At this moment, Hun Xiu sat cross-legged beneath a large tree, cradling in his hands the mysterious cultivation manual he had obtained from Hun Tiandi — "The Devouring Flame Codex" (噬火宝典).
This technique... probably no one but a transmigrator could read or comprehend it.
Because the language used in this manual was none other than Chinese — the very same language Hun Xiu had learned in his past life.
If you weren't a transmigrator, cultivating this codex would be utterly impossible.
As he opened the Devouring Flame Codex, the very first sentence caused Hun Xiu's entire body to tremble. Goosebumps stood on end.
The book even slipped from his little hands and fell to the ground.
All because of the very first line on the first page.
Earlier, he had casually skimmed through it and didn't notice the first line on the first page.
But now, when he started reading it properly, that line caught his full attention — and it completely stunned him.
The first line read:
"To master this divine technique, one must first castrate himself."
That's right.
Those eight chilling words — 愈练神功,必先自宫 — stared back at him.
Scared now?
The entire first page had nothing else — just those eight characters, large and prominent.
Just thinking about those words made Hun Xiu feel a creeping chill between his legs.
He stared at the closed Devouring Flame Codex now lying in the grass, and he fell into distress.
His body trembled slightly.
He didn't know why he had transmigrated to this otherworld, but one thing was clear — now that he had, he couldn't be a useless, salted fish.
Besides, his current identity didn't allow him to be a slacker.
He had come to a world of cultivation — who wouldn't want to become a powerful figure?
A strong one.
Able to move the heavens and earth with a flick of the wrist, summon storms with a glance.
In his past life, he had always fantasized about such power.
He never had a chance, always just an ordinary person.
But now, the heavens had played a joke on him — tossed him into this cultivation world.
And pretending not to want power? That was just a lie.
But... this technique... really put him in a tough spot.
"To master this divine technique, one must first castrate himself."
Did it want him to become a woman while becoming powerful?
If he had been born a woman in this life, maybe that would've been fine.
But he was very much a man — was he really supposed to become a "woman" just to practice a single technique?
Hun Xiu couldn't accept that.
He was still a child, after all. He hadn't even experienced the joys of life — and this would be saying goodbye to that forever?
And not just yet to experience it...
Even if he had tasted it, even if it was so addictive and unforgettable — no way he'd give that up just for a technique!
In the end...
Hun Xiu just wasn't ruthless enough.
If he was, he could've just picked up a blade and... you know.
Practicing the Devouring Flame Codex could very well make him the strongest of the strong someday.
He looked at the codex on the ground, conflicted. He reached for it.
And then pulled back.
Again and again.
That codex was just too terrifying.
He... he really didn't dare face the consequences of his own choice. Regret bubbled up in his heart.
"Sigh…"
"Once, I had two techniques before me… and I didn't choose wisely. If only…"
"If heaven gave me one more chance, I'd say goodbye to the Devouring Flame Codex without hesitation — and choose the Emperor's Flame Incantation instead!"
…
He looked at the Devouring Flame Codex on the ground.
It no longer felt like a precious treasure.
He muttered, "Maybe… I can ask Father to trade it back for the Emperor's Flame Incantation?"
…
"Warning…"
"Warning…"
"System has detected a strong violation in host's thought process. Please stop immediately. Please stop immediately. Otherwise, the system will self-destruct — taking the host with it…"
"Huh?"
Hun Xiu heard the system's voice echo in his mind and murmured, "Just thinking about switching techniques is a violation?"
"And the system will blow up??"
…
Now Hun Xiu's face went completely pale.
What the hell kind of situation was this?
At first, he thought he'd picked up a treasure — and now it turns out it's a piece of scrap iron.
But no matter what…
He chose this path, and even if he had to crawl, he'd walk it to the end.
He'd heard that phrase before.
Now it was happening to him, personally.
His own decision — even with tears in his eyes — he'd follow through.
Because if he didn't?
If he even so much as hinted at regret, the system would self-destruct — and drag him along with it. Talk about unfair.
Hun Xiu trembled, his face ghostly pale, devoid of color.
With shaking hands, he picked up the Devouring Flame Codex — the technique he had chosen so "joyfully."
Before reading it, he'd been so excited. He thought he had found a true treasure. That if he just worked hard, he'd become a Dou Emperor — no problem.
But now, with the codex in hand, it felt heavy as a mountain.
Because what he held… wasn't just a cultivation technique.
It was his future happiness.
No wonder it felt so heavy.
One trembling hand held the codex, the other slowly turned to the first page again.
"To master this divine technique, one must first castrate himself."
These eight words blazed in his eyes.
They seemed to glow — like they were radiating golden light.
Yes, they shone like a heavenly mandate. Eight brilliant, blinding characters.
Just eight simple words…
But they were enough to destroy his happiness for the rest of his life.
Tears welled in Hun Xiu's young eyes.
And eventually… they spilled.
He gently placed the Devouring Flame Codex on the ground.
In his heart, he already had an answer.
He had worked so hard to come to this other world — a place where he could become the kind of person people from his old world could only dream of.
He didn't want to give that up.
He had a powerful background, shocking talent, and a scammy system to boot.
If he worked hard, he could become one of the strongest beings on this continent — someone revered by the whole world.
He had two choices now.
Abandon the Devouring Flame Codex, and his own decision — which would violate the system and lead to mutual destruction.
Own up to his decision — complete it through tears, no matter how painful.
Yeah.
This second option…
If you didn't cry, you probably couldn't even do it.
Not crying? Impossible.