It has been 16 years since Randy's soul arrived in this strange world, and although he had expected his life to resemble that of the Xianxia stories he had read so much about, reality had hit him with unexpected harshness. He had been reborn into a family of modest cultivators under the name Hu Shengyi, the third son of the Hu family.
Slowly, Shengyi got out of bed and went to the mirror in his small room. He looked at the reflection that had accompanied him for so many years: a frail-looking young man, with almost pale skin and green eyes that seemed to hold a glint of hidden determination, but not enough to overcome his destiny. His black hair cascaded like a waterfall down his back, but his physique remained thin, almost out of place in a world where physical and spiritual strength was what defined great cultivators.
He sighed, remembering the frustration that had haunted him since he began practising cultivation. He had tried countless techniques, attended the most rigorous rituals, and even sought out amulets that would improve his energy flow, but nothing seemed to work. While his older sisters were rapidly advancing along the path of cultivation, gaining renown as young warriors in the sect, Shengyi was trapped in an inexplicable stagnation, as if some invisible force had decided to seal his fate from birth.
In addition, there was another issue that made him deeply uncomfortable: his body, especially in regards to his penis, which seemed to have shrunk to 8cm. No matter how much he strengthened his body or spirit, he felt that something about him did not fit, which made him even more insecure and reserved about the idea of having an intimate relationship.
With resignation, he put on his white robe and got ready for another day that would probably be just as frustrating. He left his room and headed for the dining room, where his mother and one of his sisters were already waiting for breakfast.
Shengyi calmly entered the small but cosy kitchen, flooded by the warm morning light streaming through the window. In the centre of the room was the family table, where two women, seated across from each other, enjoyed breakfast.
The first to catch Shengyi's eye was his mother, Hu Lu Xi, a woman of captivating beauty. Her blue eyes sparkled vividly and her blonde hair cascaded down her back. Dressed in traditional clothes of a subtle but elaborate design, she enhanced her voluptuous figure. Her generous breasts, barely contained by the garment, rested on the table as she leisurely ate her rice bowl.
Shengyi felt uneasy at the sight of her, not only because she was the first person he saw upon reincarnation, but also because of the disturbing memories that came to his mind. The image of his father, Hu Shengyi Father, making love to his mother in front of him came back to him like a flash, filling him with shame and confusion. He could not understand why that intimate scene kept replaying in his memory.
The second woman, sitting across from her mother, was her older sister, Hu Mai Li. She had a strong, confident appearance, with short blonde hair and blue eyes that seemed to pierce through it. She wore light armour and carried a sword slung at her side, making her look like an experienced warrior. Shengyi looked at her with a mixture of admiration and envy, remembering how his older sisters had always been capable and strong, while he was weak and slow.
Lu Xi, noticing his son's presence, smiled and said, "Ah, Shengyi, good morning. How are you feeling today?" His voice was warm and welcoming, but Shengyi felt nervous, not knowing what to say. He didn't want to admit that he was confused and frustrated with his situation. "I-I'm fine, Mother," he replied with a forced smile, trying to hide his true emotion.
Mai Li looked at him with a frown. "Shengyi, have you been practising your cultivation techniques? You need to improve your Qi level if you want to have any chance of surviving in this world." Her words were cutting and direct, and Shengyi felt overwhelmed by his sister's pressure. He knew he hadn't been progressing as he should, but he didn't know what to do to improve. "I-I'm trying, sis," he said, feeling frustration growing inside him.
Mai Li snorted, crossing her arms over her generous chest. "Well, if you don't get better soon, you won't last long in the outside world. We have to get our family up the hierarchy so we can eat," she said with a defiant look. Concern for his social status and family was reflected in his words.
Shengyi sat at the table in the chair next to his mother, feeling a mixture of anxiety and embarrassment. She noticed his concern and placed a hand on Shengyi's. "Don't worry, my son. Everyone has their own growth pace. The important thing is that you keep trying and don't give up," she said with a comforting smile.
Shengyi felt some comfort from his mother's words, but he couldn't help but feel like a failure compared to his older sisters. The pressure of living up to his family's expectations was overwhelming.
"Besides," Lu Xi continued speaking as he looked at the empty chair in the middle, remembering a certain person wistfully. "The day you were born, the man who swore eternal love to me told me that you would lead our family to the glory we previously had," he said in a whisper, his eyes glistening with tears.
The person Lu Xi was referring to was her late husband Hu Shengyi Father who nine months after the birth of Shengyi Son, the love of her life and father of her three children who had loved her so much and promised to lead the family to glory had been killed in a settling of scores over an unpaid debt. Since then, the shadow of that tragedy has hung over them, harassed year after year by debt collectors.
That is why her older sisters, Mai Li and Lai Ya, strove hard to become great warriors of the Sect, seeking to earn enough money to rid the family of that cursed debt and be able to live in peace. Shengyi's frustration at not being able to contribute anything to that family goal was evident.
Shengyi, the youngest son of the Hu family, rose from the table with a defeated sigh. "I'm going to train," he said in a muffled voice, avoiding his mother's worried gaze. Hu Lu Xi wanted to stop him but realized that perhaps he needed to be alone to process all the weight he carried on his shoulders. Mai Li, for her part, watched him leave with a twinge of guilt for having reminded her of his weakness.
As Shengyi walked through the streets of the Gray Neighborhood, considered the most dangerous neighbourhood in the Kingdom of the Eternal Earth, her thoughts were absorbed in the pressure of her older sisters and the burden of debts weighing on her family. The dirty, unkempt buildings seemed to reflect the hopelessness she felt in her heart.
Suddenly, children younger than him planted themselves in front of him, laughing and teasing him. "Hey, it's weak Shengyi, you taking a walk," one of them shouted, pointing his finger at him.
Shengyi tried to ignore them, but the children wouldn't leave him alone. "Step to the side, weakling!" they shouted, pushing him to the side.
Shengyi tried to keep walking, but the smaller boy planted himself in his path and grabbed him by the robe. "You're not leaving!" he shouted, dragging him into a dark, narrow alley.
The other children followed him, laughing and taunting Shengyi as they beat and shoved him. "Let's teach Shengyi to defend you!" they shouted, as they beat him without Shengyi defending himself.
As he took blows, one after another, Shengyi wondered why his cultivation was not as strong as that of his older sisters. Why was the world punishing him this way? Why couldn't he just give up and let these young men kill him?
The blows against Shengyi were increasing in intensity when suddenly, a female voice was heard in the alley. "Hey, what are you guys doing there?". Hearing those words, the thugs stopped and looked at the owner of that voice.
It was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in traditional combat clothing that highlighted her huge breasts. "Who is this bitch?" one of the guys said. "Fuck, look at her tits, we should rape her," replied another.
The woman, with a smile that resembled that of a psychopath, calmly replied, "Oh boy, it looks like these kids haven't been taught respect." The bullies were enraged at being called children and took a step forward.
But the woman, with abnormal speed, approached them. The first bully was kicked in the testicles, while the second was punched in the face, and they were quickly neutralized.
The woman grabbed by the tunic the one who had called her a slut and began to hit him repeatedly, without mercy. When she was about to give him another blow, Shengyi, with all her strength, stopped the woman and grabbed his arm.
Hu Lai Ya turned to look at his brother, and seeing his sad and bruised face, he dropped the bully to the ground. Then, she walked over to Shengyi and hugged him tightly. "If they mess with you, don't hesitate to let me know, okay?" he said with a tight smile.
Shengyi nodded his head, but his response was weak and melancholy. ".....Okay," he said in a barely audible voice.
Then Lai Ya realized that his brother was injured and needed medical attention. "You have serious injuries, little brother. You must go to the Priestess to be healed," she told him, grabbing his arm to drag him away.
But Shengyi quickly turned him down, remembering the amount of money it cost for medical attention. He didn't want to be a bother, so he gave her a fake smile and said, "I'm fine, no problem. You can go."
Lai Ya hesitated but decided to leave him alone and said, "Be careful, little brother. Get home soon. Rain is forecast and it's going to be heavy tonight and I don't want you to get lost."
Shengyi nodded his head, but Lai Ya looked at him with concern, knowing that his brother was not well. With one last look, she turned and walked away, leaving Shengyi alone in the alley.
Shengyi walked with an expressionless look on his face towards the mountain hill, determined to end his suffering. Reaching the top, the rain began to fall heavily. He looked up at the sky and thought, "If only there was something to make me stronger, I would sacrifice my own body to reach the top."
Kneeling on the ground, Shengyi took the dagger he had been given at birth and placed it on his stomach. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if this would end his suffering. But, angry that he didn't even have the strength to kill himself, he gripped the dagger firmly, ready to plunge it into his body.
Suddenly, a blinding light planted itself in front of his eyes, preventing him from dying. Shengyi covered his eyes, stunned by the glare. When he could finally see, he was met with a sort of video game-like screen that read "Welcome to the Onahole System."