1: Transmigration and the Activation of the Sword Ancestor System

Excruciating pain.

It was as if every bone had been taken apart and then haphazardly shoved back in. Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes. What met his gaze was a rough, rocky ceiling, with cobwebs clinging to dust in the corners. A smell mixed with earth, decaying leaves, and a faint hint of blood brutally assaulted his nostrils.

This wasn't his rental apartment.

Fragments of memory crashed into his consciousness like a flood—the last thing he remembered was the final chapter of "Battle Through the Heavens" on his computer screen, and that bizarre purple lightning outside his window, tearing through the night sky and striking directly at the cheap apartment building where he lived.

Did he Transmigrate?

He struggled to sit up, but a more intense soreness and emptiness spread throughout his body, as if this Physical Body had been completely hollowed out. At the same time, a memory that wasn't his flashed by like a fleeting shadow.

A similarly unlucky fellow named Li Ao, a disciple of a small Family in Wutan City that was affiliated with the Xiao Family. His Aptitude was mediocre. Not long ago, he was caught in the conflict between the Xiao Family and the Jiale Family, suffered severe injuries, and was on the verge of death. And then... he became the ghostly appearance he was now.

Starting with Hell difficulty? Li Ao's mouth twisted into a bitter arc. He didn't even have the strength to curse.

"Ding! Detecting the host's strong unwillingness and obsession, meeting the binding conditions... The blade ancestor system is activating... 1%... 50%... 100%!"

"Binding successful! host Li Ao, welcome to the world of Battle Through the Heavens!"

A cold, mechanical voice exploded in his mind without warning. Li Ao jolted, almost bouncing off the crude stone bed.

System?! A Transmigrator's benefit?!

Ecstasy instantly overwhelmed his body's weakness. His mind raced: "System? What are your functions?"

"This System is the blade ancestor system, designed to assist the host in proving the Dao with a blade, becoming supreme through the Physical Body, and achieving the peerless Blade Ancestor. The initial task has now been issued. Please check."

A translucent light screen appeared before his eyes.

Initial Task: First Display of Talent

Task Requirements: Head to the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range outside Wutan City, independently kill ten first-tier Demonic Beasts, 'Claw Wolves', and gain initial mastery of Basic Blade Arts (System assistance).

Task Rewards: "Basic Body Tempering Art" Entry Chapter, one Low Grade fine steel blade, 100 System points.

Failure Penalty: Deprivation of the host's male function (permanent).

Li Ao: "..."

The moment he saw the failure penalty, he instinctively clamped his legs together. This System was ruthless enough!

But what followed was burning ambition. Blade Ancestor! Body Refining! This was the world of Battle Through the Heavens! Xiao Yan relied on the Burning Technique to devour Heavenly Flames. Why couldn't I, Li Ao, carve out a grand Dao with the blade in my hand?

More importantly... in his memories, that young man, a fallen Genius, still suffering disdain in the Xiao Family of Wutan City, and his future confidantes... Nalan Yanran, Medusa, Yun Yun, Xiao Yi Xian... As each name flashed by, Li Ao felt his blood begin to boil.

Xiao Yan, I'm sorry. Your Opportunity, your harem, I, Li Ao, will gladly accept!

Strong willpower supported him, and he actually suppressed his body's weakness, staggering to his feet. The only legacy left by the original owner of this body was the rusty, chipped cleaver in the corner.

Grabbing the cleaver, Li Ao took a deep breath of the bloody air, his eyes as sharp as a blade about to be unsheathed.

"It starts here!"

...At the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, ancient trees towered, and a wild aura permeated the air.

Li Ao lay hidden behind a dense clump of bushes, his breathing as light as possible, his eyes fixed on the three Claw Wolves not far away, gnawing on the carcass of a deer. Their grayish-brown fur, crimson eyes, and the gleaming claws capable of tearing through iron all proclaimed their danger.

This was his fifth day of searching. For the first four days, he managed to take down four lone Claw Wolves using traps and sneak attacks, but he also gained a few bloody scratches, and his cleaver was completely ruined.

Now, it was time to test the results of his frantic Cultivation over the past five days with the System's assistance.

"Basic Blade Arts (Entry): The host has mastered the four basic Moves: chop, hack, sweep, and hang. Force application techniques are initially perfected."

As soon as the System's prompt sounded, Li Ao moved!

He sprang from behind the bushes like a leopard, moving so fast that he left only an afterimage. The pitifully thin Dou Zhi Qi (approximately three sections) within him was fully activated, pouring into the Low Grade fine steel blade he had just exchanged for 100 points from the System Shop.

"Die!"

With a low growl, the blade light, like a bolt of silk, slashed towards the neck of the nearest Claw Wolf.

"Pfft!"

Blood splattered! The wolf's head rolled, its headless body still in a pouncing posture.

The other two Claw Wolves were startled and let out angry snarls, pouncing from left and right, a foul wind hitting his face.

Li Ao did not retreat but advanced, shifting his footwork to dodge the left wolf's claw by a hair's breadth. At the same time, the long blade in his hand smoothly swept back, precisely slicing open the soft abdomen of the right Claw Wolf.

Intestines mixed with hot blood spilled onto the ground.

The last Claw Wolf missed its pounce. Just as it was about to turn, Li Ao had already stepped forward, gripping the blade with both hands, executing the simplest yet most brutal Move: 'Forceful Chop of Mount Hua'!

"Clang!"

The fine steel blade struck the wolf's head with a clang of metal. The immense recoil numbed Li Ao's arm, but the Claw Wolf's skull was also split open, letting out a mournful yelp before collapsing and twitching.

Three blades, three wolves dead!

Li Ao leaned on his blade, panting heavily, his chest heaving. Sweat mixed with splattered wolf blood made him look somewhat ferocious. But an unprecedented sense of exhilaration filled his entire body.

Power! This was the feeling of mastering power!

"Ding! Task completed: Killed ten first-tier Demonic Beasts, 'Claw Wolves' (10/10), Basic Blade Arts mastered (Entry). Rewards issued: "Basic Body Tempering Art" Entry Chapter has been transmitted, Low Grade fine steel blade has been issued (host has already redeemed it), 100 points have been credited."

"New task issued: Body Tempering Minor Achievement."

"Task Requirements: Cultivate the "Basic Body Tempering Art" to the first layer Minor Achievement."

"Task Rewards: "Black Iron Hegemon Body" first level Cultivation Technique, 500 System points."

"Failure Penalty: Full-body muscle atrophy for one month."

A stream of obscure information flowed into his mind, which was the Cultivation method for the "Basic Body Tempering Art." Li Ao's eyes flashed with a sharp glint. Without hesitation, he immediately sat cross-legged, guiding the pitiful Dou Zhi Qi within his body according to the method, beginning to cleanse and temper his Physical Body.

Pain! More intense pain than from his previous battle injuries came from every inch of muscle and every bone, as if countless steel needles were piercing and stirring inside his body. Li Ao gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, but he didn't utter a sound.

He knew this was the only path to becoming stronger! The path of Body Refining was inherently accompanied by suffering!

Several hours later, as the last rays of the setting sun filtered through the forest gaps, Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes. An aura far stronger than before emanated from him. On the surface of his skin, a faint bronze glow subtly appeared.

"Basic Body Tempering Art" first layer, Minor Achievement! He felt his strength had at least tripled! His body felt light, and his five senses became even more acute.

"Hahaha!" Li Ao couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the silent mountain forest, startling a few birds.

He picked up his blade, his gaze fixed in the direction of Wutan City, his eyes ardent and aggressive.

"Xiao Family... Nalan Yanran should be arriving soon, right?"

...Wutan City, Xiao Family.

The atmosphere in the Xiao Family today was somewhat subtle. In the training ground, the young disciples of the Family were engaged in their daily Cultivation sparring, but many glances were subtly cast towards the edge of the square, where a black-clothed young man sat alone on the stone steps, his expression forlorn.

The former Genius of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan. Now, he had fallen from grace, his Dou Zhi Qi mysteriously receding, stuck at three sections and unable to advance, enduring ridicule from within and outside the clan.

Li Ao mingled among the disciples of several affiliated Families, observing with cold eyes. He had just returned to Wutan City and heard the news that Liu Xi, the second-grade Alchemist invited by the Jiale Family, was showing off in the market, and Xiao Yan seemed to be preparing to go "reason" with him.

Sure enough, not long after, he saw Xiao Yan clench his fists, his face grim, walking towards the market.

Li Ao's lips curled into an almost imperceptible arc, and he silently followed. The Opportunity had arrived.

Wutan City market was bustling with people. In front of the Jiale Family's stall, many people had gathered. Liu Xi, dressed in an Alchemist's robe, was arrogantly disparaging the Xiao Family market's medicinal ingredients, his words full of humiliation. Xiao Yan stood opposite him, his face ashen, his fists clenched white.

"Xiao Family brat, what? Not convinced?" Liu Xi sneered, the aura of a five-star Dou Practitioner subtly pressing down on Xiao Yan. "The world of Alchemists is not something a waste like you can understand. I heard you were once a Genius? Tsk tsk, what a pity..."

Xiao Yan's body trembled slightly, the immense humiliation almost making him lose his mind. Just as he was about to rush forward regardless of the consequences—

"Heh."

A clear sneer, not loud, but with a peculiar penetrating power, clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

The crowd parted, and a young man in rough cloth attire, his posture as straight as a blade, slowly walked out. In his hand, he carried a sheathed long blade, his eyes calm, yet possessing a chilling sharpness.

It was Li Ao.

"Where did this wild brat come from, daring to meddle?" Liu Xi frowned, scolding him in displeasure.

Li Ao, however, didn't even look at him. His gaze fell directly on Xiao Yan, carrying undisguised scrutiny and... a hint of disdain.

"Are you Xiao Yan?" Li Ao spoke, his voice flat, "I heard you were once a Genius?"

Xiao Yan's pupils constricted, staring intently at this unfamiliar young man. The something in the other's eyes made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

Li Ao continued, his tone carrying a condescending, judgmental quality: "Your Heart-Nature is acceptable, you know how to endure. Unfortunately, your strength is too poor. Even this kind of trash," he gestured with his chin towards Liu Xi, "can spout nonsense in front of you and insult your Family. Your so-called endurance, in the face of absolute strength, is nothing but a fig leaf for incompetence."

"You're courting death!" Xiao Yan roared in anger, his long-trampled dignity completely ignited at this moment. He let out a low growl, his three sections of Dou Zhi Qi erupting without reservation, and a fist, wrapped in strong wind, fiercely smashed towards Li Ao's face!

This punch, born of rage, almost reached Xiao Yan's current limit!

A chorus of exclamations rose from the surroundings. Liu Xi also folded his arms, ready to enjoy the show.

However, facing this fierce punch, Li Ao merely shook his head slightly.

"Too slow, too weak."

Before his words finished, he moved!

There was no dazzling Dou Qi radiance, only an incredibly fast afterimage! Everyone only felt a blur before their eyes. Li Ao had, at some unknown moment, sidestepped Xiao Yan's fist. At the same time, his right hand, fingers joined like a blade, instantly unleashed an unparalleled, sharp intent!

"Buzz!"

The air let out a soft, tearing sound.

Li Ao's hand-blade, moving later but arriving first, carrying a decisive intent to cut through everything, precisely struck Xiao Yan's wrist!

"Crack!"

A clear sound of bone cracking echoed.

"Ugh ah—!" Xiao Yan let out a muffled groan of pain. He staggered back seven or eight steps as if struck by a heavy blow, clutching his twisted and deformed wrist, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat. His gaze towards Li Ao was filled with shock and disbelief.

Fast! Ruthless! Precise!

Just one Move! He didn't even draw his blade! He only used a hand-blade!

The entire scene fell silent.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the young man standing with his blade, at the indifferent expression on his face, as if he had merely flicked away a fly.

Liu Xi's playful smile froze, and for the first time, a grave expression appeared in his eyes.

Li Ao shook his hand, as if brushing off some dust, and his gaze once again swept over Xiao Yan, whose face was pale and whose body trembled from intense pain and humiliation.

"You can't even withstand one of my hand-blades," his voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a blade, savagely scraping at Xiao Yan's heart, and at the hearts of everyone present who knew Xiao Yan, "Do you even deserve to talk about revenge? Do you even deserve... to have a future?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "have a future," with a deeper meaning that only he understood.

After speaking, no longer bothering with the defeated dog-like Xiao Yan, Li Ao turned around, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sweeping over a corner of the market. There, a graceful figure hidden behind a crowd, bearing the Cloud Mist Sect emblem, seemed to tremble slightly.

The arc of his lips deepened.

The first step, trampling on the dignity of the Son of the Plane, was complete.

So, the next step... should be to approach that Young Miss Nalan, who was about to break off the engagement?

Li Ao carried his blade and leisurely departed under the gaze of countless eyes mixed with awe, fear, and curiosity.

Leaving behind him a shattered pride, and a Xiao Yan clutching his broken wrist, his eyes bloodshot, letting out a low, beast-like growl.