Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: Lin Family’s Commoner Son

Yun State’s Spiritual Peach Mountain Villa.

Lin Jiang kept his head lowered, unwilling to meet the gaze of the imposing man before him. He felt a gnawing guilt; in this world of cultivation, he feared discovery. They might realize he was an imposter, a soul that had taken over another’s body.

“Lin Jiang—the sixth son of the Lin family, neglecting cultivation for three years—by command of the family head, his servants will be dismissed, and his wages suspended for three years,” the stern man declared, his tone heavy with disappointment.

The man sighed, his gaze lingering on Lin Jiang as he delivered the punishment from the family master. Three years had passed, and Lin Jiang was still at the first level of Qi Refining—an unacceptable state of affairs. It was hoped that this reprimand would spur the Sixth Young Master to dedicate himself to cultivation and mend his ways.

As the announcement concluded, more than ten servants around Lin Jiang broke into tears. For over a decade, they had enjoyed a comfortable life under his service, and the thought of leaving was unbearable. Yet, the men who accompanied the stern man berated them, herding them onto a flying boat and away from the estate.

“Stop standing around and get back to your duties!” the man barked at the onlookers.

Once the crowd dispersed, Lin Jiang finally stirred. Despite the whispered gossip that still swirled around him, he waved the remaining tenants away. These were not his servants anymore, merely tenants of the estate.

He entered the grandest building within the estate and collapsed onto the large bed, a sense of relief washing over him. The first ordeal was behind him.

Three months ago, he had been an ordinary worker on Earth, toiling daily in a mundane life. Then, in an instant, he died. His soul drifted into this world, inhabiting the body of the original Lin Jiang, who had perished during a cultivation mishap. It was a classic case of soul transmigration.

The current Lin Jiang was a young master of the Lin family in the Yun State, though he bore the stigma of being an illegitimate son. Fifty years earlier, the family patriarch, Lin Batian, had established himself in the Yun State, founding a mountain gate, taking numerous wives, and fathering nine sons and six daughters. His prowess with the Overlord Spear had earned him a formidable reputation, allowing the Lin family to expand its influence and become a prominent rising cultivation family in the region.

Due to the fragile foundation of the family, Lin Batian placed immense pressure on his children, judging their worth solely by their cultivation progress. Those who excelled were showered with favor, wealth, and servants. Conversely, those who lagged in cultivation were relegated to obscure, neglected corners of the family’s holdings.

The original Lin Jiang was deemed a failure because of his Five Spiritual Root, which required three to five times more spiritual energy than the average cultivator. His sluggish progress in cultivation led to his banishment to the remote Spiritual Peach Mountain, a fate reserved for the less promising members of the family.

‘Before crossing over, life was hard; after crossing over, it’s still hard. Did I cross over for nothing?’ Lin Jiang mused bitterly, recalling the original owner’s pitiable existence. Every day was consumed by cultivation, so much so that even in his dreams, he continued to practice. Ultimately, the strain proved fatal, and he perished at just seventeen.

Now, Lin Jiang resolved to take a different path. He decided to “lie flat” and not let the burdens of this world trouble him.

“Ding dong, friendly reminder from the system: host didn’t check in today. Would you like to check in?”

The sudden, mechanical sound jolted Lin Jiang from his thoughts. He blinked in surprise but quickly focused.

“Oh no, I almost forgot about this. Check in.”

In his mind, he responded, and the system acknowledged his request.

“Congratulations, host, check-in successful. Reward: one additional year of life.”

A faint smile crept onto Lin Jiang’s face. Perhaps, after all, this new life held some unexpected benefits.

“Open the system page.”

“Ding dong, the system page has opened.”

System Name: Lifespan Check-in System

Host: Lin Jiang

Lifespan: 17/80

Lin Jiang examined the system’s figures, a smile tugging at his lips. He had a unique advantage—his “golden finger.” The system had activated the moment he arrived in this world, providing him a peculiar yet invaluable boon.

The Lifespan Check-in System didn’t grant him immense talents, advanced techniques, or miraculous elixirs. Its sole function was to extend his life span. By checking in daily, he earned an extra year of life.

This simple mechanism was enough to make Lin Jiang content. If the system’s logic held true, he could theoretically live forever, so long as he kept up with the daily check-ins. The notion of an endless life was enticing, especially when contrasted with his current father, who had practiced cultivation for over a century and had only reached the Golden Core Stage—a stage that granted a lifespan of 500 years. With just ten more months of diligent check-ins, Lin Jiang could surpass that.

His current position was enviable. While others struggled for lifetimes to reach what he could achieve with ease, he found himself at a finish line most couldn’t even dream of reaching.

“All roads lead to Rome, but some people are born in Rome. How about that, jealous?” he muttered, chuckling softly. He rolled over and drifted back to sleep. For Lin Jiang, cultivating immortality took only a couple of hours each day; the rest of his time was best spent in slumber.

······

“Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother, why are you still sleeping?”

A petite girl clambered onto Lin Jiang’s bed, tugging insistently at his ear.

“Lin Ying, how many times have I told you? You’re thirteen now; stop crawling into my bed. Look at Third Sister—she doesn’t even come into my room.”

Lin Jiang gently tossed her off the bed and pointed toward the door. There stood a cold-looking girl in black, her brow furrowed as she watched the scene unfold.

“Sixth Brother, I’m your real sister, and you treat me like this. I’ll tell Mom,” Lin Ying huffed.

“I really can’t stand you. What trouble did you bring this time? The Spiritual Peach Mountain’s peaches are all gone,” Lin Jiang sighed, rolling his eyes. He had little desire to face his mother, who always pushed him to earn their father’s approval, a pursuit he found utterly pointless.

“Tsk, I didn’t come here to eat peaches. I came to comfort you,” Lin Ying replied with a mischievous grin.

“Comfort me? Why do you want to comfort me?” Lin Jiang asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Didn’t our father punish you? Your servants have been taken away, and your salary has been stopped for three years.”

“Tsk, is that all?” Lin Jiang shrugged, his indifference apparent.

“Sixth Brother, isn’t this serious?” Lin Ying was taken aback. A few years ago, when their father had sent him to this remote mansion, he had been furious. Now, even with his salary and servants gone, he remained calm.

“Come out and talk,” Lin Die called from outside the door, her frustration evident. As a half-sibling, she couldn’t enter his room freely, a limitation that irked her.

Lin Jiang adjusted his clothes and, accompanied by Lin Ying, moved to the hall. With no servants left to attend to them, they sat down casually.

“Third Sister,” Lin Jiang greeted as Lin Die joined them.

“Lin Jiang, what’s wrong with you? Why are you still stuck at the first level of Qi Refining? Even Fifth Brother, with his Five Spiritual Root, reached the second level last year,” Lin Die chided, her tone sharp.

“I don’t know either. I’ve been practicing, but there hasn’t been any progress,” Lin Jiang replied. The original Lin Jiang had been relentless in his efforts, yet his cultivation stubbornly refused to improve. It was almost unbelievable.

“You really don’t know what’s good for you,” Lin Die snapped. “Big Brother’s grandson was tested for his Spiritual Root last month. The fourth generation of our Lin family is about to start practicing. Don’t you want to be able to compete, even with the fourth generation? If you can’t, you won’t have a foothold in the Lin family.”

“If you don’t have it, then you don’t. I have this Spiritual Peach Mountain, and it’s enough for me,” Lin Jiang said calmly.

“How big is this Spiritual Peach Mountain of yours? How many spirit stones can you earn each year? Even if your mother gave you the actual Spiritual Peach Mountain, what difference would it make?” Lin Die snapped, her frustration mounting. Among their generation, Lin Jiang’s cultivation was the lowest, a point of embarrassment that rankled her deeply.

“Third Sister, Third Sister, don’t scold Sixth Brother anymore. I’ll take care of him in the future,” Lin Ying interjected quickly, trying to defuse the situation before Lin Die’s anger boiled over into outright insults.

“Lin Jiang, you won’t really rely on Lin Ying to protect you in the future, will you?” Lin Die scoffed, her disdain clear.

“Sisters protecting brothers—it doesn’t seem impossible,” Lin Jiang replied with a smirk.

“You…” Lin Die was so incensed that she felt as though she might spit blood. Shaking her sleeve in irritation, she stood abruptly, unable to continue the conversation. “Useless is just useless,” she muttered as she turned to leave.

“Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother, hey, take the spirit stones first. I’ll go after Third Sister,” Lin Ying said hurriedly. She pressed a handful of spirit stones into Lin Jiang’s hand before running after Lin Die.

Lin Jiang stared at the spirit stones in his hand, a mix of amusement and exasperation crossing his face. Shaking his head, he sighed. He had already died once; things like reputation and family expectations no longer held sway over him.

Tucking the spirit stones away, Lin Jiang found he couldn’t return to sleep. He stepped out of the hall, heading toward the fields. Though it was late, there were still matters to attend to. Now, it was time to inspect his own property.