When the sun rose over Pig Village, it found Li Tianming meditating on top of a wobbling pig coop with a cabbage leaf taped to his forehead.
A faint aura surrounded him. Chickens stared. A goat sneezed.
Inside the house, Mei Ling'er opened the door, blinked at the sight, and said the thing everyone was thinking:
"…Is this part of cultivation?"
Tianming opened one eye. "Yes. You wouldn't understand. It's called the Shameless Path."
> "System Tip: Host is correct. Cultivation Path selected: [Shameless Dao – Variant Route]."
"Type: Unorthodox, Overpowered, Socially Dangerous."
"Breakthrough Requirements: Flirt, Boast, Survive Humiliation, and Outshine Enemies."
"I don't know what's more alarming," Mei Ling'er muttered. "The fact that you believe this… or the fact that your aura's increasing."
"Shhh. I'm communing with the Dao of Thick Skin."
---
Minutes later, Tianming stood proudly in the village square, announcing:
"Dear peasants and noble pigs! I have achieved enlightenment!"
Everyone ignored him except Old Granny Wu, who asked if he was selling medicinal tea again.
> "Ding! Passive Skill Unlocked: [Public Embarrassment Absorption Lv.1]. +5 Qi."
Mei Ling'er dragged him aside.
"You're gaining power from being humiliated?"
"It's not humiliation. It's spiritual thickening."
She stared. "You're serious?"
He nodded. "System, status!"
> [Li Tianming – Status Screen]
Cultivation Path: Shameless Dao
Current Rank: Spirit Root Stage 1
Qi: 187/200
Affection Links: Mei Ling'er (15%)
Passive Skills: Shameless Aura, Mouth of God, Embarrassment Absorption
Active Skills: Face-Slapping Token (1), Cleanse All
Hidden Trait: "Fortune Favors the Ridiculous"
> "System Comment: Host is growing at a rate normally reserved for protagonists with 12 bloodlines and a cheat-grade grandpa."
---
Determined to test his power, Tianming headed to the Village Training Ground, a dusty field with three scarecrows, a broken dummy, and a teenager practicing sword swings like he was trying to tickle ghosts.
Tianming approached.
"Hello, I'm here to challenge you."
The boy blinked. "I'm just… I'm not part of any sect—"
"Even better. Less paperwork."
Tianming charged. The boy squealed and tried to block, but Tianming didn't use fists or qi. He used words.
"Your form is trash, your aura is sad, and your stance looks like a duck trying to do taxes!"
The boy burst into tears.
> "Skill Activated: [Mouth of God – Lv.1]. Emotional Disruption Successful. Qi Absorbed: +15."
> Breakthrough Achieved: Spirit Root Stage 2!
New Ability Unlocked: [Verbal Palm Strike – Slap With Words]
Tianming spun dramatically. "Behold! The Shameless Path is real!"
The scarecrows nodded solemnly in the wind.
---
Later that evening, Mei Ling'er stared at him over roasted mushroom skewers.
"You gain power… by trash-talking people?"
"Exactly. My words are mightier than your sword."
"And yet, your aura is genuinely stronger than yesterday." She narrowed her eyes. "What's your limit?"
"Don't know yet," Tianming said. "But I feel like if I flex hard enough, I might reach Enlightened Sage just by taunting the heavens."
> "System Suggestion: Please don't taunt the heavens. Yet."
---
That night, while stargazing, Tianming asked, "Ling'er, serious question. How do you cultivate?"
She paused. "I pray in lotus sanctuaries, chant cosmic mantras, and gather divine essence from fallen stars."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"I see. I roast carrots, roast people, and roll around in public shame."
"Your path is insane," she said.
"And yet effective."
She rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "Fine. Teach me one of your 'techniques.' Just for fun."
"Alright," he said. "Step one: insult me."
"Easy. You smell like disappointment and unwashed potential."
He staggered.
> "System Alert: Emotional Damage Received. +7 Qi."
"Good!" he coughed. "Now feel the qi flow!"
She laughed.
> "System Note: Mei Ling'er Affection +3. Status: Mildly Amused."
---
The next morning, as pigs crowed (or tried to), Tianming stood at the village gate to greet a visitor: a cocky young cultivator in silver robes flanked by two followers. He held a fan and smirked like someone born to be slapped.
"I heard there's a fool here calling himself a sect leader?"
Tianming stepped forward. "You found him. Welcome to my empire."
"Empire?" The youth sneered. "You don't even have shoes!"
"I transcend footwear," Tianming replied. "Now, who might you be?"
"Lin Feng. Outer disciple of Snake Cloud Sect."
"Oh, the worm-themed one. Heard your sect lost to a chicken farm last year."
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.
"You have a death wish."
"No, I have a Face-Slapping Token. Care to see it in action?"
> "Ding! Face-Slapping Token Activated!"
Tianming's hand glowed.
SMACK.
Lin Feng flew backward into a dung barrel.
> "Humiliation Delivered. Qi Harvested: +50. Cultivation Up: Spirit Root Stage 3!"
Villagers clapped. Mei Ling'er stared in awe.
"You're leveling… by slapping people?"
"Efficient, isn't it?"
> "System Tip: New Title Earned – [Slap Sage]."
---
As the sun set over the village, Tianming stood tall atop a barrel (non-dung-filled this time), arms raised.
"From now on, we walk the Shameless Path! We slap our way to the heavens!"
A pig oinked.
Mei Ling'er groaned.
But the wind whispered approval.
And somewhere, deep in the heavens…
...a god frowned.