Neurolink System in the Modern World - Chapter 179: Honing

Lady Mi Qing ran away from home to escape an arranged marriage. She is then confronted with the following wretched situation:

Card stopped. Money stolen. All she had left was ￥308.50.

In this strange city, her sole hopeful light was a small advertisement on a lamppost——

Elaborately Decorated, 100 Square Meters, 2 Room Apartment, Monthly Rent Only ￥299! If interested, quickly contact Mr. Xiao at 138XXXXXXXX!

Mi Qing immediately rushed over to the address listed.

Xiao Gu looked at the woman standing in front of him, brows slightly furrowed. When did he post an apartment rental advertisement?

- Description from Novelupdates

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

Introduction

In the ten years since the Great Chu, strange things have happened everywhere.

When he woke up, Zhou An became a yamen agent.

Crisis is always there, but fortunately Zhou An brought a small game made in his previous life.

As long as the life-exploding skills are used, the skills can undergo qualitative changes and become magical skills.

Knife skills – open the sky with one knife.

Turn the pot over – the Kingdom of God in the pot.

Swimming – making waves.

Several years later, Zhou An said that all he knew were common abilities in life.

The crowd was furious.

“You’re talking nonsense, I saw you split the sky with a knife!”

“You’re lying. I saw with my own eyes that you put a ten-foot-tall weirdo into a pot and beat it to death!”

“You said you can swim, but the huge waves have nothing to do with swimming!”

Facing the angry crowd, Zhou An sighed and took out a small sword as wide as his palm.

“I have learned a lot about blacksmithing recently, and I will show you how to defeat all magic with one sword.”

- Description from novelbuddy

In the mystical land of Teyvat, where elemental forces collide and secrets of ancient gods remain buried, an ordinary traveler awakens to an extraordinary destiny. Armed with unparalleled ambition and a mysterious system, they embark on a quest to become the Supreme Arbiter—the ultimate authority over all creation.The world of Teyvat is no stranger to conflict, but its hidden truths are more treacherous than any battle. Beneath the veneer of harmony lies a struggle for dominance among divine beings, and the enigmatic Heavenly Principles rule from the shadows. Yet, this traveler defies fate itself, determined to shatter the chains of divine control and reshape the world.Guided by a unique power to harness and manipulate the essence of Teyvat’s elements, the protagonist builds alliances with heroes from every nation—Mondstadt’s free-spirited knights, Liyue’s calculative sages, and Inazuma’s thunderous warriors. However, their journey is far from peaceful. Ancient enemies, forbidden truths, and the ever-present gaze of Celestia test their resolve at every turn.As they ascend in power, unraveling secrets that defy the understanding of gods and mortals alike, one question looms: What does it mean to be the ultimate authority?Will they bring salvation to Teyvat, or become its greatest threat? The skies tremble, the earth stirs, and destiny itself bows before the rise of the Supreme Arbiter.