Xiao Yan stood up abruptly, his heart hammering against his ribs. He moved toward the source of the sound, peering through the dense foliage. He had been certain he heard a massive explosion, but as he swept the area, he saw nothing but disturbed leaves settling on the forest floor.
He sighed, his shoulders relaxing. "Really? I got worried for nothing."
["That is why you are dumb, Master."]
"System, it is not your turn to talk. Shut it," Xiao Yan snapped.
["When I take human form, I will deal with you personally."]
"Ahh, I'm shaking. Truly," Xiao Yan muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the system's lack of humor.
He returned to his clearing, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes. This time, his focus was absolute. He felt a strange, humming connection to the earth beneath him. He could hear the rhythmic rustle of the canopy and the distant, melodic calls of birds, all flowing in perfect harmony with the mountain breeze.
["You are growing stronger. Soon, you will begin to understand the Laws of Nature."]
"System... silence, please."
Just as peace began to settle over him, the temperature plummeted. A Frost Wolf burst from the shadows, its jaws snapping inches from his throat. Xiao Yan's instincts flared; his hand blurred as he drew his sword. With a sharp shink, he struck. The beast was instantly encased in a block of jagged, translucent ice.
"Whoosh. That was close," Xiao Yan exhaled, his pulse racing at light speed.
He thought the fight was over, but a sharp CRACK-CRUNCH echoed through the clearing. The ice shattered into a thousand shards. The beast, a natural ice-user itself, shook off the frost. It bared its yellowed fangs contagious, instant killers ,and let out a guttural snarl.
"Gosh, this thing is tough," Xiao Yan muttered, a look of pure disgust crossing his face.
The wolf lunged again. This time, Xiao Yan tapped into the power of his inner cores. Utilizing his shadow movement, his eyes tracked the beast in slow motion. He shifted his weight and vanished, reappearing several meters away. The wolf tumbled through the space he had occupied a microsecond before.
"Omg... I actually have this kind of speed?"
The wolf skidded to a halt. Sensing the overwhelming shift in Xiao Yan's aura, the beast tucked its tail and bolted into the darkness.
"What a smart beast," Xiao Yan noted, quickly moving to a more secluded spot to recover.
["Did you notice, Master? It's smarter than you."] Seraphin's voice dripped with mockery.
"System, are you going to stay an annoying voice forever?"
["Hmm... no. I can upgrade once you breakthrough the Divine Realm."]
"Gosh, I can't wait for that. But it'll probably take me a year or two to get there. It isn't as easy as you think, my little Disciple."
Xiao Yan spent the rest of the night in a small, hidden cave. "We leave tomorrow morning for the city near the mountain."
["Did you just talk to me?"]
"Yeah. Why?"
["I cannot walk myself; I live in your sea of consciousness. But you said 'we.' If you leave, I obviously have to leave too."]
"It is still 'we,'" Xiao Yan insisted.
["You really need a doctor... or a very talented alchemist. By the way, you can use the essence of that beast to nourish your inner cores and weapons."]
"Let me do that quickly."
He laid out his weapons and began to meditate. The blades started to pulse with a rhythmic, ethereal glow. The air around him slowed, turning heavy with spiritual energy.
"Wow," Xiao Yan whispered to himself, watching the light dance along the steel. "The power boost is definitely real."
The morning sun greeted the world with a golden hue as Xiao Yan approached the gates of Canghai City—the main gateway to the Icy Mountains. He had been walking for hours.
"Tiring, right System?"
["You always ask foolish questions."]
"Sometimes I ask myself if you're a blessing or a curse. You aren't serving your Master well at all."
["You were born yesterday, and you think you can give me lessons?"]
"Well, you are a system meant to serve, so..."
["If only the Gods had not punished me this way..."]
Xiao Yan didn't quite catch the last part. "What?"
["Nothing. Don't mind me."]
They reached the gate, where a massive line of travelers stretched down the road. Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Didn't you hear? The mountain is about to open its portal to the Divine Land!" one traveler exclaimed.
"System," Xiao Yan whispered, watching the crowd. "What exactly is the Divine Land?"
["It is a realm reserved for those who have reached the Divine Realm"]
"Can I go even though I'm still in the Mortal Realm?"
["Yes. You are a Balance Breaker. The rules do not apply to you. That is why I am here."]
"Hell yeah," Xiao Yan grinned. He loved being an exception to the rule.
Finally, he reached the front of the line. A burly guard with a clipboard looked him up and down. "Young man, let me see your Human ID. Proof that you are from a sanctioned land."
"Huh? Well... the truth is, I don't have one."
"If you don't have an ID, get out!" the man barked.
Before Xiao Yan could argue, two massive guards grabbed him. With a grunt of effort, they launched him into the air. Xiao Yan soared 40 meters over the treeline, screaming as he disappeared back into the forest. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body looking like a crashed plane.
"Omg... I forgot we needed IDs. I left mine back in the palace. Now I have to figure out how to get a new one."
Canghai was far stricter than Beisha; it held treasures that required elite security. As Xiao Yan struggled to stand, the world suddenly froze. Time stopped completely.
A shadowy figure appeared beside his prone body, looking down with ancient eyes. "So, this is the one I am supposed to follow? He is far too weak... yet he owns a System. I will return for you, Xiao Yan. As the Balance Breaker, you are our only savior."