In the world of cultivation, few truths are more enduring than this: hard work never betrays its master.
More than two years had passed since Shen Tian first awakened in this unfamiliar world.
Compared to the protagonist Luo Feng, who advanced from a basic warrior to an advanced warrior and simultaneously cultivated his mental power to reach the Intermediate General level in just over a year, Shen Tian's progress appeared slower on the surface.
But those who looked deeper would understand—Shen Tian's path was built on solid ground, not meteoric luck.
The turning point had come the day he received the system's first gift: the basic Neutralizer Formula.
Though seemingly simple, that formula allowed him to safely consume the flesh of low-level monsters.
With each meal infused with neutralized life force, his body absorbed nutrients previously thought toxic or unusable by humans.
That one formula alone had allowed Shen Tian to reach Intermediate General level by the age of eighteen, a feat few Earthlings could claim, especially those without elite backgrounds.
However, that was only the beginning.
The Neutralizer he first received worked only for beast-level monsters under the Beast General stage.
It was practically useless against Lord-level or stronger monsters.
Now, with the Intermediate and Advanced Neutralizer formulas granted by the system, Shen Tian could process even more powerful monster flesh—including that of Lord-level beasts.
This breakthrough alone gave him an edge no one else possessed.
It wasn't just about himself, either.
His two senior sisters—Jiang Fang and Tang Qin—were also reaping the rewards of his discovery.
With the help of these enhanced formulas, both of them had advanced far beyond their counterparts in the original universe.
In the original story, Jiang Fang had only reached the Intermediate God level after years of grueling effort.
But under Shen Tian's guidance and resources, she now stood at the pinnacle of the Advanced God realm, just a single step away from the Planetary level.
The same could be said for Tang Qin.
Her position as a powerful military general wasn't just a result of status—it was earned through overwhelming strength that outclassed nearly every warrior at her rank.
Both women had been stuck at bottlenecks for over a year. Now, thanks to Shen Tian's contributions, the barriers were cracking.
After digesting the benefits of the neutralizer upgrades, Shen Tian turned his attention to the next set of system rewards.
The second, third, and fourth rewards were equally vital:
A bloodline enhancement potion,
A soul-level enhancement potion,
A gene-level enhancement potion.
The ten bloodline grades of the universe placed Earthlings firmly at the bottom—Grade 9.
The higher one's bloodline grade, the greater their potential and talent.
Improving one's bloodline wouldn't instantly raise combat strength, but it would reforge one's foundation—enhancing talent, growth rate, and the potential of future offspring.
As for the soul, Shen Tian had always felt different. He wasn't originally from this world.
Though Earth, under the transformation of Zuo Shan Ke, had become a spiritual anomaly in the cosmos—its inhabitants possessing unique soul traits—Shen Tian was a hybrid.
His soul was half-native, half-alien to this world, making his spiritual foundation far weaker than most.
But the soul enhancement potion promised to change that.
Then came the genetic enhancement potion—the most direct and exciting of all.
This potion would double his power at the same realm by refining the efficiency and force of every cell in his body.
Simply put, his combat ability would leap forward in all directions.
The fifth reward made Shen Tian nearly laugh aloud.
> "1000% opposite-sex affinity boost."
He sighed. "So I've become a walking aphrodisiac, huh?"
Indeed, with this buff, his charisma toward women had skyrocketed to absurd levels.
A single glance, a subtle smile—women would find themselves drawn to him involuntarily.
The sixth reward was just as cheeky: a designated binding card, allowing him to choose one woman and link her permanently to his system's benefits.
The system clearly assumed he might struggle to find willing partners. It practically handed him a future wife.
But Shen Tian wasn't worried.
In a universe filled with slavery, auctions, and power dynamics, a man with resources like his didn't need to look far.
The real challenge was finding women worthy of binding.
Next came the seventh and eighth rewards, which made Shen Tian's pulse quicken.
> Seventh Reward – Talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence
"As long as you put in the effort, you will be rewarded. No pain, no gain."
It was a simple concept—one he deeply resonated with. But this talent made it literal.
Every action, every repetition, would now translate into visible progress.
No more wondering if he was training in vain. His path forward was now quantifiable.
> Eighth Reward – Skill: Harmony of Dragon and Phoenix
A top-tier dual cultivation technique that allowed him and his partners to grow stronger together—both physically and spiritually.
He wasn't strong enough to test its limits just yet, but the potential was staggering.
Just as Shen Tian was absorbing all this, a bright blue screen flashed in front of him.
SYSTEM STATUS
Host: Shen Tian
Age: 18
Height: 188cm
Realm: Apprentice Level 5 (87%)
Bloodline: Grade 9 (0%)
Genes: ×2 (0%)
Soul: ×2 (0%)
Skills:
- Nine-Layer Thunder Blade – Level 4 (1540/4000)
- Basic Body Movement – Perfection (1250/3000)
- Basic Swordsmanship – Perfection (1320/3000)
Talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence
Partner Bindings: 0/10
Shen Tian's eyes gleamed.
So this was it. The visual manifestation of his talent—complete with experience bars, stats, and progression rates.
No more guesswork. Every step forward would now be clear as day.
His high-level swordsmanship and body technique stats were no mystery—Jiang Fang, Liu Ting, and Tang Xiang often coached him personally.
Wasting no time, Shen Tian grabbed his sword and walked into the training hall.
With a focused mind, he began practicing.
Each swing was fluid and precise. At the Perfection level, every strike followed the rhythm of nature itself.
His long sword moved like a part of his body—guided by thought, not muscle.
He exhaled deeply after a full set of practice.
> "Ding—Swordsmanship experience +1."
Basic Swordsmanship – Perfection (1321/3000)
A small gain, but proof that the talent worked.
At this rate, after only a few days of consistent effort, he would reach Artistic Conception, the realm of unity between man and sword.
A level many cosmic beings failed to reach their entire lives.
Hard work was now a law.
There was no bottleneck he couldn't break. No realm he couldn't touch.
---
Testing the Potion
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Shen Tian reached for the bloodline enhancement potion.
> "Let's see what grade I can reach…"
In the original timeline, Domain Lord Ming Yu once said that bloodline potions from the Virtual Universe Company came in two varieties: Standard and S-Rank.
Standard potions elevated a person's bloodline to around Grade 5 or 6, while S-Rank potions' effects were unrecorded—too rare to study.
Shen Tian uncorked the potion and drank it in one go.
He expected pain—like the bone-melting torment Luo Feng endured during his own evolution.
But instead, a warm, gentle energy spread through him, wrapping every cell in a soothing embrace. It wasn't agony—it was bliss.
For thirty full minutes, Shen Tian stood still, feeling every cell in his body transform.
His skin, muscles, even his bone marrow pulsed with vibrant life.
When the glow faded, he opened the system panel again:
> Bloodline: Grade 9 → Grade 8
"…Only one level?" Shen Tian raised an eyebrow, holding up the empty vial.
Then he smirked. "Well, one step is still a step forward."
After all, slow and steady conquers the stars.