Chapter 1: Binding the Super Thorns System
[Cultivation Realms: Body Tempering Realm, Qi Condensation Realm, Sea of Consciousness Realm, Purple Mansion Realm, Mysterious Dan Realm, Spirit Refining Realm, Void Dao Realm, King Realm, Venerable Realm, Saint Realm, Divine Fire Realm…]
Maple Leaf City Lin Family Plaza.
Today was the annual day when the Lin Family tested the cultivation of the younger generation.
A group of teenagers were queuing to have their cultivation tested. The white-haired elder shook his head, picked up a pen to record, and said with disappointment at their lack of progress.
"Lin Wenbo, early stage third level of Body Tempering, unqualified. Monthly allowance reduced by thirty percent. Next!"
"Lin Wenze, second level of Body Tempering, unqualified. Monthly allowance halved."
"Lin Wulü, fourth level of Body Tempering, qualified. Monthly allowance remains unchanged."
"Lin Wuwei, seventh level of Body Tempering, excellent. Monthly allowance doubled!"
Among the more than one hundred teenagers in the plaza, some were happy while others were worried.
Most of them had not made much progress in their cultivation. Those who failed to meet the standard had their monthly allowances halved or reduced by thirty percent.
Their talents were not good to begin with. With low cultivation, they couldn't go out to earn money and relied on the family's monthly allowance to sustain themselves.
Now that the reduction would last for a year, falling behind once meant falling behind continuously.
It could be foreseen that without great opportunities in this lifetime, they would all live mediocre lives.
Meanwhile, those teenagers who had improved their cultivation and doubled their monthly allowances were naturally overjoyed. They couldn't help but show off to their companions, making others grit their teeth in envy but feeling helpless.
After all, this was fair competition.
The family's resources were limited. Using limited resources on geniuses was the family's survival principle, and they had no complaints.
"Gu Qing, peak of ninth level of Body Tempering, salary doubled, plus an additional reward of twenty low-grade spirit stones."
Looking at the handsome young man before him, the elder became completely energized.
There was no other reason; Gu Qing was simply too outstanding. At sixteen years old, he already had the strength at the peak of the ninth level of Body Tempering.
This had broken the thousand-year record of Maple Leaf City.
In the future, he was expected to become a powerhouse at the Purple Mansion Realm.
Although Gu Qing was not of the Lin Family bloodline, he was a disciple taken in by the Great Elder since childhood.
This situation was very common in the cultivation world.
Cultivation families would recruit some geniuses to join the family, adding fresh blood.
In the future, they would have them marry a daughter of the family to expand the family line, giving birth to descendants with better qualifications, completely binding them to the family.
Gu Qing was already engaged to the clan leader's daughter, only waiting to break through to the Qi Condensation Realm before they could marry.
"Brother Gu Qing is truly amazing. His cultivation speed is too fast. I remember last year Brother Gu Qing was only at the sixth level of Body Tempering, and he broke through three levels in just one year. If only I had half of Brother Gu Qing's talent."
"You? Give me a break. He's talented and hardworking. What about you? What are you doing? Your talent is poor, and you're idle all day, just dreaming every day."
Facing the flattery from the surrounding teenagers, Gu Qing just faintly pulled out a smile. The bitterness in his heart was known only to himself.
What genius? It was merely the result of hard work.
Besides, even if he was a genius, so what?
Wasn't he just a genius in this small Maple Leaf City?
At best, he would only break through to the Purple Mansion Realm in the future, which was a hundred and eight thousand miles away from his dream.
"Cultivation is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the blue sky."
A sense of powerlessness rose in Gu Qing's heart.
As a transmigrator, he had awakened the memories of his past life at the age of ten.
He had originally thought that like those senior transmigrators, he would receive a heaven-defying golden finger and hack his way through everything.
Become a supreme powerhouse, shatter stars with a flick of a finger, roam freely between heaven and earth, achieve longevity, overlook the ages, and watch as seas turn into mulberry fields.
However, reality was cruel.
Without a golden finger, he could be said to be struggling with every step.
To have his current cultivation level, he had paid ten times more sweat than others.
"If only I could obtain a heaven-grade cultivation technique." Gu Qing thought secretly.
Actually, his talent was quite good, possessing supreme spiritual roots.
If he had a profound cultivation technique, his cultivation speed would be even faster, and he could go much further in the future.
Cultivation techniques were classified into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow grades. He currently cultivated a top-grade Yellow-rank technique, which was already the best technique the Lin Family possessed.
Gu Qing had visited a major city and encountered someone with inferior talent and less diligence, yet whose cultivation speed far surpassed his own. Doesn't that just piss you off?
"Wealth, companions, methods, land" in the cultivation world was truly not just empty words. This was an absolute truth.
"Lin Chen, first level of Body Tempering, extremely poor talent. No monthly allowance!"
At this moment, the elder's cold and disgusted voice echoed across the plaza. "This waste again."
"Damn it, being a waste is one thing, but he doesn't even keep a low profile. He still parades around with the young clan leader's title, tarnishing our Lin Family's reputation."
The group of teenagers glared angrily at Lin Chen, wishing they could step forward and slap him twice. Today, those watching their cultivation test weren't just Lin Family members; there were also people from other families in Maple Leaf City.
These people were now watching with amused expressions. Lin Chen had completely disgraced the Lin Family.
However, Lin Chen himself remained indifferent, even shrugging nonchalantly. In his calm gaze, it seemed as if he viewed everyone else as trash. He gave off the impression that while everyone else was drunk, only he was sober.
Furthermore, Lin Chen's eyes swept disdainfully and provocatively around. Over the years, he had been mocked and cursed countless times and had long grown accustomed to it.
"Alright, stop arguing. Hurry up and get your cultivation tested." Gu Qing said with a stern expression.
Although he also felt Lin Chen shouldn't come to humiliate himself, or even cultivate at all. After all, Lin Chen had cultivated for two years, consumed countless spirit pills and wonder medicines, yet remained at the first level of Body Tempering. He was fundamentally unsuited for cultivation.
But with so many watching, further infighting would only lead to greater disgrace. Besides, Lin Chen was his brother-in-law. Gu Qing couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
His father-in-law, Lin Zhantian, was still watching from the high platform. "Fine."
Several teenagers were somewhat unwilling, but continuing to curse was indeed inappropriate. Moreover, they dared not contradict Gu Qing's authority.
"Hehe! My disciple, at such a young age, already possesses the bearing of a true leader." The Great Elder on the high platform stroked his white beard and said with a chuckle.
Lin Zhantian had initially been quite satisfied with Gu Qing defending his son, but hearing the Great Elder's words, his face instantly darkened. The bearing of a true leader? Wasn't this implying Gu Qing was more suitable to be the Lin Family's clan leader?
"Indeed, indeed." "Gu Qing not only has outstanding talent but is also intelligent and steady in character. Truly a dragon among men..." Several elders immediately echoed in agreement.
This was ultimately a world where strength was paramount. Compared to Lin Chen, they much preferred Gu Qing as the young clan leader.
Although Gu Qing wasn't of Lin Family blood, he was about to marry Lin Chuqing. Moreover, Gu Qing's talent was so exceptional; he would surely lead the Lin Family to greater heights in the future.
He was infinitely better than this waste Lin Chen. Even if Gu Qing couldn't become clan leader in the future, it absolutely wouldn't be Lin Chen.
The Lin Family didn't belong to Lin Zhantian alone. Lin Zhantian, of course, knew what the Lin Family members were thinking. His expression fluctuated as he looked at Lin Chen, filled with disappointment at his lack of progress.
[Detecting suitable host. Do you wish to bind the Super Reflect Armor System?] A gentle, magnetic female voice sounded in Gu Qing's mind.
"Hmm?" Gu Qing paused in his steps. System?
"Bind!" Gu Qing thought silently. Hesitating for even a second would be disrespectful to the System Lord.
But the name "Super Reflect Armor" seemed rather strange. Gu Qing had read countless web novels, yet this was the first time he'd encountered such a bizarre system name.
He also wondered what the Super Reflect Armor System did. [Ding! Super Reflect Armor System binding complete!]
[Host has a beginner's gift pack. Do you wish to claim it?]
"Claim!"
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the Supreme Dao Bone!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the Yin Yang Great Dao Song!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the Space God Rune of a Wondrous Treasure!] ... ...