On the streets of an unnamed city, an office worker was walking in the evening light.
Bai Yu, the office worker thought to himself about how 'productive' he was at work that day, reading novels instead of working.
'Heh', Bai Yu thought to himself, he was basically scamming them with how much work he had gotten done compared to his pay check.
Mindlessly scrolling on his phone through social media, he misstepped.
Trying to move his body away from the incoming concrete, he realized that he couldn't control his body!
His eyes widened and a satisfying crack echoed through the streets, that were somehow empty.
Now bleeding out from his head, his brain was extremely disoriented, seeing blue flashing lights on some panels in his vision.
[Welcome to a Ghost Instance!]
[Dont worry became I, the system is here to help!]
[Host… what are you doing…]
[Host! Get up!]
[Host!!!]
With that his life in that world, just a short 24 years came to and end early.
…
…
"Huh?"
"What is this?"
Bai Yu floated through space, galaxies passing in a few seconds.
"I… am dead? Is this the afterlife?" Slowly, he saw the direction he was being pulled in.
"What is that?" Still not fully conscious, Bai Yu's soul couldn't perceive the object in his vision.
In an instant Bai Yu was right in front of the object… no… it was more accurate to call it a world, or two?
Then, his vision was forcibly cut.
When he awoke, he was already floating towards a hospital building, though his consciousness was still hazy.
In the next moment, he felt touch for the first time in a long while.
"Congratulations Mrs. Bai! It's a healthy boy!" A voice shouted from above him.
"What would you like to name him, dear?" A deep, masculine voice sounded from another angle.
"Born in the 8th month of the 680th year, on the 8th day, he should be named Yu. His name will be Bai Yu." A soft, weak voice rang out above him, bringing out an instinct to protect.
After a few seconds, Bai Yu had fully regained consciousness, exclaiming in his mind, 'Have I transmigrated?'
Stunned, he tried to open his eyes, feeling them tightly shut. Struggling for a few moments, he finally got them open, looking up.
There he saw his new parents faces for the first time in this life.
His new father, a tall, refined gentleman, looking to be in his late 20s.
His new mother, looking sickly from childbirth held a soft smile looking at him directly, though her beauty unrestrained.
Looking further up, he realized! This wasn't an ordinary world! He saw glowing white specks hovering around the room.
Instinctively, he felt drawn to these specks, and willed them into his body. And the specks responded!
Feeling the influx of energy in his body, he felt overwhelmed and his mind going hazy.
He saw his parents expressions go from kind to being in great shock.
During that instant, he saw an indescribable figure.
Bai Yu shouted, "The Moon!" before directly becoming unconscious.
…
After the baby had become unconscious, the Qi in the room stopped flowing to him.
"Honey… is our Little Yu blessed by the moon?" The woman still sitting in shock on the bed said to her husband.
The doctors still cluttering about, trying to stick to procedures making noise in the background.
"We should check his talent…" The gentleman said exasperated. "No matter how strong the talent, entering cultivation just after birth is too outrageous…"
…
In the year 695. A delicate youth sitting in a lotus position atop a snowy mountain, eyes closed in deep meditation.
Their long silver hair flowing like silk, though, no frost cling to their figure despite the temperature.
Slowly, the youths eyes opened uncovering beautiful light blue eyes reminiscent of ice. His gaze unreadable, as he turned to face the glowing sunrise.
'In the 15th year after my transmigration', "I! Bai Yu! Have formed my golden core!" Bai Yu's voice echoed through the mountain range, across the silent peaks.
The wind howled in response.
He raised his hand, Sword Qi forming on his fingers. He swung downwards, parting the clouds.
"This is the power of just an early Core Formation expert?" His eyes widened sightly before regaining his earlier calmness.
He dispelled his Sword Qi and lightly kicked his foot against the mountain, soaring into the sky before falling into the gap in the clouds, descending the mountain.
In the 15 years since his transmigration he hasn't been slacking off.
After his birth he was found to have an Extreme Yin Physique, a top tier physique that guaranteed ascension!
However, for Bai Yu, it was a curse. The Extreme Physique had drained him of his life force, signing him to die before 30.
Bai Yu had to cultivate like a madman to ascend before that deadline. However with his current pace, it seemed feasible.
Starting at Qi Sensing, he broke through to Qi Refining at just 6 years old, and following that, Foundation Establishement at 10.
Now with only 2 realms separating him and the upper world, he felt vastly more comfortable. He could break through to Nascent Soul before graduating university, and the rest of the time before thirty to work towards becoming a Heavenly Being.
Not only this, but his eyes have been special since his birth! Having been able to perceive Qi even without cultivation, he had immense sensory ability.
Even though he didn't have a system the usual transmigrator obtains, his talents more than make up for it.
After falling from the mountain, he lightly stepped down the on ground beneath him, stopping his momentum.
He made his way to the Bai family estate, where his very own villa awaited him.
Truthfully, after reaching Core Formation, he could apply as an outer elder and obtain greater land, but with his time limit, he couldn't afford to do so.
As Bai Yu crossed into the threshold of the estate, he glanced at the disciples being taught by a Core Formation elder.
As his gaze retreated, he heard a voice call out to him in his mind.
'The Ancestor requests your presence.'
Sighing, he made his way to the Pagoda at the center of the estate.
"Greetings Young Master Yu!" The two disciples at the Qi Refining stage called out to him.
They were called disciples, but they were actually already in their 40s. However this was the talent of an average person, entering the world of cultivation at 11, and obtaining Qi Refinement at 30.
Bai Yu was truly the anomaly here, crowned with the title Ice Prince, from his generation, reaching Core Formation in 15 years, which takes others till after 70.
Silently, he opened the double doors and slid into the towering Pagoda of blue ice and white jade.
Reaching the residence of the ancestor, he gave a respectful kneel in front of the doors, "Junior Bai Yu greets the Honorable Ancestor."
The doors slowly creak open revealing a large open room, caused by space transformation.
On the other end of the room sat a figure, resting on a throne of deep blue ice.
His silvery gray hair cut short, and his neat beard reaching his lap.
His eyes opened. His eyes carrying the weight of a hundred winters.
"Bai Yu", an aged voice resounded in through the hall, irrespective of distance.
"You have done well, reaching Core Formation at such a young age."
"This junior only dares strive because time doesn't favor him."
A cold smile etches itself on the Ancestors lips, "Time… time… your physique grants immense talent, but at a cost. That is too bad, my own time is running out, I have lived for almost 200 years, and enlightenment to reach the status of a Heavenly Being hasn't taken upon me. I plan on taking a successor to lead the clan in the future, but knowing that you will be gone soon after me is not reassuring for the clans safety."
The Ancestor says with a solemn tone.
"This junior doesn't intend to die, Honored Ancestor! I will carve out my path to heaven before I do! At that time, I will ascend to the upper realms." Bai Yu said with conviction, his expression unwavering.
"If that is the case, I don't doubt your ability to do so, but I have insight into ascension." The Ancestor replied after a few seconds.
"This junior humbly accepts your help."
"In order to undergo ascension, one must first attain the status of a Heavenly Being, or receive help from one. Secondly, they must travel to ascension path, whose location is obscured by the stars. And finally wait until the auspicious time when it opens."
"And the next time it opens, is the year 704, a singular lunar cycle when the barrier between realms is at its weakest. 9 years in the future. This marks the 8th time it opens, happening every 88 years."
Bai Yu's face contorted for an instant before regaining its original coldness.
"This junior thanks the Honorable Ancestor for advice."
Bai Yu stood up from his kneeling position and left. His eyes containing a deep and pensive expression.
Returning to his manor in the inner circle of the estate, he stepped into his room, coldly ignoring his servants who were used to his personality.
'This…'
Bai Yu looked up at the roof feeling sick.
'My cultivation is the fastest that I know of. I am unrivaled under heaven! Yet, that is not enough.'
'At best I can reach Nascent Soul by 20, and then I have to become a Heavenly Being in the next 4 years… even for me, renouned across the continent for having once in a millennium talent is too outrageous.'
Time passed as day transitioned to night and Bai Yu went in his balcony.
He reminisced about his life. Lives. Originally he was just an office worker, feeling unfulfilled and always aiming higher, but in his new life, he worked tirelessly for 15 years and was now indirectly told that he was inevitably going to fail.
With an indescribable expression on his face, bordering sadness, he lied there for hours.
Until he got up.
'If I want to ascend… no. If I want to live. I cannot idley cultivate. I must seek out opportunities, maybe from previous Heavenly Beings.'
'I must live!'
'I must reach the status of a Heavenly Being in 9 years!'