In a scorched mountain forest, a young man struggled to climb the mountain.
Rosen, a modern-day transmigrator, was born into an ordinary farming family in Logan Village in this life. His name was given to him by Old Scholar from the neighboring village.
He also had two older brothers, Daniel Logan and Ethan Logan, but his second brother died young, leaving only him and his elder brother to depend on each other.
He had thought about using his modern knowledge to secure a minor official position or to make a small fortune by manufacturing glass and soap.
However, the current Emperor was Zhu Yuanzhang, who had expelled the Mongol Yuan.
Being an official in the court was no different from walking a tightrope.
To quote a famous saying from a time-traveler, Zhu Yuanzhang's officials were not even fit for dogs.
As for glass and soap, if he brought them out today, tomorrow someone would exterminate his entire family for the secret recipe.
However, Rosen also had a time-traveling System in his mind, though he didn't know its purpose.
This time-traveling System displayed Rosen's basic attributes:
Host: Rosen
Qi Cultivation: 10
Remaining Lifespan: 55
Time Points: 0
Rosen had studied the function of this System for over a decade but still hadn't figured it out.
The System seemed useless, so Rosen's life ambition shifted from bringing peace to the world for generations to simply living a peaceful life.
His parents had passed away, and he was raised by his elder brother, Daniel Logan.
A few days ago, Rosen saw a strange object fall in the mountains, which then ignited a forest fire that burned for several days.
It was only after a heavy rain last night that the fire was extinguished.
So, early this morning, Rosen immediately ran into the mountains. He wanted to know what exactly had fallen there; at least, it didn't look like a meteorite.
The mountain forest along the way was filled with plant ashes, some places still smoking, with thick fog everywhere. Rosen covered his mouth and nose and continued deeper into the mountains.
After several hours of walking, Rosen finally saw a large pit on the slope ahead.
He quickened his pace and arrived at the pit.
In an instant, Rosen's pupils contracted sharply, because in the pit lay a dark gray flying saucer, about twenty meters in diameter, tilted to one side.
This was definitely not a product of this era, nor was it from Earth.
The flying saucer was severely damaged, and its hatch was open.
After a brief hesitation, Rosen crawled into the hatch.
Inside, he saw an alien creature resembling a lizardman.
It must have died before the saucer crashed, or perhaps that was why it crashed.
However, Rosen noticed ten rings on the lizardman's forearms.
After a brief hesitation, he stepped forward and removed the rings one by one.
When he put one ring on his arm, a voice echoed in his mind the next moment:
"The original holder is dead. The energy ring is re-recognizing its Master. Mental compatibility achieved, beginning energy ring symbiosis. Symbiosis complete."
Rosen formed a spiritual resonance with the energy rings.
At the same time, the other nine rings floated up, suspended around him.
Rosen's mind felt like it had exploded. These... these are the Ten Rings! This is the Marvel Universe!
He raised his arms, and the nine rings automatically slipped onto them, five on each side.
The Ten Rings adjusted their size, perfectly fitting his arms.
Moreover, Rosen could make them large or small as he wished.
In the Marvel movies, the original master of the Ten Rings was Xu Wenwu, and they granted super strength, energy blasts, and immortality.
However, after mentally resonating with the Ten Rings, Rosen understood that the rings didn't grant immortality directly. The user needed to continuously supply energy to maintain it.
The two were mutually supportive: when the user was weak, the Ten Rings granted energy; when the user grew strong, they replenished the rings.
Rosen checked his System panel and saw his Qi Cultivation had increased from 10 to 110, and his Lifespan from 55 to 255.
This was a rare treasure; his Qi Cultivation had surged.
Rosen began to reconsider his future path.
To achieve immortality, he needed to provide ample energy to the Ten Rings.
Given his current living standards, he couldn't even eat his fill, let alone provide energy to the rings.
Currently, he still needed the Ten Rings to provide him with energy.
In the Ten Rings movie, Xu Wenwu lived for centuries, indicating that increasing one's Qi Cultivation could extend lifespan.
However, since this was the Marvel Universe, he had to plan carefully.
Upon returning home, Rosen came clean with his brother.
"Brother, I plan to go out for a while." Rosen looked at the slightly short, dark-skinned farmer in front of him.
Daniel Logan took over the family at twelve, when Rosen was three.
Because of Rosen's burden, Daniel had not married.
The family was poor, and there was an extra mouth to feed.
Rosen felt bad for his brother, but only by going out and learning skills could he take care of Daniel in the future.
Daniel had just returned from the fields and looked at Rosen in surprise.
"Why do you want to go out? Is the family short on food or drink?"
"Brother, I'm going to be a retainer in a wealthy family, planning to climb into the young lady's bed at night, make a fait accompli, seize their family property, and bring you over in glory to enjoy life."
"Oh, little brother, I'm afraid you might get beaten to death."
"My mind is made up. If I can't make a name for myself, I won't come back."
"I'm afraid you won't be able to come back." Daniel looked troubled. "Do you really have to go?"
"Yes."
Daniel sighed and pulled out a cloth bag from under the bed. Inside were a few pieces of broken silver, probably two or three taels.
"Don't starve yourself when you're out. Come back when you've run out of money."
"Alright." Rosen hadn't thought about starving himself.
Once out of the village, the sky was wide enough for birds to fly, and the sea vast enough for fish to roam.
Rosen didn't look back at Daniel, walking steadfastly into the distance.
In the Marvel Universe, the only places Rosen could think of for cultivation were Kunlun Mountain and Kamar-Taj.
Kunlun Mountain is the ancestral land of Qi Cultivation, where cultivators arm themselves, but Rosen was unsure how far one could cultivate there.
Kamar-Taj is the birthplace of white magic, and the Vishanti Book records all white magic in the world.
Kamar-Taj also houses the Darkhold, the antithesis of the Vishanti Book, recording all evil magic.
Rosen decided to make his first stop at Kunlun Mountain, as he had plenty of time.
There were still good people in this world. Along the way, Rosen met many kind individuals who provided travel funds.
He established deep friendships with them, especially after he opened their hearts.
The Ten Rings granted immense power, but Rosen could feel their energy decreasing.
After a month of arduous travel, he arrived at the foot of Kunlun Mountain.
The area tens of kilometers around the Kunlun range was desolate, with no human traces.
The range stretches for 2,500 kilometers, with dozens of peaks. Rosen didn't know which mountain the Qi cultivators were on or if their gate was concealed.
So, he searched mountain by mountain. Life in the mountains was tough, with risks at every turn.
Besides fierce beasts, there was thin air at high altitudes and temperatures of minus twenty to thirty degrees Celsius.
One day, Rosen hunted a deer and was about to skin it to satisfy his hunger.
Suddenly, he heard a long howl, clearly made by a human, containing great power.
Rosen dropped the deer, channeled the Ten Rings' energy, and flew toward the sound.
The terrain was rugged, with strange rocks piled up. A misstep could cause a landslide, but after months of searching, Rosen could no longer afford caution.
If he couldn't find Kunlun's entrance, he'd have to seek knowledge at Kamar-Taj.
As he ran, he saw a cluster of buildings in the white snow ahead.
The buildings had carved railings and jade pillars, vermilion columns, and a bluestone stairway extending upward. White jade formed the walls, and the snow below was like clouds, supporting the palace above, as if Asgard had descended to Earth.
Rosen slowed his steps, each one solemn and serious.
He stepped onto the bluestone stairs and arrived at the entrance of the complex.
The entrance was a tall white jade archway, adorned with dragons, phoenixes, and the sun, moon, and stars.
"Junior Rosen from Logan Village, Kaiyuan County, has come to Kunlun Mountain to seek knowledge."
After a while, an old scholar with white hair and a Taoist robe emerged from the gate. He held a duster, surrounded by swirling mist, his gaze like torches, looking down at Rosen from the white jade steps.
"What do you seek?"
"I seek the method of freedom, to strengthen my body, and temper my bones and soul."
"Can it be for the common people of the world?" the old scholar asked again.
"No, only for myself."
"Then go. My Kunlun Mountain only teaches methods for the common people."
"Damn it, what hypocrisy." Rosen cursed under his breath and turned to leave.
"You may come and go from my Kunlun Mountain as you please, but I, Frederick, have refused you entry, yet you speak presumptuously. With such a disposition, bestowing Taoist magic would only bring disaster in the future."
"You care about the common people? Why don't you go yourself? Don't you like it?"
"I, Frederick, am old."
"Ambition is not limited by age."
"I, Frederick, have inconvenient legs and feet."
"In my home village, there's an old scholar who recites classics. He had a son late in life and insisted he become a Zhuangyuan, claiming it was for his own good."
"Rotten wood cannot be carved! People like you insult the prestige of my Kunlun Mountain."
"Ah, yes, you're right. Your Kunlun Mountain is like those Confucian scholars, shouting slogans to the heavens but doing nothing. When the Mongol Yuan brought disaster, you didn't descend to eliminate evil. When the people suffered, you didn't donate a single grain. When you saw corrupt officials, you didn't eliminate harm; perhaps you even befriended them. I came to learn a means of survival, but you insist I become a hero who saves the world. You haven't done what you demand of me. I am not worthy to enter your prestigious sect."
With that, Rosen spat, looking at the old scholar with disdain.
"You... cough..." The old scholar coughed up blood, staining his robe red. He swayed, then slumped to the ground.
Rosen raised his hand, gave an international friendly gesture, and turned to leave.
If this old scholar gets sick from anger, he better not blame me.
Rosen was too lazy to be polite with such stubborn sects.
This was like parents who want their children to become someone they couldn't be, insisting their sons follow their ideals.