The city lord led Xiao Tian through the final stretch of the glowing coral corridor. The shimmering pearl lanterns above flickered with a soft farewell glow. At the end of the path, a translucent portal hovered—its surface rippling like the skin of water suspended mid-air.
They stopped just before the gate.
"This path will take you directly to the outskirts of the Tianlong Sect," the city lord said.
His voice was calm, but something in his expression suggested a quiet respect—perhaps even sorrow.Xiao Tian bowed lightly. "Thank you… for everything."
"You carry a heavy fate, young one," the city lord murmured. "Whether it's a curse or a blessing… will depend on how you use it."
With that, the city lord stepped back.
Xiao Tian took a final breath, turned, and stepped through the portal.
A flash of light.
Then silence.
He emerged in a tranquil valley, thick mist curling around mountain paths and golden autumn trees swaying gently in the wind. The massive walls of the Tianlong Sect were faintly visible far off in the distance—just as the city lord had promised.
Xiao Tian stood there for a moment, letting the quiet seep in.
Then he began to walk.
The sound of gravel underfoot accompanied his thoughts.And the further he walked, the heavier they became.
Nine years…
Nine years of hardship. Of loneliness.Of pain, growth, determination.
But now he understood—
All of it... had been nothing more than preparation.
Just cultivation… to make me into a strong NPC.
A helper.A rival.A stepping stone.
For the Players.
Whichever the system decided. Whichever way it served the main narrative.
That was the truth.
It didn't matter how strong he became.Didn't matter how far he advanced.In the end, he was never meant to survive.
He was never meant to win.
Because he was not the main character.
The system would eventually order his death.By a Player's hand, or by a twist of the plot.
That… was his role.
And yet—
A flicker of light passed over the mark on his arm.A pulse. Subtle.Reminding him:
Someone interfered.
The Intervener.
He wasn't just an NPC anymore.
He was something else. Something that had begun to awaken.
That was his sliver of hope.
But Xiao Tian clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.
Hope or not... I will never be a pawn again.
Not for the system.Not for the Intervener.Not for anyone.
His path would be his own.
As he walked, a voice echoed again in his memory—deep and gravelly.
"You're not a Player, no matter what. In the end, you'll still die.Or worse—if the system finds you, you'll end up like me… imprisoned forever."
It was the last thing the beast in the cage had said before their farewell.
A warning.A prophecy.A shadow cast over every step he now took.
But Xiao Tian didn't waver.
He looked ahead, eyes burning like steel in the fading sunlight.
"I won't die," he whispered to himself."And I sure as hell won't end up in a cage like you."
The wind grew stronger as Xiao Tian walked along a mountain trail that curved gently through the forest. Occasionally, he passed small villages nestled between the hills—humble homes of stone and wood, smoke rising lazily from chimneys.
As he made his way past one such settlement, voices drifted to his ears.
Farmers. Tradesmen. Children playing by the roadside.
"Did you hear? The Tianlong Sect is sending all of their disciples to the tournament this year—no one's staying behind."
"All of them? Even the inner court?"
"They say this year's martial tournament will be unlike anything before. Even rogue cultivators have been allowed to join. The sects are going all out."
Another voice chimed in, a bit more hushed, yet excited.
"I heard the winner will be granted something incredible—some say it's a legendary treasure that was thought lost for centuries."
"Really?"
"Yes. And get this—rumor is that the prize is personally gifted by the Emperor himself."
Gasps followed. Even the older villagers looked impressed.
"If that's true, then this tournament might change someone's life forever…"
Xiao Tian paused by the edge of the road, listening without drawing attention.
So… the entire sect was on the move.The Grand Tournament wasn't just a show of strength—it was the event.A convergence of power, reputation… and the system's eyes.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
"You don't want me to be a Player...""But what if I want to become one?"
He clenched his fists, the mark on his arm faintly pulsing under his sleeve.
Let's test the system then.Let's see how far I can go…
His lips curled into a faint, defiant smile.
Let's play.
And with that, Xiao Tian continued forward—toward the place where destiny, control, and rebellion would collide.