True Martial World, Feather Transformation Sect, Mystic Crystal Mine.
"Ding ling dang lang!"
In the pitch-dark mine, a group of young n and won dressed in gray linen clothes were diligently chiseling away with picks, hamrs, and shovels.
The air was filled with a mix of dust and the sll of ore. Sweat soaked through everyone's clothes as they worked tirelessly, like a colony of ants, chiseling and hauling...
Among them, a thin, dark-skinned boy wiped the sweat and gri from his forehead and sighed.
"Damn, this place is no place for humans. Being a corporate drone working 996 would be better than this!"
The boy's na was Zhao Heng. Originally a white-collar worker in the city, three months ago, on his way ho from work, he accidentally picked up a silver dice.
He had casually rolled it, but to his surprise, the dice emitted a flash of light, and he inexplicably found himself transported to another world.
Now, he was a nial disciple of the Feather Transformation Sect, one of the seven major orthodox sects.
Zhao Heng's job was to mine. Day and night, he toiled away, earning only a ager monthly stipend that barely kept him fed.
"Monthly stipends are here."
Suddenly, a shout ca from outside the mine.
A middle-aged man with a pale complexion and a portly build, dressed in an overseer's robe, walked in, followed by a few burly n.
This was Overseer Liu Hong, the man in charge of the mine's nial disciples. He covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief and called out to the nial disciples in the mine.
"Co over and verify your workload to receive your monthly stipend."
The crowd surged forward. A skinny young man handed over fourteen red bamboo slips, his face full of hope.
"Overseer Liu, this is my workload for the month. I've mined one hundred and forty dan of ore."
Overseer Liu took the bamboo slips, pulled out five, and casually snapped them in half.
"Fifty dan of the ore you mined were subpar. Your stipend will be deducted accordingly. You'll receive nine mystic crystals."
With that, one of the burly n beside Overseer Liu took out nine pale blue crystals of varying sizes from a cloth bag and tossed them to the young man.
"Mystic crystals" were the universal currency of the True Martial World. They contained pure mystic energy and could be used for transactions or cultivation.
The young man took the crystals but couldn't hide his dissatisfaction. "Overseer Liu, I was very careful when mining. I checked the ore, and it was all up to standard. How could..."
"Hmm...?"
Liu Hong glanced sideways at the young man.
"What, are you saying I'm deliberately making things difficult for you and withholding your stipend?"
"Uh... I wouldn't dare!"
Seeing the cold glint in Liu Hong's eyes, the young man shuddered and didn't dare say another word. He obediently walked away.
The other nial disciples around them watched this scene with blank expressions.
It was common for Overseer Liu to skim off their stipends. Anyone who dared to protest would either be scolded or beaten.
When it was Zhao Heng's turn, his workload was also deducted, and he received only ten mystic crystals.
Ten mystic crystals weren't even enough to buy the most basic body tempering potion in the sect.
This was the life of a nial disciple. Without other ans of inco, these crystals were barely enough to survive.
"Sigh... With only this many mystic crystals, how am I supposed to pass the assessnt in two months?" A square-faced young man beside Zhao Heng sighed.
Zhao Heng recognized this person. The original owner of his body had few connections in the Feather Transformation Sect, but he was sowhat close to this 'Du Changqing.'
They had entered the sect on the sa day, and their dormitories were next to each other. They often worked together on nial tasks and had a decent relationship.
"Brother Du, what assessnt are you talking about?"
Du Changqing looked worried. "Junior Brother Zhao, don't you know? In two months, it's the triennial nial disciple assessnt.
I heard that those who perform well will receive sect rewards, better assignnts, and even a chance to be promoted to outer sect disciples.
Those who fail will either be expelled from the sect or have their stipends cut and be assigned to even harder labor."
Hearing this, Zhao Heng's heart tightened.
The Feather Transformation Sect was a major sect in the southern region, and internal competition was fierce. Even among nial disciples, it was survival of the fittest.
The path of martial arts was divided into 'Postnatal' and 'Prenatal.'
Postnatal had three realms: 'Body Tempering, Bone Forging, and Organ Refining,' each with nine levels.
Zhao Heng was only at the fourth level of Body Tempering, while Du Changqing was at the fifth level.
To pass the nial disciple assessnt, one generally needed to be at least at the sixth level of Body Tempering. Their chances were slim.
Du Changqing sighed. "I've been stuck at the fifth level of Body Tempering for over half a year, and I don't have enough cultivation resources. I doubt I'll be able to advance. What about you, Junior Brother Zhao?"
"Brother Du, I'm only at the fourth level. If even you don't have a chance, I have even less hope."
Zhao Heng forced a bitter smile, but inwardly he thought, "It seems I'll have to rely on that thing!"
...
After parting ways with Du Changqing, Zhao Heng returned to his dormitory on nial Peak.
It was a low, narrow thatched hut. Inside, aside from a cold wooden plank bed, there was nothing else.
Zhao Heng locked the door and sat on the bed. With a thought, a silver light flashed between his eyebrows.
"Whoosh...!"
A silver dice the size of a fist quietly floated in front of him.
At the sa ti, a ssage appeared in his mind.
"Ten mystic crystals can activate the 'Dao Seed' once. Activate?"
"What Dao Seed? It's clearly just a dice!"
Zhao Heng muttered to himself, then felt his waist pouch. Including the stipend he had just received, he had a total of thirty-three mystic crystals.
He took out ten mystic crystals and brought them close to the dice.
"Whoosh...!"
The dice emitted a silver light, absorbing all the crystals, and then floated into Zhao Heng's hand.
Zhao Heng threw the dice with force.
"Clatter...!"
The dice spun in the air for a few seconds.
"Buzz...!"
As the dice's surface flashed with light, a red dot appeared on the top face.
"One point!"
Imdiately, another ssage appeared in Zhao Heng's mind.
"Skill 'Steal' activated. Can randomly steal an item within a ten-mile radius. Use imdiately?"
At the sa ti, above the "one point," a phantom number "x7" appeared.
This indicated that Zhao Heng had used the "Steal" skill seven tis.
"Another one point."
Three months ago, Zhao Heng had rolled the dice for the first ti and got a one.
Miraculously, he had stolen a thirty-year-old "Blood Coagulation Grass," which he sold for a hundred mystic crystals.
Back then, Zhao Heng had been ecstatic. He used the crystals from selling the herb to roll the dice multiple tis.
However, the next six rolls all resulted in the "Steal" skill, and the items he stole were all useless junk.
As a result, Zhao Heng had been reluctant to use this "gold-devouring beast" again.
But today, after hearing Du Changqing talk about the nial disciple assessnt, Zhao Heng decided to take a gamble for his future.
Looking at the bright red dot, Zhao Heng decisively gave the command.
"Use skill."
In the next mont, the dice's surface shimred with a faint light.
Zhao Heng felt a warm, soft sensation in his hand.
Looking down, he saw that he was holding a pink, gold-embroidered "red belly band."
The belly band was made of high-quality ice silk, soft and delicate to the touch. It carried a faint, alluring fragrance, as if it had just been taken off soone's body, still warm.
At the sa ti, the number above the one point changed to "x8."
Staring at the belly band in his hand, Zhao Heng was stunned.
"Damn, ten mystic crystals for a belly band?"
At the sa ti, deep within Violet Mist Peak, adjacent to nial Peak, a woman's startled cry rang out.
"Ah... Thief!"
...
After a while, Zhao Heng cald down.
He thought to himself that the belly band was of exceptional quality and exquisitely crafted. Maybe he could sell it for a good price.
"One more try!"
Gritting his teeth, he took out another ten mystic crystals.
Ten seconds later, the dice stopped spinning. It was another "one point."
"Clack!"
A moss-covered green brick fell to the ground at Zhao Heng's feet.
Steal count: "x9."
"Ugh...!"
Zhao Heng was utterly speechless. Twenty mystic crystals for a belly band and a brick?
Looking at the remaining dozen or so mystic crystals, his heart ached.
Just as he was hesitating...
"Bang bang bang...!"
Suddenly, soone kicked his door hard.
Zhao Heng quickly put away the dice and opened the door. Outside stood three people.
The leader was a fat man with a big head and ears, dressed in a blue robe. It was Overseer Liu, who had distributed the stipends in the mine earlier.
"Overseer Liu, it's you. What can I do for you?" Zhao Heng forced a smile.
The Feather Transformation Sect had a strict hierarchy, and nial disciples were at the very bottom.
Overseer Liu was his direct superior and a Bone Forging realm martial artist. Zhao Heng didn't dare offend him.
Before Overseer Liu could speak, a tall, burly nial disciple beside him snorted.
"Enough nonsense. You've received your stipend. Hurry up and hand over the tribute to Overseer Liu!"
In the mine, aside from skimming off the nial disciples' workload, Overseer Liu had also established an unwritten rule: thirty percent of their stipends had to be handed over as tribute.
The original owner of Zhao Heng's body had been beaten to death three months ago for refusing to pay the tribute.
Even though Zhao Heng was indignant, he knew better than to pick a fight he couldn't win. He took out three mystic crystals.
Overseer Liu pocketed the crystals in a purple pouch at his waist before speaking unhurriedly.
"Zhao Heng, in two months, it's the assessnt. I doubt you'll pass.
But since you've always been obedient, if you can co up with a hundred mystic crystals, I can assign you a better job."
"A hundred mystic crystals!"
Zhao Heng was shocked. He nervously rubbed his hands and said, "Overseer Liu, I don't have that many mystic crystals. You must be joking."
Hearing this, Overseer Liu's face darkened, and his gaze turned cold.
"Heh... Kid, don't say I didn't warn you.
If you fail the assessnt and don't pay up, you might be assigned to so dangerous places where you could lose your life. You'd better think carefully.
Also, my patience is limited. Don't keep waiting too long."
Overseer Liu patted Zhao Heng's shoulder heavily, his words carrying a hidden aning.
"Let's go."
"Ah... Overseer Liu, take care!"
Zhao Heng continued to smile obsequiously.
Once the group was far enough away, Zhao Heng closed the door.
The smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a dark expression. He paced back and forth in the room.
In his previous life, Zhao Heng had suffered from mild "persecution paranoia," always fearing that those around him would harm him.
Overseer Liu's threats had only heightened his anxiety, making him fear that the man might try to kill him for his money.
This pathological anxiety forced Zhao Heng to take action to counter the potential danger.
Finally, Zhao Heng's gaze fell on the ten mystic crystals left in his waist pouch.
After a mont of internal struggle, he made a decision.
"I can roll the dice one more ti. I'll gamble everything. If I don't succeed, I'll accept my fate!"
Zhao Heng summoned the dice again and, without hesitation, took out his last ten mystic crystals.
"Roll!"
"Clatter...!"
The dice spun rapidly before coming to a stop. A bright red dot appeared!
"Another one point!"
Zhao Heng nearly collapsed to the ground, his eyes blank.
"Huh...?"
Just as Zhao Heng was on the verge of despair, he noticed that the number above the one point had changed to "x10."
Unlike before, when the numbers were gray, this one emitted a faint silver glow.
At the sa ti, a prompt sounded.
"Luck Steal accumulated successfully. Can consu at least nine ordinary steals to perform a Luck Steal. After use, luck resets to zero. Use?"
"Luck Steal!"
Zhao Heng was shocked. Based on the prompt, it seed that each steal accumulated a certain amount of luck.
Once he accumulated nine or more, he could consu this luck to perform a "special steal," potentially obtaining sothing valuable.
"Is this the legendary 'ten-roll summon' to summon the God of Luck?"
Though skeptical, Zhao Heng, now at the end of his rope, decided to use the skill.
"Luck Steal, activate!"
As the dice's surface shimred with silver light, the "x10" reset to "x0."
"Thud!"
A deep purple pouch materialized out of thin air and landed in front of Zhao Heng.
[--------------------------------------------]
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