Chronicles of the Flying Immortal in a Cage

A boy from the countryside is drawn into the path of immortality by the greed of cultivators. But the road to immortality is never smooth. Even beneath the banner of the righteous path, the law of the jungle prevails: exploitation at every turn, shackles at every step, and prisons everywhere. If he wants to survive, he must tread carefully at every turn. If he wants to ascend, he must first break out of this man-eating cage. (Single male protagonist, Five Spiritual Roots, not a saint, cautious and clever, no System, has a golden finger. The villains never get dumb: if they catch the protagonist, they beat him to death. Female characters do their best not to act foolishly.)