The dawn sun rose over the sprawling Quan Clan estate.

For most, it was the start of another day for most people.

For Chong Sheng, it was the beginning of something far greater.

He stood before the cracked mirror in his shack—a faint reflection staring back at him.

The bruises and open wounds were gone, replaced by skin tight with faint vitality.

His frame, once gaunt and sickly, now carried traces of strength.

His eyes gleamed faintly red beneath the morning light, an echo of the power that once made the Abyssal Fiend Sect tremble.

A quiet smirk curved his lips.

"Not bad," he murmured. "I already advanced to the Mid Qi Refining Stage in a week."

It has been almost a week since he has been reincarnated.

He flexed his fingers, feeling the thin yet vibrant flow of qi run beneath his skin.

(If I had more resources, I would have already reached the Peak Qi Refining Stage.)

At least, he knew Alchemy and made pills using the herbs found in the mountains. Otherwise, if not for that, he wouldn't even be able to reach the Mid Qi Refining Stage.

While sorting through the last of the withered herbs he had gathered, Chong Sheng's mind wandered.

His crude pills had served their purpose—barely enough to restore his body and awaken his qi—but if he wanted to advance further, he needed rarer ingredients, stronger pills.

Yet within the Quan estate, such things were tightly controlled. Servants like him had no access to the clan's true resources.

He frowned, fingers tapping lightly against the rough wooden floor as he pondered.

Then a memory surfaced—faint but clear, drawn from the body's past.

The Quan Clan Competition!

It was held once every year, a spectacle where servants, outer disciples, and the clan's younger generation competed before the elders.

For most, it was a display of talent. For a servant, it was the only path out of their misery.

He remembered how he had joined every time before, bruised and hopeless, hoping to be chosen as a disciple.

Each attempt had ended the same way—getting beaten before everyone else.

But this time, things were different.

He wasn't the same Chong Sheng who had crawled through the mud.

And the upcoming competition… might just offer exactly what he needed.

To the Clan's disciples, it was an opportunity for prestige, rewards, and advancement.

To a slave like him, it was something else entirely.

If they managed to attract attention from the elders, they could be given the opportunity to become disciples of the Quan Clan and start their Cultivation journey.

Then there were rewards which included pills, weapons, and techniques.

He didn't need technique since he knew far superior techniques than the Quan Clan but he was in desperate need of Cultivation resources.

"Becoming a disciple, hm?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Not that I care for their oaths or their so-called loyalty."

Still, he could not deny reality.

The Quan Clan was the undisputed ruler of this region. Their resources, influence, and control over the southern territories made them almost untouchable.

If he wanted to rise fast, then having support of the Quan Clan would be good.

Not to mention, the prizes for getting to the top weren't too bad either.

Fortunately, there were still a few days—a week, to be accurate—for him to cultivate further and perhaps try to reach Peak Qi Refining Stage, which would increase the chance of him winning the competition.

***

On the day of the competition, hundreds had gathered—servants, disciples, elders, and guests.

Flags bearing the Quan Clan insignia fluttered proudly as sunlight spilled across the arena's polished stone floor.

Rows of contestants lined the outer ring—young men and women dressed in training robes, their faces a mix of nervousness, confidence, and ambition.

Among them stood Chong Sheng.

His tattered clothes had been washed clean, though they were still humble compared to the silk robes of the disciples.

(I still failed to advance to the Peak Qi Refining Stage.)

Without proper resources, it was indeed difficult to advance to the next stage simply relying on his knowledge.

Still, he wasn't too far from advancing to the Peak Qi Refining Stage.

He could feel the faint hostility in the air—servants sneering, disciples whispering.

"Isn't that the servant who got beaten half to death last week?"

"He's still alive? Tch! Probably here to get beaten again."

"Some people never learn their place."

Chong Sheng ignored them all.

He had once faced Monarchs and devoured ancient beasts—what were a few barking dogs compared to that?

A loud voice rang out from the platform.

"The annual Quan Clan Competition begins!"

The crowd cheered as elders took their seats, their expressions a blend of boredom and detached superiority.

"Participants," the announcer continued, "will face elimination matches. The top sixteen will be rewarded and elevated in rank. The top three shall receive treasures of immense value—and those with potential may be personally accepted as a disciple of the Quan Clan!"

Murmurs surged through the crowd. Even the disciples turned serious.

After all, this was the rare platform to showcase what they were made of.

And in the chance that their performance was very good, the Quan Clan also sent them to the Sect in the Capital where they could get better Cultivation Techniques and resources.

Of course, the chance of that happening was very few—perhaps once in a decade—since sending someone to become a disciple of such a sect meant immense expense.

It was only meant for heirs or the most promising members of the Quan Clan.

As the matches began, the arena erupted into chaos and excitement.

Dozens of battles unfolded at once—servants fighting servants, disciples clashing with fiery techniques, qi flaring in every direction. Dust and cheers filled the air.

Chong Sheng waited for his turn but it would be quite a while before it was his turn.

He spent that time watching and trying to gauge the level of participants in the competition.

There were many servants and slaves without cultivation who were trying to show their endurance and talent.

But of course, against those with Cultivation, they stood no chance, while when against the same opponent, they showed their crude fighting style.

They were no match for him who now had Cultivation.

It was the same for those in the Qi Refining Stage who had barely begun their Cultivation journey.

For those with talent, they were in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

They were considered talents of the Quan Clan and had also learned a few Techniques of the Quan Clan.

Despite them being considered powerful in the competition and also one stage higher than Chong Sheng, he didn't think that they would pose much problem for him.

After all, compared to his refined fighting and experience, closing the gap of cultivation wasn't very difficult.

Of course, it would be a different story if the opponent was in the Core Formation Stage.

Fortunately, there was none—or at least, no one had yet to show cultivation of that stage.

While in the middle of the competition, something seemed to have occurred as Chong Sheng noticed.

A servant anxiously came to Quan Lingshu, and the Quan Head immediately left, making Chong Sheng and those who noticed puzzled.

Since Quan Lingshu left, it meant that something significant had occurred. While interested, there was no way that he could find out.

His main focus was on the competition.

Soon, his turn came and his opponent was none other than the young master of the Quan Clan who killed the original Chong Sheng.

While he referred to him as Young Master, he wasn't an heir or anyone of significance in the Quan Clan.

He was just a direct descendant and possessed the blood of the Quan Clan.

Apart from that, his talent was mediocre, and he wasn't treated any differently than other disciples of the Quan Clan.

This was one of the reasons why he was always frustrated and angry, and Chong Sheng became the outlet of his anger.

(Looks like I can avenge this body faster than I expected.)

Chong Sheng thought with a smirk as he walked to the arena.

Just when he was walking towards the arena, a commotion broke out and finally the answer to why the Quan Head left was revealed.

Princess Sun Yaoqing!

She had visited. No wonder the servants and even the Quan Head were nervous and left the competition which held considerable importance.

Chong Sheng looked at Princess Sun Yaoqing with mild interest.

Indeed, even considering all the beauties he had seen, she could give them quite a competition.

!!!

Suddenly, he felt a shiver like a predator looking at its prey. He looked left and right, trying to find out who it was, but with his weak senses, he wasn't able to.

(Was that my imagination?)

He thought.

He didn't think that he had done something to catch anyone's eyes yet.

He walked to the arena, where his first opponent and someone who looked down on and tormented him was waiting for him.

"Not only did I draw such a weak opponent, but I also got the chance to show off before royalty. Looks like my moment of glory has finally arrived!"

Chong Sheng smiled at his statement.

(Indeed, getting humiliated before Quan Head and the Princess would be good lesson for you!)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.