40: AFK (away from keyboard) Breath Simulator

Lin Ye retreated without a trace.

Just as he had arrived, like an undetectable phantom, he silently slipped down the wall, perfectly blending his figure into the deep, all-consuming darkness.

On the way back, his steps remained light, his breathing long and steady, not revealing the slightest hint of his presence.

But his heart was colder than the biting wind of this late night.

The conversation between those two figures, that utterly malicious scheme of framing, echoed in his mind like a demonic chant. Every word was like a poisoned ice needle, deeply piercing his nerves, making his spirit, already slightly fatigued from successive battles, clearer than ever before!

He never imagined that he only wanted to quietly Cultivate while AFK, improve his strength, and struggle to survive in this cruel world, yet there were always these flies buzzing around, not knowing their place, even trying to set a trap to kill him!

When he once again silently snuck back into the crowded wooden hut and lay back on his cold bed board, the eyes he opened in the darkness no longer held any trace of his previous sleepiness.

All that remained was an icy chill, like ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, piercing to the bone! And beneath that chill, an extreme, suppressed, and soon-to-erupt monstrous killing intent!

Zhang Ping and that Disciple Liu's plan was truly malicious. If they succeeded, he would instantly fall from a highly regarded "Genius" to a "thief" everyone wanted to beat. At that point, let alone being promoted to Inner Sect Disciple, he probably wouldn't even be able to save his own life!

He couldn't sit idly by and wait for death!

He had to fight back!

Moreover, it had to be with the force of a thunderbolt, thoroughly plunging these two who dared to touch his reverse scale into an abyss of eternal damnation!

"Forging account books... caught red-handed..."

Lin Ye calmly analyzed the opponent's plan in the darkness.

The core of this plan lay in "evidence." As long as the opponent could produce so-called "ironclad proof," then in a Sect that valued rules, even if he had extraordinary abilities, he would be unable to defend himself.

To break this situation, relying solely on force wouldn't work.

He had to... repay them in their own coin!

A bold and risky idea, like rapidly growing wild grass, could no longer be suppressed in his heart!

"System!"

With a thought, he completely immersed his consciousness into the world only he could see.

The light-blue panel appeared at his command.

His gaze swept past the familiar tabs of [Status], [Cultivation Technique], [Tasks], and finally landed on the new tab that had always been greyed out but had quietly lit up after the Minor Competition ended!

[Shop]!

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully entering the top ten of the Outer Sect and obtaining the qualification to advance to the Inner Sect. The System Shop function is now officially unlocked!]

[System Shop: The host can use Sect contribution points to exchange for various auxiliary Cultivation Technique, secret arts, Pill Formula, Formation diagrams, etc., from all the myriad worlds.]

Lin Ye's spirit suddenly vibrated!

He unhesitatingly clicked his mind on the [Shop] icon!

Buzz—

The scene before him instantly transformed!

A dazzling, vast light screen filled with profound aura unfolded in his consciousness!

On the light screen, countless items shimmered like stars, categorized and orderly.

[Auxiliary Secret Arts], [Introduction to Alchemy], [Introduction to Formation], [Puppet Control], [Spiritual Plant Cultivation]... All sorts of strange and varied options made Lin Ye dizzy, and his heart was stirred by a tempest!

He never expected that the System Shop would be like this! There were no world-destroying divine Cultivation Technique, no incomparably sharp divine weapons; what was there were all these "unorthodox" auxiliary skills!

But Lin Ye instantly understood!

This was the true power of the System!

It could not only allow him to Cultivate while AFK but also enable him to become an omniscient and omnipotent existence without any shortcomings!

He forcibly suppressed the excitement in his heart and began to rapidly search for what he needed in the [Auxiliary Secret Arts] section.

"Breath Concealment Art, exchange price: fifty contribution points."

"《Clairaudience》, exchange price: thirty contribution points."

"《Disguise Art》, exchange price: one hundred contribution points."

One familiar yet powerful secret art after another made his heart flutter. But he knew these were not what he needed most right now!

His gaze, like the most precise instrument, rapidly scanned hundreds of items.

Finally, in a very inconspicuous corner, he found a strangely named secret art that made his eyes light up!

[Secret Art Name: "Aura Simulation" (High Grade Mortal Rank)]

[Secret Art Effect: Through meticulous observation of the target, it can simulate their unique spiritual energy fluctuations, blood Qi frequency, and even the writing style of their handwriting. Cultivated to a high level, it is enough to pass off the fake as genuine and deceive the heavens.]

[Exchange Price: Fifty contribution points.]

This is it!!!

Lin Ye's heart pounded!

This secret art was simply tailor-made for his current predicament!

Zhang Ping wants to forge account books, doesn't he?

Then he would give him an even "truer" one!

He glanced at his remaining [fifty] contribution points, which was all his savings after exchanging for sword and movement techniques last time.

Without the slightest hesitation!

"System, exchange for Aura Simulation!"

[Confirm exchange for auxiliary secret art "Aura Simulation"? This will consume fifty contribution points.]

"Confirm!"

[Exchange successful! contribution points have been deducted.]

As the prompt sound faded, a complex and profound torrent of information, like a bursting river, surged into his mind!

That was all the methods, tricks, and Cultivate insights regarding the secret art of Aura Simulation!

Lin Ye endured the throbbing pain in his brain and fully received this information.

Immediately, without a moment's delay, he issued a new command!

"System, activate emergency AFK task!"

"Target—Aura Simulation!"

He knew that time was running out for him.

Zhang Ping and that Disciple Liu would make their move tomorrow. He had to Cultivate this secret art to a level sufficient to pass off the fake as genuine within this single night!

[Single-item background AFK task created successfully!]

[Task Target: Aura Simulation (Uninitiated)]

[AFK Efficiency: Standard]

[Estimated AFK Duration: 8 hours]

The moment the command was confirmed, a strange energy, completely different from all previous Cultivation Technique, full of "change" and "agility," began to quietly operate deep within his Divine Soul.

Lin Ye slowly closed his eyes.

In his mind, like a movie playing, he replayed Zhang Ping's every move in the Miscellaneous House, replayed the tone of his voice when he spoke, replayed his sinister and greedy gaze... He wanted to deeply imprint all of this person's characteristics into his Soul!

Outside the window, the moonlight gradually faded; the darkness before dawn was at its thickest.