C2 Beginner Protection

Lin Yaoyang stood rooted to the spot, instantly regretting his words. "Lin Yaoyang, what on earth are you babbling about? Where will you find a weapon superior to that sword?

Steal one? That sword was the finest in all of Qingye Town. Where could he possibly steal from? Overwhelmed by his own boastful claim, Lin Yaoyang felt a headache brewing. If he failed to deliver on his promise, Elder Lin would undoubtedly seize the chance to ruthlessly cut him down.

Elder Lin was a member of the Lin Faang lineage, Lin Faang's uncle to be exact. With a chance to remove obstacles for his nephew, Elder Lin wouldn't dream of letting it pass. Even though Lin Yaoyang was hardly an obstacle now, Elder Lin lived by a merciless creed: better to kill mistakenly than to let someone slip by. How could such a cold-hearted man ever spare him?

With a heavy sigh, Lin Yaoyang made his way home, realizing that the newly acquired deconstructing and synthesizing system might be his only salvation. He needed to understand it—and fast.

As Lin Yaoyang hastened to his house, he noticed the Lin Family's younger generation eyeing him and whispering among themselves. The incident with the sword must have spread like wildfire.

A cold feeling settled in Lin Yaoyang's heart. Lin Faang and Elder Lin were certainly in a rush to spread the word; it hadn't even been a few minutes, and yet it was common knowledge. Ignoring the murmurs, he headed straight for his house.

Once inside, Lin Yaoyang quickly locked the door, eager to avoid any interruptions. He sat on the bed and focused his mind, unsure of how to summon the voice. Tentatively, he thought, "What can be broken down?"

"Everything can be broken down!" The voice emerged abruptly in Lin Yaoyang's mind, devoid of any emotional inflection. Startled but enlightened, Lin Yaoyang realized all he needed to do was pose the question mentally. He pressed on, "Can I still cultivate?"

"Yes," came the immediate reply. Then, a list materialized in Lin Yaoyang's mind:

Name: "Lin Yaoyang"

Strength: "50"

Agility: "30"

Stamina: 100

Wisdom: 60

Luck: 20

Experience: 0/200 Next Stage: First-Level Warrior

Upon seeing the list, Lin Yaoyang paused, taking in what appeared to be a representation of his current capabilities.

Yet, he wholeheartedly agreed with his meager luck score of 20. In fact, Lin Yaoyang mused that his luck should probably be in the negatives—after all, who else but the unluckiest of souls gets struck by lightning?

But when his gaze landed on the experience value, he paused again, a realization dawning on him. His eyes blazed with fervor as he asked, "What's this about experience points? Can I continue to cultivate?"

"Yes! Once your experience reaches the cap, you can advance to the next stage without the need for breakthroughs," the voice promptly explained upon Lin Yaoyang's inquiry. He fell silent, then erupted into hearty laughter, shouting skyward, "Heavenly Father! I knew you wouldn't leave me, Lin Yaoyang, without options! Hahaha!"

Once his laughter subsided, Lin Yaoyang inquired mentally, "How do I earn experience points?" The response left him at a loss for words.

"The question is too simple; no answer is necessary." What? Lin Yaoyang was baffled. How could the question be too simple when he had no clue?

Undeterred, Lin Yaoyang pressed on, "How can I increase my experience points?" The answer came: "Slay Demonic Beasts, defeat powerful foes, exchange points, disassemble spiritual objects of nature, break down supreme divine weapons."

Frowning, Lin Yaoyang considered his current weakness. How was he supposed to slay Demonic Beasts? He'd be more likely to serve himself up as their meal. Then he remembered acquiring a skill called Weapon Master, which allowed for the creation of Spiritual Force Weapons.

He quickly asked, "How do I craft a Spiritual Force Weapon?"

"You'll need a Demonic Beast's crystal core and a plain weapon," came the reply. Damn it! Was a Demonic Beast's crystal core something you could just stumble upon? This felt like a setup.

Frustrated, Lin Yaoyang fumed at the system's deceitful simplicity, which masked the steep requirements of each feature. In a huff, he leaped out of bed, and as his feet hit the floor, a voice rang in his head: "Crush an ant, gain one experience point!"

Then Lin Yaoyang noticed his experience points jump from 0 to 1. What the heck? Wasn't he supposed to take down a Demonic Beast? How on earth did he earn experience from squashing an ant?!

"Due to the user's low level, beginner protection mode has been activated." It was as if the voice knew exactly what Lin Yaoyang was pondering and chimed in just in time.

Beginner protection... A spasm crossed Lin Yaoyang's face. Once a top-tier expert, he now found himself in need of training wheels.

The thought of the Demonic Beast's Demonic Core brought a pang of distress. Where could he possibly find such an item? It was utterly impractical to think he could take down a beast on his own. With his current abilities, he wouldn't stand a chance against even the most basic Fire Rat in the Demonic Beast Forest.

And the Fire Rat's fiery crystal core—was it something one could just stumble upon? It was conceivable that Lin Yaoyang could wipe out every Fire Rat in the forest and still come up empty-handed.

A headache loomed, but without utilizing the system's weapon crafting method, he had no hope of acquiring a superior weapon. If he did nothing, Elder Lin would have his head in three days.

After much deliberation, Lin Yaoyang retrieved a piggy bank from beneath his bed, filled with dozens of gold coins—his hard-earned savings from before his downfall. A single gold coin could sustain an ordinary family for a year, and here he had a small fortune.

He emptied the coins into a pouch—around sixty in total—and set out to test his luck. Maybe he could find a Demonic Beast's crystal core by chance. After all, imbuing a weapon with even a hint of a special effect could skyrocket its worth exponentially. On the continent, weapon forgers were among the most sought-after professionals.

Even the simplest, lowest-level weapon, if infused with spiritual energy, would incite a frenzy among countless families vying for it. Its rarity was beyond question.