The grand hall of the Heaven Splitting Sect was suffocatingly silent. Sunlight slashed through the towering windows, cutting across polished floors like cold knives. Every eye was locked on the throne, where Ling Yue sat, poised and unyielding. She was the youngest sect master in decades, yet her presence radiated authority so sharp it could shred confidence. Every whispered breath in the hall felt like a dagger aimed at those who dared think themselves superior.
"Li Chen," her voice rang out, calm but piercing, "from this day forward, you are no longer my father. Nor are you an elder of this sect. Step aside. You are no longer welcome here."
A murmur ran through the hall. Elders exchanged knowing glances; disciples whispered, some struggling to hide smirks. She had spoken his name, yes—but without respect. Only disdain lingered in her words, thick and suffocating.
Li Chen's chest tightened. Betrayal burned hotter than any wound he had ever endured. He had raised her, taught her cultivation, guided her through countless trials, and nurtured her ambitions. And now, she discarded him publicly, treating him as if he were nothing.
He stepped forward, voice low, trembling with hurt and anger, "Ling Yue… after everything… this is how you repay me?"
Her gaze remained icy, unwavering. "Your era is over, father. You are weak. The sect needs a new bloodline. You… belong to the past."
She raised a hand. Power surged from her, sharp and cold, striking Li Chen at his dantian. His body stiffened, chest constricting, every cell screaming in pain. His cultivation—the source of decades of effort—shattered in an instant.
"Your cultivation… is mine to erase. You are nothing now, Li Chen," she said, her voice slicing the hall like a blade.
Li Chen fell to his knees, rage and disbelief mixing with bitter sorrow. "My cultivation… gone? She… she really doesn't hold back. No mercy… none at all…"
Dragged down the stone steps, his legs trembling, Li Chen ignored the whispers and stares that followed. A spark of determination flared in his chest, alongside the fire of humiliation and betrayal.
"Fine… you will see what I am capable of," he thought coldly.
Outside the grand hall, the streets were empty, the sun casting long, cruel shadows across the city. Li Chen moved swiftly, each step fueled by a mix of anger and survival instinct. The jungle beyond the sect loomed ahead—a dense, humid expanse where shadows moved like predators and the air smelled of wet earth and decay. Mossy ground pressed beneath his feet, the crunch of leaves echoing in the eerie silence.
From the shadows, a low, menacing growl made him freeze. A hulking jungle beast lunged, claws extended, fangs bared. He tried to summon cultivation energy—nothing. Panic surged like wildfire. The beast struck, ribs cracking, pain ripping through him. Another swipe sent him sprawling across the mossy floor, blood mixing with the earth.
"This… this should be the end," he whispered, sweat and fear mingling on his brow.
Then—
> [Ding! Immortal Slayer Arsenal System Activated.]
[Time Paused. Host Status: Critical.]
[Restoring Combat-Ready Condition… Name Update: Kairo.]
Blinding light enveloped him. Wrinkles vanished. Hair darkened. Pain melted away. His broken body rebuilt itself into youth and strength. Every cell surged with power, tingling as if electricity coursed through his veins.
> [Daily Reward Unlocked: 100 Coins.]
[Spin Reward Activated.]
Kairo flexed his fingers, awe and disbelief mixing. The forest around him seemed sharper, every sound amplified, every shadow meaningful.
"A pistol? Huh… I have no cultivation power, but maybe this thing can save me… Weird world. I guess dying has its perks."
The system's calm voice echoed in his mind:
> "Immortal Slayer Arsenal System Activated. Host Status: Critical. Name Update: Kairo. Daily Reward Unlocked. Spin Reward Activated. Armament Acquired: Standard Pistol."
He blinked, still unsure what kind of entity this was. "Who… what are you? Some spirit? A weapon? Some unknown… force? Alright, let's see what you've got."
He aimed at the lurking beasts. The first shot fired with a deafening roar, hitting a hulking creature square in the chest. It collapsed instantly, eyes wide with terror.
"It… it doesn't need my cultivation? No hand technique? No energy formation? How is this… possible?"
Five more beasts circled him, snarling and lunging. He squeezed the trigger. Each shot struck with precision. One by one, the creatures fell, lifeless.
> [Points Earned: 10 per beast → Total: 50]
Kairo lowered the pistol, heart racing, shock and disbelief battling in his mind. "Five beasts… fifty points… all dead… and all without qi? This… this is insane. Well… I'm officially not useless anymore. Hah… maybe death wasn't so bad."
The jungle seemed alive now, but under his control. Every rustle, every shadow, every distant sound carried meaning. His senses sharpened; survival became instinct.
From the distant mountains, a massive shadow shifted—the faint silhouette of Nemesis, waiting, watching its master.
Kairo inhaled deeply. Rage and clarity surged. For decades, he had been powerless, humiliated, discarded. Now, armed with this strange system and weapon, he was reborn.
"I have no cultivation… yet I am stronger than anyone here. Ling Yue… today you will regret every choice."
The wind whispered through dense trees. The hunt had begun.