Li Tian’s first moments in the new world were a blur. The pain from the tribulation still lingered in his body, but it was muted, distant. He could feel it in the muscles of his limbs, in the tightness of his chest, but it no longer consumed him. What consumed him now was confusion. Where am I? The question echoed in his mind, but there was no answer. The world around him was completely foreign, nothing like the sacred lands he had known in his past life.

He pushed himself to his feet, struggling against the unfamiliar gravity of this new world. The air is different, he thought, taking in the thick, metallic scent that hung around him. The sky above was not the golden hue he was used to, nor were the clouds the swirling storm clouds of the tribulation. Instead, it was a strange, gray sky filled with artificial lights.

Li Tian looked around, his eyes scanning the towering structures that surrounded him. Buildings of metal and glass stretched up into the sky, their surfaces reflecting the neon lights that flickered from signs he couldn’t even begin to understand. People moved through the streets, walking quickly, heads bent down as they stared at strange devices in their hands. What kind of place is this? he wondered, unable to make sense of it.

The noise of the city was overwhelming — the constant hum of machinery, the chatter of people, and the distant screech of metal grinding on metal. Li Tian felt like an outsider in a world that didn’t belong to him, a world where nothing seemed to align with the laws he had once known. His connection to his cultivation was gone, severed by the strange forces that had brought him here.

For a moment, he stood still, lost in the chaos of this foreign city, unsure of what to do. His body, though still strong, felt weakened, as though the power he once commanded had been stripped from him. And then, as though on instinct, his hand reached for his spear, but it wasn’t there. His Golden Spear of Fate, his most trusted weapon, was nowhere to be found.

His heart clenched at the emptiness he felt without it. The spear had been his anchor, his connection to the world. It had been his only constant, his soulmate. But now, it was as if it had never existed.

A soft beep interrupted his thoughts. He turned toward the sound, and to his shock, a holographic screen materialized in front of him. The text appeared on the screen, glowing faintly in the air:

> [Welcome to the System.]
[Soul Reclassification: Error.]

The words were cold, mechanical, and unfamiliar. Li Tian blinked in disbelief. A system? He had heard rumors about worlds controlled by systems — worlds where power was determined by ranks and points, where everything was controlled by an unseen force. But this was not the world he knew. This wasn’t his cultivation realm.

The screen flickered for a moment, and then, as if to mock him, it displayed his rank:

> [D-Rank: Unclassified Soul]

Li Tian stared at the words in stunned silence. D-Rank? The lowest rank? He, who had ascended beyond the heavens, who had fought the divine trials and emerged victorious, was now reduced to nothing more than a D-Rank in a system that seemed to know nothing of true power.

The screen changed, a new line of text appearing:

> [Soul Abnormality Detected: Immediate Action Required]

Before Li Tian could react, a strange energy pulse surged through him, causing his body to jerk involuntarily. It was like a shockwave of invisible force that resonated with his very soul, forcing him to take a knee. He gritted his teeth, willing himself to stand. His mind raced. This system, whatever it was, was interfering with him, and he had no idea how or why.

A feeling of unease settled over him as he stood, trying to regain his bearings. The world around him felt alien, like a place he had never belonged. The air tasted different, the ground beneath his feet was foreign, and even the sky felt like it didn’t belong to him. I need answers, he thought, his hand instinctively gripping the air as if searching for his spear that wasn’t there.

With no clear direction in mind, Li Tian began walking. His steps were slow at first, his thoughts clouded with confusion, but the need to understand drove him forward. As he walked through the streets, he observed the people around him, their faces blank, their movements mechanical. They were all connected to the system in some way, their lives dictated by an invisible force that controlled everything — their jobs, their ranks, their purpose.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong here. It was as if this world was a prison, and the system was the jailer. Every person he passed had the same vacant expression, their lives already decided for them by the system. It was like they were all moving in the same direction, but no one had any control over their own path.

As Li Tian walked, he noticed a group of students gathered in a public square. They were practicing what seemed to be basic martial arts drills, but their movements were stiff and rigid, as though they were being forced into the motions by an unseen hand. Is this the system’s influence? Li Tian wondered. The students seemed trapped, like they were performing for a ranking system that determined their worth.

One of the students, a tall and broad-shouldered figure, broke off from the group and walked over to Li Tian. His expression was one of smug superiority.

“Hey, old man,” the student said, his tone mocking. “You should be careful around here. D-Rank? That’s pretty pathetic.”

Li Tian turned his gaze toward the student. His eyes were calm, unwavering, as if the words had no effect on him. The student continued, undeterred, “You don’t belong here, old man. The academy is for people who matter. If you’re at D-Rank, maybe you should just go home.”

Li Tian stood silent for a moment. His thoughts were racing, but his expression never changed. He didn’t need to explain himself to this person. There was something about this world — the system, the people — that filled him with dissatisfaction. He had not come here to be measured by this strange system’s standards. He had not come here to be a slave to this world.

“I’m not here to fit in,” Li Tian said softly, his voice calm but firm.

Without another word, he walked past the student, his steps slow but purposeful. Behind him, he could hear the student’s angry voice shout, “Don’t think you can just walk past me! I’m a C-Rank! I’ll show you who’s boss!”

Li Tian didn’t turn around. He didn’t need to.

---

Li Tian continued walking, his mind racing with thoughts of his next move. I need to figure out how to break free of this system, he thought. The D-Rank was a shackling force, one that didn’t define him. He was more than this world’s petty ranks.

As he made his way deeper into the city, a glowing screen appeared in front of him once more:

> [Mission Assigned: Combat Training]
[Rank Advancement Trial Available]

Li Tian stared at the screen. Combat training? He didn’t need the system to tell him how to fight. But the mission intrigued him — if it was a way to gain more power or even understand this system better, he would accept. After all, this was not the world he had known. It was a world of games, rules, and rankings.

He accepted the mission, and as the screen disappeared, a faint feeling of determination washed over him.

---

Before Li Tian could move, a shadow appeared at the edge of his vision. A figure clad in a hood approached him, their presence strange and foreboding. Li Tian felt a sudden coldness seep into the air as the figure stopped a few paces from him.

“You’re not supposed to be here, anomaly,” the figure whispered, their voice low but carrying an unmistakable weight of authority.

Li Tian narrowed his eyes. Who is this? he thought. And why am I being hunted?

---