"This must be the first time I've gotten angry at someone since coming to this world," Chu Xuanyan thought as he stood by the riverside, staring at the silver reflection of the moon dancing across the water.
Even when the world had called him cripple. Even when they scoffed, ridiculed, and dismissed him. He hadn't been this angry. Back then, he'd endured in silence. Shrugged off their words. Buried the bitterness and walked with his head held high.
Even in his previous life, on Earth, he had rarely lost control. The only time he could clearly remember a fury like this… was back then when he died.
That unfair death. A random twist of fate and betrayal that tore him away from everything he'd known.
That was the time he truly felt anger and now is the second time.
It wasn't about being mocked. It wasn't about fate or misfortune.
It's all because of that accursed pagoda, it dared to belittle the people close to him. People who had stood by him without condition. Who cared for him, despite the world calling him worthless.
He just couldn't control himself. He could endure humiliation, obscurity, and failure. But not that.
The pagoda had crossed a line.
And as for why he kept refusing the pagoda's so-called offer — this miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — again and again, no matter how tempting ?
It is plainly simple.
Because he guessed who had left that artifact behind. His so-called real parents.
Yes, it is just a guess, but if you ask him if he will regret his decision, if it is not something left behind by them, then no, he will never. he will only regret one thing and that was the promise he had failed to fullfill. He'd failed that promise spectacularly when he died there, isn't he? who knows how much time has passed there? and so the day he was dying, he swore that if by some luck he survived, then he will never leave any regret in his life.
Anyways, where was he? right.
But because he think it was something left behind by his real parents. Parents who abandoned him the moment he was born and to Chu Xuanyan—who had never even met them, not even once—they were nothing more than strangers.
So did they really expect him to accept their charity, expect him to be a little brat chasing the scent of belonging ?
Did they imagine he would crawl back, thank them for a gift they tossed to him ?
If that was what they imagined...
Then he had only one thing to say:
They had kicked an iron plate.
He, Chu Xuanyan, isn't like those pitiful protagonists in novels. He wouldn't accept something like this just because it was convenient. He wouldn't grit his teeth, suffer trial after trial just to finally earn the recognition of the people who abandoned him.
And why would he ?
All because of the so cold blood running through his viens?
Heh.
While others called it fate or forgiveness, he called it foolishness. And he isn't so foolish.
Is he being petty ? — Yes, he is.
But did he care? - No, not in the slightest.
Care what others would think ? - Absolutely not.
It was that simple.
But did he want to cultivate?
Yes. He wanted to. Very badly, in fact.
It had been his dream ever since on Earth. Since he first picked up a web novel. Since he read about sword-wielding immortals, soul-crushing beasts, and world-shaking battles.
And who could blame him?
What reader could honestly say they never dreamed of awakening in an Isekai world or in a Cultivation world?
But then, if this was truly his dream — why hadn't he accepted the pagoda's offer?
Well, there was another reason.
...
Three Months Ago…
Back on that quiet night, like this one. Chu Xuanyan sat alone at the riverside, just like he often did.
He had finished his routine meditation — pointless, perhaps, but grounding — and was just preparing to stand up and head home when something unusual happened.
The locket. The one at the center of the necklace he always wore.
It began to vibrate.
Not a faint hum. Not a whisper.
It shook violently against his chest, as if reacting to something. The moment he reached to touch it, the silver-jade chain disappeared with a flash of blinding light.
And then…
It appeared.
Suspended in the air, glowing faintly under the starlight — a nine-tiered pagoda. Each tier cast in a different hue, shimmering with an unnatural brilliance.
Chu Xuanyan had frozen.
Then the voice came. Gentle and Measured. A voice that is neither male nor female.
"Hello, Chu Xuanyan."
He said nothing.
"I have been dormant for a long time. But now, I have awakened. I am the Nine Heavenly Thunder Pagoda and you are chosen as the bearer of Nine Heavenly Thunder Bloodline."
His expression remained calm, but inside, he was skeptical. Every word sounded like a setup. The kind he'd read about in all those novels. Was this it? Was this finally it?
Has his time finally come, perhaps?
And Nine Heavenly Thunder Bloodline?
Damm, what a cool name!
but wait...
Bloodline... just when his thoughts focus on that one word, he calm expression couldn't help but become worse.
The pagoda sensed the slight change in his expression. Mistaking it for fear, its tone softened.
"There is no need to be afraid." It spoke.
Chu Xuanyan, noticing the softened tone, decided to atleast listen hear what it was going to say.
And seeing that his expression eased, even if slightly, the pagoda continued. "I have been with you since the day you were born and i have watched everything. Your pain. Your silence. The way you endured when others mocked, and discarded you."
The voice paused, then resumed. "That is why I have decided you are worthy and so i will give you a chance."
"A chance to bear the Nine Heavenly Thunder Bloodline. One of the strongest primordial bloodlines in existence."
Chu Xuanyan narrowed his eyes slightly. But his body remained still.
The pagoda didn't stop, though. Its voice deepen "All you need to do is pass the Nine Trials held within me to earn the complete bloodline."
"However" A pause. "seing that you are only a mortal. Since you were born unable to cultivate and it is me who have decide of you. I can make an exception and give you a handicap."
'Atleast it have a conscience' Chu Xuanyan mused.
"You only need to pass the First Trial. This Trial is not based on cultivation. so even someone like you have a chance but I will not lie to you. If you fail, you will die and as you are now, there is a high chance you will die."
Another pause. A slight hum echoed from the pagoda. "However if you pass, if you succeeded… you will receive one-ninth of the Nine Heavenly Thunder Bloodline."
The sky seemed to hold its breath.
"Do not underestimate one-ninth. Even a fragment is enough to crush geniuses, enough to shake this world. As long as you cultivate properly after obtaining it, you will have the power to stand above countless others. Sweep across sects and shatter so-called legacies.
"And once you grow strong enough, you may challenge the remaining trials one by one. And should you obtain the full bloodline…"
The pagoda's glow intensified.
"No one under heaven and earth shall be on par with you."
As those words fell, the world trembled. Lightning cracked silently in the clouds above.
The air buzzed with an invisible pressure. The ground shook beneath his feet. The river behind him rippled violently. Trees in the distance swayed without wind. Even the stars pulsed—one blink slower than before.
It was as if heaven and earth were acknowledging what had just been spoken.
Chu Xuanyan's body froze, but his heart pounded without restraint. Wild and uncontrolled. He clenched his fists, trying to suppress it but failed. His breath also grew heavy. Muscles tightened. Blood surged to his head. No matter how hard he tried, the chaos inside refused to settle.
After all, this is the pressure from the world itself and he suspect that almost all of it had been blocked off by the pagoda infront of him only allowing him to feel a little bit of it to experience the weight of those word but even if it's bits and pieces, is the pressure of the world something mortal body would be able to bear ?
So he bit down on his tongue so hard that blood started to flow from his lips in hopes of suppressing his raging body all the while pagoda watched him silently, unaware that it's words had cleared several doubts of him. Things that had started gnawing at his thoughts after pagoda sudden appearance.
It had been with him since birth so why did the pagoda awaken only now?
Why was it with him since birth?
Why offer him this chance—him, a cripple?
This Pagoda also said that it had lowered the difficulty of the trial for him.
And the reason?
Because he didn't break during hardship?
Heh.
He wasn't naive enough to believe that.
There were countless prodigies in this world. Monsters with talent far beyond anything he ever had. Sons of destiny. Heaven-chosen.
So why him? Because he suffered?
If endurance through hardship was enough, half the slums would be walking around with divine bloodlines.
He wasn't that naive. So why him? Why now?
His doubts were gone. Now, he was certain.
Ch xuanyan had stared at it for a long moment. He said nothing. Just turned around, walked home, and left it floating behind him.
That was the first time he rejected it.
And since then?
It kept coming back and he had refused every single time. Their gift ?
He didn't want it.
...
Back in the present, the moon was higher in the sky.
Chu Xuanyan sat on the stone, arms crossed behind his head. A gentle breeze stirred the grass, rustling the leaves, his mind peaceful.
"Even a seed begins with nothing—no roots, no branches, not even a promise. Buried in darkness, it is overlooked, forgotten. But with time, patience, and silent struggle, it breaks the earth, drinks the rain, and reaches for the sun. It does not rush, it does not boast—yet one day, it becomes a tree that even storms bow to." His thoughts no less heaven defying.