Yei Feng's eyes opened slowly to soft light filtering into the dusty room. He felt the weight of his body—lighter and younger—just as it had been when he was nineteen.
He pushed himself up and stood unsteadily. Across the room, a cracked mirror caught his attention. He walked over and looked at his reflection. It was his own face—youthful, unscarred, exactly as he remembered it at nineteen.
He reached for a phone lying on a nearby table and unlocked it. The date showed clearly: September 2, 2025.
His heart raced with realization. He whispered, "System."
Almost immediately, a glowing screen appeared before him, displaying:
WELCOME BACK, HOST
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR REBIRTH
GOALS:
Find out why you diedLive like a king, not like before
Yei Feng frowned at the simple words. They felt strange, almost too human for a system.
He glanced around the quiet room and muttered, "Is someone controlling this? Or is the system alive?"
Frustration rose within him, but he forced himself calm.
"Whatever it is," he said firmly, "I'll focus on these goals, one step at a time."
Yei Feng glanced around his small room, taking in the faded posters and a battered desk covered with old notebooks. He let out a quiet sigh, sinking onto his bed. The thought of the university thugs who used to bother him crossed his mind. If I run into them, it could get messy. Better to stay in for now and see what's changed—I'll cultivate first, then check out campus later.
He sat cross-legged, settling into the familiar posture for cultivation. The springs of the bed creaked beneath him. Closing his eyes, he tried to gather inner qi, slowing his breath and focusing his mind. A minute passed—nothing responded inside. He frowned, furrowing his brow. "Why can't I gather any qi? What's wrong here?"
Shifting his position, he concentrated harder, searching for even the faintest trace of energy. But no luck—still nothing. Yei Feng opened his eyes and scanned the quiet room. The energy here is thin, but am I really cut off? I should be able to sense something.
Just then, a soft ding rang out. A glowing screen appeared, floating in midair directly in front of him. The blue light cast faint shadows across the bed.
Yei Feng leaned forward, startled for a moment before his expression settled into a quiet curiosity. The text blinked onto the screen:
"The host cannot cultivate with the normal method. If the host continues as before, he will meet the same fate as in his previous life. The host must cultivate with the demonic way to avoid repeating that destiny."
He considered the message, tapping his finger lightly against his knee. "So, my old method is blocked?" he muttered. It actually made sense—demonic cultivation would be easier, especially with the apocalypse coming. More zombies meant more opportunities. I don't care about the others. If the world gets worse, I get stronger.
A new dilemma came to mind. "Wait, I don't have any demonic cultivation manuals."
Almost instantly, another message flashed onto the floating screen:
"I will provide you with options, host."
Three new techniques were listed:
—the All Life Form Demonic Technique
—the Corpse Demonic Technique
—the Necromancy Demonic Technique
Yei Feng glanced at the options, reasoning through them for a moment. "Can I learn all of them at the same time? Is there a manual for that?"
Soon, the system responded on the screen:
"There is one, but it's not recommended. Difficulty is extremely high and there is a risk to the host's life."
A faint grin spread across Yei Feng's face. "The main character never dies, right? I'll take the chance."
"Very well. The Ultimate Demon God Cultivation Technique," the screen displayed.
Without hesitation, Yei Feng pressed the option. Instantly, a black aura erupted in the room, swirling around his body and sinking into his skin. He collapsed to his knees, groaning in pain as blood ran from his eyes and nose. The process felt endless; his body trembled, but he refused to stop.
Another message appeared on the screen:
"Should I stop the process, host?"
He shook his head, grinding out the words between clenched teeth. "No need. I'll take it. Pain means progress."
The agony eventually eased, and the screen showed the final message:
"Congratulations, host, for reaching the first level of the Ultimate Demon God Technique. This technique has 23 levels. At the final stage, you will become a demon god and enter a new realm."
Yei Feng wiped his face, exhausted but resolute. "A demon god, huh? As long as I get strong enough to see her again, that's all that matters."