Chapter 11

C11 – Was about to Go Crazy

After reviewing his attributes, Qiang Nantie was astounded.

His strength, constitution, and agility had each increased by 0.1!

The school textbooks never mentioned that spiritual energy could enhance one’s physique; they only suggested it was useful for cultivation.

It became clear that some knowledge can’t be gleaned from books alone—it must be experienced firsthand.

He realized he had greatly underestimated the capabilities of the Spiritual Energy Bamboo House.

If he continued to reside there long-term, he could accumulate a significant number of Attribute Points, even without leveling up.

Qiang Nantie pondered the cause. Despite spending considerable time there, his physical attributes hadn’t improved.

“It must be because my body was desperately low on energy after the battles outside. Once I arrived here, the spiritual energy replenished me,” he concluded.

With this insight, Qiang Nantie resolved to engage in more battles, recognizing the potential to amass a wealth of Attribute Points.

He then accessed the chat room for new Lords.

A prompt from the territory interface read, “Please finalize your territory’s name, ensuring it’s not a duplicate of another’s.”

While people might share names, each territory required a unique identifier.

Qiang Nantie mulled it over and suggested, “King Zerg.”

The system responded, “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

“Dugu Qibei.”

Again, the system replied, “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

“Penguin!”

The system persisted, “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

“World Association!”

“Heroes Alliance!”

Each time, the system’s reply was the same: “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

Frustrated, Qiang Nantie exclaimed, “Naming is a nightmare!”

“Swiftbrawlers!”

Yet the system was unyielding, “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

Qiang Nantie was stunned.

After dozens of attempts, his patience wore thin.

“Holy shit!”

The system’s unchanging response: “Name is a duplicate. Please try again.”

Qiang Nantie was at a loss for words.

Who in their right mind would name their territory “Holy shit”?

He figured they must be just as exasperated with the naming process as he was.

He was currently online, eagerly awaiting a big shot’s assistance to choose an appealing name.

Should anyone lend Qiang Nantie a hand, he could have Huamo express his gratitude.

For a solid thirty minutes, Qiang Nantie racked his brain for a suitable name.

Finally, he let out a frustrated bellow: “Heavenly Court!”

A prompt from the territory appeared: “The name is available. Do you wish to name your territory ‘Heavenly Court’?”

He hadn’t anticipated the name would actually be accepted.

“Yes.”

The prompt confirmed: “Your territory will henceforth be known as ‘Heavenly Court’.”

A name was merely a label; the true measure was in its growth.

Yet, from this point forward, the Heavenly Court must rise above the highest skies, gazing down upon all creatures.

But for now, the focus was on development.

Qiang Nantie joined the chatroom, which was organized by region.

Speaking on the international channel cost a Lord 1000 spirit coins for a message up to 2000 words—a steep price. During the Trial period for newcomers, the spirit coins they brought with them were unusable.

As a result, the international channel was virtually silent.

On the National Channel, each message from a Lord cost 100 spirit coins, with a daily limit of 100 uses and a maximum of 200 words per message.

In the Rikrovaria Dynasty’s southern region, each message cost 10 spirit coins, with no limit on frequency, a one-minute interval between messages, and a 500-word cap.

Charging spirit coins just to speak—was that fair?

Absolutely, it was.

In the real world, after all, surfing the web isn’t free.

Within the territory, spirit coins were akin to paying for an internet connection. Without spending spirit coins, there was no access to the network.

So yes, it made perfect sense.

Though the cost was high, those who needed to communicate could make the most of it by saying everything they needed in one go.

Each message was lengthy, akin to a short story.

Yet, Qiang Nantie had managed to read through every single one.

“I’m in dire need of wood and stone. If you’ve got the goods, don’t hesitate—come find me!”

“I’m in the market for some gear. If you’ve got quality equipment, drop me a line. I promise you’ll be happy with the price, dear.”

“Emergency! It’s a top-priority situation! I need a Defense Tower, barracks, and weaponry. If you’ve got the goods, come at me, fast. I’m a powerhouse and not here for small talk.”

“I left my food behind. Can anyone sell me some grub? I’m starving and parched. Who’s my savior?”

“I’m skilled in many crafts and I’m looking for a patron. Equip me and pay me in spirit coins. Make it worth my while, and I’m yours.”

“Got a divine spear for sale. Interested? Make your offer now.”

“This lady’s bra boosts your charm and defense by a notch. Want it? Step right up.”

Today marked the beginning of the Trial, with everyone starting from zero.

Only the truly wealthy would let monsters shatter their crystals as soon as they entered the game, then use their family’s clout to rapidly establish their domain.

The rest of the Lords had to hustle, aiming to score a top finish and snag a prize.

The Lord Era has seen its share of novelties that newbies can bring into the trial, but such items are pricey and scarce.

Yet with so many people around the globe, there’s no shortage of affluent heirs looking to leverage these rarities to stand out in the newbie trial.

Qiang Nantie exited the chatroom and entered the International Trade Hall.

The hall was divided into sections: the International Trade Hall and the National Exchange Hall.

Qiang Nantie browsed the international offerings. These were global newbie Lords’ listings, and some were quite the catch.

But the price tags were steep.

Still, in the hall, some didn’t hesitate to splash out on ads seeking construction materials.

Clearly, a case of rich kid syndrome. On day one of the Newbie Trials, he was already flashing his cash in the international channel.

And his offers? They were sky-high.

Poverty sure can stifle one’s dreams.

Qiang Nantie noticed a variety of edibles up for grabs, all items brought over from the real world—bread, milk, and the like.

Does anyone need these items?

Turns out, they really do. The food was snatched up in the blink of an eye.

Is there a food shortage?

Not exactly.

Newcomers need to quickly reach Level 5 because only then will the Lord be awarded a farm building.

Until Level 5, the Lord must provide food for the soldiers they’ve summoned.

Newbies entering the territory are subject to strict weight limits on their items.

Even if they wanted to carry more, it’s simply not possible.

This leaves new Lords feeling quite frustrated.

But they have to comply with this rule.

After all, if they exceed the weight limit, they won’t be able to set foot in the territory.

Qiang Nantie suddenly saw a golden opportunity to strike it rich.

So, he listed a Black Scaled Snake he had defeated in the wild for sale.