In the middle of a martial arts class, where sweat dripped from every forehead and the sharp scent of spiritual energy mixed with the dusty air of the training ground, students fought to climb one step closer to greatness. The upcoming College Entrance Examination loomed like a sword over everyone's neck. For those who passed, a future filled with honor and power awaited. For those who failed...
A life of obscurity. Of menial labor. Of worthlessness.
But among the determined crowd was one anomaly.
Head buried in folded arms, drool sliding down the edge of his desk, snoring loud enough to piss off a spiritual beast—was Li He.
Some students whispered. Others just stared in disbelief.
"Is he actually asleep? During combat meditation hour?"
"Unreal. I heard he didn't even register for a training scroll last week."
"That guy's a walking piece of trash. I've seen broken swords with more potential."
"Hah! Maybe he dreams of being a cultivator in his next life."
They laughed, mocked, and carried on, but Li He remained unmoved. Their words bounced off his ears like mosquitoes buzzing near a dragon. After all, this wasn't new.
Every week, every day—same insults. Same ridicule.
He opened one eye lazily.
"He's alive!" someone shouted.
Li He blinked slowly, yawning like a lion cub with a hangover. He rubbed his eyes, stretched, and muttered to himself,
"You're probably thinking I'm a big piece of shit, huh? Well... you're not wrong. I am."
He promptly dropped his head back down, ready to resume his slumber.
SLAM!
His desk shook violently. Someone had smacked it.
"Wake the hell up, you useless bum!"
Li He didn't need to look. That voice was all too familiar.
Standing over him like a general ready to execute a war criminal was Bao Yuer. She was tall, sharp-eyed, and always dressed in pristine white robes that practically screamed, "Daddy funds my cultivation."
But it wasn't always like this.
Three years ago, she and Li He were the top of their class. Partners in swordplay, study, and silent rivalry. But then the accident happened.
A truck. A shattered family. Two lives gone in an instant.
And in the aftermath, the original Li He—the real one—was gone too.
Replaced by me.
An average, twenty-something loser from Earth who died choking on instant noodles during a hentai marathon.
Yes, that's how I died. Don't judge.
I expected reincarnation to come with perks. Maybe a system. A powerful bloodline. A cheat item.
Instead, I got:
A dead family.
Trash talent.
A reputation lower than rat dung.
'Yo, heavens! If this was your plan for my second life, I want a refund!'
But even if I complained, nothing would change. So, I did what any sensible person would do: I gave up.
I slept. A lot.
And now here I was, being yelled at by the girl who used to smile at me when we trained together under the cherry blossom trees.
"Say something, Li He! Don't just sit there like a corpse!"
He finally looked up, eyes blank and voice dry.
"Do you need something?"
Bao Yuer's jaw clenched. She leaned in close and whispered venomously,
"What could a country bumpkin like you possibly offer me?"
Li He blinked, then said in a deadpan tone:
"A big, black, lengthy rod of a bum."
The class gasped.
Bao Yuer's face went red. Her hand shot toward him in a slap fueled by pure murder intent.
He tilted his head, dodging it effortlessly.
"You...!"
Before she could explode further, a voice echoed through the hall.
"Enough!"
Everyone turned.
It was Instructor Zuo, their homeroom teacher. A Tier-2 General Rank Warrior, known for turning delinquents into geniuses and geniuses into corpses if they pissed him off.
He walked in with his hands behind his back, his mere presence silencing the entire class.
"Bao Yuer. Back to your seat. The rest of you, shut your damn mouths. I have an announcement."
Yuer glared at Li He one last time and returned to her seat.
Zuo's voice boomed.
"Today, each of you will be injected with the Beast Serum."
Gasps filled the room.
"Yes, the real one. Not diluted. This will awaken your Bloodline Potential."
The class exploded with excitement.
"Holy shit!"
"I've been dreaming of this day for years!"
"If I awaken a Tier 4 bloodline, I could join Azure Flame Academy!"
"No way, man. I'm aiming for Tier 5."
Zuo continued, "Line up. One by one. The serum contains the spiritual DNA of thousands of ancient beasts. Your body will decide which one matches you."
One by one, students walked up and received their vials. Each held a shimmering liquid that pulsed like a living thing.
Some injected it immediately. Some hesitated.
And then, there was Li He.
He sat at the back of the line, swirling the vial between his fingers.
'So this is it, huh? The moment where everyone levels up, and I awaken the bloodline of a crippled donkey.'
He sighed and stabbed the needle into his arm.
At first, nothing.
Then—
Pain. Intense. Blinding.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" he screamed.
His body convulsed. Veins popped. His eyes rolled back.
"Li He!" someone yelled.
"Medic!"
But it was too late. Darkness swallowed him.
And in that darkness, a voice echoed.
[System Binding Initiated...]
[10%]
[26%]
[42%]
[67%]
[91%]
[99%]
[100%]
[Congratulations, Host!]
[The Heaven-Defying Bum System has successfully bound to your soul.]
[Newbie Bonus Granted: 20% Blank Talent Sync Token.]
Li He floated in a void.
And for the first time in years...
He smiled.
"Finally... the grind begins."
To Be Continued.