Chapter 1 - Who Is This Nerd?
Spring rain quietly fell upon Blazing Sun Mountain as evening approached, and the sun dipped below the horizon. A gentle breeze accompanied the rain as night drew nearer.
Yu Zhu, an outer elder of the Blazing Sun Sect, found himself tasked with managing the arena's fights. He lived up to his title as an Elder with his long white beard and a nearly bald head.
Despite his dissatisfaction with being there, Yu Zhu had little choice in the matter. As an Outer Elder, he was at the bottom of the hierarchy, and even in the rain, the tournament had to continue. All the participants were Body Tempering Cultivators.
"Liu Feng and Jia Man, please step into the arena," Yu Zhu called out to two disciples. With a wave of his hand, he created a translucent barrier around the arena by activating the inscription arrays on the walls.
Most of the disciples looked at him in wonder and began murmuring among themselves, discussing the prowess of cultivators. Yu Zhu knew this admiration wasn't the result of his own cultivation, as he had just activated the inscriptions on the walls. But he had no intention of convincing the young disciples otherwise.
Liu Feng was the first to enter the arena, donning a gray robe that epitomized the image of a cultivator. He possessed long dark silky hair, sharp features, and an expressionless face. Even his demeanor exuded the aura of a seasoned cultivator. Though he wasn't one.
Yu Zhu recalled information about the youngster; he hailed from a clan in the southern part of the White Tiger Continent, a relatively small clan that had recently grown wealthy. As Yu Zhu remembered, the youngster had a few family members in the inner sect, and Liu Feng considered himself a fully-fledged cultivator.
In contrast, his opponent, Jia Man, was a young man with short red hair, a muscular build, and a more barbaric appearance than that of a typical cultivator. However, what stood out most about him was the overwhelming sense of pressure he exuded. It was a sense that made it clear to everyone that he would fight tooth and nail to win.
"Get ready to fight upon my command," Yu Zhu repeated the same speech he had given countless times today. The thought of having to do it all over again tomorrow with the semi-finalists made him contemplate breaking a limb or two to use injury as an excuse to return to his cultivation. He wasn't getting any younger.
Furthermore, Yu Zhu was aware of who was likely to win. Jia Man was at the nine-star Body Tempering level, whereas the other youngster was only at seven stars. Neither of them had exceptional talents, which was why they were competing in a tournament where the victor would earn a place in the inner sect.
This annual tournament was a chance for those with limited talents to enter the inner sect.
"Although my clan is a cultivator clan, my family branch hasn't produced one since my great-grandfather," Liu Feng stated. He took a basic fighting stance with fists forward. "Amongst my numerous cousins, I was chosen to defy the heavens, and it is my fate to one day become an immortal!"
Yu Zhu would have chuckled at this young man many decades ago. Yet now it seemed perfectly common with how often he had seen ambitious young men proclaim something like that.
Cultivation talent was a rare gift, often making youngsters feel like they were chosen by the heavens. Especially when they were raised in a village where they had never even seen a cultivator and thought of them as mystical beings.
Yu Zhu had once been one of those dreamy-eyed people. But now, at nearly a hundred years old, he no longer cared about being a chosen one. Yu Zhu had learned his lesson and knew there was nothing special about him.
Instead of striving for a breakthrough, he was here babysitting these kids, nearing the end of his lifespan. The Blazing Sun Sect higher-ups no longer thought he could break through, and they were giving him these time-wasting menial jobs.
Yu Zhu sighed and raised his hand, silencing the chattering students. The fight was about to begin, and every one of the youngsters kept their gazes on the fighting stage.
"Fight!"
Both combatants charged simultaneously, but it was evident to Yu Zhu that Jia Man would emerge victorious in this bout. The last time someone with a lower cultivation level had won in a tournament like this was about five decades ago when Grand Elder Zun Gon defeated a nine-star Body Tempering practitioner as a seven-star.
Could Liu Feng be another exception? He wondered.
As soon as they closed the distance, Liu Feng attempted a palm strike, but Jia Man swiftly countered with a punch to the face, sending Liu Feng flying.
Liu Feng crashed into the arena wall, leaving many disciples gasping in shock as blood streamed from his head.
Well... it seemed that Liu Feng wasn't as exceptional as he'd hoped.
"Take the disciple to the infirmary," Yu Zhu instructed one of the attendants responsible for tending to injured disciples. The last bout had clearly shaken them.
Jia Man snorted and walked away without glancing at his fallen opponent. He demonstrated raw power and a ruthless side, showing he might win the tournament.
Now, there was someone who could be considered special.
If he wasn't old, and still had the time to take on disciples, Elder Yu Zhu would have offered the young red-haired man the chance to become his personal disciple.
*******
Nestled on the fringes of the outer sect's territory was a large medical complex. Within these hallowed walls, the air seemed to reverberate with a harmonious blend of herbal notes, the subtle allure of pharmaceuticals, and the refreshing essence of mint.
Amidst the medicinal aroma, a man with vibrant green hair moved gracefully among the injured disciples sprawled on the floor. This man was Che Cheng, a healer of the Blazing Sun Sect, known as the Green Elder, owing to the color of his hair, a testament to his mastery of poison and medical techniques.
Today was unlike any other day, as Che Cheng found himself tending to several more wounded disciples than usual. Among them were the impulsive young fighters who engaged in daily brawls and frequented his domain.
However, with the ongoing tournament, an even greater influx of injured disciples needed medical assistance. Che Cheng's gaze wandered toward a young man, one of the patients who had suffered injuries during the competition.
At first glance, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the young man. His talents were average, and he did not possess any apparent uniqueness. Yet, Che Cheng had observed a few intriguing aspects about him.
When the young man had regained consciousness, he displayed an unexpected resilience. Unlike others who would bemoan their misfortune, he had not despaired or cried out. This puzzled Che Cheng, who had anticipated the typical reaction of a disciple losing a match—protests and complaints.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
This particular disciple, named Liu Feng, was engrossed in reading basic texts about the theoretical aspects of cultivation and healing manuals that Che Cheng had placed within his reach. His concentration on these materials was so intense that one might have mistaken him for an ordinary mortal encountering such knowledge for the first time, rather than a disciple who had been part of the sect for nearly a year.
When Liu Feng had woken up and consumed a minor healing pill to mend his battered face, his reaction had been one of astonishment.
Considering the length of time Liu Feng had spent within the sect, it was inevitable that he had consumed numerous healing pills, leading Che Cheng to suspect possible brain damage. Therefore, he decided to keep a closer eye on the youngster, holding him under medical stay for longer than usual.
"Tch, let's hope this tournament concludes by the end of the week," Che Cheng muttered quietly.
********
I flipped another page, pretending not to notice the green-haired guy with bags under his eyes who was staring at me.
He looked like he hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while.
But I didn't have time to worry about him; I was still admiring the new world I had transmigrated into three days ago.
It seemed like that punch from Liu Feng's opponent had given this guy quite a shock, literally punching the soul out of him.
Liu Feng, the guy who swore against the heavens, was dramatic as fuck and chased after jade-skinned beauties when he lived back in his clan's city.
Thinking about the Liu Clan, my family in this world, I couldn't help but smile. My clan wasn't in a bad situation and was rising in power. They had recently even had enough wealth to allow them to send us to cultivate at one of the most prestigious Sects on the continent.
No matter how I looked at this situation, I didn't seem like protagonist material. I had no rival, no one had humiliated me, and my engagement with my fiancée had not been broken. However, my life wasn't that fortunate either, but I couldn't say I was unlucky.
The worst thing that had happened in this guy's life was getting defeated in this tournament. But even then, that wasn't something shameful, as no one else could have done any better if they were in the same position.
In cliché cultivation stories, fighting an opponent only two minor realms above them guaranteed a win for the protagonist. But in reality, most people weren't like that in a fair fight; one would need better martial techniques to win against someone stronger.
"Good, you look better," the healer finally said, breaking his silence after staring at me for a good minute. "That was quite the head injury you had. Now that you're awake, you can take this healing pill. In case the pain comes back, use it."
I got up and walked out of the infirmary room, which looked like nothing more than a Chinese-style room. People were fighting in the nearby arena, but I didn't bother staying to watch who would be the winner of this tournament.
What interested me more was the green pill in my hands. This thing had healed a broken nose in seconds!
The memories of this body supplied the knowledge that a broken nose was a minor injury, something a Tier 1 Minor Healing Pill could heal.
But as someone who came from a non-cultivation world, this was nothing short of a miracle!
As an avid reader of Xianxia stories, I read those things for the same reason many others do: the face-slapping and mountain-slapping cultivators. But living in those worlds was a whole different thing altogether.
I shook my head, attempting to refocus on the present. As exciting as this situation was, I needed to remain composed and avoid raising any suspicions.
The previous inhabitant of this body seemed oblivious to any reports of body takeovers, and it would be best to play it safe. Information about such occurrences might be restricted to the higher echelons only.
Nevertheless, impersonating the original Liu Feng posed quite a challenge. If I had to sum him up in one word, it would be "cliché." He was a brash and arrogant young man who went around declaring himself as someone chosen by the heavens and all that nonsense.
His behavior was the sort that could easily lead to my death at the hands of an arrogant young master or a wannabe protagonist. Despite his average talents, Liu Feng incessantly boasted about battling the heavens.
Yet, despite all his flaws, I held a degree of respect for him because of his relentless work ethic. He trained diligently for hours every day. It was tragic that his life had ended so abruptly, as the cultivators seemed oblivious to the dangers of head trauma.
I silently offered a prayer for the departed Liu Feng and continued my journey along the desolate roads.
Most of the outer sect's disciples had flocked to the tournament; this world lacked diverse forms of entertainment.
In this realm, there were five known stages of cultivation:
Body Tempering
Qi Gathering
Foundation Establishment
Core Formation
Nascent Soul
Each of these stages had minor sub-stages, ranging from one to nine stars. There were rumors that breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm could lead to immortality.
But the original Liu Feng didn't know shit about that.
If this world adhered to the clichés of xianxia, it was almost certain that there were stages beyond the Nascent Soul Realm, possibly even higher realms where a Nascent Soul cultivator would be considered a mere servant.
Or perhaps I was letting xianxia tropes cloud my judgment, as why would a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator work as a servant when they could rule these lands?
Regardless, none of this directly concerned me. I was merely a seven-star Body Tempering nobody.
I wasn't overly fixated on pursuing any grand aspirations. While reaching greater heights would be nice, I wasn't consumed by ambition. Maybe later? But for now, I was more curious about other things like these pills, techniques, and seemingly 'mundane' things that these people took for granted.
I wasn't necessarily dissatisfied with my position in the sect. Sure, I wasn't an inner disciple, and my talent in cultivation wasn't exceptionally high, but it wasn't too low either. Moreover, very few could become inner disciples in their first year. If one reached the Qi Gathering Realm before the age of twenty, they were usually accepted as inner disciples without needing to participate in any tournaments.
Speaking of cultivation talent, in this world, it was measured by the number of branches on a person's spiritual root. I had 53 branches, while 50 was considered average. Those with sixty or more could become inner disciples with only some effort.
I didn't care to compare myself to my peers. Instead, I gazed at the horizon and noticed it was late.
"Damn, the library must be closed by now," I muttered.
My dorm room was located in one of the outer buildings of the Blazing Sun Sect. Since the entire sect was situated on a massive mountain, it meant I had to descend a considerable number of stairs.
Fortunately, due to my new body, I barely felt winded when I reached my lodgings.
The dorm buildings were three stories high, made of wood, and had a Chinese-styled roof. Thankfully, there were no other disciples here, as the tournament would last another couple of days. Most students would sleep in their dorms and watch the fights.
I entered the building and noticed doors every four meters. However, I continued past all those doors until I found one numbered 314. It was odd because there were definitely not 314 rooms in the building. Even the original Liu Feng didn't know what this was all about.
Perhaps it was some way of ranking the students?
Taking out an iron key, I unlocked the door, and it made a loud clicking sound. These locks were somewhat outdated compared to modern versions, but there were probably doors with strange inscriptions that didn't even need a key to open.
The room was small. It barely had enough space for a bed, a desk, and a chest next to the desk where I could store my belongings. The place was dusty, with scrolls and books scattered around, the bed was in disarray, and clothes were strewn everywhere.
I ran my finger along the desk, and a thin coating of dust collected on my fingertip. I immediately opened the windows and sighed.
"Well, time to bring some order to this place," I said as I rolled up my sleeves.
An organized mind could only work in an organized room.
...
An hour later, the small room was spotless. Scrolls and books were neatly arranged on the desk. Clothes were folded into two piles: clean ones and ones that needed to be washed.
With the room organized, I collapsed onto the bed as I heard some students returning from the arena. While they were still celebrating, I decided it was time to sleep.
I couldn't help but feel thrilled about tomorrow. Despite being here for over three days, my heart beat excitedly at the thought of learning about this world.