Li Wei sat in the clan's library, not because it was his favorite place, but because he needed information. The sixteen years of this life, the life of the spoiled and reckless only son of the Li Clan, were just a drop in the ocean compared to the knowledge and experience he had accumulated over eleven reincarnations. His past memories were far more valuable than anything contained within these dusty scrolls, but even he knew there were always gaps that needed to be filled.
The past few days had been a whirlwind. When he reincarnated into this body, the old Li Wei had been a fool in the eyes of the clan—handsome, yes, but also arrogant, rash, and prone to failure. No one expected much from him. His lack of discipline and weak performance in cultivation had led everyone to believe that he would amount to nothing more than an embarrassing footnote in the proud Li family's history. But that was before. That was before he woke up.
Now, everything had changed.
As he flipped through a few more scrolls detailing the politics of the Qianyuan Kingdom, his mind began to weave the threads of his plan. Qianyuan was nothing more than a tiny kingdom, insignificant in the grand scheme of the Nine Heavens Continent. For the average citizen and even the powerful families, Qianyuan was the center of the world. Its borders marked the limit of their ambitions. But Li Wei knew better. His memories from his previous lives had shown him empires that spanned vast territories, realms of such grandeur that the entire Qianyuan Kingdom would be a mere province in comparison.
Still, for now, this was his battlefield, and he had to play the game according to the rules of this land. And one of the key rules was control. The royal family had mandated that no one could start cultivating Qi until they reached the age of fifteen. On the surface, it seemed like a reasonable law, ensuring that only those with mature bodies could handle the strain of Qi cultivation. But Li Wei saw the truth beneath the facade.
This law wasn't about protecting the youth—it was about keeping them weak. Cultivators could start strengthening their bodies as young as twelve, building a solid foundation before they even began gathering Qi. Waiting until fifteen robbed them of three crucial years of potential. The royal family was smart. By keeping the populace from starting their cultivation journeys too early, they made sure no one could become too powerful, too soon. Even the great families of Qianyuan, like the Li Clan, were limited by this system.
It was an elegant form of control, and Li Wei had to admit it was a clever tactic. But he wasn't the type to play by someone else's rules. Not anymore.
---
The sound of footsteps approaching pulled him from his thoughts. It was Li Jun, one of the few people in the clan who still regarded him with any respect.
"Still buried in those scrolls, eh? You've been acting like a scholar lately," Li Jun said, smirking as he took a seat across from Li Wei.
Li Wei offered him a small smile, but his eyes remained sharp. "Knowledge is a weapon, just like a sword. You know that."
Li Jun chuckled but nodded in agreement. He was one of the few who had stuck by Li Wei even during his days of disgrace. Unlike the others, Li Jun had always seen something in him, even when Li Wei was seen as a fool by everyone else. Their bond ran deeper than the superficial reputation Li Wei had once carried. Li Jun didn't care about the rumors or the clan's opinion. He trusted in his friend, and that loyalty had not gone unnoticed.
But Li Wei was no longer the reckless boy everyone knew. In the past few days, his behavior had changed drastically. People were starting to whisper, speculating about what had caused this sudden transformation. He was no longer the handsome fool who wasted his potential. He was sharper, more focused. And when he defeated **Xiao Feng**, a disciple hailed as a genius in the Qi Gathering stage, in front of the entire clan, the whispers turned into astonished murmurs.
Li Wei's victory had shocked everyone, and for the first time, people began to wonder if they had underestimated him. Xiao Feng was no ordinary opponent—he was known for his talent and was widely regarded as one of the rising stars in the clan. That fight had solidified Li Wei's newfound reputation. It wasn't just brute strength that had won him the battle—it was strategy.
Everyone saw the fight, but no one truly understood what had happened. Li Wei's **Immortal Ascension System** had given him the advantage. The system allowed him to observe Xiao Feng's status panel, exposing the weaknesses in his cultivation and Qi control. It wasn't enough to simply outpower him; Li Wei had used precise strikes, exploiting every flaw in Xiao Feng's techniques, overwhelming him in a flurry of calculated attacks. By the time Xiao Feng realized what was happening, it was too late.
---
Now, because of that victory and the subtle changes in his demeanor, people were beginning to follow him. It wasn't blind loyalty, and it certainly wasn't out of friendship. Most of them were unsure of him, still suspicious of the dramatic shift in his personality. But power was respected, and Li Wei had shown he possessed it in abundance. In the world of cultivation, strength was everything, and anyone who displayed it—even if they had once been a fool—would attract followers.
The disciples who now stood under his leadership weren't following him because they liked him or even believed in him. They followed because they had no choice. Xiao Feng's defeat had made it clear—Li Wei was not to be underestimated. And in a world where survival often hinged on choosing the right leader, aligning with him seemed like the smart choice.
But not everyone had been so easily convinced. Several disciples had initially resisted the idea of following him, mocking his sudden rise in status as nothing more than luck or a temporary fluke. That changed quickly when Li Wei challenged them to a simple test—one-on-one combat. Not to the death, but to submission. The few who had laughed in his face soon found themselves on the ground, breathless and humiliated, their Qi disrupted in ways they hadn't expected.
Each fight was the same. Li Wei didn't just overpower them; he out-thought them. His system allowed him to see their strengths, yes, but more importantly, it revealed the cracks in their foundations, the small mistakes they made during their cultivation. It was as if he could predict their every move, countering them with precision. In truth, he was simply exploiting the flaws the system exposed, but to the others, it seemed like he had suddenly become a genius.
That was the most dangerous weapon in his arsenal—the illusion of genius.
---
As he and Li Jun walked toward the training courtyard where the rest of the disciples waited, Li Wei activated his **Immortal Ascension System**, scanning the status panels of the others who had gathered.
- **Mei Chen**
- **Cultivation Level**: Qi Gathering Stage 2
- **Strengths**: Speed and agility.
- **Weaknesses**: Fragile physique; prone to overextending in battles.
- **Recommended Path**: Wind Path Dancer—maximize agility and strike with precision.
Mei Chen had been one of the more resistant disciples, skeptical of Li Wei's rise. But after witnessing him defeat Xiao Feng and another disciple who had doubted him, she had grudgingly acknowledged his strength. She was fast, but her reliance on speed made her vulnerable when the battle dragged on. Li Wei could help her, but for now, she would follow out of necessity, not trust.
- **Zhou Wei**
- **Cultivation Level**: Qi Gathering Stage 2
- **Strengths**: Defensive Qi control and sharp intellect.
- **Weaknesses**: Too passive in combat, hesitant to act.
- **Recommended Path**: Water Path Elementalist—focus on defense and counterattacks.
Zhou Wei had been cautious in his approach to Li Wei. Unlike the others, Zhou wasn't quick to dismiss him, but he wasn't quick to trust him either. His natural defensiveness made him a good ally, but his passivity in combat could be a liability. Li Wei had already begun planting seeds in Zhou's mind, encouraging him to be more assertive in his cultivation.
---
Li Wei wasn't leading them because he wanted to. He was leading them because it was necessary for his survival, for the path to immortality that lay ahead. Each of these disciples had potential, and with the right push, they would become formidable cultivators. More importantly, they would become assets in his grander scheme.
Li Wei's ultimate goal wasn't just to survive this life. He wanted to reach immortality. After eleven reincarnations, he knew more than anyone how fleeting life could be, how easily the soul could be torn from the cycle. The message that had appeared before him after his last death still echoed in his mind: "This will be your last reincarnation. When you die in this new world, your soul will perish, and you will never be reincarnated again."
There would be no second chances. No more resets.
He would need more than just strength to achieve his goal. He would need influence, resources, and a network of loyal followers. And while most of these disciples might not realize it yet, they were all part of his plan.
Li Wei had learned long ago that immortality wasn't achieved alone. Cultivation was a path of power, but also of alliances, manipulation
, and cunning.