Chapter 1: The Warrior

Minglu.
First Advanced High School of Flower City.
Class Three, Senior Year.
The teacher raised his left hand, exposing his palm, and spoke solemnly, "Look carefully: the Devil's Eye in my palm. It is a symbol of honor, but it also represents danger and responsibility."
"Tomorrow, you will undertake the final item of your college entrance examination—the Martial Arts Exam!"
"Some of you will awaken the Devil's Eye, channel spiritual energy through it, and become powerful warriors. But..."
"Some of you will die."
"As your teacher, I ask little of you: come back alive."
That last sentence weighed heavily in the air.
Fang Qingyun sat in the last row, listening intently.
He gazed at the teacher's palm, at the devil's eye that gleamed like a ruby, his expression as eager as the other students.
That eye represented power, authority, status...
When he heard the word "death," he couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.
He had crossed into this world for several years now, yet still couldn't grow accustomed.
People here had a disturbingly casual attitude toward life.
Even the college entrance exam could claim lives.
What kind of madness was this?
Whenever he thought of it, he felt a certain part between his legs ache with anxiety.
But the environment was what it was; no one could change it.
...
This was a world utterly different from Earth—a tower-like realm... the Azure Moon World!
Formed of twelve floating continents.
Fang Qingyun was born on one of the continents dominated by humanity: Minglu.
The human race thrived on martial arts!
Everyone practiced martial discipline; martial prowess was revered above all!
This was how they maintained their voice and even their existence amidst other powerful races!
Cultivating as a warrior required absorbing spiritual energy through the Devil's Eye in one's palm.
To possess the Devil's Eye, one had to undergo a dangerous ritual.
This was the final stage of the college entrance exam: the Martial Arts Exam.
The death rate was one percent.
That seemed low, but Fang Qingyun understood that over a million students took the exam each year.
Which meant at least ten thousand senior students died annually.
Survive, become a warrior, rise above all, enjoy luxury and beauty every day!
Die... and it was all over!
"Ah!"
"Brother, can you help me survive?"
In front of Fang Qingyun, only he could see the system interface that appeared.
[Host: Fang Qingyun]
[Strength: 6]
[Speed: 5]
[Constitution: 4]
[Mental Power: 4]
[Origin: 15]
This was the essential tool for any transmigrator: the Golden Finger!
Fang Qingyun called this damned system the Sword Hanging Overhead.
Also known as the Sword of Damocles.
For this system only activated in the face of danger.
For example:
When Fang Qingyun first arrived in this world, dazed and disoriented, he was hit by a car and nearly died.
The system activated, and his Origin pulsed 115 times.
A (+) sign appeared beside each attribute, much like a game.
He didn't understand it then, so he casually pressed a button and chose Strength.
His Strength really did increase from 5 to 6.
But his Origin decreased by 100 points.
Resulting in his current stats.
Afterward, Fang Qingyun tested it many times and finally determined... this system was not to be trusted.
Acting or faking couldn't fool it; only genuine near-death experiences could activate the system!
But genuine near-death...
Damn it, what if he actually died?
The last time he was hit by a car, he barely made it back.
"Ah!"
Fang Qingyun sighed deeply, a melancholy ache in his heart.
He understood that danger lurked everywhere in this world.
With over ten thousand deaths in the college entrance exam, it was only a matter of time before the system activated again.
"Brother, aside from the great nobles, no one dares to guarantee a hundred percent survival through the ritual. You'd better face reality."
A voice came from beside him.
Fang Qingyun glanced at the speaker.
His best friend and seatmate, Zhao Junhong.
Born into a noble family, his clan held a hereditary estate—he was the son of a true lord.
With this status, he'd attracted many beauties, earning envy and resentment from others.
Fang Qingyun suddenly put on a kindly smile, "Junhong!"
Zhao Junhong shivered, hurriedly waved his hand, and said, "Just say what you want. Don't talk or smile like that—it's unsettling."
Fang Qingyun smiled warmly, "You're from a noble family, with centuries of heritage and your own land. Don't you have any secret treasures or elixirs for the exam?"
"None!"
Zhao Junhong replied without a hint of hesitation.
"Heh, how many years have we known each other? You're so quick to reject me—now I'm sure you do have something!" Fang Qingyun grinned, "We're old friends; could you really bear to see me die?"
"I could!"
Just as blunt as before.
A cold gleam flashed in Fang Qingyun's eyes, but his smile grew even gentler.
"Ahem!"
Zhao Junhong cleared his throat, rolled his eyes, and answered awkwardly, "With a one percent death rate, do you think you're the chosen one, just in time for bad luck?"
"Listen, only those with terrible physical condition and poor mental state will stumble. You're strong, your constitution's solid, there's no chance of dying."
Fang Qingyun persisted, "There's always someone with exceptionally bad luck."
Zhao Junhong was exasperated, "That's like winning the lottery every time; over ten years and millions of students, only one has ever been that unlucky."
Fang Qingyun pointed to his own nose, "Do I look like an ordinary person to you?"
Zhao Junhong: "..."
"Besides, there's only a ten percent chance of awakening. With a million examinees, ten thousand die, a hundred thousand awaken as warriors, maybe even fewer. Do you think I can awaken?"
Zhao Junhong's expression turned serious, his gaze fixed on Fang Qingyun, "Awakening? The Devil's Eye? You want to be a warrior? You used to hate fighting—nine-to-five was your ideal life, wasn't it?"
"That was the old me; I'm different now!"
Zhao Junhong stared at him for a long time, saw his sincerity, and hesitated.
"I do have an elixir; as for yours... I'll do my best."
"Smack!"
Fang Qingyun slapped Zhao Junhong's shoulder, "Good brother, as long as you share your elixir, I'll share mine with you."
"You have an elixir too?" Zhao Junhong's eyes widened. "What grade? What effect? How much enhancement?"
Fang Qingyun smiled.
Grade, effect, enhancement...
He'd never said a word about elixirs before.
What was up today?
Was he really planning to share his own elixir, dropping hints in advance?
"Here!"
Fang Qingyun generously pulled out a bottle and handed it to Zhao Junhong.
"You want it? Take it all; I have another bottle."
Zhao Junhong stared at the bottle, almost ready to slap Fang Qingyun himself.
Rat poison!
"This is your elixir?"
Zhao Junhong was so angry his nose nearly twisted.
What kind of person was this!
At a time like this, still joking around?
Facing the life-changing college exam, even he was nervous.
All he could say was:
Fang Qingyun's heart was truly big!
He didn't know that, for Fang Qingyun, rat poison might really count as an elixir.