The golden screen flickered softly before Zhang Wei's eyes, runes glowing with mystical brilliance.
"System," Zhang Wei said, raising an eyebrow. "Now that you're merging the bloodlines... by the way, on which cultivation stage am I right now?"
Ding!"Host is currently on the First Realm of Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage- Level 25."
Zhang Wei nearly tripped on his own spiritual roots.
"Wait, Level 25 in Qi Refining?! How's that even!? Isn't the maximum supposed to be like… 9 rounds of refinement? Maybe 10 for people with divine destinies?"
"Affirmative. The average cultivator refines their qi 3 to 9 times before breaking through. Supreme talents may do it 10 times."
"However, Host, your path… is not average."
Zhang Wei's mouth twitched. "...That's usually a good thing, right?"
"Negative. Host must refine qi 100,000 times to complete Qi Refining Stage."
"…Come again?"
"100,000 times. You heard me correctly."
Zhang Wei froze like someone had unplugged his brain's Wi-Fi.
"I HAVE TO DO WHAT NOW?! Bro, I'm not cultivating, I'm grinding like it's a mobile gacha game!"
"That is because your hidden bloodline requires over 10,000 unique bloodlines to awaken. The laws that govern your cultivation are vastly different from mortals. If others need 1 point of effort to become Immortal, you will need 100,000."
Zhang Wei stood there, eyes dead, soul floating, the wind gently brushing his cheeks like a cruel cosmic joke.
"System, are you sure I'm not just the comic relief of someone else's story?"
"Incorrect. You are the protagonist. Just... a very unlucky one."
Zhang Wei sighed and plopped down on the bed.
"Wait, how the hell did I even reach level 25 already?"
"Host, when you consumed the Divine Bloodline Pill from the 'Journey to the West' , the explosive energy was enough to raise a mortal to peak Golden Core."
"Due to your unique cultivation framework, it instead propelled you to Qi Refining Level 25. In terms of combat power, you now equal an initial stage Golden Core cultivator. Congratulations."
Zhang Wei's eyes lit up. "Ohhh! So I'm weak in cultivation stage, but strong in actual power?"
"Exactly. You are what modern cultivators call: 'a walking contradiction.'"
Zhang Wei grinned. "Alright then, System. Clean this room up while I go take a bath. And no creepy recordings this time!"
"…Noted."
"All bathroom surveillance will be… paused."
Zhang Wei raised a brow. "Paused?"
"…For privacy. Mostly. Definitely."
"Pervert System."
After a Long, Steamy Bath...
Zhang Wei walked out, towel over his head, refreshed and glowing like a steamed dumpling. "Alright! Let's test out my new powers!"
He dashed out of the house into a nearby open park trail.
"Let's see how fast I can run now!"
His body leaned forward.
WHOOSH!!
Zhang Wei blurred past the trees, winds howling in his ears. The ground beneath him shook with every step.
He glanced at the panel projected beside his eye.
[Speed: 20 km/second]
Zhang Wei screamed, "IS THIS FLASH?! NO, I'M A DAMN HYPER SONIC BULLET!"
He skidded to a stop.
"Push-ups time!"
He dropped down and started pumping out push-ups like his life depended on it.
From a passerby's perspective, he was slowly doing one push-up every thirty seconds, calm and meditative.
In reality
[Push-Ups: 300 done in 2.1 seconds]
Then pull-ups.
[Pull-Ups: 240 in 1.5 seconds]
Zhang Wei looked at his trembling hands and laughed.
"Haha! This strength… this speed… bro, I went from a sickly high school loser to a cultivation-themed anime protagonist overnight!"
"Let's test my punch!"
He swung his fist toward a large pine tree nearby.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire trunk exploded into fragments.
THUNK!
"Eh?" Zhang Wei blinked.
A long branch flew like a missile and slammed....
PAK!
.....right into the head of a girl walking nearby, knocking her cleanly to the ground.
"Aaaah! My hair!! My dress!! My dignity!!" she cried out, falling onto her butt.
Zhang Wei ran over, horrified.
"Miss! Are you alright? I'm so sorry! I was just testing my strength!"
The girl sat on the ground, dust on her skirt, her big watery eyes glaring up at him like a tigress about to pounce. Her features were stunning skin like snow, lips like cherries, figure elegant and sharp. She was beautiful enough to make the heavens jealous.
This… was Mu Shiyu.
Behind her stood a hunched old man with white hair and bright, knowing eyes. Zhang Wei didn't notice him at first.
Mu Shiyu pointed dramatically at Zhang Wei.
"You! You barbarian! How dare you let a tree assault me?! Kneel and beg for forgiveness!"
Zhang Wei's brow twitched.
"Miss, with all due respect, I've already apologized. It wasn't intentional. And you literally walked into my training range."
"You dare talk back?! You've bruised my dignity!"
"It's still intact. I swear."
The old man beside her chuckled lightly.
Mu Shiyu huffed and turned away dramatically, arms crossed.
The old man took a step forward and smiled. "Young man… my granddaughter is spoiled, forgive her. She's rarely ever told 'no.' Let me offer an apology on her behalf."
Zhang Wei was surprised.
"Oh, sir. No need for that. It really was an accident."
The old man nodded, his eyes observing Zhang Wei like a hawk. "You have a well-tempered body. The strength of an external martial artist."
Zhang Wei chuckled. "Hehe… just started exercising recently, Old Man."
They both smiled and exchanged nods.
Mu Shiyu glared at Zhang Wei again. "Hmph! Just wait, you're not getting away with this so easily."
Zhang Wei rolled his eyes as they walked away.
While they were going, his smile faded and he activated his All-Seeing Eyes.
The golden iris flickered to life, scanning the old man from the back.
Zhang Wei's expression froze.
"System," he whispered, voice barely audible, "Is this what it is?"
"Yes, Host. It is."