White Cloud City, Lin Family's Back Mountain.
A handsome young man in blood-stained white robes sat in a lotus position on a prayer mat, with a deathly pale face.
Where... am I?
He stared at the unfamiliar surroundings, with confusion clouding his mind.
Before he could make sense of the situation, a torrent of foreign memories flooded into his consciousness.
I... transmigrated?
Lin Tianchen clutched his throbbing head, processing the influx of information.
In the blink of an eye, he had transmigrated into the body of the Lin Family's Clan Head, one of the four great families ruling White Cloud City.
Strangely, he was unable to recall anything before he woke up here.
But according to these new memories, his predecessor had been trapped at the peak of the Prenatal Realm for years. Desperate for a breakthrough, he had ventured into this forbidden land in the back mountain to undergo secluded cultivation.
However, on the very first day of seclusion, someone had tampered with the elixir he intended to use for his breakthrough. The contaminated pill caused his cultivation to go berserk, killing him instantly.
But that wasn't even the worst part.
Due to the failed breakthrough, all of his cultivation had been destroyed. He was now completely powerless—weaker than an ordinary mortal!
This is bad... very bad.
Lin Tianchen's expression turned grim.
This is a cultivation world, where countless powerful beings reigned supreme. The strongest could move mountains and fill seas, pluck stars from the sky, and dominate all creation. It was a paradise for the mighty.
But for the weak? It was nothing short of hell. The powerless were like grass beneath the feet of giants—a single shockwave from a distant battle could shatter them to pieces.
In such a brutal world, with no cultivation whatsoever, his life hung by a thread.
And the situation was even more precarious than that.
From his inherited memories, he knew the other three great families had long coveted the Lin Family's position, circling like hungry wolves.
How long have I been in seclusion? What's happened to the family in my absence?
Lin Tianchen's brow furrowed deeply, with worry gnawing at him.
Though he had no biological connection to this family, their fates were now intertwined—he inhabited their Clan Head's body, after all.
If something were to happen to them, he wouldn't escape danger if the family's enemy catches wind of him still being alive, as the enemies might want to eliminate him to prevent any possibility of his return, or to completely eradicate the Lin Family bloodline.
The following moment, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Strongest Family System activated!]
[Abnormal host status detected. Automatically opening Newbie Gift Package...]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Chaotic Dao Pupils, Primordial Sacred Dao Embryo Body, and Total Family Cultivation.]
[Chaotic Dao Pupils: Ancient pupils born from primordial chaos. Abilities unlock as host grows stronger. Current ability unlocked: Eye of Insight—can perceive complete information on beings within two major realms of host's level.]
[Primordial Sacred Dao Embryo Body: A supreme constitution formed by fusing the Ancient Desolate Sacred Body with the Primordial Dao Embryo. Immune to all evil, suppresses anomalies, grants an invincible physique and affinity with the Great Dao. Upon fusion, the system will completely reconstruct your body to perfectly match your soul.]
[Total Family Cultivation: Permanently gain the cumulative cultivation of all family members. The stronger your family becomes, the stronger you become. Note: Family member deaths do not reduce your cultivation. This ability stacks perfectly with your personal cultivation progress.]
Lin Tianchen froze for a moment, stunned, then joy flooded through him.
Just when I thought all hope was lost.
Without hesitation, he selected the Primordial Sacred Dao Embryo Body for fusion.
Immediately, a faint golden radiance began emanating from his skin.
The supreme constitution resonated with the Great Dao itself.
Tens of thousands of Dao essence strands descended from the void, swirling around him and pulling him into a profound state of enlightenment.
Celestial phenomena manifested, with ethereal Dao chants echoing through the air, auspicious multicolored light blooming overhead, and golden lotuses sprouting from the barren earth!
Tremendous waves of Dao energy washed over his body, revitalizing his damaged meridians and broken foundation. His decaying flesh surged with vibrant vitality once more.
His skin became luminous like divine jade, and his body emanated a fragrant aroma reminiscent of heavenly elixirs.
After what felt like both an eternity and an instant, Lin Tianchen slowly opened his eyes.
His body now brimmed with boundless life force. He raised his hand and examined it, and he saw that his skin had gained an immaculate sheen to it.
The fusion was complete. His body had been thoroughly reconstructed.
This physique now perfectly harmonized with his soul, achieving complete unity. Though his appearance remained unchanged, his internal structure had undergone a complete metamorphosis.
In essence, this body now truly belonged to him—a complete physical transmigration rather than mere soul possession.
That's better, he thought with satisfaction. Using someone else's body would have felt... wrong.
Lin Tianchen shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Then he focused his attention and activated Total Family Cultivation.
Instantly, the spiritual energy around him became turbulent, rushing into his body like a raging river.
Massive amounts of spiritual essence flooded through his meridians, scouring every tendon, bone, and muscle fiber.
His cultivation skyrocketed as the Innate True Qi gathering in his dantian underwent a qualitative transformation!
Strand by strand, the True Qi compressed and refined, transforming into Origin Power!
BOOM!
A vast amount of Origin Power condensed, carving out a dimensional space within his dantian—the Purple Palace!
Purple qi lingered within the void, nourishing his divine soul and manifesting his divine sense!
Prenatal Realm Peak!
Purple Palace Realm First Stage!
Purple Palace Realm Second Stage!
Purple Palace Realm Third Stage!
Lin Tianchen's eyes snapped open, his gaze sharp as lightning.
Whoosh!
He exhaled a stream of turbid qi that shot out like an arrow, instantly piercing the ground and leaving a small crater.
Is this the power of the Purple Palace Realm? In my previous life, I'd basically be a superhuman.
Lin Tianchen marveled at his transformation. Purple Palace Realm was a significant milestone.
Now that he'd broken through to the Purple Palace Realm, he had not only opened his Purple Palace dimensional storage space, but all his True Qi had completely transformed into Origin Power!
With Origin Power, he could achieve flight!
To mortals, cultivators at this level were already indistinguishable from terrestrial immortals.
[Ding! Host status normalized. Rebate function activated.]
[Rebate: Invest resources in family members to trigger critical returns of varying ranks, obtaining rewards. Investment ranks from lowest to highest: Black, Gray, White, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, Red, and Seven-Colored. Higher ranks yield greater rewards.]
Invest in family members?
Lin Tianchen blinked, then a peculiar expression crossed his face.
The system essentially wanted him to nurture his family... then reap the benefits of their growth.
A translucent interface materialized before his eyes.
[Name: Lin Tianchen]
[Cultivation: Purple Palace Realm Third Stage]
[Root Bone: Immortal Grade (Original: Superior)]
[Comprehension: Immortal Grade (Original: Superior)]
[Constitution: Primordial Sacred Dao Embryo Body]
[Family Luck: Negative]
[Warning: Your family is in crisis. Please resolve the situation immediately.]
Hmm? Crisis?
Lin Tianchen's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.
***
Meanwhile, in the Lin Family Council Hall
A crowd of Lin Family members had gathered, the atmosphere thick with tension.
Everyone understood the gravity of today's situation. Silence reigned except for the sound of heavy, anxious breathing.
Facing the main entrance stood a group of uninvited guests.
These intruders wore gray combat attire and wielded gleaming sabers. They were from the Tang Family—one of the Lin Family's rivals among the four great families.
Leading them was Tang Zhengyang, the Tang Family's Clan Chief, whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Prenatal Realm Ninth Stage.
Tang Zhengyang's expression remained casual as he surveyed the council hall with barely concealed disdain.
"So this is the Lin Family's council hall?" He shook his head mockingly. "How... small. It's barely larger than my family's stables."
"I'd heard that a genius like Lin Tianchen came from this place, so I expected something impressive. Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I can only say I'm deeply disappointed."
"Still, as fellow members of the four great families, it pains me to see you living in such poverty. Tell you what—on behalf of the Tang Family, I'll graciously donate ten taels of silver to help you renovate this... hovel."
A vein bulged on the Grand Elder's forehead.
If your Tang Family hadn't been constantly suppressing us, would we have declined to this state?!
Despite his fury, the Grand Elder forced himself to remain calm. "Our internal affairs are no concern of Clan Chief Tang's."
"Internal affairs?" Tang Zhengyang raised an eyebrow. "That's not quite accurate. Your Lin Family once served under our Tang Family's protection, after all. With such historical ties, how can you be so cold and distant?"
"Or perhaps... now that you've risen to become one of the four great families, you've forgotten those humble origins? Do you think you've completely escaped our shadow? Is that why you treat us as outsiders now?"
Tang Zhengyang's gaze turned icy, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The Grand Elder immediately understood—they'd come specifically to provoke trouble.
His expression darkened. "Clan Chief Tang! My Lin Family ceased being your subordinate over a century ago. Why dredge up ancient history now? Are you here merely to humiliate us?!"
Tang Zhengyang crossed his arms, his face full of contempt. "Hahaha! Interpret it however you like."
His words drew furious glares from every Lin Family member present.
"How inappropriate," Tang Zhengyang continued with mock concern. "Should a pack of former hunting dogs bare their fangs at their previous master?"
"But I must admit, I do enjoy seeing those expressions—where you clearly despise me, yet can do absolutely nothing about it."
He shrugged with exaggerated nonchalance.
In the past, when Lin Tianchen still led the family, Tang Zhengyang would never have dared such brazen disrespect. But now? He had nothing to fear.
Facing Tang Zhengyang's arrogant provocations, rage built within every Lin Family member like a volcano ready to erupt.
Shouts of protest erupted throughout the hall.
The Grand Elder clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, trembling with barely suppressed fury.
Amid his anger, a profound sadness welled up within him.
Clan Chief... if only you were still here...
If their Clan Chief, Lin Tianchen, still led them, how would a mere Tang Family dare such insolence?
But six years had passed since the Clan Chief entered seclusion in the forbidden land. There had been no word and his fate remained unknown.
And the Grand Elder himself, as the strongest remaining member, had only reached the Seventh Stage of the Prenatal Realm.
How could he possibly contend with the aggressive Tang Family now?