In the seemingly vast sky, the skies began to fracture.
He sat on top the shattered throne of the Ninth Heaven, robs torn, blood burning gold across the celestial stone. Ten thousand stars dimmed as cultivators bowed—not in loyalty, but in fear.
What surrounded the throne was a vast amount of blood. The blood of hundreds of Monarchs, ranging from True Emperor realm beings to even the Heavenly Prince.
The Monarch did not speak as the blades pierced his back—no curses, not even desperate swipes of divine wrath. Only silence, deep and cosmic, as though even the heavens mourned his death.
He turned his gaze toward the traitors he once called brothers, and beneath the ruined vast constellations, he simply closed his eyes.
Though he was filled with anger, and a desire for justice—he stopped fighting back. Even his own son had betrayed him, and all he thought was:
Let it end
And it did.
. . .
Somewhere, far below the Nine Realms—
A young boy gasped beneath the roiling clouds. The lightning had struck too close for comfort. His body trembled, scorched, unfamiliar. The boy fainted from his overwhelming stress.
But the eyes... they suddenly opened. Silver and seemingly endless.
The storm paused, the clouds dissipated, and the light had shined through.
. . .
I was sat in the corner of a room, next to a window and the only light came from the sun.
My lungs burned. My vision was... blurry. I could feel the sky, the weight of the stars, but this body? Small. Weak. Mortal.
This was not my body. My body was the opposite in every way. A dream, perhaps? Or a vision of some child destined for greatness, glimpsed in the moment before death?
Suddenly, a mortal man walked in. He looked rugged, dirty, and reeked of alcohol. He paid no attention to the boy until suddenly he caught a glimpse of the boy in the glare of his eye.
He walked to the boy and yelled at him, "What are you doing in the corner of the room! I didn't raise you to be a weakling! Get up! And why are you looking at me with those creepy eyes!"
The man kicked the boy in the side, knocking him over. But strangely, I felt the pain. Right in the side of my torso where my ribs were.
Odd... why do I feel the pain of this child? Isn't this a mere vision?
"Huh? Why aren't you responding... answer me, you little punk!"
He kicked the boy again to the side, and once again I felt the pain.
I tried to speak, and I could feel that the boys throat felt dry.
The realization began to hit me as I attempted to do a few more things. This 'vision' of a boy turned out to be me—but I don't recall ever being in a time like this.
Did I have hidden memories of my past? But that's not possible—I grew up in a well-off sword family in the Earth Realm. The weak Qi flowing in the air here tells me that this is the Mortal Realm.
I tried to stand up but collapsed during the process, and the man walked away after spitting on me.
This body was too frail. And these... they weren't my memories. What is happening?
I inhaled and attempted to stand up with all my might. It took several tries, and at last, I stood. This body was not just weak, but was starving for food. I looked at the frail body, and it was seemingly just skin and bones.
This body wasn't just weak—it was starved, skin clinging to brittle bones, the scent of decay emerging faintly from flesh. It was disgusting.
One step at a time, I began walking to the bed in the body. After an hour, I had finally reached the bed and sat down in the middle.
This situation was far too strange to simply be a mere vision or memory. What could it be... did someone with the Reincarnation Dao help me to reincarnate prior to my death? No... that can't be it... but it's the most plausible.
It's best to stick with that for now, I guess I reincarnate-
>> Welcome, Host.
I looked forward, and a strange blue object hovered in the air in front of me. I rubbed my eyes, perhaps my vision was still blurry.
It was still there. What is this thing?
>> Host, please enter your name (or nickname) that you'd like to be called by: __
Host? Who is that?
>> (1) Host, please enter your name (or nickname) that you'd like to be called by: __
What is this thing saying? Who is host!
>> …
>> You are the host.
>> (2) Host, please enter your name (or nickname) that you'd like to be called by: __
I'm the host? Enter a name or nickname... Wei Chen then.
>> Host has put: Wei Chen
>> Host, would you rather be called: Host or Wei Chen?
…Wei Chen. What was the point of entering my name then?
>> Welcome, Wei Chen to the Heavenly System!
>> You're confused, right?
Quite frankly, yes... I think anyone would?
>> Don't get snarky...
What?
>> Would you like an explanation?
What do you think?
>> …
>> Maybe I shouldn't have... well, whatever!
>> Wei Chen, welcome to the Heavenly System!
>> Now, I know you're curious about what's going on, so let's get right into it!
>> You have probably noticed you're not in your body, yes?
Yes...
>> Well, that's because you aren't! Rather, you're in a mortal's body!
…Why?
>> Shouldn't you be like... excited?
…Why?
>> Because I'm giving you a second chance at life...?
Who are you?
>> …Well, moving on. Essentially, you've reincarnated!
…Why?
>> Can you shut up and just be glad? Or at least listen... I should've selected someone else.
>> Ahem! Anyways, if you're genuinely curious: there is no real reason!
>> I just like to watch entertaining individuals such as yourself. You really put on a show up there.
You were there? You must be a Monarch then, right?
>> Who knows? It's not something that you should care about for now.
>> I want to see you reach the top again, and be stronger than ever before!
>> But first, to do that... we have to fix a few things. Go ahead and try to cultivate.
Cultivate? In such a weak body as this? It'd explode if even an atom of qi entered it!
>> Just try it, things went... astray. I didn't expect you to give up on life so quickly.
>> I couldn't get you a proper body in time. But just try it, I don't know the talent of this body either.
If I explode, will you give me a new body?
>> Sure, but it might take a few hundred years...
I sighed, crossed my legs and closed my eyes.
I inhaled, attempting to absorb the qi from the air. Instantly, a sharp pain screamed across my entire body, and I had coughed up blood.
>> Ah... you have a Trash-Grade Spiritual Root...
I gritted my teeth in anger. So... how exactly am I supposed to cultivate?
>> No need to fret! That's why you have me, the Heavenly System!
>> Let me open the panel real quick... there!
Another blue "panel" had appeared in front of me, this time with information.
>> Here is the system! If you look, you'll see there are five panels so far:
>> Information, Mission, Shop, Cultivation, Inventory
>> In the information tab, you'll find information about your well-being/body.
>> In the mission tab, it's quite self-explanatory, your mission(s)!
>> In the shop tab, you can buy things for mission points. You achieve mission points by completing missions.
>> In the cultivation tab, you can view your cultivation level, spiritual root level, qi capacity, etc. Anything you might need to know about cultivation! Manuals and techniques are stored there too!
>> In the inventory tab, you can store items. It's practically a cheat, you get your own free sub-space without even needing the space dao yet! Isn't that awesome?
I closed my eyes, processing the information. I opened the shop tab, and saw a large variety of things. From weapons, manuals, pills, body types (or parts) of immortals or monarchs, and even spiritual roots!
"Say, Heavenly System..."
>> Yes?
"Since you gave me such a poor body," I spoke. "Mind giving me a free spiritual root increase?"
>> Hmm... that is true, I suppose I could. L-
"Top-tier grade, if you don't mind?"
>>…aren't you a bit too spoiled? The most I'll give is a high grade. That's what I meant to do anyways, you have to work for the rest.
"Fine, I suppose that'll work."
>> One moment... okay, there.
Suddenly, a searing heat surged through my veins, like molten iron poured into brittle clay. I attempted to cultivate again, and although I was in pain, I was able to absorb a little amount of qi this time.
>> Happy?
"It's satisfactory for now."
>> Good. I'll be going now, I won't talk to you for a while since you tried to scam me.
"When did I do that?"
The first blue panel which the voice was coming from had disappeared. Moments later, the old man stormed in again, shouting that I was being too loud.
"Oh, the mission panel... let's see..."