Chapter 1: The Primal Trial Begins

On the Blue Star,

As dusk settled over Cangyang City, atop Ruohua Mountain in the suburbs, a young man stirred. He tried to rise from the ground, his movements sluggish and disoriented.

‘What… what’s happening? How did I…?’

As these thoughts flickered, Lin Ling’s eyes snapped open once more. He sat up abruptly, his gaze sweeping over the familiar landscape before landing on a strange, pulsating white orb. His mind reeled in utter bewilderment.

“I’m not dead? Was that just a dying hallucination?”

Lin Ling murmured in confusion, then pinched his own thigh hard.

“Ah! That hurts… I can feel pain, so I must still be alive.”

With the undeniable proof of his continued existence, Lin Ling turned to face the white orb behind him. He spoke, a hint of trepidation and hope in his voice.

“If I’m not dreaming, and I’m still alive, does that mean I passed your test?”

‘Did I really pass that so-called ‘Primal Trial’?’

“You could say so. Congratulations, you barely passed.” A voice, devoid of discernible gender and as rigid as a machine, echoed directly into Lin Ling’s consciousness.

“But I feel so strange. It’s like I just woke up from a nap, and now I’ve passed the test? I don’t remember anything! Are you sure you’re not just messing with me?”

The orb seemed to regard the young man with a touch of exasperation. “Don’t rush,” it responded. “Do you recall what I told you before?”

‘What did it say…? Something about…’

At this, Lin Ling began to delve into his memories, piecing together their previous conversation and the extraordinary sequence of events that had led him here.

****

One minute ago, in the real world.

The year 2066 had proven exceptionally cruel to Lin Ling. At just twenty-five, he was suddenly dealt a devastating double blow: unemployment and the death of his girlfriend.

A highly contagious virus had plunged the global economy into a deep depression. Lin Ling’s company, struggling for survival, was forced to implement drastic layoffs, and he was among the unfortunate few selected.

Just as he sought solace from his girlfriend, Xi Yue, after his career setback, he was struck by the sudden, horrifying news of her death.

It was a thunderbolt that shattered his world.

With no wounds or prior medical history, Xi Yue had simply vanished from the world. Months of police investigation had yielded absolutely nothing.

Xi Yue had been Lin Ling’s entire world. In an instant, his perception of life crumbled, leaving him with nothing but bleak despair.

Lost and adrift,

the young man sought refuge on Ruohua Mountain, a place where he and Xi Yue had first met. He desperately hoped the cherished memories forged there could mend his shattered heart.

However,

sometimes, when misfortune strikes, even drinking cold water can get stuck in your teeth.

As Lin Ling, utterly distraught, leaned against an old railing to gaze down the precipice, the dilapidated structure suddenly gave way!

With his balance irrevocably lost, Lin Ling plunged over the cliff in sheer terror.

Initially, Lin Ling screamed with all his might, desperately trying to cling to life.

Yet, when he realized the futility of his efforts,

he ceased his struggle, accepting his fate with a strange sense of relief.

“Ah, is this the end? So be it… Xi Yue, I’m coming to join you. Sigh, I wonder if Ah Hui will be able to take care of Mom and Dad.”

‘Ugh… Even my death is this pathetic.’

Amidst his sighs, Lin Ling closed his eyes in despair, awaiting the inevitable embrace of death. Yet, at that very moment, a peculiar voice abruptly resonated within his mind, utterly without warning.

“How about I give you a chance?”

‘What?!’

‘Huh?’

‘What was that sound?!’

“Who?!”

Suddenly, the air around him seemed to solidify.

The sensation of falling vanished instantly!

Lin Ling’s eyes snapped open, a jolt of alarm coursing through him. He frantically scanned his surroundings, searching for the source of the voice. Before long, he spotted a basketball-sized orb of light hovering to his right.

‘Holy hell, a ghost!’ Lin Ling screamed internally, his materialistic worldview utterly shattered.

He wanted to flee, but found his body utterly unresponsive, as if he had lost all control. Furthermore, he was currently suspended in mid-air.

Even if he *could* move, it wouldn’t make much difference… wait?

‘Hold on?!’

‘How am I suspended in mid-air?! What the hell?!’

‘What is happening?!’

‘Am I truly seeing a ghost, or have I already died?’

Lin Ling’s mind was a maelstrom of confusion. The sights before him had completely transcended his understanding of reality.

“…By human standards, I suppose I could be considered a ghost,” the orb replied. “Though being called one inexplicably displeases me.”

Sensing the turmoil in Lin Ling’s mind, the orb seemed to respond with a touch of resignation.

“Then I’m dead, right? Is that why I can see you… a supernatural being?”

“No. I merely halted your body’s time. I am currently communicating with your soul.”

“That’s… rather fantastical. So, what do you want? What do you mean by ‘a chance’?”

Lin Ling’s adaptability was remarkably high. He immediately attempted to communicate with the unknown entity through his soul, though he had no idea how he was managing it, especially since his mouth couldn’t move.

“As for me… well, I am a rather powerful entity,” the orb stated. “I am currently searching throughout this Source Star Universe for special individuals capable of receiving my power. Your body, soul, and personality all meet the qualifications for a trial.”

“Therefore, if you are willing to undertake this trial and ultimately pass, I shall grant you a second life. I will bestow upon you power of unparalleled might, allowing you to become the new Battle Sovereign.”

‘Battle Sovereign? That sounds a bit… chuunibyou,’ Lin Ling couldn’t help but inwardly scoff.

“Battle… Battle Sovereign? What exactly is that?”

“Hmm, you can think of it as an existence akin to a deity, one of the rare few in the entire universe. So, what do you say? Will you try the trial?”

‘It doesn’t seem like a lie…’

“It sounds appealing,” Lin Ling replied. “And I don’t really have a reason to refuse, do I? Even if I’m not sure if it’s real, I’m already dying, so why not try? What does the trial entail?”

Lin Ling, already at death’s door, adopted a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude. Subconsciously, he also yearned for this power, hoping it could help him uncover the truth behind his girlfriend’s death. Though he had no idea if such power could achieve that, if there was hope, he would seize it.

Lin Ling’s answer evidently pleased the orb greatly. Its emitted light grew softer, almost shimmering with excitement.

“Excellent. The trial is actually quite simple,” it declared. “I will grant you 128 different lives, each containing a single assessment. Pass them all, and you clear the trial. Fail, and your soul will dissipate. Simple, right?”

‘What?!’

‘Hold on, hold on! Do you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the word ‘simple’?!’

“How is that simple at all?! Wait, 128 lives? Forget passing them; how long would that even take?! No way, can’t you offer a different trial? I still need to investigate…”

However, before he could finish his protest, an intense wave of dizziness surged through Lin Ling.

The young man instantly lost consciousness, unable to resist. The last thing he saw was an increasingly dazzling silver light.

“There’s no other assessment, I’m afraid. But don’t worry, in your real world, less than a minute will have passed. Good luck. I hope you pass this time.”

From within the orb, a captivating female voice emerged. It was as beautiful as a nightingale’s song, brimming with both tender affection and a sacred majesty.

Well then,

in summary,

let the cycle simulation begin.

GOOD LUCK! My child.