[Ding! Host has successfully extinguished a mountain fire, saving the lives of over a hundred people across five villages—a truly virtuous deed. Reward: 10,000 Virtue Points.]
Zhou Fan stood atop a charred mountain, his face blackened by smoke, yet his eyes burned with an almost manic intensity.
Ten thousand Virtue Points—just for putting out a single mountain fire!
That’s right. He alone had extinguished a terrifying wildfire that had spread for kilometers across rugged, remote terrain. The situation had seemed hopeless, yet he’d stumbled upon it at just the right moment.
His current cultivation had reached the Half-Step Shattering Heaven realm, allowing his Martial Domain to expand nearly a kilometer. And his Martial Domain was none other than the terrifying Slaughter God Domain!
Wherever his domain spread, icy winds howled and spectral wraiths drifted, plunging temperatures to near freezing. Even warriors of the same level would find themselves suppressed under its influence.
Yet he’d never imagined using the Slaughter God Domain to put out a wildfire.
Combined with an artificial rain technique he’d exchanged from the system, he’d finally managed to quell the flames.
"If putting out a fire earns me 10,000 Virtue Points… why not start the fire myself and then play the hero?"
Zhou Fan’s expression twisted with madness, as if he’d uncovered a loophole in the system.
To him, saving hundreds of lives was no different from saving a colony of ants—just as he could just as easily crush an anthill without batting an eye.
"If this works, I could create a disaster myself, then swoop in as the savior and rake in even more Virtue Points."
But just as quickly, his expression cooled.
"The system awards Virtue Points for good deeds. If I did that… it would surely deduct them. Still, worth testing later~"
As Zhou Fan lost himself in thought, a fleet of fire trucks rushed to the scene.
"Young man, there’s a wildfire here—you need to evacuate— Wait… where’s the fire? It’s already out?"
The lead firefighter scratched his head in confusion. This didn’t make sense. They’d been told the blaze spanned kilometers and had mentally prepared for casualties. But this?
Zhou Fan glanced sideways, his face utterly indifferent.
[Ding! Host has received a mission: Otherworldly warriors have invaded the ancient martial world of Dragon Nation. Host must immediately repel three Shattering Heaven realm warriors from another world.]
[Reward upon completion: 30,000 Virtue Points.]
Zhou Fan’s eyes narrowed instantly.
A system mission?
This was a first.
"The system wants me to kill three Shattering Heaven realm warriors? Is this a setup?"
Admittedly, Zhou Fan was sharp—he’d pieced it together in an instant.
But unfortunately, he was too sharp.
"Probably not. Whoever created this system must be a supreme powerhouse. Even at my peak, I’d likely be no match for them. With that kind of power, they wouldn’t need such convoluted schemes."
"Heh… maybe this is just a casual move by some bored mastermind playing chess."
Zhou Fan smirked self-deprecatingly. Right now, he was indeed a pawn, toyed with by an unseen hand.
"How arrogant," he murmured, his smile frosty. "But if you want to play… then I’ll play along. Let’s see who ends up as the true player."
To an outside observer, Zhou Fan’s behavior would seem like pure chuunibyou—delusions of grandeur.
His overactive imagination couldn’t fathom that the one pulling his strings wasn’t some supreme expert, but someone weaker than himself.
"Hey, hey, young man, stop spacing out! Even if the fire’s out, this place is still dangerous—"
Zhou Fan looked up—and vanished in the next second.
"Holy shit?! What the hell? Did that guy just disappear?!"
"Damn… did we just meet some mountain spirit? I’ve heard that after wildfires, the souls of burned creatures turn into vengeful ghosts…"
"Shut the hell up! Get in the truck. That guy was probably some elite ancient martial artist. Might’ve even helped put out the fire."
...
"Boom—"
At Mount Emei, the trio of Shattering Heaven realm warriors had once again crushed the Emei Sect’s leader with overwhelming force.
"Pathetic. Not even worth the effort."
The White-robed Scholar snapped his fan shut. Despite his gentle, scholarly appearance, he was the most ruthless of the three, a master of hidden weapons and the Tang Clan’s deadly arts.
The Tang Clan was renowned in the cultivation world as a family of assassins—and he was its third young master.
The Emei Sect’s leader, an Elderly Nun in her sixties or seventies, lay severely wounded, teetering on the brink of death.
But then, a furious roar split the sky.
"Chang’er!!!"
"You vile curs—how dare you strike so mercilessly!"
A figure descended like a meteor, his overwhelming Martial Domain exploding outward.
Jiang Yunhuang!
"Chang’er…"
He cradled the Elderly Nun in his arms.
In his youth, Jiang Yunhuang had been a notorious philanderer. Clearly, he and this nun had shared a past.
"You… will die for this."
His rage was palpable, his beard trembling.
The Elderly Nun forced her eyes open. "Run… you’re no match for them! All three are Shattering Heaven realm warriors—go, now!"
Jiang Yunhuang’s voice was eerily calm. "I, too, have reached Shattering Heaven."
...
"Oh? A Shattering Heaven expert? In the Mortal Realm, a world starved of spiritual energy? You must harbor an incredible secret!"
The Red-dressed Woman’s eyes gleamed with greed as she studied Jiang Yunhuang.
Sure, the old man was ancient, but wasn’t there a saying? "An old horse knows the way"—experience counted for something.
"Let’s attack together. We’ll force him to reveal his secrets," the White-robed Scholar said coldly.
"You… will perish here!" Jiang Yunhuang’s fury was volcanic.
His aura surged like a tidal wave. Though he’d only just broken through to Shattering Heaven, his martial will had always been indomitable. What had held him back was the world’s limitations—not his talent!
With a single palm strike, Jiang Yunhuang sent the Mad Blade flying, shocking everyone present.
The Mad Blade spat blood, overwhelmed by the pressure.
"Attack together! Crush this old bastard!"
Though all three were early-stage Shattering Heaven experts, the old man’s martial will was monstrous—like something out of legend.
They struck as one, fighting dirty with underhanded tactics.
Jiang Yunhuang, forced to protect the woman in his arms while fending off three opponents, quickly fell into a disadvantage.
The Mad Blade grinned, eager to uncover the old man’s secrets. Anyone who’d reached Shattering Heaven in this spiritual wasteland had to be hiding something monumental.
Although the Mortal Realm has now entered an Age of Dying Spirit, it was once a place of immense power in ancient times. Who knows what formidable legacies might still lie hidden here?
The thought of such boundless fortune being within reach made the corners of his lips twitch uncontrollably upward.
But just then—
His smile froze.
"Guh—"
Mad Blade looked down in horror to see a pale hand protruding from his chest, having pierced clean through him.