Revenant Immortal

【Host, Su Fan, would you like to integrate the previous memories of the body, Zhao Ye? Y/N】

“Memories, huh?”

Su Fan spoke, holding the wooden cup in a graceful manner.

“Yes.”

【Proceeding to integrate the memories of the body, Zhao Ye, to the host, Su Fan】

【1%...15%...45%....77%....89%...100%】

【The previous memories of this body, Zhao Ye, have been successfully integrated】

【Commencing the virtual reality simulation of the previous owner of the body, Zhao Ye】

The Honorary Disciple Zhao Ye of the Azure Cloud Sect. He was born in the small province of Xia and was an ordinary mortal who wanted to walk the path of immortality.

A mortal farmer named Zhao Chengyuan works in a muddy rice field beneath a blazing sun, his back bent from hard work. Inside a crumbling thatched hut, a mother named Lin Meixiu packs a small cloth bundle with bread and extra clothes. This bundle represents the family's savings, sacrificed to fund their eldest son's journey. The young Zhao Ye stands by the door, leaving home with a promise to lift his family out of poverty.

One day, an immortal visited the lower world and looked for recruits for cultivation. Zhao Ye was eager to join the Immortal Disciple Selection.

A vast stone plaza is packed with tens of thousands of young mortals dressed in worn-out clothes, surrounded by mountains and fast-flowing rivers through rocky canyons.

Once in a century, the immortal of the Azure Cloud Sect came down to the lower world to choose talented individuals to join the sect

However, he failed to pass the entrance exam for the combat test, knowledge test, and most importantly, to test the spiritual root of the cultivator.

During the combat test, Zhao Ye is thrown across the dirt arena by a palm strike, hitting a pillar and coughing up blood. During the knowledge test, his lack of understanding prevents him from solving complex ancient cultivation scripts on a scroll until the timer runs out. Finally, he presses his shaking hand against the cold surface of the crystalline Spiritual Root Testing Jade. He completely failed.

【The virtual simulation returns to the Zhao family hut in Xia province】

Zhao Ye sits on the dirt floor, unable to face his parents due to his failure. The wooden front door opens as an elegant fragrance fills the room.

A female figure steps inside, wearing a purple robe that signifies her status as a high-ranking elder of the Azure Cloud Sect.

【Name: Zi Rui】

【Identity: High-ranking Elder of the Azure Cloud Sect. Appearance: Peerless jade beauty with silver hair and purple eyes】

“I can read the fate of mortals; in yours I see death yet also life, and you have intrigued me.”

On hearing these words, his parents broke down and cried out with pride as they saw a high-ranking immortal accept their son.

Zi Rui's purple eyes narrowed, and her tone turned cold.

“Yet you will always remain an Honorary Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. Are you still willing to accept that position?”

Zhao Ye bowed his head deeply, accepting the position without any hesitation.

【The simulation changes locations, showing the departure from the mortal village】

Zhao Ye boards the immortal vessel of the Azure Cloud Sect alongside the high-ranking elder Zi Rui.

【Name of the vessel: The Green Jade Cloud Boat】

【The virtual simulation identifies the other chosen candidates on board the vessel】

A total of 8 talented disciples are accepted into the outer and inner sections of the sect, consisting of both males and females with high-grade spiritual roots.

Zhao Ye occupies the final position on the deck, designated as the 9th recruit, the only honorary disciple among the group.

The Green Jade Cloud Boat ascends, passing through the massive spatial barrier separating the mortal realm from the immortal realm.

It is known as the Immortal Heaven’s Gate.

【Warning: Attempting to cross the spatial barrier or approach the Immortal Heaven’s Gate without a fortified immortal vessel and the direct guidance of a high-ranking immortal cultivator will result in immediate death.】

Once every hundred years, cultivators from the higher realm descend to the lower world to recruit new disciples. There are exactly seven gates scattered across this world, each directly connecting to one of the seven great empires. The territory of the original body owner is the Empire of Xin. Following ancient traditions established when the immortals first arrived in this world, the Emperor of Xin bows down to the descending immortals, granting them absolute permission to select disciples across the lower world.

【Gate 1: The Heart-Demon Illusion Gate】

Under the special protection of the Green Jade Cloud Boat and Elder Zi Rui's active energy barrier, the selected disciples remain unaffected. However, multiple mortal servants and workers operating the lower mechanisms of the vessel succumb to the intense mental pressure, deliberately jumping off the deck into the void.

【Gate 2: The Blazing Inferno Gate】

The temperature on the deck rises instantly, bringing a suffocating, blinding heat. The burning air becomes too much for a mortal body to handle. Zhao Ye is forced to strip off his upper robes right on the deck to breathe and endure the crushing heat.

【Gate 3: The Nine Serenities Frost Gate】

The air instantly plunges into a freezing expanse, dropping way past freezing until ice coats the entire ship. Frost quickly builds up across the wooden deck, threatening to freeze the blood and bodies of everyone on board into solid ice.

【Gate 4: The Myriad Desolation Beast Gate】

Massive, high-tier demonic entities materialize in the airspace, unleashing powerful destructive attacks against the vessel. Elder Zi Rui steps forward, unleashing her spiritual energy to cleanly execute the powerful beasts while the boat maintains its forward trajectory.

【Gate 5: The Soul-Reaping Rebirth Gate】

It is the gate to the afterlife, filled with dead souls. Several weak-willed mortal passengers are instantly possessed by the wandering dead before the barrier purges the entities.

【Gate 6: The Primal Void Chaos Gate】

It is completely void. You can feel nothing and sense nothing.

The Green Jade Cloud Boat successfully passes the final gate, arriving at the immortal heaven's gate of the Cultivation World.

“Seven gates to heaven, huh? The world of cultivation is vast; I never expected a place like this to exist.” Su Fan said with a calm smile.

【The simulation transitions to the main territory of the Azure Cloud Sect】

It is a place full of wonders. Huge seas float in the sky, and giant islands hang above the clouds like mountains in the air.

.After arriving, Zhao Ye is sent down to the lowest boundary of the Azure Cloud Sect to begin his duties as an Honorary Disciple.

He spends his days earnestly performing heavy manual labor, chopping wood, carrying water, and cooking meals in the kitchen for the immortal masters.

He wears a coarse grey robe and trains every single day the moment his daily work is finished.

To begin his journey, he practices the basic purification technique given by Elder Mo, the very man who would later murder him: The Purity Consuming Body Cleansing Art I.

【System Note: This technique is for honorary disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect. It uses spiritual pressure to slowly cleanse poisons, impurities, and earthly miasma from the body, so they can just barely manipulate Qi.】

【Time Elapsed: 20 Years】

【System Note: Time dilation rules are active between realms. 20 years spent enduring labor in the Cultivation World equals exactly 1 month of elapsed time in the Mortal World. 】

Despite his lack of natural talent, Zhao Ye discovers a hidden heavenly treasure within the mountain peaks after two decades of labor. The artifact accelerates his cultivation speed far beyond normal parameters, allowing him to rapidly break through from Qi Condensation Level 1 to Qi Condensation Level 5.

【Upon successful breakthrough, his physical aging reverses completely, returning his mortal body to young and full of life again.】

Zhao Ye reveals his fateful encounter directly to Elder Mo, hoping to prove his worth. Elder Mo immediately schemes to assassinate him and seize the heavenly treasure. Realizing the murderous scheme, Zhao Ye secretly hides the treasure inside a steep, jagged cliffside, somewhere even an immortal master cannot trace. The simulation visualizes the final meeting between the two inside the elder’s private chambers.

“Why don’t you hand over the heavenly treasure, junior disciple Zhao Ye?!” Elder Mo sneers, his eyes filled with malice. “A piece of trash like you becoming an immortal disgusts me!”

Elder Mo forces him to drink from a porcelain cup containing the lethal Soul-Withering Bone-Corroding Pill. Zhao Ye collapses to the floor, dying an excruciating death as the toxins melt his meridians from the inside out. Despite the intense torture, Zhao Ye refuses to speak. Elder Mo completely fails to locate the hidden heavenly treasure, growing frustrated with the corpse.

“Bury this trash up in the mountain!” Elder Mo orders his subordinates, turning his back on the body. “Make sure no one finds him!”

The subordinates dump the body into a shallow grave, not realizing that Zhao Ye’s lifeforce has not fully faded. In a desperate final struggle, Zhao Ye uses his remaining strength to crawl out from the dirt. With his fresh blood, he writes a final, trembling letter on a piece of torn grey cloth, apologizing to his mortal parents for failing their dreams. With his last breath, his soul is consumed by pure rage. His only regret is that he could not kill Elder Mo, execute his subordinates, and achieve true immortality.

【The virtual reality simulation ends.】

“What the hell… That old snake bastard actually killed him for the treasure. Just how rotten can people get? Don’t worry, Zhao Ye. Since I’m in this body now, I’ll make sure they pay for everything they did to you. I promise.”

【Now, the Host has been given three options to choose from】

【First Option: Continue the legacy of Zhao Ye. Walk the path of immortality and become an Inner Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. Eliminate Sect Elder Mo and plunder all of his treasures】

Mission: Reach Qi Condensation Level 15 or higher, steal the heavenly treasure of Sect Elder Mo, and cultivate your way to the top

Penalty for Failure: You will be killed by Sect Elder Mo and his subordinates. The system will shut down permanently.

Time Limit: 30 days

【Second Option: Abandon the legacy of Zhao Ye. Escape the Azure Cloud Sect and live an ordinary life with his parents and siblings. Warning: In this world of immortals and cultivation, this option is highly not recommended】

Mission: Escape the Azure Cloud Sect and return home to the mortal province of Xia

Penalty for Failure: Death

Time Limit: None

【Third Option: Choose your own path. Walk the path of immortality or remain a mortal. Whatever you choose, your path is entirely determined by your own actions. Whether you live or die is completely up to you.】

Mission: Survive in the Azure Cloud Sect

Penalty for Failure: Death

Time

Limit: None

Su Fan looked at the three options, checking the risks and rewards. The second and third choices gave him zero chance to survive in a ruthless world like this. Only the first option showed a clear path and gave him a way to protect himself.

“I’ll pick the first option. Survival comes first; strength that all matter in this cultivation world. As for the revenge… that can wait until the time is right.”