by Imperfection
The Demonic Path, The Primordial Saint Sect.
A boundless sea of clouds churned and roiled with the fury of a tempest. Mountain peaks of every shape and size rose from the clouds like islands scattered across an endless white ocean. From above, they resembled pieces laid out upon a chessboard.
At the outermost edge of that board stood a mountain noticeably shorter than the rest, its summit sheared clean off as if some great force had sliced away the peak and left behind only a flat plateau. Atop that plateau, flying skiffs came and went, creating a bustling backdrop for the line of newly inducted registered disciples standing in a row.
Lü Yang was one of them.
He had just transmigrated. The moment he opened his eyes, he found himself here, and the residual memories left in this body told him his current situation was far from ideal.
According to the original owner's memories, the Primordial Saint Sect ruled over a kingdom called Chen.
Every three years, the Kingdom of Chen would deliver a batch of registered disciples to the Primordial Saint Sect, and in return, the sect ensured the kingdom enjoyed favorable weather and a stable throne.
At first glance, this sounded like a heaven-sent opportunity, an invitation to join an immortal sect and pursue eternal life.
In reality, however, not a single noble or official from the Kingdom of Chen was willing to come. The ones sent as "blood offerings" were commoners like Lü Yang.
After all, tens of thousands of registered disciples were delivered to the Primordial Saint Sect every three years, yet the number of official disciples never seemed to grow. One registered disciple after another simply vanished without a trace, as though they had been sent not to some sacred cultivation ground, but into a bottomless abyss.
The thought alone was enough to send chills down one's spine.
"No wonder I feel so weak. It's like this body's been hollowed out."
Lü Yang squeezed his own arm. It was nothing but soft flesh, not a single firm spot. That only made him feel worse. He tried to sit up, and a sharp pain stabbed through his chest.
"The original owner was sick too, and this illness is... shit!"
Lü Yang cursed under his breath a few more times. This went well beyond mere weakness. His body was practically on death's door, with maybe only days left to live.
Just as despair washed over him, when he thought his transmigration was about to become a speed run straight to the grave, a tiny point of light appeared before his eyes. It swelled rapidly, expanding at a visible rate until it became a translucent screen.
[Name: Lü Yang]
[Age: 18]
[Cultivation Base: None]
[Talent: None]
[Cultivation Method: None]
[Divine Ability: None]
[Treasures: None]
In that moment, staring at the system interface before him, Lü Yang suddenly felt the urge to cry.
Was it not said that Heaven never sealed off all paths? As long as I want to walk, the road is beneath my feet!
System, give me stat points!
Then Lü Yang's expression went blank.
Because no matter how he searched, up, down, left, right, he simply could not find the plus sign he so desperately wanted next to the stats column. There wasn't even a minus sign.
"Come on, System. Where are my stat points?"
After searching for what felt like an eternity, Lü Yang was forced to accept a devastating truth: the personal panel before his eyes apparently had no point allocation function whatsoever.
In other words, any improvement would have to come through his own effort.
Lü Yang: "..."
Son of a... Before I awakened the system, you wanted me to work hard. Now that I've awakened the system, you still want me to work hard? Then what was the point of awakening this damn thing in the first place?
System, go fuck your-
[Current Book of a Hundred Lives remaining pages: 100]
[Book of a Hundred Lives: Upon death, you may return to the initial point in time and begin a new life.]
[After restarting, you may choose one of the following from your previous life: Treasures, Cultivation Base, or Lifespan. Alternatively, you may forfeit all gains from your previous life and awaken a Talent.]
Father, I apologize.
Lü Yang's excitement surged.
Excitement surged through Lü Yang. A hundred cycles of reincarnation! What an enormous fortune that was! If he used it wisely, it could launch him straight into the heavens!
"Those whose names are called, step forward."
At that moment, a black-robed Daoist appeared before the crowd. He held a register in his hands, a candlestick lantern drifting at his side, and his expression was cold and sinister.
"Prick your finger and let the blood drip into the lifelamp beside me to ignite your life flame. From then on, you will officially be registered disciples of the Primordial Saint Sect."
Not a single person in the crowd looked pleased to hear this.
Everyone who had been sent here had, for the most part, already heard of the Primordial Saint Sect's fearsome reputation. They knew that the title of "registered disciple" was a curse, not a blessing.
The black-robed Daoist paid no mind to the crowd's feelings and simply began calling names.
"Chen Liang."
"Here!"
As the Daoist called the name, a fair-skinned youth beside Lü Yang leapt to his feet and skipped cheerfully over to the Daoist.
The little youth was remarkably handsome. His bright, expressive eyes seemed to speak on their own. Most striking of all was a certain spiritual quality between his brows, the kind even a mortal could sense. His bearing and demeanor spoke of his intelligence. If placed in the mortal world, he would have been a prodigy coveted by every great academy.
Sure enough, even the black-robed Daoist's eyes lit up at the sight.
What a fine natural prodigy!"
"Brother Daoist is too kind," the young boy said, bowing respectfully. Paired with his soft, childish voice, it was impossible not to feel fondness for him.
The black-robed Daoist's grin widened further.
"Excellent, excellent! The Primordial Saint Sect needs talents just like you!"
With that, the Daoist lifted his brush and drew a single stroke across the register, crossing out the name Chen Liang.
Thud!
The next instant, without the slightest warning, the young boy who had been brimming with life only a moment before rolled his eyes back and collapsed face-first to the ground, falling utterly still.
Having done this, the black-robed Daoist gave a casual wave of his hand and issued his orders.
"Send the blood and flesh to the Alchemy Hall. The bones and soul go to the Artifact Refinement Hall. The organs go to the Beast Taming Hall. Let us not waste such excellent talent."
Those few sentences left every registered disciple in the crowd staring in stunned silence.
The black-robed Daoist surveyed their expressions and let out a sinister laugh. "Please, fellow Junior Brothers, don't misunderstand."
"Our Sect has always placed great importance on 'value.' Therefore, the measure of a disciple's worth lies solely in whether they can produce sufficient value for the sect."
"That Junior Brother just now was a natural prodigy with a strong physique. "Only in death could he create the greatest value for the Sect. And so, he died."
"As for all of you, your aptitude is mediocre. You create value for the Sect by staying alive. So naturally, you have nothing to worry about."
"Next."
The black-robed Daoist continued calling out names. The crowd below was stricken with terror, yet no one dared to disobey, fearing they might follow in the young boy's footsteps and have their lives erased from the register.
"Lü Yang."
"Here."
Lü Yang stepped forward, his expression respectful.
The black-robed Daoist's gaze fell first on Lü Yang's handsome, refined features. A flicker of interest crossed his face, but then he examined the young man's physique and bone structure.
Before long, the Daoist shook his head in disappointment.
Clearly, in his estimation, Lü Yang had nothing going for him besides good looks.
"Report to the Joyful Union Hall."
Lü Yang didn't dare ask questions. "Yes," he answered quickly.
When the assignments were finished, Lü Yang received a jade token. It was nearly transparent, with his name carved into its surface, and what appeared to be a sealed flame imprisoned within.
Besides that, he was also given a Cultivation Technique.
The technique was called the Ode to the Supreme Bliss of Yin and Yang, the signature cultivation technique of the Joyful Union Hall. It was said that by cultivating it, one could produce True Qi and step into the Qi Refinement realm.
The old servant leading the way spoke casually as they walked. "The flame inside the token is your life flame. Keep it on you at all times. The Sect's formations, spirit plants, and spirit beasts all recognize the token, not the person. If you forget it one day and die inside the Sect, don't say I didn't warn you."
Before long, the group arrived before a grand hall.
Standing at the entrance was a voluptuous beauty in a long dress, its slit running all the way up to the top of her thigh. Every glance she cast was an invitation, every turn of her head dripping with charm.
Gulp.
Lü Yang distinctly heard someone beside him swallow hard.
Seeing the crowd's eyes on her, the beauty showed not the slightest shyness. Instead, she covered her mouth with a soft laugh and, with a delicate flick of her hand, lifted the side of her dress at the waist.
Beneath the fabric hung a jade token.
The name on it read: Yu Suzhen.
"This is the Joyful Union Hall. I am Yu Suzhen, and I suppose that makes me your senior sister."
The next moment, Lü Yang noticed the woman's eyes brighten as her gaze settled squarely on him, direct and completely undisguised.
"A Junior Brother this handsome must certainly be a disciple of my Joyful Union Hall."
Yu Suzhen let out a light laugh, then swayed forward on her serpentine waist, her skirts swishing with each step, until she stood right before Lü Yang. The view was dizzying.
"I see you've got the looks. Come with me, I'll introduce you to how things work in the Joyful Union Hall."
Lü Yang hastily cupped his fists. "Thank you, Senior Sister Yu."
"No need to be so formal."
Yu Suzhen shot him a coquettish look, then turned around, swaying her hips as she walked. The sight sent the blood rushing in every onlooker nearby.
Lü Yang didn't dare let his eyes linger. He followed in silence.
"Disciples of the Saint Sect are divided into inner and outer. The outer sect has four halls: Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Beast Taming, and Dual Cultivation. That's where registered disciples like you end up."
"Only by passing the trials of your outer hall can you enter the Inner Sect, receive true teachings, and become an official disciple."
"You're lucky you were placed in our Joyful Union Hall. You won't have to suffer the way they do in the other three halls. After all, our trial is much more... relaxed."
At this, Yu Suzhen suddenly leaned in close to Lü Yang.
"Want to know what it is?"
In the next instant, Lü Yang felt a warm breath brush against the base of his ear. A sweet fragrance curled into his nose. Turning his head, he found her exquisitely beautiful face only inches from his own.
"Please enlighten me, Senior Sister." Lü Yang raised his head.
"That would be dual cultivation."
The words dripped into his ear like a lover's whisper.
Lü Yang drew in a sharp breath.