Far away...
Xiao Chan skipped down the well-trodden path, humming to herself. Her energy seemed boundless, her steps light and full of joy.
Before long, two figures emerged from the shadows of a dense copse of trees.
They were dressed in matching black uniforms adorned with silver accents, their collars high and their sleeves lined with intricate embroidery.
Both men appeared middle-aged, their stern expressions softening into indulgent smiles when they spotted the little girl.
"Xiao Chan!" one of them greeted, his voice warm but tinged with formality. "How did it go today?"
The other man leaned down slightly, his hands on his knees as he grinned at her like she was a favored niece. "Was it... productive?"
Xiao Chan beamed at them, practically bouncing on her toes. "It was so good today!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together.
"So, so, soooo good! I felt amazing—especially this time compared to last time. It's like... I can feel the chi flowing more clearly now!"
The two men exchanged a glance, their eyes wide with disbelief.
One of them immediately reached for a small, jade-colored talisman hanging from his belt.
He held it out toward Xiao Chan, and a faint green glow enveloped her form.
After a brief moment, the talisman pulsed with light.
"What?!" The man's voice cracked as he stared at the glowing artifact.
The other man leaned in to see, his jaw dropping. "No way! Are you kidding me?!"
Both men reeled back, their expressions overtaken by pure ecstasy.
They jumped into the air, hollering like children who had just found treasure.
"Phase Three! Mortal Building Phase Three—initial stage!" the first man shouted, practically spinning in place.
"This is incredible!" the second one chimed in, throwing his arms up. "Do you understand what this means? Xiao Chan, you've surpassed every expectation! This is monumental!"
Xiao Chan giggled, her hands clasped behind her back as she watched the two grown men lose themselves in joy.
One of the men turned to his companion, his excitement tempered only slightly by a growing sense of awe.
"It has to be that boy," he said, lowering his voice but unable to hide his amazement. "There's no way a girl like Xiao Chan could have advanced so quickly on her own."
The other man nodded vigorously.
"Indeed! He must be from some higher clan or sect. No ordinary person would have spiritual stones of such purity or the ability to help her cultivate this effectively."
The first man frowned slightly, his brow furrowing. "But if that's true, we should be cautious. If his backer finds out we interfered or took advantage of the situation..."
"Yes, yes, you're right," the other agreed quickly. "Better to let him spend his stones on Xiao Chan willingly. It's safer for us. We don't want to offend whoever stands behind him."
Both men straightened up, their giddy expressions giving way to a more calculated seriousness.
They exchanged a nod before turning back to Xiao Chan.
"You've done very well, Xiao Chan," one of them said, his tone soft but approving. "Keep working with him. And let us know if anything changes."
Xiao Chan smiled sweetly and gave them a quick bow. "Okay!" she chirped.
Then, without another word, she turned and skipped away, leaving the two men standing in the shadowy grove, their minds racing with speculation about the mysterious boy who had somehow become Xiao Chan's benefactor.
However, they would keep an eye on him and protect him if necessary until the day Xiao Chan no longer needs him.
Only the opposing Zhen Family can touch him, but as for anyone else? The Xiao Family won't let anyone lay a finger on him.
…
Lu Tzang's gaze remained locked on the shimmering screen before him.
The information displayed there was surreal.
It was like staring into the pages of a book—a book where he himself was the character.
—
Character Profile: Lu Tzang
The details were unnervingly specific.
Character Profile: Lu Tzang
1. Personal Details
Name: Lu Tzang.
Age: 16 years old.
Gender: Male.
Race: Human.
Family: Lu Family (rejected offspring)
The system described them as a powerful noble clan skilled in dark wind-element cultivation techniques.
But the kicker?
He was labeled a rejected offspring.
"Rejected?" Lu Tzang muttered and felt something he could remember, his brows knitting together.
He rubbed his chin, trying to make sense of it all.
He had no recollection of belonging to such a clan or even being a cultivator.
Back on Earth, he was a normal citizen—no chi, no mystical arts, and certainly no family drama involving noble clans. Yet, the screen presented this as his reality now.
As his eyes continued to scan, something even stranger leaped out at him.
—
Cultivation Realm: Phase Five, Late Stage.
Notable Abilities:
1. Invincible Slamming Soft Path Mortal Art – Instinctively capable of slamming anyone in the mortal realm who touches him.
2. Hyumans Eyes – A bloodline ability tied to the Lu Family (Bloodline Trigger too low)
—
Lu Tzang's expression darkened.
Hyumans Eyes?
What kind of edgy nonsense is that?
It sounded like something out of a familiar but trashy fantasy novel.
And then it hit him.
He squinted at the glowing text, his chest tightening with unease.
Lu Family...
Lu Tzang…
Rejected…
Familiarity clawed at the edges of his memory.
—
Before his life as an overworked career that he didn't want to mention, Lu Tzang had been an avid reader of web novels.
One of his all-time favorites was a famous cultivation epic called Immortal Swords Z.
The story followed an Asura sent to a human realm to enslave its inhabitants, only to lose his memory, bond with humans, and ultimately rise as a savior.
The protagonist was a powerhouse, an unstoppable force who also happened to collect a harem of devoted female companions along the way.
Lu Tzang loved it at first.
The intense battles, the sprawling world-building, and the protagonist's rise to glory were captivating.
However, there was one glaring flaw—one that had made him drop the series entirely.
A certain side character.
The name resurfaced like an unwelcome ghost.
Lu Tzang.
Yes, it had been his name.
No—accurately more like his name.
They have the same name.
A ridiculous coincidence, but a name that he would never forget.
The Lu Tzang in the novel was the comic relief—an unlucky friend of the harem protagonist.
While the main character basked in glory and affection, Lu Tzang could only watch from the sidelines, perpetually jealous and overlooked.
He was the punchline to every joke, a symbol of failure and mediocrity.
And the worst part?
Lu Tzang in the story had fallen in love with a girl—the step-sister of the Asura Main Character.
A kind, beautiful young woman who was also the teacher's favorite student.
She also didn't even notice or care about Lu Tzang's feelings.
Instead, she was hopelessly in love with the teacher of the main character, who barely acknowledged her.
It was a train wreck of humiliation, and Lu Tzang—the real Lu Tzang—had been so frustrated with the character's treatment that he quit reading altogether.
—
Now, here he was, staring at a screen that told him he was THAT Lu Tzang.
"No. No way," he muttered, taking a step back as if the glowing screen might suck him in.
But as much as he wanted to deny it, the details were undeniable.
This wasn't just a strange coincidence.
Why?
Because of the word rejected, Lu Family and Lu Tzang name.
In the novel, the "rejected ones" referred to offspring who were a disappointment to the clan—usually those with low-level talent.
Once an offspring was deemed a disappointment, they would be sent to a random mortal human city, a place where only a few weak cultivators resided.
They were left to fend for themselves—whether they died naturally or were killed, it didn't matter.
The clan simply didn't care.
They were rejects, insignificant and unworthy of attention.
That was Lu Tzang.
He was one of the rejected offspring, but after meeting the main character and becoming his friend, Lu Tzang rose through the ranks of the clan and eventually became their hero and helper.
This made him indebted to the main character and marked the beginning of his journey as the comedic relief.
So now, naturally, Lu Tzang couldn't take his eyes off the word REJECTED.
He is worried that he had somehow become really THAT Lu Tzang, the side character doomed to be a laughingstock in a world ruled by cultivation hierarchies and overpowered protagonists.
"Is this some kind of cosmic joke?" he asked aloud, his voice rising with frustration.
"I bust my ass on Earth, finally get enough money to retire, hoping that I could live a life after, and then this? I get isekai'd into a trash-tier role in someone else's story?!"
His outburst echoed through the forest, startling a few birds into flight.
Ding!
The system's chime snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts again.
The glowing screen shifted, the text rearranging itself into a new format.
—
Cultivation: Mortal Essence Allocation
Realm: Phase Five, Late Stage.
Mortal Essence Points: 40.
Strength (STR): 55/60.
Speed (SPD): 57/60.
Agility (AGI): 59/60.
Endurance (END): 50/60.
Spirit (SPR): 55/60.
To elevate to Phase Six, Initial Stage, the host must take a chance to break through.
Would the host like to take a chance? (0/30)