Chapter 3: The Commencement of the First Mission

Li Mingxing looked at Raymond, who immediately explained, “These two are the Pool Watchers. They are responsible for recording all changes in the heroes’ astral forms.”

“I’ve been seeing icons in the upper left of my vision. The first is one that looks like a crown.”

“O-rank (Novice) Imperial Aura, passive skill. It automatically subjects all creatures within twenty meters to your pressure, instilling a sense of obedience in them. Quite a useful trait,” the Pool Watcher with his hands behind his back nodded as he spoke.

“The second is a green water droplet,” Li Mingxing continued.

“O-rank Toxic Constitution, passive skill. It increases your success rate in crafting poisons by five percent and raises your poison resistance by twenty percent,” the Pool Watcher explained again.

“The third is a pink dragon’s head, with what looks like a trace of fire in its mouth.”

“O-rank Lustful Dragon Constitution, passive skill. It generates a strong attraction in members of the opposite sex with lower mental strength than your own. Kid, you’ll enjoy this one—it’s an excellent physique.”

Li Mingxing wanted to ask more about these attributes, but the two Pool Watchers had already finished their records and said nothing further, promptly ushering Li Mingxing and Raymond out of the room.

Once outside, Li Mingxing turned to Raymond. “Mentor, what’s going on? I didn’t even get to ask which discipline I belong to, or what those three icons mean.”

“There’s no need to ask them; I’ll explain,” Raymond replied, evidently pleased with such a promising disciple. “Your astral form is a Scorpion Lion, which belongs to the Dark Discipline. Those three icons represent the three powers of the Scorpion Lion you can wield in the real world.”

“In the real world? Is that necessary?”

“Of course! Didn’t I tell you before that the Inner World and the real world influence each other? Sometimes you’ll need to complete minor tasks in the real world, and these powers are the key to succeeding.”

“Is there a difference between completing tasks in the Inner World and in the real world?” Li Mingxing asked again.

“There is, but I can’t tell you exactly how much—after all, it’s your choice to make.” Raymond smiled at him. “Consider this a small test.”

“Seriously? Even this has to be tested?”

“Of course. If rewards were given to apprentices or trainee heroes without passing tests and tasks, the League would punish us. Unifying a single Inner World wasn’t easy for me; you wouldn’t want me to lose everything, would you?”

“That’s true. By the way, you mentioned earlier that you’re a hero as well. Do you get rewards for mentoring a trainee hero?”

Faced with Li Mingxing’s curious expression, Raymond was momentarily at a loss. After a long pause, he scratched his nose and said, “There are certainly benefits to mentoring a trainee hero. Otherwise, why would anyone give up their own affairs to come to a strange place and endure this hardship? Even gods can’t meddle in heroic matters at will.”

Li Mingxing was disappointed by this evasive answer. He’d asked partly out of curiosity, but more so to probe the structures of the Forces of Light and Darkness. He knew Raymond wouldn’t reveal everything, so if he wanted to know more, he’d have to dig for it himself.

As they talked, Li Mingxing and Raymond returned to the bar. This time, however, they didn’t sit at the bar but chose a shadowy table in the corner.

Li Mingxing, sharp as ever, immediately noticed another man at the bar dressed much like Raymond. It seemed another new trainee hero was about to appear.

Glancing around, Li Mingxing realized there were already more than twenty pairs seated like himself and his mentor. Clearly, he was not the first to enter this place and pass through astral transformation.

Raymond was quite pleased with Li Mingxing’s behavior. In his view, anyone who could so quickly suppress the fear of the unknown and begin gathering intel and carefully observing their surroundings would at the very least survive for quite some time, even if they didn’t become the best.

If not for certain rules, Raymond would have liked to reward such a disciple. Even if concrete rewards were impossible, he would have told Li Mingxing everything he knew in detail.

But that was impossible. By rule, Raymond could only answer when Li Mingxing asked questions, and Li Mingxing’s questions were often scattered. Whether he could ever hear all of Raymond’s advice would depend on luck.

While Raymond mulled over these thoughts, Li Mingxing had already finished surveying the room. Contrary to Raymond’s assumptions, Li Mingxing wasn’t gathering intel out of composure; he was simply seeking comfort. He kept reminding himself that there were others like him here, not just himself facing such a situation.

This self-reassurance helped him forget his anxiety, and he became genuinely excited about his newfound strength. Turning to Raymond, he asked in a half-pleading tone, “May I ask what discipline you belong to?”

Raymond glanced at him and answered coolly, “Death Discipline. Lich King. Third transformation. Remember, if anyone asks about your status in the future, introduce yourself in this order. Whether you give your name or other details is up to you—unless you fancy being hunted down and killed in the real world.”

Something in Raymond’s words caught Li Mingxing’s attention. He hesitated and asked, “Are you saying we can eliminate enemies in the real world?”

“Of course you can. But kid, you’d best not get up to such tricks here.”

“Then what should I be thinking about? I’m not familiar with the Inner World.”

“If you’re unfamiliar, you can ask questions. You still have plenty of time.” Raymond looked up just as another mentor led their apprentice into the Demon Pool.

Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Li Mingxing’s face, and the awkwardness from before vanished. He asked all the questions he’d been pondering.

Raymond smiled as Li Mingxing asked. His questions were broad and basic, mostly concerning the relationship between the Inner World and the real world. It seemed he was already grasping the logic of the Inner World, which was impressive for a newcomer.

In response, Raymond explained all the rules he was allowed to share about the Inner World, the real world, and the interactions between the two.

Li Mingxing finally gained a proper understanding of the situation. As he was about to organize his newfound knowledge, Raymond suddenly stood up.

“All trainee heroes, prepare yourselves. Kid, it’s time for you to choose your first task. Will you complete a task in the Inner World or in the real world?”

Li Mingxing had already considered this question while asking about the situation. According to Raymond, the tasks in both worlds were similarly difficult, but the rewards differed: the Inner World offered resources and troops, while the real world offered information and personal strength enhancements.

He had also learned from Raymond that, among the trainee heroes so far, only a Dark Wyrmling and a Lesser Lich were of his rank; the rest had astral forms like cyclopes, orcs, and dark elves.

Li Mingxing’s starting point was quite high, so he needed to weigh the risk of tougher tasks against the potential for lesser rewards.

As to whether he should choose an Inner World or real-world task, Li Mingxing had already made up his mind. He’d been eager to return home, so as soon as the option appeared, he chose the real-world task without hesitation.

Raymond was quite satisfied with his choice. “You know, you’ve made the right decision. Those who dive straight into the Inner World will regret it. They haven’t yet mastered their newfound powers, and entering the Inner World now is to face death.

“But those who choose the real world will find their powers extremely useful. Using these powers helps build confidence, and though there are still some who become overconfident and die in later Inner World tasks, their numbers are much fewer.

“So, with your choice of a real-world task, I can rest easy. Here, take this and follow me.”

With that, Raymond placed a scroll in Li Mingxing’s hand, then led him back to the place where he’d first appeared, teaching him how to summon the silvery thread used for teleportation, enabling passage between the bar and the real world.

Following Raymond’s instructions, Li Mingxing gave it a try, and sure enough, the silvery thread appeared at his command.

He looked back at Raymond, who merely smiled at him and made no move to stop him. With only a brief hesitation, Li Mingxing reached out and touched the silvery thread.