Chapter 1: The Two Precious Swords

Inside the ancient Zhang family tower, Zhang Wuxun finally collapsed from exhaustion, overwhelmed by the swarming Miluotu forces.

Zhang Wuxun thought he was dead.

He was indeed dead—but then he was reborn in an entirely different way!

——

The sun shone brightly overhead, distant mountains rolled on endlessly, pristine waters and clear air painted a captivating landscape, a truly extraordinary natural scene.

By a mountain stream, a large black dog splashed through the water, playing gleefully, occasionally darting into the grass to play hide-and-seek with itself.

Zhang Wuxun lazily leaned against his large backpack, a lollipop crooked in the corner of his mouth, gazing at the emerald stream before him, sighing with melancholy.

“Ah…” How did such a troublesome matter end up on him?

Damn it all—just my luck, as the old saying goes: curiosity killed the cat.

Driven by curiosity about the ancient family tower recorded in his father’s collection of notes, he had taken advantage of his skills, gear, and a cat to explore the tower for excitement. In the end, the cat survived, but he himself didn’t.

Then he was bound by a so-called system and sent back to the year recorded in his father’s treasured notes.

According to the system, Zhang Wuxun learned that the world he had lived in for twenty years was actually derived from a tomb-raiding novel.

Honestly, Zhang Wuxun was so stunned he almost couldn’t think straight. Anyone who found out they existed only within a novel’s world would be shocked into paralysis.

He was somewhat better at accepting the truth, but it did nothing to stop him from wanting to curse.

[So, system, what’s my mission? Surely I’m not here just to enjoy a holiday.]

Though the scenery was indeed beautiful, Zhang Wuxun, having read his father’s notes, knew that somewhere hidden in this picturesque landscape was a cave piled with corpses.

[Beep—main storyline commencing.]

[Mission issued: Protect Wu Xiaoxie safely in and out of the Seven-Star King Lu Palace.]

[Mission reward: Materialization ability (low level).]

Zhang Wuxun raised an eyebrow and replied mentally to the system.

[Main storyline? Does that mean there are side quests too?]

The system earnestly explained, [This system is derived from the regrets of many rice grains outside the tomb-raiding world. The host was chosen because their skills and abilities are the only ones in the Zhang family generation nearly comparable to the last clan leader.]

Zhang Wuxun snorted. “So I’m supposed to thank you for this ‘trap’?”

Unaware of his inner curses, the system continued dutifully.

[The host must complete the main storyline missions while trying their best to fulfill the regrets of the rice grains.]

As if fearing refusal, the system added, [Each completed mission will grant corresponding rewards.]

—

Zhang Wuxun was still annoyed. [With all these perks, why don’t you do it yourself?]

The system hemmed and hawed before giving him a vague answer.

[What do you mean by ‘needs a medium’? System, explain yourself.]

The system feigned silence, disappearing without a trace; Zhang Wuxun called for it in vain.

“Damn it…” Zhang Wuxun angrily crushed the candy in his mouth with a snap, chewed it up, swallowed, then pulled another from his pocket, tearing it open and popping it in.

[I say, dog system, if you want me to do a mission, at least give me a decent weapon. The notes say there are blood corpses in the Seven-Star King Lu Palace. You’re not sending me in empty-handed, are you?]

[I’m not asking for much—just something like the black-gold ancient sword Grandpa used.]

Zhang Wuxun put on a face like he was easy to get along with.

The system was silent for two seconds.

Then, beside Zhang Wuxun on the grass, a rectangular ebony box over a meter long appeared, with a carrying handle on one side.

“Hey, no way, it’s real.” Zhang Wuxun’s eyes lit up as he examined it closely.

The handle side had a silver mechanical lock. After studying it for a while, Zhang Wuxun realized that besides a fixed password, the lock could be opened by fingerprint.

“Wow, high-tech system. Let me see if I can unlock it.”

He chuckled, instinctively pressing his left thumb on the oval groove of the lock.

No reaction?

[Dog system, you didn’t just give me a fake, did you?]

The system, exhausted, replied, [Either middle finger works.]

Zhang Wuxun tried it and it did unlock. He apologized half-heartedly, [Sorry, system, but who sets a fingerprint lock to the middle finger? It’s natural I didn’t think of it at first.]

The system, uninterested in debate, reminded him, [Main storyline mission is about to start. Prepare yourself.]

[Got it.]

Without looking up, Zhang Wuxun’s attention was fully captured by the opened box.

On bright yellow brocade lay two ancient-style long swords side by side. Even sheathed, they emitted a surging, fierce aura.

“Wow…” Zhang Wuxun’s eyes gleamed with joy.

By goodness!

This system is pretty awesome.

He picked up the longer sword, tracing the patterns on the sheath. With his thumb, he pressed a small mechanism, and the blade slid out half an inch.

Gripping the hilt with his left hand, he drew the sword fully. The blade and sheath rubbed together, producing a crisp, pleasant ring.

The sword was single-edged, the blade silver-white, but the spine was black with golden cloud patterns engraved.

Below the hilt, on both sides, two complex characters were carved in seal script.

Forgive Zhang Wuxun for not recognizing those characters.

“Whoa!” Excited, he stood up and twirled the sword skillfully, the blade slicing through the air like a silver vase shattering—a sound as if the very air was being cleaved.

This is unbelievably majestic.

The sword measured over a meter long, resembling a Tang Dynasty horizontal saber.

Zhang Wuxun noticed a card beneath it in the box. Picking it up, he read the detailed specifications:

“This sword is named Skull. Total length: 110 cm; blade length: 76 cm; blade width: 3.7 cm; blade thickness: 0.5 cm; total weight with sheath: 140 jin; sword alone: 130 jin. A male sword.”

Zhang Wuxun sheathed Skull and picked up the other sword, which also had a card beneath it:

“This sword is named Illusion Play. Total length: 105 cm; blade length: 74 cm; blade width: 3.6 cm; blade thickness: 0.5 cm; total weight with sheath: 130 jin; sword alone: 120 jin. A female sword.”

“Wow…” Zhang Wuxun sighed with admiration and teased,

[System, you being suddenly so nice to me is kind of unsettling.]

The system answered seriously,

[This system has always treated the host well.]

Zhang Wuxun smiled and drew Illusion Play.

Like Skull, Illusion Play had a silver blade, but the spine was black with red flame patterns, with the words “Illusion Play” carved in seal script. The blade shape resembled the Ming Dynasty’s Embroidered Spring sabers.

Both sword sheaths were made of ebony.

Having received two treasured blades at once, Zhang Wuxun was grinning ear to ear.

He had just mentioned casually before, never expecting the system to be so straightforward and provide two weapons rivaling Grandpa’s black-gold ancient sword.

Suddenly, life looked promising.

Ahem, Zhang Wuxun began to seize the opportunity.

[Hey, can you make me a narrower box for just one sword? Carrying two swords everywhere doesn’t feel very convenient.]

The system was silent longer this time, as if pondering.

Then another ebony box over a meter long appeared before Zhang Wuxun, identical in length but much narrower in width.

The system thoughtfully added a sturdy retractable shoulder strap to the box.

“Oh my.” Zhang Wuxun exclaimed, quickly placing Skull into the narrower box, then storing the larger box with Illusion Play inside into his spatial pocket.

This spatial pocket was a comfort reward the system gave him on the first day he arrived.

Zhang Wuxun didn’t know its exact size, but it was certainly spacious.

Honestly, this system was surprisingly decent.