Bang!
Truck-kun strikes again. The screeching of tires, the terrified cry of a child, and the blinding headlights were the last things our mc saw as he dove onto the road.
His body collided with the truck, sending him flying. As the world faded to black, the child's tearful face was the final image imprinted in his mind. He had died a hero.
"Where am I?" he muttered, waking up what felt like a breath later. Instead of the expected afterlife, he found himself lying on a straw mattress in a modest wooden house.
His body ached, his limbs felt unfamiliar, and his last memory was of his heroic demise. He pushed himself up from the bed, only for a sharp, piercing pain to explode in his head.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, clutching his skull as if it might burst open. A torrent of foreign memories, emotions, and sensations flooded his mind.
Faces he didn't recognize, places he'd never seen, and knowledge he couldn't comprehend were forcefully crammed into his consciousness.
Time became meaningless as he endured what felt like an eternity of agony.
When the pain finally subsided, his breaths came in ragged gasps. Sweat drenched his face, and his body trembled. Slowly, he opened his eyes, the clarity of his new reality dawning on him.
"What?! Have I really transmigrated into a xianxia world?" The disbelief in his voice was palpable as he tried to make sense of the fragmented memories now swirling in his mind.
It became clear that he had taken over the body of an outer disciple of the Stone Mountain Sect.
This body's previous owner had died recklessly while attempting to brute-force his way into the 6th stage of the Body Refinement Realm—a desperate gambit that ended in failure.
His motivation?
The looming threat of expulsion from the sect if he failed in the upcoming Outer Disciples' Competition.
"Ah… I can't entirely blame him," our mc muttered, shaking his head. He could feel the despair that had consumed the former owner.
This young man, once filled with hope, had spent ten long years in the sect, only to be left behind by his peers who had advanced to the Inner Court.
At 25, he was considered a failure, stuck at the 5th stage of the Body Refinement Realm.
"What a poor guy. May you rest in peace," he said softly, a hint of melancholy in his tone. He offered a silent prayer for the soul whose body he now occupied.
Reflecting on his past life, our mc found solace in the knowledge that he had no regrets. He had lived a long and fulfilling life, reaching the age of 100. On his last day, he had saved a child—a worthy final act.
But now, here he was, given a second chance in a world of cultivation, martial arts, and untold dangers. As he sat on the bed, he clenched his fists, determination sparking in his eyes.
"A new chapter… a new life," he murmured, his voice steady. "I may have started at the bottom, but this time, I'll carve my own path to greatness."
"So, where's my cheat?" our MC said aloud, staring at the ceiling of his small, unfamiliar room.
He remembered when he was younger, reading countless xianxia novels where the protagonists always had some cheat or special ability that allowed them to rise to the top, to conquer the impossible, to defy the heavens.
It had always seemed so clear. Of course, the moment a person was reincarnated, they were granted a cheat—some sort of extraordinary power or ability that made them special in a world of cultivators.
"System, are you there?" he called again, his voice more insistent now, the anxiety of uncertainty creeping in.
He wasn't sure if it was the world or just his mind playing tricks on him, but there had to be something. After all, this was supposed to be a rebirth, wasn't it?
Ding!
The sudden chime echoed in his mind, and he sat up in shock. A wave of energy pulsed through his head, and a calm, soothing female voice spoke from within his consciousness.
"Congratulations, host! You have been granted a new life. Your boundless good deeds in your previous life have earned you the favor of the multiverse, granting you the opportunity to start again, this time with great boons."
Our MC felt a surge of excitement mixed with a touch of confusion. Boundless good deeds? He hadn't exactly done anything spectacular in his past life, had he?
Sure, he'd been a decent person, but heroically saving a child from a truck wasn't exactly world-shattering. But then, the voice continued, almost as if reading his thoughts.
"Please select from the three gifts."
Ding.
A soft glow illuminated the inside of his mind, and the system displayed three options before him, each more tempting than the last. His heart raced in anticipation.
This was it—his moment of choice. His very own cheat.
1. Void Sanctuary – A personal, hidden dimension accessible solely by the user. This pocket space exists beyond the boundaries of the physical and spiritual realms, rendering it utterly undetectable to any being. Not even true immortals, with their vast powers and knowledge, can breach or perceive its existence. The Void Sanctuary serves as the ultimate refuge, ensuring the user's safety and privacy under any circumstances.
2. Sovereign Marionette – A forbidden and exalted technique that grants the practitioner unparalleled dominion over the dead. With this art, the user can control any corpse, reviving it with the full strength, skills, and memories of its former life. This ability allows the user to manipulate the dead as though they were living, with no loss of power or control.
3. Soul Dominion – The user can completely dominate the mind of any living being, controlling their thoughts, emotions, actions, and even memories with absolute authority. This control is unbreakable, and no mental defense can resist it. Even true immortals, with their advanced resilience, are vulnerable to this power.
Our MC rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he gazed at the three options. He wasn't the type to rush into decisions—after all, choosing his path now could shape the rest of his life.
These were no ordinary gifts. They were powerful beyond measure, each one offering a different kind of advantage.
Void Sanctuary promised him a place of absolute refuge, somewhere he could hide away from the world. A place where no one could harm him.
Sovereign Marionette offered him control over life and death itself. He could command armies of the dead, turning the fallen into tools of his will.
But then there was Soul Dominion—control over the minds of others, forcing them to bend to his every whim, even immortals with powers beyond belief.
A wicked grin spread across his face as he muttered under his breath,
"Yes! I knew it! A transmigration is certainly not complete without a cheat in hand! Hehehe!"
He leaned back against the soft cushions of his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Which one should I choose?
The decision was weighing heavily on him, but in the end, it wasn't just about the power each gift promised. It was about the kind of life he wanted to lead.
After a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath and made his choice. He knew what he had to do. He reached out with his mind, fingers poised to select, and muttered, "I choose…"