Chapter Seventy-Four: Return
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In the early morning, sunlight blazed through the window, flooding the entire room with its golden rays.
“Hiss…”
Holding his aching head, Yang Wenhao struggled to open his heavy eyelids.
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was a fair, naked body.
Just as confusion welled up within him, the owner of the pale body turned over.
A face of breathtaking beauty came into Yang Wenhao’s sight.
He glanced down at himself, and in that instant, he froze.
His mind went blank.
“What… what have I done?!”
Trembling, Yang Wenhao shifted his gaze to the stunning woman beside him. Her face was both familiar and strange, framed by long black hair cascading over her shoulders, her beauty enough to topple kingdoms.
“Last night I…”
Clutching his head, Yang Wenhao tried to recall what had happened the previous night.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember a thing.
“Damn, did I black out?”
A moment later, Yang Wenhao, now dressed in a white robe, sat in contemplation, staring at the woman on the bed, lost in thought.
Even with his memory gone, the situation was clear enough—he wasn’t a fool.
“How could this have happened?”
Yang Wenhao felt as if he had shattered the sky itself, committing an unforgivable act.
He distinctly remembered drinking with Dongfang Bubai and Linghu Chong the night before, but everything after that was a complete blank.
“Ding… Congratulations to the host for completing the main mission. Return permission granted.”
“System notification: Linghu Chong has died. Although not killed directly by the host, the host bears significant responsibility. The kill is credited to the host.”
“Please return within twenty-four hours. After that, forced return will initiate.”
Yang Wenhao’s mind was in utter chaos. The system’s prompt barely registered.
“Mmm…”
Seemingly awakened as well, the beauty on the bed opened her eyes.
She instinctively recognized the familiar room around her, though something felt different today—her body, too, felt strange.
Turning her gaze, she saw Yang Wenhao in his white robe, sitting nearby.
Their eyes met, locking in silent scrutiny, both uncertain what to say or feel.
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After a long silence, Yang Wenhao tried to speak, but Dongfang Bubai interrupted him. “Leave first. I need to change.”
She was remarkably composed, far calmer than Yang Wenhao had expected.
He quietly stood and left the room.
Once the door was closed, a flush crept across Dongfang Bubai’s fair cheeks.
Outside, Yang Wenhao wandered through the courtyard, but his steps lacked their usual steadiness.
“System, can you explain this situation to me?”
As soon as he spoke, the system responded, “Host, please manage your emotions.”
“That’s it?” A strange sense of loss welled up in Yang Wenhao.
“Is the host pondering why, since there are feelings involved, she can’t be brought back to the main world?”
Yang Wenhao nodded. Indeed, despite having spent so much time with Dongfang Bubai, he’d always treated her as a friend. What happened last night left him at a loss.
He was not someone who shirked responsibility. Since it had happened, he would see it through. If Dongfang Bubai was willing, he would choose the most proper course.
But it seemed the answer was already set.
Hence, he turned to the system for a solution.
“This system can confirm: she can be brought out of this world.”
Yang Wenhao brightened. “Really?”
But soon he frowned. “What’s the catch?”
“At present, the system is incomplete and the function required by the host is not yet available.”
“So it’s possible, but not now?”
“The system is currently at level one. Once upgraded to level two, the contract function can be enabled. With sufficient points, a contract can be made, and the contracted individual can be brought out of this world upon payment of the required points.”
“How do I upgrade the system?”
“By earning points.”
“How many?”
“To upgrade from level one to level two requires ten thousand points.”
“Ten thousand? That’s not so much.” Yang Wenhao stroked his chin. He currently had three thousand points; with effort, reaching ten thousand seemed achievable.
Yet, after killing so many, he’d only earned three thousand points. The system’s rules stated that killing innocent people brought no reward—and could even deduct points. Only those with power or guilt would count.
In the past, given enough time, ten thousand would have been no obstacle.
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But now, only twenty-four hours remained. Even if he slaughtered everyone at Blackwood Cliff, most would be mere underlings—nowhere near enough to reach ten thousand points.
What could he do? Without an upgrade, he couldn’t take responsibility.
“Actually, host needn’t worry. You can wait to upgrade to level two and then return to this world.”
“Is that possible? What about the time difference?”
What if it took three or four years—or longer? Yang Wenhao felt a chill at the thought.
“Has the host forgotten? When you leave, this world freezes in time. Whenever you return, everything will be exactly as you left it.”
Relieved by the answer, Yang Wenhao felt at ease—he had found a solution.
Gazing at the closed door, he exhaled softly. “Let’s return.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say goodbye. He simply wished to address everything properly when he came back.
“Return settlement… Main mission complete… Reward: 1,700 points.”
Host: Yang Wenhao
Realm: Fifth level of Qi Training
Cultivation Method: Way of Heaven Technique
Points: 5,347
Items: Alloy Sword, Nine Heavens Zither
Mental State: First Stage
Proficiency: Swordsmanship (Mastery), Zither (Expert), Palm Techniques (Expert), Finger Techniques (Expert)
Techniques: Primordial Energy Art, Thunderclap Fist, Phantom Yin Finger, Heaven and Earth Shift, Nine Yin Manual, Dragon Subduing Palm, Six-style Guzheng Technique, Dragon Claw Finger, Nine Yang Manual, One Yang Finger, Solitary Nine Swords, Lion’s Roar, Tai Chi Fist, Smiling Proud Wanderer Score, Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Shaolin’s Seventy-two Ultimate Skills, Ghost Cultivation Technique
His points now exceeded five thousand—halfway to ten thousand.
White light flashed before his eyes. When Yang Wenhao regained his senses, he was once again in the place where he had first arrived in this world.
Just as the system had promised, time in that world was completely suspended upon his departure.
Whatever state he left it in, it would remain so until his return.
Suddenly, Yang Wenhao’s expression changed. “My Sunflower Manual!”
He had left behind that supreme martial art without ever laying eyes on it. In an instant, he felt as if he had lost a fortune.
(End of chapter)