Chapter: True Death Cultivation
Damien stood quietly at the edge of the Outer District, gazing out at the God's Plane in awe.
The skies here shimmered with hues of gold, lavender, and blue, like a dream constantly in motion. Ethereal clouds floated lazily above massive floating islands. Towering mountains pierced the heavens. Divine beasts soared freely in the skies—phoenixes with golden flames, serpentine dragons twisting through the air, and strange creatures he couldn't even name. The scenery was so breathtaking that for a moment, he forgot everything—his mission, his enemies, even the system.
None of that mattered right now. Because this… this was beauty he had never seen on Earth.
Even though he was only in the Outer District, considered the lowest zone in the Gods' Plane, the magnificence of this realm was undeniable. It was like a living canvas painted by gods.
Damien allowed himself a rare moment to just admire it. The power in the air alone was overwhelming. The divine energy was thick, like it soaked into every fiber of his being just by breathing. His skin tingled with it. His blood felt like it was bubbling with potential. It was hard to believe this was only the outskirts of the divine world.
But while he admired the skies and landscapes, others admired him.
Dozens of cultivators in the Outer District were staring at him. Some were whispering, others just gawked. A few, mostly women, watched him with blushing cheeks and sparkling eyes.
After all, this man—Damien, an unnamed newcomer—had just defeated three residents who had been cultivating here for over three years.
Granted, those three weren't exactly elite. They didn't have a proper cultivation method or divine techniques. Most hadn't actively tempered their bodies either. But the divine energy in the God's Plane tempered the body naturally over time. After three years, their physique alone should have been far superior to a newcomer.
And yet Damien had crushed them within seconds.
No one had seen that kind of raw power from someone with no background, no bloodline, no divine blessing, and no training.
It made people wary. And it made people curious.
Especially the girls.
"He's so hot…"
"He's really cute!"
"I want to be his girlfriend…"
"I want to be his woman."
"I want to marry him!"
"I want to bear his children!"
"I want him to use me like a slutty se—"
Okay, that last one was kind of wild.
Not that Damien heard any of this. He was completely oblivious to their comments, fully focused on his surroundings and the divine energy swirling through the air.
He could feel it working on him.
Just standing still, he felt stronger. His muscles tightened, his reflexes sharpened, and his senses heightened. But this kind of passive improvement wasn't enough. Not for someone like him. He needed to cultivate—actively absorb the divine energy and transform it into true power.
He smirked.
"If this place works like the novels…" he muttered, walking toward a quiet spot near the outer walls.
He sat down cross-legged in the lotus position, closed his eyes, and focused. The divine energy around him was thick and potent—just waiting to be drawn in. His mind started cycling through memories, thinking about the thousands of cultivation techniques he had read in web novels back on Earth.
He remembered names, poses, breathing techniques.
"The Azure Flame Breathing Method… nah, too flashy."
"Golden Body Transformation? Sounds painful."
"Heaven Devouring Art… eh, probably banned."
"Whatever, one of them has to work."
He started trying them one after another, mimicking the breathing patterns, mental visualizations, and energy circulations he remembered from all those fictional stories. Some had him imagine drawing energy into his dantian. Others involved cycling the flow through specific meridian paths. He tried them all.
None worked.
But he kept trying.
To the other cultivators watching him, it looked like something else entirely.
"He's… creating a cultivation technique?"
"Wait, is he inventing one on the spot?"
"Who does that?"
"Isn't that… insanely hard?"
"He must be a genius!"
Of course, Damien had no idea they were misinterpreting his actions. If he did, he probably would've laughed and played along.
Still, he didn't stop. He continued experimenting—altering patterns, adjusting breath timing, shifting the visualizations in his mind. He was determined to force something to work. Trial and error. If fiction was based on real cultivators, then maybe something would click.
And then it did.
Suddenly, his body jolted. His lungs expanded on their own, and divine energy surged into him like a crashing wave. A whirlpool of force spiraled at his core. His muscles tensed, and his bones vibrated softly as power trickled through his meridians.
His eyes flew open.
DING!
YOU HAVE GAINED INSIGHTS INTO A CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE.
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE: UNNAMED
GRADE: NORMAL (POTENTIAL TO EVOLVE)
+10 FAME
A rush of exhilaration overtook him.
He had actually done it.
The system had recognized it. Whatever he just formed, whether by luck or subconscious genius, was real. A working cultivation method. And not just any kind—it was his.
A new screen appeared before him.
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE: TRUE DEATH
GRADE: NORMAL (Evolvable)
TYPE: CORE TECHNIQUE
STATUS: COMPATIBLE WITH DEATH-TYPE POWERS (Currently Sealed)
"True Death," Damien read aloud.
The name was a little cliché, sure, but it felt… right. Like it was meant to be. It wasn't just about killing—it was about shedding weakness, stepping past mortality, and forging a path only he could walk. A path to true transcendence.
He felt another surge of energy flow into him. The divine energy seemed to respond more willingly now, entering his pores and swirling around him like a vortex.
The onlookers were stunned.
"He really did it…"
"He created a cultivation technique from scratch."
"I've never seen anyone do that before."
"And his aura just changed—it's heavier. Sharper."
"He's not normal…
Damien, meanwhile, was unaware of all the attention. He was too busy absorbing energy, refining his body, and smiling to himself.
The mission to make a name for himself?
It had only just begun.