Chapter 1: Reborn as an Immortal Herb

South of Nanling.

A land of blessed caves and celestial realms.

Idle Cloud Sect.

Palaces and pavilions rose like clouds and mist, washed in the glow of the morning sun, their silhouettes crowning the mountain peaks. In the air lingered faint echoes of the profound Dao, an ancient resonance that never ceased; yet to those uninitiated, its meaning was forever out of reach.

Moments later, figures darted through the dawn light, riding upon rare beasts and auspicious creatures. They arrived from all directions, alighting atop the summit.

Today was the formal day for Idle Cloud Sect to recruit inner disciples. To rise from the outer courtyard into the inner sect required a grueling competition—a rite of passage. Only by becoming an inner disciple could one truly be counted as a member of Idle Cloud Sect. The outer courtyard, after all, was but a place to foster talent, not the true lineage.

And so, not only had all outer sect disciples gathered, but the inner disciples had also assembled in full. Though this selection was held every three years, today was different. For today, the Sect Leader would personally designate his sole direct disciple. Thus, not a soul was absent.

"Hey, have you heard? This time, there's a handsome little senior among the inner disciples!"

"Look, right there, behind those people..."

"Ah! He's looking this way! He's really looking at me! He must've fallen in love with my beauty—ah, I'm dying!"

...

Before the competition began, a few outer sect girls huddled together, whispering excitedly. They spoke of a youth in white, standing behind a group of inner disciples.

This youth's skin was as luminous as jade, his eyes bright and his smile dazzling. Though dressed in a plain white robe, he radiated an otherworldly grace. In his gaze danced the stars and the vastness of the sea, yet his manner was light and ethereal. Whether smiling or frowning, he seemed untouched by mortal dust.

A subtle aura of immortal spirit always lingered about him—intangible, refreshing, just enough to draw others in, leaving them defenseless against a sudden desire for closeness.

In short, he was handsome.

Inhumanly handsome.

A level of charm that effortlessly attracted the admiration of the opposite sex.

This striking youth in white was named Jiang Ning.

"This world is far too dangerous!" At that moment, hiding behind the crowd, Jiang Ning sighed from his heart.

"If I had known things would turn out like this, I should have chosen a plain appearance when forging my immortal body..."

He could feel it now: the outer disciples at the foot of the stone steps, and even several inner brothers, were casting him looks that were anything but friendly—eager for a fight. Especially Senior Brother Zhao Feng, famed for his charm, who was currently glaring daggers at him.

"I admit I'm a bit handsome, and it's only natural for the senior and junior sisters to admire me, but why must you all see me as the enemy..."

Jiang Ning heaved a long sigh.

He thought of his past life, wondering if things were better now or back in the Tianshan Mountains, where peace reigned.

"Sigh, why is my transmigration so different from everyone else's..."

More than a decade ago, Jiang Ning had not appeared in this form.

Yes, it was over ten years ago that Jiang Ning first transmigrated to this world.

Others who transmigrated received heaven-defying golden fingers or an invincible elder mentor. At the very least, they were granted rare and supreme martial arts techniques. Wasn't transmigrating supposed to turn one into a hot-blooded youth overnight?

But...

Jiang Ning became a blade of grass.

An immortal herb.

"Immortal herb, immortal your grandmother—what's the difference from being an ordinary weed!"

At that time, Jiang Ning cursed the heavens and the earth, scolding every member of the underworld responsible for reincarnation, even if such beings might not exist.

But fortunately, as an immortal herb, he was not entirely ordinary. Normally, such a herb would take a millennium to develop intelligence. But after Jiang Ning's soul fused with the herb, he gained sentience and the so-called inherited memories that would only come after a hundred thousand years.

Thus, he became the world's only immortal herb with a millennium of cultivation and the inherited memories of ten thousand generations...

Among those memories was a method: transforming into an immortal spirit form—a human body—at the cost of relinquishing all accumulated cultivation.

Jiang Ning had no wish to remain a root-bound herb for eternity, slowly cultivating for thousands of years, even if it meant eventually being able to move about as an immortal plant. He couldn't bear the thought of going mad from loneliness before reaching enlightenment.

So, he decisively chose to become an immortal spirit in human form.

The transformation itself took ten years.

He molded himself into a seventeen-year-old youth, surrendering all his cultivation in exchange for humanity.

Jiang Ning was elated!

Ten years! Oh heavens, did you know how I endured those ten years?

He waited, day after day, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth without pause.

Finally, the moment arrived when he could choose his own appearance.

He shaped himself into the world's most beautiful and dashing man—in short, he would be handsome. Exceptionally so! For the sake of beauty, he dragged out the process for another half a year, perfecting every detail, determined to surpass ordinary handsomeness by an entire realm.

Now, he was indeed handsome.

But he regretted it.

"All the senior and junior sisters are flocking to me, but in the end, I've only provoked the resentment of my fellow brothers."

This was not the first time. Many had already challenged him, and his head throbbed at the thought.

"Targeted again, my head aches. I almost wish I was back in the Tianshan Mountains..."

Jiang Ning was utterly speechless.

He had thought that with enough charm, life would be smooth sailing.

Who could have guessed that, while his luck with women soared, he had also amassed a legion of rivals.

"Still, it's not without its perks..."

He had only become an inner disciple because the Sect Leader chanced upon him during a journey, recognizing his unique constitution—innately attuned to the natural Dao, a rare talent. Thus, he was brought directly into the sect, exempt from the outer disciples’ competition.

"So far, the only tangible benefit my looks have brought me is this..."

Jiang Ning shook his head helplessly.

If not for his remarkable appearance, the Sect Leader might never have noticed him, nor discovered his special nature, nor admitted him to Idle Cloud Sect.

"Junior Brother Jiang Ning, tonight is the night of the full moon. Would you consider joining me for tea and moon-gazing?" A graceful figure glided to his side, smiling sweetly, features radiant, hands as fair as flawless jade, addressing him.

"Senior Sister Qiao Chan, tonight I... have something to do, yes, something important." Seeing the jealous glares of several inner disciples in the front row, Jiang Ning forced a laugh and replied.

"So Junior Brother Jiang Ning still looks down on me? You must have accepted someone else's invitation, haven't you?" Li Qiao Chan sighed softly.

No! Of course not!

Jiang Ning lamented inwardly.

He would have loved the company of a beauty, sipping tea under the moon. Who wouldn’t?

But those inner brothers were all watching, muscles tensed, ready for a fight.

He didn't want trouble—not because he lacked the strength, but because... he needed to keep a low profile.

There was a reason for this.

"No, no, Senior Sister Qiao Chan, don't get the wrong idea..."

Jiang Ning nearly agreed, but the hostile stares intensified, so he quickly changed his tune.

"Then why won't you accept my invitation?" Li Qiao Chan looked even more dejected, lowering her gaze as if deeply aggrieved.

Oh please, don't do this!

Jiang Ning groaned inwardly. "I can't take much more of this..."

But outwardly, he had to come up with an excuse.

"Training... Yes, that's right! I need to train."

"Training?" Li Qiao Chan lifted her head, her bright eyes blinking at him.

"Could it be that Junior Brother Jiang Ning is about to break through to the Open-Mind Realm?"

"Uh... about that..."

Jiang Ning broke out in a cold sweat, struggling for an answer, when suddenly a commotion erupted across the stone platform.

"Colorful clouds from the east..."

Jiang Ning looked up just in time to see a graceful figure appear, surrounded by radiant light, her skin as smooth as cream, beautiful beyond compare—it was Senior Sister Lin Qian, the sect's most renowned prodigy.

Immediately after, golden light flashed, and a figure in purple appeared atop the pavilions—a young man whose eyes carried the intent of the sword, aloof and proud beyond measure.

The Sect Leader of Idle Cloud Sect arrived with a presence as ethereal as mist, each step merging with the supreme Dao, utterly profound. At the same time, he appeared beside the elders’ seats, nodding slightly in greeting.

"The outer courtyard competition begins now!"

A booming voice rolled through all the palaces, thunderous and commanding.

With the appearance of two prodigies and the Sect Leader, the crowd gradually quieted after the initial uproar.

And so, the outer sect competition began in earnest.

"Phew—" Seeing that Senior Sister Li Qiao Chan’s attention was finally drawn away by the competition, Jiang Ning let out a long sigh of relief.

He gazed at the world around him.

Good heavens, this world was truly far too dangerous...