Mist clung to the White Crane Sect's training grounds like a shroud, curling around the tall pines. Li Shen knelt in the damp grass, gripping his cracked wooden practice sword. Every breath felt heavy.
Above his head hovered a faint, glowing number:
Rating: 12/100
A mocking laugh rang out. Chen Tao, the sect's prodigy, floated past with a radiant aura, his Qi flowing like a river of light. "Twelve? You call that cultivation? Even a newborn spirit beast could surpass you!"
Li Shen's fingers clenched the hilt tighter. He had trained before sunrise, pushed his body to exhaustion—but the Celestial Ledger never favored him.
Why am I always so weak? he thought. Why does the system mock me at every turn? Will I always be a failure? Is this truly my fate—to live, struggle, and die at the bottom?
Despair crawled into his chest. His clan was weak. His techniques were crude. The Ledger's number above his head seemed frozen, mocking him with cold judgment.
Then, a soft chime echoed in his mind.
Ding…
[Celestial System Detected: Hidden Subroutine Available. Activate?]
Li Shen froze. Hidden Subroutine? Could this… be a chance?
Could this be the one path that finally changes everything? Am I finally going to escape this endless cycle of weakness?
"Yes," he whispered.
Suddenly, memories that were not from this world flooded his mind. He remembered Earth—his life as a normal teenager, the books he read, the logic and reasoning of a modern civilization. He remembered how to analyze patterns, optimize training, and solve problems efficiently.
I… I'm not starting from zero. His heart raced. I have lived before… and now I am here, in this cultivation world. Could this be my second chance?
A surge of light coursed through his body, awakening him.
[Welcome, Subsystem 'Path of Ascension'. You will now earn points for cultivation, creativity, strategy, and moral choices.]
He felt Qi flowing faintly in the air. The system displayed the 9-stage Qi Cultivation ladder:
Qi Gathering (纳气)
Meridian Opening (通脉)
Qi Refining (炼气)
Qi Circulation (行气)
Qi Integration (合气)
Qi Condensation (凝气)
Qi Expansion (扩气)
Qi Harmonization (调气)
Qi Mastery (气宗)
Current Stage: Qi Gathering (纳气)Ledger Points: 12/100
Li Shen inhaled deeply. Memories of Earth guided him—how to measure energy, optimize movements, and apply logic to practice. He began drawing Qi from the environment, concentrating it into his dantian. The morning chill seemed to vanish as energy flowed like warm water through his veins.
Hours passed. Sweat ran down his face, but the system's feedback kept him precise.
[Qi Gathering Stage Complete – +5 Ledger Points][Current Rating: 17/100]
By sunset, Li Shen had completed the first two Qi Gathering sub-levels, his movements smoother, his internal energy clearer. Even Chen Tao, who floated by again, paused mid-step, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"How…?" Chen Tao whispered.
Li Shen's chest heaved. His Rating now read:
Rating: 35/100
For the first time, he felt hope, power, and purpose. The path ahead was long, filled with rivals, hidden quests, and challenges—but he knew the Ledger had chosen him to walk it.
Will I finally rise? Can I surpass everyone and escape this life of weakness?
A new journey had begun.
[Next Objective: Meridian Opening – Absorb Qi, harmonize internal flow, +10 Ledger Points upon completion.]
Li Shen clenched his fists, eyes gleaming with determination. "I am Li Shen, from another world. I will not remain weak. I will become the Immortal."