8: Chapter 8: Civilization Exclusive! I Choose Immortal Cultivation to Crush Everything!

[Welcome back to the Source Realm.]

[The novice guidance task is complete. Please leave the beginner village to receive follow-up tasks...]

The prompt text faded from Chen You's consciousness, and the darkness before his eyes dissolved along with it.

It was still that same beginner village.

The low thatched huts, the sparse, crooked-neck trees, and the blue sky and white clouds painted in the distance with a fixed brush—everything was exactly as it had been the first time he entered.

He subconsciously tightened his grip on the novice iron sword in his hand.

The set of novice cloth armor was still on his body as well.

Chen You swept his gaze around.

The entire village was empty and eerily silent.

Not a single feather remained of the giant combat chickens he had slaughtered earlier.

The ground was unnaturally clean, as if the life-and-death struggle he had just experienced was nothing but an illusion.

He tried taking a few steps toward the outskirts of the village.

Thump.

A dull sound.

It was as if he had bumped into an invisible wall in front of him, unable to advance a single step further.

Chen You reached out and touched the space before him. There was nothing there, yet a gentle but irresistible force indeed blocked his way.

An invisible wall.

So it really was a single-player scenario exclusive to beginners.

He tried a different direction, but the result was the same.

The entire beginner village was completely sealed off by a massive, invisible dome.

Chen You mentally grumbled. This game was quite eco-friendly, knowing to clean up and recycle the 'disposable dungeon' of the novice quest.

Since he couldn't leave, the only way out was obvious.

His gaze shifted to the very center of the village.

There, a circular light ring about three meters in diameter was slowly rotating, emitting a soft, mysterious white glow. A low, faint hum reverberated in the air.

A portal.

This was the only passageway out of here.

Chen You took a deep breath. He no longer represented just himself now.

Every step he took might be tracing a path into the unknown for Huaxia.

Though the pressure was immense, an odd sense of security overshadowed it.

After all, the strongest backup stood behind him.

Even if the sky fell, someone would be there to hold it up for him first.

What he needed to do was play this game well and, more importantly, survive.

Staying alive was the top priority.

He tightened his grip on the iron sword, took a step, and began walking toward the glowing portal.

The closer he got, the clearer the hum of energy became.

The scene within the light ring was distorted and unstable, making it impossible to see what lay on the other side.

This felt a bit ominous.

Chen You muttered inwardly. Having played so many games, portals like this where you couldn't see the other side either led to the main city or directly into a dungeon.

But there was no turning back now.

He stepped one foot into the light ring.

The expected dizzying sensation of teleportation did not occur.

In its place was a peculiar feeling of disintegration.

He felt his body, along with his consciousness, instantly scatter into countless tiny points of light, floating in an endless dark void.

Everything around him vanished—the beginner village, the thatched huts, even the tactile sensation of his own body was gone.

There was only absolute silence and pure darkness.

This state did not last long.

In the dark void, countless golden streams of data began cascading down like waterfalls.

They crisscrossed, rapidly weaving and reconstructing before him, eventually forming an enormous, translucent golden screen.

On the screen, two distinctly different options materialized.

The option on the left was a complex skill tree.

At the base of the trunk was [Adventurer], branching upward into countless limbs.

They pointed to dozens of dazzling advanced classes like [Warrior], [Mage], [Archer], [Assassin], [Priest], each with even more intricate specialization branches behind them.

This was the classic, familiar class system found in any fantasy game.

Chen You merely glanced at it before his attention was completely seized by the option on the right.

The right side had no complex skill tree, only a solitary, ancient Chinese character exuding an archaic and profound aura.

[Immortal].

This character hung quietly in the air, faint golden light flowing between its strokes, as if not written but condensed from some fundamental rule of heaven and earth.

Chen You's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

This art style is all wrong!

The left side is standard fantasy classes, so why did this completely mismatched 'Immortal' suddenly appear on the right?

Did the game company have an internal fight when planning the version?

The moment his focus shifted to that 'Immortal' character.

A new line of prompt text, carrying a solemn and dignified tone, slowly appeared beneath the golden screen.

[New civilization power detected.]

[Database update successful...]

[Exclusive civilization cultivation system unlocked: Immortal Cultivation.]

[Warning: Once the inheritance path is chosen, it cannot be changed.]

Chen You's mind buzzed.

His first reaction wasn't excitement, but a spine-chilling shock.

This game... it knows his civilization!

It wasn't a fixed program; it was detecting, matching, even 'unlocking' new content for him!

What did this mean?

It meant this 'Source Realm' game might not have had a so-called 'complete version' from the very beginning.

It was more like a living, super system capable of continuous learning and evolution.

The 'Immortal Cultivation' system probably wasn't built into the game. It was likely 'activated' or even 'created' because of his entry!

After the immense shock, an uncontrollable surge of ecstasy flooded his heart.

He recalled the online games he had played.

What were new classes released in version updates called?

Version darlings!

When a new class appeared, to attract players, game companies inevitably made it extremely powerful, even game-breaking.

Other old classes played the game; the new class played the other old classes!

And now, before him was a brand-new, unique class 'customized' specifically for him, for the civilization behind him!

This was no longer a version darling; this was 'developer's daddy' level treatment!

Chen You's breathing grew slightly ragged.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind at lightning speed.

'Choose the conventional class on the left? Safe, secure. How to play a Warrior, how to allocate points for a Mage—there's endless gaming experience to draw from.'

'But that also means I'd be using a set of rules others are familiar with to confront a completely unknown world.'

'That's too passive.'

'But choosing the right... 'Immortal Cultivation'.'

'This thing isn't some unknown territory for me either. It's etched into our cultural DNA!'

'Flying on swords, turning beans into soldiers, summoning wind and rain... if that could be realized...'

He hardly dared to think further.

This was no longer a simple matter of strength; this was dimensional crushing!

'Safety first...'

Director Li Guoan's words echoed in his ears.

What was safety? Following the beaten path?

No.

Chen You's thoughts were crystal clear at this moment.

True safety was possessing the power to crush everything!

It was making all potential dangers turn to dust before they could even get close!

Pay-to-Win was about obtaining stronger equipment and stats.

Then choosing a stronger class was, from the very root, embarking on the strongest path!

This was the greatest 'safety'!

Moreover, the significance behind this choice was too profound.

This wasn't just a game class; it represented 'civilizational inheritance.'

If he could walk this path, what he brought back might not be just a few chicken corpses or a super-alloy iron sword.

Perhaps... cultivation manuals? Alchemy recipes? Or even, the secrets of immortality?

Just thinking about it made Chen You feel his blood burning.

He hesitated no longer.

Conventional classes were for ordinary players.

And he, Chen You, had an entire nation standing behind him.

The path he must take had to be the most unique, the most domineering one!

His will, firm and unwavering, reached out to touch that ancient 'Immortal' character.

'I choose, Immortal Cultivation!'

The moment his decision was made, the entire golden screen shattered with a boom, transforming into billions of motes of light that madly surged into the 'Immortal' character.

[Inheritance path confirmed: Immortal Cultivation.]

[Generating corresponding system...]

[Constructing system functions...]

[1%...]

[5%...]

[15%...]

[Reconstructing player attribute panel...]

[Reconstruction complete.]

[Generating initial skills...]

[Initial skills generated: Qi Induction Art, Spiritual Sight.]

[Qi Induction Art: Active Skill. Circulate the cultivation method to draw the surrounding 'spiritual energy' into the body, converting it into personal spiritual power.]

[Spiritual Sight: Passive Skill. Can sense the flow and density of 'spiritual energy' between heaven and earth.]

[All system resources updated.]

[Teleportation commencing...]