Ch 1

Chapter 1 – The Fall of a Tyrant, The Rise of a Lord

Pain.

It came first, sharp and consuming, radiating through his body with every shallow breath.

Gunfire thundered above, shaking the very foundations of the underground bunker. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of blood and gunpowder. Zhao Min, Supreme Leader of the Eastern Federation, slumped against a steel desk, his hand pressed to his stomach where a bullet had torn through him.

His once-pristine uniform was soaked in crimson.

The world around him was dimming, yet his mind remained sharp. He wasn't afraid—no, fear had never been a weakness of his. Anger, perhaps. Frustration at the incompetence of others. But fear? Never.

Before him stood the men he had once trusted, their faces set in grim resolve. Generals, ministers, men he had elevated to power with his own hands.

And now they stood with their guns aimed at him.

Traitors.

He should have seen it coming. No—he had seen it coming. He had ruled for decades, built an empire from the ruins of a dying state, and led it with an iron fist. His people feared him, respected him, needed him.

But the world did not tolerate greatness for long. The weak always gathered like vermin, clinging to their pathetic notions of freedom and justice, gnawing at the pillars of order until everything collapsed.

One of the men stepped forward—General Wei Jianhong, once his most loyal enforcer. Now, his executioner.

"It's over, Zhao Min," Wei said, his voice steady, yet burdened with something close to regret. "Your reign ends today."

Zhao Min coughed, blood bubbling at the corner of his lips. He let out a low, bitter chuckle. "The people will not thank you," he rasped. "They will cheer today, but tomorrow they will weep. They do not understand the weight of power."

Wei's expression did not change. "The world will rebuild without you."

Zhao Min smirked. "You believe that?" His voice was weak, but his words carried the weight of certainty. "Then you are more of a fool than I thought."

Wei's grip on his pistol tightened.

Zhao Min knew his time was up. His empire was crumbling, his body failing. But death? Death was not something he feared. If there was anything he had learned in his years of ruling, it was that men like him never truly disappeared.

They endured.

Even if the world turned against him, even if history condemned him as a villain, he would return.

"You will kneel before me again," he murmured.

A single gunshot rang out.

And then, darkness.

Awakening in a Strange World

The first thing Zhao Min felt was cold earth beneath his fingers.

The scent of damp soil and pine needles filled his nostrils. A crisp breeze brushed against his skin, carrying the distant calls of birds.

His eyes snapped open.

Gone was the dim, suffocating bunker. Instead, he found himself staring up at a sky untouched by pollution, where golden light filtered through the canopy of towering trees.

He sat up sharply, his mind racing.

Something was wrong. The pain in his abdomen was gone. His hands—once marked by age and power—were now smoother, younger. His body felt lighter, stronger.

He glanced down. His military uniform had vanished, replaced by a simple dark robe. Sturdy but coarse, like something out of an ancient drama.

Zhao Min inhaled deeply, his sharp mind piecing together the situation. This was not a battlefield. Not a prison. Not even a dream.

Had he reincarnated?

The idea should have been absurd. And yet, every sensation told him this was real.

Before he could process further, a sudden chime echoed in his mind.

[The Path of the Supreme Lord has begun.]

[Welcome, Host. Your ambition has been recognized. The Supreme Sect System has been activated.]

Zhao Min stiffened.

A voice in his head? No—something more than a voice. An intelligence. A system?

A translucent screen materialized before him, its ethereal glow standing out against the natural surroundings.

[Quest: Establish a Sect]

Objective: Gain at least 10 followers and establish a sect base.

Rewards: Cultivation boost, Sect Leader's Authority skill.

Zhao Min's sharp eyes scanned the text, his mind immediately analyzing the implications.

A system. A set of missions. Rewards.

In another life, he might have dismissed such a thing as fantasy. But he was no fool—he had seen enough in the world to know that reality was often stranger than fiction.

And if this was his new reality, he would master it.

His lips curled into a smirk. "A sect leader?" he murmured. "So be it."

Power was power, whether in a modern empire or an ancient world. If this was the path laid before him, then he would walk it. Not as a wandering cultivator, not as a mere warrior.

He would rule.

His first step? Finding people to lead.

He turned his gaze toward the distant valley, where a small village nestled between misty mountains.

A smirk played on his lips.

The world had changed, but Zhao Min remained the same.

And he would rise again.

Elsewhere, the Winds of Fate Stir

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[POV – Village Elder Yan]

The sun was barely rising over the valley when Elder Yan received troubling news.

"Another wandering cultivator has been spotted near the river," one of the younger men reported, his face lined with concern.

Elder Yan frowned. "Another one? This is the third in a month."

Travelers were common, but cultivators? They rarely passed through such an insignificant village.

Ever since the nearby sects had begun their silent war, the mountains had become restless. Strange figures passed through their lands—some seeking refuge, others looking for something far worse.

Elder Yan's grip tightened on his staff. "We must be cautious."

For now, they would observe.

And if this new stranger brought trouble… they would deal with it.

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[POV – Disciple Liu Qing]

Far beyond the village, within the walls of a great sect, a young disciple knelt before his master.

"A new force stirs in the mountains," the elder said, his voice like grinding stone. "A name yet unknown, but fate shifts around him like the tides."

Liu Qing bowed his head. "What must be done, Master?"

The elder's eyes gleamed with wisdom.

"Watch. Observe. And when the time comes…"

A pause.

"If he proves to be a threat—eliminate him."