Star Ring

For half an hour, Lin Tian lay on the ground, motionless. Had it been on the streets, passersby would have called an ambulance long ago, but not here, not in his dorm room where no one else was present despite the noisy corridor outside.

"It wasn't a dream; my lucky day has finally come!" Lin Tian opened his eyes, ignoring the pain from his head hitting the floor, and eagerly looked at his left hand. The silver-white glow of the ring on his middle finger left him momentarily stunned, then filled him with ecstatic joy. "The ring has changed; does this mean it has recognized me as its master?"

It took a while for Lin Tian to calm his excited spirit. Although he was certain everything was real, it still felt like a dream.

Lin Tian, a freshman at Haitian University, had an ordinary face, the kind that blended into the crowd. In nineteen years, the only highlight was his stroke of luck during college entrance exams that landed him in Haitian University, a top institution in the nation. His life was set to be ordinary, but a "family heirloom" bought on a whim for ten bucks three days ago changed everything.

He had bought the ring three days ago, but after bringing it home, Lin Tian tossed it into a drawer. The ring was dull and unattractive, something he'd be ashamed to wear in public. If it hadn't been for the blood that accidentally got on it today, who knows how long it would have remained buried in that drawer?

"Wang Hao, should I thank you or hate you?" Lin Tian lay on the bed, caressing the ring and murmured softly, his mind involuntarily replaying the bizarre scenes that followed the blood's contact with the ring.

...

"Fortunate one, congratulations, you have acquired the Star Ring I left behind. Oh, and before this, I scanned your memories; you don't mind, do you?" Lin Tian's consciousness found itself in an immense space, facing a sphere about a meter in diameter, emanating a dreamlike glow that made it impossible to see clearly inside.

Lin Tian was confused, not understanding how he had suddenly gone from his dorm to this strange place. "Fortunate one, this is the space within the Star Ring. You are currently a consciousness, and I... well, you can call me the Nameless Predecessor. I am merely a wisp of the original owner's consciousness," a robed elder by Lin Tian's left side said, seemingly aware of his thoughts.

"Nameless Predecessor, why am I here, and what exactly is the Star Realm?" Lin Tian asked respectfully after coming to his senses.

The elder's voice became ethereal: "It's been over five billion years. My power had reached the limit of what this plane could contain. Three hundred years ago, my true self left this plane. Crossing planes means you can't take anything with you. I didn't have much, only this Star Ring, which holds some interesting civilizations I've discovered over the years, about a hundred thousand or so. Now, the Star Ring is yours because I wanted to pass on some things, so here you are! Ask any questions quickly, as after this, I will completely dissipate from this plane!"

Five billion years, collecting civilizations, Lin Tian was staggered by the elder's words. "Nameless Predecessor, you mean this is the Star Ring? But what about those civilizations?" Lin Tian asked hesitantly, seeing nothing but the sphere and emptiness all around, no signs of any civilization.

The elder smiled faintly and pointed at the sphere: "Inside this, there are over a hundred thousand civilizations, all within a vast star system not much smaller than your Milky Way."

"This contains a star system?" Lin Tian exclaimed in astonishment. "Just a small trick. I have a hobby of collecting civilizations, hence the Star Ring," the elder said casually. "Though the Star Ring has recognized you as its master, it doesn't mean you're the master of the countless lives within those civilizations. Be clear about that!"

"What benefits do I get as the master of the Star Ring?" Lin Tian asked bluntly.

The elder didn't mind Lin Tian's directness: "As the master of the Star Ring, you can enter and exit the hundred thousand civilizations I've collected at will. For every real-world week, you get one chance to resurrect in the Star Ring world, and these chances can accumulate. In the Star Ring world, you can learn things and even bring some items back with you!"

"Can I bring things back? Are there any restrictions?" Lin Tian's eyes shone with excitement.

"Of course, taking items from the Star Ring world requires energy, and different items need different amounts of boundary force!"

"Boundary force? How is that obtained?" Lin Tian asked, frowning.

"The Star Ring absorbs ten dimensions of boundary force per day, which you can use to take items out of the Star Ring world or to enhance yourself directly. How you use it is up to you!" the elder explained. "There's more you'll need to learn, which you can ask Xiao Ling about later. It's a top-level light brain from a level twelve civilization empire, now part of the Star Ring. Since the Star Ring has recognized you, it will too. Xiao Ling, come out and meet your new master!" the elder looked into the void.

With a flash of white light, a fluttering, cute little angel appeared before Lin Tian.

"Master, I am Xiao Ling!" the little angel said with a crisp voice.

"Xiao Ling, get along with your new master. Fortunate one, my mission is complete; it's time for me to dissipate!" The robed elder gave one last look at the little angel and Lin Tian, then gradually vanished into nothingness before Lin Tian's eyes.

...

Back in dorm room 306.

"Right, how do I enter the Star Ring?" Lin Tian muttered while lying on the bed. "Master, concentrate your mind on the Star Ring, and you can choose to enter the Star Ring with your consciousness or your physical body," Xiao Ling's voice echoed in Lin Tian's mind.

"Xiao Ling, can we communicate directly with thoughts?" Lin Tian didn't speak but thought to himself. "Yes, master. Xiao Ling can understand what you want me to know. For instance, this sentence just now. But if you don't want Xiao Ling to know something, it's impossible for me to know it."

Lin Tian nodded inwardly and focused on the Star Ring on his left hand, easily finding two options: entering the Star Ring with his consciousness or with his physical body. Taking advantage of the empty dorm room, Lin Tian chose to enter with his body. The next moment, his physical form vanished from the bed.

"Xiao Ling, why has this space become so small?" Lin Tian appeared in a room only four cubic meters in size, with no doors and walls emitting a faint white light. In the center of the room was the large sphere, and Xiao Ling fluttered above it.

"Master, the size of this space is determined by your mental strength. Your current mental strength can only support this much space," Xiao Ling explained. "Xiao Ling, this space can be used as a storage space, right? How can I increase my mental strength?" Lin Tian asked.

"Yes, master, this space can be used for storage. There are many ways to increase mental strength, such as through cultivation, gene medicines, or you can directly consume boundary force to permanently increase your mental strength," Xiao Ling replied. "Master, your current physical condition is very poor. I suggest you first use boundary force to enhance your physical qualities, otherwise, it's easy to encounter danger."

"Xiao Ling, how much boundary force does the Star Ring currently have?" Lin Tian inquired.

"One hundred and one dimensions. One hundred are what the old master left for you, and the additional one dimension has been absorbed by the Star Ring after recognizing you as its master."

"Xiao Ling, can you help me test my body?" Lin Tian requested. "Xiao Ling has already tested it for you, master. Would you like to see the results?" Xiao Ling responded. Lin Tian nodded: "Display them."

A holographic screen appeared before Lin Tian.

Cell Strength: 45. Average Human: 50. Average Warrior: 100. Special Forces: 200.

Cell Vitality: 43. Average Human: 50. Average Warrior: 100. Special Forces: 200.

Mental Strength: 62. Average Human: 50.

Lin Tian broke into a sweat. Aside from his mental strength being slightly above average, his cell strength and vitality were below the average level. "Xiao Ling, what are cell strength and vitality?" Lin Tian asked.

"The more energy a single cell contains, the greater its cell strength, which translates to greater power, speed, and resilience. Stronger cell vitality means better resistance to abnormal states, such as poison resistance," Xiao Ling explained. "Master, would you like to use boundary force to enhance your physical qualities?"

"How much can one dimension increase?" Lin Tian inquired.

"One dimension can increase cell strength or vitality by one point, or mental strength by 0.5 points."

Lin Tian pondered for a moment: "Add forty points each to my cell strength and vitality, and the remaining twenty-one points to mental strength." Initially, Lin Tian had not planned to increase his mental strength, but then he considered that if his mental strength was too low, he might not be able to control his suddenly stronger body.

"Alright, master!" Xiao Ling said, and Lin Tian was enveloped in white light for about ten minutes before the light dissipated. "Master, it is done!" Feeling the surge of strength in his fist and the increased mental agility, Lin Tian was intoxicated with power.

"Master, someone is knocking on your dorm room door!" Xiao Ling informed.

"Send me back immediately! The Star Ring can become invisible, right? Make it invisible!" Lin Tian commanded, and in the next instant, he was back on his bed. Looking at his left hand, the Star Ring was indeed invisible, not just hidden, but it seemed to have merged into his flesh. "Master, since the Star Ring has recognized you, it can merge into your body," Xiao Ling's voice filled Lin Tian's mind.

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Old Three, why are you closing the door in broad daylight? You aren't indulging in some 'artistic activities' from the Eastern Island country, are you?!" Left Yunfei's teasing voice came from outside the door. Lin Tian got up from the bed, internally chuckling at Yunfei's loud voice, which probably the whole floor had heard, not the best for his reputation.

He walked to open the door, his heightened mental strength helping him control his newfound power, preventing any accidental damage—like stepping through the floor, which he wouldn't have been able to do anyway, not with a cell strength of just eighty-five, far below that of an average warrior.

The door opened, and Yunfei, Weifeng, and Xiaobai entered in succession. Haitian University's dorms housed four students each, and after a month of military training, the four of them got along quite well, considering they were all young and would spend the next four years of university life together.

"Old Three, who did this?" Yunfei's gaze, along with the others', fixed on the slender knife wound on Lin Tian's arm. Lin Tian could've easily used the boundary force to heal the cut, but that would raise suspicions. How could such a deep wound heal so quickly? Besides, it would've required a considerable amount of boundary force, so Lin Tian left the wound, the pain easily bearable with his high mental strength of eighty-three.

"It's nothing, just a careless mistake," Lin Tian shrugged off.

"Old Three, you're not treating us like brothers, are you? D*mn it, which b*st*rd dared to mess with someone from room 306!" Yunfei's eyes flashed with anger. Despite his usual lecherous demeanor, he was not someone to be trifled with, and Lin Tian knew it. Apart from himself, the other three in the room all came from significant backgrounds, and he couldn't fathom why the university had placed him, an ordinary person, in the same room as them. He'd always felt a bit inferior, but now, with the Star Ring, that feeling had vanished. Confident in his future, he knew he wouldn't be outshone by anyone.

"Old Three, who was it? Let's talk. We of room 306 can't be bullied!" the burly Weifeng, towering over 1.85 meters, said gravely. "Your arm wound is from a dagger; I'm not wrong about that, and you don't have a habit of playing with daggers."

"Was it Wang Hao?" Xiaobai asked calmly. Lin Tian nodded slightly: "He didn't do it himself, but he instigated it."

"Old Three, we're sorry. We never thought Wang Hao would be so cowardly, unable to provoke us and instead turning to you!" Weifeng clenched his fist and struck the bed's railing, bending the steel pipe with his force!

"Let me handle this matter myself," Lin Tian declined the offer from Left Yunfei and the others to help teach Wang Hao a lesson. He knew with their influence, it was a simple task to chastise Wang Hao, a fact evident since the military training days when Wang Hao would detour to avoid them.

Xiaobai frowned slightly, "Then be careful yourself. Wang Hao is not an ordinary person, and he is ruthless." Xiaobai wasn't one for many words, so this level of concern was rare from him. Lin Tian nodded in acknowledgment.

"Alright, let's not talk about that downer anymore. You should properly dress that wound of yours!" Left Yunfei changed the subject. Lin Tian gestured towards the medicine on his computer desk, "I was about to apply some." His desk lacked a computer, a luxury he couldn’t afford. An orphan, Lin Tian had always supported himself with part-time jobs, managing to pay the annual tuition of Haitian University. In contrast