Thud! Thud!
The sound of a horse running through the grassy field echoed. A thin, young man of around 17 years old directed his mount to speed up as he slapped the reins. His pale face was covered in sweat as the sun was at its peak. He wiped the sweat away as he groaned internally, ’Damn it, it hurts.’ His arse was lifted up and down, hitting the saddle hard, and he also felt the wind due to the increasing speed.
His long black hair was untied as he had lost the hairpin in the rush. "They’ll catch up... Faster, faster." He didn’t even slow down his hands. He glanced around as he was in a forest with large trees in between. "Soon I’ll reach the sect recruitment area."
Just when he felt relieved, thud! Bang! "Su Yang!" A loud, rough voice echoed through the field. "No, they cannot catch up." Su Yang scowled.
He didn’t rest his arms as he tried to force the horse to its maximum speed. ’What kind of life is this?’ His crimson lips twitched as he recalled his experiences. ’I had hit the jackpot with reincarnation into a cultivation world.’ He was an average university student in his past life and died from a truck when he tried to save a kid.
"No, young master, you cannot cultivate." The same voice broke his thoughts. Su Yang turned his head back and found a gang of guards clad in grey armour closing in.
’Twenty-four...’ Su Yang clicked his tongue, ’Just one is enough to catch me.’ He was already tired as his heartbeat was increasing. Each movement was straining as his body was also aching. ’I should’ve trained riding a horse.’
"Young master..." The leading guard roared, "Your body is weak. Just exercising for one hour at high intensity can cause you to faint." His tone was filled with pleading, his eyes filled with tears.
"We know you want to cultivate." Other guards joined all at once, "But you’ll die..."
Yes! Su Yang, despite winning the lottery, has a weak physique. He cannot cultivate at all! He was prohibited from even touching a cultivation technique in his clan.
"Finally." Su Yang exhaled as he glanced at the curved main road leading to an entrance with the name Floating Cloud City.
’Minor sect recruitment...’ He slapped the reins as he closed in. Many people were entering the city, while city guards in blue armour, with swords at their waists, were checking them one by one. Su Yang dashed from the side, throwing a silver coin.
The city guard at the gate just picked up the money and didn’t stop him. Su Yang didn’t forget. "Bandits are chasing us!" His voice reached its highest pitch, "Run! Bandits!"
His clan guards froze upon hearing him, their eyes widened in shock. "No, we aren’t."
But it wasn’t any use. The city guards drew their swords. They took Su Yang’s money, of course, they were going to lend a hand, and many people began to cause a stampede in panic.
"Run!"
Many picked up their kids and rushed to the sides of the road.
"I’m free." Su Yang grinned, stretched his hands, and twisted his back. He had dismounted his mount and left it in the streets a distance away. He knew the horse would be found by his guards anyway.
He scanned his surroundings. He was in a street packed with many folks roaming around, while hawkers shouted about their goods. "Apples for just 1 copper coin."
"Get 10% discount."
It resembled the ancient cultivation world he had seen in donghuas.
His head didn’t stay still in one spot as he noticed many two-story buildings. And many were busy bargaining. The market was bustling.
He patted a nearby man’s shoulder. The slender man turned around with a frown.
The man’s lips curved up as he noticed Su Yang clad in a luxurious crimson brocade robe and his delicate appearance. ’Rich kid!!’ He screamed in his mind. "Young master?" He lowered his back and asked, "Can I help you with anything?"
Su Yang didn’t care about his change. He questioned, "Where is the sect recruitment area?"
"Sect recruitment?" Lin Mu froze. "Young master... they are minor sects." He glanced at Su Yang, who was standing with his hands folded behind his back. "They aren’t worthy of your status."
Su Yang had the temperament of a young, luxurious noble, someone of high status; hence, Lin Mu was filled with doubt!
’My foot! All the sects I went to rejected me.’ Su Yang held his forehead. ’Now only minor sects are an option.’
"Cough!" Lin Mu cleared his throat, noticing Su Yang’s deadpan expression.
"It’s on Third Street." He pointed the way. "Take a left..."
Su Yang threw a silver coin and walked slowly, enjoying the loud noise. Lin Mu’s eyes shone at the silver coin as he picked it up and rubbed it against his cheek.
"Bless me, God." Su Yang prayed as he took a bite of the veg dumpling he had bought. Taking a deep breath, he entered the sect recruitment area.
"I want this kid!"
"No, he’s mine!"
"No..."
"500 copper coins."
"Deal!"
Tap! The small dumpling fell from Su Yang’s hands as he pivoted. ’I seem to have entered the wrong area.’
"Wait, young man!" An old man with a long grey beard and in a simple yellow hemp robe raised his hand.
’So poor.’ Su Yang’s eyes landed on the stitched-up parts of the old man’s robes.
"I’m Liu Min, Heavenly Nine Yang Emperor Sect Master." The old man introduced himself with his head raised up, almost parallel to the sky.
’Who cares!’ Su Yang mused, covering his twitching mouth. ’I just need a technique to cultivate.’
"Would you..." Before the old man could question, Su Yang nodded hurriedly. "I’ll join your sect."
Su Yang glared at the panel in his vision, his cheat.
[ You can cultivate any kind of technique irrespective of the talent or physique required. Once started, you won’t lose the progress! ]
It was as simple as that, but he never got his hands even on a basic technique, as his guards always kept a watch on him, and all major sects dismissed him.
Liu Min smiled. "Good, now let’s take a look at your talent."
’Talent!’ Su Yang paled. ’Minor sects should have low expectations.’ He hoped for the best.
Liu Min placed his old hand on Su Yang’s shoulder and pressed tightly, then went to check his chest, hands, and leg bones.
The old man sighed. "Young man, you have such a weak body..." His eyes dimmed. "Your talent just barely touched the inferior level." He turned away before Su Yang could open his mouth.
’I hope his bullshit heavenly sect falls.’ Su Yang cursed. He turned back, expecting another sect to take him in. But everyone turned their heads away the moment he locked eyes with them. ’Even minor sects reject me?’
He stormed out of the street. This was why he was rejected. His talent, or so-called existing talent, was the lowest of all, not even average. He paused as he spotted a young, beautiful woman slowly walking forward. She was dressed in an elegant blue brocade robe, inscribed with pink rose patterns. Her body was well-proportioned, with long purple hair untied and flowing down her back. It wasn’t her beauty that attracted him, but the sect master’s emblem on her waist. She had an otherworldly temperament as she didn’t change her expression. She calmly took her steps while her hands were folded behind her back.
Even the world seemed to have lost its beauty in front of her.
’I need to scam her into taking me into her sect.’ Su Yang decided. ’My life depends on this.’