Li Wei jolted upright with a sharp gasp, his chest rising and falling like he had just escaped from drowning. Sweat rolled down his face in thick drops, soaking the collar of the unfamiliar white robe he was wearing.
For a moment, he stared blankly at the ceiling above him—it was wooden, old, and shaped like something out of an ancient drama set.
The room around him was quiet and clean, almost too clean, with simple furniture and not a single thing that looked modern. No lights, no switches, no wires. Just the warm smell of old wood and silence.
"What… didn't I jump off the cliff?" he whispered, confusion wrapping around him.
The last thing he remembered was falling, wind screaming past his ears—then nothing. Now he was in a strange body, in a strange house, in clothes he had definitely never owned.
Slowly, the realization crept in like a cold breeze, and his heart thumped faster. He wasn't just somewhere else. He wasn't just someone else.
He had crossed.
Before he could process the shock, a sudden spike of pain exploded in his head. Li Wei clutched his temples and gritted his teeth as waves of information poured into his mind—memories, names, places, a whole life that wasn't his yet settled inside him like it had always been there. After what felt like forever, the pain faded, leaving him panting on the bed.
He understood everything instantly. The body he now occupied belonged to another Li Wei—a young man just as unlucky as him, only this one was considered trash in his world. No talent. No cultivation. No future. The only son of a respected family head, yet unable to walk the martial path. In a world where strength decided fate, this version of Li Wei had been treated like a joke.
"Great," Li Wei muttered bitterly. "I crossed only to become a waste."
He rubbed his forehead and tried to calm his growing frustration. As he breathed deeply, something tiny buzzed past his ear. A fly circled his head like it was mocking him. Li Wei glared, swung his hand, and smacked it flat against the bed.
The moment the fly died, a crisp electronic sound echoed in his mind.
*Ding.
Li Wei froze. "What was that?"
Nothing moved. Nothing changed. He blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating from stress.
*Ding.
"Congratulations to player Li Wei for killing a fly. Gained 1 experience point."
His jaw dropped.
Another notification followed.
"Congratulations for completing the first kill. Awarded 10 God of War points."
Then another.
"Congratulations on activating the Ares System. Would you like to view your character attributes?"
Li Wei stared at the crushed fly on the sheets, and if his mouth could open any wider, it would fall off his face. He had read too many novels not to understand what was happening.
He had a system.
A real one.
"Ha! I knew it! Cliff jumping does work!" Li Wei laughed, half-hysterical. The excitement pumped through his veins like he had just drawn the winning lottery ticket.
The moment he thought about checking his status, a transparent interface appeared in front of him—a clean panel listing his level, experience, God of War value, and a row of darkened icons that hinted at future upgrades.
He couldn't help but grin. Trash body? Who cared. System in hand? He could turn pigs into immortals if he tried hard enough. Defeat enemies? Easy. Crush geniuses? Why not. Become the strongest in the world? Obviously.
A final chime rang softly.
Ding.
"Would the player like to open the novice gift pack?"
*
The moment Li Wei accepted the novice gift pack, the pleasant chimes in his head began ringing one after another. It felt like someone was pouring treasures straight into his brain.
"Receive!" he said excitedly, almost tripping over his own voice.
The system responded instantly. A warm wave of power swept through his body as familiar tones echoed:
*Ding
Congratulations, player Li Wei has received 900 God of War points…
You have learned the earth-type martial skill 'Desolate Landslide'…
You have learned the finishing skill 'Bamboo Mountain Splitting'…
You have obtained basic boxing, basic blade arts, and basic sword arts…
You have unlocked all sub-professions of the Shengwu Continent…
The messages went on and on, like a festival firework show that refused to stop. At the same time, a soft golden halo bloomed under Li Wei's feet. It spread outward, pulsing each time his level rose.
Congratulations, one-star warrior… two-star warrior… three-star warrior…
The halos stacked so fast it made him dizzy. Within seconds, the light faded and the room returned to normal—but Li Wei's strength had skyrocketed from "completely useless" to "nine-star warrior."
He stared at himself, stunned.
A moment ago, he was trash. Now? He was soaring through the ranks faster than the most talented monster on the continent. Even his father—the respected patriarch of the Li Clan—only used a mid-grade Earth-level martial skill. And Li Wei had just learned an Sky-rank skill, the kind most people might never even see in their lifetimes.
When the rush settled, Li Wei opened his status panel.
Player: Li Wei
Level: 9 (Nine-Star Warrior)
Experience: 1/1000
God of War Points: 10
Martial Art: Desolate Landslide
Skills: Basic Fist, Basic Blade, Basic Sword
Ultimate Skill: Bamboo Mountain Splitting (Lv. 1)
Sub-Professions: alchemy, forging, puppetry… and more
Li Wei felt his lips stretch into a grin. So he was supposed to be a waste? Who said that? With this system, how could he possibly be trash?
Curious, he opened the description for his new finishing skill.
Bamboo Mountain Splitting — Level 1
Consumes 10 God of War points.
Summons a blade of condensed, boiling blood-energy and smashes the ground, releasing a massive shockwave. Lava-like blood erupts from below, burning enemies within a 10x10 range. Power = Strength × 2.
Li Wei stared at the skill, speechless.
This wasn't just a finishing move. It was a nuclear bomb.
A skill that grew with him? A skill that could wipe out a whole group? At level one?
"Let the storm come harder," he muttered, feeling a rush of adrenaline. It felt too good—like life was finally paying him back with interest.
Just as he was enjoying the warm glow of unlimited potential, a soft, bird-like voice came from outside his door.
"Brother Li Wei? Brother Li Wei, are you inside?"
He snapped out of his excitement. "I'm here!" he called back.
The door creaked open. A gentle fragrance drifted in first, then a girl stepped inside—young, elegant, and dressed in a simple purple dress that somehow made her look even more graceful.
Her hair was tied loosely, her eyes were clear as spring water, and her skin was pale and smooth. Li Wei felt his breath catch.
She was beautiful. Not just school-beauty beautiful. More like fairy-descends-from-heaven beautiful.
Li Xue.
She paused when his gaze lingered on her too long, her cheeks turning a soft pink. "Brother Li Wei… what are you staring at?" she whispered, pouting a little.