Proving the Dao with Gu

Emperor Yuelong is publicly denied the path to immortality by an immortal: he has no immortal root and no spiritual bone, so he cannot cultivate immortality—no different from an ant fighting for scraps. He searches the entire empire for immortals, and all one hundred and thirty-seven of them say there is no hope. Then a letter arrives from the southern border—the Gu Dao does not judge by talent, nor does it believe in fate. He abandons the dragon throne and ventures alone into Gu. If the heavens do not want him, he will defy fate and trade his life for a path. — Description from novelcodex.org