MTL - Great Tang Idyll - v4 Chapter 1 Different tastes of edamame

“Look at him,” someone snickered from a few rows over. “Smells like he sleeps in a dumpster.”“Probably does,” another voice added, louder this time. Nox just stared at his textbook, the words blurring. He had heard it all before.Then, Mark, one of the main reasons his life was a living hell, swaggered past his desk. Mark always had a smirk on his face. “Oops,” he said, not even trying to sound accidental, as a full cup of bright orange juice tipped over, splashing all down the front of Nox's already ruined shirt. The cold liquid soaked through instantly. Laughter erupted around the room. It was loud, clear, and mocking. Nox slowly looked up. His eyes landed on Ms. Joy, who was watching the whole thing. She had seen Mark deliberately pour the juice on him. He raised his hand, a small, tired gesture. “Ms. Joy,” he said, his voice flat. “He just poured juice on me. Are you just going to ignore it? Again?.” Ms. Joy looked at him, then at Mark, who was now theatrically wiping his hands. A small smile played on her lips. Then she chuckled. Just a little airy laugh.“Oh, Nox, don't be so dramatic. Boys will be boys, right Mark?” Mark puffed out his chest. “Yeah, Ms. Joy. He's just sensitive.” The class laughed even harder at that. Ms. Joy joined in, her laughter ringing out with theirs. Hearing them all, hearing her laugh, something in him finally snapped. It wasn't a loud break, more like a quiet, final click. He realized it then, with a cold, hard clarity. No one was coming to save him. No teachers, no police, no parents he never had. No one cared. If he wanted this to stop, he would have to be the one to stop it. He was the only one who could.His face remained blank, but his mind was suddenly very clear. He reached down slowly, his hand going into his worn-out school bag. The laughter died down a little as a few students noticed his deliberate movement, a strange stillness about him. He pulled out a gun.The classroom went silent. Utterly, completely silent. Mark's smirk vanished, replaced by wide, terrified eyes. Even Ms. Joy stopped laughing, her face paling. “What… Nox, what are you doing?” she stammered, her voice suddenly shaky. He didn't answer. He looked around at their faces, one by one. Fear. He saw fear now. Good. He was ready. He was going to make them all pay. He was going to end it, all of it.Just as he was about to raise the gun properly, a bright blue screen appeared right in front of his face. It was translucent, and only he seemed to see it. [Congratulations! You have met the requirements!] [1st Player Chosen!] [You have won the System!]

Rules exist to be broken, and every loophole is a weapon. Trust no one, and annihilate those who deserve revenge.Granger Reiner never asked to be a champion, but fate chose him as the 101st contender for the goddess of Ascension—a deity mocked as the weakest among the pantheon, with 100 failed champions in just five months.Armed with a unique system and the ability to create barriers, Granger is thrust into Agrasia, a world teeming with treachery, to compete against other champions and conquer the Endless Dungeon.What he discovers is far worse than he could imagine: betrayal lurks at every corner, allies are fleeting, and the game is rigged.Learning the hard way that fairness has no place in a world built on lies, Granger transforms his weakness into his greatest strength. With vengeance as his driving force, he sets out to destroy the system, expose the truth, and turn the goddess’s mockery into triumph.In a world where everyone is an enemy, the 101st champion will stop at nothing—even if it means taking on the world itself.

When a mountain comes to life, awakening its consciousness, it takes on another form—a Mountain Spirit. And that’s me reborn with extraordinary Divine powers.Want to know what these divine powers are?Well, one of them allows me to accelerate herb growth—up to one hundred times faster! Impressive, right?But wait, there’s more! I also possess a ‘golden finger’—which is ‘Space-Time’ system that lets me fish for lost techniques, weapons, pill formulas, and other treasures from the rivers of time and space.With these at my disposal, I’m sure to become stronger, at least stronger than the beautiful sect master who claims my mountain as her personal retreat and constantly drag me into her matters.It’s not an easy life, but no need to worry! I’m not just any spirit—I’m a human spirit born from a mountain, which means I have an extraordinary talent for cultivation.To top it off, my system was generous enough to grant me a divine cultivation technique right from the start. There’s just one tiny problem: it’s a dual cultivation technique, and I need a partner to cultivate it.So, I had no choice but to convince the sect master’s stunning disciple to help me out. I mean, it’s not like I’m after her gorgeous long legs, her curvaceous thighs, or her… well, you get the point.I’m just a humble cultivator trying to grow stronger by any means necessary.If only she’d run into some trouble, so I could swoop in and save the day. That would make things a lot easier for me… but alas, life is never that simple.Still, I’ll find a way. With my Space-Time system, my mountain’s power, and a little charm, I’ll outgrow this mountain and surpass everyone—even the sect master. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll enjoy the beauties along the way.

What the hell is this? What the hell happened here?