Darkness. An endless void stretching into eternity.

  My consciousness drifted, weightless, lost in the abyss. There was no sound, no light, no sensation—only the lingering fragments of my past life.

  I was Haider. An ordinary student, a writer who spent countless nights crafting the most epic cultivation stories. And then… I died. The details of how were hazy, but I remembered that much.

  There was a moment of something—voices? Power? But whatever had happened before was slipping away like sand through my fingers.

  Then, suddenly—pain.

  My lungs burned as if I had been drowning and had just broken through the surface. My body ached, cold and frail. Sensations rushed back all at once, the sharp bite of wind against my skin, the rough feeling of dirt beneath me, the scent of damp earth and ancient wood.

  And then—a voice.

  [Ding! The Heavenly Ascension System has been activated.]

  The words echoed inside my mind, clear and undeniable. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped, sitting up abruptly.

  I was in a forest. Thick trees loomed overhead, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of wildflowers and fresh earth. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows across the ground.

  For a moment, I just sat there, stunned.

  Where the hell am I?

  I checked myself. My clothes were simple—tattered robes, rough and worn, nothing like the modern clothes I was used to. My body felt weak, starved even, as if I had not eaten in days. My hands were rough and calloused, far from the soft skin of a university student who spent more time writing than working.

  This… this isn’t Earth.

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  The thought hit me like a hammer. I had read too many cultivation novels to mistake the signs. This was a world of immortals, of spirit beasts, of sects and ancient legacies.

  And the voice I had just heard…

  A system.

  A chill ran down my spine. I had dreamed of this. Every time I read about some protagonist getting a powerful system and rising to the peak, I had wished for it.

  And now, it was happening to me.

  The Heavenly Ascension System

  [Ding! Would you like to view your status?]

  "Yes," I said instinctively, my voice hoarse.

  A translucent screen materialized before me, glowing faintly.

  Status

  Name: Haider

  Cultivation Realm: None (Mortal)

  Physique: [Unawakened]

  Bloodline: [Unknown]

  Cultivation Technique: None

  Martial Arts: None

  System Functions: [Locked]

  I stared at the screen.

  Mortal.

  That meant I had no cultivation yet. No techniques, no martial arts, nothing.

  I was truly at the bottom.

  But that’s how every great story starts, isn’t it?

  My blood burned with excitement. I had always loved protagonists who started weak, underestimated by the world, only to rise above all.

  This is my beginning.

  But first—I needed answers.

  "System," I said, testing the waters, "what are you?"

  [Ding! The Heavenly Ascension System is designed to aid the host in ascending to the peak of cultivation, guiding you on the path to becoming the Heavenly King.]

  Heavenly King? That sounded powerful.

  "And how do I cultivate?"

  [The host must acquire a cultivation technique and absorb spiritual energy.]

  Of course. This world wouldn’t just hand me power. I had to earn it.

  I looked around. This forest was unfamiliar, but if this was a cultivation world, there had to be sects, rogue cultivators, or at least villages nearby.

  My stomach growled.

  "Right. Food first, then cultivation."

  The First Step

  I got to my feet, my legs unsteady. Every movement felt sluggish. I was weaker than I had ever been in my life.

  No cultivation meant no enhanced strength, no speed, no recovery. I was a mere mortal, vulnerable to everything in this world.

  The trees around me stretched high, their bark ancient and weathered. Birds chirped in the distance, and somewhere deeper in the forest, I could hear the rustling of animals.

  I started walking, pushing through the undergrowth. My goal was simple: find civilization.

  Hours passed. Hunger gnawed at me, and my body screamed for rest, but I pressed on.

  Then—I heard voices.

  I froze, my heart pounding.

  Through the trees, I spotted a group of people walking along a dirt path. They were dressed in robes, carrying weapons—swords, spears, even a bow. Their movements were disciplined, their presence commanding.

  Cultivators.

  I took a slow breath. This was it—my first encounter with the world of cultivation.

  I stepped forward and called out, "Excuse me!"

  The group halted instantly. Their eyes snapped to me, and I felt an overwhelming pressure in the air.

  One of them, a young man with sharp eyes and a sword at his waist, frowned. "Who are you?"

  I swallowed hard. "I… I was lost in the forest. Can you tell me where I am?"

  The man exchanged glances with his companions before stepping forward. "This is the outer region of the Azure Cloud Sect’s territory. You’re lucky you weren’t eaten by spirit beasts."

  Azure Cloud Sect? That sounded exactly like the name of a proper cultivation sect.

  I bowed slightly, trying to seem respectful. "I’m grateful for your kindness. I have no home, no family. Please, can you guide me?"

  The man studied me, his expression unreadable. Then, after a long pause, he said, "Come. We’ll take you to the sect. Whether you stay or not depends on your fate."

  I exhaled slowly, relief flooding me.

  Step one—finding a sect—complete.

  As I followed them down the path, my heart pounded with anticipation.

  This was just the beginning.

  My journey to the peak had begun.