2: Chapter 2 Hextech Entries!

"Where is your home?" Lu Cheng asked.

"Turn left at the intersection ahead," Su Wan said.

"Then I'll walk you to the intersection."

Su Wan did not refuse.

The two walked side by side; there wasn't much conversation along the way, yet the atmosphere wasn't awkward, but rather carried a subtle sense of restraint.

Upon reaching the intersection, Su Wan stopped.

"This is far enough," she said.

Lu Cheng nodded: "Alright, be careful after school from now on. If anyone gives you trouble again..."

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stuck.

He had intended to say "you can come to me," but upon thinking of the original owner's notorious reputation, he felt the words lacked any persuasive power.

Su Wan, however, seemed to understand his meaning and said softly: "I know."

She paused, then added: "Thank you for today, Lu Cheng."

This time, her tone was more serious than before.

After speaking, she turned and left.

The hem of her school uniform skirt swayed gently in the night breeze, quickly disappearing around the street corner.

Lu Cheng stood in place for a few seconds before turning to head in the direction of his own home.

...

What was called home was actually just a dilapidated rental apartment in a tenement building in the old city district that was about to be demolished.

The hallway was narrow, the walls were covered in faded advertisements, and the voice-activated light was temperamental.

Lu Cheng felt his way up the stairs in the dark; when he pulled out his keys to open the door, his fingers were still somewhat numb.

The room was very small.

A bed, an old desk, a peeling wardrobe, and in the corner, an induction cooker and a few bags of cheap dried noodles.

The window didn't close tightly, and the night breeze drilled in through the gaps, blowing the curtains so they swayed gently.

This was where the original owner and his mother lived.

His mother was working overtime at the sewing factory on the night shift and had not yet returned.

Lu Cheng closed the door, finally exhaled a long breath, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Transmigration... gang leader... Rong City..."

He murmured to himself, attempting to sort through the chaotic information in his mind.

This world was different from his previous life.

Two hundred years ago, Blue Star experienced the "Spirit Tide Arrival," source energy revived, and fierce beasts ran rampant.

The order of the old era collapsed, human civilization was forced to reorganize, entering a high-martial era where martial arts were supreme.

Today, the world order is maintained by multiple martial arts alliances, base cities, high-martial academies, financial conglomerates, and military systems; outside the wilderness zones, fierce beasts are everywhere, secret realm rifts open frequently, and there is a huge class divide between ordinary people and martial artists.

The strong possess resources, status, and privileges, while the weak can only struggle to survive on the fringes of the city.

And the original owner clearly belonged to the latter of the latter.

With average aptitude, a burdensome family, and bottom-tier grades, the only thing he could really show for himself was perhaps a ferocity honed from street fighting.

"The starting hand is really terrible."

Lu Cheng gave a bitter smile and was just about to get up to find some water to drink when a cold, mechanical prompt suddenly rang in his mind.

[Ding!]

[Weekly random Hextech Trait has been activated.]

Lu Cheng's movements froze abruptly.

System?

The next second, a pale blue virtual panel slowly unfolded before his eyes.

[This week's Hextech Trait: Patient Learning]

Lu Cheng stared at the panel, his breathing involuntarily becoming lighter.

Soon, more information appeared.

[System Rules:]

[1. Refresh a random Hextech Trait every week: Prismatic (0.01%), Gold (1%), Purple (14%), Blue (35%), Green (50%).]

[2. Obtained Hextech effects can be permanently retained.]

[3. Hextech effects will continue to take effect based on the host's actions.]

[Current Hextech Trait: Patient Learning (Blue)]

[Effect Description: When the host fails while cultivating or practicing a certain ability, gain two experience points; when the host successfully cultivates or practices a certain ability, gain one experience point.]

[Name: Lu Cheng]

[Realm: Uninitiated]

[Blood Qi: 5 points]

[Combat Skills: None]

[Talent: Locked]

After reading it, Lu Cheng was silent for a full ten-plus seconds.

What an absurd skill; the original owner had practiced the Guiding Technique for over half a year, but could never guide his Blood Qi to the right position.

If this Hextech Trait was real...

Lu Cheng's eyes gradually brightened.

He immediately retrieved the movements and breathing rhythm of the Guiding Technique from his memory, stood in the center of the room, cleared his distracting thoughts, and assumed the starting stance.

Feet spread apart, back slightly lowered, breathing slowed.

Following the method taught at school, he guided his body to perceive the flow of Blood Qi within.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

Nothing.

Aside from his legs being a bit sore, his waist a bit stiff, and his head throbbing faintly, there was no change.

"It really failed."

Just as Lu Cheng thought this, the pale blue panel before his eyes suddenly flickered lightly.

[Guiding Technique attempt failed.]

[Experience +2]

Lu Cheng: "..."

He stared at that line of text, stunned for a full three seconds.

It wasn't an illusion; something had really appeared!

Lu Cheng's heart jumped violently, and he hurriedly readjusted his posture to try again.

This time, he was more serious than before.

Breathing, stance, degree of muscle relaxation—everything was kept as close to the standard in his memory as possible.

However, the result was still the same.

He did not sense any obvious Blood Qi feedback.

[Guiding Technique attempt failed.]

[Experience +2]

A second prompt popped out.

Lu Cheng's eyes widened little by little.

"Again."

He gritted his teeth and performed the Guiding Technique for the third time.

Failed.

[Experience +2]

The fourth time.

Failed.

[Experience +2]

The fifth time.

Failed.

[Experience +2]

After several consecutive attempts, sweat had appeared on Lu Cheng's forehead, his legs were sore, and his breathing was a bit ragged; each failed execution of the Guiding Technique caused a brief discomfort in his Blood Qi.

Yet his spirit became increasingly excited.

Because he finally saw a new line of small text appear in the corner of the panel.

[Guiding Technique Experience: 10 / 20]

Twenty stacks!

As long as he stacked it to twenty, could he cash it in for a real improvement?

Lu Cheng stared at that string of numbers, as if staring at a spark of light that had suddenly ignited in the dark night.

"Continue!"

With almost no pause, he assumed the stance again, adjusting his breathing according to the rhythm of the Guiding Technique.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The room was so quiet that only his increasingly heavy breathing remained; the night breeze outside drilled in through the gaps that hadn't been closed tightly, blowing the curtains so they swayed gently, one after another.

Sweat slid down his temples, across the side of his face, and dripped onto the worn cement floor.

Lu Cheng, however, acted as if he didn't feel it, gritting his teeth tightly, focusing all his attention inside his body.

Until the tenth time!

The pale blue panel in front of him shook violently; the "Experience +2" that had been popping up constantly suddenly disappeared, replaced by a brand-new prompt.

[Guiding Technique experience full.]

[Cashing in...]

The next second, a feeling completely different from before surged up from deep within his lower abdomen.

It was as if the blood that had been scattered and dormant was suddenly gently stirred by an invisible hand.

Lu Cheng's body trembled slightly, and he subconsciously held his breath.

Immediately after, a new prompt appeared.

[Guiding Technique (Beginner: 0 / 50): Slowly manipulate Blood Qi for cultivation]

Almost at the same time the text appeared, he clearly felt that the Blood Qi within his body, which had been as dormant as stagnant water, finally had a trace of response.

Very slow.

Very sluggish.

Like a rusted gear beginning to turn for the first time.

But it had, indeed, moved.

The attribute panel before his eyes also flickered slightly.

[Blood Qi: 5.1]

"It... it works." Feeling the Blood Qi surging throughout his body, Lu Cheng couldn't help but feel his heart rate accelerate.

With this ability, talent would no longer be a limitation for him...

He didn't stop and immediately tried to perform the Guiding Technique again.

This time, it was much smoother than before.

Although still sluggish, the Blood Qi could now be barely manipulated by him, no longer completely unresponsive as it had been at the beginning.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

With each execution, Lu Cheng could feel that his body was indeed adapting to this rhythm; his chest felt hot, and his limbs faintly gained a bit more strength.

At the same time, the experience points on the panel also constantly increased by +1.

Until the experience of the Guiding Technique reached fifty, Lu Cheng only felt his chest heat up suddenly, as if something had suddenly been opened up.

Immediately after, the Blood Qi was able to complete a full cycle along the fixed route much faster!

The next second, the panel shook again.

[Guiding Technique (Proficient: 0 / 100)]

At the same time, the attribute column also quietly jumped.

[Blood Qi: 5.4]

Just at this moment, a soft sound of a key turning suddenly came from the doorway.

Click.

The sound wasn't loud, but it made Lu Cheng's movements freeze abruptly.

Immediately after, the door was gently pushed open from the outside, leaving a crack.

The dim, yellow light from the hallway shone in, outlining a thin and weary figure.

"Lu Cheng... are you back?"

It was a woman's voice.

Somewhat hoarse, carrying a dry, raspy quality from long periods of little speech and the exhaustion of staying up late.

Lu Cheng subconsciously turned his head.

Standing at the door was none other than the original owner's mother.

She looked at most in her early forties, but her face already showed an irrepressible weariness; her hair was simply tied behind her head, with a few stray locks stuck to her temples by sweat.

She carried a plastic bag in her hand, which contained two cold steamed buns and a container of hot food brought back from who knows where.

She stood at the door, looking at Lu Cheng in the room; her eyes first relaxed in relief, but then, as if noticing something, her gaze suddenly froze.

"You..."

She saw the sweat on Lu Cheng's forehead, saw his reddened arms, and also saw the moved chair in the room and the obvious traces of having practiced movements.

The woman's expression was dazed for a moment.