Lin Tian had always thought death would be the end. He'd been just another face in the crowd, a mediocre office worker leading a fairly quiet life. Nothing special—no great achievements, no extraordinary skills. But then, as fate would have it, he died in the most mundane way possible: slipping on a wet street and landing headfirst on the pavement.
As darkness closed in around him, he had only one thought: How utterly boring.
But as his consciousness drifted into what he assumed was the afterlife, he felt a sudden, jarring sensation—like being yanked backward by invisible strings. Before he could make sense of it, light exploded in his vision.
When the light faded, Lin Tian found himself lying on the cold, hard ground, surrounded by towering, jagged peaks. He struggled to sit up, wincing at a sharp ache in his body. His surroundings were unfamiliar: rugged terrain, with clouds swirling ominously around distant mountains. He could feel the faint, electric hum of power in the air, and the sky above glowed with an eerie, otherworldly hue.
Where... am I? Lin Tian thought, his head still spinning. His hands were trembling. Wait... these hands...
They were smaller, paler, and rougher than he remembered. Looking down at himself, he realized he was wearing ragged clothes made of coarse, woven fabric. His body felt weak, strangely brittle. He couldn't explain it, but somehow, he just knew that he wasn't Lin Tian anymore.
Then, a wave of memories rushed into his mind, as if pouring in from another life. He saw flashes of a young man's struggles, a life spent in the shadows of talented cultivators. He had no spiritual roots, no talent for martial arts. In this world of martial arts and cultivation, he was the ultimate nobody, a powerless figure at the very bottom of the food chain.
His name here was Li Fang.
As he processed this new identity, a cold, metallic voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
Congratulations on your transmigration, Host. The Arrogance System has been activated.
"The… Arrogance System?" Li Fang—no, Lin Tian—repeated aloud, confusion flooding his thoughts.
Yes, Host. The Arrogance System rewards you for performing specific arrogant and 'villainous' actions. Complete tasks to receive random rewards! Note: rewards range from highly valuable to utterly useless. The stronger your arrogance, the better your chances of survival in this world.
Lin Tian's mouth dropped open. Was he really hearing this? A system… in a world of martial arts? And it rewarded him for being arrogant?
"Hold on," he muttered. "I just got dumped into a world where I'm the weakest, most talentless person, and you're saying I have to act… like a cocky jerk?"
Correct, Host. For your first task: insult a passing cultivator who looks stronger than you.
Lin Tian gawked, a chill running down his spine. "You can't be serious!"
Task cannot be declined. Punishment for refusal: Host will be struck by lightning.
"Are you insane?!" Lin Tian yelped, looking around in horror.
But before he could even think of a way out, he spotted a figure approaching. A tall, muscular man with a sword strapped to his back, radiating an aura of power that made the hair on Lin Tian's neck stand up. This man was clearly leagues above him, his presence suffocating.
Task must be completed within ten seconds. Nine… eight…
Lin Tian's heart pounded. He was absolutely certain that this stranger could squash him like a bug. But with the Arrogance System's countdown ticking, he could feel his options slipping away. Death by lightning, or death by cultivator—either way, he was doomed.
"Fine!" he muttered through gritted teeth. He took a deep breath, then shouted, "Hey, muscle-head! Who let you out of the pigsty? Go wash that filthy face before you scare off every living creature around here!"
The cultivator halted, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What did you just say?" he growled, his voice cold and lethal.
Task complete. Congratulations, Host! You have received: A Bundle of Random Grass.
Lin Tian's jaw nearly dropped. "A bundle of grass?! Are you kidding me?!"
The cultivator took a menacing step forward, his aura pressing down on Lin Tian. "You dare insult me? You, a mere mortal with no power?"
Lin Tian raised his hands in defense. "Wait, I—I didn't mean it! I just—"
New Task: Laugh condescendingly at the cultivator's response.
The system voice rang out again, as cold as ever.
"Are you crazy?" Lin Tian muttered, more to himself than to the system. But his mouth twisted into a smirk, and he forced out a mocking laugh. "Hah! Is that all? Getting worked up over a simple insult—what kind of 'cultivator' are you, anyway?"
The man's face turned purple with rage, his hand reaching for his sword. "You miserable little—"
Task complete. Reward: Beginner's Guide to Alchemy.
Lin Tian blinked as a small, leather-bound book appeared in his hand, almost magically. He couldn't believe it. An actual, useful reward this time. He had little time to process this, however, as the cultivator raised his sword, fury burning in his eyes.
"Any last words, you cocky fool?" the cultivator snarled.
Lin Tian's mind raced. "Uh… yeah. I—I bet you wouldn't dare fight me without using your sword! You're probably too weak!"
The man's nostrils flared, and he sheathed his weapon, muttering something about not wasting energy on a "pathetic mortal." With a furious glare, he stomped away, leaving Lin Tian trembling and relieved.
As he clutched the alchemy book to his chest, Lin Tian sank to the ground, heart pounding with a mixture of terror and disbelief. This world was dangerous enough on its own, but this system was going to make things a thousand times worse.
The Arrogance System spoke up again, cold and impassive.
Well done, Host. Remember: arrogance is power, if you have the courage to wield it. But beware—there are consequences to every act. May your journey be as audacious as your heart allows.
Lin Tian sighed, staring at the mountains stretching into the distance. This was going to be… interesting.