Chapter 5: A Humiliating Morning

Morning came.

Lu Chunhe walked through the village streets, his steps slow and stiff. His entire body felt sore, as if he had been crushed under a mountain. At least he had treated his wounds and changed into a simple commoner's robe.

The villagers... they didn't dare look at him directly.

Men avoided eye contact.Women turned away quickly.The elderly whispered among themselves.

The worst were the children.

The children had no such restraint.

"Look! It's the crazy guy who ran around naked all night!"

"Hahaha! He's awake now!"

"Does he even know what happened?"

Their laughter rang through the streets like knives stabbing into Lu Chunhe's soul. Some adults tried to hold back their laughter, but the way their lips trembled and their shoulders shook made it clear—they were holding back laughter.

Lu Chunhe's face twitched. A small teardrop welled up at the corner of his eye.

Damn it.

This was the worst start he could imagine.

He had barely escaped death, but instead of fear and respect, this was how they saw him? A joke?

Ignoring the embarrassment, Lu Chunhe made his way to the village doctor. The old man inspected his wounds and gave him some herbal paste.

"You'll live," the doctor said.

"Whoever beat you up was thorough, but you're lucky. Nothing is beyond recovery."

"Apply this twice a day. It'll help with the swelling. But don't do anything reckless."

Lu Chunhe nodded in thanks and left.

He found a large tree at the edge of the village and sat beneath it. The shade was cool, and the wind carried the scent of fresh leaves.

This was the first quiet moment he had since waking up in this world.

His past life on Earth had been ordinary. A shut-in. A coward. Someone who avoided trouble at all costs. But here? Here, he was in a world where the strong ruled, where power meant survival.

If he wasn't careful, he would die again.

But what could he do?

He had to survive in this world. But how?

If he followed the natural path of the original owner, he would only meet a tragic fate. He didn't want to be a stepping stone for some so-called protagonist.

He let his mind wander, thinking of the stories, comics, and web novels he had read before.

There were many paths.

A doctor—He had modern medical knowledge, but would it work here? Medicine in this world relied on spiritual energy, not just science. Would his knowledge be enough?

A blacksmith—Forging weapons and armor was always in demand, but he had never touched a hammer in his life. Could he even learn it fast enough?

A merchant—Money meant influence. If he played his cards right, he could buy protection. But could a no-name outsider truly rise in the business world?

A poet—Earning status through knowledge and words. A tempting idea. But this world worshipped strength above all else. Would poetry keep him alive?

A warrior—He could train, learn martial arts, and gain strength the hard way. But with his weak body, wouldn't that take years?

A civil officer—Politics. Influence. Climbing the ranks in the empire's bureaucracy. A powerful but dangerous path. Could he navigate it without being crushed?

A cultivator—The obvious choice. This was a world of cultivation, after all. But talent determined everything. If his body had no talent, he would be stuck as a weakling forever.

A formation master—Arrays, barriers, defensive techniques. A path that relied on intelligence rather than raw strength. But learning formations required resources. Did he have time for that?

Each path had risks. Each path had rewards.

He didn't want endless battles, chaos, or unwanted attention. He wanted to live.

But which one was the safest?

No matter which path he chose, there were risks.

The safest option would be to find a quiet place and live as a commoner. But... was that truly safe?

This world was ruled by the strong. If war came, commoners would be slaughtered first. If a rogue cultivator came, they would kill for fun.

No.

If he wanted to live, he needed power.

Not just strength, but influence. Allies. Resources.

No more hesitation. No more waiting for fate to decide his future.

He had died once already.

He wouldn't let it happen again.

No matter what, he must survive.

To Be Continued...