Chapter 4: The World's Rejection
"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."
"Neither thunder nor light. Bei Bei's bloodline isn't stable yet."
In his virtual world, An Zhen watched Huoyu Tong eat enthusiastically alongside Tang Ya and Bei Bei, his commentary soft.
He observed their discussion about him.
Earlier, An Zhen had fought his roommate—a hotheaded minor character named Huang Chutian who appeared in the original work. Huang wanted private space only if won through combat. Afterwards, he'd tried to acknowledge An Zhen as his big brother, but An Zhen refused.
"I wonder if the others have arrived."
An Zhen thought of the original story's young geniuses.
Second Soul Skill: Imprint.
People, objects, Martial Souls—anything from reality could appear in his virtual world. But anything leaving its coverage vanished unless touched beforehand. Only people persisted between activations. Each time he deactivated his Martial Soul, the virtual world refreshed.
With Imprint, he could leave permanent projections within it.
He'd once imprinted many low-level soul tools and the Hongchen siblings' Martial Souls...
None could be displayed at Shrek Academy. So except Meng Hongchen's, he'd dispersed all imprints.
Meng Hongchen...
After being adopted by the Hongchen family at six, she and Xiao Hongchen treated him exceptionally well—top-tier food, clothes, cultivation resources.
"Forget it. Time to cultivate."
A luxurious bed materialized.
An Zhen sat cross-legged.
He practiced two meditation techniques: the Hongchen family's ancestral method, and a common Douluo Empire technique to conceal his identity.
But meditation techniques barely helped him.
From a unique perspective, a massive illusory sphere pulsed rhythmically over Shrek Academy—breathing like a living thing. With each inhale, wisps of vitality drifted from surrounding lifeforms toward it. Sunlight, breezes, tangible and intangible substances—all were instinctively absorbed.
Cultivation techniques were human creations based on physiology or imitations of powerful entities. The World's absorption method was a divine technique.
So why was An Zhen only a 23rd-ranked Great Soul Master?
Eyes deep as voids opened, flashing with helplessness.
Only here did the rejection weaken slightly.
To An Zhen, the World was his soul. It secretly absorbed heaven and earth's energy, strengthening his soul. Yet his soul power cultivation barely increased.
The root cause?
He was rejected by the Douluo World.
To this world, he was a thief stealing its energy. Though negligible to its vastness, a thief remained a thief. To Douluo World, he was like a harmful bacterium—inviting subconscious rejection he couldn't resist.
At awakening, his cultivation matched a normal innate full soul power genius. But as his rank rose, his speed slowed drastically. Now, outside cultivation gave one-tenth his natural speed. Projecting his virtual world boosted it to two-fifths. Reaching Rank 23 was purely through extreme diligence.
"Sigh~"
Just a small world.
Weak. Pitiful.
How could it compare to Douluo World?
An Zhen had convinced Jing Hongchen to let him come here—Shrek Academy might hold solutions. Jing Hongchen didn't know about the rejection but believed in Shrek's unparalleled Martial Soul research.
The person An Zhen believed could solve this?
The Daughter of Fortune.
The world favored Huoyu Tong. If Huoyu Tong favored him, wouldn't that solve it?
As for confronting the world head-on...
Why smash an egg against a mountain?
Cultivation—this process of growing stronger—was addictive for An Zhen.
The sky darkened. Virtual and real time flowed equally.
Returning to reality, An Zhen dispelled the recliner. He bought grilled skewers from the food street and headed back.
Dorm 110.
Pushing the door open revealed a luxury bed dominating the space, alongside a bathtub and wardrobe.
He wouldn't suffer.
Reborn here, he'd eat well, drink well, sleep well, play well—live freely.
What was the point otherwise?
He pulled silk-down bedding from the wardrobe—materials sourced from century-old farmed soul beasts.
Food, clothes, daily necessities consumed most of the city's "support." An Zhen's lunch cost thirty-five gold soul coins. He spared no expense.
Knock, knock, knock!
An Zhen knocked on Dorm 108's door.
"Delivery."
Click—
The door cracked open. Huoyu Tong's face lit up. "Big Brother An Zhen?"
An Zhen glanced inside—still two plank beds.
"Delivery."
He tossed the bedding onto the washbasin-under-bed.
Before she could speak, An Zhen frowned. "Your voice?"
"Ah? I... had a cold earlier. Voice got hoarse. Better now!" She flustered.
"Hoarse? Sounds lovely—soft and gentle. I'd love a little sister with such a sweet voice," An Zhen countered seriously.
"Keep the bedding."
He pulled a chicken drumstick from his bag and stuffed it into her cherry-like mouth.
"You barely ate well today. Soul beast meat—nutrient-dense. Sour plum juice cuts the grease."
"Alright."
Setting the bag down, An Zhen ruffled her head. "Don't waste food. Rest well."
"Big Brother An Zhen!"
"Why... why treat me so kindly?"
Azure bangs veiled her eyes. Head lowered, small teeth bit her thin lips.
"An Zhen's heart aches seeing suffering next door."
Especially a little loli without proper quilts, eating greens daily.
"Big Brother An Zhen..."
Mist gathered in her large, watery eyes.
Virtual World.
"Hehe, adorable Xiao Tong!"
The handsome youth embraced a petite figure in a black-and-white maid dress. It outlined youthful curves—her modest chest adorably small, pert bottom enticing. Thin white silk stockings sheathed pale calves, ending in delicate silk-slippered feet.
Petite. Cute. But too thin.
Utterly malnourished.
"Detestable White Tiger Duchess!"
She wasn't just jealous—she was malicious.
Rosy fingertips traced a silk-clad foot.
"Hmm?"
Holding the fragrant girl, the youth froze.
Something had tried forcing into his virtual world. Though blocked, its weak aura sparked the World's instinctive craving. Devouring it might be beneficial...
"..."
Eyes bright as stars blinked drowsily. Strange sensations flooded her senses... "Big Brother An Zhen?"
A dream?
An Zhen: ?
He turned mechanically, meeting dazzling yet muddled eyes.
His gaze dropped to the silk-clad foot whose toes brushed his chin. Maybe there's room for explanation...
"You're dreaming," his voice radiated sincerity.
"Ehhh?!?!"
This wasn't a dream!
(End of Chapter)