Dying Is Not an Option—Tell That to My System!

Chunhe never cared for cultivation beyond survival. What use was profound Dao comprehension when a single sword strike could send him to the afterlife? No, he had a simple goal—build his farm, live in peace, and maybe fish when he felt like it.

But everything changed when the system leveled up.

The moment he pulled the Spiritual Fish from the river, golden text appeared on his vision.

[System Upgrade Complete!] [New Features Unlocked] [Life Skills Enhanced]

A wave of energy flooded his body. His muscles felt lighter, his breaths deeper. The land's Qi breathed beneath his feet. He could hear the heartbeat of the river, sense the life force in every blade of grass. It was as if the world had opened its secrets into his presence.

More glowing text followed:

[Fishing Level 1: 3% Chance for Spiritual Fish] [Farming Upgraded Level 2: Crops Grow 20% Faster] [Taming Unlocked: Tame Beasts] [Construction Unlocked: Build & Destroy]

Chunhe breathed deep in, eyes narrowing.

Who needed flashy martial techniques when he could master life itself? Let those cultivators waste their years chasing immortality. He would build a kingdom with his hands, one fish, one field, one house at a time.

By the time those so-called geniuses reached enlightenment, he'd be sitting on a throne of self-sufficiency, surrounded by Spiritual Beasts, eating rice grown from his own divine farm.

With this in mind, he carried the shimmering Spiritual Fish back to his land. Big D, his shaggy beast of a dog, was already waiting at the entrance, tail thumping against the ground. Draped in his red cloak, Big D looked every bit like a super guardian.

Chunhe dropped the fish into a small pond. Its iridescent scales sparkled with ethereal energy. The fish's eyes glowed faintly, almost aware—a sign of high intelligence. Given time, this fish might become something legendary. A dragonfish? A guardian spirit for his pond? The thought left Chunhe grinning.

"Big D, we've got a new friend," Chunhe said, hands on his hips. "Meet Big F."

Big D tilted his head, ears flicking. A deep woof rumbled from his throat, as if acknowledging this new presence in his master's territory. Still, the shepherd dog kept a watchful eye on the pond.

Chunhe grinned. Forget grinding through sect politics. Forget blood-soaked battles and power struggles. If the system wanted him to farm, fish, and build his way to dominance, then so be it.

After all, what better way to rule the world than by owning the land itself?

Chunhe cracked his knuckles, watching the pond ripple as Big F swam in lazy circles. A spiritual fish. A living, breathing chunk of Qi. The thing could probably evolve into some kind of legendary dragonfish given the right conditions.

But more importantly—it was his.

The system notifications still hovered in his vision.

[Construction Panel: Build Faster & Stronger]

He flexed his fingers. Just words, yet he could already feel it—the knowledge of structures, angles, weight distribution. It was as if every house, bridge, and fence he had ever seen now made sense on an instinctual level.

Curious, he grabbed a nearby log and placed it on the ground. He imagined a sturdy wooden post, stable and firm.

His fingers moved as if guided by an some force. His palm struck the log—CRACK! The wood split perfectly down the center, the surface smooth as polished jade.

He blinked. Big D blinked.

Curious, Chunhe tried again. Another log. Another strike. This time, he visualized it forming a clean beam, cut to size. With a sharp motion—THWACK!—the log split precisely to the length he imagined, no wasted wood, no uneven edges.

He turned to Big D. "This… this is amazing."

Big D barked in agreement, tail wagging like mad.

Chunhe laughed. "Alright, Big D. Looks like we're skipping the sword manuals and magic circles. We're building an empire."