Wu Yang
Yao Wu Realm, Great Zhou Calendar year 378, Spring
Qingshi County, Outer City
A handsome young man with his hair tied up, about fifteen years old, was squatting in the corner of a wall, holding half a steamed bun in one hand and a steaming kettle in the other.
He was using boiling water to scald ants that were diligently carrying food, while emitting a chilling, strange laugh.
The neighbors nearby, seeing this, quickly pulled their own children away from the young man.
“This Wu Dayong, the son of the Head of the Wu patrol, is getting crazier and crazier. You are not allowed to go near him; if he throws a tantrum, be careful he doesn’t scald you with boiling water!”
“Alas, this Wu Dayong is also a pitiable person. Ever since he failed the yearly examination last time, he attempted suicide by jumping into the river and did not die; he has been like this ever since.”
“If you talk about pitiable, the Head of the Wu patrol is the one who is pitiable. He originally wanted to adopt a son to take care of him in his old age, but now his adopted son has gone mad like this; ten years of effort are about to go down the drain.”
The neighbors and neighbors chatted amongst themselves, but Wu Yang, whom they called Wu Da, paid no attention to them.
In the eyes of others, Wu Yang was just a madman who had lost his mind after failing the examination.
But what Wu Yang saw at this moment was the ants scalded to death turning into unseen experience points for killing enemies that kept increasing by +0.1.
And occasionally, a notification of Ant Muscle +1 would appear.
Wu Yang was a transmigator who was reborn into this body. After he was rescued from the river, he awakened his memories from his previous life.
Along with Wu Yang’s memories, his golden finger also awakened.
It was a system personal panel and an inventory.
The system personal panel allowed Wu Yang to gain experience and materials by killing enemies.
The inventory could automatically collect the dropped materials and provide a synthesis list.
As long as the materials in the synthesis list were gathered, items with various magical effects could be synthesized.
For example, by scalding ants with boiling water, he would obtain a material called Ant Muscle.
【Ant Muscle (Gray): Quantity, 950. After reaching one thousand portions, add twenty jin of sorghum wine and one portion of Skin Tempering Secret Medicine to synthesize Ant Muscle Wine. Consuming it can strengthen the body and increase physique and strength.】
And the continuously increasing experience points of +0.1 could be added to the martial arts and cultivation techniques Wu Yang learned, used to upgrade the level of his martial arts.
This world is called the Yao Wu Realm. Demons and strange beings run rampant. Warriors fight against demons and evil, and the two sides have been at war for I don't know how many years. Only gradually has the human warrior side gained a slight advantage.
In the Yao Wu Realm, only by becoming a warrior can one possess the power to protect oneself.
Therefore, after awakening, Wu Yang immediately decided to abandon literature and practice martial arts, and re-cultivate the Windy Cloak Saber Technique passed down by his adoptive father, Wu Dayong.
Because the previous Wu Yang was weak and sickly, he was not suitable for practicing martial arts. After practicing the Windy Cloak Saber Technique for two years, he had not even managed to enter the threshold.
That's why Wu Yang gave up practicing martial arts and turned to studying literature.
However, after only three days, Wu Yang’s Windy Cloak Saber Technique broke through to the Proficient level, and he was about to reach Minor Accomplishment.
The price was that Wu Yang had almost depleted all the ant nests near the outer city of Qingshi County, becoming a fearsome ant slayer.
Wu Yang scalded ants with boiling water while looking at the virtual panel in front of him.
【Name: Wu Yang】
【Strength: 5】
【Physique: 4】
【Agility: 5】
【Spirit: 5】
【Level: First-tier Warrior, early stage of Skin Tempering Realm.】
【Cultivation Technique: Windy Cloak Saber, Proficient (0/600)】
【Experience: 587.1, 587.2… 596.8… 597.6…】
Looking at the continuously increasing experience points, the anticipation in Wu Yang’s eyes grew stronger.
Until he had scalded more than half of the ants he had lured, and the experience points finally jumped to 600, Wu Yang decisively added all the experience to the Windy Cloak Saber Technique.
Immediately, Wu Yang felt a boom in his head, and countless insights into the cultivation of the Windy Cloak Saber Technique flooded his mind.
The information on the panel also refreshed.
【Cultivation Technique: Windy Cloak Saber, Minor Accomplishment (0/1200)】
At the same time, Wu Yang’s realm also advanced to the middle stage of Skin Tempering.
And besides his spirit, his other three attributes all increased by one point.
Not only that, but in his inventory, the quantity of Ant Muscle finally reached one thousand portions, and he could now synthesize Ant Muscle Wine!
Wu Yang’s mouth curved slightly upwards, and just as he was about to continue scalding the remaining ants, an urgent voice reached his ears.
“Dalong, why are you still playing here? Hurry back with me, your father is in trouble!”
Wu Yang looked up and saw that the person speaking to him was a constable under his adoptive father, Zhao Liuxiao.
“Brother Liuzi, what happened to my father?”
Wu Yang abruptly stood up and asked.
Zhao Liuxiao said with a sorrowful expression: “Your father… your father… he’s dead!”
Boom—
This news struck Wu Yang like a bolt from the blue, making his head buzz.
Although he was Wu Dayong’s adopted son, he had lived with Wu Dayong for nearly ten years. Wu Dayong had long regarded him as his own son, even passing down the family’s Windy Cloak Saber Technique to him.
Similarly, Wu Yang had long regarded Wu Dayong as his closest relative.
Now, upon hearing the sudden bad news, boundless grief surged into Wu Yang’s heart.
Wu Yang’s eyes turned red, he stared intently at Zhao Liuxiao, and gritted his teeth, asking: “How did my father die? Who killed him!”
Zhao Liuxiao said anxiously: “Let’s talk as we walk. They are going to encoffinate your father; if you delay further, you won’t be able to see your father one last time!”
Wu Yang was confused, but he immediately replied: “Let’s go!”
Zhao Liuxiao quickly took Wu Yang’s hand and rushed towards his home, explaining the circumstances as they went.
Yesterday, he and another constable, Wang Tiezhu, were following the Head of the patrol, Wu Dayong, in pursuit of a case of missing children.
The three of them tracked the clues into Tiger Roar Mountain outside the city. They separated due to some incident along the way. By the time the two found Wu Dayong again, he was already dead, lying in a dense forest.
As soon as the two carried Wu Dayong’s body back, another Head of the patrol from the yamen, Sun Yunqi, brought people to their door. Under the pretext that Wu Dayong was killed by Demonic Evil and his body was contaminated with evil energy, he forcibly encoffinated Wu Dayong, and he was to be cremated tomorrow.
This was why Zhao Liuxiao had rushed out to find Wu Yang and bring him back to see his father one last time.
As soon as Zhao Liuxiao finished explaining the situation, they arrived at Wu Yang’s home.
As Wu Yang entered the house, he saw a coffin placed in the middle of the main hall.
At this moment, the hall was filled with people. There was Wu Yang’s sister, Wu Yue, and another constable under his father, Wang Tiezhu.
There were also some familiar neighbors who had come to watch the spectacle.
And there was Sun Yunqi, the Head of the patrol from the county yamen, and a few constables under him.
At this moment, they were blocking Wu Yue and Wang Tiezhu from approaching the coffin.
Wu Yue was one year younger than Wu Yang, Wu Dayong’s biological daughter. Wu Yang had always treated her as his own sister.
When Wu Yue saw Wu Yang return, she cried out: “Brother!”
She then rushed into Wu Yang’s arms and wept.
Wu Yang gently patted Wu Yue’s back, then looked at Sun Yunqi and said: “I want to see my father one last time.”
Sun Yunqi glanced at Wu Yang and said: “No, Head of patrol Wu is contaminated with evil energy, others must not approach him.”
Wu Yang said: “We are his closest relatives, can we not even see him one last time?”
Sun Yunqi remained silent: “Even close relatives cannot. Head of patrol Wu is contaminated with evil energy and could turn into a weird being at any moment. Anyone who approaches the coffin might also be contaminated with evil energy and become a Demon Human!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the neighbors who had come to watch the excitement changed their expressions and quickly retreated from the room, moving to the courtyard outside.
In this world where demons and strange beings run rampant, it was not uncommon for humans to become Demon Humans after being contaminated by evil energy. Once transformed into a Demon Human, their life was over.
They would either be killed by demon hunters or captured and cremated by the yamen constables.
Doubts arose in Wu Yang’s heart. If his father was indeed contaminated with evil energy, why were Zhao Liuxiao and Wang Tiezhu, who carried his father’s body back, unharmed?
Why was Sun Yunqi so eager to conclude the case, and under the pretext of his father being contaminated with evil energy, he prevented others from approaching the coffin? Could it be that there was another hidden story behind his father’s death?