The system chimed in almost immediately, its familiar mechanical voice filling his mind.
[Recommended Course of Action: Begin with meditation to stabilize your spiritual energy flow and practice Qi perception with Universal Eyes. Focusing on detecting Qi flows and subtle shifts in your environment will improve control. It is also advisable to find a cultivation manual or mentor skilled in sensory techniques to guide your progress.]
Chen Yu nodded, already formulating a plan in his mind. "Alright. Step one—master seeing everything without passing out from information overload. Sounds easy enough."
He chuckled to himself as he sat back down, closing his eyes to begin his meditation. The Universal Eyes had opened up an entirely new world to him, but he knew it was only the beginning.
Now that he had power, his mind shifted back to his current situation. "Okay, System, where exactly am I? What is this world of Qi Xuan?"
[The world of Qi Xuan is a vast realm filled with cultivators, mystical beasts, ancient secrets, and powerful clans. You are currently in the Eastern Territories, known for its dense forests, spiritual beasts, and several mid-tier cultivation sects. The goal of many in this world is to reach immortality through cultivation, mastering spiritual energy known as Qi. You have been placed here as part of your reincarnation into this world.]
Chen Yu nodded, taking it all in. "Alright, so it's a typical cultivation world. Immortality, Qi, sects… I can handle this."
He looked down at his new clothes and his surroundings again. "But where exactly am I? Like, am I near a town or a sect or something?"
[You are currently in the Hidden Jade Forest, a place known for its dense vegetation and low-level spiritual beasts. The nearest human settlement is approximately 30 li (around 10 miles) to the east.]
Chen Yu let out a sigh. "Alright, at least I'm not in immediate danger. But I need to find a way to survive and figure out how this world works." He looked at his hands and flexed them, feeling a strange new energy coursing through his veins. "And I guess I should learn how to use my eyes too."
He looked around, noticing the forest seemed to grow darker as the sun began to set. "Alright, time to move. I need to figure out my next steps. And maybe find some food while I'm at it."
As he started walking, he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation. He was in a completely new world with a system that could give him random powers, and who knew what else awaited him out there.
"Alright, Chen Yu," he muttered to himself. "This is your new life. No more being a lazy bum. Time to roll with the punches and see where this crazy journey takes you."
With that, he set off into the forest, ready to face whatever challenges came his way, confident that he could adapt and survive. After all, he was a modern man with a modern mindset in an ancient world—what could possibly go wrong?
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As he walked, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "I wonder if they have the internet in this world. Probably not, huh? Guess I'll have to find other ways to entertain myself."
*
"Alright, Chen Yu," he muttered to himself, dragging a hand through his messy hair. "New world, new rules. Time to figure things out... like a sane, rational adult who definitely didn't spend half his life reading web novels and watching anime."
He stood in place for a moment, feeling the cool forest air fill his lungs, a stark contrast to the air-conditioned comfort of his room back on Earth. The sounds of rustling leaves and distant wildlife echoed in his ears, amplifying the unsettling realization that he wasn't dreaming, hallucinating, or trapped in some high-tech VR game.
Nope, this was real.
Chen Yu gave his surroundings a skeptical look. A forest? Seriously? It was like every cultivation novel cliché rolled into one: mysterious system, weird new world, dense forest... The only thing missing was some ancient beast popping out to chase him. He shuddered at the thought.
"Okay, Chen Yu," he said aloud, trying to ground himself. "This is real. Like, really real. And you're not gonna die in some random forest. Not today."
Taking a deep breath, he did his best to clear his mind and channel some inner Zen, but his mind had other plans. "No phone, no snacks, no Wi-Fi... I'm doomed." He shook his head, brushing off the thought. "Get it together, man. This isn't some cozy isekai where everything falls into place. Time to think smart and act smarter."
"First things first," he thought aloud, trying to keep his nerves in check. "Can't just wander around like an NPC waiting to get smacked by a low-level monster. I need to figure out where the hell I am." He glanced up at the sky, hoping the sun would miraculously give him a clue like he'd read about in survival guides.
"So... which way is east? The System mentioned a settlement that way. 30 li... I don't even know how far that is, but hey, walking in one direction is better than standing here waiting to get eaten."
Looking around for a moment, he finally squinted at the sun. "Alright, Sun Tzu, you better be right about this east-west navigation stuff."
He turned what he hoped was east and set off through the forest, his footsteps crunching softly on the damp forest floor. The trees around him seemed ancient, their gnarled roots twisting beneath the earth as if the forest itself had stood since the dawn of time. Birds chirped somewhere high above, but aside from that, the woods were unnervingly quiet. Too quiet.
"Man, I'd kill for some earbuds right now," Chen Yu muttered, trudging through the underbrush. "Or even one of those survival shows where the guy drinks his own pee—at least I'd have some guidance."
After a few more minutes of wandering, Chen Yu paused, wiping the sweat from his brow. "This is hopeless. I can't just keep walking around aimlessly. I've got new powers—why not use them?"
He looked around, his gaze settling on a small clearing up ahead. The sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled patches of light on the ground. It seemed like a good spot to sit down and think things through.
With a groan, Chen Yu plopped down in the middle of the clearing, crossing his legs awkwardly. "Why do all these protagonists always make sitting cross-legged look so easy? It's not."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to center himself. It was harder than it looked—his mind kept wandering back to the absurdity of his situation. He'd gone from reading cultivation novels in his room to literally living in one. If anyone back on Earth could see him now, they'd probably laugh—or ask him for spoilers about this new world.
"Alright, focus, Chen Yu. You've got the Universal Eyes now," he muttered. "Time to figure out how to use them for something more useful than staring at tree bark."