Chapter One: Transmigrated to the Cultivation World, Bound to the Bandit System

Liao Chen, a native of Blue Star, male, twenty-three years old, had just graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree. He had sent out ninety-nine resumes, but a month had passed and all of them had vanished into the void—he was so broke he couldn’t afford even a packet of instant noodles. On his way home, a sudden storm erupted, thunder and lightning crashing overhead. He ran desperately down the main road, and at that moment a bolt of lightning struck him. Instantly, he collapsed, unconscious.

When his awareness returned, he found himself in an unfamiliar place. Towering trees surrounded him, the air thick with spiritual energy. He drew a deep breath, savoring the sweet fragrance that filled the air.

“Where am I? I remember being struck by lightning on my way home, and then everything went blank,” he murmured to himself, confusion clouding his mind. Yet his stomach rumbled, grounding his wandering thoughts in the reality of hunger.

“Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have acquired the Bandit System. As long as you kill enemies, you will gain cultivation. Since you are a newcomer, you may receive a Beginner’s Gift Pack. Would you like to open it?” Suddenly, a voice echoed in Liao Chen’s mind.

His confusion deepened. What was this Bandit System? Had he crossed into another world? He shouted at the empty air, “Who are you? Show yourself!”

At that moment, only visible to Liao Chen, the system manifested as a little girl, startling him greatly.

“Congratulations, Host, on receiving the Beginner’s Gift Pack. Would you like to open it?” the little girl asked again.

Rather than responding directly, Liao Chen changed the topic, asking, “Are you the Bandit System? Where am I? Why am I here?”

The system replied, “This is the Qianyuan Continent, in the Ten Deadliest Life Zones, specifically the Myriad Demon Mountain Range. You were struck by lightning, and it was I who saved you and brought you here. From now on, you must defeat all enemies who threaten you to grow stronger. Depending on the cultivation level of the enemies you kill, you will earn varying amounts of experience, which can be exchanged for cultivation, techniques, weapons, pills, and more.”

“Additionally, this land is rife with fierce beasts. Please strengthen your cultivation quickly, or you will face mortal danger. For your survival, I urge you to enhance your strength as soon as possible. Would you like to open the Beginner’s Gift Pack?”

Before Liao Chen could answer, a tiger’s roar suddenly shattered the silence, sending chills down his spine. He bolted, cursing his parents for not giving him more legs.

A massive, striped white tiger had emerged from its den in search of food, and had stumbled upon a mere mortal. Its heart swelled with joy, and it began to stalk Liao Chen. Yet, in the end, Liao Chen spotted it.

The tiger, seeing its prey fleeing, gave immediate chase. Cold sweat drenched Liao Chen as he fled for his life, the tiger closing in relentlessly—he could only wish for more legs to carry him faster.

The system’s voice rang out again: “Host, your life is in imminent danger. I strongly advise opening the Beginner’s Gift Pack. Will you accept?”

Liao Chen had no room for hesitation. “Open the Beginner’s Gift Pack!” he cried.

“Beginner’s Gift Pack opened. Congratulations, Host, you have acquired the Five Elements Cultivation Body, attained the first stage of Divine Ability Realm, received ten Celestial Spirit Pills, one hundred Foundation Building Pills, a set of Hundred-Refinement Battle Garments, and a storage ring. All items are placed in the storage ring. You may retrieve them as needed,” the system announced.

As soon as the words faded, Liao Chen’s body was infused with powerful spiritual energy, instantly elevating his cultivation to the first stage of the Divine Ability Realm.

Power surged through him, and a terrifying spiritual pressure radiated outward. The tiger, sensing this sudden force, halted its pursuit, trembling in fear.

Turning to face the beast, Liao Chen stopped running and shouted confidently, “Come on, why have you stopped chasing me?”

The tiger quaked with terror, unable to comprehend how its quarry had suddenly become so formidable. Instinct told it that if it didn’t flee now, death was certain. Without hesitation, it spun around and ran.

Watching the tiger retreat, Liao Chen did not pursue. He calmed himself, his stomach growling—reminding him that he must solve the problem of food or face starvation.

Of course, this was merely an illusion. With his new cultivation, even a year without food or drink wouldn’t harm him. But as a mortal newly arrived in this world, he had yet to adapt to his elevated abilities.

“System, how can I obtain food?”

Unable to think of any other solution, Liao Chen asked the Bandit System. The system, assuming he simply wished to satisfy his hunger, replied:

“Host, since you have not yet slain any enemies, the only way to acquire food is to rely on your own strength to hunt animals or pick wild fruit from the trees ahead.”

Resigned, Liao Chen followed the system’s advice and went in search of wild fruit. Soon, he discovered a wild apple tree towering over twenty meters high. Picking fruit from such a height was no easy task, but as he pondered how to climb, he slapped the trunk lightly. The tree shuddered, and dozens—perhaps hundreds—of large apples tumbled to the ground.

Stunned, Liao Chen stared. He had not expected that a casual slap could have such power. Had he known his strength, he would never have worried about hunger.

He picked up an apple at random and began to eat, chewing hungrily. With one apple down, he felt less famished.

He then examined the storage ring on his right index finger.

“So this is the legendary storage ring! Why does it look so different from those in fantasy novels?” he muttered. The ring was like any ordinary diamond ring—a simple wedding band on Blue Star.

“System, how do I retrieve items from the ring?” he asked, curious.

The system replied, “Host, simply focus your spiritual sense into the ring and silently name the item you wish to retrieve. It will appear.”

“System, don’t I need to drip blood to claim ownership?”

“This ring is a gift from the system; that’s unnecessary.”

“System, what is my current strength?”

“Host, you are now of mid-tier power in this small world. If you continue to slay enemies, your cultivation will rise and your strength will grow.”

“System, how are cultivation realms divided in this world?”

“Host, cultivation here is divided into ten major realms: Qi Refining, Sea of Qi, Origin Pill, Celestial Spirit, Divine Ability, Mystic King, Royal Extreme, Saint, Great Saint, and Emperor. Each major realm is further divided into ten minor stages.”

...

Through his conversation with the system, Liao Chen finally grasped the basic knowledge of this small world. Yet a new difficulty arose: though he possessed cultivation, he lacked techniques—he had no idea how to further his strength. He asked the system again, but it merely rolled its eyes and vanished, leaving Liao Chen to adapt to this world on his own.