An Ordinary Man's Struggle for the Great Dao

[Mortal’s Journey] [No System] Ye Chen, a village boy with a four-element spirit root, seems destined for a dim future in the immortal path. By chance, he saves a dying rogue cultivator and gains entry to the brutal world of cultivation, receiving a seemingly damaged, nameless ancient cauldron. Though it has no heaven-defying powers, the cauldron can slightly accelerate the growth of spirit plants, enhance spiritual sense, and form a shield to save his life in desperate situations. Its practical yet limited abilities embody how an ordinary cultivator can make steady progress by turning small advantages to good use. Guided by the principle “act with caution and put your own interests first,” Ye Chen treads carefully through a cultivation world short on resources and rife with killing intent. Starting as a servant disciple in the sect’s spirit fields, he secretly cultivates spirit herbs with the aid of the damaged cauldron and steadily gathers resources. He first shows his potential in a minor outer-sect competition, then braves a dangerous trial ground in search of the primary ingredient for a Foundation Establishment Pill, struggling onward amid conflicts with fellow disciples and the dangers of sect missions. He forms a golden core, condenses a Nascent Soul, travels across the Central Continent, explores ancient secret realms, and navigates the competing forces of the world. Yet he never seeks fame, earning the title “Tortoise-Crane Immortal” for his solid foundations and measured ways. The immortal path stretches on as time flows by. Ye Chen experiences the cultivation world’s law of the jungle and sweeping changes firsthand, witnessing countless prodigies rise and fall. He stays true to himself, using a low profile and patience as armor, and careful planning as a blade, all so he can go farther on this defiant path to immortality. Only when he reaches the pinnacle of this world does he learn that ascending to a higher realm is harder than he ever imagined. To pursue that sliver of a chance at eternal life, he resolutely embarks on an unknown journey to find ancient ascension ruins. Ahead lie the vast upheavals of the upper realm and the challenges of an endless Dao.