A minute passed in time.
"Wait... Why am i not tired or sleepy any longer?" Clark wondered from out of the blue. He remembered his extreme drowsiness earlier and realized quickly what happened.
"Could it be that..." Clark mused and went to a nearby mirror for confirmation.
"Ohhh my g...!" he could not believe his eyes at all. What stood before him now was a middle aged man that had quite the inherent capital for pride and awe.
Gone was the wrinkled old balls but was replaced by a much younger version of himself.
Even at this advanced age of 50 or so, Lu Chen, the person who had already died, indeed possessed a matchless appearance for a man.
Brows that depicted the sharpest of swords, prominent nose, enticing lips, and eyes that seemed too deep and mysterious, these were all gifts that was presented once more in Lu Chen's younger side.
It was even more attractive than Clark's own amazing physical quality in the past. Mature and had a very commanding presence, this was how Clark appeared in the present.
"What more when i continue to level up and returned to Lu Chen's youth?"
"FUCK ME!" Clark was crazy about this close possibility.
He knew from Lu Chen's memory alone that there were numerous fairies and goddesses in this world that embodied unparalleled beauty amongst the rest.
These were of course the female cultivators that has also dreamed of fighting against the will of heavens and its laws.
And after Clark had tasted the divine bliss of having a woman around, it was of course an added bonus to have such a pretty face to roam around.
His next goal to be a ladies' man would come true in this lifetime!
"Well, at least i have a more handsome face to show around." Clark nodded as he realized that men in this world have godly appearances also.
If his face before were to be compared to the boys who had already taken the first steps at cultivation then it was not far at all for the two to appear like mud and a sparkling gem.
His original face may have been the source of fancy from numerous college girls in campus but in this world, where gods and demons walked the earth and the heavens,
he could only be considered to have a slave's natural countenance.
This was how drastically different the two worlds were!
"Perhaps the magical essence that these cultivators use is also one of the culprits behind this epic contrast in beauty standards."
he thought in silence while comparing Earth against this Cultivation World right now. Clark also discovered another happy change in the next few seconds.
"Other than my face, i also feel much stronger than the past!" Clark clenched his fist and it felt like he could break a rock to dust with the strength that he had in the present.
"Am i a full fledged cultivator right now?" Clark rubbed his long beard while anticipating the next few levels he would get until dawn.
Six minutes into the wait.
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
"It took longer than i expected." Clark muttered. This was of course natural because his summons also need to hunt prey.
They got to search and run after their targets and could not easily just teleport upon the heads of some hapless animal on their night beds like the poor ants that had experienced the recent culling of the Blood Twin.
If only it were that easy then Clark's level would have soared at an outstanding pace indeed.
"Open status." Clark was thrilled to see his character sheet.
"BOINK!"
Host: Clark Colter
Power: 10
Experience: 0/400
Health: 150/150
Health Regen: 1/s
Mana: 150/150
Mana Regen: 1/s
Level: 2
Class: Necromancer
System Shop
Shop Points: None
Class Skills
Skill Points: 1
"What to do about this new skill point?" Clark paused for a while.
"I could trade this for the defensive skill Bone Plate but that would achieve nothing in return.
Since i don't have to enter into battle anytime soon, i should spend this with another upgrade of my White Wolf." he decided in the end and did exactly as he planned.
White Wolf (Level 2)
Power: 7 pts
Special Ability: can call the ghosts of its pack to fight alongside it. (+2 Shadow White Wolf, can be upgraded)
Mana Cost: 60
Since he was now at level 2, it was high time to take risk for greater gains.
"But before that i need to check for something." Clark hummed in understanding.
"Nancy..." he called.
"I'm here, host."
"What if my summons are killed in battle, is there a cooldown time for me to be able to use them again?" Clark asked.
This was a pretty vital information to have and although he could experiment with it but that would only make him lose precious resources. And in this case, it was his mana that would be sacrificed.
Clark was not an ignorant fool to take that chance at all.
"Negative, host. As long as you have available mana, you can summon your creatures at will." Nancy's pleasant voice along her positive answer made Clark grin like a dunce.
He looked at his face in the mirror and realized that he was still the middle aged man from before and has not continued to grow younger. Still, this has not disheartened the fanatic gamer at all.
"Perhaps i still need more levels. Hmmm... Yes, maybe that's it!" Clark's spirits rose and went on to command his faithful minions.
There were now 4 blinking green dots in the map and these able soldiers went on a killing spree at their designated locations.
Blood Twin has killed a forest rat... host has gained 1 xp!
White Wolf has killed a lizard... host has gained 1 xp!
...
the various notifications hasn't stopped at all as the group of reapers stayed obediently on their hunting ground. Clark searched for the number 2 amidst an ocean of them symbols on the map.
After he saw the first 2 on the screen which denoted the level of enemy to be had, Clark then issued another command.
"Guys, farm in this place." Clark called for both his Blood Twin and trio of White Wolves.
Blood Twin has killed a mutated frog... host has gained 2 xp!
White Wolf has killed a mutated frog... host has gained 2 xp!
White Wolf has killed a mutated frog... host has gained 2 xp!
White Wolf has killed a mutated frog... host has gained 2 xp!
and the rest of the party continued to play on Clark's ears.
"Two experience only? Not good enough!" Clark was dissatisfied with this and wanted to remedy it immediately.
It would be much too wasteful to not use his newly upgraded White Wolves this time around.
"I need a monster that's graded at least level 3."
Clark scanned the world map once again and searched for a good farming ground for his summoned party.
"Aldabran Werewolves?" Clark read the name of the first enemy he saw that fit his requirements.
"Aren't werewolves human also?" he queried.
Of course he could just send his army of undead down the lanes of no return but that would be too cruel and would set a precedent that he could never come back from.
Though he was addicted to games and would surely give no second thoughts to slaughtering evil pieces of shit and human residues in whatever fantastical world the game setting was,
but that did not entirely mean that he was willing to do the same inside this cultivation world.
"Not after i experienced the life of Lu Chen and... perhaps lived it also as mine."
Clark determined that this world was real and all his actions inside here would have various consequences,
unlike the list of games he had already conquered in the past while he was still living on Earth.
"Can you give me better description or history about these creatures called Aldabran Werewolves, Nancy?"
"Of course, host." a sweet voice echoed in the ears of Clark and then came strings of letters that floated clearly before his eyes.
Aldabran Werewolves - this kind of wolf and man mixture worships the moon as its goddess. Every first day of each month, these breed sacrifices a virgin (man, woman or child) to their deity, Lunaria.
Fond of abducting mortals particularly for this purpose alone. After which, they would feed upon the flesh of their v..." and it was here that Clark stopped his disturbing read.
"It seems that the red dots on the map are really all monsters in one way or the other." he concluded. Still, he needed to be sure to evade whatever guilt he may have from slaughtering the innocents.
"Nancy... mark only those monsters that had done atrocious amounts of evil deeds in the map."
"Affirmative, host."
"Good. Thank you, Nancy." Without anymore cause for hesitation, Clark called upon his select set of monsters once more.
"Go to this place, Blood Twin, White Wolf." Clark pointed at a pre conceived location in the map and watched carefully at how his summons will deal with a pack of werewolves.
* * *
It was a solemn night. The moon in this part of the world was high and truthfully did its duty to shed light unto the cold and seemingly lifeless eve.
Alas, beneath the curtains of this silent veil hid an entirely different world. This was of course the domains of those who were born nightstalkers especially in this type of environment.
Some 6 swift shadows glided over rocks and their villainous terrains in eager search of fresh prey. These creatures had huge figures that seemed to embody both the primal gifts of man and beast.
They had an intellect that knew and evaded the dangers of the precarious wild and were also gifted with pure physical strength that lifted them up on the food chain in these shambled lands.
"They look not at all the same from the Twilight movies I've seen in the past." Clark muttered the moment he found a new function in the system.
This was slow mode viewing which replayed recent events in a more detailed manner.
The wolves in his eyes did not crawl nor run in four limbs but were all hunched like sumo wrestlers that dashed wantonly forward for momentum.
They were wolves that roamed the lands on two feet exactly the same as the Druid Character in Diablo 2 Expansion.
"They sure looked pretty deadly to me in real life." Clark hesitated on sending his crew of undead.
"Stay at the back for now, Blood Twin. Let the White Wolf engage them first." He put out the battle plan for his party.
Although his Blood Twin was much stronger than his summons right now, Clark still did not want to take unnecessary risk if possible.
"AWOOOOOOOOOHHH!" the original White Wolf roared to the moon.
It was a battle challenge and with how peculiar its howl was in the silent yet lively night, the pack of 6 Aldabran Werewolves also responded in kind.
"GGGGRRRRRRRR!!!" the big creatures growled menacingly while it traversed the lush forest breaking violently to its right in search for the unexpected challenger for the night.
10 more breaths elapsed and the two parties faced eye to eye for the first time.
As sentient beings that has the faculty for rare cognitive capability, these Aldabran Werewolves were of course not that easy to taunt.
"Whose hands had pointed you into our territory?" a big bad wolf stood there in all his glory and it could be seen at a glance that he was the nastiest creature amongst the 6 that had come.
This was of course the Alpha Wolf in the pack.
"AWOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Since Clark's White Wolves could not reply with the same savage wolf language, all they could do was howl like the rabid corpse dogs that they were.
"A bunch of brainless animals! Tell your master to stay away from these lands! Else my pack will hunt you to the very last rotten bone on your bodies!"
the Alpha Wolf bid his ultimatum to Clark's wolves and yet all he earned for that was something entirely unwanted. For example, the disgusting foul mouth from a Shadow White Wolf's charge.
This attack was so fast that the naked eyes of a mortal could barely keep track of it at all. Alas, the same could not said to the keen senses of these Aldabran Werewolves and that of its pack.
"So it begins." Clark kept close attention to every detail of this battle.
Aldabran Werewolves
Power: 6 pts
Special Ability: Strong Endurance (could run a prey to death if it has to)
Although there was only a difference of 1 point from between the special breeds of wolves, Clark believed that it has no bearing at all in the outcome of the fight.
"If it was a hundred or at least 50 point at that, then i guess the result would be an absolute crush. Unfortunately for me, their strength are pretty much very similar."
Clark witnessed a Shadow White Wolf got torn pretty much in pieces after its first pounce.
The Aldabran Alpha used its body as lure, sidestepped in a flash and 5 hulking bodies of its friends then partied to death in the aftermath.
Still, the kill has not resulted without cost.
"ALERA!!!" The Alpha Wolf roared in anger but he was too late to deny the truth before his eyes.
Alera was currently missing a huge chunk of her lower extremities after just one harsh bite from the dying throes of that single Shadow White Wolf.
It was always those who are desperate and has nothing to lose that would prove the most dangerous amongst all things living.
Or in this case, those that has already died and cared nothing more for continued existence or such avenues were extremely much lethal.
White Wolf has killed an Aldabran Werewolf... host has gained 5 xp!
"Keep your distance, White Wolf and only send your clones into the fray." Clark commanded a new battle line for his summon.
To lose only 1 Shadow White Wolf for the price of an enemy's life was worth it in this case.
"It's just unfortunate that i have no control over my White Wolf's ability." Clark sighed as he realized that the special ability of White Wolf took a full minute of cooldown.
Two minutes elapsed and there were only 2 werewolves standing tall amongst the recent full pack of Aldabran breeds.
It was more appropriate to say that these last 2 were in panic mode and was running for their lives in haste. Each Shadow White Wolf would charge fearlessly and take 1 life in exchange for its sacrifice.
Alas, it did not take that much time for these undead brethren to outlast those of the living.
"Hmmm... Advancing at least 1 level in farming is indeed doable. Though it needs time but i think the later stages would be easier than the firsts.
Especially now that i have a pretty good grasp of my summons' strengths."
"End the play, my Blood Twin." Clark ordered from millions of miles away from his minions.
"BANG!" the ground were smashed furiously so and as the specks of dust scattered to reveal the cause of such a phenomenon, a lone warrior stood carelessly in the makeshift tombs of its prey.
At its feet laid two broken Aldabran Werewolves' skulls. The last remaining vestiges of that fallen pack.
Even with just 1 point difference, a Shadow White Wolf's bite could even prove fatal to its enemies, what more some 4 points of power difference? It was pure savage mode!
Blood Twin has killed an Aldabran Werewolf... host has gained 5 xp!
Blood Twin has killed an Aldabran Werewolf... host has gained 5 xp!
Blood Twin
Power: 10 pts
Special Ability: can exchange position with the host at a thought's command.
"Though it can be said that it was an overkill to do so but i don't care. At least by doing this, i can safely assure the life of my greatest exp farmer."
Clark nodded happily and the rest, he left to his allied undead as he contented in counting the seconds in his head.
3 short minutes later and...
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
Host: Clark Colter
Power: 17
Experience: 0/800
Health: 200/200
Health Regen: 1/s
Mana: 200/200
Mana Regen: 1/s
Level: 3
Class: Necromancer
System Shop
Shop Points: None
Class Skills
Skill Points: 1
"Good, continue." Clark exploited his summons and tirelessly worked them like cows.
He did not plan to use this skill point yet because he wanted to wait for level 10 to dump them all on his next available summon.
And so Clark sent them to a new destination that showcased another tribe of monsters who were tallied at level 4. This time it was an undead dweller called Fake Zombies.
Blood Twin has killed a Fake Zombie... host has gained 8 xp!
White Wolf has killed a Fake Zombie... host has gained 8 xp!
...and then the registrations of kills made quickly flooded cheerily on his ears.
A dozen minutes later...
White Wolf has killed a Fake Zombie... host has gained 8 xp!
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
Level 4!
30 minutes later...
Blood Twin has killed a Common Vampire... host has gained 10 xp!
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
Level 5!
Approximately 45 minutes later...
Blood Twin has killed a Haunting Ghoul... host has gained 16 xp!
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
Level 6!
An hour and a few spare minutes after...
Blood Twin has killed a Growling Terror... host has gained 21 xp!
"Congratulations, host. You gave gained a new level. Please visit the system menu for further details." Nancy announced with her usual lovely voice.
Level 7!
"Finally, morning has come." Clark took a deep breath and inhaled the spirit of a new day that was filled with both promise and surprises.
The dawn has brought its cold clean air unto his lungs and it has added good amounts of vigor in his hot veins. He was up all night and he felt neither weakness nor soreness in his bones and muscles.
"Is this perhaps the added bonus of becoming a cultivator in these lands?" Clark wondered.
In the hundred of years of Lu Chen's life,
he only knew bits and pieces about the cultivation stages of this world and nothing about the particulars save that these wishful immortals only have potent strength and exceedingly strong vitality.
That cultivators in general could boil oceans and empty its shores to nothing and flip mountains upside down with but a flick of a finger.
Other than that, Lu Chen has entirely spent his life enjoying the mortal allures, same as its restrictions, with no inside knowledge at all on the specifics about the immortal side of things.
"It's about time i found out, isn't it?" Clark said to himself and bravely stepped out into the new morn.
Thus began the journey of one bored gamer in other worlds.