Entwined Destinies: Ill-Fated Son Encounters Loner Swordsman, Yun Fan

As Yusheng embarked on his journey to the Spirit Swan's Pool lake at the foot of the Yun Mountain, he found himself confronted with the uphill path ahead.

With each step up the mountain, Yusheng couldn't escape the nagging prompts from his Comically Dysfunctional System, especially after his unexpected encounter with a jade beauty from the Yun Clan.

System: Host, are you certain your lonely heart isn't thawing from the warmth of that lady?

"Absolutely not! Firstly, I was taken aback because it's rare for someone to engage with me without any ulterior motive. And secondly, my history of social interactions is as barren as the summit of this mountain," Yusheng responded, drawing from his introverted nature and a lifetime of being shunned due to his misfortune.

System: What about the elders at Changming Village?

"They're the exception because they've embraced me for who I am, unlike most," Yusheng replied with a hint of pride.

System: And your supposed best friend?

"He existed only in the digital realm," Yusheng reminisced, reflecting on his past life.

As he contemplated his newfound role as a traveler, Yusheng felt the weight of his misfortune trailing behind him like a stubborn shadow.

System: Host, I've detected a decline in your mental fortitude and deviation from your maverick character profile. Please recalibrate your settings.

"That's rather impudent of you," Yusheng retorted, shooting a disdainful glare at the translucent hologram.

"And let me remind you, that jade beauty we just encountered is likely destined to cross paths with the chosen one, a paragon of luck akin to some absurd protagonist in a ridiculous plot armor like Aotian. Certainly not someone cursed with misfortune like me," Yusheng exclaimed, frustration bubbling to the surface.

After immersing himself in the Book of Tiandang Memory, he witnessed a cascade of events unfolding, intertwined with the whims of fortune and the celestial aspirations of sons and daughters across the realm.

Even the most obscure characters, the canon fodder, villains, and those fated to villainy, found themselves ascending amidst the tumult, destined to clash in the grand arena of fate.

It was dubbed the "Fate Conquest," a relentless battle where luck reigned supreme, determining the pinnacle of power.

Yusheng couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider to this cosmic drama. His best bet seemed to be laying low and swiftly completing his quest.

However, he couldn't escape his title, "Maverick," which bound him to the fray. Refusal meant facing the wrath of the Heavenly Dao, condemning his soul to eternal torment or some equally dire fate.

System: Host, it seems this won't be our final rendezvous, akin to that mysterious lady.

"We'll see about that. But for now, let's hustle to Spirit Swan's Pool Lake, or we might end up with a bad ending," Yusheng remarked, his steps growing colder with each stride.

System: Host, why the shivers? Are you yearning for your homeland's warmth, the concept you call 'Kilig,' because of memories of the jade beauty?

"Absolutely not! This traveler hails from the southeastern lands, where it's summer or stormy all year round. I'm not accustomed to this icy chill," Yusheng retorted, feeling the cold seeping into his bones.

System: This host's body seems acclimated to colder climes, having experienced four seasons.

"Maybe if you count the previous owner's experiences. But not me," Yusheng countered, frustration mounting as his progress slowed to a crawl.

"What in the heavens is with this weather? This mountain's abnormality is beyond belief. Cold as ice despite being shrouded in mist," Yusheng grumbled, his annoyance escalating as a light snowfall quickly escalated into a raging blizzard.

System: In this world of cultivation, scientific norms hold no sway. It defies all logic.

Yusheng, struggling against the elements, dismissed the system's explanation as he trudged onward.

System: Warning! Warning! Host has triggered a Death Flag!

Yusheng redoubled his efforts, spurred by the comically dysfunctional system's urgent warning. But his attempts proved futile as darkness encroached, his body succumbing to the biting cold.

"There's no way I'm meeting my end in this forsaken place! I just want a peaceful and prosperous life," Yusheng declared defiantly, taking a few faltering steps before darkness claimed him.

System: System failure imminent. Entering Energy Saving Mode as a last resort. If the host cannot survive, blackout imminent. GG, well played.

Unbeknownst to Yusheng, a shadowy figure emerged from the blizzard, gazing upon his frozen form with pity.

"Poor kid. Let this loner guide you to your final resting place," the figure murmured, hoisting Yusheng's body and ascending the Yun Mountain path.

In the midst of the void, our hapless protagonist finds himself, signaling the conclusion of his journey. Thanks for sticking around as my mind toiled through the night, contemplating ways to dispatch this troublesome character. Despite the odds, success was mine.

Thank you for reading. Please resist the urge to scroll further.

Seriously, don't do it.

Okay, okay, folks, this is really the end.

No, really, I mean it this time!

Enough with the suspense already!

...

"Where... am I?" Yusheng awoke to darkness, feeling weightless as if suspended in the air.

Is this the afterlife? He pondered, bewildered by the unfamiliar sensation.

System: Host and system stabilized.

"What?" Yusheng exclaimed, surprised to find the transparent and irritatingly comical System floating before him.

System: The host's infamous Death Clicking has achieved its second death flag. This system is both appalled and impressed by this accomplishment. Congratulations.

System: 2/??? Death Flag Achieved.

System: This system will grant the host another 2 [???] Skills.

System: Loading Complete. [???] Skill has transformed into [All or Nothing] and [Fate Plunder] Skills.

System: When facing a death flag, the [All or Nothing] Skill activates, granting the host a [Peak] buff, rendering them invincible for approximately 30 minutes. Please note that this system is still in its basic comically dysfunctional state.

System: The [Fate Plunder] Skill, when activated, draws the fates of other parties toward the host, incorporating them into the host's circle of fates, thereby making the host solely responsible for the fate of those individuals.

System: Due to the [Fate Plunder] Skill, attempting to alter the cosmic narrative to change the fate of other parties will result in a further decrease in the host's own fate.

System: An unknown intervention has been detected. The system has identified an unknown [???] martial technique anonymously added to the host.

System: As a result of the addition of the [???] martial technique, the system will attempt to enter a lockdown state until it can be upgraded.

"Ahhh! Ha...ha..." Yusheng gasped, regaining consciousness as the air rushed back into his lungs.

"For all my years, I've never encountered someone returning from the dead alive. Seems you've cheated death," remarked an older man, peering out the window.

"Huh? Who are you? Where am I?" Yusheng panicked, taking in his surroundings and realizing he was in a stranger's home, possibly lost along his journey.

"Relax, lad. It's natural to feel disoriented after a near-death experience. Just breathe and gather your thoughts," the man advised, settling by the fireplace.

"What's your name, boy?" the man inquired.

"Xiao... Xiao Yusheng," Yusheng replied, gradually calming his breathing.

"Xiao Yusheng, huh?" the man mused before falling silent.

"Who are you, and where exactly am I?" Yusheng pressed, trying to discern the man's intentions.

"Firstly, it's customary for a practitioner to be cautious, but it's rather impolite to question someone who just saved your frozen body," the man chided gently.

"Nevertheless, I am Yun Fan, a solitary swordsman. You and I find ourselves within the confines of the Jingyi Fortress, located within the Cloud Mist Pavilion of the Yun Clan," Yun Fan explained.

Yusheng froze, his eyes widening in disbelief as he beheld Yun Fan, a figure straight out of the ancient scrolls of Tiandang Memory's great [Fate Conquest].

"I sense the lingering aura of the venom serpent within you, coursing through both your immortal soul and venomous blood," Yun Fan remarked, meeting Yusheng's gaze squarely.

With a flourish, Yun Fan declared, "I, Yun Fan, humbly offer my twin swords and pledge my service to your cause, Lord Serpent."

Yusheng's jaw dropped in bewilderment, realizing that everything had been orchestrated from the moment he first mentioned the worn-out book.

—Comically Dysfunctional System—

The system pinged: "[Yun Fan] has joined the narrative of [Black Eclipse Serpent Clan Story]."

Thanks to the quirk of the [Fate Plunder] Skill, [Yun Fan] was now part of the Host's Circle of Fates, sending the host's fate plummeting to a measly 50 points.

Fate: -1,049

"What in the world!?" Yusheng exclaimed, flabbergasted by the cosmic narrative storm he found himself caught in.