C3 Again!

After spending a day in quiet contemplation, Lin Feng solidified his realm of cultivation. He then fired up the Fate Severing System and started to roam the outskirts of the Profound Purity Sect's Outer Sect. But with the Outer Sect Competition over, the place had grown eerily quiet. The majority of disciples had ventured out to gain experience, aiming to secure their promotion to the Inner Sect in a month's time. Those who remained were either newcomers or, like Lin Feng, individuals with limited aptitude and no particular talent for cultivation, opting instead to stay and handle menial tasks.

As Lin Feng meandered through the Outer Sect, he noticed an absence of any radiant aura around the people there. He began to doubt the reliability of his system. Little did he know that fortune is an elusive and elusive force, not something you stumble upon at every turn. Deciding to broaden his search, he ventured into the nearby town.

It was there that Lin Feng's luck turned. He encountered a person enveloped in a soft white glow. Without hesitation, he focused on the individual. Above, a white silhouette of a coin pouch materialized in the sky. Rushing to the spot, Lin Feng discovered the pouch in a dried-up well. Emptying its contents, he found just over ninety Low Grade Spirit Stones. In the past, such a find would have thrilled him, but now, these few stones left him feeling discontent.

[Transportation Successful, Reward: One Body Tempering Pill]

The spoils of low-level luck were indeed modest. With a flick of his wrist, Lin Feng tossed the pouch back into the well. Shortly after, a man passing by noticed the bag and scrambled down to retrieve it. Finding it empty, he cursed his bad luck and moved on.

Lin Feng resolved to target only those with at least a mid-level fate from now on. Yet, despite scouring the town, he only came across a handful of individuals glowing with that same white light and no more. He had been naive to think that mid-level fates like Wang Meng's were a common sight.

Just as he was about to head back, feeling a tinge of disappointment, a brilliant green light caught his eye from a street corner in the distance. Lin Feng's spirits lifted, and he immediately set his sights on the source. Approaching was a young girl, clad in vibrant red, hurrying towards the town's bustling market.

Lin Feng glanced up toward the bustling market and spotted a tattered cloth phantom hovering above.

He hurriedly cut through a side path to reach it.

Directly beneath the apparition was a vendor's stall.

There, Lin Feng found the piece of cloth.

"Excuse me, I'd like to purchase this cloth. How much are you asking?"

The vendor glanced at Lin Feng and replied indifferently, "That piece has already caught someone's eye. It's not for sale."

Lin Feng mused to himself, If it's not for sale, why display it? Clearly, you think I can't afford it because of my shabby clothes.

Without hesitation, he produced a hefty bag of Low Grade Spirit Stones, shaking it slightly.

It was his entire savings—four to five hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones.

"So, have you changed your mind about selling?"

The vendor's demeanor changed instantly at the sight, and he eagerly rose to greet Lin Feng with newfound enthusiasm.

"My good sir, since you're so earnest, I'm not opposed to selling it to you. However, if the other party comes looking, it would be difficult for me to explain."

"Just name your price."

Lin Feng was well aware of the vendor's cunning.

"Alright then, what do you say to one hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones?"

"Deal."

Lin Feng didn't waste another word and tossed one hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones to the vendor.

A sly grin spread across the vendor's face, though internally he was kicking himself for not asking for more. He had expected Lin Feng to haggle.

But Lin Feng had no time for such negotiations.

Any delay, and the rightful owner of this opportunity might arrive.

After securing the cloth, Lin Feng swiftly found a hiding spot, anxious to avoid being seen by the girl.

[Opportunity Link Discovered]

[Choose to extract the link before claiming the reward]

[Claiming the reward now will be considered forfeiting the opportunity link]

With Lin Feng's silence, the system elaborated:

[Two distinct opportunities exist, each with a subtle connection to the other, creating a linked opportunity]

[Seizing both simultaneously could lead to even greater fortunes]

[Acquiring two linked opportunities allows for an upgrade of the system reward by one level.]

"Boss, where's that rag I had my eye on yesterday? Bring it out, please."

Zhan Shuining held out her money pouch with one hand while extending the other towards the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper wore a look of regret as he replied,

"My apologies. It was purchased by a young gentleman just a moment ago."

"What?"

"Wasn't it supposed to be held for me?"

"Miss, I'm in the business of selling. If someone pays, I sell. You haven't paid yet."

"I'll pay you now. Please, find that person for me."

The vendor took a quick glance at the pouch. With his keen eyes, he could tell at a glance that it contained no more than a hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones.

"Miss, I'm afraid your funds might be insufficient."

"What are you implying? Wasn't the price set at fifty Spirit Stones yesterday?"

Zhan Shuining was visibly upset.

"The buyer just paid a hundred and ten Low Grade Spirit Stones."

One hundred and ten Low Grade Spirit Stones. For Zhan Shuining, that was a month's worth of savings, and the fifty Spirit Stones she had were an advance on next month's salary.

"Why don't you have a look at some other items? Everything I sell here is a treasure."

The vendor invited her with enthusiasm.

Zhan Shuining, uninterested, turned on her heel and stormed off.

Lin Feng, who had been watching from the sidelines, took in every detail.

A faint green glow still radiated from Zhan Shuining, though it was much dimmer than before.

He quickly scaled the rooftop.

Indeed, in the direction of the Profound Purity Sect, there was the phantom image of a green book.

The words "Ghost Shadow" were barely discernible on its cover.

He hadn't expected to encounter such a serendipitous opportunity.

"Forsake the reward, opt for the chance connection."

Lin Feng affirmed his choice inwardly.

Without delay, he made his way back to the sect.

Beneath the phantom was the Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion of the Profound Purity Sect's Outer Sect.

This was Lin Feng's inaugural visit.

Access to the cultivation techniques and martial skills within required either the sect's Contribution Points or the expenditure of Spirit Stones.

Unfortunately, Lin Feng had previously lacked both.

The techniques and skills were categorized into five ascending levels: yellow, black, earth, heaven, and saint.

The Golden Pavilion of the Outer Sect primarily housed yellow-ranked cultivation techniques and martial skills, with just a few low-level profound-ranked ones available. It was only within the Inner Sect that one could access the higher-level profound-ranked techniques, and even the rare earth-ranked ones. Heaven-ranked techniques were the sect's treasures, taught exclusively to direct disciples. Saint-ranked techniques, on the other hand, were exceedingly scarce in the world.

This time, Lin Feng was tasked with finding a particular book, a challenge that was giving him a headache. The Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion spanned two floors, boasting a collection of over a thousand techniques and skills. How was he supposed to locate just one?

Before he knew it, Lin Feng was drenched in sweat from his search.

"Miss Zhan has arrived."

"Deacon Zhao, I'd like to pick out a martial skill," Zhan Shuining requested, her expression clouded with displeasure.

"Weren't you all fired up yesterday about buying something? How did it go? Did you get what you were after?" Deacon Zhao asked with a smile.

"No, some jerk beat me to it," Zhan Shuining replied, clearly irritated.

"Ah!" Realizing his misstep, Deacon Zhao quickly tried to console her. "Miss Zhan, tell me what kind of martial skill you're looking for, and I'll help you find it."

"I'm in need of a movement technique."

"That's easy. On the second floor, check the third cabinet on the left. The third and fifth books should be to your liking."

"Thank you, Deacon Zhao."

As Zhan Shuining made her way upstairs, Lin Feng beat her to it, swiftly heading to the cabinet and grabbing the third and fifth books. One was titled "Swallow Form Wind Speed" and the other "Ghost Shadow Mystery"—both among the limited low-level profound-ranked martial skills in the pavilion. The former emphasized speed, while the latter focused on agility.

Without a second thought, Lin Feng chose "Ghost Shadow Mystery." As he was returning "Swallow Form Wind Speed" to its place, Zhan Shuining arrived. Not daring to meet her gaze, he feigned composure and headed for the staircase. The thought of having inadvertently thwarted her fortune once again left him feeling somewhat sheepish.

But to become stronger, there was no other choice. He could always make it up to her once he gained more strength.

As Zhan Shuining brushed past him,

Her heart skipped a beat, prompting her to glance back at Lin Feng.

Had she discovered his secret? Lin Feng's heart raced with anxiety, and he hurried downstairs.

She caught sight of the secret tome he was holding.

A wave of melancholy washed over Zhan Shuining.

It was as though she had lost something of utmost importance in her life.