Author's Note
Dear Reader,
This story is written as a slow-burn journey. Some parts will move slowly to build the world, characters, and emotions, while other moments will move faster when the story demands it.
Rather than constant action or repetitive face-slapping, this novel focuses on character growth, relationships, and the unfolding of a larger plot. Every arc and event has its place in the story.
So I ask for your patience as the story develops. The world of Li Chen is vast, and many secrets, conflicts, and characters will gradually reveal themselves along the way.
Thank you for reading and supporting the journey.
"Fuck!"
A roaring voice echoed through the silence as a young man in a plain robe collapsed to his knees.
"Why?! Why do I die every single time for the most pathetic reasons?" Li chen screamed, his face streaked with tears. "Other transmigrators get the handsome face, the legendary treasures, and the beauties by their side—but me? I just keep dying! Am I cursed?!"
his voice cracking with desperation. "Is this how the Heavens want to punish me? I was just a regular guy on Earth who died in a traffic accident! I transmigrated into a cultivation world like every man dreams of, so why is my luck this abysmal?"
He began to count his failures on his fingers, his voice trembling with trauma.
"In my first life, I was a simple cultivator with a wife and kids. No system, just a quiet life. Then, out of nowhere, a plague breaks out and kills me in a week!
In my second life, I was the son of a Sect Master with peerless talent! I had fame, wealth, and power... and then a massive asteroid falls from the sky and vaporizes the entire Sect!
Then, I was the First Prince of a Great Kingdom. I became the Emperor! I had everything! And what happens? A Godzilla with a mecha-laser gun appears out of nowhere and levels my entire capital!"
Li Chen slammed his fist against the ground. "Every single time, I die in the most idiotic way possible! In my 27th life, I was an 8th-Rank Alchemist. I was seconds away from refining a legendary tier 9 Immortal Pill—something that hadn't been seen in millennia—and the damn cauldron exploded in my face!"
He lay flat on the cold floor, sobbing quietly. "Why can't I, just once, enjoy the perks of being a protagonist? Am I destined to be a professional corpse?"
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical sound cut through his crying.
[Beep... Beep...]
[System Awakening: Loading... 10%... 45%... 99%...]
[Awakening Successful!]
Li Chen froze. He slowly looked up, his eyes widening as a translucent blue interface materialized in the air before him. The glow was soft, illuminating his tear-stained face.
His expression shifted from despair to pure, unadulterated shock.
"Is this... the legendary System?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
"After thirty lives... after dying thirty times... I have finally awakened my golden finger!"
A single, lonely tear rolled down Li Chen cheek—not a tear of sadness this time, but one of overwhelming relief. The weight of three dozen past lives seemed to lift off his shoulders in an instant.
Suddenly, he jumped to his feet, his despair replaced by frantic excitement. He wiped his face with his sleeve, his eyes locked onto the blue light in front of him.
"Come on! Don't keep me waiting!" he shouted in anticipation. "Show me what you've got! Give me something that can actually stop a laser-gun Godzilla or a cheating disciple!"
[Ding!]
[Detecting Host's past life data...]
[Compiling 30 lifetimes of experiences, failures, and regrets...]
[Ding!]
[To compensate the Host for thirty lifetimes of extraordinary misfortune and "creative" deaths, the System has issued a Special Reward.]
[You have received: (1) Peak Trait Selection Card!]
[Note: This card allows the Host to extract and permanently equip the most powerful traits, bloodlines, or talents from any of his previous 30 transmigrations.]
Li Chen stared at the screen, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Compensation?" he whispered, a manic grin spreading across his face. "You're damn right I deserve compensation! Do you know how much an asteroid hit hurts? Or how it feels to have your heart broken and then literally stabbed fifty times?"
"Come on then! Don't keep me waiting! Use it! Use the card!" Li Chen shouted, his voice cracking with a mix of desperation and excitement.
[Ding! Peak Trait Selection Card activated.]
[Scanning the graveyard of Host's previous lives...]
The blue interface suddenly turned a deep, regal gold. Images flashed across the screen like a high-speed film—bits and pieces of his thirty failures. He saw the face of the wife he lost to the plague, the blinding light of the asteroid, the terrifying glow of Godzilla's laser, and the cold, beautiful eyes of the disciple who stabbed him.
[Search Complete. The following 'Peak Traits' have been identified. Please select your primary foundation:]
"Enough talk! Let's start with Constitution!" Li Chen barked, his eyes fixed on the flickering list. "If I don't have a body that can survive the world's bullshit, I'll just end up as a ghost for the 31st time!"
[Ding! Accessing Constitution Archives...]
[Filtering the strongest physical foundations from the Host's 30 incarnations...]
The screen blurred with a dozen different names before slowing down to the top three contenders. Each one glowed with a different aura, vibrating with a power that made Li Chen current, frail body ache with envy.
[Please select ONE Peak Constitution:]
[The Immortal Void-Phasing Body (Life #12):] A body that exists between dimensions. Attacks pass through you like mist. (Note: You died because you ran out of energy while a mountain fell on you, but for a few minutes, you were untouchable!)
[Myriad Chaos Devouring Body]: A unique constitution capable of absorbing any energy—poison, plague, lightning, or even asteroid impacts—and converting it into a cultivation base. The ultimate "Anti-Death" foundation.
[True Dragon Physique: Indestructible Body.] This physique grants "Limitless growth potential in strength and stamina.", along with the divine ability to Command the Laws of the universe.
System Note: In Life #15, you were so durable that you survived the destruction of your entire universe. However, you eventually died of Loneliness while drifting in the endless void.
[ Ancient Holy Body]: A legendary physique said to be Second to None in ancient times. It possesses peerless combat power and suppresses all other spirits.
System Note: In Life #21, you were the strongest of your era, but you died at the Age of 20 because you were unable to break the Great Curse placed upon this bloodline.
"Damn it! I only have these options?" Li Chen growled, his face twisting in a mix of greed and paranoia.
He stared at the Ancient Holy Body. "This would be the best for raw power, but what's the point of being a god for a day if I drop dead the moment I turn twenty? I've died enough! I'm not signing my own death warrant again!"
Then his eyes drifted to the Myriad Chaos Devouring Body. It was tempting—perfect for avoiding the plagues and poisons that ruined his earlier lives. But then, a bitter, ridiculous memory resurfaced.
"In my 18th life... I was doing fine until those two Immortal Gods started that insane argument," he muttered, shivering. "Who would have thought I'd die as collateral damage just because two deities couldn't agree on who's is best at cooking Chinese Fried Rice? Their 'cooking' shockwaves vaporized me!"
He realized that even if he could absorb energy, a sudden, overwhelming force from a higher being would still erase him before he could digest it.
"System, if I pick the True Dragon Physique, I'll have the Indestructible Body and limitless potential" Li chen reasoned, his finger trembling over the gold icon. "I died of loneliness last time because I was the only being left in the void... but this time, I won't be alone. I'll be the one left standing while everyone else explodes!"
He gritted his teeth and made his choice.
"I select the True Dragon Physique! Give me the body that even the end of creation couldn't break!"
[Ding! Choice Confirmed: True Dragon Physique.]
[Integrating the Primordial Dragon Marrow... Warning: Your mortal bones are about to be shattered and reforged. Please try not to scream too loud.]
"Wait, what do you mean shat—"
CRACK.
A sound like breaking glass echoed through the room as his very skeleton began to glow with golden light.