Damn, I Awakened With A Horror System!

Huff~

Leo slowly opened his eyes. Timely beheld the faint mist of darkness oozing from his nostrils as he lightly gazed at the flakes of impurities that covered his pale physique.

After his skill was successfully upgraded earlier to Rare +2, he immediately increased its level to its maximum, making the sensation of warmth intensify within his being as countless impurities within his liquified core were discharged in the process.

Making it purer and at the same time, strengthening his foundation by twice to thrice. Although it was still not enough, it could already rival cultivators with a somewhat solidified foundation.

At least it wouldn't collapse if he made some small mistakes.

Ding!

[ Advanced Physique (Rare +2) (Level 5): A skill that greatly tempered one's physique, increased its talent by a considerable amount, and strengthened its foundation...

Effects 1: Per skill level, permanently increase the strength and stamina by 6, the physical talent by 0.4, and strengthen its foundation by a considerable amount!

Effects 2: The effects of cultivating physical techniques and solidifying one's foundation were double!

Activation: Passive

Upgrade cost: 5 medallions of forceful upgrade and 100,000 horror points! ]

...

"It gained another extra effect."

Leo thought with a smile. Other than increasing one's speed of cultivating physical techniques, the speed of solidifying one's foundation also doubled.

Although not much, his cultivation speed would surely increase further since he doesn't need to spend more time solidifying his foundation compared to other cultivators!

Based on the book that he gained from Sebastian, solidifying one's foundation mostly took a third of the Nascent realm cultivator time when they were still in the Core Formation realm!

Signifying how time-consuming strengthening one's foundation was!

"Unfortunately, I couldn't upgrade the Advanced Physique for now since it would cost almost half of my wealth.

"Furthermore, advancing quickly might gain unnecessary attention that would lead to death if not handled carefully."

Although Leo had already entered the mid-stage of the core formation realm, he knew that he was still not invincible.

If he showed the capabilities of his system toward the world, there would be an unending stream of cultivators that would harbor desires toward his secrets.

That would lead to a bloodbath and death in the end.

Sigh~

"That was why I chose this place in the first place since it was too far away from civilization...

"Furthermore, humans dislike stepping in this forbidden place due to the uncomfortable aura that hangs within the atmosphere of the bland cemetery."

...

Crack~

Upon standing, the flakes of impurities within Leo's physique began to crisply crack, falling afterwards as they fused toward the water beneath.

Bubbling for a couple of seconds before vanishing toward the unknown.

"I still have nine medallions of forceful upgrade; I should upgrade the capabilities of some of my skills."

Caressing his chin, Leo began to browse toward his long list of skills. Falling into deep contemplation as light often flashed into his eyes.

Currently, Leo has more than 40 skills; most of them are focused on support, passive, and healing, while the rest consist of his offensive and movement skills, which add up to 8!

Although he had that many skills, in actuality, he only used more than half of them, while the rest he had already forgotten them due to their uselessness.

It's not that they were too useless to use in his daily life; it's just that their effects overlap with each other, and their capabilities couldn't rival his realm. Hence, he labels them as useless.

He was just waiting for the fusion in the system to cooldown before trying to recycle the skills into something new.

"It's best if I focused on some of my offensive, movement, and concealing skills.

"However, with only 9 medallions of forceful upgrade left, I could only upgrade at least 3-5 skills.'

...

Soon, after contemplating for almost half an hour, Leo decided to upgrade 4 of his skills. Respectively, the Shadow Spike, Invisibility, Light Steps, and Jinx skills!

Although he hated to admit it, Leo often used his jinx skill in combat in order to gain an advantage over his enemies.

Unfortunately, when he faced an enemy with cultivation that reached the core formation realm, the effects of his jinx skill weakened considerably.

It was being hindered by rules that instinctively shroud their being!

Furthermore, a core formation cultivator's luck was times higher than that of foundation realm cultivators! Since they basically gained the bestowment of heaven upon surviving the onslaught of lightning!

Hence, their luck is also elevated by an amount!

...

Ding!

-8 medallions of forceful upgrade!

-32,500 horror points!

In an instant, upon pressing the accept button within the system, 8 out of the 9 floating bronze medallions within the atmosphere mysteriously vanished within his vision.

Flash!

Followed by the intense, bright light that emerged from the panel in front of him, blinding his senses afterwards.

Not even a second passed by. When his skills began to advance beyond their levels, his being abruptly radiated a dreadful aura.

Immediately expanding toward the far distance as everything it grazed over began to decompose at a swift speed.

As if time accelerated within its area of effect. Bringing everything to their inevitable death.

Ding!

[ Congratulations on successfully upgrading Shadow Spike to Shadow Spear! ]

Ding!

[ Congratulations on successfully upgrading Invisibility (Level 7) to Invisibility (Level 8)! ]

Ding!

[ Congratulations on successfully upgrading... ]

Ding!

[ Congratulations on successfully... ]

Soon, upon hearing the familiar sound of notification within his consciousness, Leo again opened his eyes, immediately staring at the skill's new description with seriousness.

Reading them for 15 minutes before exhaling in relief.

"Fortunately, the upgrade on the Jinx skill wasn't that exaggerated."

Other than the elevated Shadow Spike and Light Step that entered into new ranks, the Jinx and Invisibility skills only increase by one level... Making Leo heaved after understanding that its capability only increased by an amount.

Now that his Jinx skill capability had increased, the bad luck within his body began to uncontrollably ooze again.

Unconsciously affecting being around him in the process.

Fortunately, his "Restraint" skill already entered the "Rare +3" rarity in the past week, making the effects of the jinx skill still manageable.

It could only effectively affect being at the early stage of the foundation realm while it was under the restraint skill!

***

Soon, in the blink of an eye, two days hurriedly passed by.

Within the deserted place, outside the area of the bland cemetery, the figure of Jerome, sitting in a crossed-leg manner, could be seen from afar.

In addition to that, almost 50 meters away from him, dozens of beings, consisting of humans living in the bland cemetery and the puppets that gained souls, could be seen gazing toward Jerome with seriousness.

Clearly wanting to behold how dangerous advancing toward the core formation realm was.

Of course, they also wanted to gain experience in order to avoid mistakes from occurring when they decided to advance toward the said realm.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Crackle~ Crackle~

Hearing the faint crackle above. Leo and the two silver skeletons, sitting within the branches above the canopy, abruptly tilted their heads upward.

Timely beholding the faint streaks of green lightning escaping from the gap in the void, waiting for the appropriate time to bombard Jerome's physique.

Clank~ (Master, do you think he would advance toward the core formation realm?)

Skeleton #2, sensing the dangerous aura that was oozing from the void, couldn't help but ask tensely.

"Yes, with the potion formula he gave to me, he at least had an 80% chance of succeeding. Furthermore, if he had items that could help increase his defense, then the chances would further increase."

Clank~ (too high!?)

Hearing the heartless master beside him, Skeleton #1 couldn't help but unfold a shocked expression on its skull. Feeling that he overestimated the heavenly lightning too much.

Clank~ (If that is the case, then the chances of me successfully advancing were almost certain...)

Bang!

Skeleton #1 still hadn't finished speaking when suddenly, the pale fist of Leo hit its skull, making it cry in pain before staring at its heartless master with anger.

"Keke~ If you have a living physique, then the chances of you advancing are almost certain...

"Unfortunately, you were basically an undead entity, and heavenly lightning always contains an effect of purification.

"Meaning that surviving the heavenly lightning was quite low."

Quite amused about the expression of skeleton #1, Leo seriously uttered.

Shifting his gaze below afterwards as he watched the silhouette of Jerome slowly being shrouded by the faint mist of Qi.

Sensing that its aura began attempting to break through the imperceptible barrier, a barrier that was hindering beings from successfully advancing above their natural life order.

Clank~ (This... then master, how did you manage to advance toward the core formation realm?)

Upon pondering Leo's words, Skeleton #2 unfolds a confused look on its skeletal face, quite curious about how his master managed to step into the core formation realm.

Wanting to gain inspiration from the latter to increase their chances.

"Keke~ Simple, I just rely on potions and healing skills."

***