After emerging from the Golden Dragon Spiritual Pool, the piercing cold sensation now felt different. It was no longer a paralyzing chill, but a refreshing cold, as if every pore of my skin had been cleansed and revitalized. My body felt light, as if years of burden on Earth had been lifted, and my mind... my mind felt clear, sharp, like a newly honed blade. The fog that had enveloped my brain since I arrived in this world had thinned, replaced by a clarity I had never felt before. This was the effect of the initial purification mentioned by the System, an unexpected blessing from my clumsiness that caused me to fall into the pool.
I let out a long breath, feeling the dense spiritual energy enter my lungs. This time, the sensation was not just "alive" or "heavy," but like inhaling a pure essence that flowed directly into every cell, filling a void I hadn't realized existed. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to comprehend this change. When I opened them again, the world around me looked different. The cave walls that had previously only looked like rough rock now seemed to have intricate natural patterns, as if carved by an invisible hand. I could see faint energy veins pulsating within the rocks, emitting a dim glow almost invisible to the naked eye.
"System," I mumbled, my voice now sounding more steady, no longer hoarse or trembling. "What exactly happened to me? Is this what 'cultivation' is called? I feel... different."
[Ding!]
The transparent panel appeared before me, glowing brighter than before, as if responding to the clarity of my mind. A faint mechanical click sounded as text appeared on the screen.
[Detection: User has reached the Initial Mortal Body Stage. Meridian purification has begun. Cultivation Potential: Low (Increasing).]
[Initial Mission: Survive on Golden Dragon Peak for 1 day. Status: Ongoing. Time Remaining: 12 hours 25 minutes 00 seconds.]
[Gathering Strangeness Points from unexpected increases...]
[+10 Strangeness Points.]
"Mortal Body Stage? Low Level? And my potential is increasing?" I read the information, eyebrows raised high. "So, I've started cultivating without knowing how? Just by falling into a pool? This is truly... strange! Do all cultivators in this world begin their journey by slipping and falling into a magical pool?" My Strangeness Points were now 55.
A faint, amused smile appeared on my "beautiful" face. "Haha! If this is how it works, I can become the strongest cultivator just by doing silly and embarrassing things! Maybe I should often slip, or bump into walls, or perhaps... try talking to that dragon in rabbit language?" The idea itself made me chuckle softly, the sound echoing faintly in the cave, "Ha... ha..."
I began to explore the cave more thoroughly. The golden light from the Golden Dragon Spiritual Pool illuminated most of the space, revealing details previously hidden in the darkness. The cave walls were not smooth, but had strange curves and protrusions, some of which looked like natural carvings. The floor was wet and slippery in some places, covered with glistening dark green moss. The air here felt warmer near the pool, but the further I walked, the cold began to creep back in. Tap... tap... tap... The sound of my footsteps on the damp cave floor was soft, breaking the silence.
Grrrrummm...
The dragon's low rumble still echoed, this time feeling further away, as if the dragon was moving outside the cave, or perhaps in another part of the mountain. The sound was now more like a constant hum in the background, a reminder of the lurking danger. I swallowed, reminding myself to stay alert.
Whoosh!
As I walked along one of the narrow passages branching off from the main pool area, a sudden cold gust of wind swept through a crack in the wall, carrying with it a stronger scent of earth and minerals. My eyes caught something that caught my attention. In a dark crack in the rock wall, where the pool's light barely reached, there was a faint flickering light, blip... blip... I approached cautiously, my heart faintly pounding.
It was a flower. A very strange flower. Its petals were sapphire blue, emitting a soft glow, as if made of frozen crystals that radiated a delicate shimmer. Its stem was slender and transparent, and in its center, a small golden bud pulsed faintly, emitting a dense aura of spiritual energy. The flower grew from a dry rock crevice, without soil, as if it absorbed energy directly from the cave wall, a miracle of nature.
"What flower is this?" I whispered, reaching out, curiosity overcoming caution. The aura it emitted felt pure and calming, unlike the oppressive presence of the dragon or the fierce spiritual energy outside.
[Bzing!]
A sudden warning appeared on the system panel, accompanied by a sharp notification sound.
[Detection: Sky Essence Ice Flower. High-grade spiritual plant. Possesses the ability to absorb and purify spiritual energy. Extremely rare.]
[Warning: Do not touch without preparation. The energy contained can overwhelm User's unstable meridians. Permanent damage may occur.]
I quickly pulled my hand back, almost hitting the wall, thud! "High-grade spiritual plant?! Don't touch?!" I stared at the flower with wide eyes, my face surely pale. "And why didn't you tell me earlier, System?! I could have touched it and exploded! Or frozen into a beautiful but dead ice flower statue!"
[System only provides information when User shows interest or is in direct danger. This information is now relevant. Information efficiency is a priority.]
"Relevant, you say?!" I snorted, feeling utterly annoyed. "Information efficiency?! Efficiency to make me almost die ridiculously again, you mean?!"
[Detection: User's Panic Level increased. Gathering Strangeness Points...]
[+7 Strangeness Points.]
"Damn it!" My Strangeness Points were now 67. I looked at the flower again. Beautiful, but deadly. Like... my own face? An absurd thought crossed my mind, making me chuckle slightly, "Hmph..."
I decided not to touch the flower, at least for now. I still had to complete my survival mission. However, the presence of this flower here, in a dragon's cave, next to a spiritual pool, felt too coincidental. As if this cave was some kind of hidden spiritual treasure, waiting to be discovered by a dazed person like me.
I backed away slightly, observing the flower from a distance. Its soft blue light illuminated the dark corner of the cave, providing a little calming beauty amidst the harsh environment. Perhaps, if I could cultivate further, I could understand this flower, or even use it.
"Alright, Chen Ming," I muttered to myself. "It seems the adventure in this cave has just begun. First, I fell into a magical pool. Now, I've found a dangerous spiritual flower. What else will happen? Maybe I'll find an ancient cultivation manual written on the cave walls, or maybe the dragon will come and offer me tea while discussing life philosophy." I shook my head, trying to shake off those silly thoughts. But in this strange world, anything could happen.