Heaven's Shadow - Chapter 44

Anton is a great-grandfather. He is living quite a happy life, despite his advanced age and declining health… until a group of cultivator bandits moves into the area. The nearby guardians of the area, the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars, are unable to track them down as they continue to ravage nearby towns. During one desperate winter Anton is out on a hunt when his family- his entire village- is killed or taken as slaves by the bandits. He lacks the strength to fight them, and he wasn’t even present for their arrival to die with his loved ones. At the pit of his despair, he wonders if he ever had any chance to change things. What could he even do? He cannot even pull his best bow, and his eyesight is failing. If he had been a cultivator… perhaps there might have been a chance, but he was decades- perhaps even most of his life- too late.Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge (2022)Notes on cultivation levels:There are five general stages of cultivation, though the fifth is extremely rare. Each cultivation style might have their own name for the stages.1. Body Tempering2. Spirit Building/ occasionally System Creation (Ninety-Nine Stars)3. Constellation Formation (Ninety-Nine Stars)4. Life Transformation/Galaxy Construction (Ninety-Nine Stars)5. Ascension

Six thousand years ago, Su Changsheng traveled through the fantasy world. He practiced hard and wanted to reach the peak, but he failed to even attain sainthood and was backlashed. He was disheartened, and when he wanted to die…The system was accidentally activated.‘As long as you marry a wife and have children, and develop the family, you can continue to get rewards and resources.’Su Changsheng suddenly realized the right way to advance to the peak.[You married Gu Qingge, the Empress of Destiny, and she gave birth to your first daughter. Talent: Indestructible Body, Aptitude: Peerless in the world!] [Rewards: Indestructible Body of the First Demon of All Calamities; Emperor-level Scripture!] [You vigorously developed the family and successfully promoted it to the ancient family!] [Rewards: Ancient Clan Gift Package; Luck-Golden Dragon; Imperial Weapon from Ancient Clan] [You married the Ancient Queen…] [You married Quintuplet Goddess from the Celestial Clan…]“I can have such achievements in my life, it’s all thanks to my own efforts!”Several years later, Su Changsheng, the supreme immortal master of the heavens, revered as the Great Heavenly Emperor Changsheng, humbled himself.

Zain Talen, your average college slacker, was busy skipping class to go play a new video game he had just bought, when a strange woman came running his way. Before he could get out of the way she collided with him. Quickly picking herself up she ran away leaving behind a pendant. Without knowing where she went Zain pocketed it and decided to look for her after his gaming session. During his binge, he heard it.

*Bang

*Bang

*Bang

His door was assaulted with the banging of someone who sounded desperate to get in. Rushing to open the door he found himself overpowered by something and not soon after felt a sharp pain on his neck. Vision fading in and out Zain found himself at death's door.

“Could this be the end?”

[Congratulations!]

[You have been turned into a zombie!]

[QUEST RECEIVED- Begin your horde!]

[infected 0/10]

[Level 1]

I fell into a wannabe murim.But apparently martial arts is supposed to be difficult?Hm… Is it really that bad?