The royal library was bigger than some kingdoms.
Shelves rose like towers, each stuffed with scrolls, manuals, and books that smelled of old ink and fragile pride.
As Yue Zihan entered, the candles flickered — not from wind, but from him. Even restrained, his Chaotic Qi bent the air subtly, making the light waver as though uncertain of its loyalty.
He walked to a reading alcove, trailing a finger along a line of dusty titles.
[Environmental Adjustment Active.]
Ambient Qi density: Low.
Intelligence density: Lower.
"Harsh, but accurate," Zihan murmured, brushing off a scroll titled 'Mortal realm power hierarchy . Volume 1'
He unrolled it and raised an eyebrow. "Ah yes, the good old Refinement-Condensation-Foundation-Core-Soul-Heavenly ladder. The classic fantasy starter pack."
The Mortal Hierarchy
He skimmed through.
Body Refinement: strengthen the flesh.
Qi Condensation: gather spiritual energy.
Foundation Establishment: stabilize the core.
Core Formation: form a golden core.
Nascent Soul: birth a soul form.
Spirit Severing: transcend mortality.
Heavenly Ascension: join the heavens.
He snorted. "Seven steps to godhood? Cute."
[Comparison Analysis Requested.]
[Processing…]
Result: Earth's cultivation hierarchy consisted of:
Gym membership → Diet regret → Midlife crisis → Philosophical blog → Occasional yoga → Existential dread → Enlightenment (unconfirmed).
Zihan laughed out loud. "Accurate. The last stage is usually unpaid taxes, though."
He rolled the scroll shut and leaned back, tapping the table thoughtfully. "Still, I have to hand it to them — at least they're trying. People here build their heavens through pain and persistence. Back on Earth, we built ours through caffeine and denial."
[Statistical overlap detected: 72%.]
He moved to another shelf: 'Great Sects of the Mortal Realm.'
There were three dominant forces:
Azure Lotus Sect, known for their balance of body and soul.
Blazing Sun Temple, wielders of divine fire.
Obsidian Hall, specialists in shadow arts and corruption.
Ice lotus sect,wielders of ice.
And beneath them, hundreds of smaller schools and clans — all clawing for scraps of enlightenment.
Zihan smirked. "Ah, politics wrapped in fancy robes. Some things never change."
[Observation:] Host exhibits cynicism similar to Earthly management victims.
"Of course," Zihan replied, scanning another page. "Sects, corporations, religions — different names for the same ladder. Someone always steps on your head to climb higher."
[Historical Correlation: Confirmed.]
Recommendation: Do the stepping first.
He chuckled. "Don't tempt me."
Personal Reflection
As he read deeper, something strange stirred inside him — nostalgia, or maybe irony.
On Earth, he'd once dreamed of escaping the mediocrity of traffic jams, bills, and meaningless goals.
He'd prayed for a world where power meant freedom.
Now he was in that world… and already found it equally ridiculous.
"Maybe the universe has a sense of humor," he muttered.
[Correction:] The universe has you. That's close enough.
He grinned faintly. "Flattery from a System? Careful, you'll make me sentimental."
[Unlikely.]
He found a final tome, older than the rest: 'On the Nature of Primordial Energy.'
Its pages spoke of legends — beings who wielded chaos, time, or void itself.
But every record ended the same way: They vanished.
[Warning:] Mortal archives lack knowledge of Chaotic Qi stabilization beyond the first stage.
Recommendation: Proceed with extreme caution or extreme confidence.
Zihan smiled slowly, closing the book. "Confidence it is."
He stood, the blindfold shifting slightly as he turned toward the window.
Outside, the capital city glowed under the sunset — peaceful, unaware that a walking paradox had returned.
[Status Update:]
Cultivation: Body Forging – Stage 1 (Chaotic Integration 21%)
Mortal Realm Ranking: Below Average.
Potential Threat Level: Undefined.
He chuckled under his breath. "Below average, huh? Let's see how long that lasts."
[Challenge Accepted.]
And with that, Yue Zihan descended the marble stairs, intent on understanding — and eventually rewriting — the very laws that kept mortals weak.