Chapter 1: Battle Through the Heavens, Launch! April 14, 2064. Yang Shan sat alone in his apartment, scribbling furiously in a notebook. "Why did I have to reincarnate just half an hour before the server launch? Couldn't it have been earlier?" By 2064, no electronic device offered true privacy. Anything stored digitally could be traced. Yang Shan knew this. That’s why he chose pen and paper to record his thoughts destined for the future. Memories fade with time, but ink and paper could preserve secrets for centuries. "Mountains beyond mountains in Wumeng, moonlight spilling over Xiangshui Beach—" His phone buzzed on the desk, playing a familiar melody. The screen displayed a notification: Server Launch in 2 Minutes – Battle Through the Heavens! Battle Through the Heavens. A masterpiece from China’s top gaming company, Sky Brilliance Co., built over five years. Based on the classic web novel Battle Through the Heavens (Cang Qiong), it transformed the once-fictional Dou Qi Continent into a living, breathing virtual world. Yang Shan remembered clearly: thanks to its cutting-edge technology and the later-added Guanbao Friendship System, the game had swallowed 85% of the global Mmorpg market within six months of release. Players who thrived in this realm could earn fortunes. Yang Shan himself, in his past life, had reached Four-Star Emperor of Fighters—no Three Sects Twelve Emperors, but still formidable. With steady item drops, he’d earned a monthly income of 20,000 credits. Yet here he was, reborn three years earlier, staring at a second chance. "Reincarnation might be the ultimate cheat code, but I need to play it smart. Let’s start with a small goal: earn one hundred million credits." Time was tight. He couldn’t finish jotting down everything. Phantom Flame cultivation techniques, alchemical formulas, secret realms, and top-tier boss strategies—half an hour wasn’t enough, especially with the early server version. Many details had blurred over time. Locking his notebook in a safe, Yang Shan hurried to his gaming room and climbed into the neural pod. Compared to basic VR headsets, the neural pod offered superior stability, zero lag, and near-perfect sensory immersion. The top-tier model even reached 99% realism. Sadly, at 1.88 million credits, it was beyond his means. As the pod sealed shut, a melodic voice chimed: Power Connected. Backup Power Full. Neural Link Stable. Proceed? Yang Shan took a deep breath. Then, with the fervor of a gamer reborn, he declared: "Battle Through the Heavens! Launch!" [System: Battle Through the Heavens Initialized. Login Interface Loaded.] [Player Data Verified. Confirm Character Details. Refer to ‘Initial Character Selection Guidelines’ for assistance.] Character creation centered on stat distribution. Spiritual Roots—Sky Brilliance Co.’s original addition—determined a player’s cultivation path. Every character received ten free points to allocate across the seven elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Thunder. Higher values in a root accelerated mastery of that attribute. Alchemy, however, had special rules. To craft potions, players needed at least one point in both Fire and Wood Roots. But those prioritizing Fire Root and fire-based techniques saw boosted success rates. Yang Shan’s decision was instant. He maxed Thunder Spiritual Root at 10. In his past life, he’d stubbornly chased the legendary Phantom Flame, investing heavily in Fire Root. But in this world, Phantom Flame’s rarity and cultivation hurdles mirrored the novel’s cruel realism. After three years, most players still hadn’t claimed one. Would he beg Medusa Queen for the Azure Lotus Earth Flame? Bribe Han Feng for the Fallen Heart Flame? Or trick Medicinal Sage Yao Lao into handing over the Bone Spirit Cold Flame? Forget Zhongzhou Pill Tower—back then, only three players had reached Dou Zong. Even the Pill Tower’s Three Pillar Elders couldn’t convince players to refine the Three Thousand Burning Flames without getting roasted by a Starfire Dragon. But Yang Shan’s rebirth changed everything. A chance encounter in his past life had reset his Spiritual Roots, swapping fire for thunder. This unlocked the divine Phantom Thunder—the Beiluo Seven Star Thunder, blazing atop mountaintops like a celestial spectacle. He’d never fully mastered it before reincarnation. But now, with that memory burning bright, his path was clear. Besides, alchemy only required a single point each in Fire and Wood. He’d find ways to boost those later. The system prompted: [Spiritual Roots Confirmed. Distribute Initial Attribute Points: Constitution, Bone Structure, Agility. Total: 10.] Yang Shan’s fingers flew. Constitution 4, Bone Structure 2, Agility 4. [Attribute Points Confirmed. Final Step: Name Character.] "Yang Shan." Many players used their real names for immersion. Yang Shan saw no reason to invent one. [Name Confirmed. Character Creation Complete.] The interface flashed: Player: Yang Shan Level: Dou Qi – Stage 1 Attributes Constitution: 4 (+100 HP, +1 Atk, +2 Def per point) Bone Structure: 2 (+20 HP, +3 Atk, +1 Def per point) Agility: 4 (+10 HP, +1 Atk, +3 Spd per point) Meridians: 1 (+1 Dou Qi Potency, +5 Dou Qi Capacity per point) Enlightenment: 10 (Special Acquisition) Fortune Affinity: 1 (Special Acquisition) Combat Stats HP: 480 | Atk: 14 | Def: 10 | Spd: 12 Dou Qi Potency: 1 | Dou Qi Capacity: 5 Most players prioritized survivability early on, stacking HP and Atk to survive monster fights. But Yang Shan had a different plan. The early game wasn’t about grinding—it was about racing to become the first Douluo in the server. "Login." A blinding light engulfed him, swallowing the interface. When it faded, he stood before a towering black stone tablet. Nine vertical lines glowed faintly across its top, one now blazing brighter. His hand pressed against it. "Yang Shan. Dou Qi – Stage 1." Mocking voices erupted: "Two years, and he’s still stuck at Stage 1!" "The clan made a mistake adopting this waste!" "Only the clan’s three-year cultivation grace kept him from being discarded." "Shame to our name!" Familiar words. Familiar pain. Yang Shan smiled. Three years ago, this was where his journey began. History repeats—and this time, he’d rewrite it. (End of Chapter)