The mountain gate of the Azure River Sect stood tall and solemn, its stone pillars weathered by countless years of wind and rain. Faint spiritual runes shimmered along its surface, radiating a quiet pressure that made ordinary people instinctively lower their voices.
Li Yuan stood among the crowd of young hopefuls, his expression calm, but his thoughts anything but.
This is where my previous life truly began… and where it slowly ended.
Back then, he had been nervous, excited, desperate to prove himself. He had believed that entering the sect was the start of greatness. Only later did he understand that for someone without talent or backing, it was merely the start of being forgotten more efficiently.
This time, he observed instead of dreaming.
The crowd was large—hundreds of youths gathered from surrounding cities and villages. Some wore expensive robes embroidered with family crests, others simple cloth garments patched at the elbows. Excitement buzzed through the air, mixed with fear and anticipation.
Li Yuan noticed everything.
Who stood confidently at the front.
Who avoided eye contact.
Who whispered nervously to companions.
In his past life, he had been just another face in the crowd.
Now, he was different.
Not stronger.
Not yet.
But aware.
A bell rang.
The sound echoed through the mountains, deep and resonant, silencing all conversation. The stone gates creaked open, revealing a wide platform where several elders stood, their robes flowing gently despite the lack of wind.
Li Yuan's gaze lingered briefly on them.
Outer elders.
Powerful in the eyes of mortals, insignificant in the grander cultivation world. In his previous life, he had feared them. Now, he understood them.
Tools of the system.
"Those who wish to join the Azure River Sect," an elder announced, his voice carrying effortlessly, "step forward one by one and place your hand upon the Spirit Measuring Stone."
A massive crystal stone was wheeled forward, its surface swirling faintly with light.
The test.
Li Yuan's heartbeat remained steady.
This stone measures spiritual roots and compatibility, he recalled. And it will label me 'mediocre' once again.
The line began to move.
One by one, candidates stepped forward.
"Fourth-grade root. Pass."
"Third-grade root. Pass."
"Second-grade root… excellent. Direct entry."
Gasps rippled through the crowd at the announcement of a second-grade root. Pride gleamed on the young man's face as elders nodded approvingly.
Li Yuan watched silently.
In this world, talent decided starting lines. Effort decided ceilings—but only after talent allowed one to climb at all.
Soon, it was his turn.
Li Yuan stepped forward and placed his hand on the crystal.
Cold.
The light within the stone flickered lazily, swirling without enthusiasm.
"Fourth-grade root," the elder said indifferently. "Barely passable."
Exactly as before.
A few people nearby glanced at Li Yuan with disinterest, already dismissing him.
Li Yuan withdrew his hand calmly and stepped aside.
No disappointment.
No anger.
He had expected this result.
The system remained silent.
That silence told him everything.
This system doesn't care about my personal talent, Li Yuan realized. Only what I create beyond myself.
The test concluded quickly.
Those who failed were escorted away, some crying, some furious, some numb. Those who passed—including Li Yuan—were led through the gates and assigned to the outer disciple residence.
As they walked deeper into the sect, towering peaks rose around them, shrouded in mist. Streams of spiritual energy flowed visibly along carved channels in the stone paths.
It was magnificent.
And merciless.
---
The outer disciple courtyard was large but crowded. Rows of simple wooden residences lined the area, each barely spacious enough for cultivation and sleep.
A steward barked instructions, assigning rooms and distributing sect robes.
Li Yuan accepted his robe and token without comment.
Same place. Same status. Same beginning, he thought.
But not the same destination.
That night, after settling into his room, Li Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed. Moonlight filtered through the narrow window, casting pale shadows across the wooden floor.
Only then did he allow himself to breathe deeply.
"System," he whispered.
The interface appeared immediately.
Eternal Progenitor System
Current Bloodline: None
Descendants: 0
Legacy Influence: 0%
Below it, additional information unfolded for the first time.
[Bloodline Foundations Unlocked]
• Marriage Bonds
• Offspring Quality
• Descendant Achievements
• Civilization Influence
Li Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
So this is how it begins.
He focused on the first option.
Marriage Bonds.
A description surfaced.
[Marriage Bonds: Legitimate unions establish bloodline branches. Each branch evolves independently and contributes to your overall legacy.]
Li Yuan leaned back slightly.
"This world treats marriage as a personal matter," he murmured. "But to you… it's structure."
A second line appeared.
[Warning: Bloodline foundation is permanent. The first union determines long-term compatibility and trajectory.]
His expression grew serious.
The first step mattered.
Not power.
Not cultivation.
Not even survival.
Choice.
Li Yuan closed the interface and stared at the ceiling.
In his previous life, there was someone.
A faint memory surfaced—an outer disciple like himself. Quiet. Talented enough to survive, not enough to stand out. They had spoken a few times. Shared meals. Exchanged cultivation insights.
Nothing came of it.
They drifted apart.
Later, he heard she had been taken as a concubine by an inner disciple.
He never saw her again.
Li Yuan's eyes darkened.
This time… every choice will matter.
Outside, the sect slept.
Unaware that among its newest outer disciples stood someone whose bloodline would one day outlast the mountains themselves.
The system remained silent.
Waiting.
---