CHAPTER 122: CHAPTER 122: DOUBLE ODDS

The young man stood just outside the blacksmith’s shop, sunlight spilling across his shoulders in molten gold. The rhythmic pounding of the forge had quieted behind him, replaced by the lazy hum of the town going about its midday pace. A faint smile crept onto Li Wei’s face as a translucent screen shimmered faintly before his eyes—its familiar glow illuminating the afternoon air.

"Ah," he murmured, tilting his head at the flickering script. "So you did have something planned after all."

The system’s elegant characters scrolled upward, line after line of data and numbers that danced like runes written by Heaven itself. His fingers flexed subconsciously, and the corners of his lips twitched into a half-smile—equal parts amusement and disbelief.

Name: Li Wei

Cultivation Rank: Core Formation (Peak Stage)

Spiritual Roots: Dual Element Root (Ice and Fire)

Meridian Status: Harmonious Meridians

Elemental Affinity:

Ice: Extremely Intimate

Fire: Very Strong

Soul Depth: Universal Nascent Soul

Combat Aptitude: Combat Veteran

Experience Points (EXP): 4550

System Coins: 5

Skill Points: 7

Reputation Points: 15

Attributes:

Health: 235/235

Spiritual Energy: 215/215

Strength: 30

Agility: 28

Intelligence: 25

Endurance: 27

Skills:

Ice Techniques: Ascent Harmonic Ice Manipulation

Fire Techniques: Aztec Priest Fire Control

Combat Techniques: Adept Swordsmanship

The numbers glowed for a heartbeat before fading back into the ether.

Li Wei exhaled a long breath, the faintest chuckle slipping from his lips. "Unknown reward, was it? Hmph. You’ve outdone yourself this time."

Though his tone was dry, the delight in his eyes betrayed him. The system—ever fickle, ever capricious—had doubled his vital stats in a single breath. His meridians thrummed with newfound vigor, spiritual power coursing through him like twin rivers of flame and frost intertwining in harmony.

He stretched his fingers, watching a faint wisp of cold mist curl from his palm, only for a flicker of warmth to follow. The elements danced in his grasp, yin and yang weaving like twin serpents.

"I didn’t even feel the change," he muttered to himself. "Yet it’s as if the heavens themselves breathed strength into my marrow."

The passersby along the street gave the young man curious glances, but Li Wei paid them no mind. He dismissed the screen with a wave and began strolling through the merchant district. The day was bright, the wind carried scents of grilled fish and dried herbs, and the chatter of peddlers painted the air with sound.

"Fresh carp! Straight from the lake—two coins a basket!"

"Handwoven mats, strong enough to tame a tiger’s back!"

"Herbal salves! Drive out cold qi and sleepless spirits alike!"

Each voice bled into the next, forming a symphony of livelihood. The world, in all its smallness, seemed peaceful—deceptively so.

Li Wei’s gaze drifted to the parchment tucked inside his robe. The council compound, the strange disappearances, the blacksmith’s prophecy—it all interwove like silk threads pulling tighter with each step.

He adjusted his collar and moved along until a sharp voice broke his thoughts.

"Come and test your luck! Can you find a priceless pearl among these ordinary ones? A single clam—only one coin! The sea gives to those who dare!"

Li Wei turned toward the sound. A large pavilion stood ahead, its banners painted with images of open clams revealing shining pearls. The attendant outside waved cheerfully, his voice echoing through the street.

"Don’t be shy, esteemed guests! The luck of the tide waits for brave hands!"

Li Wei was about to pass without a glance—gambling dens of any sort rarely held his interest—when the familiar tone rang again.

~DING~

A faint glow flashed across his vision.

New Mission Acquired: "Fortune from the Sea"

Objective: Help the despondent young lord reclaim his dignity and gain his favor.

Rewards: ~ Unknown

Accept? [Y/N]

Li Wei’s brow arched. "You truly have a sense of timing," he muttered. Without hesitation, he accepted.

The crowd ahead parted slightly as voices rose in mockery.

"Come now, Young Master Wong!" a man in bright orange robes jeered. "Surely one more clam won’t hurt! They say one win repays ten losses, eh?"

The target of his ridicule, a boy in fine grey robes, stood stiffly before a table of opened shells. His hands trembled as he reached for another coin, only to stop halfway. His expression was pale—caught between shame and despair.

"I-I shouldn’t... I’ve lost enough already..."

The man in orange slapped his back with mock sympathy. "Lost? Nonsense! The tide turns quick. Unless," he leaned in with a sneer, "you’re afraid your noble blood runs thin?"

Li Wei’s eyes narrowed. The scene unfolded like a play he’d seen before—familiar and distasteful. He stepped forward, the sound of his boots on stone drawing the attention of both men.

"Why not let him breathe, friend?" Li Wei said, voice calm but cutting through the air like drawn steel.

The orange-robed man—Lao Dong—spun around, startled. "W-who are you to interrupt us? This is none of your—"

Li Wei raised a hand, silencing him with a faint smile. "Just a passerby with a taste for fairness. You’ve had your fun, haven’t you? Let the young master make his own choice."

The bullied youth blinked at him, uncertain but instinctively comforted by the stranger’s tone.

"I... I have already lost quite a few coins..." he stammered, glancing between them.

Li Wei looked into his eyes, then at the line of unopened clams laid out on the table. A faint glint of mischief sparked in his gaze.

"Then let me place the bet for you," he said simply. "Just once. Trust me—fortune favors bold hearts and clean hands."

Without waiting for consent, he placed a single coin on the stall. The attendant hesitated, but Li Wei’s calm assurance silenced any protest.

Lao Dong’s face twisted. "You think you can show off in front of me, stranger? You’ll regret meddling in things beyond you."

Li Wei didn’t even glance his way. His fingers hovered over the line of shells, eyes half-closed. The faint shimmer of energy rippled at his fingertips—so subtle no one noticed.

’If the system saw fit to send me here,’ he mused inwardly, ’then fate already wrote the ending.’

He tapped one clam lightly. "This one."

The attendant pried it open.

~Crack~

A faint gasp rippled through the small crowd. Nestled inside the glistening white shell was a pearl—not small, but nearly the size of a thumb, shimmering with a faint golden hue.

"By the heavens," the attendant breathed. "A Heaven’s Tear Pearl!"

Murmurs surged all around. Lao Dong’s face drained of color.

Li Wei smiled faintly and turned to the astonished Pei Wong. "It seems the sea’s favor was merely waiting for the right hands."

Pei’s lips trembled as he accepted the pearl, eyes glistening with gratitude. "I... I don’t know how to thank you..."

"Then don’t," Li Wei said softly. "Just remember—fortune tests a man’s patience before it grants its blessing."

He stepped away, the murmurs fading behind him as the sun dipped slightly westward. The system’s faint chime echoed once more.

Mission Complete: "Fortune from the Sea."

Reward Unlocked: ???

Li Wei’s smile deepened. "Seems the day’s only just begun."