Yun Hao never imagined he would die crushed by a falling billboard. Even less that after that ridiculous accident, he would wake up in a world that looked like it was ripped straight from a cultivation novel.
The sky above him was a deep blue, streaked with clouds shimmering with golden light. Towering mountains stretched infinitely on the horizon, while majestic winged creatures soared gracefully through the air.
"Where the hell am I?" Yun Hao muttered, rubbing his head as he tried to stand up. The ground beneath him wasn't ordinary dirt but a hard, crystal-like surface reflecting the surroundings with a strange glow.
As he struggled to make sense of his situation, a strange electronic sound echoed in his mind, and a glowing window appeared floating before his eyes.
[Heavenly Cultivation System Beta 0.3.7]
User: YunHaoCurrent Level: 1 (New Recruit)Active Missions: 1
Survive the Spirit Beast Trial.Reward: Old Sock ×1
Yun Hao stared at the window in disbelief.
"System? Cultivation? Spirit beast? Old sock?" he repeated quietly, utterly confused.
He tried moving his hands, hoping to feel some kind of energy flowing through his veins, but there was nothing. No light, no heat, no power. Just a strange sensation, like he'd forgotten something as basic as how to breathe.
"Perfect," Yun Hao said sarcastically, "this is going to be fun."
He got up with difficulty and looked toward the nearby forest. A guttural roar echoed in the distance, signaling that the mission had already begun.
As he advanced, Yun Hao couldn't stop checking the system window still floating before his eyes.
[Heavenly Cultivation System Beta 0.3.7]
Inventory: Empty
Skills: None
Status: Novice, no skills
A blinking message popped up:
"Error! 'System Help' function unavailable. Contact tech support."
"Great," Yun Hao muttered, "I can't even ask for help."
He tried interacting with the window to access missions. When pressing a button, the screen froze, and a red message appeared:"System Blue Screen. Restarting…"
During the few seconds it took the system to reboot, Yun Hao felt the danger drawing near. But soon the window reappeared, updated with the same message:
New mission: Survive the Spirit Beast Trial.Reward: Old Sock ×1.
"Who designs these missions?" he asked aloud, wondering if it was some cosmic joke.
With no other option, he stepped into the forest. Each step made the air feel heavier, charged with mysterious energy that made his skin crawl.
Suddenly, a massive roar thundered through the trees, and a spirit beast emerged from the shadows. It was a creature with the body of a wolf, eyes like fire, and a mane that looked like living flames.
Yun Hao froze, unsure of what to do. He recalled the mission: "Survive the Spirit Beast Trial." But he had no idea how.
As the creature closed in, the system flashed another message:
"System Tip: Use your skills to defend yourself."
"Sure, if I had any," Yun Hao replied.
The beast lunged, and on instinct, Yun Hao rolled to the side. Somehow, his hand hit a rock and he felt a slight warmth rush through his arm.
"Was that...?" he wondered, with no time to think further.
The system flickered with a new message:
You have unlocked the skill "Initial Energy Strike"!
Confused, Yun Hao tried using the skill. He stretched out his hand, and a stream of blue energy shot toward the beast.
The creature howled and recoiled, surprised.
"What the heck is going on?!" Yun Hao exclaimed, feeling a small boost of confidence.
He took advantage of the moment and ran toward a nearby hill to observe from above.
From that height, he saw the forest, the mountains, and the vast world stretching before him.
As the sun began to set, Yun Hao knew what awaited him was not just a simple game or a traditional epic story.
With a system that failed more than it helped, ridiculous missions, and deadly enemies, his journey would be unique.
"Well, glitchy system," he said with a crooked smile, "let's see how long I can survive in this crazy world."
And with that, Yun Hao prepared to face the night and everything this strange realm had in store for him.