Even after racking his brain, Luo Ren still couldn't find a way out of his predicament. Blinded, severely injured, and holding a lowly status—the system's voice was akin to meeting a warm blanket in slumber or receiving charcoal on a snowy day. His excitement was utterly understandable.
"Ding! Host authentication successful. Congratulations, Luo Ren, you are now the Master of the Overlord System."
The somewhat mechanical voice echoed in his mind again. Without much thought, Luo Ren immediately spoke, "I want to escape my current plight. Is there a way?"
As soon as his words faded, a spectral image materialized, hovering beside him.
Though Luo Ren was blind, this newly appeared figure somehow projected itself directly into his mind. It was a petite loli, no larger than an adult's hand, with lustrous black hair, large sparkling eyes, delicate arched brows, a sculpted nose, and small, plump red lips. Her skin was fair and rosy, adorned with two dimples. Dressed in a noble golden long robe, she exuded an air of supreme elegance while remaining incredibly adorable.
"Greetings, Master! I am the representative of the Overlord System, and from now on, I shall assist you," the tiny loli chirped, her small mouth revealing perfectly white teeth. Her voice transmitted directly into Luo Ren's mind, sweet and clear like a flowing stream, incredibly pleasant to the ear. In fact, Luo Ren felt the pain from his injuries ease slightly.
"Are you the System's spirit?" Luo Ren pondered, not speaking aloud. In his previous life, he had read many Xianxia novels and knew that some terrifyingly powerful spiritual treasures often possessed assisting spirits.
"You could say so, yes," the little loli seemed to understand Luo Ren's thoughts, though her reply was rather vague.
Luo Ren wasn't bothered, silently thinking that he probably lacked the authority to know such detailed information at present.
"Do you have a name? It's more convenient for communication, isn't it?" he continued to ask.
"Please bestow a name upon me, Master!" the spectral loli said in a childlike voice, her eyes brightening, clearly eager for her name.
"You are clad in a noble golden robe, possessing an extraordinary aura. I shall call you Kim Nhi. Furthermore, please address me as Young Master. Being called 'Master' feels rather unfamiliar," Luo Ren said slowly. Having lived two ordinary lives, being called 'Master' by a little girl made him feel quite awkward.
"Many thanks for bestowing this name, Young Master! Hehe," Kim Nhi giggled, her adorable smile widening. She was clearly very pleased with her new name.
"Alright, is there a way for me to escape my current predicament? And how does the Overlord System operate?" Luo Ren went straight to the main point.
His current situation was precarious, like a flickering candle in the wind. Receiving a system was clearly a transmigrator's perk, and not utilizing it would be foolish. He didn't care whether the system had any malicious intentions for making him its master; after all, he had nothing left to lose.
Kim Nhi also knew he was getting down to business and gravely began to explain:
"The Overlord System will stop at nothing to help its Master become an Overlord. Of course, in this world where the strong prevail over the weak, the only way to become an Overlord is to become the strongest. To grow stronger, Young Master can complete various system-issued quests to earn specific rewards. In short, the System will spare no effort to forge Young Master's path to becoming an Overlord. As for how that path is traversed, it still depends on Young Master yourself."
"Of course, the System has only just awakened and is currently at Level 1, with limited authority. Young Master needs to continuously grow stronger to upgrade the System. The higher the System's level, the more functions it will unlock, thereby helping Young Master shorten the path to becoming an Overlord," Kim Nhi continued to explain.
"That is already excellent," Luo Ren nodded in satisfaction. After all, he understood the principle of self-reliance; he couldn't rely too heavily on the system like the overpowered protagonists he'd read about in his previous life.
"Ding! First Main Quest initiated: The Genesis of an Overlord. Reward: Unknown. Failure Penalty: Death, System Disappears."
"Quest Note: Within one hundred years, dominate the Ice Heaven Continent, subjugate the two great Ninth-rank forces, and use the Ice Heaven Continent as your first stepping stone to conquer the path of an Overlord."
"Ding! Branch Quest initiated: Dragon Enters the Wide Sea. Reward: One designated Earth-grade item summoning. Failure Penalty: Imprisonment by the Luo Clan for 5 years."
"Quest Note: The Host is constantly under Luo Lei's surveillance, seen as a thorn in his eye. Escaping the Luo Clanmeans escaping Luo Lei's sight, thereby finding an opportunity for development."
"Ding! System's first awakening, granting 1 Newbie Gift Pack."
A series of mechanical sounds rang out. After hearing them, Luo Ren decisively ignored the two quests. What he cared about most right now was the Newbie Gift Pack. Whether he could complete the two quests above depended entirely on the immediate Newbie Gift Pack. As for Luo Lei targeting him, it was no surprise to Luo Ren; after all, he bore the name of a waste, and a genius like Luo Lei would surely feel that having such an elder brother was a stain on his life.
"Young Master, quickly open the Gift Pack!" Kim Nhi urged, clearly very curious herself. After all, she was just a representative created by the system to communicate with Luo Ren; the quests and rewards were still orchestrated by the main system.
Luo Ren silently nodded, thinking, "Open the Newbie Gift Pack."
"Ding! Host, are you sure you want to open the Newbie Gift Pack?" The system's confirmation sound rang out.
"Yes," Without hesitation, Luo Ren confirmed with his thoughts.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for opening the Newbie Gift Pack! You have received: one random Forbidden-grade cultivation technique summoning, one random Earth-grade magical artifact summoning, one random Profound-grade martial skill summoning, 3 Healing Pills, 3 Minor Teleportation Talismans, and 1 Basic Insight Talisman."
"Ding! Received items will be stored in the System's spatial dimension."
"My heavens! Even Forbidden-grade cultivation techniques have appeared!" Kim Nhi shrieked in surprise, her elegant and noble demeanor completely gone. Her small mouth hung open, her eyes wide as saucers, and her tiny body trembled with excitement.
Luo Ren was utterly bewildered. According to this body's memories, cultivation techniques, martial skills, and spiritual weapons in this world were divided into five ranks: Spirit, Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Spirit was the highest, and Yellow the lowest. What in the world was a Forbidden-grade cultivation technique?
"Is a Forbidden-grade cultivation technique that powerful?" Luo Ren swallowed with difficulty, asking Kim Nhi.
"How could it not be powerful? This is a supreme existence! In front of a Forbidden-grade, what are Spirit-grade or Heaven-grade? They're all trash, Young Master, do you understand?" Kim Nhi still hadn't recovered from her excitement.
"It seems the System is determined to forge an infinite foundation for Young Master. You must strive, Young Master, you must strive very hard, no, very, very hard!" Kim Nhi stammered on, her small face flushed with excitement. Clearly, being able to follow a promising master made her uncontrollably joyful, and she didn't forget to encourage Luo Ren, for she knew how difficult it was to cultivate a Forbidden-grade technique.
Luo Ren was filled with shock. He hadn't imagined that the two words "Forbidden-grade" would be so terrifying. One must know that the Luo Clan could become an Eighth-rank cultivation force partly due to the Luo Moon Ice Scripture, a Heaven-grade high-tier cultivation technique passed down by their ancestors for generations. It was known to not only perfectly forge the foundation for cultivators with Ice spirit roots but also possessed immense, tyrannical power, capable of freezing even the moon.
He had heard that a notorious assassin organization, led by a Soul Transformation stage expert, once attempted to assassinate the young master, Luo Lei. This enraged the patriarch, Luo Thunderbreak, who personally unleashed the Luo Ice Palm martial skill from the Luo Moon Ice Scripture. As a result, a thousand-mile radius became a frozen wasteland, and nearly 3000 assassins were shattered into ice sculptures in the snowstorm, not a single one escaping.
As for Spirit-grade cultivation techniques, he had only heard rumors that the two Ninth-rank forces, the Heavenly Mountain Immortal Realm and the Ice Profound Empire, possessed them. However, these were merely legends; no one had ever confirmed their existence.
"Forbidden, Forbidden," Luo Ren repeated these two words. Kim Nhi had no reason to lie to him, so it was clear that this type of cultivation technique was indeed terrifying. He would absolutely not miss this chance to soar to greatness.
"Summoning? So I get the cultivation technique and other rewards randomly?" Luo Ren continued to voice his doubts. This was a crucial step that would decide his fate; he dared not be careless.
"Yes, for example, Young Master currently possesses one Earth-grade magical artifact summoning. You might prefer using a sword, but when you summon, you might get a saber instead. Additionally, magical artifacts are divided into Initial-grade, Mid-grade, and Peak-grade. Which grade you summon depends on your luck, Young Master," Kim Nhiexplained.
"What about cultivation techniques? What if I accidentally summon a demonic cultivation technique? Do I have to cultivate the demonic path?" Luo Ren's expression was slightly grim. He didn't want to become a ruthless demon lord.
"Young Master can choose not to cultivate it, but what's wrong with demonic cultivation techniques? Cultivation techniques don't distinguish between righteous and evil; it's the user who determines their fate," Kim Nhi said with puffed cheeks, clearly a little displeased with Luo Ren's prejudice against the demonic path.
Luo Ren suddenly realized his error. He admitted to himself that he was still too shallow compared to the little loli before him. Cultivation techniques don't distinguish between righteous and evil—he secretly memorized this truth.
"Then, let's first heal these injuries."
Luo Ren's thought stirred, and a Healing Pill appeared in the palm of his hand. Without much hesitation, Luo Renendured the full-body pain and swallowed the pill. He felt a storm of spiritual energy from the pill spread throughout his body. Countless internal and external wounds closed, and the red, swollen bruises on his face also disappeared.
Spiritual energy was the most fundamental cultivation resource existing in heaven and earth. Cultivators could cultivate entirely by absorbing the spiritual energy of the world, and the condition for absorbing spiritual energy was a Spirit Root. That was why someone without a Spirit Root like Luo Ren suffered such a tragic fate.
It was only then that the reader realized Luo Ren possessed an exceptionally handsome appearance: a pair of sword-like brows, a straight, high nose, and thick lips slightly upturned in a seemingly indifferent expression.
After all, Luo Thunderbreak, as the Luo Clan patriarch, possessed an extraordinary demeanor and appearance. And while Luo Ren's mother was merely the daughter of a Fifth-grade family, her beauty must have been undeniable for her to catch Luo Thunderbreak's eye. Inheriting the bloodlines of two such individuals, Luo Ren's appearance was naturally outstanding. It was only a pity that his mother passed away too soon, leaving him with only a vague impression of her appearance.
"Truly miraculous pills!" Luo Ren stood up, feeling incredibly refreshed throughout his body. Only his persistent blindness prevented him from assessing himself and his surroundings.
With a thought, two talismans appeared in his hand, and information about them automatically entered his mind.
Basic Insight Talisman: When used, it automatically grasps all situations within a 300-meter radius. It can detect the aura of experts at the Nascent Soul stage and below, even if they deliberately conceal themselves or hide. Duration: 24 hours.
Minor Teleportation Talisman: Teleports the user to a random location, at a random distance, which could be a hundred miles or even tens of thousands of miles. Usable only once.
"These are clearly tailor-made for my current situation!" Luo Ren smiled contentedly. It seemed the System was quite reliable. Although the Luo Clan's territory spanned tens of thousands of miles, the clan's core location was only within a thousand-mile radius. Being able to leave this core area was more than enough for Luo Ren.
"The System is certainly reliable!" Kim Nhi widened her eyes, then continued, "But this is just the beginning for Young Master! Strive to upgrade the System, and there will be more worthy rewards!"
Luo Ren nodded, filled with anticipation for the future. He immediately crushed the Basic Insight Talisman in his right hand.