Well, that was anticlimactic

With a resigned sigh, Shen pressed the "Aptitude Gacha" button. Instantly, the panel transformed, revealing three aptitudes shimmering before him: Cultivation Aptitude, Technique Aptitude, and Dao Aptitude. He shifted his gaze to the right, where a "spin" button awaited, accompanied by a counter showing his available spins and a note detailing the mechanics of the spin.

"You can spin for individual aptitudes, but spinning all three at once costs only one spin," Shen muttered as he read the instructions aloud to himself. "However, spinning each aptitude individually also requires one spin each."

Frowning slightly, Shen pondered his options. "What are the best aptitudes?" he asked, hoping for guidance from the system.

The panel flickered briefly before presenting a list of Cultivation Aptitude tiers: Mortal, Spirit, Earth, Sky, Mystic, Celestial, Divine, Sacred, Ethereal, and Dao. Each tier represented a higher level of potential and power in the realm of cultivation.

"Interesting," Shen mused, absorbing the information. "And what's my current aptitude?"

The system's face reappeared, its digital features forming a thoughtful expression. "Your aptitude is that of a Mortal," it replied evenly.

"Hmm," Shen murmured, considering his starting point. "Do Technique Aptitudes follow a similar grading system?" he inquired, wanting to understand if his potential extended beyond cultivation alone.

In response, the system materialized a hand and gave him a silent thumbs up, confirming that Technique Aptitudes indeed followed a structured progression similar to Cultivation Aptitudes.

Feeling a surge of determination, Shen Wu weighed his options. He knew that each spin could potentially shape his path in profound ways, influencing his journey from a Mortal to realms yet uncharted. With a steady resolve, he reached out and pressed the "spin" button.

Shen Wu stared at the system panel before him, weighing his options carefully. With a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the "spin" button under the Cultivation Aptitude section.

The system responded instantly, swirling into motion with digital fervor. Shen watched intently as the symbols spun rapidly before slowing down to reveal a shining star. The star floated out of the system's interface and gently landed in Shen's outstretched hand.

He inspected the star with curiosity, its ethereal glow casting a soft light on his face. "Uh, what's this thing?" Shen asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

The system's face reappeared, visibly shocked. "No way... on your first spin, did you pull it...? Its drop rate is one in Trevigintillion," the system exclaimed, its digital features showing genuine surprise.

Shen waved his hand dismissively, trying to maintain his composure. "Hey, system, you still there?" he prodded, attempting to bring the conversation back to practical matters.

The system blinked back to attention. "Ah, yes," it replied. "You managed to spin a Dao-grade cultivation talent. This aptitude has no bottlenecks typical of other realms. Instead of the usual stages like initial, middle, late, and peak, Dao aptitude offers an Extreme stage, which makes you ten times stronger than the peak of that realm. Furthermore, once you break through, you'll be ten times stronger than the initial stage of the next realm."

Shen nodded slowly, absorbing the magnitude of what he had obtained. "I only asked what this thing was," he remarked dryly. "So, do I... eat it?"

The system's response was nonchalant. "Sure, go ahead," it said, as if this were a perfectly ordinary request.

With a shrug, Shen raised the star to his lips and swallowed it whole. For a moment, a dim light engulfed him, casting a faint glow around his form. But just as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded, leaving Shen standing there seemingly unchanged.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Shen remarked with a hint of disappointment. He turned to the system, ready to move on. "Spin for Technique Aptitude," he instructed, eager to see what else fate had in store for him.

The system complied, spinning once more with a whirl of digital patterns. This time, a golden sphere emerged from the system and landed gently in Shen's hand.

He examined the sphere closely, raising an eyebrow. "And what is this?" Shen asked, his curiosity piqued once more.

The system materialized two hands and clenched them into fists with an air of disbelief. "What kind of luck do you have? You've pulled Sacred. The chances are merely one in Sextillion," the system declared, its virtual voice tinged with awe.

Shen's expression soured slightly. "Oh, I guess that's not great, then," he muttered, unimpressed by the odds.

"Take it back. I'm going to spin for Dao," Shen declared decisively, handing the golden sphere back to the system.

Shen Wu's eyes glinted with excitement as he clicked the technique aptitude spin button once more. The system whirred into action, digital patterns swirling before settling on a small, glowing star that floated gracefully into Shen's awaiting hand.

"Nice!" Shen exclaimed enthusiastically, popping the star into his mouth without hesitation. He felt a surge of energy, a subtle enhancement coursing through him as the star dissolved.

Meanwhile, the system materialized hands again, conjuring a flip phone out of thin air. With deft movements, it clicked a few buttons and brought the phone to its ear.

"Yeah, boss," the system spoke into the phone in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, this guy you assigned to me? He's already pulled Dao-grade aptitude for both Cultivation and Technique... Yeah, I double-checked the rates, they're accurate... Alright, if you insist. I'll leave it as is."

Turning back to Shen, the system addressed him once more. "Would you like to spin for Dao aptitude?" it asked, anticipating his next move.

"Yeah, go on," Shen replied with determination, eager to see what the next spin would bring.

The system spun once more, and this time, a majestic spear materialized and landed gracefully in Shen's hands.

"Cool, I got a spear," Shen remarked, examining the weapon with intrigue.

"You've acquired the Dao of spear," the system explained. "Would you like to fuse with it?"

"Hell yeah," Shen exclaimed without hesitation, a grin spreading across his face. "I used to practice spear fighting when I was younger."

With a surge of energy, the spear began to glow brightly. Shen closed his eyes and focused, feeling the essence of the weapon merging with his own being. The sensation was exhilarating yet strangely familiar, as if unlocking a latent skill that lay dormant within him.

As the fusion completed, Shen opened his eyes, a newfound sense of power coursing through his veins. The spear now felt like an extension of himself, its potential waiting to be unleashed in battle.

"Alright," Shen said, his voice brimming with confidence. "Let's see what else this world has in store for me."

[5 MINUTES LATER]

Shen Wu walked steadily through the picturesque village, the system trailing behind him silently. The system's question hung in the air: "What are you going to do, host?"

With his hands leisurely behind his head, Shen replied casually, "I'll find my parents and ask them to teach me how to cultivate my body. This body isn't as good as my old one."

As they walked, Shen took in the breathtaking scenery around him. The village was nestled in a serene landscape, surrounded by greenery and plum blossom trees. The houses, styled in traditional Chinese architecture, exuded a quiet elegance and were meticulously maintained. Despite not being ostentatious, they clearly reflected a level of prosperity and care.

The system, ever curious, asked another probing question, "Have you already accepted that the parents of this body are now your parents?"

"Yeah," Shen replied thoughtfully, continuing his leisurely stroll. "After all, I have this body's memories and emotions. This body's parents were really nice and caring, while my old parents... I don't even remember what they look like or if they are even alive."

As they approached the village, the dirt road gave way to a well-tended limestone path. Shen observed the villagers, waving to a few as they hurried away. He recalled that the original owner of this body had a notorious reputation.

"Looks like the first thing I need to do is change these people's perception of me," Shen thought to himself. Just then, the system panel popped up with a mission notification: "Establish friendly relations with the villagers."

Shen smiled inwardly. "Perfect," he thought. "But judging by my memories, it'll be a while before they trust me. Oh well."

After a few minutes, they arrived at a large gate adorned with a Bronze Plaque that read "Shen Clan." Two men stood guard at the gate, their expressions shifting from surprise to confusion as Shen approached.

"Welcome home, young master," one of the men greeted cautiously.

"Yeah, hi," Shen replied casually, causing the guards' eyes to widen even further. They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why their young master was responding to them. Nonetheless, without further hesitation, they opened the gates, allowing Shen to enter the courtyard beyond.

The courtyard was a breathtaking sight. A serene pond shimmered with golden koi fish, while a large pagoda and other beautifully designed buildings dotted the landscape. The architecture was both impressive and harmonious with the natural surroundings, speaking of a lineage that valued tradition and refinement.

Shen took a moment to absorb the tranquility of his surroundings before moving forward.