A frail and often ill son of a wealthy merchant unexpectedly embarked on the path of cultivating immortality while seeking a way to prolong his life! During the Tang Dynasty's Golden Age, the world was at peace, the climate was favorable, and the people lived in tranquility. One thousand years later, demonic beings devoured the sky, demonic ghosts rampaged, and sorrow-filled cries resonated everywhere. The Journey to the West reappeared, the Great Sage fought against the heavens, the Heavenly Stem descended to the mortal world, reincarnating anew. Mysterious transmigrations and reincarnations, reality and illusions intermingling, truly extraordinary! Is it just a dream predicted in the prophecy? Or a reality that has yet to occur? Can he eradicate the predestined demonic barrier, eliminate the catastrophes of the Three Realms that have yet to occur, and save the people from utter destruction?
I love the relatability of the mc outside of the ring, especially into the later chapters. The hunger he has feels so real and the growth of his character as the story goes on with his changing motivations really hits home for me. The slice of life mix was unexpected but extremely appreciated. I also really appreciated how the internet podcasts, tweets, and uneducated fans really add a touch of realism to the story that a lot of stories ignore and to me is way harder to describe with realism than a fight scene. I feel like too many stories like to pretend it doesn't exist for simplicity's sake. I've been reading a lot of reviews lately and the amount of hate this story gets from the early chapters doesn't make sense. It's a system story with a heavy dose of realism. It makes for a way better read than 'the mc beats the UFC champion in 40 chapters with magical powers' and it takes way more effort as a writer. There are several system sports stories out there with a similar vibe like My System Allows Me to Copy Talents, Major League System, and The Greatest of All Time. Like sports anime, the realism allows for education and intrigue. Without the nitty gritty boringness that watching a new sport you haven't been watching for years can have.