"Fuck!"

  Su Chen gasped for breath as he returned to the Reverse Fate Scripture space, unable to hold back a furious curse. The Feng Ancestor was still clinging to life. Worse, he was likely one of the strongest cultivators in the Profound Connection Realm!

  Su Chen had come so close—so damn close—to toppling the Wind Kingdom entirely. Just that little bit short!

  Unwillingness burned in his chest like fire. He didn't know how much time passed before he finally calmed down. In this life, he hadn't destroyed the Heavenly Wind Kingdom outright. But he had slaughtered nearly the entire main branch, wiped out all the Spirit Sea and Spirit Soul Realm experts among the eight great marquises of the Feng Clan, and butchered the entire court from top to bottom. The Heavenly Wind Kingdom survived in name only.

  Su Chen summoned the Reverse Fate Scripture and examined the rewards from this life. The book flipped open to the third page.

  [Third Life: You were the foremost genius of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. Everyone placed their hopes on you, and you lived up to them. Even at the cost of burning your lifespan to cultivate, you chose to plunge the world into chaos for the sake of vengeance from your previous life. You made the Feng Clan and your enemies pay dearly for their actions—and you succeeded. First, you annihilated the marshal whose actions led to your family's extermination, then you allied with the other seven marquises, stormed the royal capital, slaughtered the nobility, and eradicated the main branch. Regrettably, you ultimately encountered the Feng Ancestor, who clung to his final breath, and your victory slipped away at the last moment.]

  [You were a madman, a king, a demon, a hero. Future generations will judge your merits and sins.]

  [Evaluation: Two Stars (Cyan)]

  [Reverse Fate Points: 200]

  Two hundred Reverse Fate Points. In this life, Su Chen had caused the deaths of millions, directly and indirectly, the number probably reached nine figures. Even the Feng Dynasty had been reduced to a hollow shell because of him.

  "If I had successfully replaced the main branch of the Feng Clan, the evaluation might have climbed another level!"

  Su Chen's eyes gleamed with longing. A single star's difference at the cyan grade meant a full hundred extra Reverse Fate Points. Unfortunately, that half-dead ancestor had crawled out at the critical moment. The world of cultivation was full of unexpected dangers.

  [Talent: 0 (+)]

  [Comprehension: 0 (+)]

  [Family Background: 0 (+)]

  [Dao Heart: 15]

  With two hundred Reverse Fate Points this time, if allocated wisely, he might truly break through to the Profound Connection Realm in this life and become a genuine powerhouse—not the false genius of his previous life who relied on burning lifespan.

  He poured the most points in talent: ninety. Comprehension received seventy. The remaining forty points went straight into the background.

  Fourth life, begin.

  …

  Dawn light filtered softly through the window.

  Su Chen opened his eyes to the sight of bed curtains embroidered with gold and silver threads, their intricate patterns gleaming with exquisite craftsmanship.

  "This life's identity is clearly no worse than the last one!"

  Su Chen felt a quiet surge of satisfaction. He glanced at his hands—not those of an infant. Good.

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  Memories surfaced: in this life, he was called Li Chen, the second son of the head of the Great Plain Li Clan—commonly known as Second Young Master Li.

  Su Chen froze. The Great Plain Li Clan… wasn't that the very family left behind by the legendary figure of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, Li Shenhua?

  "Holy shit!"

  Su Chen recalled that within the Li Clan, Li Shenhua had left behind a cultivation technique. Even the Feng Ancestor had personally admitted that Li Shenhua far surpassed him in strength. If the Feng Ancestor's cultivation already exceeded the Profound Connection Realm, then what unimaginable realm had the even more monstrous Li Shenhua reached?

  Su Chen didn't know. But he desperately wanted that technique Li Shenhua had left behind. In this life, his memories awakened at age thirteen. At thirteen, he had already reached the ninth layer of Spirit Gathering. Even in his previous life, when he burned lifespan to cultivate, his progress had been no better.

  From a fake genius to a true one. Su Chen suppressed the excitement in his heart and began searching for news of what had happened to the Heavenly Wind Kingdom after his death in the previous life. And there were indeed significant changes.

  In his last life, he had nearly wiped out the entire Feng Clan, forcing the Feng Ancestor to revive with his final sliver of lifespan. No one knew whether the old monster had truly died, but the Li Clan believed he most likely had.

  Thirty years had passed since then. The Heavenly Wind Kingdom had not yet collapsed, but it existed in name only.

  In his previous life, the Heavenly Wind King had suffered grave injuries during his battle with the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas. To shore up the Feng Clan's position, he had no choice but to arrange a political marriage.

  Nowadays, the Heavenly Wind Kingdom was effectively controlled by four major factions. The Li faction, headed by the Great Plain Li Clan. The Kong faction, led by the Peace Plain Kong Clan. The sect faction, dominated by the Spirit Martial Hall. And the merchant faction, controlled by the Myriad Treasures Merchant Guild.

  These four powers carved up the kingdom's territory and held its vital lifelines in their grasp. Although Su Chen had not wiped out the entire Feng Clan in his last life, he had dealt them a devastating blow. They no longer possessed the strength to dominate the world, nor did anyone remain to help them maintain control over the Heavenly Wind Kingdom.

  Chaos was brewing.

  "Young Master Li Chen, the clan elders request your presence in the Spirit Vein Hall to select a Spirit Vein."

  A maid's voice drifted in from outside the door, pulling Su Chen back from his thoughts. The Great Plain Li Clan's foundation far surpassed that of the Estate of the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas. Over the centuries, the Li family had accumulated countless high-quality Spirit Veins. Rumors persisted that a golden-quality Spirit Vein left behind by Li Shenhua himself still remained among them.

  Unfortunately, no one in the Li Clan had ever managed to claim it. Even purple-quality Spirit Veins had gone unclaimed for hundreds of years. In his previous life, the best Spirit Vein Su Chen had ever possessed was merely blue-quality.

  He arrived at the Spirit Vein Hall. Inside, numerous young boys and girls of the Li Clan were already gathered. When they saw Su Chen enter, they quietly stepped aside to make way for him.

  Su Chen was the greatest genius the Li family had produced in centuries. Only one person regarded him with undisguised contempt and arrogance. A youth dressed in splendid brocade stepped forward to block his path.

  "Li Chen, no matter how outstanding you are, Father will never spare you a second glance!"

  Li Wenxuan lifted his chin, smug and triumphant, as though that alone could prove his superiority.

  Su Chen couldn't be bothered to respond. In this life, though he held the position of second young master of the Li faction, his mother was merely the daughter of a minor sect's leader. Without powerful backing, he had been looked down upon and frequently bullied—until his talent began to shine. Only then did his fortunes improve, earning him the favor of the clan elders.

  That same rise, however, had drawn the enmity of his older and younger brothers. After all, no one enjoyed watching someone they had once trampled underfoot suddenly stand tall and turn the tables.

  One by one, the youths entered the Spirit Vein Hall and received their Spirit Veins. When Li Wenxuan emerged, his face glowed with unrestrained delight.

  "I obtained a rare blue-quality Spirit Vein—Thunderbolt Colt!"

  The crowd erupted in envy. A Thunderbolt Colt was an exceptional Spirit Vein, capable not only of unleashing astonishing bursts of speed but also of channeling small-scale lightning attacks against enemies. It was undeniably powerful and practical.

  Li Wenxuan swaggered over to Su Chen's side. "Once I break through to the ninth layer of Spirit Gathering, I'll absorb this Spirit Vein. Your lead in cultivation is only temporary. I'll catch up to you soon—and then surpass you."

  Su Chen almost laughed aloud. A mere second-layer Spirit Gathering cultivator dared to provoke him, a ninth-layer?

  He didn't have the heart to shatter Li Wenxuan's daydream. Brushing past without a word, he stepped into the Spirit Vein Hall.