"My chance increased by fifteen percent. Still thirty-five to go before success."
Yu Yun smirked at his current achievements, satisfied with his recent progress. Opening the map, he began to study his location.
Soon, he saw himself in a green area situated at the edge of the paper map, Servants Peak.
Ahead, several kilometers beyond the stream, the terrain transitioned into the Outer Area, filled with many small drawn buildings. But what truly caught his attention was the massive structure at the center, nine stories tall.
At the end of the map, a black wall surrounded everything in a rectangular shape.
'Is this the layout of a sect? Seems basic. Where are the mountains? The forbidden places?'
Yu Yun, used to seeing flashier designs in webnovels, felt slightly disappointed. It all looked too simple, except for that pagoda. That one really screamed cultivation world aesthetics.
'System, is the chance of becoming an outer disciple located inside that pagoda?'
[100%]
"Time for the exam."
Taking one last look at the sunny sky dotted with clouds, he set off, walking among the trees. The journey took longer than he expected.
After an hour of walking through the green scenery, passing several identical huts like his own, his view finally changed. In front of him stood a four-room dormitory painted blue, surrounded by lush vegetation.
Yu Yun looked around curiously, especially when he noticed some disciples training in the courtyard.
Their movements were sharp and powerful, capable of generating strong gusts of wind. Yet, they weren't exaggerated, just superhumanly strong.
'Outer disciples can't use spiritual energy in their strikes. Looks like this place is for beginner cultivators.'
That was cliché, but Yu Yun didn't mind. It would be plain bullying to let spiritual energy users stay in the outer area. It would only hinder the sect's growth and the disciples' development. Fighting weaker opponents doesn't bring insight.
Thinking that, Yu Yun nodded to himself in agreement. Then, his gaze focused on the red-iron structure that seemed to stretch from the ground all the way to the clouds. If he were still on Earth, he'd call it a nine-story building.
'I've never been to a ninth floor before, but how would it feel to look down from there?'
A random curiosity hit him out of nowhere, making him scratch his head. Why did he always think of weird, unrelated stuff?
'What's the chance I have mental problems?'
[10%]
"…"
Yu Yun frowned, having a counselor for everything, and pretended not to see that answer. He focused on what truly mattered, finding where the exam was held. After ten seconds and several questions about each floor's success rate, he found out it was on the second floor.
Taking a deep breath to control his anxiety, he walked toward the pagoda. At the gate, two guards dressed in black stood holding halberds. When one of them saw Yu Yun, his expression twisted in disgust upon noticing the servant's robe.
"What are you doing here? Servants aren't allowed in this area."
Yu Yun sighed at the disrespect. If there was one thing universal between Earth and this world, it was class contempt. On Earth, it was money; here, it was power. If you lacked either, you were looked down upon.
Understanding that simple truth, he didn't get angry or act rashly like the typical cultivation protagonists who couldn't handle being looked down on.
"I've opened my first meridian. The elder who visited Servants Peak said I could register for the exam."
He spoke calmly, not wanting trouble, especially after mentioning Elder. If these guards weren't brainless, they'd catch the hint he was giving.
"Oh?" The guard looked surprised. When he heard the word elder, his eyes trembled slightly. It wasn't impossible, sometimes elders visited Servants Peak looking for potential mortals. If this boy before him was truly chosen, it was best not to provoke him.
"Follow me. I'll take you to the testing site. If you pass, you'll become an official disciple of the sect. You'll be able to learn martial techniques, receive a residence, and obtain initial cultivation resources."
The guard's tone changed, no longer disdainful, as he began to explain various details, which pleased Yu Yun.
'It's easy to avoid unnecessary trouble, as long as you don't act impulsively.'
Following the guard, Yu Yun passed through the gate and entered a wide area filled with disciples chatting and checking the mission board on the wall. The tasks ranged from one to twelve stars, each star representing an opened meridian.
He learned that after asking the guard, whose name was Lin Hui, who quickly explained the system of this realm.
For normal cultivators, it was about extracting spiritual power and using it to open meridians, completely different from Yu Yun's method, which required tempering his flesh first and only opening a meridian once the limit was reached.
'I practice an inhuman method, so being different is normal. System, if I cultivate all three paths at once, what's the chance my foundation will become unstable?'
[0%]
'If I advance realms nonstop, what's the chance my foundation will still be stable?'
[100%]
After learning that, Yu Yun closed his eyes briefly, without a shred of regret.
His madness had borne fruit. From now on, his cultivation speed would be unstoppable, even while training in three methods. Since he didn't need to wait to stabilize his foundation, as long as he had resources, he could ascend like a madman.
'What's the chance that's actually correct?'
[100%]
'And the chance of me doing that?'
[1%!]
Yu Yun laughed. It was nearly impossible to pull off. He still had a long road ahead. But with such a peculiar system, he was certain he could achieve far greater feats.
After that inner monologue, he climbed a staircase made of red stone slabs shaped like bricks, and following the guard, reached the second floor.
What appeared before him made Yu Yun's eyes widen. Inside was a world of nature. Massive trees stretched up into the clouds, and in the center stood a small purple mansion.
'An illusion? No way this is real… I'm inside a building, how can there be an entire world on the second floor? What's the chance this is real?'
[50%]
'Half right, huh… that's strange. Typical cultivation world stuff.'
Yu Yun's heart raced with anticipation and curiosity. He wanted to uncover the truth.
"Lin Hui, do you know why this second floor is like a small world?"
"No," the guard said, shaking his head.
"Got it." Yu Yun didn't ask further.
The two continued walking toward the mansion. Upon entering, they found a hall with a purple floor and amethyst crystals hanging from the ceiling. In front of them, seated in a chair, was a woman of indescribable beauty.
If Yu Yun had to describe her, he would say she was beyond this world. Her long violet hair cascaded over the chair, and her flawless face seemed to have been sculpted by countless refinements. Her figure too was perfectly balanced, not exaggerated, just enough to highlight her ideal form.
'Damn, now I understand those authors' exaggerated descriptions. My own seems completely abnormal. What the hell did this woman do to become a sculpture? Are all female cultivators like this? This world isn't normal…'