I Shatter My Bottlenecks Through Dual Cultivation, Stunning Even Immortal Maidens - Chapter 1:

Chapter 1: Transmigration Without a Cheat, Am I Supposed to Use Math, Physics, and Chemistry?

The spiritual energy that Zhou Kai had barely managed to gather within his body suddenly dispersed. It was like a stone thrown into a still lake, ripples spreading outward in circles before fading back into lifeless silence.

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of foul, metallic-tasting blood sprayed from his lips and splattered across the floor in front of him.

The 4th stage Qi Refining Realm… failed again.

Zhou Kai slumped onto the meditation cushion, his face pale, a streak of blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

“Damn heavens,” he cursed inwardly. “Having trash spiritual roots would already be bad enough, but my dantian can’t even be repaired.”

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire. Four attributes. It sounded decent at first glance, but every single one was low-grade.

He was truly the worst of the worst among cultivation talents.

(T/N:In this novel, talent is determined by the quality of spiritual roots, not their number.)

He did not belong to this world.

Thirty years ago, he had transmigrated here. Back then, he had dreamed of riding a flying sword through the skies, moving mountains and filling seas, trampling heaven’s chosen geniuses beneath his feet while holding immortal maidens in his arms.

Reality had slapped him hard.

Thirty whole years.

He had lived by the creed that stealing was better than earning. He had even become a rogue cultivator who robbed others, living a life balanced on the edge of a blade, fighting for survival every day. Yet his cultivation level had remained stubbornly stuck at the 3rd stage Qi Refining Realm.

The reason was simple. During his time as a rogue cultivator, his dantian had been shattered in battle.

Although Zhou Kai had risked his life to kill his enemy in return, his dantian had never fully recovered. He had exhausted countless resources and tried every possible method. In the end, it had only healed halfway, trapping him permanently at the 3rd stage Qi Refining Realm.

Every time he attempted to break through, his dantian would throb with unbearable pain, and the spiritual energy would scatter and flee.

“I’ve truly disgraced my fellow transmigrators.”

Chosen one of destiny? 

Transmigration benefits? 

All nonsense.

He was undoubtedly the most miserable transmigrator of them all.

Ten years ago, disheartened, he had joined the Chen family, a Qi Refining family, and taken the position of an Guest Elder with minor authority.

He did it for the relatively stable cultivation resources the Chen family could provide, and for that faint, fragile hope. Perhaps, with the family’s support, he could repair his dantian and shatter this cursed bottleneck.

Ten years had passed.

He had consumed plenty of pills and thoroughly studied the Chen family’s foundational cultivation technique, yet the threshold to the 4th stage Qi Refining Realm remained like an insurmountable chasm.

The only improvement he could claim was that his mundane martial arts, honed during his days as a rogue cultivator, had grown increasingly refined.

His spiritual power was lacking, but his body-tempering techniques had become among the best within the Chen family’s Guest Elders. What kind of immortal cultivation was this? It was pure irony.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Guest Elder Zhou, the Fifth Elder requests your presence,” a young disciple’s voice called from outside.

Fifth Elder Chen Heming?

Zhou Kai’s eyes flickered slightly. He wiped the blood from his mouth, straightened his slightly disheveled robe, and rose to open the door.

What was meant to come would eventually come. The ten-year term was nearly over.

…

In the Chen family’s side hall, sandalwood incense curled through the air.

Seated at the head was an elderly man with streaks of white in his hair and beard. It was Chen Heming, the Fifth Elder of the Chen family, a cultivator in the late stage Qi Refining Realm.

“Guest Elder Zhou, sit,” Chen Heming said calmly, gesturing toward a chair below.

“Thank you, Fifth Elder,” Zhou Kai replied and took his seat.

Chen Heming lifted his teacup, gently blowing away the floating leaves before letting his gaze settle on Zhou Kai. “Guest Elder Zhou, in another ten to twenty days, it will have been ten years since you joined the Chen family. What are your plans moving forward?”

Ten years earlier, when Zhou Kai had joined the Chen family as an Guest Elder, there had been an agreement. If he failed to break through to the middle stage Qi Refining Realm within ten years, the Chen family would grant him a Chen-surnamed concubine to bear children and expand the family line.

Such arrangements were not uncommon among cultivation families.

Many cultivators whose cultivation could no longer advance, or whose talent was as poor as Zhou Kai’s, would choose this path.

The family, in turn, was willing to assign female relatives without spiritual roots or with extremely poor aptitude to cultivators, even if the man was only at the 1st stage Qi Refining Realm. They hoped that by chance, one or two children with spiritual roots might be born, strengthening the family’s bloodline.

The last trace of sharp ambition in Zhou Kai’s heart seemed extinguished by this failure.

Low-grade spiritual roots did not make Foundation Establishment impossible, but it would require heaven-defying opportunities or vast resources.

As a low-grade spiritual root cultivator who could not even reach the middle stage Qi Refining Realm, how could he speak of Foundation Establishment?

Perhaps accepting reality, staying here in peace, and living comfortably was the most practical ending for someone with talent as wretched as his.

At the very least, it was better than the precarious life of a rogue cultivator.

With that thought, he bowed slightly and said sincerely, “I am deeply grateful for the Fifth Elder’s and the Chen family’s care over these years. If the family does not cast me aside, I am willing to continue serving the Chen family.”

A faint, barely noticeable satisfaction flashed in Chen Heming’s eyes. Someone like Zhou Kai, though not powerful, possessed rich combat experience. The family still had use for him.

“Good,” Chen Heming said, setting down his teacup. “If you are willing to stay, the family naturally welcomes it. Your treatment as a Guest Elder will remain unchanged.”

He stroked his beard. “There is a junior in the family named Chen Ziyi. She has no spiritual roots, but her appearance and character are acceptable.”

“She shall be given to you as a concubine for now. When the ten-year agreement officially concludes, you may select others yourself if appropriate. What do you think?”

No spiritual roots?

Zhou Kai felt no reaction. Those with spiritual roots would at least be reserved for cultivators in the middle stage Qi Refining Realm. It would never be his turn.

“Thank you, Fifth Elder, for your arrangement,” Zhou Kai said, rising to bow.

And so, it was settled.

He did not make a grand affair of it. He merely spent a few spirit stones in his courtyard, inviting a few friendly Chen family members and fellow Guest Elders for a small banquet.

It was celebration enough.

Cups clinked, laughter rang out, and the atmosphere was lively.

“Guest Elder Zhou, congratulations. Now someone will warm your bed.”

“Brother Zhou, you won’t have to cultivate bitterly every day anymore.”

“Come on, Zhou Kai, have a drink.”

Zhou Kai refused no one. Each cup was drained in one go, his laughter bold and hearty.

He laughed, joked, and played drinking games with them.

Since transmigrating into this body at the age of twenty, more than thirty years had passed. In exchange, he had gained the 3rd stage Qi Refining Realm and a mortal concubine.

It was pitiful by cultivation standards, but still better than being overworked like livestock on Blue Star.

Late at night, the guests dispersed. 

Zhou Kai staggered back to his room, unsteady on his feet.

Inside, a soft lamplight glowed, illuminating a somewhat nervous figure.

Chen Ziyi had just turned nineteen. She had delicate features. Perhaps from nervousness, her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were timid, yet carried a strange calm acceptance of her fate.

When she saw Zhou Kai enter in a drunken haze, she hurried forward, movements stiff as she supported him.

“My lord, let me help you rest. They were too much, forcing you to drink like that. And you, my lord, why did you not refuse? You accepted every cup.”

Her tone held little resistance. She had clearly already accepted the family’s arrangement.

The alcohol surged through him. Zhou Kai’s gaze blurred as he suddenly grabbed Chen Ziyi’s wrist.

She gasped and instinctively tried to pull away, but he held her firmly.

“From now on, you are mine.”

The smell of wine and his breath washed over her. Chen Ziyi’s body softened.

“Please… my lord, be gentle…” she whispered, barely audible.

What followed happened naturally, though somewhat chaotically.

In the bedroom, candlelight flickered.

The storm of passion subsided.

As Zhou Kai’s drunkenness faded slightly, he held the soft figure in his arms when a crisp sound exploded directly within his soul, startling him.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the host has engaged in first intimate contact with a confidante. The Confidante Interaction System has officially activated!]

[Detected that confidante Chen Ziyi is a mortal. Interaction points cannot be obtained!]

[Beginner gift pack issued. Before Chen Ziyi steps onto the path of cultivation, she will provide exchange points!]

[Confidante: Chen Ziyi (Mortal)]

[Spiritual Root: None]

[Favorability: 10 (First Acquaintance)]

[Exchange points Provided: 1]

Zhou Kai: ???

“I knew it. If transmigration doesn’t come with a cheat, am I supposed to rely on math, physics, and chemistry?”

A pale blue personal panel, visible only to him, abruptly appeared within his consciousness.

It was simple and clear.

[Zhou Kai (Damaged Dantian)]

[Cultivation Level: 3rd stage Qi Refining Realm (299/300)]

[Vitality: 1st stage Meridians Awakening Realm (86/100)]

[Spiritual Roots: Metal (Low-grade 12/100), Wood (Low-grade 25/100), Water (Low-grade 17/100), Fire (Low-grade 23/100)]

[Hundred Arts of Cultivation: None]

[Confidante: Chen Ziyi]

[Available Exchange Interaction Points: 1]

[Confidante Interaction System: Interact with confidantes to gain interaction points based on frequency and favorability. Interaction points can enhance the host or be used to enhance the confidante.]

(Immortal Cultivation Realms: Qi Refining Realm – Foundation Establishment Realm – Golden Core Realm – Nascent Soul Realm…)

(Body Tempering Realms: Meridians Awakening Realm – Bone Forging Realm – Core Refining Realm – Primordial Martial Realm…)

A golden finger that had arrived thirty years late.

Zhou Kai’s breathing turned rapid, his heart pounding like a drum.

He abruptly sat up, startling Chen Ziyi beside him.

But Zhou Kai paid her no attention. All his focus was captured by the suddenly activated Confidante Interaction System.

Dual cultivation with a confidante… gain interaction points… enhance cultivation level, spiritual roots, vitality, and even various arts… and he could even allocate points to the confidante?

Just now, with Chen Ziyi… he had gained 1 point?

“System. Use 1 interaction point to increase my cultivation level,” Zhou Kai said inwardly.

[Ding! Consumed 1 interaction point. Cultivation level may break through!]

“Break through.”

A faint yet incomparably pure energy appeared out of thin air within his dantian.

Crack!

The bottleneck that had tormented him for over ten years shattered instantly.

The 4th stage Qi Refining Realm… achieved.

“Haha… hahaha…”

He could not help laughing softly at first, then louder and louder.

Chen Ziyi trembled at his sudden behavior, not understanding why her husband had lost control so abruptly.

“My lord? You…”

Zhou Kai’s gaze slowly returned to the trembling, delicate figure beside him.

“Ziyi, you are my lucky star. Don’t be afraid. Stay with me, and we will live well. And now…”

His eyes burned with heat.