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Chapter 1: A Prince Reborn
"Ugh… why does my head hurt?" I muttered, clutching my temples.
Where am I? This definitely isn't my cave.
I looked around, confused. The room was old but luxurious—filled with expensive furniture and ancient décor. It had the feel of an ancient noble's house. Odd.
Am I trapped in an illusion? Could someone have cast a supreme law on me? I quickly checked my body's condition. There was no trace of law energy—no spell formation, no suppression.
After a short meditation, I confirmed it. No spiritual formations around either.
"Something's not right… this is my world," I murmured.
Digging deeper into my memories, I finally uncovered some information.
This was a high middle-tier martial world. Here, everyone trained their bodies and techniques, striving to advance through powerful cultivation realms. The known cultivation levels here were:
1. Hwa (화) – Beginning Stage
2. Cheong (청) – Awakening Stage
3. Jin (진) – True Qi Stage
4. Seon (선) – Spiritual Enlightenment Stage
5. Wang (왕) – King Stage
6. Sang (상) – Saint Stage
...And possibly more. But the former owner of this body didn't know them.
As for my identity—I was a prince. The 89th prince of a vast kingdom. Apparently, the original me was assassinated by another prince... though he never even knew who.
The king—my father—is a peak King-level cultivator. In this region, King-level experts are practically mortal gods. They can do anything they want.
Naturally, with that kind of power, he had... a lot of wives. Over 200.
"Seriously, over 200? Even a Grandmaster cultivator wouldn't dare attempt that," I muttered.
So, I was the 89th child. My talent wasn't outstanding, but I was known to be hardworking. My father even sent me a reward once as encouragement. The next day, I was dead.
"What kind of f***ed-up family is this?" I said with a bitter laugh.
Well, first things first—these clothes were disgusting. I needed a bath.
I found a side room with clean water and washed up.
"Ah… now that's refreshing," I sighed. "Let's see if I can still cultivate in this world. If not… well, martial arts it is. Not ideal, but it works."
I sat on the bed and began recalling my past life's cultivation journey. The path was familiar, structured, and deep.
Cultivation Realms:
1. Body Refining (锻体期) – Strengthens the body; extends lifespan; speeds up healing.
2. Blood Condensation (血脉期) – Awakens or enhances bloodlines; boosts vitality and combat ability.
3. Qi Condensation (聚气期) – Enables energy manipulation; slows aging; enhances physical prowess.
4. Core Formation (筑基期) – Forms a spiritual core; grants access to high-level techniques; extends lifespan dramatically.
5. Nascent Soul (元婴期) – Allows spiritual projection and soul attacks; near-immunity to death.
6. Spirit Severing (灵窍期) – Cuts karmic ties; unlocks hidden spirit apertures; increases spiritual power.
7. Void Evolution (虚空期) – Merges soul with void essence; grants spatial resistance and near-teleportation.
And beyond that…
8. Ethereal Manifestation (显灵期) – Your personal Dao manifests, creating avatars or illusions.
9. Heavenly Ascendance (登天期) – You begin wielding fragments of heaven's laws.
10. Empyrean Tribulation (天劫期) – Tribulations refine your being, preparing you for true immortality.
11. Immortal Embryo (仙胎期) – You transcend aging, disease, and death, regenerating from any wound.
12. True Immortal (真仙期) – Complete mastery over life, time, and space; capable of altering universal laws.
"I can feel my spiritual root… it's the same one I had in my past life. Did it travel here with me?"
A knock interrupted my thoughts.
"Young Master, are you there? May I come in?" a soft voice asked.
Before I could answer, the maid entered—and gasped slightly.
"Young Master… you're awake?" she asked, stunned.
I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"
"O-oh, no! I just meant—are you feeling well, Young Master?" she stammered with an awkward smile.
"What are you here for?"
"The 17th Royal Mistress asked me to invite you to dinner," she replied.
"The 17th one? Hmph… tell her I'm not feeling well."
"Yes, Master," she said, bowing, and quickly left.
I stared at the door. "I can't trust anyone around me… not in this viper's den."
No matter. Let's begin.
I took out a jade scroll—Immortal Ascension Art.
"A cultivation technique that leads to the True Immortal realm..."
I smiled faintly.
"Now… the path of cultivation begins again."
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