Chapter One: I Find This Quite Unacceptable

Yunzhou, Sect of Sole Supremacy.

On the martial training grounds, a throng of outer disciples had gathered, listening in rapt attention to the words of the sect’s elder.

“The path of cultivation is a journey of transcendence and evolution for us cultivators. Not only must one possess extraordinary talent, but also great fortune and insight. Those who can comprehend the Dao are darlings of heaven and earth, revered by all, able to ascend the ninefold heavens...”

The elder in charge of imparting techniques spoke with solemn authority, his voice resonant as a great bell, echoing to every corner. The crowd hung on his every word, anxious not to miss a syllable.

Yet under the distant shade of a tree, a young man in white reclined lazily against the trunk, a blade of grass held loosely between his lips, his gaze tired as he watched the gathering.

“What a load of rubbish, keep spinning your tales,” he muttered. “Comprehending the Dao, great fortune—none of that really exists! Think of me, Wang Ran, once the top scorer in the college entrance exams, an e-sports champion, dream of nine hundred million girls, and after transmigrating, born with extraordinary talent—yet here I am, stuck at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, unable to comprehend the Dao or build my foundation. Is my fortune and comprehension really so poor? I refuse to believe it! It must be that the heavens are jealous of my good looks!”

The more Wang Ran spoke, the more indignant he became, until finally his anger dissolved into a long, weary sigh.

“Forget it, forget it. No use blaming fate. Let’s just say I’m cultivating a fake immortality, then.”

Yes, he was a transmigrator.

As a youth from the twenty-first century, he had quickly embraced his new reality and lived here, carefree, for eleven years.

In this world, as in countless tales and dramas, martial might reigned supreme. Only cultivation that pierced the heavens and earth could earn one a voice or a place here.

But there was one crucial difference: in this world, each realm of cultivation reached an insurmountable bottleneck at its peak. No external force could break through it; only personal fortune and insight, the comprehension of one’s unique Dao, could allow a cultivator to surpass the barrier.

Otherwise, no matter how dazzling your talent, your cultivation would stagnate.

Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul...

As the saying goes, the beginning is always the hardest, and among all the levels, Foundation Establishment is the first true bottleneck.

After reaching the peak of Qi Condensation, one must begin to comprehend the Dao. Only by grasping a Dao of one’s own can one ascend in a single leap and become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If not, no amount of spirit herbs or exalted status would help; you would remain a Qi Condensation cultivator for life, and at a hundred years old, burn out like a spent candle.

Wang Ran, after transmigration, was an ordinary mortal, born in Green Ox Village.

At age seven, while playing at the foot of the mountain with his childhood friend Ye Cang, the two caught the eye of a passing cultivator from the Sect of Sole Supremacy and were taken away together.

Upon returning to the sect, the elders confirmed their extraordinary talents. Wang Ran’s innate potential was a once-in-a-century prodigy, astonishing the elders into promoting him to outer disciple on the spot—the first ever to be accepted without reaching Foundation Establishment.

Just as Wang Ran was basking in his newfound glory, preparing to embark on an illustrious life after transmigration, he discovered that his companion Ye Cang possessed a legendary, once-in-a-millennium sacred physique. The entire sect was in an uproar, and Ye Cang was immediately promoted to inner disciple. Had his cultivation been higher, he would have been made a core disciple directly.

By comparison, Wang Ran—once a genius in his own right—was instantly overshadowed by Ye Cang’s brilliance.

Everyone knew Ye Cang, but not Wang Ran.

Ye Cang more than lived up to expectations, his freakish talent propelling him through cultivation like a god.

At eight, he entered the first level of Qi Condensation.

At nine, he broke through to the third level.

By ten, he had reached the sixth.

At twelve, he attained the ninth.

On his thirteenth birthday, he perfected Qi Condensation, stunning the entire sect as the youngest ever to reach its peak.

Now, at eighteen—Wang Ran’s age—he had already achieved mastery of Foundation Establishment.

And though Wang Ran’s talent could not match Ye Cang’s, he still far surpassed most of his peers; a prodigy seen only once a century. Even living in Ye Cang’s shadow, he should not have ended up so wretched.

But fate was cruel—though blessed with fantastic potential, he was utterly lacking in insight and fortune, the unluckiest of the unlucky.

He tried every method, but could never break through his bottleneck or comprehend the Dao to achieve Foundation Establishment. All he could do was sigh, “Mysticism can’t save me, spending can’t change my fate.”

Thus, after reaching the peak of Qi Condensation at fifteen, his cultivation stagnated.

At sixteen—still at the peak.

At seventeen—still the peak.

At eighteen—no change...

Gradually, Wang Ran faded further beneath Ye Cang’s name.

Most of the disciples who joined alongside him had already reached Foundation Establishment.

Only he, no matter how hard he tried, could not comprehend the Dao.

The former genius, now utterly forgotten.

Wang Ran let out a long sigh, reflecting on his wretched life.

First transmigrated, became a genius according to the standard script, and just when he thought he could flaunt his way through life, a greater prodigy appeared by his side!

That was still tolerable. But not being allowed to break through a realm—now that was too much!

At least leave me some insight! Let me at least become a Foundation Establishment cultivator! Don’t I deserve a little dignity?

How could he show off at such a low tier as peak Qi Condensation?

If transmigration didn’t let you flaunt your superiority, what was the point?

Wang Ran even began to doubt whether he was really the protagonist.

Hell, Ye Cang was the true protagonist template!

Were it not for his origins as a transmigrator, Wang Ran might really have given up.

“Damn it, where the hell is my golden finger? Why hasn’t it appeared? This isn’t how the novel scripts go! Where’s my ring? My old master? My peerless technique? Give me something, good or bad!”

He kicked a stone in frustration, feeling utterly drained.

Meanwhile, on the martial field.

Training had just concluded for the day.

Groups of outer disciples stood up, chatting and laughing as they left. Passing by Wang Ran, they shot him scornful glances.

“Well, if it isn’t our sect’s great genius, Wang Ran?”

“So many years, and not a single bit of progress—ha!”

“He’s a disgrace to us outer disciples. They ought to demote him to menial work.”

“Exactly! The genius Ye Senior Brother who joined with him has already reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment!”

“Ye Senior Brother is even from his hometown, yet now the gap between them is like heaven and earth.”

“Forget it, just ignore the kid. I hear the elders are planning to kick him out of the outer sect soon.”

“Life is truly unpredictable...”

Their voices faded into the distance, but it was plain to see—every outer disciple who crossed paths with Wang Ran wore a look of barely concealed schadenfreude.

The Ye Senior Brother they spoke of, of course, was Ye Cang, who had come from Green Ox Village with Wang Ran.

Yet now, this former childhood friend, Ye Senior Brother, could hardly be bothered with Wang Ran.

To him, their shared past was a stain on his life.

He was now one of the most talented disciples in the Sect of Sole Supremacy—even among the inner disciples, he was second to none, and this year, he planned to enter seclusion and break through to the Golden Core realm, becoming a core disciple.

For Wang Ran to remain at Qi Condensation was, to Ye Cang, an outright humiliation. He had privately warned Wang Ran more than once, afraid that he might mention their acquaintance and bring shame upon him.

In fact, Ye Cang probably wished Wang Ran would disappear from the world entirely.

At this moment—

Wang Ran stretched, glancing disdainfully at the departing outer disciples.

“These little punks—once they begged to cling to my coattails, and now, seeing I can’t break through, they kick me while I’m down. Ye Senior Brother, is it? One day when I rise again, I’ll trample your Ye Senior Brother in an instant!”

Though Wang Ran remained stuck at Qi Condensation, never having found that legendary stroke of fortune, he believed there must be a reason in the grand design of the universe. As a transmigrator, he was never meant to exist here—since he did, surely there was a sliver of hope for him.

Casting aside his complaints and exhaustion, Wang Ran perked up, humming a little tune as he made his way home.

Because of his low status, though he had a residence like the other outer disciples, his was located at the very edge of the sect’s territory, nearly outside the mountain gates, beside a waterfall in the back hills.

In earlier years, he had lived in the most vibrant spiritual area, but after failing to comprehend the Dao time and again, the sect had banished him to this remote corner.

Passing through a dense bamboo grove, he could see a small wooden cabin in the distance.

But just then, a sudden change occurred.

The bamboo forest around him erupted in rustling agitation. Two burly men in black leapt from the undergrowth, each wielding a massive sword, eyes gleaming coldly as they shouted,

“Your life ends here, boy!”

Wang Ran’s heart lurched as he staggered back—these men were both at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Judging by how long they’d lain in wait, it was clear they were after him.

With his current cultivation, facing two Foundation Establishment foes meant certain death.

What now? Was he really about to meet his end?

As Wang Ran’s mind raced for a way out, a radiant beam of light suddenly shot down from the sky, piercing into his mind in a flash.

“Ding! Congratulations, young man, you have received the Transmigrator’s Benefit and successfully activated the Path-Proving System!”

“Ding! System successfully bound to host Wang Ran!”

“Ding! The Three Realms Lottery feature is now unlocked!”

“Ding! The Path-Proving Store is now available!”

“Ding! As a first-time user, you are awarded one Path-Proving Point!”

“Ding! Please remember to rate this system—five stars would be best, mwah!”

A series of electronic notifications chimed in Wang Ran’s mind.

In the next instant, Wang Ran couldn’t help but crane his neck, jut out his chin, and furrow his brow into a classic meme expression as he barked,

“Eat shit! I’m about to die and only now do you show up, and you want a kiss? You want five stars? Kid, I don’t think you’re OK at all!”