The sun dipped below the horizon of Cloud Mist City, casting long, jagged shadows across the weathered stone walls of the Cloud Mist Academy. For most, this was a time for rest and meditation. For Lu Chen, it was the final countdown to his ruin.
In a cramped, dusty office filled with stacks of parchment and flickering candlelight, Lu Chen stared at a red-inked notice on his desk.
[Notice of Eviction: 2 Hours Remaining. Debt: 50 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.]
"Fifty Mid-Grade stones..." Lu Chen let out a bitter laugh, his voice raspy. "I don't even have fifty Low-Grade stones to my name."
In this world, where Master Teachers were the architects of destiny, Lu Chen was a failure. He was a teacher at the lowest-ranked academy in a Rank-1 Territory. His reputation was in the gutter, and his classes were empty—save for three "trash" students whom even the local stray dogs wouldn't bother to bark at.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The sound of soft footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door creaked open, and a young woman stepped inside. She was dressed in a simple pale-green robe, yet her grace was undeniable. Her skin was like polished jade, and her eyes held a depth that seemed far too vast for a small border city.
This was Su Lan. To the world, she was a mysterious orphan working in the Academy's infirmary. To Lu Chen, she was the only person who had stayed by his side when the world turned its back.
"Teacher Lu," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a shimmering silver necklace adorned with a small blue gem. "Please... take this. Sell it. It's enough to pay the rent for another year."
Lu Chen looked at the necklace, then at Su Lan. He knew this was her only memento from her vanished family. In his previous life—or rather, before his soul had merged with this body—he might have taken it out of desperation.
But things were different now.
Suddenly, a cold, crystalline chime echoed inside his skull.
[Initializing Architectural God-Interface...]
[Syncing with Host Soul... 100%]
[Scanning Environment... Rank-1 Territory detected.]
[Host Status: Despicable. Wealth: 5 Low-Grade Stones. Talent: None.]
Lu Chen's vision blurred for a second before snapping into a terrifying clarity. As he looked at Su Lan, she was no longer just a girl. She was a Blueprint.
He saw the flow of her Qi—it was stagnant near her chest. He saw her meridians—three were blocked by a cold, ancient energy. Red glowing marks appeared over her heart.
[Target: Su Lan]
[Flaws Detected: 1,402]
[Primary Flaw: Sealed Primordial Bloodline. Solution: Requires 'Heavenly Sun Needle' technique and 'Frost-Fire Pill'.]
Lu Chen gasped. The interface didn't just see her beauty; it saw her "structural" soul. He turned his gaze to the necklace in her hand.
[Item: Broken Spirit-Lock Necklace]
[Rank: Stage-4 (Heavily Damaged)]
[True Value: 1,000 Top-Grade Spirit Stones. Current Value: 10 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.]
Lu Chen's heart hammered against his ribs. Stage-4? In a Rank-1 city? Su Lan's background was even more terrifying than he had imagined.
He reached out, but instead of taking the necklace, he gently pushed her hand back.
"Keep it, Lan'er," Lu Chen said, his voice suddenly steady, infused with a newfound authority. "From this day forward, you will never have to sacrifice anything for me again. Today, I stop being the 'Trash Teacher' of Cloud Mist City. Today, I become the Architect of Heaven."
Su Lan blinked, stunned. The Lu Chen standing before her looked the same, but his aura... it felt as if a sleeping dragon had just opened one eye.
"But the rent—"
"I'll have the stones in an hour," Lu Chen interrupted, turning toward the door. "Wait for me at the Academy's Library. I have some 'reading' to do."
The Grand Archive
The Academy's Library was a massive, three-story building made of dark oak. It housed 12,000 volumes of basic cultivation techniques, history, and minor professions. To a high-ranking Master Teacher, it was a pile of garbage. To Lu Chen, it was a gold mine.
As he entered, the librarian—a balding man named Elder Gu—sneered.
"Still here, Lu Chen? Packing your bags would be a better use of your time. Unless you're planning to steal a book to sell for bread?"
Lu Chen didn't even glance at him. He walked to the center of the first floor—the Cultivation Department.
"Architectural God-Interface," Lu Chen commanded in his mind. "Level-1 Scan. Record everything."
[Command Received. Initializing Sovereign Eye.]
[Visual Extraction Speed: 1 Book / 1.5 Seconds.]
[Estimated Time for 12,000 Books: 8 Hours.]
Lu Chen began to walk. He didn't pick up a single book. He simply walked past the shelves, his eyes sweeping across the spines of the manuals.
To Elder Gu and the other students in the library, he looked like a madman wandering aimlessly.
10%... 30%... 60%...
As he walked, data flooded his mind.
The Basic Iron-Fist Technique? Garbage. It had 12 flaws in the first movement alone.
The Cloud-Step Movement? Pathetic. It wasted 40% of the user's Qi.
By the time he reached the third floor—the Alchemy and Weaponry Wing—his brain was humming with power.
[Scanning Complete: 12,000 Books Recorded.]
[Classifying Knowledge... Alchemy Wing, Sword Wing, Spear Wing, Formation Hall...]
[Synthesizing 100 Basic Cultivation Manuals into 'Perfect Origin Foundation Art'...]
[Synthesis Successful! Flaws: 0. Rank: Stage-1 Divine.]
Lu Chen felt a warm surge of energy. Even though his cultivation hadn't increased yet, his understanding of the world was now superior to the Academy's Principal.
The First Face-Slap
Lu Chen walked back down to the lobby. At the exit, he saw a group of wealthy students gathered around a display case. In the center was a polished, ornate saber.
"Behold the 'Frost-Bite Saber'!" a young man in silk robes boasted. This was Mo Feng, the nephew of Elder Gu and a top student. "My uncle bought it for 500 Mid-Grade stones. It's a Stage-1 Peak Treasure!"
The students gasped in awe. Lu Chen stopped and glanced at the saber.
[Target: Frost-Bite Saber]
[Rank: Stage-1 (Fake)]
[Structural Flaws: 89]
[Analysis: This is a common iron saber coated in 'Spirit-Frost Powder'. It will shatter if it hits a hard surface three times. Real Value: 2 Low-Grade Stones.]
Lu Chen couldn't help it. He snorted. "500 Mid-Grade stones for a piece of painted kitchen cutlery? Elder Gu, I knew you were incompetent, but I didn't know you were a victim of a scam."
The library went silent. Elder Gu's face turned purple. "Lu Chen! You dare insult my family's heirloom? You, who can't even teach a student how to sit straight?"
"Heirloom?" Lu Chen walked toward the display case. "This saber was made in a backyard forge. The 'Frost' energy is just powder. If Mo Feng uses this in the upcoming tournament, his hand will be blown off by the backflow of Qi."
"Liar!" Mo Feng unsheathed the saber, its blade glowing with a faint blue light. "Apologize now, or I'll test this 'kitchen cutlery' on your neck!"
"Go ahead," Lu Chen said, folding his arms. "Hit that stone pillar over there with 30% of your strength. If it doesn't break, I'll kowtow to you and leave the city on all fours."
"Deal!" Mo Feng roared. He swung the saber with a flashy move.
CLANG!
The saber hit the stone pillar. The blue light flickered.
CLANG!
Mo Feng swung again, his face red with effort. A small crack appeared near the hilt.
"Last one," Lu Chen said calmly.
Mo Feng screamed and poured his Qi into the blade, striking the pillar with all his might.
CRACK! SHATTER!
The saber didn't just break; it disintegrated into a cloud of blue dust and rusted metal shards. The backflow of energy sent Mo Feng flying backward, his hand scorched and bleeding.
The crowd stood frozen. Elder Gu's jaw dropped so low it nearly touched the floor.
"A-Atrocious..." Elder Gu stammered. "My 500 stones..."
Lu Chen stepped forward and picked up a small, dull-looking stone that had fallen out of the broken hilt. To everyone else, it looked like a pebble used to weigh the sword down. But in Lu Chen's eyes, it was glowing with a blinding golden light.
[Target: Hidden Earth-Core Essence]
[Status: Misidentified as a Weight Stone.]
[True Value: 5,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.]
Lu Chen tossed the 'pebble' in the air and caught it. He looked at the trembling Elder Gu.
"Teacher Mo Feng owes me his hand for that warning," Lu Chen said coolly. "And since this 'trash' stone was part of the saber I just debunked, I'll take it as my consultation fee. Oh, and Elder Gu?"
Lu Chen leaned in, his Halo of Clarity faintly shimmering behind his head, though invisible to the naked eye.
"The rent is paid. Tell the Landlord I'm buying the whole building next month."
As Lu Chen walked out of the library, the Architectural God-Interface chimed again.
[System Upgrade Progress: 1/1000 Books Synthesized toward the 'Universal Blueprint'.]
[Next Objective: Recruit the first of the 15 Sovereigns.]
Lu Chen looked at the horizon. The sun had set, but for him, the dawn had just begun.