Layer upon layer of tumultuous sea of clouds stretched endlessly. Countless peaks of myriad forms rose like islands from this misty ocean, dotting the expanse like stars in the sky, or pieces scattered upon a celestial game board.
On the very edge of this vast "board," stood a peak noticeably shorter than the others. It seemed as if its summit had been sheared off cleanly by some immense force, leaving only a vast, flat plateau. Upon this plateau, flying vessels rose and landed. A line of newly arrived provisional disciples stood waiting.
Lü Yang was one of them.
He had just opened his eyes to this new world, finding himself here abruptly. The fragmented memories lingering within his body told him his current situation was… far from ideal.
According to these inherited memories, beneath the dominion of the Primordial Sanctum Sect lay a kingdom named "Chen."
Every three years, the Chen Kingdom would send a batch of provisional disciples as tribute to the Sect. In return, the Sect ensured Chen enjoyed favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and that its royal family remained unshakably secure.
At first glance, it sounded like a grand opportunity – a chance to enter an immortal sect and embark on the path to eternal life.
The reality, however, was starkly different. Not a single high official or noble from Chen was willing to come. Those sent over as the "Blood Offering" were only impoverished commoners like Lü Yang.
After all, while tens of thousands of provisional disciples were delivered to the Primordial Sanctum Sect every three years, the number of its *true*, full-fledged disciples never showed any significant increase. Instead, the provisional disciples vanished one after another, without a trace, as if they hadn't entered a sacred place of cultivation, but rather a bottomless abyss.
The mere thought of it was enough to send chills down one's spine.
"No wonder I feel so weak... like my body's been completely hollowed out..."
Lü Yang pinched his own arm. It was all soft flesh, not a trace of firm muscle. The discomfort deepened. As he tried to stand up, a sharp pain lanced through his chest.
"The original owner... he was sick too? This illness is... *Ah...!*"
Lü Yang cursed under his breath a few more times.** This was no longer merely weakness; it felt like a **terminal wasting disease**, as if he had only a handful of days left to live.
ust as utter despair washed over Lü Yang, convinced he was about to "speedrun" his transmigration story (death ending, of course)...
**Lü Yang cursed under his breath a few more times.** This was no longer merely weakness; it felt like a **terminal wasting disease**, as if he had only a handful of days left to live.
**Just as utter despair washed over Lü Yang, convinced he was about to "speedrun" his transmigration story (death ending, of course)...**
A tiny point of light suddenly appeared before his eyes. It then swelled violently in the wind, rapidly transforming into a screen at a speed visible to the naked eye!
**[Name: Lü Yang]**
**[Lifespan: 18]**
**[Cultivation: None]**
**[Talent: None]**
**[Cultivation Method: None]**
**[Divine Abilities: None]**
**[Treasures: None]**
In this moment, staring at the system interface before him, Lü Yang felt tears welling up. Wasn't it said that Heaven never seals off all exits? As long as I want to walk, the path lies beneath my feet!
*System, allocate my points!*
Then, Lü Yang froze.
Because no matter how hard he searched—left, right, up, down—he couldn't find the plus sign he longed for in the skills column. Not even a minus sign was in sight.
"System, where's my point allocation?"
After searching for a long time, Lü Yang was forced to face a despairing truth: the personal panel before him seemed utterly devoid of any point-allocation function.
In other words, if he wanted to improve, he'd have to rely on his own hard work.
Lü Yang: "..."
*Fuck this. Before I awakened the System, you wanted me to work hard. Now that I HAVE a System, you STILL want me to work hard? Then what was the point of awakening this damned System?!*
*System, what the hell—*
**[Current Residual Pages of the Book of Hundred Lifetimes: 100]**
**[Book of Hundred Lifetimes: Upon death, return to the initial time point and restart life from the beginning]**
**[Upon restarting, choose one from the treasures, cultivation, or lifespan of your previous life. Alternatively, abandon all gains from the previous life to awaken one innate talent.**]
*Father System, I take it back—*
Lu Yang suddenly surged with excitement. A hundred lifetimes of reincarnation—what an immense treasure?
With proper use, it could absolutely propel him to soaring heights!
"Those called by name, step before me."
At that moment, a Daoist priest clad in black robes appeared before the crowd. His expression was sinister, and he held a register in one hand. Beside him hovered a solitary candle stand.
"Drip your blood into the Life Lantern beside me to ignite your Life Flame. From this moment, you shall be provisional disciples of my Primordial Sanctum Sect."
Hearing this, no one present showed any sign of joy.
After all, most of those sent here had heard of the Primordial Sanctum Sect's fearsome reputation. They knew this so-called "provisional disciple" status was not a blessing, but a curse.
The black-robed Daoist, however, paid no heed to their thoughts. He began calling names one by one.
"Chen Liang."
"Here!"
As the Daoist called a name, a young boy beside Lü Yang stood up. The boy had lips red as cherries and teeth white as jade. He bounced forward cheerfully to stand before the Daoist.
This child was exceptionally handsome, with large, bright eyes that seemed to speak. Most strikingly, even mortals could perceive an aura of spiritual intelligence radiating from his brow. His demeanor was clever and precocious—in the mortal world, he would surely have been a prized student fought over by every prestigious academy.
Sure enough, the black-robed Daoist's eyes lit up with appreciation at the sight of him.
"What a Great Spiritual Child Talent!"
"You flatter me, Daoist Brother," the boy replied respectfully, performing a perfect bow. His youthful, childish voice was irresistibly endearing.
The Daoist's smile broadened, genuine pleasure spreading across his face.
"Excellent, excellent! This is precisely the kind of talent our Primordial Sanctum Sect seeks!"
With that, the Daoist raised his brush and lightly crossed out the name [Chen Liang] in the register.
*Thud!*
In the next instant, without any warning, the once vibrant and spiritual boy's eyes rolled back into his head. He plummeted to the ground, utterly lifeless.
Having done this, the Daoist priest casually ordered:
"Deliver the blood and flesh to the Alchemy Hall, the bones and soul to the Treasure Forging Hall, and the organs to the Beast Taming Hall. Such excellent material must not be wasted."
His few, casual sentences left the crowd of provisional disciples utterly dumbfounded.
Seeing their expressions, the black-robed Daoist chuckled. "Junior Brothers, do not misunderstand."
"The Sacred Sect has always valued 'worth.' Therefore, the measure of a disciple's excellence lies solely in whether they can create sufficient value for the Sect."
"That Junior Brother just now, born a Spiritual Child Talent with robust physique and strong bones, could only create his *greatest* value for the Sect *after* death. That is why he had to die."
"As for you Junior Brothers, your aptitudes are mediocre. Only *alive* can you create value for the Sect. Naturally, you need not worry about such things."
"Next."
The Daoist continued calling names. Those below the platform wore expressions of terror, yet they had no choice but to obey, terrified of sharing the little boy's fate and having their names similarly crossed out.
"Lü Yang."
"Here."
Lü Yang stepped forward respectfully.
The black-robed Daoist's gaze immediately landed on Lü Yang's handsome, refined face. A flicker of delight appeared first, followed by an assessment of his bone structure and physique.
However, he soon shook his head in disappointment.
Clearly, in his eyes, Lü Yang possessed nothing of value beyond his good looks.
"Go to the Blissful Union Hall."
Not daring to question, Lü Yang quickly replied, "Yes."
...
After the assignments were complete, Lü Yang received a jade token. It was almost transparent, inscribed with his name. Sealed within it seemed to be a flicker of flame.
Additionally, he was given a cultivation manual.
The manual was titled *"The Ode of Yin-Yang's Great Joy."* It was the foundational text of the Blissful Union Hall he'd been assigned to, said to allow one to cultivate True Qi and step into the Qi Refining Realm.
An old attendant leading the way spoke casually as they walked: "The flame within the Life Token is your Life Flame. Remember to carry it with you at all times. The Sect's formations, the spirit flora
and spirit beasts recognize the token, not the person. If you ever leave your quarters without it and die within the Sect, don't blame me for not warning you."
Not long after, the group arrived before a grand hall.
Standing before the hall was a voluptuous, stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a long gown. The gown had a high slit reaching to the top of her thighs. Her every glance radiated allure, and her presence was the epitome of exquisite beauty.
*Gulp…*
Lü Yang clearly heard someone beside him swallow hard.
Noticing the gazes upon her, the woman showed no hint of shyness. Instead, she let out a soft, tinkling laugh behind her hand, then deliberately lifted the hem of her gown at the side.
Beneath it, dangling conspicuously, was a jade token.
Carved upon it was a name: **Yu Suzhen**.
"This is the Blissful Union Hall," she announced, her voice as smooth as silk. "I am Yu Suzhen, and you may consider me your senior sister."
In the next moment, Lü Yang noticed Yu Suzhen's eyes brighten. Her gaze locked onto him—direct, unflinching, and utterly without concealment.
"Such a handsome Junior Brother," she murmured, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "You must be assigned to my Blissful Union Hall."
With a light, melodious laugh, she swayed forward. Her slender waist moved with the sinuous grace of a snake, the overlapping layers of her skirt whispering with each step. The glimpse of pale skin beneath made Lü Yang's head spin slightly as she stopped directly before him.
"I see your looks do you credit," she said, her eyes appraising him openly. "Come with me. I'll acquaint you with the ways of the Blissful Union Hall."
Lü Yang quickly clasped his hands in salute. "Many thanks, Senior Sister Yu."
"Why so formal?" She gave him a coquettish, sidelong glance, then turned. Her serpentine sway as she walked away ignited a palpable heat among the onlookers.
Lü Yang dared not stare. He lowered his gaze and followed silently.
"Disciples of our Sacred Sect," Yu Suzhen began, her voice carrying easily over her shoulder, "are divided into Outer and Inner branches. The Four Outer Halls—Treasure Forging, Alchemy, Beast Taming, and Blissful Union—are where provisional disciples like yourselves are assigned."
"Only by passing the trials of one of these Four Outer Halls can you enter the Inner Sect, receive true teachings, and become a formal disciple."
"You have… *fortunate* qualities," she continued, glancing back at Lü Yang with a meaningful smile. "Entering my Blissful Union Hall means you won't suffer the grueling trials of the other three halls. After all, the tests here are… considerably more *pleasurable*..."
At this point, Yu Suzhen suddenlyleaned close to Lü Yang.
"Would you like to know what it is?"
in the next instant, Lü Yang felt arush of warm breath ghost across theshell of his ear. The delicate scent ofperfume enveloped him. He turnedhis head—and found a flawlesslylovely face mere inches from his own."I humbly seek your guidance, SeniorSister, " Lü Yang said, lifting his gaze."It is·…" Her voice, honeyed andintimate, whispered into his ear like alover sharing secrets."...cultivation."
Lü Yang drew in a sharp breath.