When Immortal Ascension Fails Time Travel to Try Again - Story 8 - Tribulation Trepidations (24/24 ?)

Qi Condensation. Foundation Establishment. Core Formation. In the current world, only these three realms are known to be achievable. Nascent Soul is but a legend and the realms above it lost to the the long river of time. The modern era is known as Cultivation Civilization, a balance of power and civility, excess and moderation. While cultivation remains a secret practice, it has long since exposed itself to the mundane world, quietly intertwined with each facet of society. While the world appears to be at peace, what lies underneath is a conflict between human, cultivator, and demon, brewing for ages and waiting to implode. Yet in the wake of humanity’s rapid industrialization, qi—and consequently cultivation—is dying.

In the city of Graheel, a small antique shop sits quietly mixed in with all the other shops. Its unassuming appearance is easily overlooked by many. However, this store and its owner has a terrible secret. A devil lives in that building. The owner of the store, John Li, an enigmatic figure whose origins and intentions are unknown. The desperate from around the world, often unknowingly, come to him in search of salvation.A red witch thinks the owner is an ancient creature, a white fox calls him a wizard of eld, a warrior believes him to be a spirit, and a holy woman declares him a god. This mysterious individual and his customers would stand at the center of a strange series of events. From the store owner John's perspective, he has no idea what's going on. He really was just an unlucky dude that got caught up in some crazy stuff.

A young farmer's son, Oscar, is content with living a peaceful life, but by fate's whim, he is found to have the potential to become something greater, an Exalt. A special class of humans who perform miraculous feats and lord over others. Despite his shortcoming and slow progress compared to the geniuses around him, Oscar holds determination as his shield and persistence as his blade. Who says that a person needs to be a genius?Who says that a person has to be a prodigy?With each heavy step, Oscar walks the path of an Exalt.

Joven, an AI that transmigrated here from the stars became a daughter of a rich family, lost in a rural village but finally returning home for a certain purpose.Everyone thought that she would be unrefined and lack culture given her poor upbringing… until the eldest Lu brother realized that his youngest sister was the one who casually agreed to the contract he just signed.Second Lu Brother: What? My younger sister invested in the movie I was leading?Mama Lu: The unlabeled products my daughter gave me are from a state-of-art research center?Papa Lu: The cheap stuff my daughter gave me is actually worth millions?!Big shots of various industries: Would you like to be an instructor? The type who earns over hundreds of millions?A certain conglomerate: Had enough fun yet? Now get back here and inherit your billion-dollar estate.Scumbags: Weren’t we promised a pathetic wimp to bully?***The day Li Hanzhou learned that Qiao Wen equaled him in net worth, he made inventory and put everything before her. “You can have all of these—plus one husband! Please sign here.”Qiao Wen: “You’re the one who insisted on no puppy-love. It’s important to keep your promises.”