Chapter 1: A New World Beckons

Zhao Chen stared at the cracked ceiling of his dingy apartment, his body drenched in cold sweat. It was his third night this week going to bed hungry, his stomach protesting with sharp pangs of emptiness. Life had become a downward spiral ever since he lost his job at the manufacturing plant. No money, no opportunities, and worst of all, no hope.

He rubbed his temples as a faint buzzing sound emanated from his desk. His old, second-hand laptop had come to life with a notification. Barely able to afford electricity, he only turned it on for emergencies—or when boredom reached unbearable levels.

Frowning, Zhao Chen dragged himself across the room and clicked open the message.

Congratulations! You've been selected for the exclusive early access to Heavenly Sovereign Online!

A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits you! Step into a virtual world of cultivation, where immortals rise, and the weak are trampled. Shape your destiny! Will you conquer the heavens, or be devoured by them?

Zhao Chen's heart skipped a beat. Heavenly Sovereign Online. He had heard rumors about the game on online forums—nothing concrete, just whispers of a revolutionary cultivation experience. But those rumors were enough to pique his interest. Some said it was more than a game, a realm where players could cultivate just like in the ancient martial legends. Many believed it was a scam. Zhao Chen wasn't sure, but what did he have to lose?

The real world has done nothing for me. If this virtual world can offer even a sliver of hope…

With a deep breath, he clicked the download link. The screen flickered and the interface booted up instantly, faster than anything he'd seen before. The Heavenly Sovereign Online logo appeared—a glowing dragon coiled around a mountain, its eyes staring straight into his soul.

Please enter your player name.

Zhao Chen hesitated. A name was important in a world like this. He needed something to represent his will to survive. His resolve to rise from nothing.

Skybreaker.

He typed it in. The screen pulsed, as if acknowledging his intent.

Player name accepted. Welcome, Skybreaker. Initializing your journey…

Before he could even blink, the room around him vanished. The faint scent of mold and the hum of the laptop disappeared, replaced by the crisp scent of pine and the distant roar of waterfalls. Zhao Chen—no, Skybreaker—found himself standing in the center of a massive valley, the sky stretching above him, more vivid than anything he had seen in real life.

He staggered back in awe. The world felt too real—this wasn't just pixels or lines of code. He could feel the grass beneath his boots, the wind brushing against his face. His heart raced.

A voice, deep and commanding, boomed through the air.

[Welcome to the Azure Cloud Realm, Skybreaker.]

[You are now in the Beginner's Valley. Your journey to cultivate and become a true cultivator begins here. Harness Qi, learn ancient techniques, and ascend the ranks of immortality.]

A screen appeared in front of him, displaying his current stats:

Name: SkybreakerCultivation Realm: Mortal Realm, Stage 0Qi Reserves: 0Techniques: None

It's just like a game interface, he realized. But the world around him didn't feel like a game at all. The weight of reality pressed down on him.

[First Objective: Draw in the Qi of Heaven and Earth.]

Skybreaker glanced around, his eyes settling on a peaceful spot by a nearby river. Following the guide in his mind, he sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and focused. The air felt heavy, charged with energy he had never noticed before. His breath steadied as he tried to follow the basic principles of cultivation he had once read about in old novels.

Draw in the Qi. Let it flow through you like a stream…

For a moment, there was nothing—only the faint sound of the wind and water.

Then, a flicker.

He felt something stir around him, an invisible current that responded to his thoughts. The Qi! It was faint, but it was there, surrounding him like the very air he breathed. Slowly, cautiously, he pulled it toward himself.

A rush of energy surged into his body, startling him. His chest tightened, as if he had just inhaled fire. But it wasn't pain—it was power. Pure, raw power, something beyond what he had ever experienced. The more he drew in, the stronger he felt.

[Qi absorption: 5%]

It was working. The corner of his mouth curled into a grin. This world had rules, but they were rules he could bend to his will. Here, he wasn't just a washed-up nobody. He was Skybreaker, and he was already on his way to becoming something greater.

Just as he was beginning to feel the intoxicating rush of Qi, a sharp, cold sensation washed over him. His eyes snapped open.

Standing across the river, partially obscured by the trees, was a figure cloaked in dark robes. A mask hid their face, but their eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger, locked onto him like a hawk eyeing prey.

A chill ran down Skybreaker's spine.

Before he could react, the masked figure raised a hand. Dark, swirling energy gathered at their palm—a dense, malevolent Qi unlike anything Skybreaker had sensed before.

BOOM!

The attack shot toward him like a spear of shadow. Skybreaker rolled out of the way just in time, the blast exploding into the ground where he had just been sitting. Dirt and debris flew everywhere.

Panting, he scrambled to his feet. His heart pounded in his chest, not from fear, but from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. This world is dangerous.

The masked figure didn't speak, but they raised their hand again, more energy gathering for another strike.

Zhao Chen's mind raced. He had no techniques, no weapons, barely any Qi. He was at a severe disadvantage.

Yet, something inside him refused to back down.

I'm not the same weak person anymore. This world was about survival. And he wasn't going to let his journey end before it even began.

Just as the second attack was about to be unleashed, a blinding light erupted from Skybreaker's hand. He looked down, stunned.

The system interface had appeared again, but this time, it was different. A message floated before his eyes:

[Heavenly Fate Intervention: You have been chosen.]

[You have unlocked the Divine Qi Art – Heaven's Blade.]

Without hesitation, Skybreaker raised his hand, instinctively knowing what to do. The light in his palm coalesced, taking the shape of a shimmering, ethereal sword.

The masked figure hesitated for the first time, their eyes narrowing.

Skybreaker didn't wait. With a roar, he slashed forward, the blade cutting through the air with a force that shook the ground beneath him.

The figure barely managed to dodge, but the power of the strike sent them skidding backward, crashing into a tree.

Skybreaker stood tall, his chest heaving as the divine sword flickered in his grasp. He stared at the masked attacker, who was now retreating into the shadows, their form vanishing like mist.

[First Trial Complete: You have unlocked your path as a cultivator.]

Zhao Chen grinned. This world was more dangerous than he had imagined. But he had something here that he didn't have in real life—potential.