Li Cheng sat slumped in his small, cluttered dorm room, staring at his laptop screen where his studies lay forgotten. His mind drifted to the web novels he loved—xiuxian cultivation stories, where weak heroes defied the heavens and achieved power beyond imagination. His own life seemed painfully ordinary in comparison, a world away from mystical arts and immortal realms. He sighed, closing his eyes, letting sleep overtake him as he dreamed of a world where he, too, could defy fate.
But when he opened his eyes again, it wasn't his familiar dorm room he saw.
Instead, he found himself lying on cold, damp earth, surrounded by towering trees and a strange, glowing mist that seemed alive with energy. The air was thick with an unfamiliar scent, fresh and tinged with something mystical. He pushed himself up, feeling strangely sore, his body unfamiliar and slightly weaker, though filled with an odd warmth that he couldn't explain. Panic started to rise as he glanced around, taking in his surroundings.
"Where… am I?"
Just then, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a nearby pool of water. Instead of the face he knew, he saw a young man with sharp, refined features and piercing dark eyes staring back at him. He gasped, touching his face in shock, feeling unfamiliar cheekbones and a sharper jawline. As he tried to comprehend what had happened, a torrent of unfamiliar memories flooded his mind.
He was in the body of a young man named Feng Xiao, a member of the prestigious Feng Clan, known across the Azure Continent for its cultivation prowess. However, unlike his talented relatives, Feng Xiao was known as the clan's shame. Born with a weak constitution, he had been labeled as "trash," a disgrace to the clan's proud lineage. Throughout his life, he had been ridiculed, scorned, and pitied.
But Feng Xiao wasn't completely powerless now—Li Cheng realized he had something that didn't belong to this body. He felt an instinctual understanding, a mysterious ability to comprehend anything he focused on. It was as though knowledge itself whispered to him, revealing hidden insights and guiding him. Heaven-Defying Comprehension, the words appeared in his mind, resonating with a deep certainty. With this ability, he could see through the mysteries of cultivation, techniques, and skills in ways others couldn't fathom.
Testing this, he reached out with his senses, focusing on the strange energy swirling around him. In an instant, he understood it was qi, the very essence cultivators harnessed for power. He could sense it all around him, filling the air and the earth, waiting to be drawn in. He closed his eyes, concentrating, and just as naturally as breathing, he felt the qi flow into his body and circulate through his meridians. His newfound knowledge told him he had achieved Qi Gathering, the first step in the world of cultivation—something he should have spent years trying to master, yet he had done it instinctively.
Before he could fully grasp his transformation, he heard footsteps crunching through the leaves nearby. He turned to see a group of young men approaching, dressed in clan robes marked with the Feng Clan's insignia. From Feng Xiao's memories, he recognized them immediately—his cousins: Feng Wei, Feng Jun, and Feng Lan, all elites within the clan. Their sneering expressions told him they were here to mock him, as they always did.
"Well, well, look who we have here!" laughed Feng Wei, his eyes glinting with scorn. "The clan's disgrace, wandering the forest as if he actually has the strength to be out here on his own."
Feng Xiao felt a surge of anger, but he forced himself to stay calm. With his Heaven-Defying Comprehension, he could sense their cultivation levels—they were all in the early Foundation Establishment Realm, still well beyond what he should be able to sense at this stage. But somehow, he understood their strengths and weaknesses with startling clarity.
"Oh, does the trash think he can stand up to us now?" Feng Jun smirked, stepping forward and cracking his knuckles. "Maybe we should remind you where you belong."
Before he knew it, Feng Xiao felt a surge of power rise within him. Instinctively, he visualized a basic technique—something he had never been taught yet somehow knew perfectly. He raised his hand, channeling qi through his meridians, and with a flick of his wrist, a shockwave of energy burst from his palm, forcing his cousins back several steps.
The surprise on their faces was almost satisfying.
"What… how are you using qi?" Feng Wei spluttered, his face twisting in confusion and anger. "You're not supposed to have any talent!"
Feng Xiao met their gazes calmly, the spark of power within him giving him newfound confidence. He knew he had a long way to go, but he was no longer the helpless Feng Xiao they thought he was.
"Things change," he said quietly, suppressing a smirk.
His cousins exchanged uneasy glances, visibly unnerved by this unexpected display of strength. "Just wait," Feng Lan sneered, though his voice lacked conviction. "The elders will hear about this. Don't think you can hide behind one little trick, Feng Xiao."
With that, they turned and retreated, leaving him alone once more. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if witnessing the start of something momentous.
---
As the echoes of their footsteps faded, Feng Xiao took a deep breath, still processing everything. His Heaven-Defying Comprehension had unlocked the mysteries of the Qi Gathering Realm in an instant, but he knew he couldn't stop there. If he was going to survive in this world, he would have to grow stronger—and fast.