C1 Swiftbreaker

Swiftbreaker Sect, Outer Sect quarters.

“Senior brother, it’s time for morning lessons!”

The shout from outside drifted in, and Fu Chengyang opened his eyes, replying, “Alright, you go ahead. I’ll catch up after I get ready.”

He gathered his breath, stood up, and—unsurprisingly—felt no progress at all.

Sigh… Fu Chengyang couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. People always say that if you get a second chance at life, you’re supposed to be blessed with some kind of cheat code and soar to the top. But him? Average talent, average family, nothing special.

He’d barely managed to get into the number one cultivation sect thanks to being a quick learner as a kid, but real geniuses had already left him in the dust.

Still, no point dwelling on it. Life goes on. Fu Chengyang tidied himself up, pushed open the door, and headed toward the Outer Sect lecture hall.

He remembered the elder who’d first brought him into the sect. The man had said Chengyang was hardworking but just didn’t have the talent to reach the heights of cultivation. And honestly, Chengyang hadn’t proved him wrong. Ten years of rain or shine at the lecture hall, and he was still stuck in the Outer Sect with nothing to show for it.

As he neared the hall, a crowd blocking the path caught his attention.

“What makes you think you belong here with us?” someone sneered, shoving a plain-looking girl to the ground. She glared up at them, refusing to back down.

“Please, you’re the one who doesn’t belong!” she shot back, spitting out the words.

“So what if I’m standing outside the door? How does that bother you? The founder of the Sword Sect said it himself—everyone’s equal, and anyone can pursue the path. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to listen?” Her voice was stubborn, her eyes bright with defiance, refusing to let a single tear fall.

What a line—so simple, yet it struck a chord. The girl’s words caught Fu Chengyang off guard, making him pause even though he’d meant to mind his own business. His gaze landed on her face.

Wait a second—wasn’t she one of his chores disciples?

Before he could process it, a deep, ancient voice echoed in his mind, carrying the weight of countless truths:

Name: Lu Xingyao

Level: Ninth Stage of Qi Training

Fate: Reincarnated Immortal Lord (Perfect), Ethereal Beauty (Perfect)

Destiny: Born Anew from Despair (Perfect), Boundless Fortune (Perfect), Innate Sacred Heart (Perfect)

Life Script: Main Character of “The Immortal Journey of Xingyao”

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Upcoming Twist: In ten days, by a stroke of luck, she’ll accidentally step onto the Celestial Stairway, ascend all ninety-nine steps in one go, reveal her extraordinary talent, be chosen as the Swiftbreaker Sect Leader’s personal disciple, and rise to the rank of Divine Maiden.

Whoa—ninety-nine steps on the Celestial Stairway! Fu Chengyang sucked in a sharp breath. The golden script shimmering before him was so vivid, he knew he wasn’t dreaming.

Every three months, Outer Sect disciples could compete for a chance to climb the Celestial Stairway. The top ten earned the right to try. Those who reached the tenth step were considered decent and could join the Inner Sect. Make it to the twentieth, and you had real promise—enough to become an elder’s personal disciple.

But to reach the fortieth step? Only then could you be chosen by the Sect Leader himself. As for all ninety-nine steps—no one had become Divine Maiden in the Swiftbreaker Sect for a hundred years. That’s how rare it was.

All these thoughts flashed through Fu Chengyang’s mind in an instant. Meanwhile, someone was already closing in on Lu Xingyao.

“Hmph! You’ve got some nerve. A lowly servant like you dares talk back to me? Looks like I need to teach you a lesson, or you’ll never know your place!” The man’s face darkened as he raised his hand, aiming a slap at Lu Xingyao.

No!

In a flash, Fu Chengyang’s mind raced through the details of her overwhelming destiny:

Blessed from the very start, favored by fate itself, she was a chosen one, destined for fortune and special treatment.

In that split second, just as the man’s hand was about to strike Lu Xingyao, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the blow.

But the slap never landed. Instead, a strong, steady hand caught the man’s wrist, stopping him cold.

“You—!” The man tried to yank his hand free, but it wouldn’t budge.

Only then did Fu Chengyang notice a few faint words glowing above the man’s head in the golden light. At the same time, a calm voice echoed in his mind:

Name: Liu Rongwei

Level: Foundation, Stage One

Fate: Cannon Fodder (Gray)

...

Every fate is ranked in eight tiers: Black, Gray, White, Green, Blue, Red, Gold, and Perfect.

Perfect is the best of the best. White is average. Black means you’re born unlucky. Gray is about as ordinary as it gets—maybe a little bad luck here and there, but nothing special. The kind of person who never makes it past the first few episodes.

Fu Chengyang kept reading down the list, but when he reached the last line, his eyes widened in shock.

Recent twist: While practicing swordsmanship in the back hills, Fu Chengyang stumbled upon the Five Spirits Technique, only to have it snatched away by Liu Rongwei. Ironically, this handed Liu Rongwei a crucial boost on his path to defying the odds.

Wait—defying the odds? As someone who’s read countless underdog stories, Fu Chengyang knew exactly what this meant. After waiting over twenty years for his own stroke of luck, it had finally arrived!

His heart raced, and he could barely keep himself from rushing straight to the back hills. Though he tried to keep his excitement in check, Liu Rongwei, clueless to the real reason, completely misread his expression.

“What’s wrong? Upset because I kicked your dog?” Liu Rongwei sneered, thinking Fu Chengyang was taking Lu Xingyao’s side. “Fu Chengyang, think carefully—are you really going to stand against me for some nobody?”

So what if he was the senior disciple? In Liu Rongwei’s eyes, Fu Chengyang was just an overgrown loser with nothing to show for it.

Liu Rongwei’s words snapped Fu Chengyang back to reality, but he didn’t get the reaction he expected.

The next second, a scream tore through the air!

“You—Fu Chengyang!” Liu Rongwei’s arm was crushed, leaving him writhing in agony on the ground.

“Liu Rongwei, I suggest you watch your mouth,” Fu Chengyang said coldly. With a flick of his sleeve, a flash of sword light split the air.

The sound was as clean as slicing tofu. A long sword landed between Liu Rongwei’s legs. “Touch anyone of mine again, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

My people...

Off to the side, Lu Xingyao had already picked herself up from the ground. She stood with her head bowed, and when she heard those words, her whole body trembled, disbelief flickering in her eyes.

He said, “my people”... Ever since her mother passed away, no one had ever stood in front of her like this...

Lu Xingyao lowered her gaze, hiding the emotions in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Liu Rongwei, who had nearly lost his life just now, looked terrified. His hands shook as he stammered, “Aren’t you afraid of the Yu family coming after you?”

The Yu family? Fu Chengyang’s lips curled into a faint smile. In the Cultivation World, they were nothing more than a third-rate clan. Besides, the so-called Yu family backing Liu Rongwei was just Yu Yaolu, an Inner Sect disciple.

Maybe in the past, he would have been wary. But now? The Yu family was nothing to him.

Liu Rongwei saw Fu Chengyang’s silence and thought he’d managed to scare him. Emboldened, he puffed up his chest.

“I’m with the Yu family! If you and your mutt get on your knees and beg, maybe I’ll let you live.” Liu Rongwei shook his head smugly, as if he could already see Fu Chengyang on his knees, sobbing for mercy.

“Heh.”

But Fu Chengyang’s eyes turned cold. He parted his lips and spat out a single word: “Get lost.”

The air around them seemed to freeze. A wave of murderous intent surged forth, crashing down on Liu Rongwei like a tidal wave!

He’s just at the Foundation Stage—how dare he talk so big in front of him?