A raging fire blossomed into life and Clark could even feel the heat from where he stood.
These flames were different from normal ones because it glittered in different shades of crimson that has all but offered a resplendent display of fiery destruction.
This would have been great to look at if placed at any other location. Alas, these chambers would have begged to differ otherwise.
The flames spread wantonly in all directions and even the bed in the room was beginning to join the crew of dancing wild flames.
"Did I somehow cause this to happen?" Clark asked but found no answer in his lonesome.
Nevertheless, since he was the only likely culprit on the scene, he had no choice but to own up to this accident.
"WHOOSH!" A mini typhoon was conjured up by a single wave of a hand and the hungry fires vanished to become one with the solemn darkness of the room. But that was only the beginning of it all.
"BANG!" Bits and pieces of a shattered craft painted the enclosed space with the beautiful touch of chaos. From a pristine structure, it has now transformed into unfamiliar territory.
"FUCK ME!"
"I really have to get acquainted with my new strength soon. Or this kind of thing will happen every time I use my powers."
"And I don't want to mistakenly kill somebody else because I'm such a newb at wielding my skills right now." Clark rubbed his long beard and marveled at the work that he had done.
"Seems like I need to transfer to another room for the second time today. Nothing I can do about it." Clark moaned in acceptance and did an upward motion with his hands.
Three huge wooden trunks wobbled to resist the gravity of the world before it hovered in place exactly as Clark wanted it to. After that, he exited the ruined chambers in silence.
"Is everything okay, master?" Old Peng asked even as he huffed and puffed where he stood. He heard of the explosive commotion earlier and ran towards his master's bedroom without care.
The old faithful servant has only a long thin white night wear to mask his aged body in full. Old Peng's skeletal frame seemed more like ghost than human.
Upon witnessing his good slave act this way, Clark could not help but offer a gentle smile to Old Peng before he answered.
"Nothing is wrong, Lai Peng. It was just a minor structural failure. It appears that these buildings have become frail over time." Clark lied with ease.
"What is it, Lai Peng?" Clark said once more after he realized that his old servant paused like a mannequin statue before him.
Old Peng made this exact expression the first time Clark had met with this virtuous slave.
"You have grown much younger, Master Lu. It's..." Old Peng could not find the words to finish his thoughts.
"Why? Don't you like it, Lai Peng? Does it not look good on me? A younger version of myself, that is." Clark smiled in jest.
"You look vigorous, master. You could not have looked any better than you do now. It just reminded me of the past. You were..." Old Peng stopped.
How could he continue and say that this face made him recall a time in Lu Chen's life wherein he had shown much promise and ambition.
A time when Lu Chen had yet to make that blunder and self destructed in a downward spiral ever since that fateful day. Old Peng has not the heart to remind his master of his olden scars.
"Should I prepare another room for you, master?" Old Peng wisely detoured instead, not at all ashamed about the abrupt change of topic. But Clark did not disapprove of his servant's decision.
Old Peng's eyes wandered for a few stray moments at the levitating baggage behind Clark but posed no question whatsoever to how his master had done such an act of miracle.
At this point, he already accepted the truth that he and his good master were now living in two different worlds.
"You don't need to tire yourself anymore, Lai Peng. Any room will do." Clark replied. It took only a minute for them to find an identical chamber.
"Have a good night, master."
"You too, Lai Peng." Old Peng left thereafter but did not immediately return to his room.
It was his duty to know how much damage has been done to the previous room to better ascertain the safety of the household.
He has not waited for Lu Chen to order him to do this chore as he was only too aware of what he should do. But how could this be missed by Clark's uncanny perception?
"You are really a good servant, Lai Peng." Clark muttered behind the closed doorways of his room.
"It seems i have improved yet again. From a radius of 10 meters, I could now discern with absolute clarity what happens within 30 meters from me."
"Even if I had my eyes closed, everything is as clear as day in my mind."
"I believe that this could only get better after i reached the Golden Core Realm in no more than a few hours." Clark was excited to note each incremental rise of his abilities.
He could already see himself looking at all of creation and every living thing that dwelled upon each world.
Of course this was still a faraway dream but it was not really impossible with his op system cheat on hand.
"THUD!" Three chests touched the floors followed by a careless somersault of the only occupant in the room.
"Ahhhh... That feels good." Clark moaned in delight as the soft embrace of his new bed caught his body in full.
He closed his eyes for a moment to calm the doubts and fears that had plagued him after he discovered how vulnerable he truly was.
"First things first." The good gamer whispered after a time.
"How soon can the Zhang Family send retribution back towards the city of Haran, Nancy?" Clark asked the system. He was not sure at all if Nancy could answer this one but he was betting that she could.
With the map function, there was really no creature, man or beast alike, that could escape the eyes of Nancy. The only hurdle that remained was whether the system was willing to help him or not.
'Please don't tell me that I need to upgrade the system map to get this simple enemy scan perk.' Clark prayed inside.
He did not know if the snobbish gods had heard him this time around because what came next was totally unexpected. Even for our bored gamer.
"A spy from Haran City has already sent a courier after you eliminated Prince Zhang Mu, host.
If the Zhang Family would be fast about it and take action without tarry, they would arrive at approximately 11 hours." Nancy responded.
"How about the Yan Family? Any news about them? No revenge plots whatsoever?" Clark tried again to determine if the first time was a fluke or not.
Still, a stupid grin could be seen hanging on his face right now.
'HAHAHA!'
'This is great!'
'What if i have so many enemies waiting for me?'
'They could not even get a thousand miles near me without being detected by Nancy!'
'Bring it on, you damned NPCs!' Clark's smile grew even wider.
"Yan Kun has contracted an assailant for your head, host. Please be advised to keep your safety as your first priority at all times." Nancy replied in a voice full of concern.
"I will, Nancy. Don't you worry about anything. As long as you alert me of any incoming killers ahead of time then I have a hundred percent assurance to keep my head safely connected to the rest of my body. Can i count on you to do that for me, Nancy?"
"Affirmative, host. The system will always be on your side. It does not sleep nor rest and will forever monitor any sign of enemies and intruders within and without your knowledge!"
Nancy got a little bit passionate in delivering her speech but that has not bothered Clark at all. Instead, it brought him a sense of security from someone that he could only hear and not see or even touch.
"Thank you, Nancy." Clark felt a lump in his throat because of how good the system had been with him.
If not for Nancy, there was no doubt that he would still be selling salted fishes in the slums. Her arrival was both a blessing and a curse unto Clark.
'Nah... only that Elder God has cursed me. Nancy is not the one to blame for my burdens.'
Clark rectified his initial assumptions and if fortune allowed him in the future, he would happily return the favors that his system has given unto him today.
'Perhaps i could create a physical body for Nancy? Hmmm... It would be best if i could somehow do that someday.' Clark had a wishful look on his face for a few moments.
"Are there any more enemies that want my death that i am not aware of, Nancy?" Clark double checked before he truly relaxed on this eve.
"Negative, host. Most people you've encountered in both cities fear you. Even the Lu Family has already convened a secret assembly tonight which consists of both Elders and the Patriarch to better rope you into the clan's goodwill." Nancy answered.
"I see. So that's why they haven't come or called me into their midst yet."
"All the same, this is a good outcome for me also." Clark murmured and got up from the bed. There was only darkness around him but he could see fine as if it was in the bright of day.
This must have been a result of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm but Clark never paid any mind to it more than his initial surprise.
With how drastically his life changed already in the span of a single day, this ability was a tad tame compared to the rest.
Clark bent down to carefully set afire the candles around the room. This time he knew to apply only the tiniest fire elements in order to avoid repeating the same mistake he did earlier in the evening.
He then opened one of his personal boxes and got something from inside. An ancient scroll. This was Lu Chen's most treasured possession.
And over the flickering candles, two souls in one cherished a piece of happiness that was tattooed by ink and dye.
"Father, mother... and Tang Xinyue."