Qi Ren having been in this world for over half a year.
He was completely accustomed.
He hadn't originally belonged to this world.
One day, he got drunk.
When he woke up, he found himself in this strange place.
What made it so strange was the existence of demons running rampant.
Mythical creatures roaming the land, and spirits wielding powers beyond mortal comprehension, while the lives of ordinary people were as fragile as grass.
Thanks to the powerful sects led by the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, peace was maintained in the human world.
Human cultivators were equally formidable—warriors could cleave mountains with their bare hands.
Scholars could defy entire armies with their spirit, Taoist masters could summon wind and rain, and Buddhist monks could subdue dragons with a single gesture…
The previous Qi Ren was an orphan, his entire family killed by demons.
He alone was saved by his master, who saw potential for cultivation in him and took him back to the mountain.
Thus, his predecessor held a deep-seated hatred for evil beings, desperately yearning to cultivate supernatural powers quickly so he could descend the mountain to slay demons and exorcise spirits.
But, because he was overly eager, his spiritual focus was unstable, causing him to suffer a backlash during a breakthrough and leading to the scattering of his soul.
Life truly is unpredictable.
When Qi Ren's soul arrived in this world, his first feeling was panic.
Growing up in a time of peace, he felt deeply uneasy in a world overrun by demons.
Especially given the memories he inherited, vividly portraying the tragic scenes of his predecessor's family being slaughtered by demons—visions that left a significant impact on his psyche.
However, he quickly came to understand something: fear arises from a lack of power.
The weak are bound to live in fear day after day.
The only way to rid himself of this unease was to become stronger.
Since he had cultivation talent and was now in the renowned Sword Mountain Sect, it was a rather favorable start.
Even better, after crossing over, he discovered a new ability within his soul.
White wall.
Whenever he focused, a giant white wall appeared in his mind.
After slaying a demon, he would receive a treasure as a reward.
This had no presence in his predecessor's memories; it seemed to have come with him—perhaps a legendary "golden finger" or cheat ability?
At first, Qi Ren didn't dare challenge powerful demons, so he scoured villages and burial mounds near Sword Mountain, slaying lantern demons.
Lantern demons are a minor evil spirit, born from the resentment of the dead attaching itself to a lantern and transforming into ghost fire that floats around at night, colliding with the living.
While a collision disperses the lantern demon immediately, the affected person would merely fall ill for a while.
To a cultivator, these spirits pose virtually no threat.
They are weak to an almost endearing degree.
The reward for refining a lantern demon was a Qi Gathering Pill, a common cultivation aid.
Despite not being very rare, with enough of them, his cultivation speed improved significantly.
One day, he happened upon a lumbering, thick-skinned stone statue demon wreaking havoc.
After a lengthy battle, Qi Ren managed to wear it down and kill it.
That's when the white wall awarded him his first magical artifact.
[Revealing Demon Brick]:
When struck upon someone's head, if they are a demon in disguise, their true form is immediately revealed.
If they are not a demon, they will feel pain and experience dizziness, allowing for an instant discernment of their nature.
Qi Ren found this treasure extremely practical.
Pills, artifacts, divine techniques… all of these are precious resources in the cultivation world.
Even Sword Mountain disciples must complete sect missions to exchange for such treasures.
Yet Qi Ren only needed to slay demons to obtain these, and as his slain targets grew stronger, the grade of rewards increased accordingly, further enhancing his strength.
Thus, Qi Ren found himself in a "fear demons, slay demons" loop, which, in a way, fulfilled part of his predecessor's wish.
…
After a slow morning routine—dressing, tying up his hair, and washing up—he was officially ready for the day.
Opening the door, he stepped out of his wooden hut to a clear sky and gentle clouds.
It was late spring, in April, with the scent of greenery in the breeze.
Following a path filled with birdsong and floral scents, he rounded a hillside and arrived before a pavilion atop the peak.
He was here to see his master.
The pavilion doors were open. Upon entering, he spotted a figure sprawled out in front of the altar.
It was a woman with long, flowing hair.
Half of her face was obscured by strands, and the exposed side glowed with a jade-like sheen, her features as elegantly drawn as an ink painting, with a soft blush, and her neckline sculpted as delicately as fine porcelain.
She wore a front-closing dark robe that revealed a full, round chest, rising and falling with her deep breaths, with a jade pendant glowing faintly red nestled within.
Her waist was bound with a sash, her hips widening slightly, and her long, pale legs stretched out casually, with a large gourd of wine hanging by her side.
Even the faint sound of snoring could be heard—she had no poise whatsoever.
"Master," Qi Ren called softly at the door.
This woman was none other than Qi Ren's master, Feng Yue, the head of Silver Sword Peak, one of Sword Mountain's thirty-six peaks.
"Oh, it's already daylight?" Feng Yue turned over and sat up, her robe askew, her shoulder partly bare, looking like the scene of some illicit act.
She didn't bother to straighten her clothes, instead scratching her head with a hazy gaze directed at Qi Ren. "What're you here for?"
Still groggy.
Qi Ren said, "Master, you sent a paper bird message for me to see you when I returned."
"Did I?" The still-drowsy woman scratched her head before suddenly going, "Oh! I remember!"
Only then did she adjust her robe and stand up.
While not too eye-catching lying down, her tall, striking figure became more apparent once she stood.
"Yesterday, the Sect Leader summoned all the peak masters for a meeting about preparations for the upcoming Sword Mountain Summit, the once-in-a-decade event, where disciples of the peaks compete to determine the chief disciple."
"I'm aware, Master."
"Then I ended up arguing with Ling Wang, that old fellow. I can't stand his arrogant attitude, boasting that his Jade Sword Peak disciple would surely be crowned chief... bah!"
Feng Yue's anger caused her chest to heave, her voice filled with resentment.
"Of course, I retorted and challenged him to a bet."
"If Jade Sword Peak's disciple becomes the chief, I'll give him my Spirit Blood Jade.
But if my White Sword Peak's disciple wins, he'll step down from his position as head of all the peaks and hand it over to me."
She then looked at Qi Ren.
"I called you here to ask, who do you think is the best candidate from White Sword Peak for the Sword Mountain Summit?"
Qi Ren fell silent, then finally muttered, "Master... aren't I the only disciple of White Sword Peak?"
"Perfect!" Feng Yue clapped her hands. "I'm so pleased to see you volunteering like this!"