First Check-In

Dou Qi Continent.

Wu Tan City, Xiao Family Back Mountain.

The moon hung like a silver disc, stars filled the sky. On a cliff sat a young man, reclining on the grass with a blade of grass between his lips, chewing it lightly and letting its faint bitterness spread through his mouth.

He raised his somewhat pale hand before his eyes and peered through the gaps between his fingers at the night sky, gazing at the bright moon above.

"Almost sixteen years."

It had been nearly sixteen years since Lin Feng came to this world. As a transmigrator, he did not have the cheats enjoyed by those novel protagonists, letting him swagger through life, slap faces, win beauties, and reach the pinnacle. Instead, he was a useless good-for-nothing who could not cultivate. Over the years, he had received plenty of scorn in the clan where the protagonist of Dou Po lived.

He had been an orphan when he transmigrated here and was adopted by an elder of the Xiao Family. Later, that elder also passed away, leaving him all alone.

By all rights, shouldn't this kind of beginning have led to a cheat-fueled path of crushing heaven, earth, and air alike?

Yet in all these years, he had not gained the slightest cheat. There was no system or anything like that. His cultivation talent was average as well. After more than ten years, he was still only at Dou Qi Two Stages. He was even more useless than Xiao Yan, who had now fallen into disgrace, but Xiao Yan at least had Yao Lao inside his ring. He was the protagonist of this world.

"Ah."

Lin Feng sighed. A young man came over and sat beside him, calling softly, "Feng Ge."

Lin Feng looked at him. As the protagonist of this world, Xiao Yan was fairly handsome. Lin Feng then glanced at the ring on his finger, where Yao Lao was hidden. Judging by the timeline, he would probably reveal himself soon.

"What did you come here for?"

Xiao Yan forced a smile. "Father told me to call you back for dinner."

Thinking of that middle-aged man, warmth rose in Lin Feng's heart. Ever since the elder had died, Xiao Yan's father had taken good care of him. Because of what Xiao Yan had gone through over the past three years, the two had become quite close.

Lin Feng said nothing and merely patted the spot beside him. Xiao Yan sat down where he was.

"Xiao Yanzi, do you think your Feng Ge will be like this for the rest of his life?"

Xiao Yan looked up at the night sky. Hearing Lin Feng's words, he fell silent for a moment before saying, "Feng Ge, don't give up. One day, you'll make everyone see you in a new light."

Lin Feng sighed inwardly. That only applies to you. Before long, Yao Lao will appear, and you'll begin your Hacked Life.

He stood, dusted off his backside, and spat out the grass in his mouth. "Ah, enough of that. Let's go back."

Xiao Yan rose and walked shoulder to shoulder with Lin Feng. Along the way, they encountered some young members of the clan, all of whom pointed at them and whispered.

"Heh, two good-for-nothings. They're a disgrace to the clan."

"Isn't that right? One is the Clan Leader's son, and the other has been useless since childhood, yet the Clan Leader still favors them so much."

"Who knows why Miss Xun Er thinks so highly of that useless Xiao Yan."

Lin Feng and Xiao Yan had heard such words from the younger generation of the clan many times over the years. Though they still felt uncomfortable inside, they had learned to control their emotions. Especially Lin Feng. In his younger days, he had been hot-blooded and unable to tolerate such insults, rushing forward every time to teach those people a lesson. But because he lacked strength, he always ended up suffering instead.

Not far away stood a lovely figure, illuminated by the light and captivatingly beautiful.

When the girl saw Lin Feng and Xiao Yan, she playfully stuck out her tongue. "Brother Xiao Yan and Feng Ge went to Back Mountain again."

Xiao Yan merely forced a smile and answered faintly, "Mm." As the useless person he was now, he lacked both the confidence and the qualifications to approach the clan's favored daughter of heaven.

As for Lin Feng, whenever he had been bullied by members of the Xiao Family over the years, Xun Er had often helped him. She had never looked down on him like the others. At least from that alone, the girl truly had a kind heart.

"Tomorrow is the test. Brother Xiao Yan and Feng Ge, do your best."

Xun Er clasped her hands behind her back and walked beside Xiao Yan. Quite a few young clan members along the road cast envious looks their way.

Upon hearing that, the same thought surfaced in both Xiao Yan's and Lin Feng's minds: Is it time for the test again?

They would probably be mocked again tomorrow.

With a self-mocking shake of his head, Lin Feng looked at the ring on Xiao Yan's hand. If things developed as they should, Xiao Yan would begin his Hacked Life after tomorrow.

Ah, as the saying goes, thirty percent is fate and seventy percent is hard work. Happiness is earned through struggle. Even if I can't become the protagonist, I still have to live well in this world.

He knew that only strength could let him survive in this world where the strong devoured the weak. Even if his talent was poor and he had no cheat, he could not give up.

Diligence made up for inadequacy. He had always believed that.

After dinner, Lin Feng returned to his small courtyard and began cultivating. While everyone else was resting, he would cultivate. He would grind them all into the ground. From now on, even cultivation had to become a competition.

Then, after he had only entered meditation for half a quarter of an hour, an incomparably exciting voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Ding. The plot of Dou Po is about to begin. System binding successful. Host: Lin Feng."

"Beginner gift package issued. Improving the host's physique. Reward: Dou Practitioner One Star and Tier 3 Alchemist strength. Obtained cultivation technique: Undying Scripture, along with the high-level Profound Rank Dou technique, Phantom Tracing. The next check-in location is the Testing Stone. Successful check-in will grant the Eight Inner Gates."

Lin Feng was instantly overjoyed. Though cheats might arrive late, they were never absent.

I knew it. How could a transmigrator's standard setup possibly lack a cheat?

System Daddy, I love you.

Lin Feng sensed himself. Although there did not seem to be any change on the surface of his body, he could clearly feel that his physical constitution had improved tremendously, and his speed of absorbing Dou Qi was much faster than before.

His waist no longer ached, his legs no longer hurt. It was as though his body had been remade.

"Undying Scripture."

When he saw this cultivation technique, Lin Feng recalled that it was the strongest body-refining technique in heaven and earth in another novel. Once mastered, the body would become indestructible, and even if the soul were destroyed, spiritual awareness could be born anew.

Tomorrow's successful check-in grants the Eight Inner Gates. Wouldn't these two be invincible when combined?

The Eight Inner Gates were Might Guy's signature technique in Naruto. Back then, it had nearly kicked the story straight to its ending. Combined with the Undying Scripture, wasn't that simply unbeatable?

Following the cultivation technique, Lin Feng began opening his meridians step by step. The Undying Scripture circulated as he began absorbing Dou Qi. Dou Qi from heaven and earth poured endlessly into his body.

Dou Qi filled the air above Lin Feng's small courtyard. The flowers, grass, and trees within swayed joyfully. These pure streams of Dou Qi benefited the plants greatly.

One could sense that Lin Feng's blood and vitality had become exceptionally vigorous. Golden light bloomed across his entire body as the Undying Scripture transformed him.

Everything proceeded silently. Xun Er, however, looked toward Lin Feng's courtyard. A figure concealed in the darkness beside her said, "Miss, this disturbance must be caused by a Super Heaven Rank cultivation technique. This Lin Feng is definitely not simple. Shall this subordinate investigate him?"

Xun Er shook her head. "Everyone has their own secrets. Feng Ge bears no ill will toward Brother Xiao Yan or Uncle Xiao. Ling Lao, you may withdraw for now."

P.S. As for the female lead, there will definitely be one. Everyone can try guessing. There is a cloud in the sky~ the "Sha" desert~