After a quick wash, Chen Guan performed the usual basic cleaning for his original body, then began changing into the standard uniform the academy had distributed yesterday along with his dorm keys.
The navy blue tailored jacket, white shirt, and dark trousers looked much better than his old high school uniform. Embroidered on the left chest was the crest of Huaqing Academy: an ancient tree entwined with lightning and stars.
It was also very comfortable to wear. The fabric had a unique feel, interwoven with flexible fibers that supposedly provided a certain degree of protection—a massive upgrade from those cheap fishnet-like school uniforms.
He looked at himself in the mirror. The youth reflected back was on the leaner side, but his back was straight. His eyes and brows carried a hint of fatigue, though mostly, they exuded a quiet calmness.
Short black hair, striking features, paired with those green eyes and the silent dark iron coffin strapped to his back, gave him an inexplicably unique aura.
"Host, a new day has begun. Today's main plot nodes: freshman assembly and class placement tests. It is expected that attention levels will rise significantly. Please be prepared, Host."
The system broadcasted with boundless energy.
After all, this little system didn't know the meaning of fatigue. The only one who got tired was Chen Guan.
He might be immortal, but he wasn't immune to exhaustion. If anything, his immortality only meant he could swing on a hammock indoors when he was dead tired.
"Got it."
Chen Guan straightened his collar and fastened his personal terminal around his wrist. The terminal screen lit up, displaying the time, date, and a pinned assembly notification.
He secured his original body inside the coffin, strapped it onto his back, took a deep breath, and opened his door.
Almost simultaneously, the door to Room 302 next door opened as well.
An Changqing walked out, similarly dressed in a brand-new uniform that accentuated his tall, straight posture and extraordinary handsome looks.
Seeing Chen Guan, he smiled and nodded in greeting. "Morning, Chen Guan. How did you rest?"
"Morning, An. I rested alright."
Chen Guan replied, noticing a tall young man following behind An Changqing. The youth had wild red hair and sharp, eagle-like orange eyes.
His bulging muscles stretched the uniform tight, and he faintly exuded an untamed, rebellious aura. This must be the person mentioned in the bullet comments—An Changqing's roommate, Long Aotian. Oh, wait, it was Long Ao.
"This is Long Ao, my roommate," An Changqing introduced simply. "Long Ao, this is Chen Guan from Room 304."
Long Ao's gaze swept over Chen Guan like a physical weight, lingering for a moment on his somewhat frail frame before glancing at the striking black coffin on his back. He raised an eyebrow and let out an ambiguous scoff through his nose, which served as his greeting.
His attitude wasn't exactly friendly, but there was no obvious malice either. Clearly, he didn't find anything interesting about Chen Guan. To him, a weakling wasn't worth paying attention to; he was only acknowledging him out of respect for An Changqing.
Regardless of how others viewed him, Chen Guan maintained a polite smile. "Hello, Long Ao."
"Let's go. We'll grab breakfast at the cafeteria first, then head to the grand auditorium," An Changqing suggested in a mild tone, seemingly already accustomed to Long Ao's attitude.
"Alright." Chen Guan had no objections. He wasn't familiar with the academy's layout yet, and following An Changqing meant he wouldn't get lost.
The three of them went downstairs together.
Long Ao strode at the very front, An Changqing walked in the middle, and Chen Guan trailed half a step behind.
Along the way, Long Ao barely spoke, only occasionally exchanging a few low-voiced words with An Changqing about rumors regarding the placement tests, to which An Changqing responded gently.
Chen Guan was happy to enjoy the peace and quiet. He silently observed the early morning campus and the passing students, while keeping an eye on the bullet comments that began to sparsely appear before him:
Morning friends, a new day starts with watching our little An.
That muscular hunk next to him must be Long Ao, right? He really looks like someone you shouldn't mess with. But hey, redheads are always tsunderes.
Since ancient times, red and blue make a couple. Red hair and blue eyes count as red and blue, right? Living together is just too ambiguous.
A trio... feels a bit weird. Not sure yet, let's keep watching.
Today is the placement test. I wonder how the coffin guy will perform. It's been a day already, has any insider leaked who is inside the coffin?
The bullet comments scrolled by sporadically, though most lacked any substantial content. Chen Guan watched them casually.
There were already quite a few students in the cafeteria.
An Changqing expertly led them to a counter and quickly got their breakfast.
It was the usual spirit grain porridge, side dishes, and spirit beast eggs—simple but highly nutritious.
Chen Guan noticed that many students were casting glances at their table, their eyes lingering particularly on him and Long Ao. An Changqing, who had the highest status, actually received the least attention. After all, not many people knew his true identity. The An family's traditions strictly forbade throwing their weight around, so both father and son kept a very low profile.
Long Ao drew attention because of his conspicuous physique and aura, while Chen Guan's attention likely stemmed from the fact that his reputation as the coffin carrier had already spread within a small circle.
Long Ao couldn't care less about the stares, devouring his portion like a whirlwind sweeping away scattered clouds.
An Changqing ate gracefully, while Chen Guan took his time, unhurriedly eating as he listened to the excited and nervous chatter of the surrounding freshmen, mostly discussing the upcoming class placements.
"...I heard there are only twenty spots in the Tianshu Class."
"What exactly is the test? Combat? Theory?"
"Who cares, just fight it out! I'm from the Enhancement system!"
"My Elemental system isn't weak either!"
An atmosphere of determination filled the air.
Chen Guan silently finished his last mouthful of porridge.
He had no special abilities. His only reliance was this immortal alternate body, that sturdy coffin, and... the system and himself.
Without a doubt, he wanted to enter the Tianshu Class. Only by doing so could he secure more screen time. Screen time meant popularity, which in turn meant opportunities to show his worth.
But... could he really do it?
Weighed down by his thoughts, he finished his meal and followed the crowd toward the grand auditorium located in the central area of the academy.
It was a magnificent domed structure built entirely of stone as white as jade. A faint luster flowed across its surface, giving it a solemn and mysterious appearance.
Upperclassmen were already at the entrance maintaining order, guiding the freshmen to enter in sequence. Li Yuqing, whom he had met yesterday, was among them. Upon seeing Chen Guan, she blinked at him as a form of greeting.
The interior of the auditorium was incredibly vast, capable of holding thousands of people.
The freshmen took their seats in the designated areas according to the instructions.
Chen Guan, An Changqing, and Long Ao were not seated together; they were scattered across different sections, evidently arranged at random.
Chen Guan found his seat and sat down, flanked by unfamiliar faces on both sides.
He sat up straight, his gaze calmly fixed on the massive stage at the very front.
The stage was completely empty, save for a projection of the academy's crest slowly rotating in the air.
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
nto another world, I bought a slave for the first time, never expecting the silver wolf girl to be so cute... Lin Feng: I know it's cold, but you don't have to sneak into my bed! Yuna: Just sharing body warmth, if you dare do anything naughty, I'll definitely...
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
