Li Chen stared at the glowing blue interface. After thirty lifetimes of being a cosmic punching bag, he wasn't going to let a single mosquito or a stray Buddha palm ruin his 31st run.
[Ding! Bloodline Selection Protocol Initiated.]
[Scanning Host's 30 previous ancestral lineages... Top 3 Options identified:]
The Gu Family Bloodline: Derived from Life #7. As the youngest son of the Gu Clan—a top-tier power in the Upper Realms—you were born an elite with high-grade spiritual roots. (System Note: You died because your first and second brothers plotted against you, poisoning your cultivation tea out of jealousy.)
The Demon God Bloodline: Derived from Life #22. A descendant of an Ancient Demon God, you possessed unimaginable power. You could devour any energy and grew stronger the more you fought. (System Note: You possessed the peak talent of the Demon Clan, but you died because Buddha used his 'Massive Nirvana Palm' to seal and crush you, simply because he mistakenly thought you were the secret child of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong.)
The Chaos Void Serpent Bloodline: Derived from Life #11. Grants the ability to slip through space and become invisible to Heavenly Detection. (System Note: You died because you accidentally phased into a solid mountain and got stuck for eternity.)
Li Chen's face twitched as he read the descriptions. "The Gu Family? Hah! I'm done with 'family' plotting against me. And the Demon God Bloodline... I remember that giant golden palm coming from the clouds. I tried to explain I wasn't a monkey, but the Buddha didn't listen!"
He took a deep breath, his crimson eyes locking onto the Demon God Bloodline. Despite the "Monkey King" misunderstanding, the power to devour everything was exactly what he needed to fuel his True Dragon Physique.
[Selection Confirmed: Integrating Demon God Bloodline...]
[Warning: Combining 'True Dragon' and 'Demon God' lineages creates a 'Taboo Foundation'. The Heavens will likely try to strike you with lightning out of pure spite.]
"Fuck!" Li Chen's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "System! Why didn't you tell me that before I clicked?! Are you trying to kill me for the 31st time? I just got this body, and you've already put a target on my back for the Heavens!"
Before he could continue his rant, the fusion hit him. The black demonic runes burned into his skin like branding irons, weaving through his dragon-toned muscles. A primal, ravenous hunger clawed at his gut—a void that didn't want bread or meat, but raw Energy.
After several minutes of his cells screaming in a mixture of draconic power and demonic hunger, the glow finally faded. The scales receded, the runes sank beneath his skin, and his body returned to looking like a normal, albeit very fit, human male.
[Ding! Integration Stable. Host's 'Taboo' nature is currently hidden by your mortal shell.]
"H-hidden?" Li Chen panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "So I'm safe?"
[System Reply: For now. However, Host should be extremely careful when breaking through to higher realms. Because of your 'Taboo' foundation, the Heavens will view your existence as an error and will attempt to strike you down with 10x more power than a normal Tribulation.]
Li Chen stood there, speechless. His jaw practically hit the floor.
"So... not only do I have to look out for poisoned tea, mecha-Godzillas, and backstabbing disciples," he whispered, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief, "but now the Sky itself is officially my enemy? I have to worry about being struck by lightning just for getting stronger?"
He looked up at the ceiling as if he could see the clouds gathering already. "Thirty lives of bad luck, and in the thirty-first, I've managed to piss off the heaven before even began cultivating.
A sudden realization came to mind.
"Wait... what am I worrying for?" Li Chen suddenly paused, his eyes brightening. "I have the True Dragon Physique! It's indestructible! If the Heavens want to throw lightning at me, I'll just open my mouth and drink it like a cold soft drink!"
He pumped his fist into the air, his fear turning into a cocky grin.
"System! Stop trying to scare me! I'm ready for the next one. Open the Innate Talent Selection! I want to see what 'cheat codes' I've picked up over the last thirty lives!"
[Ding! Accessing Innate Talent Archives...]
[Filtering the peak skills and natural gifts from the Host's 30 previous incarnations...]
The screen flickered, displaying a long, glowing list of talents. Li Chen leaned in, his eyes scanning the options like a hungry man at a buffet.
[Please select an Innate Talent:]
Peerless Swordsmanship (Life #30): You were the Sword Saint. Your blade can cut through space, time, and karma itself. (Note: You were invincible until your female disciples stabbed you while you were accending. 'Sword Heart' does not protect against 'Backstabbing'.)
Genius Array Master (Life #14): You can draw complex formations with a single thought. You can trap gods in illusions or turn a mountain into a death trap. (Note: You died because you forgot to draw an 'Exit' in your own ultimate maze and starved to death.)
Alchemist Master (Life #27): Near-flawless control over pill refinement below tier 9. Failures are rare, but never impossible. (Note: This is the talent that led to the 'Exploding Cauldron' incident. High risk, high reward!)
Great King's Aura (Life #3): A passive talent that makes people want to kneel and follow you. Increases your 'Luck' and 'Charisma' stats. (Note: Did not work on the Mecha-Laser Godzilla.)
Dual Cultivation Talent (Life #29): Allows the Host to gain massive amounts of energy through... 'harmonious' interaction with partners. (Note: This is how you got poisoned by your girlfriend. Are you sure you want to try this again?)
[Scroll Down for 25 more options...]
Li Chen's eye twitched at the Dual Cultivation note. "System, are you mocking me? I'm never trusting a 'beauty' again! And the Array Master... I still can't believe I locked myself in my own basement."
He scrolled down, looking for something that would complement his Dragon Physique and his Demon God Bloodline. He needed something that made him truly "Heaven Defying."
"Wait a minute!"
Li Chen's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the interface. He re-read the header, then re-read it again. His heart began to throb against his ribs—not with fear this time, but with a greedy, golden hope.
"System!" he roared, his voice echoing with the authority of his 1% Dragon Strength. "You didn't say 'Select One'! You just said 'Pick Innate Talent from past lives'! Does that mean what I think it means? Am I limited to just one, or are you finally going to pay me back for those thirty miserable funerals?"
He stared at the list: Peerless Swordsmanship, Genius Array Master, Alchemist Master, Great King's Aura... and even that cursed Dual Cultivation talent.
"If I can only pick one, I'm just a specialist. But if I can pick all of them... I'll be a one-man army! I'll be the Sect Master, the Alchemist, the Array Protector, and the Executioner all at once!"
Li Chen grabbed the edge of the blue screen, his crimson eyes glowing.
"Come on, you stingy machine! I died because of a plague, an asteroid, a mecha-Godzilla, an exploding pot, a stabbing girlfriend, and a confused Buddha! Don't tell me I'm still restricted by 'mortal balance' rules! Give me the whole damn list!"
[Ding! Host has detected a 'Logic Loop' in the System Compensation Package...]
[Processing... Calculating total 'Suffering Points' from 30 deaths...]
[Calculation Complete: Host's level of 'Tragic Luck' is off the charts. High-level compensation protocol: 'The Jack of All Trades' has been activated.]
Li Chen held his breath. The "Scroll Down" button vanished, and the entire list began to glow with a blinding, rainbow light.
[New Notification: Host is permitted to merge ALL Peak Innate Talents from his previous 30 lives. You will retain every bit of technical knowledge, muscle memory, and soul-talent you have ever possessed.]
Li Chen's jaw dropped. He didn't just get a cheat code; he got the whole developer's console.
"Everything?" he whispered, a truly terrifying, "Heaven-Defying" grin spreading across his face. "I get it all? The swords, the pills, the arrays... even the 'King's Aura'?"
He looked at the Dual Cultivation talent "Fine. I'll take that too," Li Chen muttered, his face reddening slightly as he tried to justify it to himself. "I might need it... just in case. Strictly for the cultivation speed! If some jade-skinned fairy tries to poison my tea again, I'll just refine the toxins into pure Qi. It's a survival strategy, nothing more!
"[Ding! Integration of 30 Lifetimes of Talent: Commencing!]