Su Yan led Gu Chen down the winding mountain paths of Lotus-Phoenix Peak toward the grand Resource Hall. Sunlight filtered through the dense cloud sea, bathing the sweeping slate roofs of the sect’s administrative complex in a soft, golden sheen.
After Su Yan ensured his registration was processed and departed for Master Meng Xue’s private chambers for her guidance and meridian inspection, Gu Chen stood alone in the courtyard, holding his new dark charcoal outer disciple robes, three low-grade spirit stones, and a brass entry slip.
DING!
A familiar, chime-like bell resonated within his consciousness as the Rehabilitation System activated:
[Mandatory Good Samaritan Task: Assist the elder of the Library Pavilion in sorting ancient, dusty texts to foster humility, diligence, and sect harmony.]
A cold, mocking smile flickered across Gu Chen’s lips. ‘Humility? Diligence?’ he thought, his ancient sovereign mind instantly dissecting the directive. ‘A tedious chore to the naive... but to me, it is a free pass to the restricted archives without spending a single merit point.’
Walking into the sprawling, multi-tiered Library Pavilion, Gu Chen headed toward the central directory. Before he could reach the catalog shelves, three senior outer disciples blocked his path, scanning his plain robes and weak 5th-Stage Qi Refining aura with sneering contempt.
"A new face?" the lead disciple spat, crossing his arms and stepping into Gu Chen's path. "Where did a weak, unremarkable brat like you crawl out from? I've never seen you around Lotus-Phoenix Peak before."
Before the confrontation could escalate further, an official from the Library Pavilion stepped out from behind a counter, clearing his throat loudly to command order.
"Keep your hands to yourselves," the official declared sharply, eyeing the senior disciples. "This youth was recruited personally by Lady Su Yan and directly admitted to our peak by Peak Master Meng Xue."
The three disciples froze, their arrogant expressions instantly twisting into intense, green-eyed jealousy.
"Recruited by Senior Sister Su Yan and admitted by the Peak Master?!" the lead disciple sneered bitterly, spitting onto the stone floor. "So you're just a backdoor leech! A spoiled young master who got in through connections because you lack a single grain of actual talent! What an absolute waste of sect resources."
He scoffed, waving his hand in disgust to his companions. "Let's go, brothers. Wasting our time on a talentless nobody who relies on women's skirts isn't worth our breath."
Gu Chen didn't even bother casting a glance at their departing backs. To a former Demonic Sovereign, the petty buzzing of short-lived insects was entirely beneath his notice.
Navigating to the neglected upper floors, Gu Chen met the library's elderly Caretaker, who sat slumped behind a mountain of chaotic, uncatalogued scrolls. Presenting his brass slip and offering to organize the archives to fulfill his System task, Gu Chen utilized his ancient Sovereign mental multitasking and subtle, imperceptible strands of Abyssal Qi. In less than ten minutes, hundreds of scattered ancient texts were perfectly organized and dusted.
The sleepy Caretaker awoke to find the chaotic room restored to immaculate order, his eyes widening in utter shock. Waving his sleeve in deep satisfaction, he granted Gu Chen total, unmonitored freedom to browse any record in the historical section.
Stepping into the shadowed aisles, Gu Chen bypassed the martial arts and technique scrolls completely, to a former Sovereign, the lower realm's combat arts were nothing more than crude garbage. Instead, his entire focus was fixed on geography, maps, and political chronicles. He needed a clear understanding of the world he had reincarnated into.
Unrolling a series of heavy parchment maps, Gu Chen systematically analyzed the layout of this mortal world:
The Realm: This lower plane was known as the Azure Heaven Realm, a low-tier mortal world with thin, diluted spiritual Qi compared to the divine upper planes.
The Continent: Gu Chen was situated on the Eastern Yang Continent, a vast landmass divided into mortal empires, wilderness secret realms, and cultivator factions.
The Surrounding Factions:
Sun-Moon Sect: The mid-tier orthodox sect Gu Chen currently inhabited, occupying the fertile Sun-Moon Mountain Range and split into major peaks like Lotus-Phoenix Peak and Solar Peak.
Heavenly Sword Pavilion: A aggressive, martial-focused sword faction dominating the western mountain ridges.
Blood-Corpse Valley: A sinister, demonic sect lurking in the southern swamps, frequently clashing with orthodox sects for spirit veins.
Merchant Guild: The sprawling neutral trade network that monopolized resource exchange across the continent's mortal kingdoms.
‘A typical lower mortal plane,’ Gu Chen mused internally, his dark eyes scanning the trade routes and secret realm boundaries. ‘Diluted spiritual Qi, primitive cultivation methods, and small-time sects fighting over scraps of spirit veins. Yet, even in the dirt, primitive realms often hold forgotten ancient ruins or unrefined natural treasures that these local ants don't know how to utilize.’
Satisfied with his geographical assessment, Gu Chen checked the System interface inside his mind.
‘System, display my Salvation progress.’
[System Interface: World Travel Protocol -Locked]
Current Progress: 8 / 10 Targets Saved
Remaining Quota: 2 Targets
‘Two more...’ Gu Chen thought coldly. ‘Once I clear two more targets, the dimensional barrier shatters, unlocking multi-realm transport.’
Stepping out of the Library Pavilion into the cool afternoon air, Gu Chen took a secluded mountain path toward the outer disciple quarters.
A few dozen paces down the stone walkway, the sharp sounds of cruel laughter and physical blows cut through the quiet air. In a narrow bamboo alley, three burly outer disciples were surrounding a small, dust-covered girl. Her robes were faded and patched, and her face was bruised as she curled up on the ground, desperately protecting a tiny, cracked low-grade spirit stone in her palm.
"Still stuck at 6th-Stage Qi Refining after three full years?" the lead bully sneered, kicking a cloud of dirt into her face. "No matter how many hours you waste meditating in the mountains, your useless, stagnant meridians won't budge an inch! Hand over the spirit stone, you waste of sect food!"
Gu Chen glanced at the scene with complete, deadpan indifference. Weakness was the ultimate crime in the cultivation world; to his ancient demonic eyes, the struggles of mortal ants were not worth a second glance. He did not slow his stride, intending to walk straight past them.
DING!
A golden chime rang directly inside his mind as the System interface flashed a brief, glowing prompt:
[Reminder: Salvation Progress - 8 / 10 Targets Saved. 2 Targets Remaining to Unlock World Travel Protocol.]
Gu Chen halted mid-step. His dark eyes flickered as he glanced sideways at the sobbing girl on the ground.
‘Oh, right...’ Gu Chen mused, his mind shifting with cold calculation. ‘I still need to clear two more targets to shatter the dimensional barrier.’
Turning on his heel, Gu Chen stepped into the narrow alley. "Leave," he spoke, his voice quiet, flat, and devoid of any emotion.
The three bullies turned, scanning Gu Chen’s dark charcoal robes. When their divine sense swept over his sealed 5th-Stage Qi Refining aura, the lead bully, an 8th-Stage Qi Refiner, burst into loud, mocking laughter.
"Where did this hero come from?" the bully sneered, stepping forward with his fist glowing with crude Fire Qi. "A 5th-Stage nobody trying to meddle in our business? Get lost before I shatter your-"
Gu Chen didn't draw a weapon. He didn't even raise his hand.
He simply took a single, unhurried step forward and unsealed a drop of his Abyssal Sovereign Intent.
BOOM!
There was no flashy light or roaring explosion, but the air inside the narrow alley instantly turned pitch-black in the minds of the three bullies. An ancient, primordial pressure, like an immortal mountain descending from the upper realms, slammed down onto their souls. The sky seemed to bleed, and the phantom roar of a divine leviathan echoed in their ears.
Pfft!
Blood squirted violently from the nostrils and mouths of all three bullies at once. Their eyes rolled back, and their knees slammed so hard into the stone pavement that the flagstones shattered beneath them.
"Monster... A MONSTER!" the lead bully shrieked, his voice cracking in utter, pants-wetting terror.
Desperate for survival, the three disciples scrambled backward on all fours like frantic dogs, screaming in horror as they fled down the mountain path, leaving behind a trail of blood and shattered pride.
Gu Chen stood motionless, his dark robes settling as he effortlessly reined in his soul pressure, having barely used a fraction of a percent of his strength.
The bruised girl on the ground trembled, looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes as if staring at a divine god who had descended from the heavens. "T-Thank you, Senior..."
Before Gu Chen could even respond or assess her stalled 6th-Stage meridians, a sudden, blinding golden light erupted in his vision as the System chimed with unprecedented loudness:
[DING! Target Rescued!]
[Congratulations, Host! Salvation Quest Batch Complete!]
[You have successfully saved 2 individuals!]
[Salvation Progress: 10 / 10 - COMPLETE!]
[World Travel Protocol - UNLOCKED!]
Silence settled over the narrow bamboo alley.
Gu Chen didn't flinch, nor did he display a single trace of ordinary surprise. Instead, as his pitch-black eyes took in the glowing golden text hovering in the air, a low, raspy vibration began to bubble up from the depths of his chest.
"Heh... Hahahahaha..."
A cold, quiet, darkly hysterical laughter echoed through the shadowed pathway. It wasn't the laughter of joy, but the deeply amused, morbidly curious chuckle of an ancient demon who had just stumbled upon another absurd anomaly.
First, an elite disciple carrying mutated, pure fire meridians. Then, a Peak Master hiding a suppressed soul seal from a higher-realm immortal lineage. Now, a battered, insignificant 6th-Stage Qi Refining girl who somehow registered as two distinct lives under the System's rigid eyes.
He tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with an intense, predatory light as he stared down at the trembling girl sitting in the dirt.
‘A backwater mortal realm...?’ Gu Chen thought, his mind spinning with dark, amused fascination. ‘Every single day in this place uncovers another ridiculous encounter. Is this truly a trash lower world... or a sealed, forgotten upper realm disguised in dirt?’
His divine consciousness flared, piercing through her skin and locking directly onto her soul origin and dantian with sharp, razor-like scrutiny.
‘What are you hiding in that fragile frame, little ant?
The quiet chuckle slowly died down, leaving a thin, dangerous smirk lingering on Gu Chen’s lips. He took a slow step closer to the girl, leaning down slightly as his pitch-black eyes locked onto her tear-stained face.
"What an unexpected twist of events," Gu Chen murmured softly, his tone dripping with dark, morbid curiosity. "Tell me, little girl... what is your name?"