River City, Cloud Continent.
Xu Mu sat by the window of the high-speed train, gazing up at the vast, azure sky. Beside him, a classmate of the same age with ordinary features and narrow, restless eyes was chattering incessantly.
"I entered the Cave Abode World five days ago," Cheng Hongbo bragged. "The feeling of having a Spiritual Vein all to yourself—being able to Cultivate anytime, anywhere—is just incredible!"
He clenched a fist, his eyes gleaming. "I feel like if I work hard, there’s still a glimmer of hope for me to get into an Immortal Dao Academy within the year."
At that moment, a streak of light ignited the sky above a distant skyscraper. It cut through the air with blinding speed, vanishing into the clouds in a heartbeat.
Whoosh...
Both Xu Mu and Cheng Hongbo caught the blur of movement.
"A Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator..." Cheng Hongbo muttered, his face twisting with envy and longing. "For people like us with Low-grade Spiritual Roots, I’m afraid that level is a height we'll never reach in this lifetime."
Even though Xu Mu had transmigrated to Zenith Star eighteen years ago, the sight of a Cultivator soaring past high-rise glass towers still felt surreal.
A thousand years ago, an immortal cultivation game had descended upon this world. Now, any citizen who turned eighteen and possessed a Spiritual Root could enter that realm to claim their personal base: a Cave Dwelling. This marked the dawn of the Era of Cultivation for Zenith Star.
At sixteen, every youth underwent testing. Those gifted with Spiritual Roots were sent to Immortal Alliance Middle Schools, giving them a two-year head start to study the path of immortality.
Xu Mu looked at his friend, his gaze deep. "Only one in a hundred people even has a Spiritual Root. We both have them, but they’re only Low-grade. Would you call that lucky or unlucky?"
"This..." Cheng Hongbo stammered, unable to find an answer.
Without talent or resources, two years of schooling had only brought them to the first layer of the Qi Refining Stage. Their chances of getting into a prestigious Academy were slim. Their only hope of defying fate lay in the risks of the Cave Abode World—a realm filled with Spirit Stones, Cultivation Techniques, and Medicinal Pills. There were even legends of treasures that could upgrade one’s Spiritual Root and Comprehension!
"If the Cave Abode World didn't exist, I’d accept my fate," Xu Mu said firmly, his gaze determined. "But since it does, anything is possible."
These words were meant for himself, but they stirred a passionate fervor in Cheng Hongbo, who pumped his fist in silent agreement.
*****
The train arrived at the station: River City Immortal Alliance First Middle School. Today was the first day of their third year.
On the podium, the homeroom teacher spoke with practiced eloquence. "Congratulations on reaching your final year. As you know, those of you turning eighteen will soon enter the Cave Abode World."
"This year is crucial. You must go all out to improve your cultivation and strive for the Immortal Dao Academy. If you fail to get in, your path of cultivation essentially ends at graduation."
The mention of the Academy brought an expression of longing to every student's face. In this era, the Immortal Alliance had replaced traditional governments. If you made the cut, you were elite. If you failed, you were relegated to an ordinary life, finding a mundane job with only a slightly better constitution than a commoner.
The day’s classes covered the basics: technique refinement, the use of Spells, the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, and bestiaries detailing the Demonic Beasts of the other world.
After school, Xu Mu and his neighbor, Cheng Hongbo, took the train home together. As they entered the elevator of their residential complex, Cheng asked, "Brother Mu, you’ll be able to enter the Cave Abode World after midnight, right?"
Xu Mu nodded. Tomorrow was his eighteenth birthday.
"Good luck! I hope we can continue being classmates at the Academy!"
Xu Mu waved as he stepped out on the eighth floor. He lived alone; his parents had died in an accident when he was ten. Between the compensation money and his meager savings, he had about ten thousand yuan left—barely enough to last until graduation.
After a simple dinner, Xu Mu went to bed early, waking at 11:50 PM. He washed up, bringing his body and mind into a state of focus, and sat cross-legged on the bed.
Time ticked away. As the clock struck midnight, glowing characters materialized in his vision:
[Entering the World of Cultivation in 10 seconds...] [10... 5... 1...]
The world went dark. When he regained his senses, Xu Mu was standing in a small courtyard enclosed by a bamboo fence. It was roughly two hundred square meters, containing only a wooden house and a stone well. Beyond the fence, a lush, vibrant forest stretched into the distance.
Inside the house, it was equally simple: a wooden table, a bed, and a meditation cushion.
"So this is the Cave Abode World."
A virtual interface flickered to life before him.
[Player Status]
Player: Xu Mu (Newbie Protection: 30 Days) Cave Dwelling: 1st Rank Low-grade (Basic Formation & Spiritual Vein) Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, 1st Layer Comprehension: Medium-grade Spiritual Root: Low-grade Occupation: None
"Medium-grade Comprehension isn't bad," Xu Mu muttered. "But this Spiritual Root is just too ordinary."
On the right side of the screen was a trading platform for items, though nothing from the real world could be brought in.
[Receive Newbie Gift Pack?]
"Yes," Xu Mu confirmed.
[Player obtained: 'Qi Refining Manual', 10x Meridian-Opening Pills, 5x Low-grade Spirit Stones.]
A jade slip, a delicate bottle, and five thumb-sized stones appeared in his hands. These stones were precious—in an era where Zenith Star's mines had long been depleted, a single Low-grade Spirit Stone could fetch 100,000 yuan on the black market.
*****
Just as Xu Mu prepared to begin, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind—distinct from the game system.
[Reward Critical Hit System Bound.]
Xu Mu’s eyes lit up. After eighteen years... his "Golden Finger" had finally arrived!
[Function: All rewards obtained by the Host receive a multiplier from 10x to 100x (Excludes trades and plundered items).]
Does the starting pack count? Xu Mu wondered.
[Detection: Host has received rewards: 'Qi Refining Manual', 10x Meridian-Opening Pills, 5x Low-grade Spirit Stones. Eligibility confirmed.]
[Congratulations! You have triggered a 50x Critical Hit!]
[Rewards Amplified:]
[Rewards have been stored in the System Space and can be retrieved at any time.]