Trash Cultivator Rises

Brightfire Expanse — Lower Region.

One of the most dangerous forests in the cultivation world.

Few who step into the middle range ever return alive. As for the inner region? Virtually no one comes back.

In the Lower and Middle Regions, death comes quietly—on wings, stingers, or in the form of creeping poison from the forest's insect hives. But deeper within lies the real nightmare.

Rumors speak of a powerful demonic race from the Upper Realm. When their bloodline began to decline, they supposedly sealed a handful of their most gifted descendants within this forest, shrouded in powerful protections, waiting for the day they might awaken and restore their clan.

Since then, many have attempted to explore the Inner Region, driven by greed or glory. Not one was seen again.

Eventually, the world declared it a forbidden zone.

But none of that had anything to do with Su Chen.

So let's return to our not-so-ordinary protagonist…"

When su chen opened his eyes, the first thought that crossed his mind was, Was all of that just a dream? But the moment he took in his surroundings, that illusion shattered.

The sharp morning sunlight stung his eyes, forcing him to squint. After a few seconds, he adjusted to the brightness and slowly took in the area around him. He was still lying in the same spot where he had fallen.

For a few seconds, he didn't move. Then, with a grunt, he pressed his hand against the ground and slowly sat up.

"Looks like I survived…" he muttered, a hint of relief and disbelief in his voice.

He glanced around. The area was quiet, surrounded by tall trees and patches of grass. But the ground where he had landed was the only spot barren of greenery—like the earth itself had been scorched by his arrival.

It was already morning. Judging by the sky, he had passed out right after falling through the void last night. So I've been unconscious all this time…

He let out a tired sigh. "I don't even know if I should call this lucky or unlucky. If I had landed on a tree, I'd have been the first transmigrator to die from a branch to the skull…"

Then his expression turned bitter.

"But seriously… why am I still here? Why didn't I wake up in the hut of some beautiful maiden nursing me back to health? No warm bed, no soft hands—just bugs and bushes. Even wild animals don't seem interested in me.. I guess that 'Outsider Aura' is finally doing its job…"

He looked down at himself. His body was mostly intact—thanks to the talisman he'd activated—but his clothes were completely ruined, torn and dirt-stained. Honestly, with the way he looked, if he sat by the roadside with a bowl, he could probably earn enough to live like a king in a few years.

"Aaah… what the hell am I even thinking?" he muttered, shaking his head. Slowly, he pushed himself up onto his feet, still groggy. As he stood, he dusted himself off, grimacing at the grime on his palms.

"I don't know what happened to that Lin Yu… son of a bit— ahem, son of the village chief," Su Chen muttered, shaking his head. "But whatever. He's a child of fate. He'll survive. Probably already got adopted by some hidden sect or stumbled across a golden cheat code."

His smile faded for a moment as a name surfaced in his mind—Xiang Yu.

The only person who had truly treated him like a friend.

A faint sadness tugged at his chest. After all, he hadn't just inherited this body—he'd inherited all of its memories too. Xiang Yu's laughter, his loyalty, the way he always stood up for the weak… It all felt real now, like it had happened to him.

But the sorrow didn't last long. The pain flickered… then quietly sank into the back of his mind.

Still, he exhaled softly. "The good news is—I survived," he whispered to himself.

Even now, if someone gave him a hundred chances to choose again, he knew what his answer would be.

He'd still pick this path.

With one last look around, Su Chen sighed, took a deep breath, and began walking toward the east. His expression was calm, but his mind was already racing.

First thing I need to do is start cultivating and raise my strength. Otherwise, I'll be nothing more than an ant in this world…

"System, show me my status."

A familiar ding echoed in his ears, and a translucent blue screen appeared in front of him.

[Status Panel]

[Name: Su Chen]

[Realm: Body Refining Realm]

[Species: Cultivator]

[Physique: Innate Sacred Dao Fetus]

[Techniques: None]

[Scriptures: None]

[Special Talents: Outsider Aura, Poison Immunity]

[System Storage: Five Elements Escape Technique, Wood Sovereign Script]

Su Chen's eyes lit up the moment he saw the new name.

"The Wood Sovereign Script… finally a cultivation script."

He tapped the name, and a more detailed description unfolded.

[Wood Sovereign Script: Grade — Unknown]

A mysterious and ancient cultivation scripture. Specializes in the absorption and manipulation of Wood Qi with extreme efficiency. Enhances regeneration, vitality, and affinity with natural life. At higher stages, allows complete control over wood-type elements.

Warning: Excessive use without adequate cultivation base may result in partial or full assimilation with natural wood essence.

"Unknown grade, huh? That's either really good… or really, really bad." He smirked to himself. "But judging by the name alone, it doesn't sound like something a small sect could casually hand out."

It was an additional reward from the system—granted after he'd thoroughly insulted Old Jack, a good neighbor by day and a demonic butcher by night. A strange way to earn a technique, but Su Chen wasn't going to complain.

"A scripture powerful enough to control Wood Qi, with regenerative boosts and possibly nature manipulation? Heh… if this works like it says, I might be able to grow myself a wooden palace in the middle of this forest."

His confidence rose. "And that warning about turning into wood… please. I have the Innate Sacred Dao Fetus physique. If that's not enough to suppress side effects, then this whole 'Heavenly Dao' stuff is overrated."

As he walked, muttering to himself, he passed through clusters of trees and patches of grass, occasionally brushing off leaves that stuck to his tattered clothes. Eventually, he paused in front of a tall, thick tree whose branches twisted out like a natural staircase.

"Hmm… easy to climb, big branches, perfect viewpoint."

With bare feet—since he didn't even transmigrate with a pair of slippers—he grabbed the trunk and began to climb. He moved from branch to branch, his grip firm despite the occasional slip, and after a minute, he reached the upper canopy.

From this height, he could see clearly in all directions. The entire forest stretched endlessly—no villages, no smoke, no roads… not even a wandering human in sight.

Just as he was about to give up hope, something caught his eye.

"Hoh? What's that?" he whispered.

Far in the distance, a small mountain peak rose slightly above the treetops. It wasn't too high, but it looked rocky and—most importantly—he could just make out the shape of a cave on its side.

"Jackpot!" he grinned. "A quiet cave on a lonely peak—perfect for cultivating in peace. No noise, no people, no Old Jack nagging me... finally, the life of a proper cultivator begins!"

Excited, Su Chen began his descent, using thick branches for support. He half-climbed, half-slid down the trunk with practiced recklessness. With a final hop, he landed lightly on the ground.

Thud.

He looked in the direction of the little peak and started jogging through the forest, dodging roots and hopping over fallen logs.

Despite the obstacles, the peak wasn't very far. After a short trek and a few nimble jumps across uneven ground, Su Chen finally arrived at the base. Since it wasn't tall, he easily climbed his way up the slope and reached the mouth of the cave.

He stood at the entrance, hands on his hips, grinning like he owned the mountain.

"This… this is it. My first cultivation abode! Now all I need is just a mat."

He took a few steps inside, and the cool air of the cave greeted him. It wasn't grand, but it was dry, shaded, and hidden from casual view.A perfect place for quiet cultivation.

"This… this is it. A secluded cave, a powerful scripture, and a trash-tier cultivation base. The holy trinity of all great protagonists," he muttered.

He stepped inside and sat down cross-legged, a rare seriousness settling in his

eyes.

"Let's see what this Wood Sovereign Script can really do…"