The first thing he heard was the sound of voices—thousands of them—layered together like waves crashing against stone.
The second thing he felt was heat.
Not the gentle warmth of sunlight, but the oppressive pressure of standing beneath an open sky while something vast and ancient watched from above.
When his eyes snapped open, he was no longer in his room.
Gone were the cracked ceiling, the buzzing fan, the half-finished web novel glowing on his phone screen. In their place stood towering stone platforms carved with ancient runes, floating banners embroidered with sword sigils, and a sea of youths dressed in coarse robes stretching as far as the eye could see.
Mountains hovered in the distance.
The sky was too blue.
"This is… not Earth."
His heart slammed violently against his ribs.
A colossal stone tablet stood before the crowd, radiating a faint spiritual glow. Elder cultivators in long robes floated above it on swords, their expressions calm, detached—like immortals looking down at insects.
A voice boomed across the plaza.
"Silence. The disciple selection of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect begins now."
The words struck him like lightning.
Azure Cloud Sword Sect.
Disciple selection.
Every cliché he had ever read rushed into his mind in a single breath.
No way. No way. Don't tell me—
His lips trembled as he whispered, "System?"
Nothing happened.
His heartbeat quickened. "System… status panel?"
Silence.
"…Hello?"
The crowd surged forward as names were called. One by one, youths stepped onto the platform, placing their hands on the stone tablet. Lights flared—red, blue, green, gold—each color drawing murmurs from the elders above.
"High-grade Fire Spirit Root."
"Mid-tier Water Spirit Root."
"Low-tier Earth. Barely acceptable."
His palms were slick with sweat.
Calm down. Systems sometimes activate late. There's usually a trigger. Spirit root test, awakening, danger—something.
When his name was called, his legs moved before his mind caught up.
He stepped onto the platform.
The stone tablet was cold beneath his palm.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
Crackle.
A faint arc of lightning flashed across the tablet, thin and restrained. Purple light flickered uncertainly before settling into a dull glow.
"Mid-tier Thunder Spirit Root," an elder announced flatly.
There was no excitement in his voice.
A few disciples whispered.
"Thunder? That's rare."
"Rare doesn't mean strong. Mid-tier is mid-tier."
"Still better than trash roots."
The elder waved his sleeve dismissively. "Qualified. Next."
That was it.
No destiny. No shock. No heaven-defying reaction.
Just qualified.
He stepped down from the platform, chest tight, disappointment creeping in like cold water. In novels, thunder roots were terrifying. Symbols of destruction, speed, supremacy.
But here?
Average.
So this is it, he thought bitterly. No system. No cheat. Just… cultivation.
As if responding to his despair—
[DING]
The sound echoed directly inside his skull.
He froze.
[Host confirmed capable of cultivation.]
[Solo Ascension System initializing…]
His breath caught.
A translucent interface unfolded before his eyes, unseen by anyone else.
Name: Lin Yuan
Level: 1
EXP: 0 / 100
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Vitality: 10
Spirit: 12
Status: Mortal Cultivator
System Functions: Locked
His knees nearly buckled.
It's real.
Before he could process it—
[Beginner Gift Package detected.]
[Would you like to open it?]
"Yes," he whispered without hesitation.
The world seemed to pause.
[Beginner Gift Package Opened.]
Obtained:
• Root Cleansing Pill ×1
• Basic Sword Proficiency
• Attribute Points ×10
A small jade bottle materialized in his hand, hidden within his sleeve. The moment his fingers brushed it, a terrifying pressure surged from within.
This pill…
He didn't hesitate.
That night, after being assigned to temporary disciple quarters, he locked the door, swallowed the pill, and braced himself.
Pain exploded.
It felt as though lightning had been poured directly into his veins.
His meridians ruptured—then reformed. Bones cracked, flesh burned, and his dantian screamed as foreign impurities were violently torn out.
He collapsed to the floor, convulsing, blood seeping from his lips.
Inside him, thunder roared.
Not wild lightning—but judgment.
Authority.
His spirit root shattered.
And was reborn.
[Spirit Root Purification Complete.]
[Mid-Tier Thunder Spirit Root → Thunder Tribulation Spirit Root]
The air around him distorted.
Outside, clouds gathered without warning.
A distant rumble echoed through the night sky.
Lin Yuan lay on the floor, gasping, his body steaming as arcs of suppressed lightning crawled across his skin.
The system responded instantly.
[Warning: Heavenly Attention Detected.]
[Automatic Concealment Activated.]
The pressure vanished.
The clouds dispersed.
But deep within his dantian, something had changed forever.
Far away, atop the Sword Hall peak, an old man lounging with a wine gourd paused mid-sip.
"…Hm?"
He glanced at the sky, eyes narrowing.
"For a moment," he muttered, "it felt like a tribulation."
Back in his room, Lin Yuan clenched his fist.
Lightning flickered between his fingers—silent, obedient.
The system chimed one final time.
[Host has touched the authority of tribulation.]
Lin Yuan smiled.
"This world cultivates," he whispered.
"But I…"
Thunder crackled softly.
"I level up."