C1 The Almighty Immortal Cultivation System Was Activated

In Fallen Mountain Village of Chaos River Town, Yun Buhui sprinted up the hillside with urgency.

"What's happening? Why is this thick fog rolling in so suddenly?" Buhui worried as he ran. His mother's illness had flared up again, and this time it was more severe than ever. She was convulsing and struggling to breathe, dangerously close to suffocating.

At twenty, Buhui was the pillar of his family. His father had broken his leg in his youth, and now, especially on rainy days, the pain was unbearable, preventing him from doing any heavy labor. Consequently, Buhui had to drop out of high school and return home to help. Poverty was deeply entrenched in their lives, and escaping it was no simple task. They couldn't even afford the hospital bills for his mother's treatment.

Thankfully, Dr. Hu from the Huang Family Shop in the neighboring village was an option. His medical expertise might have been modest, but he offered treatment first and accepted payment later.

Buhui had called Dr. Hu, but the doctor was reluctant to come out. They had already accumulated a substantial debt from his mother's ongoing medical expenses, and Dr. Hu was hesitant to extend further credit. After all, no one wants to run a business at a loss.

The dense fog obscured everything around him, causing Buhui to furrow his brow. Luckily, he knew this path like the back of his hand, having walked it for years, so the chances of getting lost were slim. He pressed on despite the fog, but suddenly, he tripped over something and tumbled to the ground. Thankfully, his youth spared him from serious injury, leaving him with only minor pain.

Picking himself up, Buhui saw that a stone had caused his fall. To his astonishment, there was a cellphone resting on the stone, identical to his own. For a moment, he thought it was his phone. In this age of advanced technology, not many people used knockoff phones anymore. Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone to compare.

Two identical phones lay before him, indistinguishable in style and pattern. As he marveled at the similarity, one of the phones suddenly emitted a flash of light so bright that he instinctively shut his eyes.

Upon reopening his eyes, Yun Buhui was astonished to find only one phone in his grasp. Perplexed, he wondered if he had been seeing things. He proceeded to unlock the phone, and to his surprise, he discovered a newly downloaded game on the screen.

"Almighty Immortal Cultivation" read the bold title of the game, with the word "Activate" beckoning below. Without hesitation, he tapped "Activate." The instant he did, a white light burst forth from his phone.

The light was so intense that Yun Buhui feared his phone might explode. He attempted to toss it away, but before he could, the light enveloped him. In a swift whoosh, he vanished, leaving the silent hilltop deserted.

Once the dizziness subsided, Yun Buhui regained consciousness to find himself in an unfamiliar place, unable to discern his surroundings. As he looked around, a voice reached his ears: "The Almighty Immortal Cultivation System has been triggered and is now officially activated. Host, please choose whether to bind to your body and synchronize with reality."

"Where am I? Hey, who are you? Let me go back, I need to go back! I don't have time to play games here; I need to see a doctor. Please, send me back!"

"Selection incorrect. Host, do you wish to bind to your body and initiate synchronization with reality?"

The voice echoed once more, and Yun Buhui had regained his composure. With a clearer mind, he sensed that the situation was far from ordinary. It appeared that cooperation was his only option for a swift escape. Otherwise, he risked an indefinite delay.

"Bind."

Having made his choice, Yun Buhui responded decisively. Almost immediately, he felt the once obscure surroundings snap into focus.

Surveying his surroundings, he found himself seemingly in an empty room. Directly in front of him stood a jade table, upon which rested a jade card inscribed with the words "Endless Cultivation". With a hint of curiosity, he approached and gently pressed the card.

Simultaneously, a voice echoed once more, "Congratulations to the host for officially activating the Cultivation Function. The host may now opt to explore the Secret Realm. Would the host like to proceed?" As the voice spoke, Yun Buhui noticed several maps materializing before him.

However, only the first map glimmered faintly, while the rest remained shrouded in darkness. Though he was not acquainted with the Almighty Immortal Cultivation System, he surmised that he needed to complete the first map before the others would unlock sequentially.

"Explore."

With Yun Buhui's affirmative response, a force of teleportation enveloped him, and in an instant, he vanished from his original location.

Reappearing in a world cloaked in darkness, he could barely see beyond three meters. The rest was engulfed in shadows. Yun Buhui scanned his surroundings with caution before cautiously proceeding forward.

After some time, the flat terrain gave way to a towering mountain. Only upon nearing the mountain did he realize he was at its base.

Continuing along the mountain path, he had barely taken a few steps when his eyes narrowed, and he spun around, sprinting away. He had no choice; a two-meter-long python lay ahead, flicking its tongue menacingly. The sight nearly sent Yun Buhui's heart racing out of his chest.

Thankfully, the python paid him no heed, sparing his life. He ran frantically, unaware of the distance he covered until he could run no more. Only then did he realize he had left the mountain far behind and was now on a vast grassland. The limited visibility had disoriented him.

Gasping for breath, he sat down to rest, his body weary from the mad dash. He had mentally berated the Almighty Immortal Cultivation System throughout his ordeal. But as he sat there, catching his breath, a sinister giggle sounded from behind. In that instant, Yun Buhui's skin prickled, and a wave of fear washed over him.