So There Really Was a Cheat Ability?

Li Yao watched Li Wenbin stride away, dusted off his hands, and headed back to the classroom.

Every student he passed looked at him as if they had seen a ghost and hurried out of his way.

"Did you see? Li Yao beat up both Yang Xiaoran and Lin Yun today!"

"Holy crap, seriously? Wasn't he her lapdog?"

"Lapdog? More like a lapdog who finally snapped. He was fierce today. He even talked back to Director Liu."

"Keep your voice down. Don't let him hear you."

Li Yao listened to the gossip, delighted.

As he walked, he wondered, Isn't a cheat ability supposed to come with being transported to another world?

An old mentor? A system? A little blue bottle?

Li Yao kept calling out in his mind, hoping for some kind of answer.

Several minutes passed. Nothing.

Who said getting transported to another world came with a cheat ability? Come out here and take a beating!

Just then, a sudden ding sounded in his head.

"Ding! Congratulations, host. You have unlocked the Prominent Family System!"

Li Yao froze midstep. No way. A cheat ability?

"Host identity detected: grandson of a Martial Saint, son of a Martial Emperor. Background Value function activated."

He stood rooted to the spot, his head buzzing.

"Scanning host's background..."

"Scan complete. Host's current Background Value: 100,000 points."

"Background Value: Each time the host uses his family background to resolve a problem, he earns Background Value. Background Value can be exchanged for Superpowers, cultivation techniques, pills, Spirit Artifacts, and other items."

"The system shop is now open. The host may view it at any time."

Li Yao was stunned.

"A system?" he muttered. "I really do have a cheat ability?"

He quickly glanced around. Luckily, no one was paying attention to him. He took a deep breath and hurried into the classroom.

A few classmates were already studying. When they saw Li Yao enter, they lowered their heads and pretended not to notice.

Li Yao didn't care. He went straight to his seat, sat down, closed his eyes, and said in his mind, System, open the shop.

A translucent blue panel appeared before his eyes, packed with items.

"Heaven-tier technique: Nine-Turn Profound Art — Background Value: 50,000 points"

"Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique: Primordial Unity Art — Background Value: 30,000 points"

"Spirit Artifact: Heaven-Piercing Sword — Background Value: 80,000 points"

"Pill: Marrow-Cleansing Pill — Background Value: 10,000 points"

"Ability: Fire Manipulation — Background Value: 20,000 points"

"Ability: Lightning Manipulation — Background Value: 25,000 points"

Li Yao's eyes went wide.

"Damn, there's so much good stuff?" He swallowed and checked his Background Value again. One hundred thousand points.

"I can buy quite a bit." He rubbed his hands together excitedly.

Still, he held back and read the instructions for earning Background Value first.

“Ways to earn Background Value:”

"1. Use your family background to resolve a problem: 100–10,000 points per instance."

"2. Reveal your family identity in public: 50–500 points per instance."

"3. Complete system missions for substantial rewards."

"4. Put someone in their place for a bonus based on how thoroughly you do it." ```

Li Yao couldn't help grinning when he finished reading.

"This system knows exactly what I want."

As he was savoring the thought, his phone suddenly vibrated.

He pulled it out and saw a text message.

"Young Master, the old master wants you to return to the residence tonight."

Sender: Li Wenbin.

Li Yao raised an eyebrow.

Return to the residence? Grandpa wants to see me?

He thought it over. He had only just arrived in this world and still didn't know much about it. Going back would be a good chance to ask his grandfather a few questions.

Besides, the system had only just awakened. Perhaps the visit would trigger a mission.

He was about to reply when his phone vibrated again.

"Young Master, the old master says he has something to discuss with you. Please make sure you come back tonight."

Li Yao replied, "Got it. I'll be back tonight."

He slipped his phone into his pocket, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the sky outside the window.

Looks like something interesting will happen tonight.

His grandfather had never insisted so firmly that he come home before.

I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing back in my original world.

The thrill had been real, but once it faded, Li Yao sat alone against the back of his chair, his spirits sinking.

"Ding! Don't worry, host. This system can take you back to your original world."

"Really?"

Li Yao felt like someone drowning in icy water who had finally caught hold of a lifeline.

He desperately needed a little hope.

No matter how good this world was, he didn't belong here.

"That's right, host. But first, your Background Value must meet the requirement for returning, and you must also reach this world's highest cultivation realm."

The system's voice cut off, and Li Yao felt as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him.

This world's highest cultivation realm?

The world Li Yao had entered was one where spiritual energy had resurged and demons ran rampant.

A hundred years earlier, a resurgence of spiritual energy had quietly swept the globe.

Plants and animals had been the first to change, growing larger and faster, even developing intelligence...

Every country had responded quickly. The unrest caused by those early mutations had soon been suppressed.

But then came a second wave, a third...

The situation only began to ease when Superpowers began to appear and people started becoming martial artists.

But cruelty was part of human nature, and Superpowers awakened in good and bad people alike.

Some people gained great power and decided they no longer had to answer to their countries or show any regard for others. They wanted whatever they pleased, whatever the cost.

Civil wars, external enemies—the territory humanity controlled shrank bit by bit, and the population began to plummet.

Then Li Yao's grandfather, Li Fuhai, appeared. Single-handedly, he propped up the teetering Dragon Nation.

First, he quelled the internal unrest. After breaking through to Martial Saint, he led others in reclaiming the land that had once belonged to their country.

Later, a powerful Demon reached the Demon Saint Realm, creating a balance between the two sides. Li Fuhai had guarded the border year after year ever since, devoting himself completely to the Dragon Nation.

Cultivation in this world had since developed into a structured system.

Aside from Superpower users, the most common path was that of the martial artist.

Martial Masters were divided into nine ranks, from first to ninth.

After breaking through the Ninth Rank Martial Master realm came Martial Venerable, Martial King, Martial Sovereign, Martial Emperor, Martial Saint, and Martial God!

Li Yao was only at the Third Rank Martial Master level. Reaching Martial God meant crossing more than a dozen major realms.

How long would it take before I could go back?

The spark of hope that had just flared up died again, and Li Yao's shoulders slumped.

"Host, time flows differently in this world than in your original world. One year here is only one day there."

The system spoke up at just the right moment.

"Really, system?"

"This system never deceives anyone, young or old. I never lie."