Ryan Carter divorced and married the daughter of the General Manager of the Changsheng Group's Xiyu District, while Sophie Sullivan also managed to connect with a director of All-Star Media.

The two of them were eager to sever ties with their past and start a brand new life...

In this new life...

He.

Was so unnecessary.

Especially when he was found to have only a one-star aptitude.

William Carter held this photo frame...

"What a... melodramatic family soap opera..."

William Carter looked at the photo, his hands gripping the frame trembling slightly.

That year, in his youth and arrogance, he swore to the heavens that he would become an immortal cultivator and make a name for himself.

Now...

Even his application qualifications had been revoked.

But...

He was unwilling to accept it.

"If I can't cultivate immortality, then I'll practice martial arts!"

In the next moment, William Carter suddenly flung the photo frame, and at the same time, his body lunged forward, his right hand sweeping up a longsword from the side of the desk, and he let out a loud chant.

"A single leaf adrift returns to the vast sea; why must we meet again in this life!"

"Clang!"

The longsword was unsheathed!

A flash of cold light!

The sword struck the photo frame squarely.

"Bang!"

The movement was dashing and graceful.

But...

The photo frame was of excellent quality, apparently made with tempered glass; this strike...

Actually failed to pierce the photo, instead sending it flying, crashing into the wall, and then falling to the floor.

The photo frame...

Did not break.

William Carter's dashing sword-thrust froze in midair.

"......"

He glanced around, then nonchalantly sheathed the sword and brushed off imaginary dust from his clothes.

As for the photo frame...

He picked it up again and put it into the junk box under the bed.

"Ding!"

Chapter 2: Doing What Others Cannot

"Ding!"

"Do you want to embark on the path of cultivation? Want to soar through the void on a flying sword? From humble beginnings to towering heights, our 'Evergreen Cultivation Hall' now offers four packages: A, B, C, and D. Choose as you wish, guaranteed instruction until mastery. Order now to enjoy one month of free service, with plenty of discounts and great value. What are you waiting for? Pick up your phone and order now!"

William Carter glanced at this message on his phone.

Five or six messages a day, two or three calls—all selling Foundation Establishment packages. He had no idea how they got his number.

Foundation Establishment consists of six stages: skin tempering, bone refining, tendon changing, marrow cleansing, organ refining, and blood replacement.

These six stages have long been thoroughly analyzed by the Xiyu United Nations. As long as you supplement with medicine, anyone can achieve them.

But the key lies in the words "supplement with medicine."

Without medicinal assistance, even with a one-star aptitude and eight hours of hard training every day, it would take ten years.

All the major cultivation halls target this point, selling Foundation Establishment packages, teaching people to complete Foundation Establishment and profiting from it.

"Either you have talent, or you have money. Hard work is worthless in the face of talent and money."

William Carter withdrew his gaze from the phone.

Foundation Establishment is only the foundation of cultivation.

Although, as time goes by, most domestic citizens in their thirties or forties can complete Foundation Establishment, gain a healthy body, and live over a hundred years without illness or pain, but...

If you can't complete Foundation Establishment before the age of eighteen and pass the cultivation exam to enter a sect or academy, it undoubtedly proves your potential is mediocre. With cultivation resources becoming increasingly scarce, you'll be excluded from the path of cultivation.

If you want to cultivate again, the price will be ten or even dozens of times higher.

"Resources."

William Carter began Foundation Establishment after his bones had basically set at fourteen. For two or three years, he trained day and night without rest, but due to family upheaval—no love from his grandfather, no care from his grandmother... he cultivated without medicine up to organ refining, and still needed two more years to complete blood replacement.

But the cultivator exam would not wait another two years for him.

So he could only give up immortality for martial arts.

"Martial arts are inferior to immortal cultivation, and on the battlefield, martial artists are treated as cannon fodder. But if you reach the peak, you are no less than a mighty immortal."

A person stands between heaven and earth and must keep their word.

The vows you make, the words you speak—no matter how hard or bitter, you must see them through.

"Face adversity with a smile, dreams will not be far away. Gather your courage, press forward with determination, and miracles will surely appear!"

William Carter declared with conviction: "Practice martial arts!"

Practice martial arts!

Martial arts!

Martial arts can extend life but not grant immortality, and are far less lethal than sword immortals, but they consume far fewer resources.

Sword immortals are fierce, flying on swords, striking from a thousand miles away. But once their true energy is exhausted, their combat power drops to a tenth. Martial artists strengthen themselves; as long as they have a breath left, they can fight on, bathed in blood, battling heaven and earth!

As long as there is life, the fight never ends.

This is the true essence of martial arts!

"Hmm!?"

At this moment, William Carter seemed to catch a glimpse of a message out of the corner of his eye.

"Comprehensive Evaluation: Mythic Battle. 1 Comprehension Point, 1 Attribute Point, 1 Skill Point."

"What is this?"

William Carter focused his attention, quickly realizing something.

Doing what others cannot, turning the impossible into possible.

Martial arts and immortal cultivation are the cornerstones of this world.

Any act that overturns the rules of martial arts or immortal cultivation and causes significant impact can earn an evaluation reward.

Evaluation rewards are divided into three levels.

A third-level Glorious Battle grants a skill point; a second-level Legendary Battle grants a skill point plus an attribute point; a first-level Mythic Battle grants a skill point, an attribute point, and a comprehension point.