The Strongest Cultivator Is a System Maker!

Nine years had passed since the infamous "fall of the young master." Now 14 years old, Lan Hengsheng was seated in his chamber, surrounded by three new servants arranging a feast that could feed ten men. It had been this way ever since he created his first system. Consuming absurd amounts of food daily had become his norm—a habit that no longer raised too many eyebrows in the cultivation world. After all, strange physiques, curses, or bizarre techniques often demanded similarly outrageous conditions.

In Hengsheng's case, however, his overindulgence was attributed to a "strange disease" diagnosed by the clan doctor. His mother, Wang Lianxue, had consulted the best healers to understand her son's insatiable appetite, only to receive a vague answer that further weighed on her already burdened heart. Hengsheng felt guilty for not revealing the truth about his secret system. It wasn't a matter of trust but caution. This was a cultivation world, and secrets spoken aloud could easily be unearthed by some powerful immortal using heavenly calculations. The only truly safe place for his secret was within his own mind.

When the food was finally ready, Hengsheng clumsily rose from his bed. Years of overeating to stave off the draining effects of the system had taken a toll on his body. He now weighed a staggering 150 kilograms—a fat young master by all accounts. "It's only temporary," he reassured himself. "Once my core formation is complete, this will all be fixed."

Lan Ju, his loyal servant, hurried to help him stand and guide him to the table. The other three servants, though obedient, cast fleeting glances of disdain, their true feelings thinly veiled beneath forced smiles. Hengsheng caught their looks but chose to ignore them. "Soon," he thought, "they won't dare to look at me this way."

After gesturing for the servants to leave, Hengsheng sank into his chair, savoring the privacy. With the room cleared, he opened his system panel.

Ding!

[Mortal Metal Spirit Core formation processing: 00:00:15]

A grin spread across his face. Today was the day his suffering would finally end. The process had completed faster than he anticipated, thanks to the clan's medicinal pills. While meant to cure his "strange disease," the pills had also accelerated his core formation, shaving off nearly a year of waiting. Hengsheng chuckled at the irony. "If only I could get more of those pills," he mused, "but the clan's resources aren't mine to waste without good reason."

For the past nine years, Hengsheng had kept a low profile. Rarely leaving his chambers except for mandatory clan gatherings or ceremonies, he sought to fade from the spotlight. His father's younger brother, a contender for the Patriarch position, was always on the lookout for weaknesses to exploit. Staying hidden was the safest option—for now.

But Hengsheng hadn't wasted his isolation. He had requested books from his mother to expand his knowledge. Over the years, he devoured thousands of texts accessible to mortals. While his mother couldn't provide him with advanced cultivation techniques due to a Dao Pledge restricting their dissemination, he still gleaned valuable insights from loose cultivator manuals. These could take someone to the Spiritual Foundation Realm at best—not exactly groundbreaking.

Of course, Hengsheng could have created better techniques in his mind space. However, those would still be limited by his own understanding, capping their potential at the strongest Spiritual Foundation technique he could imagine.

As he mulled over his next steps between bites of his meal, a familiar sound interrupted his thoughts.

Ding!

[You have acquired: Mortal Metal Spirit Core]

Hengsheng froze, his heart pounding. It was finally here—the beginning of his path to immortality!

But the moment of celebration was short-lived. A commotion erupted outside Hengsheng's chamber—footsteps pounding in panic, muffled screams cutting through the air. Such chaos was unheard of within the Lan Clan residence. Hengsheng frowned, his instincts sharpening. He rushed to the door and flung it open, spotting Lan Ju staring up at the sky with terror etched across her face.

"Lan Ju! What's happening? Are we under attack?"

Lan Ju seemed to snap back to reality, her eyes wide with horror as she turned to him. "Young Master, please, run away! Someone is breaking through realms within the clan grounds—Heavenly Tribulation is coming!"

Hengsheng's heart sank. His confusion quickly gave way to anger. Normally, anyone attempting a breakthrough would go far away from populated areas to avoid collateral damage. Yet here was someone daring to do it within the Lan Clan residence, endangering everything—including Hengsheng's chamber.

He looked up at the sky, his eyes narrowing as the ominous gathering of dark clouds churned above. Sparks of lightning snaked through the clouds like thunder dragons, heralding the arrival of Heavenly Tribulation. The heavenly phenomenon, invoked when a cultivator tried to ascend a major realm, punished acts against Heaven's will—be it demonic cultivation or breaking through limits forbidden by the natural order.

The lightning roiled, and as Hengsheng stared, it seemed to focus on him, crackling with an unnatural fury.

From across the estate, clan experts soared into the sky, their robes billowing in the storm's violent winds. Among them, Hengsheng spotted his mother, Wang Lianxue. Her worried gaze locked onto him, filled with unanswered questions and rising dread.

Then, a voice bellowed from above, cutting through the storm like a blade. "Lan Hengsheng! What have you done to invoke Heavenly Dao's punishment?!"

Hengsheng looked up, recognizing the speaker—a Nascent Soul realm elder loyal to his uncle. The accusation made Hengsheng's blood boil. "What?!" he shouted back, his voice trembling with disbelief. "I didn't do anything!"

But realization struck like a hammer. His Spirit Core! His face paled as he pieced it together. The system he had created to form his Spirit Core—though technically within the bounds of the cultivation world—likely defied Heaven's natural order. A mortal wasn't meant to cultivate!

His thoughts were interrupted by a blinding flash of light.

Crack! BOOM!

The first bolt of Heavenly Lightning descended, slamming into the protective treasure his mother had given him. The shield flickered under the immense force, but it shattered with a deafening crack, leaving Hengsheng exposed.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

The lightning struck him directly, searing his body and leaving his skin scorched. Agonizing pain coursed through him as his body convulsed. He was alive—but barely. Heavenly Tribulation, though merciless, often granted survivors a sliver of hope. If it had been a killing strike, he would have been reduced to ashes.

Through the haze of pain, Hengsheng glimpsed his mother, tears streaming down her face as she stood helplessly in the sky. Interfering with Heavenly Tribulation was forbidden, and doing so would only worsen the punishment. Her heart was breaking, convinced she was witnessing the death of her only son.

Hengsheng clenched his fists, his mind racing even as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness. He couldn't die here—not like this. Closing his eyes, he steeled himself and began to focus on the mind space he intended to create a new system. The second bolt of lightning was already gathering above, crackling with an even greater intensity.

As the lightning descended, Hengsheng's eyes snapped open, blazing with determination.

Ding!

[Heavenly Punishment Refinement activated!]

The system sprang to life, its purpose clear: survival!

BOOM!

The third bolt of Heavenly Lightning struck Lan Hengsheng. Onlookers held their breath, but as the dust settled and the crackling energy faded, no scream followed. Silence descended like a shroud, and many assumed the worst.

"He's gone…" one elder murmured.

Wang Lianxue, Hengsheng's mother, could bear it no longer. She closed her tear-filled eyes, unable to face the sight of her son's charred corpse. Her anguished scream tore through the heavens, shaking even the most hardened hearts.

But before anyone could turn away, an elder suddenly cried out, his voice trembling with disbelief. "What is that?!"

Everyone turned their attention back to where Hengsheng had stood moments ago.

There, amidst the scorched ground and the dissipating smoke, a lone figure sat cross-legged, seemingly in meditation. It was Lan Hengsheng. His body was burnt, thin from drastic weight loss, and battered beyond recognition, yet he was alive.

The gathered experts exchanged bewildered looks. How could a mortal survive the wrath of Heavenly Tribulation?

And then, the fourth bolt struck.

BOOM!

Hengsheng gritted his teeth as pain coursed through his body, sharper and more relentless than before. The system he had created worked tirelessly to refine the heavenly lightning, converting its destructive energy into temporary reserves to boost his lightning resistance and heal his injuries. The cost, however, was severe—his body burned through its fat reserves to fuel the process.

The fifth strike followed immediately.

BOOM!

Then the sixth.

BOOM!

The sky roared with fury, each strike stronger than the last. The gathered experts of the Lan Clan watched in stunned silence, their disbelief growing with each successive bolt. It was unheard of for a mortal to endure even a single strike of Heavenly Tribulation, let alone survive seven.

And then, the eighth strike descended.

BOOMMMMM!

Hengsheng, his eyes tightly shut and his body wracked with searing pain, spat blood as the strike hit him squarely. The system worked desperately to refine the energy, pushing his endurance to its absolute limit. He knew the ninth and final bolt—the strongest of them all—was still to come.

The storm above shifted, its dark blue hue deepening to a menacing purple. The final bolt began to gather, its power rippling across the heavens. Purple lightning coiled like a celestial serpent, growing in intensity as it prepared to descend.

Hengsheng opened his eyes briefly, his face pale but resolute. The sight of the looming lightning made his heart race, but he focused, channeling every last ounce of refined energy into his lightning resistance.

CRACK!

BOOM!!

The mighty purple lightning struck with unparalleled force, obliterating the ground beneath Hengsheng. The impact left a massive crater, the earth scorched and cracked. Hengsheng lay motionless, his body covered in burns and wounds, seemingly lifeless.

The dark clouds began to dissipate, and the sky cleared, bathed in a soft golden light. Heavenly Tribulation had ended, and as its final act, it rewarded Hengsheng for enduring its wrath. The golden light surrounded him, healing his injuries and rejuvenating his battered body.

Hengsheng's eyes fluttered open. His body felt foreign yet powerful—lean and muscular, the remnants of his fat reserves completely burned away. Lightning energy coursed through his veins, leaving a lingering discomfort but also a newfound strength.

"Sheng'er!!"

His mother descended from the sky, rushing to his side and enveloping him in a tight hug. Her tears flowed freely as she clung to him, her relief overwhelming.

Hengsheng returned her embrace, his voice hoarse but steady. "I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't know it would turn out like this."

He surveyed the destruction around him. His once-luxurious chamber lay in ruins, reduced to rubble by the tribulation's collateral damage. Nearby, he spotted Lan Ju, his loyal servant, lying among the debris. Thankfully, she appeared only lightly injured, having been flung aside by the first strike.

Then, a powerful voice echoed across the estate, carrying authority and gravity.

"LAN HENGSHENG, COME TO THE CLAN HALL."

Hengsheng recognized the voice instantly. It was his grandfather—the Patriarch of the Lan Clan.