Chapter 18: Game Avatar
Ascension.
Heavenly Palace.
Clouds and Immortals.
The Sky above and beyond.
The Heaven's Game and the stakes.
I woke up with a heavy headache. For the past few weeks, I have been delving into old Fu Shi's memories. It is so that I can arrange it, and learn more about this world.
It looks like I fell asleep while I was meditating on old Fu Shi's memories. The dream is bizarre, it's something related to Heaven's Game, but I don't understand shit.
Never mind, the Heaven's Game is not at the top of my priorities right now.
I want to expand my player base. I have six more slots, but I want to think for the long run when my players reach the 3 digits.
That is where the Biron Kingdom comes in. It is necessary I pull important and talented figures on my side, and what better source is there than a kingdom itself?
For now, I am biding my time, and earning a steady amount of quintessence. Xiang Ya and Lu Gao can now hunt for themselves as they are almost at the 1st stage. Meanwhile, Nee Chen and Bi Yuan are steadily accumulating levels.
I had Nee Chen and Bi Yuan hunt somewhere else so that they do not hinder Xiang Ya and Lu Gao's growth with all of the limited prey in the forest.
Ping! Player Died.
That sounds just right… sheesh… Who is it this time? Lu Gao, huh?
Ping! -1 quintessence.
I resurrected Lu Gao with a thought. This dying and returning to life are becoming more often. My take on abusing the respawning system is one that you'd expect from a game master like me.
It is as expected. With this respawning, I believe the days that the fourth calamity will roam this world will soon come.
"Game Master, thank you!"
Lu Gao immediately scurried after thanking me. He rushed, eager to continue his hunt. Since learning that they can resurrect, the three humans have become more daring lately.
Unlike the little bunny who retained most of her survival instinct, the humans became unhinged and on the brink of even forgetting that death is a terrible thing.
There was even one instance where the three humans joins forces to fight a beast of a higher realm. Nee Chen literally used his companions as bait to achieve the kill. This three are becoming more player-like as the days go by.
But honestly, at the back of my mind, aren't they looking more like evil unorthodox cultivators instead?
Meanwhile, Bi Yuan is doing her own stuff at her own pace without any suicidal thoughts whatsoever. This may be attributed to her strong sense of self-preservation as a bunny. That's good.
I wanted so badly to get out of this cave and find players for myself. Maybe go to a city or any populated places.
But, I can't really afford to resurrect my players in the middle of the city, right? One of the requirements of my resurrection technique is that the resurrected players will be summoned in front of me.
I can also just not resurrect them on time. Maybe I can use a container to contain their souls, and then I'll resurrect them in an isolated place later. I am not keen on this method though. Not resurrecting them in time might be damaging to their soul.
After resurrecting Nee Chen in a certain debacle, I interviewed him about what he experienced.
Being stuck in a dark cold place, and the prickling sensation of being pieced like jigsaw puzzles sounds a lot like 'decay' to me.
According to old Fu Shi's memories, decay is a phenomenon that happens after death. It is generally observed as the decomposition of the flesh and the dissipation of the soul.
Since then, I raised 'making an automatic respawn point' higher in my list of priorities.
Besides rediscovering old Fu Shi's memories, I also dedicated some time to contemplating about the system.
The system has godly potential but it is not invincible. It clearly works on certain rules. For example, if I want to do something, I need to understand the principles that work behind it.
Like when I amplified my telekinetic powers with quintessence. If I don't understand what kinetic force, weight, and psychic abilities are, the amplification wouldn't even happen.
Moreover, the system also works on the assumption of equivalent exchange.
The reason I can't create an automatic respawn point right now is that I lack the cost that would allow the 'exchange'. With this line of thought, it is safe to assume that the reason why 'costs' are intuitive is also because of this equivalent exchange.
If I don't know the cost of the exchange, I am left with no choice but to guess. Still, with the system's corrective functions, I am not doing so badly as when I started.
The system is something I created from old Fu Shi's Dao insights and my hotpot of Game Designer Knowledge mixed with modern sciences I scarcely remember.
Quintessence, however, is something I didn't attribute to the system's creation. Even old Fu Shi knows too little of it because it is still theoretical--- specifically, it is a theoretical energy not yet proven in the cultivation world.
It is like the theory in nuclear power when nukes weren't even invented yet!
"Quintessence is filled with mystery. It can replicate resurrection, allows me amazing powers with a thought, and also somehow manifested my dream of creating a game… At the rate I am going, it is only a matter of time until I turn the whole world into a game... which sounds anarchistic."
Saying these words, I thought to myself 'the system is too much,'
But I can't get full of myself, I have to be humble. There is the Heaven's Game, the mystery of quintessence, and the many secrets the cultivation world hides.
After a long time of idle thinking, I decided that I had to do something. I pushed the many curious thoughts in my mind deep into the rabbit hole, "It is time I take it up a notch, and invest."
I am not counting the days, but definitely, almost two months have passed. With 4 quintessence a day, my balance easily reached a new all-time high.
[Name: Fu Shi
Quintessence: 249
Players: 4/10]
I feel the need to capitalize on my player population. I have to be wise in choosing my players since the slots are limited. Preferably, I want someone good in combat who can give me extra quintessence through their own hunting.
But like I said, I just can't leave my cave. I have the responsibility of respawning my players. I am not keen on stopping them from dying, since that would be detrimental to their growth.
Nee Chen in particular is speedily approaching Bi Yuan's level because of his faith in the system's resurrection.
That leaves me with two choices— it is either I create a clone-ability through the system or build a puppet that can represent me.
Since special abilities are more costly and most often have restrictions, I'd like to have a puppet instead. The idea of having a new superpower is enticing, but performance-wise, it would pale in comparison to a puppet.
I recall my Light Saber. It is only recently that I have experimented with it. Though I only spent 20 quintessence on that thing, I felt that its worth is at least 40 quintessence.
I think it is because of the materials I used— which is the lightning rod that was originally a rare metal essence, and then there is the pure lightning tribulation energy contained in it…
Then, as a result, the final product ended like that—an overpowered sci-fi Light Saber.
Simply put, I can save my quintessence points if I have the right materials. I tested it already by refining Nee Chen's sword.
The guy was clearly reluctant when I told him that I want to refine it. Only through my eloquence did I convince the guy. The end result didn't fall behind my expectations.
My cave abode is simplistic. It's literally just the inside of a cave randomly decorated with plain furniture and random spatial chests.
"Hmmm… Where is it? If I remember correctly, it's here…" Just beside the chest where my treasures are stashed, is a bigger chest filled with various rare materials. "I am excited; it is like creating a game avatar."
To create an avatar, I will first need a blueprint. For now, I won't bother myself with the outer appearance. I use my Mind's Eyes to refer to my own insides as a basis.
I see my own skeleton, the blood vessels, my inside organs, and everything!
With a floating quill using my telekinesis, I start drawing on the parchment. As a Game Designer, I pride myself on creating art resources. That's why I am quite confident in my drawing skills.
What I am doing however is not art, but is closer to science. Specifically, this is the world's counterpart of robot building. I am technically using most of old Fu Chi's cultivation knowledge on drawing in the blueprint.
"Hmmm... Not bad."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone