With the ring finally in hand, Liu Weian felt a weight lift from his heart. Unlike previous scuffles, this wasn't just a minor matter—inside the ring were more than eighty thousand Power Seeds. Converted into gold coins, that was worth well over a hundred thousand. How could he not be anxious?
While Zhao Nannan was teaching the little girl, Liu Weian sat cross-legged on the bed, calmly beginning to consume the Power Seeds—by the handful. At first, he tried to keep count, but eventually the process became mechanical and mindless.
Each seed exploded in his mouth, releasing a torrent of energy that surged through his body, flowing along his meridians. The power seeped into his cells, enhancing their vitality, increasing bone density, strengthening his tendons... The transformation was slow but steady.
He didn't know how much time had passed until he reached for more and grasped nothing but air. All eighty thousand seeds were gone. At that moment, his body felt like an erupting volcano, with energy flowing like a wild flood, swelling and surging at an unbearable rate. It felt like he would burst.
He could sense that this energy was a good thing—but it was simply too much. His body couldn't absorb it fast enough. Without guidance, it would surely tear him apart. That was when regret hit him: he shouldn't have consumed so many in one go. The goal had been to repair his thin, malnourished body, not to overload it.
The energy rampaged ever faster and more violently. His skin began to crack, tiny rivulets of blood oozing out. Just as he was about to explode, a certain image flashed in his mind—a constellation-like pattern buried deep within his memory. He hadn't realized he'd memorized it, but now it surfaced, crisp and complete. It was a miracle in itself.
Desperately, he tried to redirect the energy through the paths traced by the star map. It took every ounce of will, but he succeeded. The energy, like a wild beast finally given a path, stopped expanding and began to flow in the intended direction.
The hardest part was the beginning. Once the energy began moving as it should, things became much easier. Guided by Liu Weian's will, the energy flowed precisely along the lines of the star pattern. A strange transformation occurred—he could actually absorb it now. The longer the energy followed this path, the faster it was absorbed. Earlier, when the power had rushed aimlessly through him, it had passed these same routes but produced no effect. The star map was indeed extraordinary.
As the energy flowed forward, the map in his mind slowly lit up—one centimeter, two, three… In a short time, a small section had already been illuminated. Then the pace began to slow.
Unnoticed, Liu Weian's cracked skin healed. The swelling sensation vanished. At the same time, an oily black substance oozed out through his pores—a thick, foul-smelling grime.
He didn't know how long it lasted. When about one-twentieth of the star map had lit up, a thunderous boom echoed from within his body.
Crack!
Liu Weian thought he'd broken a bone and was startled—only to be overtaken by an immense feeling of relief. Something intangible had shattered. It felt like a gateway had opened, and he had stepped into a new world. When he opened his eyes, beams of divine light shot forth like twin lanterns glowing in the dark.
A high-pitched scream startled him. He turned quickly, eyes already back to normal. It was little Zhao Xin.
"What's wrong?"
"Your eyes! They were glowing just now. Now they're not!" The little girl leaned in curiously to inspect his face, then recoiled and pinched her nose. "Eww, you stink!"
Only then did Liu Weian notice the acrid stench. He looked down and jumped in shock. His entire body was coated in black filth, the source of the foul odor. Reflexively, he asked, "What is this stuff?"
"Go shower, now!" Zhao Xin exclaimed, clearly disgusted.
He jumped off the bed—again startled by the series of loud pops as his joints cracked like dry twigs after a long hibernation. But there was no pain. On the contrary, he felt featherlight, like a swallow taking flight. The strange sensation passed quickly as he rushed into the bathroom.
After a long wash, he stepped out and changed clothes—only to discover his old clothes no longer fit. Looking down, he was stunned. The bony ribs had vanished, replaced by firm, well-proportioned muscle that gleamed faintly under the light. He had grown, too—standing now at around 176 cm barefoot, likely 178 cm with shoes. The once-scrawny youth had transformed into a rugged, broad-shouldered man.
"You're so handsome, big brother!" Zhao Xin's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Time to eat," Zhao Nannan interrupted, shooting the girl a sharp look. Zhao Xin immediately shrank back, assuming a demure pose—only to sneak a cheeky face at Liu Weian behind her hand.
The table was already set. Zhao Nannan, as always, was calm and collected. She showed no visible surprise at Liu Weian's radical transformation. The meal passed quietly. Liu Weian felt full after just three roast chickens. That ever-present hunger he once had was gone. When he finished washing his hands, Zhao Nannan had also finished her meal—only Zhao Xin was still scarfing down food like a little glutton.
The clock read 17:20. That wasn't the surprising part. What shocked Liu Weian was that three days had passed. Three entire days gone, yet to him, it had felt like only a few hours.
Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon, so he donned his helmet and logged in.
Cautiously entering Stone City, he found the streets calm, nothing out of the ordinary. The Pegasus Caravan's drama seemed to have blown over. Even in the back courtyard of the "Can't Die" Apothecary, nothing unusual happened.
As expected, Black Ox was there. Yellow Ox and Stone Ox had already logged off. Only he remained, looking genuinely happy to see Liu Weian.
"I had a feeling you'd be online today. Nailed it."
"Are you three alright?" Liu Weian asked.
"No problems. The Pegasus Caravan's been going crazy, grabbing people left and right. No idea who pissed them off, but they've been too busy to bother with us," Black Ox said grimly. "The streets are crawling with their men. We've been hiding here since morning, only sneaking out to gather intel in the afternoon."
"What did you find out?" Liu Weian asked.
"They're after someone—someone who supposedly stole from them. It's serious. Also… you and that pig-slaughtering girl from the other day are both on their wanted list. Be careful. And there's more—" Black Ox hesitated. "Rumor has it the thief might be tied to the He family. The two sides have been on edge."
Liu Weian's brow lifted. Then it all clicked—the meat sacs he sold must've done the trick. Keeping a calm face, he asked, "What about the graveyard? Did the pig girl log back in?"
"The Pegasus Caravan took over the graveyard," Black Ox replied bitterly. With them in control, his business was cut off. He glanced at Liu Weian, expecting anger—but Liu Weian's face remained unreadable, which helped ease his mind. "No sign of the pig girl. Not sure if she's been online."
"Alright. You can log off for now. There might not be any goods to haul in the next few days, but give it a bit. Things will clear up soon," Liu Weian said. Black Ox wanted to ask where this confidence came from but ultimately held his tongue. Liu Weian had always been reliable. He simply cupped his hands in farewell and logged off.
Just as Liu Weian was about to leave, the lab door creaked open. Out stepped Sun Lingzhi, clad in a flowing green dress that shimmered under the moonlight like a forest spirit.
"Disappeared for days—I thought you'd died," she said as she descended the steps.
"Had some family stuff to deal with," Liu Weian replied with a wry smile. This beautiful woman was always blunt.
"I heard you had a run-in with the Pegasus Caravan. Need me to smooth things over?"
A run-in? That was putting it mildly. He hadn't just crossed them—he'd pissed them off royally. But the fact that Sun Lingzhi would even offer touched him. Still, he didn't want to rely on the Sun family. He politely declined. "Just a small issue. Should be resolved soon. If not, I'll take you up on your offer."
Sun Lingzhi paused, a hint of surprise in her expression. Then she smiled. "So confident. Ah—I see. You've advanced to Iron Rank. That explains it. Iron Rank may just be the beginning, but in Stone City, that makes you a notable fighter. Even the Pegasus Caravan would think twice."
"Iron Rank?" Liu Weian blinked. "What's that?"
"You don't know?" Her brow arched.
"No idea," he admitted honestly.
"Looks like you really haven't heard," she said, studying him. "Well, I've got time. Let me explain. Weapons have ranks—White, Iron, Bronze, Silver—and players are ranked by combat strength: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Dark Gold. Below Iron is considered unranked."
"What comes after Dark Gold?" he asked.
"No idea," she replied with a faint smile. "If you ever reach it, be sure to tell me. I'd love to see it for myself."
Liu Weian flushed slightly. "Who's the strongest player right now?"
"Hard to say. Plenty of hidden masters out there. But publicly, Dark Gold is the highest anyone's known to achieve. Don't worry about that now. Once you break into Bronze Rank, these things will come naturally."
Her tone turned wistful at the end, as though lost in memory. Liu Weian sensed this wasn't the time to press further. He'd meant to ask how she knew he had broken through and what signs marked it, but seeing her distant look, he chose wisely to remain silent.
He bid farewell. She didn't try to stop him, merely gave a casual wave.
Outside the courtyard, Liu Weian let out a deep breath. His eyes burned with battle spirit and an unshakable resolve.