Dual Cultivation In Martial Peak

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you're enjoying your holidays.

Since I forgot to add it in the last chapter, here it is. xD

I was writing Martial Peak and somehow ended up with a prologue for another fic. Don't know if it'll continue or not since it's a random idea, but here's the first chapter. You can read it if you want.

I haven't proofread it yet, so yeah, there might be some mistakes.

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Chapter 1: Martial Peak

High Heaven Pavilion was a second-tier sect located within the Great Han Dynasty, sharing its borders with the Blood Battle Group and the Storm House.

However, no one knew the story behind the High Heaven Pavilion's establishment; it was a legend far superior to even the founding of the Eight Great Families from the Central Capital.

Hundreds of years ago, Chu Ling Xiao, a 3rd Order Saint Realm Cultivator, chased a Demon General of the Tong Xuan Realm to this small world and managed to destroy his soul, which became a legend attached to the sect's founding.

However, Chu Ling Xiao couldn't destroy the Demon's body, so he used his Demon Sealing Chain to bind the corpse to the Coiling Dragon Stream. Following that, he founded the High Heaven Pavilion to confirm that the Demon didn't survive. After a few dozen years, Chu Ling Xiao felt reassured about the Demon's death and returned to the Soaring Heaven Sect within the Tong Xuan Realm, leaving his newly found sect behind.

However, Chu Ling Xiao had no idea that his carelessness would bring forth a calamity in the small world.

Over the years, Coiling Dragon Stream would eventually become an eternal prison for traitorous disciples of the High Heaven Pavilion, being used to banish and punish unfilial disciples forever.

Following this tradition, Ling Tai Xu, the Peak Immortal Ascension Realm Sect Master of High Heaven Pavilion, would cripple one of his two disciples and seal him inside the Coiling Dragon Stream after the latter not only became a demonic cultivator but went as far as harming his fellow disciple, something unacceptable to Ling Tai Xu.

The traitorous disciple's name, Yang Bai, was erased from the records of High Heaven Pavilion. But unbeknownst to Ling Tai Xu, that wasn't the last time he would hear his disciple's name.

Inside the Coiling Dragon Stream, Yang Bai, crippled and humiliated by the man he considered akin to a god, inherited the legacy of the Tong Xuan Realm's Demon General, increasing his cultivation to the 3rd Order Transcendent Realm, a level unachieved by anyone born within this small world before.

Because it was an inheritance, Yang Bai faced no World Baptisms when breaking through the cultivation realms one after the other, going undetected for over a decade.

And at this moment, Yang Bai, having reached the highest level possible for this small world, slowly opened his eyes.

"Where am I...?"

Yang Bai looked around his surroundings, and his gaze landed on the dried-up corpse ahead of him.

It didn't emit the slightest breath of life but was still sitting cross-legged, its body surrounded by a dozen-meter-thick ink-black atmosphere, which was continuously churning around it. This black gas completely obscured the corpse's actual appearance.

There was a collar wrapped around the corpse's neck, which was further attached to a golden chain. The chain wasn't long, probably only about half a meter in total length.

This person's clothing had long ago turned to dust, and his physique had almost withered. However, this seemingly fragile body gave off an intimidating aura that made anyone who dared to gaze upon it tremble lightly. All the Demonic Qi within the Coiling Dragon Stream had come from this corpse.

"Wait… Demonic Qi and Coiling Dragon Stream…"

How did he know of those terms?

He had no recollection of ever being in this place.

"This is…" He caressed his throat with his hand. "My voice has changed."

Not only that, but he felt that his whole body had gone through a massive change. His height and weight were different, too.

Although it took a few seconds, he calmed down, remembering the details of his past.

His memories were messy, but they were, without a doubt, his own.

He remembered his name, it was—

"Xiang Cheng."

The last thing he remembered was moments before his execution, with a crowd of tens of thousands cheering for his approaching death. There were men, women, and even elderly. They all came to witness his end with their own eyes.

Strangely enough, he found that scenery to be unexplainably fascinating.

[Ding! System Selector activation successful!]

[Temporary Host: Xiang Cheng.]

[System Type: None.]

[Currently available functions of the system selector: Inventory, Quest Window, Appraisal...]

[Note: The Temporary Host hasn't finished the Tutorial's System Allocation Quest. Upon failure, the temporary access to the system will disappear.]

"Ah, I see… What I saw moments before my death wasn't an illusion…"

Xiang Cheng recalled the holograms that had appeared moments before he was beheaded.

[Would you like to live once again?]

"Are you prepared for your death?"

The system's voice overlapped with the executioner's voice, and a reply came out of Xian Cheng's mouth.

"Yes."

In all honesty, he had no idea of whom he was answering to, but—

[Ding! A suitable candidate has appeared.]

[Xiang Cheng is now the temporary host for the system selector.]

[The temporary host has died.]

[Transmigrating him to a new body.]

[Please finish the Tutorial's System Allocation Quest.]

[Initial Reward is available.]

That was what it said. After Xiang Chen's consciousness completely blurred, he found himself in this strange place in an unrecognisable body.

He glanced at the holograms and thought, 'Quest window.'

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[Tutorial's System Allocation Quest.]

[Contents: Make an impact on the system through your actions.]

[Rewards: A System based on your performance will be bound to the host, forever accompanying him. Depending on the system, the host's future might vary.]

[Additional Note: The host should acquire something that'll complement his acts in the future, as the contradicting system might do more harm than good.]

[Failure: If the impact wasn't enough to trigger a system, the host will lose all connections to the System Selector.]

[Time limit: 24 hours.]

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"So, if I wish to do righteous things in the future, it'll be best to aim for a righteous system since it'll reward my deeds the most…?"

[That is correct, host.]

"System, show me my face."

At those words, the hologram in front of him changed instantly, showing a man in his late thirties with long, waist-length white hair and grey eyes.

"He has some strange resemblance to my original appearance, but damn…" Xiang Cheng stared at the hologram for a few seconds, unable to find the exact words to describe his new appearance. "Even with the unique features, this guy looks painfully ordinary…"

If a cosmic deity handcrafted Xiang Cheng's original appearance, his current self most likely came from a Xerox machine.

The difference was that bad.

But that wasn't the main issue.

"Why does this body look so old…?"

Xiang Cheng wasn't even twenty years old yet, so being in the body of a man nearing his forties made him uncomfortable on a subconscious level.

"Forget it. Show me the initial reward."

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[The system selector offers three initial rewards to every temporary host. Even if the host fails the Tutorial Quest, the reward will stay with him forever.]

Please choose one of the following rewards:

1. Body Reconstruction: Allows one to cleanse his body of all impurities. Heals all injuries to the physical body and reconstructs meridians and dantain, making them stronger. Those effects link to a cultivator's foundation, which it strengthens to its limit. As the process completes, it brings the physical body closer to the soul.

2. Heavenly Cultivation Body: A Special Physique considered the best in this world. The owner obtains unparalleled aptitude in the Myriad Grand Daos, their talents surpassing anything the world has ever witnessed.

3. Imperial Secret Art: The Secret Art used by the Heavenly Emperor. It can perfectly integrate the strength of body and soul, creating paths for advancement that aren't present in the cultivation systems of any world.

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"If I awakened a system, can it provide all these benefits, too?"

[The rewards and conditions depend on the system, but please note that the things provided here are of the highest grade and usually cost more than average items.]

"Depends on the system… Are there different tiers of the system I can obtain through the tutorial like there are different types?"

[Yes. The ranks of systems go from E, D, C, B, A, S, and EX.]

'It doesn't seem like the system selector's intentions are to hide information from me, but it also won't reveal anything until asked.' Xiang Cheng pondered, thinking about the benefits and drawbacks of each reward offered before speaking, "Since there is no Status Window, use Appraisal on me."

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Name: Yang Bai (Xiang Cheng).

Age: 42 (20).

Race: Human.

Occupation: Demonic Cultivator.

Title(s): High Heaven Pavilion's Traitorous Disciple.

Special Physique(s): -

Cultivation Base: 2nd Order Transcendent Realm.

Qi Attribute: Demonic / Yang.

Main Dao: -

Abnormal Conditions: The body's foundation is unnaturally unstable because of becoming a cripple before and inheriting the legacy of a 3rd Order Saint right after. The meridians are damaged, and the dantian can't hold all of the host's Demonic Qi. If it doesn't heal, the chances of experiencing Qi Deviation within the next five years are 100%.

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The Abnormal Conditions were something to be concerned about, but Xiang Cheng's attention focused on something else.

"Yang Bai… 3rd Order Transcendent Realm Demonic Cultivator and High Heaven Pavilion's Traitorous Disciple…"

Wasn't this the setting of a cultivation he once read—Martial Peak?

There was no mistaking it.

He couldn't remember all the details from the original work since he read it a while ago, but most of the crucial things were there because he had read a fanfic about it recently.

It was called Dual Cultivation In Martial Peak, a fanfic with over two thousand chapters and one of his all-time favourites.

"Assuming that I awakened according to the canon timeline, it should be a few months before Yang Kai returned from the secluded area Ling Tai Xu and Meng Wuya sent him to after visiting the medicine sect, only to find that the Demon Lord had attacked the High Heaven Pavilion in his absence…" Xiang Cheng pondered for a few seconds, and soon, his lips curled into a small, playful smile. "Well, it doesn't matter."

Currently, no one in this small world could beat Xiang Cheng after he had mastered his cultivation base, so he was free to plan things as he needed.

His first goal was simple. To learn how to utilise his cultivation and acquire a permanent system.

"Alright, I've decided…" Xiang Cheng spoke, glancing at the hologram. "The initial reward I want is Body Reconstruction."

Even if it weren't for the abnormal conditions in his appraisal, he'd most likely have chosen Body Reconstruction either way.

He also wanted to check whether his thoughts about bringing the physical body closer to the soul were correct.

[Understood.]

Xiang Cheng prepared himself, sitting on the ground while lightly gritting his teeth, and suddenly, pain exploded all over his body, but the pain was not ordinary; it was pain emerging from the depths of the bones.

Every bone within his body shattered instantly, which caused his body to fall to the ground with nothing to support itself, and he couldn't even lift a finger, for he had no strength to.

'I expected it to be a little painful, but isn't this a bit too much—the pain even fried my pain receptors due to its intensity…?'

It felt like his body had turned into a puddle of flesh and blood, similar to a slime, with his shattered bones poking out of it, trying to pierce through his flesh if it hadn't already.

'This is…'

Xiang Cheng watched as his body slowly started crumbling into dust, from his skin to his bones. As the decaying effects slowly spread from his fingers, nothing was left behind.

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[Notice! Yang Bai's memories are available.]

Please select one of the following methods:

1. Merge: It will merge the memories of Yang Bai into the host's. Your consciousness will not be affected.

2. Movie: Watch them in a movie format.

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'Does the merge also include his skills and knowledge as a cultivator?'

[Yes.]

'Merge them.'

It was an instant decision.

Even though he tried to, Xiang Cheng couldn't even feel the Demonic Qi within his body or use his Divine Sense, which should be natural to a 3rd Order Transcendent Realm Cultivator.

Not to mention, he didn't have the time to spend inside the Coiling Dragon Stream and figure out his abilities.

After all, he only had twenty-three hours left to complete the system allocation quest.

[Understood.]

'Oh…'

Memories started appearing inside his head, ones that didn't belong to him but the original Yang Bai. He experienced everything, from Yang Bai's days as an orphan randomly picked up by Ling Tai Xu and raised as a disciple to when he fell into the Demonic Path and attacked his fellow disciple, Yang Ying Feng, out of jealousy.

While organising these memories, Xiang Chang remembered everything he knew about the Starting World from Martial Peak, reviewing his knowledge with Yang Bai's.

And so, another hour passed in the blink of an eye.

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"It seems like my guess about bringing the physical body closer to the soul was correct…"

As he stared at the hologram that displayed 'his' face, Xiang Cheng couldn't help but smile.

Xiang Cheng now resembled his original self with only some resemblance to Yang Bai's appearance, and he now looked like a handsome young man in his early twenties with long, waist-length white hair and red eyes.

From what he could tell, the system reconstructed Yang Bai's body to accommodate Xiang Cheng's soul perfectly.

"This is good…"

After a few moments, Xiang Cheng looked down at his body. He wasn't bulky, but his muscles were exceptionally well-defined and solid, almost as if he had trained for years to maintain his physique. Even his height had increased by a bit.

"Let's see…"

Xiang Cheng focused some of his True Qi inside his body, and he started levitating above the ground before releasing his Divine Sense, covering the entire Coiling Dragon Stream.

It was a unique experience, being able to fly and see things through his Divine Sense rather than his eyes, but thanks to merging with Yang Bai's memories, it didn't come off as a surprise.

"That place is—?"

Sensing an unusual place within the Coiling Dragon Stream, Xiang Cheng started flying towards it, moving upwards at speeds impossible for Immortal Ascension Realm Cultivators.

"Ah, I remember now…"

Xiang Cheng landed inside an artificially made cave hundreds of meters below the surface, looking around.

The place was mostly empty except for the Yin-Yang Monster Genshin placed at the entrance, along with some necessities and a bed made out of stone.

Xiang Cheng had forgotten about this place because it never appeared in the fanfic he read, but this was the place Yang Kai created to cultivate away from the High Heaven Pavilion.

Gently touching the roughly crafted wall with his hand, Xiang Cheng's eyes fell on the stone bed at the cave's end.

"I now have a rough idea of what kind of system I want."

A smile appeared on his face, and he dressed in the High Heaven Pavilion's disciple robes he found inside the cave.

In his past life, he couldn't fulfil his ambitions because of the kind of world he lived in, but in a world like this, where one person's strength could trample over armies of millions, he had better chances of accomplishing his goals.

With those thoughts in mind, Xiang Cheng flew out of the Coiling Dragon Stream and gazed in the High Heaven Pavilion's direction.

The wind blew past him as he commented, "Now, shall I visit my dear old Master?"

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