《Cultivating with a Remote (LITRPG and Cultivation)》 Chapter 1
It was a beautiful spring morning, filled with the chirping of birds and the smell of flowers in the air. Jiayi walked along a worn-down path, intending to head to the forest to gather herbs for her mother. Her mother had always told her to be careful of spirit beasts and cultivators who might attack a defenseless girl, but she had waved off her worries. The Purple Dragon Sect had always kept the Sapphire Zone free of life-threatening danger. She didn¡¯t know why, but such was the way of the Immortals. A scream nearby jolted her out of her thoughts. It sounded like a man, but it was so high-pitched she wondered if it was possible. Shaking her head, she began using her qi to boost her speed, quickly reaching the source of the scream. What she saw made her burst into a fit of laughter. A mortal was running away from a Realm 1 beast! The man spotted her and rushed over to her, intent on begging her for help when she simply unleashed her aura and the beast knew it was outmatched and began running away. As for the man, she realized he was unaffected and began studying him. A little taller than her with a lean muscular frame and curly black hair that was uncared for. His face was squarish, with a sharp jawline and beautiful brown eyes that drew her in. He wore clothes she had never seen before, and wouldn¡¯t know how to describe. It was ripped in many places, most likely from the spirit beast she had just scared off. ¡°State your name and business¡± she ordered, her earlier mirth all gone. The man brushed himself off before replying, ¡° My name is Adam, and I am a traveler who got lost, Esteemed Cultivator,¡± ¡°Ah Dum?¡± The man laughed, before correcting her, ¡°Adam¡± ¡°It matters not. What matters is what you were doing in this forest,¡± ¡°I was lost and I saw herbs nearby, intending to gather them to make food for myself,¡± replied the man. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Jiayi knew this ¡°Ah Dum¡± was probably lying, but she couldn¡¯t care less. She had to gather herbs before her mother scolded her for being lazy. Besides, what danger could a mortal pose to their village? She handed him a token, and said, ¡°Show this to the guards at the front of the village. They will let you in. Make sure you do NOT continue along this path, or they will think you are an invader,¡± The man cupped his fists and bowed. ¡°Thank you for your help, Esteemed Cultivator. But where is the front of the village?¡± She sighed, before explaining that he should go left until he encountered a red ribbon. Then, he would turn right and walk straight until he saw a wall. Saying this, Jiayi knew she could no longer afford to wait, or her mother would scold her for bringing the herbs late. She bid him a short goodbye and zoomed off, her qi-empowered legs pushing her faster and faster until she was nothing but a blur. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam glanced briefly at the speeding woman before continuing towards the village. He knew from the woman''s directions that he would see ribbons soon, but he still didn¡¯t trust her fully. Sighing, he checked the glowing blue screen, knowing he could no longer put it off. ¡°Status¡± [Universal Remote System] Name: Adam Rolander (Ah Dum) Race: Human Cultivation: None Quests Shop (TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN) Remote Functions [LOCKED] He clicked on the remote functions and was immediately greeted with another screen. [Remote Functions] Pause Time (5 seconds) Rewind (1 Month - Cooldown will be twice the time rewinded) [LOCKED] Note: Remote functions can only be used once a day. Use this function wisely. From his system descriptions, he had gathered that[Pause Time]would pause time for 5 seconds before resuming time, and rewind would let him go back in time one month, but he doubted they¡¯d be useful. He had thought of abusing rewind but the cooldown time disabused him of that notion. He was so absorbed in his musings about the system he almost missed the red flag. Quickly turning right, he began jogging, noting the sun high in the sky. He clicked on quests, hoping for something new after meeting that cultivator. [Quests] None He frowned but decided there would be more opportunities for quests later. The shop function was shut down, whatever that meant, which meant he had almost nothing to do. He thought back to when he was transported to this world. He had been sitting in front of his TV after a long day at work when the screen flashed blue and he was dumped near that beast. His system hadn¡¯t bothered giving him any information, and he was only thankful that he could understand the language. In the distance, he could make out walls of some sort and knew he was close to the front of the village. He picked up his pace and soon enough, one of the guards noticed him. ¡°Halt! State your name and business,¡± He flashed the token to them, thankful for the mysterious woman who had given it to him. One of the guards recognized the token and told him to take it to the Elder. As he walked inside the village, his senses took in all of the sights, sounds, and smells. He spotted people dressed in brown robes haggling with merchants, the sound of sizzling meat, conversations, and the smell of it all, with a faint undertone of waste. He began making his way to the Elder¡¯s house, asking for directions when he needed them. Before he could make it there, a mask was forced over his head, cutting off his senses as he spiraled into unconsciousness. Chapter 2 Adam woke to a dull, throbbing pain in his head. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit dungeon, he could feel chains binding his wrists. His whole body ached and he faintly remembered traveling through a forest. He scanned his surroundings, spotting two other prisoners also chained to the wall. He looked down at himself, and was relieved to see his clothes hadn¡¯t been taken. ¡°Where am I?¡± he thought. As if sensing his thoughts, one of the prisoners turned to him and said, ¡°You¡¯re in the Dragon¡¯s Dungeon, son. I have no idea what you¡¯ve done at such a young age, but to end up here¡­¡± He observed his fellow captives. The one who just spoke had an unruly mane of hair, so dirty you couldn¡¯t tell the color. His red eyes held a trace of madness, but his body truly told his story. Skinny beyond reason, and crisscrossed with scars, it was a wonder he was still alive. Despite his appearance, his face still held a trace of pride, as if he was still at his peak. The other prisoner told a much different story. Clean hair, clean robes, and a portly appearance. His robes were purple, with gold dragons carefully crafted by the edges. If Adam had to guess, he¡¯d say he was a merchant who recently got thrown in the dungeon. The man noticed his gaze and shot him a glare. ¡°What are you staring at, boy,?¡± ¡°Oh stop the act, Shen,¡± said the other captive. ¡°Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t harm you,¡± Shen glared at the old man, his portly appearance making him look less intimidating than he would¡¯ve liked. ¡°At least I¡¯m getting out of here. You¡¯ll be stuck here until you die alone and miserable. And who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll deliver the news to your daughter personally,¡± he sneered. Adam observed this interaction with increasing curiosity, and all thoughts of escape were forgotten. He observed the old man¡¯s reaction, finding a stony expression. Just as he was about to break the silence, he got a notification. [Ding!] New Skill Available: Calm in the Storm Skill Tab Unlocked! New Quest Available! Quest: Escape the Dragon¡¯s Dungeon! (click for more details). Reward: Freedom, New Remote Function Bonus reward:??? Failure means possible death as well as penalties by the system. Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise. Not only was his reward for escaping a new remote function, but he could earn a bonus reward too! Seeing nothing else to do, he decided to click for more details to discover how to get the bonus reward. You have been wrongfully imprisoned in the Dragon¡¯s Dungeon, one of the many prisons of the Purple Dragon Sect. Trapped alongside you are an old man and a merchant named Shen. If you not only escape but prove yourself guiltless, you will receive a bonus reward. As for your fellow prisoners, you can choose to free them or leave them here, incurring no penalties. Think carefully, for this is not a game. Your actions may have consequences. His brows furrowed in confusion. Wrongfully imprisoned? Purple Dragon Sect? He moved to rub his eyes, only to realize his chains were still there. Sighing, he decided to click on his new skill and check out his skill tab. Calm in the Storm: You have been unreasonably calm in the face of trouble. This skill will help you remain calm and resist mental attacks. Current Skills: Calm in the Storm (Mortal Grade) - Passive Note: You can not upgrade skills until you unlock that function. He frowned when he read the note. He couldn¡¯t upgrade his skills? What did he need to upgrade his skills? How much power would it grant? His head swirled with questions, but he decided to put them off for now. First things first, escaping the dungeon. He could just use his rewind! Adam tried it and was immediately disappointed.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Rewinding to complete a system quest will not grant you quest rewards] Continue? Y/N He cursed. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. He selected the no button. His disappointment was noticed by the old man. ¡°Thought you found an escape? Ha! I¡¯ve been here for a decade, and it''s nearly inescapable for mortals like us. Though, if you do find one, would you mind bringing me along? I want to see my daughter one last time before I die,¡± Adam could feel Shen¡¯s assessing gaze on him. He was surprised at how quickly his attitude shifted at the mention of escape. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you both with me if I find an escape,¡± he promised. He had no intention of bringing Shen but he didn¡¯t need to know. Suddenly, they could hear the clanging of keys as the door opened before them. Two soldiers stood in front of their cell, one holding a torch and the other holding three plates. ¡°Food,¡± the second soldier said gruffly before putting each of their plates in front of them. ¡°Eat how you can,¡± he said before they left, locking the door behind them. ¡°Damn. Not even gonna free our hands? What kind of service is this?¡± Adam joked. Twenty minutes later, Adam realized how hard it was to eat without hands. The meal consisted of a moldy piece of bread and a rotten fruit along with a cup of water. He had attempted to drink the water only to spill it all over his food. Next, he tried to feed himself the bread using his feet. His flexibility wouldn¡¯t allow it. He glanced at his fellow prisoners. They were all looking at him like he was a lunatic. ¡°What?¡± Adam shook his head. If they wanted to starve, it was up to them. The old man chuckled. ¡°They unlock our chains after a while. They want us to go crazy at the sight of food so close but impossible to eat,¡± Adam stared at him. ¡°You waited twenty minutes to tell me this?¡± The old man chuckled again. ¡°It was funny watching you struggle like that. It seems even Shen over there enjoyed the show,¡± Adam glanced over only to find Shen scowling. He was about to make a remark when his stomach growled. He hadn¡¯t eaten anything since what seemed like yesterday. As if on cue, their shackles unlocked and he shoved the piece of bread into his mouth. He grimaced at the taste but he couldn¡¯t be picky. He picked up the rotten piece of fruit and put it in his mouth. It tasted like a grape, but much sweeter - presumably due to its rotten nature. As soon as he finished eating, he began looking for an escape. He realized meal times would be perfect to explore his new prison. His senses were on high alert, and he began crawling around the wall looking for anything useful. His cellmates didn¡¯t look at him, too focused on their food. His crawling didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the guards. ¡°PRISONER 003 GO BACK TO YOUR SPOT IMMEDIATELY!¡± a voice yelled. Adam looked around for the source of the voice, spotting a glowing green orb he hadn¡¯t noticed before. He crawled back to his area, immediately being shackled somehow. A wave of tiredness washed over him. His new life here had taken a toll on him. As his eyes started to close and his body relaxed, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder: why was he chosen? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Young Master! Wake up!¡± a feminine voice called out. Wang felt his body being shaken as he thought about last night. He groaned as he felt a dull, throbbing pain in his head. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have drunk that much Mortal Grade Spirit Wine last night. Even at the 6th Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, he still had his limits. He cracked his eyes open to find a pair of green eyes staring straight back at him. His eyes widened in surprise. He had told his maid not to wake him up so early today! But his heart wilted after hearing her next words. ¡°Your father wants to see you! He said the Purple Dragon Sect wants to recruit you! Come on! Get dressed quick!¡± The Purple Dragon Sect. He shivered at her words. They were known not only for their work ethic and cruelty but also for something more sinister: their prisons. As he was dragged out of bed by his maid, he only had one question. Why was he chosen? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two hundred years since the Great War. Two hundred years of suffering for the demon race. And for Mei twenty years of indoctrination. Yet, she couldn¡¯t hate the humans. It had never seemed reasonable to her. The demons were the ones who attacked and the humans merely fought back. It was just war, right? She sat in the Headmaster¡¯s office glancing at a map laid out on his table. She could sense him discussing something with her parents in his room, but she couldn¡¯t make out their words. At twenty years old, she had reached the 7th State of the Qi Condensation Realm, a rare feat for a demon considering the lack of natural qi in the demon realm. She was considered a rare talent, not at the status of a genius but enough to set her apart from the average demon. What truly made her unique though was her lack of hate for humans. The Headmaster had even tried to convince her that all their suffering was because of humans. But she simply scoffed and masterfully destroyed his arguments which led to their current situation. Finally, the Headmaster came out with her parents behind him. He sat down on his blood-red chair, motioning for her parents to take a seat on either side of Mei. He clasped his hands together as if deciding his next words very carefully. ¡°Mei,¡± he started, ¡°I have seen your rise from the 1st Stage to the 7th, yet you show no signs of the loathing all demons have towards humans. For this reason, as well as your talent, we have decided to send you to the Purple Dragon Sect.¡± The Purple Dragon Sect? She had heard of their reputation, but had no worries. She knew there would be bad eggs and good eggs amongst humans. She just had to remember that fact despite all the hate she would get for being a demon and all the cruelty she¡¯d undoubtedly experience. She knew the Headmaster would plan to plant the seeds of hate in her heart and water it through the Purple Dragon Sect. She wondered how far he would go to make sure he succeeded. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep.Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. STOP. The bat wandered through the cave. Why was it chosen? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0. The fairies came. They ate the cows. Then the pigs. Then everything else. My mother clutched me tight. The fairies would eat her too. But I was not eaten. My wings sprouted. They sliced my mother. I flew away. I was captured. Darkness. Darkness. Darkness. Dark- Chapter 3 The Heavenly Dao looked at its newest soul. It had high hopes for the human. It hoped to see him flourish before it died. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam awoke to water dripping down his body. ¡°Get up boy,¡± a gruff voice ordered. Adam groaned as his eyes fluttered open. His body felt sluggish as if moving through molasses. He missed his old life sometimes. It¡¯d been three days since his arrival in this world and he¡¯d made no progress in escaping. He reluctantly got up, swaying a little as he did. Malnutrition and horrible living conditions had taken a toll on him. The guard turned around and walked out. ¡°Follow me,¡± he ordered, before walking off. Adam walked behind him, his mind racing. What could they want? Who was calling him? Where was he going? Suddenly, the guard stopped. He pointed at a plain wooden door at the end of a hallway. ¡°Enter,¡± he said simply. Adam hesitated. He didn¡¯t know what awaited him behind the door. He had heard tales about death waiting for all prisoners of the Purple Dragon Sect. He didn¡¯t want to die. ¡°Enter,¡± the guard said more forcefully, shoving him forward. Adam knew he had no choice. He walked towards the door, his breaths becoming quicker, his palms sweaty. When had he started shaking? Step after step brought him closer to the simple door, the root of his fears. A minute ticked by, then another. All too soon, he had reached the door. He looked back at the guard, who was no longer there. He felt eyes watching from the shadows, ready to pounce if he ran. He opened the door. A row of teeth greeted him, accompanied by an odor so vile that he almost fainted. The teeth parted, revealing an endless maw filled with eyes of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. All staring at him. The beast moved. Adam screamed. His arm disappeared into that pit of eyes. His senses came back. Adrenaline powered his every move. Yet he could not escape. He ran and it caught up to him. He climbed and it chewed through the bottom. He swam and it swam after him. Then he disappeared. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 month ago ¡°Hey, little guy! How you doing?¡± Lin skipped across the meadow, following the bat back to its home. She¡¯d been elated when she found it a week ago. It¡¯d been injured somehow, and she had nursed it back to health with Realm 2 Spirit Beast meat she had hunted and cooked as well as a strange fruit she found hanging from a tree. Her fairy intuition had told her it was safe and the bat showed no reaction to it so she assumed it was safe for it. She¡¯d asked her mother about it and even she didn¡¯t know. Her back itched, reminding her of the main reason she had come here. She revealed her wings, reveling in the freedom they granted her. She still remembered her father''s parting words. ¡°Never show your wings. They plant the seed of greed in humans. The seed of envy in other fairies. The seed of wrath in demons. You must grow strong on your own. Be good for your mother. And always remember: I love you Lin,¡± She never saw him again. Her wings were almost translucent, with a black outline around them. Shades of blue, red, and green shaped dazzling patterns that would shift constantly. Sunlight warped in impossible ways to form a more beautiful and awe-inspiring image. Her pride and joy she had to keep hidden. Unexpectedly, the bat, as if sensing her inner turmoil, let out a small sound. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just thinking about my wings,¡± she sighed. ¡°No use dwelling on the past though. Come on. We should continue,¡± Lin skipped inside the cave, her mood improving with each step she took. The bat led her deeper and deeper, light nothing but an afterthought. It promised a great treasure hidden in the depths to her. One of her Legacies it said. Yet it had been hours now and there were no signs of the treasure. ¡°Was it a trap?¡± she wondered. But common sense told her otherwise. As the doubts began creeping in, she sensed a powerful pulse of qi. At first, it was almost imperceptible but as they got closer the pulses became more intense. In front of them, a door covered with drawings of winged beings stood. An eerie blue light seeped out from the cracks but the door seemed to swallow it. Without a doubt, Lin knew this was what the bat had been leading her to. She breathed deeply in the cool dank air and pushed the door open. What greeted her was a man. His body pulsed with the eerie blue light she had seen escape the door. Dirty black hair and almond-colored skin covered by clothes ripped beyond recognition. He sat up. Beautiful brown eyes seemed to draw her in. Her senses screamed danger, but her body refused to move. She was captivated. The man''s eyes widened as she glimpsed his BEING for a brief moment. Then darkness overtook her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam awoke to the sound of a body hitting the ground. He immediately checked his arm, relieved to see it back. In retrospect, he should¡¯ve rewinded earlier but he had wanted to outsmart it - to prove his superiority - and it failed. His mouth widened, and he let out a gasp as he checked his notifications.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [Used Rewind - 1 Month] [Rewind Cooldown - 2 Months] {ERROR: USER HAS NOT BEEN ON THIS PLANET FOR ONE MONTH} {Solution Found: User will do what he did one month ago} {ERROR: INTERFERENCE FROM @%#^!@^ &*@ DETECTED} {ERROR: UNABLE TO TRANSPORT TO HOME PLANET} {@%#^!@^ &*@ PROPOSES RESOLUTION} {RESOLUTION ACCEPTED} {IMPLEMENTING RESOLUTION (Your secrets lay bare. Make sure no one is watching) {10% COMPLETE} {36% COMPLETE} {78% COMPLETE} [!!!!!! has glimpsed your secrets] [Interference from @%#^!@^ &*@ detected] [!!!!!! has been altered by @%#^!@^ &*@} [!!!!!! does not know your secrets] {100% COMPLETE} [...] There was more but he couldn¡¯t continue. Not when the thought of an entity interfering with his life lay before him. Especially when he had the opportunity to return to Earth and it had interfered. His life back on Earth wasn¡¯t exciting by any means but it was far better than being eaten alive. Putting his thoughts aside, he noticed a girl prone on the ground. He deduced that she was the one who had glimpsed his secrets and had been altered. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl, he gently walked over and carried her to a bed-like structure in the middle of the room. Adam sat beside her and began observing his surroundings. There was a faint light from a white orb directly above him, illuminating the room. There was nothing of note except a plain wooden door - the same one he had seen his last rewind - and a mix of stone and unknown materials making up the walls. He tiptoed towards the door, wincing when his feet were pricked by needle-like rocks he had failed to notice. He looked outside the door and felt like a blind man. Darkness permeated every inch of this place and he felt a chill as he shut the door. Knowing there was nothing to do but wait for the girl to wake up, he decided to check his remaining notifications. [You have failed the quest ¡®Escape the Dragons Dungeon!¡¯] [As a result of this failure you will be unable to access the shop until you reach the Foundation Establishment realm. In addition, quests will give half of the rewards you¡¯d gain for completing it for a month. As this is your first time failing a quest as well as considering your unique circumstances, we will compensate you but do not expect {REDACTED} to be so lenient next time] [Congratulations! You have learned a Godly grade skill!] New Skill Available: Unrivaled Learner Unrivaled Learner: Learn everything twice as fast as your peers! Current Skills: Calm in the Storm (Mortal Grade) - Passive Unrivaled Learner (Godly) - Passive Adam whistled in appreciation at his new skill. The fact that he would learn everything twice as fast as his peers would make him a genius no matter what. But he was still worried about who {REDACTED} was. The fact that it wasn¡¯t a mess of incomprehensible symbols made him more concerned. His thoughts fell into a downward spiral. His [Calm in the Storm] didn¡¯t seem to help at all. But then the sound of gentle snoring broke him out of his worries. He looked beside him and remembered the girl. Her black hair fell across her face messily. A drop of saliva formed at the edge of her mouth before falling onto a wet spot on her robes. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It reminded him so much of his sister. Reminded him of the pranks they¡¯d pull on each other when they were young. Growing up with no other siblings but her was hard sometimes but they always came together when it was serious. His smile turned wistful as he relived his best memories: birthday parties with his friends, cracking jokes with his friends in the middle of class, and even the simple joy of listening to his favorite songs. He felt a bone-deep weariness and decided to settle down for the night. Clearing an area for himself around the bed, he checked for danger one last time before going to sleep. As his eyelids began drooping, he vowed that he would see his sister again before he died. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bat felt ashamed. He had sensed a faint wisp of Heaven¡¯s qi and had led his savior to it, thinking it was one of her Legacies. But he ran away when his savior had needed him most. He could still see the entranced look on her face and heard the thump of her body as it fell towards the ground. Tomorrow, he vowed, I¡¯ll find her. But today he would cultivate. He needed to break through the 1st Realm to beat that man. And he would do it. His savior¡¯s life depended on it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Far away, a Devourer reported its sightings to its master, its wings moving rapidly as if trying to convey its urgency. ¡°Yes master, I¡¯m sure. I have never seen wings like that before! It wasn¡¯t a trick of the light. The colors themselves shifted and the sunlight seemed to bend to her will!¡± Its master pondered this new development. The humans would discover her and think it was a sign to invade the demon realm. The demons would see an enemy they had to nip in the bud. It knew the fairies would demand her head as soon as they found out. The king would try to claim her wings for himself and most likely die attempting to merge with them. But that didn¡¯t answer what it should do. Suddenly, it had an idea. It would send an army of Devourers and capture her to study. ¡°Send the army to her location. Capture her ALIVE,¡± commanded the master. It laughed at how foolish it was to think of such a simple solution in such a long amount of time. It seemed it would need to do more mind training soon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam woke up to white eyes peering at him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, waiting for his mind to wake up. Details of yesterday began flooding in and he looked curiously at the girl still staring at him. He offered an introduction. ¡°My name is Adam. What''s your name?¡± He reached out a hand, intending to shake her hand. ¡°Lin,¡± she whispered, looking suspiciously at his hand. Adam withdrew his hand, feeling foolish. Of course she would be suspicious. Besides, he thought she was being a little too trusting considering their circumstances. The silence stretched on between them. Then he heard footsteps and voices. He stealthily walked to the door and opened it a tiny bit. He saw rows of torches being waved around as if searching for a hidden entrance. He looked around and saw a man wearing ornate purple robes and wielding a sword staring directly at him. His eyes widened in surprise and before he could react, he pointed his sword at the door. ¡°There! That''s where the girl is!¡± Five minutes later, Adam was bruised, tied up, and unconscious. Lin tried to tell them he wasn¡¯t a kidnapper but they dismissed her claims on account of her being a youngster. The party walked through the cavern for many more hours until they reached the surface. Adam''s consciousness returned to himself kneeling before the purple-robed man. ¡°Ah-Dum! You are hereby charged with kidnapping! You have 30 minutes to defend yourself or be executed!¡± He brought out a glowing white stone. ¡°This is a Truth Stone. When someone lies in its presence, it will turn black. If you are caught lying five times, you will be executed regardless of your innocence. Do you understand?¡± Adam nodded. But before he could say anything, Lin stepped in. She told everyone the same story she had said in the cavern many times. Throughout her tale, eyes kept flashing to the Truth Stone, waiting for it to turn black but it remained a pristine white. Lin finished her tale and the stone hadn¡¯t turned black once. All eyes turned to the man with the Truth Stone. His eye twitched but he admitted, ¡°We were wrong to accuse you of kidnapping Lin. You see, I was sent to bring Lin to the Purple Dragon Sect, but I can see you have a special bond with her. We apologize for any harm we may have caused and offer you this village''s best hospitality. Furthermore, I will ask the sect to allow you to be her servant and you will be tested for any cultivation talent you may have,¡± The villagers gasped. Lin raised an eyebrow. And Adam looked at his new quest. [Ding!] New quest available: Join the Purple Dragon Sect (click for more details)