It was the year 5679, and cultivation was no longer limited to ancient sects or mountaintop monasteries. Spiritual energy flowed through cities like air currents, and cultivators strutted through urban streets in robes made from dragon silk and beast hide. Flying swords were as common as bicycles, and teenagers could summon lightning bolts with a flick of their wrist.
In this world of Qi and might, Jigen was born.
And he had none of it.
"Another bowl of soup?" a soft voice asked.
"No thanks, Mom," Jigen replied, sitting at the breakfast table of the sprawling Jiang family estate.
Xian Ni, graceful as ever, ladled more lotus soup into her own bowl and smiled. "Big day today. Your first day at the new school. You've grown so fast."
Across the table, Jiang Su, his father, read the digital newspaper floating in front of him. "Try not to fall asleep in class," he said without looking up.
"I'll try," Jigen mumbled, stirring his rice half-heartedly.
The truth was, he wasn't excited. Not even nervous. Just… tired. Tired of the stares, the whispers, and the weight of being different.
The Jiang family was one of the most respected clans in Shanghai City. Their ancestors had cultivated since before the city even existed. Every generation had produced prodigies—powerful, revered, sometimes feared.
And then came Jigen.
A boy born completely Qi-less.
No spiritual roots. No dantian. No talent. Just a normal body in a world that worshiped power.
He sighed. "What kind of school makes you show up before sunrise?"
"One that cost me a fortune," Jiang Su said flatly. "Be on time."
Jigen stood up and slung his bag over one shoulder. He wore the crisp black uniform of Xianlong High, Shanghai's top cultivation academy. The uniform shimmered slightly, made from spiritual fabric designed to endure the occasional fireball or sword slash.
"See you after school," he said.
"Behave yourself," Xian Ni called as he walked out.
"Make a friend, for once," Jiang Su added.
---
Outside, the city buzzed with life.
Floating buses roared past overhead. Hovering spirit-cars zipped through Qi-bound traffic lanes. A billboard projected a live duel between two sect prodigies—fire versus frost, cheered on by tens of thousands. Below it, a street vendor sold enchanted grilled squid on sticks that twitched when bitten.
Jigen walked past it all with his hands in his pockets.
No one gave him a second look.
And he liked it that way.
When he arrived at Xianlong High School, the gates were already packed. Students floated in on flying artifacts, rode beasts, or simply walked in groups laughing and sharing energy drinks infused with spiritual herbs.
The school campus looked like a fusion of a palace and a tech expo. Towers of jade and crystal stood tall under massive protection formations. Cultivation arenas floated in the sky above, glowing faintly with barrier arrays. Everywhere he looked, someone was either sparring, meditating, or showing off.
Jigen quietly passed through the gate.
He felt them immediately—the stares.
Some subtle. Some not.
"That's him."
"Qi-less?"
"From the Jiang clan? Really?"
"Must've pulled strings to get in."
He kept walking.
It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last.
---
His classroom was on the fifth floor of the Vermilion Crane building, Room 5-C. Jigen arrived early, took a seat in the back near the window, and put his bag down.
He didn't expect anyone to talk to him. And no one did.
At least, not yet.
One by one, students filed in—some glowing with internal Qi, others chatting about cultivation techniques and training sessions. A boy summoned a small flame in his hand to impress a girl. Another one was bragging about how his uncle tamed a thunder qilin.
Jigen stared out the window.
The sky looked clear. That was nice.
The door slammed open.
A group of boys strutted in like they owned the place. One of them, tall and broad-shouldered, spotted Jigen right away and smirked.
"Hey, look," he said loudly. "The celebrity showed up."
Jigen blinked but didn't turn.
The guy walked over, dragging two others with him.
"What's someone like you doing here?" the tall one asked. "Lose your way to the library?"
Jigen looked at him. "I'm in this class."
"You got a cultivation pass? A recommendation?"
"Entrance exam."
"No way a Qi-less guy passed that."
"Guess I did."
The tension rose.
"Got a smart mouth for someone without an ounce of Qi."
Jigen didn't reply.
"Hey, I'm talking to you—"
Bang!
The boy's arm jerked back violently as a fist collided with his wrist, knocking him off balance.
"Ugh—! What the hell!?"
Standing there was a girl with long white hair and blue eyes. She wore the same uniform but with her tie loosened and sleeves rolled up. Her eyes were bright and sharp like lightning in a storm cloud.
"Pick on someone your own size, you cowards," she said.
The boy clutched his wrist. "You crazy—?"
"Wanna find out how crazy I get?" she grinned.
He muttered something and backed off, dragging his friends with him. "Tch. Freaks."
She turned to Jigen and offered a hand.
"You alright?"
He looked at her hand, then at her face.
"…Yeah."
"I'm Akai," she said. "And you are?"
"…Jigen."
"Nice to meet you, Jigen."
He hesitated, then shook her hand.
"Thanks for the save."
"No problem. I don't like bullies."
She sat down next to him, dropped her bag, and kicked her legs up onto the desk like she owned the place. "So. You really got no Qi?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Most people don't ask that to my face."
"I'm not most people."
He nodded slowly. "That much is obvious."
Akai laughed. "You're weird. I like that."
He stared.
Akai tilted her head. "What?"
"Nothing."
Jigen turned back to the window.
---
Class started. Their homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhou, introduced himself and laid out the curriculum: practical cultivation combat, theory, history, artifact mastery, and of course—tough exams.
"Don't think just because some of you come from big clans, you can slack off," he said sternly. "Here, you'll earn your grades."
Jigen zoned out halfway through.
Akai poked his arm once. "You still alive?"
"Barely."
"Wanna share snacks after class?"
"…No thanks."
"Are you always this cold?"
"Yes."
"Cute."
He blinked. "What?"
She grinned and turned back to her book.
Jigen sighed.
So much for being invisible.
---
When the lunch bell rang, the classroom emptied fast. Some went to the cafeteria. Others trained in the inner courtyard. Jigen stood up and quietly headed for the restroom, hoping to avoid more small talk.
The hallways were quiet. He took his time.
After finishing in the restroom, he washed his hands and turned around—only to find Akai standing in the doorway.
His eyes widened. "This is the boys' bathroom."
"Obviously."
"What are you doing here?"
"Following you."
"…Why?"
Akai crossed her arms. "You didn't answer me earlier."
"Answer what?"
"My question," she said. "Do you want to be my best friend?"
Jigen blinked.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
"That's not a reason."
"I don't need one."
He stared at her. "You're crazy."
Akai smirked. "Maybe. But I'm also persistent. So this is the last time I'll ask."
She stepped closer.
"Jigen. Do you want to be my best friend?"
He looked at her for a long moment. Then looked away.
"…Fine."
Her eyes lit up. "Yay!"
"Can I leave now?"
"Sure," she said, stepping aside. "See you at dinner."
"We don't live together."
"Not yet."
He walked past her without a word.
She watched him go, arms crossed behind her head, smiling wide.
This was going to be fun.
The sunlight danced on the towering spires of Shanghai City, a realm where ancient cultivation arts met sleek floating towers, and spirit beasts soared beside skytrains. In a world where cultivation defined status, power, and pride, being born without the ability to cultivate was more than a curse—it was a public embarrassment.
But for Jigen, this was normal.
Inside his family's luxurious estate, Jigen had just finished breakfast. Dressed in a simple black hoodie and jeans, he slouched lazily on the couch, holding his holo-tab. His dark hair fell slightly over his eyes, which had a depth too vast for a sixteen-year-old boy.
On the screen, a popular show called Cultivator Idol was airing, where teenage geniuses flaunted their elemental arts, sword skills, and ancient bloodlines in flashy competitions. One contestant was praised for mastering the Wind God Technique at age twelve. Jigen yawned.
"Hype," he muttered. "That move won't even work against a tier-five demon beast's sneeze."
He changed the channel.
Meanwhile, in the estate's upper floor, his mother Xian Ni watched him from the balcony with a gentle smile. "He really does live like an ordinary teenager."
Jiang Su, his father, chuckled beside her. "That's the point, dear. Let the world laugh. One day, they'll understand who they were mocking."
Their son—the being whom even immortal gods would kneel to—was currently eating ice cream with chopsticks.
**
Later that morning, Jigen stood outside the entrance of Celestial Root High School. It had a huge golden gate etched with runes. He wore his school uniform: white tunic with blue trim and a badge that pulsed faintly with spiritual qi—except it didn't react to Jigen at all.
Around him, students whispered.
"That's him… the non-cultivator."
"He must've bribed the principal. How can someone without qi enter this school?"
"His family's probably compensating for his trash talent."
Jigen ignored the voices. He had heard worse in his life. As he stepped through the gate, the crowd parted—not out of respect, but mockery. One boy snickered, then muttered a chant under his breath. A spark of flame appeared in his palm.
Before Jigen could react, the flame was hurled at him.
He didn't move.
But someone else did.
A flash of white hair streaked past like lightning. The flame vanished mid-air with a gust of wind. The white-haired girl stood before him, glaring at the fire-thrower.
"Are you seriously attacking someone who didn't even activate their qi?" she said coldly.
The boy flinched. "A-Akai…"
That name silenced the entire courtyard.
Akai.
She was a legend among first-year students—said to have awakened her qi at age four, trained by cloud monks from the north, and once tamed a dragon puppy that now followed her like a dog.
She was also beautiful.
She had long, flowing white hair like moonlight, tied loosely with a red ribbon. Her eyes were as cold as winter, her voice sharp but calm. Her presence alone silenced the mocking crowd.
She turned to Jigen, who was still munching on a rice cracker.
"You alright?" she asked.
He blinked. "Yeah. Just hungry."
She frowned, then extended a hand. "I'm Akai."
Jigen stared at her hand, then back at her face.
A beat passed. Then he reluctantly shook it. "Jigen."
Her frown softened slightly. "Cool name."
Then she walked ahead, not saying another word.
Jigen watched her, mildly curious. "Weird girl."
**
Classes at Celestial Root High were intense. Spiritual combat theory, alchemy basics, formation geometry, and qi manipulation—subjects that sounded like fantasy to the rest of the world, but were everyday curriculum here.
Jigen sat in the last row, scribbling stick figures in his notebook.
He wasn't paying attention. The teacher was explaining "how to create a pseudo-barrier using triangular spiritual nodes," but Jigen had tuned out at "pseudo."
He was bored. Deeply.
His classmates noticed. Some sneered. Others just avoided eye contact.
But one girl kept glancing his way.
Akai.
At lunchtime, Jigen stood up to head to the bathroom. As he walked out, Akai quietly followed, clutching a small boxed lunch in one hand.
**
In the quiet hallway leading to the restroom, Jigen finished his business and turned around—only to freeze.
Akai was standing in front of the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, eyes wide. "This is the boy's bathroom!"
"I know," she replied casually. "You were avoiding me."
"I wasn't—"
"You were."
A pause. Jigen shrugged. "Maybe."
She stepped forward, narrowing the distance between them. "Why?"
"You're… intense," he said truthfully.
She didn't deny it. "Fair. But I don't care if you have qi or not. You're interesting."
"I'm not."
"You are to me."
Another step closer. Jigen could smell faint plum blossoms from her hair. Her expression was unreadable.
"Be my best friend."
Jigen blinked.
"What?"
"I'm asking for the last time," she said. "Be my best friend."
He hesitated. He had fought galactic beasts, watched gods fall, and even erased a minor dimension in his sleep once. But right now, he felt cornered.
Acting flustered, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine… sure."
Akai smiled—genuinely.
"Good."
Then she handed him her lunch box.
"Eat with me after class."
And with that, she walked off.
Jigen stood in the boy's bathroom, holding a lunch box he didn't ask for, blinking in confusion.
"…What just happened?"
**
That evening, at the estate—
"You made a friend?" Jiang Su nearly choked on his tea.
Xian Ni clapped in delight. "That's wonderful, Jigen!"
Jigen looked mildly annoyed. "She's… weird."
"You say that about everyone," Jiang Su teased. "But maybe she's different."
"She's definitely intense," Jigen muttered. "I said yes because she cornered me in the restroom."
His parents exchanged a look.
"Well," Xian Ni said gently, "perhaps this is exactly the kind of energy you need in your life."
Jigen sighed. "Maybe."
He looked out the window, where the moon hung over the sparkling skyline of cultivation towers and flying spirit ships.
Maybe life as an ordinary person… wasn't as boring as he thought.