Talent System

“What can we do? Since we’re here, we must make the best of it,” Ye Qingyun said, offering comfort. “All we can do is cultivate diligently, live comfortably in this game, and leave the rest to fate.”

Mo Qinyin sensed the helplessness in Ye Qingyun’s voice. She, too, felt a profound sense of resignation, knowing they weren’t the only ones in this predicament.

Ye Qingyun and Mo Qinyin had been getting along quite harmoniously. Having shown none of the typical male eccentricities, it was incredibly difficult for Mo Qinyin to reconcile that this outwardly alluring and somewhat sinister woman was, in reality, a man playing a female character.

Having spent so much time in Sweetwater Lane and interacting with countless women, Ye Qingyun now faced other females with remarkable composure. This was an intangible transformation; though he refused to admit he had become a woman, he had to acknowledge his current female character and adapt to it.

“But everyone says cultivators of the evil path are utterly ruthless,” Mo Qinyin stammered, her voice trembling. “I’ve heard they like to use female disciples as cultivation cauldrons. I’ve been so scared lately, terrified of being captured by those fiends and used for their practice.”

Ye Qingyun was familiar with the concept of a ‘cauldron,’ but in truth, it wasn’t quite as terrifying as Mo Qinyin made it out to be.

Not just any woman could serve as a cauldron. While the evil path certainly possessed cultivation methods for forcibly seizing a woman’s primordial yin, the righteous path also had similar techniques, though theirs were far more subtle.

These types of techniques were known as dual cultivation methods. They benefited both men and women and were commonly practiced by those with partners.

“Don’t worry,” Ye Qingyun reassured her once more. “If the Five Poisons Sect truly had designs on us, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

Yet, as Ye Qingyun spoke, Mo Qinyin suddenly threw her arms around him, burying her face in Ye Qingyun’s embrace and bursting into tears. It was so abrupt that it left Ye Qingyun flustered and awkward.

“But I’m still so scared,” Mo Qinyin sobbed. “I don’t even know if this is just a game anymore.”

Women, when truly frightened, often succumbed to such emotional breakdowns. These were thoughts she couldn’t casually share with others, and having finally met another player, her worries could no longer be contained.

Ye Qingyun felt intensely awkward, unsure where to place his hands. He dared not embrace the girl, for despite both inhabiting female bodies, and despite having seen all there was to see of his own, this was different.

“Qinyin, calm down,” Ye Qingyun could only offer repeated reassurances. “I truly believe things won’t devolve to a dead end.”

Hearing this, Mo Qinyin only cried harder. All she truly wanted was someone to confide in, someone to release her pent-up emotions to.

Mo Qinyin wept for approximately ten minutes, after which the oppressive negative energy within her gradually receded, finally having been largely released.

“Thank you, Sister, for listening to me,” Mo Qinyin said, wiping away her tears before looking at Ye Qingyun with a smile. “I feel much better now. You’re right, what else can be done when things are already like this?”

Ye Qingyun nodded faintly.

A few days later, a group of women, clad in black attire and veiled, appeared in The Capital. Led by a former elder of the Phoenix Immortal Sect, these were, naturally, members of the Five Poisons Sect. They had come to The Capital to procure supplies.

Sheling and Ziling were among them, also dressed in the robes of Phoenix Immortal Sect disciples. Their purpose for this visit was reconnaissance; as The Capital was the closest to their Five Poisons Sect, they naturally needed to gather information.

Yet, the evil path remained the evil path. Even adorned in the attire of righteous disciples, they appeared distinctly odd. It was a matter of inherent temperament; prolonged exposure to their original lifestyle meant a sudden change in dress and image looked incongruous. Ordinary people could only sense an unsettling, almost demonic aura emanating from some of these women.

“Lady Ziling, this is The Capital,” the female elder explained. “If we wish to expand, we must secure this location. However, we must also exercise caution here, lest the imperial court detect our presence.”

Ziling nodded. They were, of course, aware of this. However, given their significant loss of strength, it would be unwise to directly confront major powers, let alone the imperial court itself.

“Understood,” Ziling affirmed. “Once the Five Poisons Sect is operational, this will be our first area of expansion.”

The Five Poisons Sect had originally been located in Xichuan Commandery of the Song Kingdom, a wild and untamed region where the imperial court’s control was weak. This place, however, was entirely different; directly under the Emperor’s gaze, they dared not act too brazenly.

“Indeed, this will require a gradual approach,” the female elder began. “My personal suggestion is for our Five Poisons Sect to first adapt to the local environment, then slowly implement changes. This should prove much more effective and beneficial for our future proselytization.”

Neither Sheling nor Ziling spoke. They understood the elder’s meaning, but such matters were not yet ripe for discussion.

On this trip, they purchased a substantial quantity of daily necessities to furnish and adorn the Five Poisons Sect’s premises.

Within the Five Poisons Sect, a period of calm had now settled. All newly inducted disciples had commenced their cultivation, resulting in fewer people moving about the sect grounds.

The Five Poisons Heart Technique was the most fundamental internal cultivation method of the Five Poisons Sect. The true qi cultivated through it carried various toxins.

Ye Qingyun’s cultivation progressed smoothly. Soon, a sinister aura emanated from his body, eventually coalescing behind him into a black-purple serpentine spirit—this was his Serpent Soul.

“Done,” Ye Qingyun murmured, slowly opening his eyes. ‘The Serpent Soul has successfully condensed.’

Upon successfully cultivating the Five Poisons Heart Technique, Ye Qingyun’s character data transformed once more. The newly added information was displayed by the attribute data system.

Name: Ye Qingyun

Faction: Evil Path

Age: 19

Realm: Proficient

Attributes (Five Poisons Heart Technique): Strength 35, Agility 40, Physique 25, Internal Energy 28, True Qi 23

Sect: Five Poisons Sect

Identity: Five Poisons Sect Junior Disciple

Equipment: Five Poisons Robe (Identity Set), Rose Dancer’s Garb (Lifestyle Set)

Cultivation Methods: Five Poisons Heart Technique (6th Layer), Creation Art (15th Layer), Seven Emotions and Six Desires Art (4 incomplete scrolls)

Special Talent: Bloodspirit Demonic Eyes

Skills: Basic Swordsmanship (Martial), Five Poisons Palm (Martial), Viper Palm (Martial), Charm (Pupil Technique)

Wealth: 230 Gold, 980 Silver, 550 Copper.

‘Strength and Agility are the highest?’ Ye Qingyun mused inwardly. ‘Heh, so the Five Poisons Heart Technique primarily follows an external cultivation path.’

Having cultivated the Five Poisons Heart Technique for some time, his strength had already ascended to a new level.

With the attribute increases, Ye Qingyun could distinctly feel his power had surged significantly, especially his physical strength.

However, the game currently lacked specific combat power data. According to the official statements at the time, combat power was a hidden attribute, invisible to players and concealed within their talents.

This meant players could only gauge their combat prowess based on their self-awareness and understanding of their own talents.

Moreover, this game offered infinite possibilities and was far from rigid. It wasn’t a simple matter of higher talent attributes equating to greater strength; that wasn’t necessarily true. The game simulated reality, and defeating an opponent required strategic thinking.

Ye Qingyun rose to his feet. With a slight lift of his hand, a black serpent shot forth from behind him. This was one of the abilities Ye Qingyun currently commanded, an innate move of the Five Poisons Heart Technique. However, with his internal cultivation still relatively low, it certainly lacked significant power.

Nevertheless, it was more than enough to deal with ordinary people.