Chapter 1: Gaining Immortal Emperor Power, Founding Kunlun Sacred Land

On a remote hill sat a rundown thatched hut.

A sixteen-year-old boy, Russell Grove, handsome but in tattered clothes, was slouched on a small stool. His eyes, like stars, were filled with frustration.

In front of him lay an old man, skin and bones, barely breathing.

“You really just gonna die like that, old man? No inheritance? Not even a scrap? I’m still stuck at Body Refining Stage One! I’m just a weakling!”

Russell grabbed the old man by the shoulder, his tone full of helplessness.

He’d been in this strange fantasy world for five years now. Wandering about until he met the old man, who took him in. They’d relied on each other since.

This so-called old master was basically a beggar, yet always bragging about his past as some top cultivator. Now? Dead in a ditch.

“Cough... I raised you with my own hands... and all you care about is inheritance, you brat...”

The old man could barely speak. You had to press your ear to his mouth to hear anything.

Russell flared up. “Don’t talk nonsense! I sure as hell didn’t eat anything weird growing up!”

He gritted his teeth. “Didn’t you always claim to be some powerful cultivator? How come you’re dying then?”

He was mad, but his eyes were already red. The anger hid the sorrow.

“Kid… this sect… it’s yours now… make it thrive...”

The old man’s breath grew weaker.

Russell stared at him, speechless. “At least tell me this sect’s name before you go?”

Since meeting him, the old man only taught him one basic body-refining technique. Who knew he was talking about founding a sect this whole time?

Look at the hill. Look at the shack. This is a sect?

The old guy suddenly looked up, a flash of panic in his eyes. “Ah! I… I forgot to name it...”

Then he slumped. Dead.

Russell’s jaw dropped.

Seriously? Been shouting about ‘our sect’ for years and never even named it? Where’d you get the guts to call this a sect?

After giving the old man a proper burial, Russell pulled out the basic cultivation scroll, tears threatening to spill.

In this world, strong cultivators were everywhere. And he, at the very bottom—Body Refining Stage One—was less than a weakling.

He’d come to learn this world was called the Desolate Immortal World, one of the so-called Three Thousand Worlds. Cultivators filled its lands.

It was split into five major territories: East Victory, West Bliss, South Divine, North Cold, and Central Godlands.

He was in the East Victory Continent. More precisely, in Cangtian Realm.

Even this one realm was larger than the Blue Star from his previous life—by countless times.

And there were eighteen realms like it just in East Victory.

He could only imagine how massive this world truly was.

“Well… one step at a time.”

Russell sighed. Why couldn’t he be born with a cheat physique? The kind that skyrockets in cultivation effortlessly?

Kinda embarrassing for a transmigrator, honestly.

Just as he was about to continue cultivating that basic technique, a metallic voice suddenly rang in his head.

[ Ding! Host has inherited the Sect Master title. Activating the All-Heavens Supreme Sect System... Binding complete! ]

“What the hell? I’ve got a system?!”

Russell jolted. Every pore felt like it just opened up.【Beginner's Gift: One set of Grand Ascension Stage cultivation. Does the host wish to claim it?】

The system’s voice nearly made Russell Grove jump. He knew it—he wasn’t born to be some pathetic transmigrator. Finally, his cheat had arrived.

Five years.

Five damn years!

You have any idea what that’s like?

But he quickly calmed down, sensing something off with the system.

“You said I inherited the title of Sect Leader, so the system activated. What if I hadn’t? You planning to stay asleep forever?”

Russell narrowed his eyes, voice cold.

【System: Theoretically, that is correct.】

That made his veins pop. “Are you kidding me? So it was just luck? What if the old man hadn’t croaked? I’d rot here powerless till death, huh?!”

【System: Does the host wish to claim the Beginner's Gift?】

Russell refused to drop it. “You call this a gift? Some garbage trap and expect me to kiss your feet? What if I’d kicked the bucket first, huh? System my ass!”

“You’re testing leaders? What leader can survive this nonsense?”

“So, how do you plan on compensating me? Mental trauma fee? Delay of turn-around fee? Hormonal imbalance charge?”

【Szzzz… System malfunctioning… Beginner's Gift insufficient to meet host’s expectations…】

【Szzzz… Compensation evaluation in progress due to activation loophole…】

【Beginner’s Gift upgraded!】

【Gift: Grand Ascension upgraded to Immortal Emperor! Does the host wish to claim it?】

The words hit Russell like a hammer. Immortal Emperor?

He blinked hard, throat dry. “Immortal Emperor… That’s the peak, isn’t it? Top of the food chain in the Archaic Immortal World?”

Cultivation stages: Body Tempering, Qi Refining, Foundation, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Fusion, Integration, Grand Ascension, Tribulation Crossing, True Immortal, Earth Immortal, Heaven Immortal, Mysterious Immortal, Immortal Lord, Immortal King, and finally… Immortal Emperor.

With that kind of power, he could walk where he pleased, wreck worlds with a flick. Becoming an Immortal Emperor from a Body Tempering loser—this was madness.

As he got lost in dreams of power, imagining himself ruling across countless realms, the system chimed in again.

【Host’s satisfaction still below threshold. Additional compensation granted: One copy of “Primordial Immortal Bell.” Claim?】

Gulp.

Russell swallowed again. Good thing he didn’t say yes too quick. Damn system was stingy—it needed a tongue-lashing to pay up?

Shameless.

He waited a few more minutes, seeing no more additions, then finally snorted. “Fine. You’re lucky I’m generous. I’ll take it.”

The moment he confirmed, a torrent of indescribable power surged into him. It wasn’t just strength—this was the apex of existence in this world.

In the void above, laws of this universe burst into view. Visions followed like scenes from gods dreaming:

Golden lotus blooming in life sea, Immortal Kings descending from nine heavens, moon rising from the sea, the Yin-Yang Life-Death Diagram, three thousand divine demons kneeling, endless purple aura sweeping in from the east...

All of it—every last vision—painted across the skies of Cangtian Realm, shocking every cultivator who watched in awe and fear.