Lu Tzang

Far away...

Xiao Chan skipped down the well-trodden path, humming a cheerful tune. Her steps seemed boundless in energy, her movements radiating carefree joy as sunlight dappled her path.

As the trees thinned, two figures stepped out from the shadows of a dense copse, their black uniforms adorned with silver accents glinting ominously in the light.

They were middle-aged, their stern faces softening slightly as they saw the little girl.

"Xiao Chan!" one of them greeted, his tone warm but edged with a formality that betrayed his intent. "How did it go today?"

The other man crouched slightly, his hands resting on his knees, smiling indulgently as if addressing a favored niece. "Was it... productive?"

Xiao Chan froze mid-step, her wide, startled eyes betraying a fleeting glimpse of fear. 

Her body stiffened, but just as quickly, she forced her expression into a radiant beam, her cheeks dimpling as if nothing in the world could trouble her.

"Oh, it was amazing today!" she chirped, clasping her hands together as if the sheer memory thrilled her. Her voice was bright, almost too bright, and her bouncing steps resumed, though there was a slight tension in her limbs.

"So, so, soooo amazing! I could feel the chi flowing so clearly this time—so much better than last time!"

The two men exchanged a glance, their smiles fading into something sharper, more calculating. They could see through her feigned innocence, but the glow of her words sparked intrigue.

One of them reached for a jade talisman at his waist, its surface polished to a soft green sheen. 

He held it out, and a faint light began to pulse from its core, enveloping Xiao Chan in a gentle aura.

After a brief moment, the talisman flared.

"What?!" The man's voice cracked, his hand shaking slightly as he stared at the glowing artifact.

The other man leaned closer, his expression shifting to disbelief. "No way. Is this real?!"

Both men reeled back, their initial wariness morphing into unrestrained excitement. They erupted with giddy cheers, acting like children uncovering a priceless treasure.

"Phase Three! Mortal Building Phase Three—initial stage!" one of them shouted, spinning on his heels.

"This is extraordinary!" the other chimed in, his voice rising. "Do you understand what this means? Xiao Chan, you've shattered every limit we thought possible! Absolutely monumental!"

Xiao Chan giggled softly, hands clasped behind her back, her eyes following their ecstatic celebration. Her smile was sweet, yet her nails dug into her palms, hidden behind her swaying skirt.

One of the men stilled, a growing sense of suspicion dimming his excitement. "It has to be that boy," he muttered, his voice low but filled with conviction. "There's no way Xiao Chan could've advanced this far on her own."

The other man nodded, his expression darkening with contemplation.

"Indeed. Whoever he is, his resources must be unparalleled. A higher clan or sect, no doubt. No ordinary cultivator would possess spiritual stones of this quality, let alone guide her so effectively."

The first man frowned. "If that's true, we need to tread carefully. If his backers discover we've meddled..."

The second man's agreement came swiftly. "Exactly. Safer to let him continue willingly. He's already invested heavily in Xiao Chan. We'll keep him safe... for now."

Both men straightened, their earlier enthusiasm tempered into calculated resolve.

"You've done very well, Xiao Chan," one of them said with measured approval. "Continue working with him. Let us know if anything changes. You are crucial to your elder brother, Xiao Lan."

The mention of Xiao Lan made Xiao Chan flinch imperceptibly. For the briefest moment, her forced cheer faltered, her trembling hands tightening into fists before she forced a sweet, wide smile back onto her face. She gave a small, obedient bow.

"Of course! I'll do my best!" she chirped, her voice high and bright.

Then, without another word, she turned, her steps light but hurried, the rhythm of her skipping slightly uneven as she forced her trembling legs to carry her away.

The two men remained in the shadowed grove, their minds whirring with plans and schemes.

"Keep watch over the boy," one muttered, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "Only the Shen Family will dare act against him. As long as Xiao Lan benefits, no one else can touch him."

The other nodded, his expression grim. "If he's as valuable as he seems, we'll protect him until Xiao Chan—or rather, Xiao Lan—no longer needs him."

…

Lu Tzang's gaze remained locked on the shimmering screen before him.

The information displayed there was surreal.

It was like staring into the pages of a book—a book where he himself was the character.

—

Character Profile: Lu Tzang

The details were unnervingly specific.

Character Profile: Lu Tzang

1. Personal Details

Name: Lu Tzang.

Age: 16 years old.

Gender: Male.

Race: Human.

Family: Lu Family (rejected offspring)

The system described them as a powerful noble clan skilled in dark wind-element cultivation techniques.

But the kicker?

He was labeled a rejected offspring.

"Rejected?" Lu Tzang muttered and felt something he could remember, his brows knitting together.

He rubbed his chin, trying to make sense of it all.

He had no recollection of belonging to such a clan or even being a cultivator.

Back on Earth, he was a normal citizen—no chi, no mystical arts, and certainly no family drama involving noble clans. Yet, the screen presented this as his reality now.

As his eyes continued to scan, something even stranger leaped out at him.

—

Cultivation Realm: Phase Five, Late Stage.

Notable Abilities:

1. Invincible Slamming Soft Path Mortal Art – Instinctively capable of slamming anyone in the mortal realm who touches him.

2. Hyumans Eyes – A bloodline ability tied to the Lu Family (Bloodline Trigger too low)

—

Lu Tzang's expression darkened.

Hyumans Eyes?

What kind of edgy nonsense is that?

It sounded like something out of a familiar but trashy fantasy novel.

And then it hit him.

He squinted at the glowing text, his chest tightening with unease.

Lu Family...

Lu Tzang…

Rejected…

Familiarity clawed at the edges of his memory.

—

Before his life as an overworked career that he didn't want to mention, Lu Tzang had been an avid reader of web novels.

One of his all-time favorites was a famous cultivation epic called Immortal Swords Z.

The story followed an Asura sent to a human realm to enslave its inhabitants, only to lose his memory, bond with humans, and ultimately rise as a savior.

The protagonist was a powerhouse, an unstoppable force who also happened to collect a harem of devoted female companions along the way.

Lu Tzang loved it at first.

The intense battles, the sprawling world-building, and the protagonist's rise to glory were captivating.

However, there was one glaring flaw—one that had made him drop the series entirely.

A certain side character.

The name resurfaced like an unwelcome ghost.

Lu Tzang.

Yes, it had been his name.

No—accurately more like his name.

They have the same name.

A ridiculous coincidence, but a name that he would never forget.

The Lu Tzang in the novel was the comic relief—an unlucky friend of the harem protagonist.

While the main character basked in glory and affection, Lu Tzang could only watch from the sidelines, perpetually jealous and overlooked.

He was the punchline to every joke, a symbol of failure and mediocrity.

And the worst part?

Lu Tzang in the story had fallen in love with a girl—the step-sister of the Asura Main Character.

A kind, beautiful young woman who was also the teacher's favorite student.

She also didn't even notice or care about Lu Tzang's feelings.

Instead, she was hopelessly in love with the teacher of the main character, who barely acknowledged her.

It was a train wreck of humiliation, and Lu Tzang—the real Lu Tzang—had been so frustrated with the character's treatment that he quit reading altogether.

—

Now, here he was, staring at a screen that told him he was THAT Lu Tzang.

"No. No way," he muttered, taking a step back as if the glowing screen might suck him in.

But as much as he wanted to deny it, the details were undeniable.

This wasn't just a strange coincidence.

Why?

Because of the word rejected, Lu Family and Lu Tzang name.

In the novel, the "rejected ones" referred to offspring who were a disappointment to the clan—usually those with low-level talent.

Once an offspring was deemed a disappointment, they would be sent to a random mortal human city, a place where only a few weak cultivators resided.

They were left to fend for themselves—whether they died naturally or were killed, it didn't matter.

The clan simply didn't care.

They were rejects, insignificant and unworthy of attention.

That was Lu Tzang.

He was one of the rejected offspring, but after meeting the main character and becoming his friend, Lu Tzang rose through the ranks of the clan and eventually became their hero and helper.

This made him indebted to the main character and marked the beginning of his journey as the comedic relief.

So now, naturally, Lu Tzang couldn't take his eyes off the word REJECTED.

He is worried that he had somehow become really THAT Lu Tzang, the side character doomed to be a laughingstock in a world ruled by cultivation hierarchies and overpowered protagonists.

"Is this some kind of cosmic joke?" he asked aloud, his voice rising with frustration.

"I bust my ass on Earth, finally get enough money to retire, hoping that I could live a life after, and then this? I get isekai'd into a trash-tier role in someone else's story?!"

His outburst echoed through the forest, startling a few birds into flight.

Ding!

The system's chime snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts again.

The glowing screen shifted, the text rearranging itself into a new format.

—

Cultivation: Mortal Essence Allocation

Realm: Phase Five, Late Stage.

Mortal Essence Points: 40.

Strength (STR): 55/60.

Speed (SPD): 57/60.

Agility (AGI): 59/60.

Endurance (END): 50/60.

Spirit (SPR): 55/60.

To elevate to Phase Six, Initial Stage, the host must take a chance to break through.

Would the host like to take a chance? (0/30)