The Southern Yan Continent was a vast, sprawling land where the laws of mortals held little sway against the power of the Martial Dao. Here, energy known as Qi saturated the air, drawing those with talent onto the path of cultivation—a grueling road paved with spiritual herbs, ancient techniques, and the pursuit of longevity, perhaps even immortality.
I, Liang Jie, was born into this world, but I didn't belong here. I clearly recall another life—a life on Earth, where these kinds of things were materials from novels, which my friend was an avid reader of. As soon as I was born, I was anticipating the golden finger my friend used to talk about. But nothing happened.
I got no cheats, no omniscient system, or a grand elder guiding me. Nothing. I had nothing but my adult consciousness trapped in an infant's body, which felt like hell in and of itself. And with how different this world is, my past life knowledge was nothing but junk.
All my past life gave me was a terrifying maturity of consciousness, allowing me to bypass the sluggish development of an infant mind. I learned the languages and history of the Azure Plains Kingdom not through an innate cheat, but through sheer, sharp intellect. By the age of 8, I had an intellect that could rival those preparing for scholarly imperial exams.
But my path was different from that of Scholars, a profession that was looked down upon in a world where strong preyed upon the weak. As the descendant of a declining warrior family, I was the hope for revival. And my path was predetermined to be that of immortality cultivation.
At ten, I joined the Cloud Stream Sect. It may have been past its peak, but it remained the most powerful sect in our province, an undisputable king in mentoring cultivators for hundreds of miles. And I shocked them all. I wasn't just talented; I was an anomaly. I tore through the early realms like dry paper, accomplishing feats that none had managed in the long recorded History of Southern Yan.
I became the personal disciple of Sect Master Fu Heng, and also a beacon of hope for my sect's revival as well. But then, my ascent stopped. Abruptly. Completely. For one whole year, I saw no progress whatsoever. I was confused. And Master was anxious. Because nothing was wrong with me. Nothing was particularly wrong with my cultivation itself.
And then, one day, I had enlightenment, and I began to see something, a realm that was never mentioned in any scripts. And maybe that's why no one believed me. Even my master. And soon my reputation crumbled like a sand castle, from Genius to Disgrace of the Sect.
Rumors about me had changed;
The prodigy became a puzzle. That puzzle curdled to pity. Then hardened into scorn.
For five years. Five long years, I had to endure it. Endure it all. Swallow every insult hurled at me, hoping for a day to retaliate.
But the wait is over. With the last piece in the puzzle I was chasing found— just a few more confirmations away from my ascent, I'm heading to the Library Hall.
Just wait for me, Southern Yan. This Immortal King is coming to claim his rightful throne and rule all of it.