The government's official message was released: "We have decided to cease all attacks on that mysterious being. From what we can conclude, he means no harm to us. On the contrary, he might be our savior. This being can float in the air, control nature, appear and disappear, and remain unharmed by our attacks. There is only one word for such characteristics: God. Perhaps this is the embodiment of the divine. This being did not harm anyone during our attacks and did not launch a counterattack of his own. Perhaps he is testing our faith. We should renounce our cynicism, look back to our roots, and acknowledge that he is the answer to our prayers."
Jiang Yun read this report with a strange look on his face. He had only wanted to test the power of this planet, yet he had somehow been labeled a god. He didn't quite know how to react to such a turn of events.
Soon, something strange occurred. Jiang Yun felt a mysterious power welling up inside him. From his past experiences, he recognized it as the power of faith. This gave him an epiphany, allowing him to comprehend the rules of the Forming Dao realm, and he soon went into seclusion. He wondered if this was why some people in the cultivation world actively spread their influence to gain followers; this energy was incredibly useful, as it significantly accelerated his cultivation. Jiang Yun found a secluded spot in the mountains and began his meditation, disappearing from the public eye.
Many years went by, and the talk of Jiang Yun being a god slowly died down. Some people, however, had their faith restored and became fervent in their prayers, while others began to wonder if there truly was a higher power watching over them. All this faith provided Jiang Yun with a steady stream of power. After years of focus, he finally broke through to the Forming Dao realm. With this new stage, he gained a deeper understanding of the universe and could feel the governing rules of reality. He could now vaguely sense where the cultivation world was and how to return to it.
Jiang Yun decided he would return home soon, but before he left, he wanted to impart a fortune upon this world for helping him break through. The Dao realm is difficult to advance in without profound comprehension. At this level, it is no longer about absorbing Qi or immortal energy, but about integrating the rules of the universe into oneself. Qi is unnecessary if one can comprehend the required laws.
After much deliberation, Jiang Yun decided to create a system for a destined individual. In the stories he had read, people were often excited by the idea of gaining a system to reach the peak of life. In those stories, the system appeared out of thin air, and Jiang Yun wondered where such a thing originated. He concluded that some powerful being must have created it and bestowed it upon a mortal, perhaps just to watch them struggle for power. To an immortal, watching a mortal claw their way to the top would be an amusing distraction.
Jiang Yun decided to do the same. A year later, he finished designing a system similar to the ones he had read about. Whenever the user completes a task, they gain a reward. He designed his system so that every task completed granted attribute points, allowing the user to choose which aspects of their physical or mental state to improve. The harder the task, the more points they would receive.
Once the physical attributes maxed out at the fifth level of Body Refining, the system would grant experience points to increase the user's cultivation. This system allowed one to cultivate all the way to the Immortal Emperor realm, provided they worked long enough. He stopped short of teaching the Dao realm because it required personal comprehension; he could not simply transfer his own understanding to someone else. This method allowed one to cultivate even in this barren land and perhaps one day step out of this world entirely. The gradual nature of this path also allowed the body to adjust to the power, preventing the user from exploding from an instant influx of energy.
As for who should receive this gift, Jiang Yun decided to leave it to fate. He would travel and, if he found someone worthy, he would bestow the system upon them. He traveled the world as the months passed.
One day, he arrived in China, where a dirty little girl who seemed to have no parents caught his attention. What drew Jiang Yun to her was her fierce determination to survive by doing work even adults avoided. Impressed by her tenacity, he decided to approach her. Close up, she looked frail and unassuming, with short black hair.
"I would like to help a child like you," Jiang Yun said. He handed her a large sum of money, as acquiring currency was trivial for a cultivator.
The little girl was skeptical; she assumed this was a trap and tried to run away. Jiang Yun stopped her, thinking, “What a smart girl, not blindly trusting strangers at such a young age. If I give her the system, her persistence and intellect should carry her far.”
Jiang Yun put the money away, realizing it was inappropriate for her situation, and said, "I shall give you a fortune instead." He imparted the system in a single moment. Immediately, the girl saw blue, shining text floating in front of her. She rubbed her eyes, but the text remained.
"This is real," Jiang Yun assured her. "If you don't believe me, I’ll give you a beginner's gift." He distributed some free attribute points evenly across her stats. The girl suddenly grew tougher, stronger, and a little taller.
"What did you do to me?" she asked in amazement.
"This is what I have imparted to you," Jiang Yun replied. "Work hard, and maybe you will achieve something one day." As he turned to leave and began to vanish, he heard one sentence from her.
"I am Hua Jing," she said. "I don't know who you are, but thank you."
After Jiang Yun disappeared, the girl, still feeling as if she were in a dream, began to study the blue square in front of her. Perhaps that man was right—this would give her the ability to rise.
Jiang Yun arrived high above the sky, taking one last look at the blue planet. He was preparing to return to the cultivation world. He hadn't spent much time on Earth, but it had left a deep impression on him. With that in mind, he finally left. Many years later, he arrived back in the cultivation world and touched down on the mortal plane, which soon triggered another epiphany and sent him into seclusion. Fifty years later, he broke through, and that was how his current adventure began.
Back in the present, Jiang Yun finished recalling those memories and looked at Hua Jing. It was impressive that she had managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage in a little over fifty years on a Qi-barren planet.
Snapping out of his amazement, he asked, "Now that you have found me, what is your purpose, and what are your plans?"
Hua Jing replied, "After you left, it didn't take me long to rise to the top of the world with the system. Within twenty years, I reached the ninth level of Qi Refining. Using that strength, I amassed a fortune and lived very luxuriously. Missions, on the other hand, became scarce and offered minimal rewards since my realm was high and there wasn't much of a challenge left. I lived that way for thirty years, but life became boring. Since I didn't age, I was eventually viewed as a strange being, so I stopped showing myself.
"Then, a sudden, strange occurrence happened. A portal appeared, and I ended up in this world. Upon arriving, the rich spiritual energy hit me, and I broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Even though I had never cultivated formally, my body—having lived in a place without Qi—absorbed the energy frantically. My level isn't high, but it was enough to get me to where I am today. As for what I want to do, I have no reason to go back; I achieved everything I wanted there. Now, it is better to stay with you and cultivate. It is always better to live longer and get stronger."
Jiang Yun agreed. "Then, from now on, you are my disciple. This is fate, so I shall take care of you. With me here, it won't be hard for you to progress. For now, go and choose a place to stay. Once you are finished, come to me for your next instructions."
Hua Jing bowed and left to find a room, leaving Jiang Yun alone in the hall. Still filled with amazement at the coincidence, he began planning how to further cultivate his new disciple, but he was not worried; someone who had survived and thrived in a Qi-barren land should possess a keen, honed instinct for sensing and utilizing the spiritual energy around them to advance.