally realized the matter!

\"System... Ignoring the first power-up bag, so far I have been granted Loot Chests and Skill Chests for each kill of a cultivator at a particular cultivation level and also for reaching a new stage.

So why have I not received another chest for reaching the Core Formation stage, and only have the unlocked chest that I got for reaching foundation establishment?\"

System: \"...\"