C9 Luck Roulette

The sky was overcast, and a dense black fog enveloped the area, with occasional drizzles threading through the air.

Qin Feng's vision was a sea of red, likely from the blood trickling down from a wound on his forehead into his eyes. His clothing was in tatters, and his body was riddled with scars. In his hand, he gripped a Limitless Level Spirit Artifact blade, its edge dripping with beads of blood, evidence of the fierce battle he had just endured.

Qin Feng couldn't understand how things had escalated to this point. He hadn't done anything, yet he found himself framed as the thief who had stolen the Nirvana Bead. But who was behind it?

A disciple nearby seemed cowed by the ferocity in Qin Feng's gaze. Clutching a Spirit Artifact Magic Artifact, he hesitated to approach, though his eyes betrayed an undiminished contempt for Qin Feng.

Qin Feng was aware of the grim reality: if the Sect Master deemed him guilty of stealing the Nirvana Bead, he would face a gruesome death or be cast into the disciples' pit, never to see the light of day again. He had witnessed a fellow senior brother, who had accidentally offended an Aristocratic Family Member, get thrown into that very pit, never to return. The sect had changed; it was no longer the place Qin Feng once knew.

Qiu Mu's patience had run thin. In a stern voice, he demanded, "Qin Feng, will you not yield and confess to your wrongdoing?!"

With a pained smile, Qin Feng clenched his teeth and responded deliberately, "Qin Feng... What crime is there to confess?"

"Hmph! Since you stubbornly deny the charges, then..."

"Stop, stop, stop! What is this all about?"

Martial Uncle Lian Yu had somehow made his way into the throng. Catching sight of Qin Feng, battered and bruised on the stage, he gasped in shock. Quickly bowing to Qiu Mu, he pleaded, "Sect Master, it was I who instructed Qin Feng on his comings and goings within the sect. If there is blame to be assigned, let it fall on me. Why create such a spectacle and allow the disciples to gang up on one man?"

Qiu Mu let out a derisive snort and retorted, "Lian Yu, I'm well aware of your good nature and your aversion to seeing the many oppress the few. But are you truly aware of the crime Qin Feng stands accused of?"

Lian Yu was taken aback and inquired, "What crime?"

Qiu Mu, pointing at Qin Feng, declared furiously, "This young man! He has committed the grave offense of stealing the Nirvana Bead, our sect's treasure!"

*Boom!* A thunderous noise erupted in the sky, throwing Lian Yu's thoughts into disarray.

"No... it can't be. Qin Feng might be a bit scatterbrained at times, but he would never stoop to such a heinous act as stealing a treasure from the sect!"

Qin Feng glanced at Lian Yu with a sidelong look. Seeing Lian Yu's resolute demeanor, the icy feeling in his heart began to thaw somewhat.

So, there were indeed trustworthy people within the sect.

"Lian Yu, do you dare defy the heavens?"

"Sect Master..."

"Old man!"

Lian Yu was cut off mid-sentence by a cheeky voice from behind. He turned to see Qin Feng staggering as if he might collapse any second, yet the smug grin never left his lips.

"I don't want you pleading on my behalf," Qin Feng said, blood still dripping from his hands, as he let out a sly laugh. "What if you got into trouble because of me? What would Senior Sister do?"

"You little rascal..."

In the past, Lian Yu could have responded to Qin Feng with a teasing insult, but now he couldn't muster a smile or a single coherent sentence.

"Old man, come here." Qin Feng beckoned Lian Yu with a wave of his hand, signaling him to come closer.

After a brief hesitation, Lian Yu approached Qin Feng. Qin Feng leaned in and whispered something in his ear, prompting the onlookers to crane their necks in an attempt to eavesdrop, yet not a word reached them.

"Scoundrel! You..." Lian Yu appeared to have heard something astonishing, pointing at Qin Feng in shock.

Lian Yu, witnessing the continuous flow of blood from his mouth, tried to speak but was abruptly silenced.

Martial Uncle Lian... The Feather Hairpin that Senior Sister Lian dropped while bathing in the Floating Pond is still safely stored in the sandalwood box on my bedside table. I had intended to return it but feared she might be too embarrassed... Please return the Feather Hairpin to her for me and convey that not marrying her in this life is my deepest regret. In the next life, I will make her my wife without fail.

Qin Feng curled his lips into a smile, then knelt toward a certain direction and bowed his head deeply, whispering, "Master... this will be the last time I address you as Master..."

He bowed his head so low, burying it in the crook of his arm, that he appeared to be weeping.

"System, are you there? I'm at my limit!" Qin Feng, wincing from the pain of his injuries, called out cautiously.

"Ding!"

"Host, I just heard your 'final words.' They were quite moving," said a mechanical voice with a teasing tone.

Qin Feng was at a loss for words. The system was supposed to be a hack, but at times it felt more like a trap.

"Is there any way you can get me out of here? Or clear my name and expose the scoundrel who framed me?" As he spoke, Qin Feng clenched his teeth in anger, unsure of who had slandered him, leaving him unable to clear his name.

"Sorry, host. We don't offer teleportation or gold-level mediation and investigation services," the system replied.

Hearing this, Qin Feng felt a sense of despair. Caught between a rock and a hard place, it seemed not even the system's miraculous abilities could save him now. It looked like this might be the end for him today.

"However..." The system paused, "Congratulations, host. Your spirit value has reached 100%, and you've earned a lucky draw!"

Oh? But how could a lucky draw help him escape this predicament?

"Just say a number to draw your reward."

"Let's go with five, my lucky number," Qin Feng said, resigned to his fate. If he could draw a powerful Divine Artifact that could help him escape, that would be great. If not, dying here wouldn't be the worst outcome. He had lived in the Imperial Heaven Sect for over a decade, considering it his home, despite the treacherous wolves lurking within and the inability to confront the person who had wronged him.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations, host. You've won a Golden Body Spirit Body, which comes with a complimentary soul transference technique."

"???"

"Golden Body Spirit Body? What's that?"

"It's impervious to fire and water, and it has the ability to heal wounds rapidly. It's a physical form composed of half spirit and half demon essence. However, it requires the host's sixteen years of Profound Cultivation in exchange, and your current body must be destroyed."

Qin Feng was taken aback. He had never imagined that the lucky draw could yield a body shell impervious to both fire and water. If possible, acquiring a new body shell to escape his current predicament seemed like a viable option. It would also allow him to uncover the identity of the scoundrel who had framed him. But the thought of sacrificing sixteen years of his Profound Cultivation...

No matter. If it came down to it, he was prepared to start from scratch. With the system and the Forging Furnace at his disposal, he was ready to put in even more effort than the average person to re-cultivate. He was determined to reach the pinnacle.

Those who had brought shame upon him would feel his vengeance a hundredfold in the coming year.