Journey to become a God

Ye Chen sprinted across the grassy field, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Damn it! Could this day get any worse? First, I get dumped, and now I'm being chased by a ghost!" he cursed internally, his legs burning from the effort.

After running several hundred meters, his pace slowed as exhaustion set in. He glanced over his shoulder, his breath ragged.

The figure was gone.

Relief washed over him, and he leaned against a nearby tree, trying to catch his breath. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Just as he began to relax, a voice spoke beside him.

"Hey, kid. Why were you running?"

A cold shiver ran down Ye Chen's spine. Every hair on his body stood on end.

Slowly, he turned his head.

Floating a few feet away was the same old man from before, hovering effortlessly in the air.

Ye Chen's face paled, and his legs nearly gave out beneath him.

"G-Ghost… Grandfather… Ancestor… Please don't eat me! I swear, my flesh tastes terrible!" he stammered, pressing his back against the tree.

The old man burst into laughter, stroking his long white beard.

"Haha! Relax, boy. I'm not a ghost. I'm human, just like you."

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You expect me to believe that? Humans can't fly! Are all ghosts this bad at lying?"

The old man chuckled. "I assure you, I'm not lying. I'm a cultivator, a practitioner at the Deva Realm. While traveling through this planet, I sensed something interesting."

Ye Chen frowned. "Deva Realm? What are you talking about?"

The old man smiled knowingly. "I see… You truly are unaware of the vastness of the universe. Space is endless, boy. There are countless civilizations and people beyond your world."

Ye Chen hesitated, his mind struggling to process the revelation.

"You mean… there are humans living outside Earth?"

"Of course," the old man replied, his voice calm. "Your planet is just one of many."

Ye Chen wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but deep down, something told him this old man wasn't lying.

---

The old man smirked. "What reason would I have to lie to you?"

Ye Chen crossed his arms. "Then why were you chasing me earlier?"

The old man's expression turned serious. "I needed to confirm something."

Before Ye Chen could react, the old man suddenly grabbed his right wrist.

Ye Chen struggled to pull away, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free. The old man's grip was like an iron clamp.

After a few moments, the old man let go and laughed. "Incredible! I never expected to find such a treasure on a remote planet like this!"

Ye Chen frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

The old man stroked his beard. "Boy, you possess a very rare Ancient Body. Across the entire universe, this physique is exceptionally rare and highly suited for cultivation."

He looked at Ye Chen with anticipation. "So? Are you interested in becoming a cultivator?"

Ye Chen didn't hesitate. "Not interested."

The old man was momentarily stunned. "What? Why not?"

Ye Chen shrugged. "Because cultivation sounds boring. Sitting in meditation for weeks, months, or even years? That's not the kind of life I want to live."

The old man blinked in disbelief, as if he had never heard such a response before.

"If that's all, I'll be on my way, Senior," Ye Chen said politely, bowing slightly. Without waiting for a response, he turned and started walking toward his village.

---

The old man remained frozen in shock, still processing Ye Chen's answer.

"Is this boy insane?" he thought.

People across countless worlds would sacrifice their wealth—some would even become servants—just for the chance to enter the world of cultivation. Yet this boy was rejecting it outright? If any cultivator heard Ye Chen's words, they'd probably smack him on the head for being so foolish.

Still unwilling to give up, the old man quickly caught up to Ye Chen.

"Boy, are you absolutely sure about this?"

Ye Chen didn't slow his pace. "Of course. I don't want to waste years of my life sitting in meditation."

The old man stroked his beard, his expression turning serious. "I forgot to mention something… If someone with an Ancient Body doesn't manage it properly, it could become dangerous—even fatal."

Ye Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned to face the old man, his brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

The old man sighed. "Your body naturally produces an excess of Yang Qi—too much of it, in fact. If left unchecked, it will eventually cause your body to explode into pieces."

"What?!" Ye Chen's face paled. "Then… how do I stop that from happening?"

The old man smirked. "Heh… Nothing in this world is free, boy. If you want the answer, you'll have to acknowledge me as your master first."

Ye Chen was bewildered. Why was this old man so insistent on making him his student?

"What exactly do you want from me?" he asked cautiously.

The old man chuckled. "How could I let a rare talent like you slip away? With your Primordial Body, you have the potential to reach heights I could never achieve in my lifetime."

He stroked his beard and continued, "I've lived for more than 300,000 years, but my time is running out. Even if I leave nothing behind, I want at least one disciple to inherit my techniques."

Ye Chen's eyes widened in shock. Three hundred thousand years? Is that even possible? Can cultivators really live that long?

The old man cleared his throat. "Ahem. Well? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and bow to your master!"

Ye Chen hesitated for a moment before sighing. He cupped his fists and slightly bowed. "Student greets the teacher."

"Hahahaha! Good! From now on, you are my disciple!" The old man beamed with satisfaction.

Ye Chen wasted no time. "Then, Teacher, how do I cure the excess Yang Qi in my body?"

The old man's expression turned serious. "There's only one way—balancing Yin and Yang through the sacred union of man and woman."

Ye Chen was momentarily stunned. "That's it? That sounds… too easy!"

His expression darkened. He had assumed the solution would involve rare herbs, complicated techniques, or some divine elixir. But it turned out the answer was simply that.

"So all I need to do is find a woman, and the problem is solved?" he thought to himself.

The old man smirked. "Boy, while having a relationship with a woman may seem easy, do you actually know how to cultivate Yin and Yang properly?"

Ye Chen fell silent, looking down. Of course, I don't know anything about that…

The old man laughed. "Hahaha! Now you understand, don't you? Without my guidance, you'll eventually die from an overload of Yang Qi!"

Ye Chen clenched his fists. "Then, Teacher, hurry up and teach me the technique!"

"Patience, boy. Don't be greedy. First, we need to leave this place."

Before Ye Chen could respond, a powerful force enveloped him. In an instant, he was lifted into the air, flying alongside the old man toward the distant horizon.