A vast mountain, on its flattened peak, an enormous stone platform stretched out like a martial stage carved by the god themselves. Upon it stood over a thousand young men and women, each dressed in different robes brimming with ambition.
Among them, a single figure sat alone on a small stone near the edge of the platform — Luo Yang.
His gaze was blank, eyes slightly unfocused as if still lost in a dream. The others stood nervously or talked in hushed tones, but he remained still, unmoved.
"So… I really transmigrated into a cultivation world," he muttered under his breath.
Back on Earth, he had been just a bored college student binge-reading cultivation novels. Now, he had somehow become Luo Yang, an eighteen-year-old in this strange new world — with the exact same name as his own. A bizarre coincidence… or fate?
His current body was at the ninth level of the Body Practitioner realm — quite high by normal standards but here surrounded by countless geniuses, it meant little. The previous Luo Yang had been hopelessly self-deluded, arriving at the Cloud Mist Sect's entrance exam, one of the strongest sects in the Eastern Region without even basic preparation.
But Luo Yang didn't care about that.
Because in this new life, he had something else.
Ding! "How is it? Are you enjoying everything?"
A voice echoed in his mind — casual, lazy, and vaguely perverted.
Luo Yang blinked. "You're real?! I have a system?!"
"You're welcome."
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
Name: Luo Yang
Cultivation: Body Practitioner – Ninth Level
Skills: Tiger Claw [Low-Level Origin Rank] (Cannot be lower than this)
Luck Points: 20 (Too low to count)
Luo Yang stared.
"…What the hell does 'Cannot be lower than this' even mean?""And 'Too low to count'? You're mocking me, aren't you?"
The system replied cheerfully, completely ignoring his indignation.
"Low-Level Origin Rank is literally the trash tier of combat skills. It's what beggars use to scare off dogs. And you brought it to a top sect's entrance exam. Amazing."
Luo Yang's mouth twitched. "So I'm not only a transmigrator… I'm a walking joke?"
"Even more impressive — you made it to ninth level of Body Practitioner without a cultivation technique. No arts, no pills, no background. Just raw grind. Respect."
The sarcasm was unbearable.
"But what about my Luck Points?" Luo Yang asked, holding back a scream.
"Luck is… everything. It's your destiny rating. The higher it is, the more fortuitous encounters, breakthroughs, and divine beauties you attract. Yours? Trash. But don't worry. We can fix it."
Luo Yang narrowed his eyes. "How?"
"Simple. This world is full of arrogant heroes, blessed heroines, and self-righteous villains with sky-high Luck. Steal it. Ruin their plots, slap their faces, or make them your pets. As long as they lose Luck, you gain it."
He grinned. Now this sounded familiar.
"So… I'm a villain-type protagonist now? But is not steal luck from protaganist to make stronger, i can even fuck off villains!"
"Yes, yes. You are even better, or i mean i am more better. You're just a shameless protagonist who cultivates through ruining others and luck manipulation."
Luo Yang chuckled darkly. "Good. Very good."
But his grin faded as he looked around the massive platform and remembered something important.
"Hey… what about this entrance test? No power, no background, no techniques — how am I supposed to 'enjoy everything' when I'm about to be disqualified?"
"Ah. My bad. Your starting points are so low I forgot to give your newbie gift."
... [ :) full of black lines]
Ding! You have received: [Random Novice Reward] — Nine-Tailed Celestial Physique (Unawakened)
Luo Yang's eyes widened in joy — only to stare at the screen again.
"…Unawakened?"
"Correct. You need to reach Spirit Refining Realm to awaken a divine physique. Right now, you're still a mortal without even abs."
Luo Yang grabbed his head. "Then why even tell me?!"
"For motivation. And don't worry, the test won't be a problem. Just smile. Good luck."
Before Luo Yang could protest, the sky above the platform rippled.
The crowd fell silent.
Three streaks of light descended from the clouds, landing slowly on the edge of the platform. As the radiance dimmed, three figures were revealed — one old man in sky-blue robes, and two middle-aged cultivators hovering beside him, all floating mid-air like celestial beings.
The entrance test… had begun.
The old man at the front took a single step forward. His presence silenced the crowd before he even spoke. When his voice came, it wasn't loud — yet it echoed through every corner of the massive stone platform like divine thunder.
"The entrance examination for Cloud Mist Sect begins now."
Thousands of disciples instinctively straightened their backs. Even Luo Yang looked up from his daze.
"Remember this — our sect does not select based on how strong you are today, but how far your talent can take you tomorrow," the old man continued, his tone calm yet commanding.
Then, with a casual motion, he retrieved a golden scroll from within his robes. It pulsed faintly with ancient symbols etched in runic light.
The old man gently poured his spiritual power into it.
The scroll floated into the air, spinning once — and suddenly burst with a blinding golden light. The radiance shot upward like a divine signal, piercing the sky. For a breathless moment, the heavens responded.
A giant golden pillar descended from the clouds, as if dropped by the will of the heavens themselves.
It was at least twenty feet tall, thick and majestic, floating a foot above the platform. Embedded across its gleaming surface were countless multi-colored gems, each pulsing faintly with elemental qi.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"The Heavenly Spirit Testing Pillar of Cloud mist sect…!"
"So beautiful…"
"I've only read about it in books!"
Excitement bubbled in the crowd like boiling water — until the old man raised his hand once again.
"Silence."
The single word slammed into their ears like a thunderclap. Everyone instantly froze. Even those mid-breath forgot how to exhale. Luo Yang felt a chill run down his spine.
Whispers circulated — even among some of the braver cultivators — that only experts at the Lord Realm or higher could fly in the air like that. To hover above the platform without a flying sword, without tools... was a sign of unimaginable cultivation.
This old man was unfathomable.