The Arrival of a "Weak" Expert

For the past year, Qin Chen had lived a simple, peaceful life in the mountains.

Hunting, fishing, signing in, and occasionally receiving insane rewards that he couldn't even understand properly.

But today…

That peace was shattered.

A group of kneeling cultivators had appeared before him, pleading to be his disciples.

"Senior, please accept us!"

"Our sect has been destroyed... we have nowhere else to go!"

"Let us follow you!"

Qin Chen rubbed his temples.

"Why do these things always happen to protagonists?"

"Why can't I just grill my fish in peace?"

His eyes swept over the group.

Su Lingxi, the girl who had led them here, was looking at him with burning determination.

He sighed.

"I'm not accepting disciples."

The words shook the group.

"But…"

Su Lingxi bit her lip, looking desperate.

"You…" Qin Chen hesitated.

"I will teach you."

The group stared in shock.

"Just her?!"

Qin Chen yawed and stretched.

"I don't have time to babysit a bunch of kids. But I can show one person the way."

His eyes flickered to Su Lingxi.

"You have talent. I will pass you a technique."

Su Lingxi's body trembled.

"Senior…"

She immediately kowtowed, her voice filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Senior! I will never forget your grace!"

The other disciples were devastated but didn't dare question his decision.

Meanwhile, Qin Chen thought to himself:

"Nice. Now I won't have to feed an entire orphanage."

Qin Chen casually flicked his finger, imparting a cultivation technique into Su Lingxi's mind.

In truth, he had no idea what technique to give her.

So—

He simply copied a technique from a novel he had read in his past life.

"Should be good enough."

But the moment he did—

[Ding!]

[You have imparted a technique to a disciple!]

[The system has created an equivalent cultivation method!]

[You have received 100 copies of 'Heavenly Primordial Scripture'!]

Qin Chen: "???"

"Why do I have a hundred copies of this?!"

Su Lingxi's body shook violently as the technique engraved itself into her soul.

"Amazing… this technique is too profound!"

She felt as if a thousand doors had suddenly opened in her mind!

Just by receiving it—she could feel herself advancing toward a breakthrough!

The other disciples watched in envy and awe.

"Senior's technique... it must be a divine scripture!"

Qin Chen ignored them and casually picked up a grilled fish.

"Alright, you're done. You can go now."

Su Lingxi clasped her hands together respectfully.

"Senior… May I return in the future?"

Qin Chen waved his hand lazily.

"Do what you want."

She smiled brightly and bowed one last time before leaving with her fellow disciples.

Su Lingxi's group traveled deep into the mountains, where an old man sat in meditation inside a hidden cave.

This was Su Lingxi's father—Su Tianhai, the former sect master of the Clear Moon Immortal Sect.

After being gravely injured during the sect's destruction, he had been hiding here, waiting for a chance to recover.

When Su Lingxi arrived, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Father! I have returned!"

Su Tianhai looked at her weakly.

"You're safe. Good."

Su Lingxi nodded excitedly.

"Not only that, Father—I met an unfathomable expert!"

Su Tianhai's tired eyes flickered.

"An expert?"

She nodded vigorously.

"Yes! He passed me a divine scripture! And…"

She took out a fish wrapped in cloth.

"He also gave me this."

Su Tianhai's eyebrows twitched.

"A… fish?"

"It's no ordinary fish, Father!" Su Lingxi insisted.

"Senior cooked it himself! It must contain divine properties!"

Su Tianhai sighed.

"My daughter is too naive."

But he did not want to reject her kindness.

With a bitter smile, he took a bite.

…

And then—

BOOM!

Su Tianhai's body exploded with energy!

His meridians, which had been damaged beyond repair, suddenly healed instantly!

Not only that—his cultivation surged wildly!

From Earth Immortal: 3rd Major Realm→ 4th Major Realm→ 5th Major Realm...

From 5th Major Realm→ 6th Major Realm→ 7th Major Realm...

Finally, his aura stabilized at Earth Immortal—9th Major Realm!

He was now one step away from breaking into the spiritual immortal realm!

Su Tianhai's eyes flew open in shock.

"What is this fish?!"

He turned to Su Lingxi, his hands trembling.

"Where... where did you say this senior lives?"

Back at the Mountain...

Qin Chen sat under a tree, lazily chewing on another grilled fish.

"What a peaceful day…"

Then—

[Ding, a guest will be arriving soon.]

Qin Chen froze.

"...What?"

Before he could react, a terrifying aura surged toward his mountain peak.

An Earth Immortal powerhouse was approaching at unimaginable speed!

Qin Chen: "???"

"What the hell did I do this time?"

Qin Chen sat leisurely under a tree, enjoying his freshly grilled fish.

"Man, the mountain life is peaceful."

Then—

BOOM!

A terrifying aura surged toward his peak, cutting through the air like a divine storm.

Qin Chen's chopsticks froze mid-air.

"The hell?!"

Before he could react—

[Ding! A guest is approaching.][Scanning…][Target identified: Su Tianhai][Rank: Grade 1 Level 10 Expert]

Qin Chen blinks.

"...That's it?"

He exhaled in relief.

"Man, I thought it was someone strong."

From his system's ranking, this guy was barely mid-tier in Grade 1.

Nothing to worry about.

So, with zero sense of urgency, Qin Chen took another bite of his fish and lazily leaned back against the tree.

Meanwhile—

The world outside was shaking. 

Su Tianhai descended from the skies, landing just outside Qin Chen's small hut.

The moment his feet touched the ground—

RUMBLE!

The ground cracked under his sheer aura!

A lesser cultivator would have been obliterated just by standing near him.

Yet—

When he looked up, he saw a casually dressed young man sitting under a tree, chewing on a fish.

Qin Chen looked at him lazy.

"You the guest?"

Su Tianhai's eyes narrowed.

He had seen countless mighty figures before.

But never had he seen someone this unfathomable.

"No fear, no caution... sitting like a god above mortal struggles... "

"This senior must be a hidden titan!"

THUMP!

Su Tianhai immediately clasped his fingers and bowed deeply.

"This junior Su Tianhai pays respects to Senior!"

Qin Chen chewed his fish.

"Man, why do these guys always act so polite?"

"I should be the one bowing if I were normal."

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Yeah, yeah, no need for that. What do you want?"

Su Tianhai hesitated for a moment before falling to his knees.

"Senior… I have come to express my gratitude!"

Qin Chen's eyebrow twitched.

"Huh?"

Su Tianhai continued passionately—

"The divine scripture you imparted to my daughter is beyond mortal comprehension!"

"The fish you bestowed upon me has healed my crippled meridians and allowed me to advance multiple realms!"

Qin Chen: "..."

"Wait, what?"

"That was just a normal grilled fish... right?"

He suddenly had a bad feeling.

[Ding! The fish you casually cooked was enhanced by system rewards.][It contained the lingering essence of an Ancient Azure Dragon!]

Qin Chen almost choked.

"WHAT?"

"I WAS JUST COOKING DINNER, NOT FEEDING LEGENDS!"

Meanwhile, Su Tianhai's eyes burned with determination.

"Senior, I am willing to serve under you!"

Qin Chen immediately shook his head.

"Not happening."

Su Tianhai's expression frozen.

"Senior… you mean—?"

"I'm not taking disciples, sect members, or followers," Qin Chen yawned. "You can go back now."

Su Tianhai was stunned.

Rejected?

Him? A Peak Earth Immortal Expert?

His mind reeled.

"No, no, this must be a test!"

"A true expert does not take followers easily... I must prove my sincerity!"

His eyes suddenly shone.

"In that case, Senior."

"I will offer you a humble gift!"

Qin Chen blinks.

"...Huh?"

Su Tianhai quickly retrieved a small jade bottle from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Senior, this is a legendary 'Nine-Colored Nirvana Pill'—capable of helping even supreme cultivators refine their foundation!"

"This is my token of gratitude!"

Qin Chen looked at it.

[Ding! A trash-tier pill detected.][Effect: Slightly improves cultivation for beginners.]

Qin Chen: "..."

"Bruh."

"This is literally a beginner item."

"Why's he acting like he's giving me the key to immortality?"

For a second, Qin Chen almost wanted to reject it.

But then—

He had an idea.

His expression remained calm, but his fingers subtly twitched, triggering the system's auto-enhancement feature.

[Ding! Enhancing 'Nine-Colored Nirvana Pill'...][New Rank: Supreme Origin Rebirth Pill][Effect: Transforms even mortals into celestial beings.]

A golden glow suddenly radiated from the pill.

Su Tianhai's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"T-That…?!"

Qin Chen nonchalantly took the bottle and pocketed it like it was nothing special.

"Hmm. Decent."

Su Tianhai: "..."

The ground shook as his worldview collapsed.

"Senior... took a legendary pill... and upgraded it into something beyond comprehension..."

"With just a casual touch."

"I must have witnessed the work of a celestial being..."

His respect skyrocketed.

"Senior's abilities... truly transcend reality!"

Qin Chen stood up, stretching lazily.

"Alright, you've given me your gift. You can go now."

Su Tianhai nodded rapidly.

"Yes, Senior! I shall not overstay my welcome!"

Before leaving, he turned back once more.

"Senior… I hope to visit again in the future."

Qin Chen waved.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

With that, Su Tianhai disappeared into the horizon.

Qin Chen let out a deep sigh.

"Man, that was exhausting."

"Hopefully, no one else bothers me for a while."

Rumors had begun to spread like wildfire.

A mysterious senior residing deep within the mountains…

A hidden existence capable of bestowing divine scriptures…

A being who turned a simple grilled fish into a miraculous treasure…

Whispers echoed through the lands:

"A peerless expert has emerged!"

"The true legend hidden from the world…!"

But back in the mountains—

Qin Chen was happily grilling another fish, completely unaware.