MTL - Master of Science and Technology - Chapter 1173 : Dog Jumps Over the Wall

In the world of cultivation, countless tales follow righteous protagonists, fated heroes blessed by destiny, or those chosen by heaven to walk the path of immortality.But what of those who stand in their way?What of the villains? The so-called obstacles to the hero’s journey—do they not bleed, dream, and struggle as well?Xiao Ning was never meant to succeed.From the very beginning, the Grand Dao wove him as a stepping stone—a necessary sacrifice to elevate another. His path, like that of all designated ‘villains,’ was doomed to failure by design.But what happens when that design is defied?After death, Xiao Ning awakens—not in the cycle of reincarnation, but in the cold silence beyond it. There, he is offered the Eternal Paradox Codex—a forbidden artifact containing the hidden truths of the Grand Dao System itself.Rules. Loopholes. Vulnerabilities.Knowledge not meant for those like him.With this power, Xiao Ning is granted a single, impossible choice: accept oblivion, or step outside the Grand Dao entirely—to abandon fate, sever karma, and cultivate a path unbound by heaven or law.It is Xiao Ning’s journey, from ashes to something beyond comprehension.Not to become an Immortal among men.But something even the heavens dare not bind.If fate is a chain…Then let him forge his own path in the void beyond.Welcome to this humble tale.The cultivation world is vast and unkind.Let us begin again—on our terms.

Lin Yi failed the college entrance exams and chose a diploma mill university.

And as deserving of a diploma mill university, the first line of the admission letter read:

- Description from Novelupdates

An orphaned boy with dreams of making it big through being a blacksmith is given a once in a lifetime chance to succeed when he's taken in by an odd pair - Eggor and Ella. While former teaches him the arts of craft, the latter teaches him the mysticism of cultivation, granting him two paths to tread in this life.

'I'm not an ambitious person,' is something Reiner often says. He just wants to hang around with the Straw Hat crew, traveling the world while collecting the souls of the dead. From Kuro... Arlong, then to 'Old Sand' (Crocodile)... the Golden Lion (Shiki)... As he gathered more and more, the 'style' started getting progressively weirder.A demon with goat horns and a snake tail? Okay, maybe I can understand that. But a 'Chainsaw Demon'? What the heck is that? And where did you even pull this 'Sukuna' from?!When the Summit War kicks off, Sengoku and the Three Admirals stare at Reiner, who is sitting calmly upon the execution platform.'What? You're saying these incredibly strong individuals are undead beings controlled by him?!''How is that possible! Isn't he just some handyman doing chores for the Straw Hat crew?''Seriously, man... You call *this* logistics?!'Hearing this, Reiner gets annoyed: 'If doing literally every kind of job isn't called logistics, then what is!?'------(Story follows the Straw Hats' journey + original plot elements. The main character is neither overly righteous/naive nor does he turn evil/dark.)