Chapter 1 – Leaving
Beyond the reaches of the world, lies the Evergreen Continent, a land of towering mountains and endless forests. Rivers coil through the valleys like silver serpents and seasons pass gently beneath the open blue sky.
At its heart rests the Verdant Expanse Region, a place where greenery never fades. Deep within its ancient woods stands the great Green Wood Sect, the only place in this region blessed by Heaven and Earth Qi.
Here, spiritual energy gathers like morning mist, nurturing cultivators who walk the path of immortality.
But for Ye Chen, this sanctuary had become a cage.
After twenty years as an outer sect disciple, he remained stuck at the second level of Qi Refining. With five spiritual roots, his talent was mediocre at best. He had seen it countless times — disciples with similar aptitude, even those better than him, all stranded before the late stages of Qi Refining. Resources flowed only to geniuses with the rest being mere stepping stones.
He knew his future if he stayed.
A slow yet painful decline.
And a "wasted" life.
So he decisively chose to leave.
At the Contribution Hall, Ye Chen handed over 100 points (a crushing sum for someone who had spent two decades earning just 150). But he did not hesitate. This was the price of this so called "freedom".
With the remaining points, he prepared for the mortal world.
He purchased four martial arts manuals for a mere 8 contribution points yet they're treasures that will shake the martial realm:
• Ghost Fiend Steps
• Golden Bone Tempering
• Blood Essence Refinement
• Nine Heavens War Scripture
Then, he spent ten points and a small merit reward to buy a Spirit Testing Ruler, followed by common spiritual seeds (divine medicines in mortal lands):
• Iron Skin Grass
• Blood Circulation Root
• Tiger Bone Weed
• Windstep Leaf
He also bought the lowest-grade pill furnace and, on a whim, a nameless book from the miscellaneous pile. The points from those items went to new disciples who sold family heirlooms, and Ye Chen felt it was only right.
Before descending the mountain, he met his few but true friends.
Da Hu, his brother in all but blood, pressed a token with a golden pig carved on into his hand."My family runs a merchant clan," he said. "If you ever need help… or if they're in danger... please protect them."
Su Ling, the double spirit root genius, secretly devastated, forced a smile. Her talent separated them like heaven and earth. Her master would never allow her to walk with someone destined to be a qi refining loser. Still, she gifted him a precious book:
Guide to Transforming Beasts into Spirit Beasts
Sharing it alone cost her 400 contribution points.
Da Hu then revealed his final gift: a Blood and Sweat Stele. (A rare mid grade artifact)Useless to cultivators… priceless to martial artists.
It created a gravity field for training and accelerated recovery through blood infusion. A true inheritance treasure.
Ye Chen was stunned..
yet, Grateful.
but... Determined.
As he bittersweetly looked back at the sect one last time, he clenched his fists till it bled.
If I cannot dominate the immortal world…
Then I shall rule the mortal one.