"Wow! So soft! What's going on? Didn't I die in that ancient tomb?"

Wang Lin slowly regained consciousness in the darkness, catching a faint but intoxicating fragrance in the air. Struggling to open his eyes, he realized he was draped over the back of a young girl, who was straining under his weight as she trudged forward.

Just as he was about to speak, a series of fragmented sounds exploded in his mind, followed by a flood of memories. When he finally snapped back to reality, everything became clear—he had crossed over!

He had arrived in a martial world called the Tianyuan Continent, where strength reigned supreme. Here, powerful warriors wielded terrifying abilities—splitting mountains, felling forests, parting rivers, and even severing seas. The mightiest among them could traverse the void of space with their bare bodies and dictate the laws of the world with a single word!

Ironically, the poor soul whose body he now inhabited was also named Wang Lin.

This guy had been the prodigal heir of the Wang Clan in Shitang Town, hailed as a once-in-five-centuries martial genius—until a sudden illness turned him into a worthless cripple at fourteen. Mocked and scorned at every turn, he had now lost even his body to Wang Lin. Talk about rotten luck.

"Heh, spent three years as a grave robber, stumbled upon that damn [Supreme Martial God System], but couldn’t even activate it because Earth had zero spiritual energy. Today, fortune finally smiled on me!"

After digesting the avalanche of memories, Wang Lin was practically giddy with excitement.

At that moment, he brimmed with confidence about the future. In this world where strength ruled all, he was certain he would rise to the very top!

With a thought, the Supreme Martial God System responded moments later.

"Host world scan complete. Environment suitable for system operation. Initiating main quest!"

"Long-term Main Quest: Become the strongest cultivator in the Tianyuan Continent, establish a supreme clan, and unify the entire continent!"

Wang Lin nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing this. With his current cultivation level barely at the second stage of Body Tempering, how the hell was he supposed to build a supreme clan?

"Primary Main Quest: Within one year, the host must lay the foundation for a new clan by recruiting four core disciples. Failure to complete the task within the time limit will result in the immediate annihilation of the host's soul!"

Great. So the Wang Family didn’t count—he had to start from scratch.

"Additional Notes: Disciples are the cornerstone of a clan's growth and enduring legacy. Exceptional disciples serve as the backbone, ensuring the clan's prosperity for generations. Therefore, the first four disciples must meet stringent standards—their combined four-dimensional attributes must total at least 30 to qualify as future pillars of the clan!"

Wang Lin stood frozen for a moment before sheer panic set in.

"Damn it, this is insane! Recruiting disciples is one thing, but getting my soul wiped out if I fail?"

He felt like crying on the spot.

"Error! Error! Due to residual soul fragments within the host's body, full integration cannot be achieved. Host status deemed incomplete. Unable to distribute the Newcomer Gift Package."

Wang Lin nearly spat blood in frustration. What kind of bullshit excuse was this?

Meanwhile, outside, the young maiden hadn’t gone far when three figures suddenly leaped from the shadows, surrounding her in an instant.

The leader was a high-ranking servant of the Wang Family, his face twisted with lecherous intent as he stared at her, his gaze practically stripping her bare.

"Guo An, what... what do you think you're doing?"

Though only fifteen and naive by nature, the girl—Qing Jue—could clearly sense the malice radiating from him.

"Hmph, you little bitch, Qing Jue," Guo An sneered. "After all the times I’ve tried to persuade you to join Young Master Wang Mang’s faction, you’ve always refused my kindness. Well, today, I’ll make sure you regret it!"

Guo An thought to himself that this desolate place was perfect—even if that good-for-nothing Wang Lin dropped dead, his family wouldn't bother investigating.

"Stay back!"

Qing Jue's delicate face hardened with determination. Her snow-white arms tightened around Wang Lin as she pulled out a talisman imbued with a Fire Serpent Spell.

Guo An sneered at the sight of it.

"Pathetic talisman. I'll take my time playing with you!"

With a wave of his hand, his two companions stepped forward, forming a triangular formation around Qing Jue. Their lecherous grins made them look like hawks circling a helpless chick.

Terror gripped Qing Jue's heart, but she only held Wang Lin tighter, ready to activate the talisman.

Just then, the lingering soul fragment within Wang Lin seemed to sense her peril and violently stirred. Seizing the moment, Wang Lin focused his will, merging his soul with his body in an instant.

"Don't worry. I'll protect your loved ones. And I'll make them pay for every humiliation you suffered."

As if in response to his vow, he felt his soul and flesh fuse seamlessly, becoming one.

"Host integration complete. Dispensing the Newcomer's Gift Pack now!"

Right now, Wang Lin was frantic about Qing Jue's safety. The Fire Serpent Spell talisman he had left her was the weakest of its kind. When she hurled it in desperation, Guo An shattered it with a single punch, sending a jolt of alarm through Wang Lin.

Bored with the game, Guo An lunged at Qing Jue with a predatory leap.

"Hahaha! I'll make sure you enjoy every second of this!"

"Enjoy this, you bastard!"

Without even glancing at the contents of the gift package, Wang Lin seized the moment his body regained mobility to whirl around and pull Qingjue into a protective embrace. His right hand blazed with golden radiance as he unleashed a devastating punch with overwhelming force!

**BAM!**

The fist connected squarely with Guo An's face. The golden fist continued its unstoppable momentum, crushing his features inward in a grotesque distortion. Teeth shattered, blood and flesh sprayed through the air.

The sheer impact sent Guo An hurtling backward like a ragdoll, his body smashing through two thick trees—each as wide as a man's waist—before finally crashing to the ground.

His two lackeys, already pale with terror, turned tail and fled without a second thought.

*Evil must be eradicated completely.*

Wang Lin's fist transformed into a finger-pointing stance, and in an instant, two streaks of golden light shot from his fingertips.

The beams flashed like lightning, piercing straight through the hearts of the fleeing men, killing them instantly.

Qingjue stood frozen in shock. Guo An had been at least at the fourth level of Body Tempering—yet her young master had obliterated him in a single strike.

"Jue'er, are you alright?" Wang Lin asked, his voice softening into a gentle smile.

Aside from his father, Wang Hai, Qingjue was the closest person to him. For two years, she had endured hardships alongside him.

"I—I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you, Young Master."

It took her a long moment to regain her composure. A deep confusion lingered in her heart—*how had her young master suddenly become so powerful?*

"Jue'er," Wang Lin said quietly, "keep what just happened a secret for me."

With a smile, Wang Lin hoisted Qingjue onto his back and began descending the mountain toward home.

"Yes, young master."

Qingjue trusted Wang Lin implicitly. Though he hadn't explained himself, she didn't press for answers. Instead, she sensed that the young master she once knew had returned. Quietly, she resolved to continue serving by his side without question.

"Jue'er, don’t worry. From today onward, no one will dare lay a finger on you."

At his words, tears welled up in Qingjue’s eyes, warmth flooding her heart.

As for Guo An and his lackeys, Wang Lin couldn’t be bothered to spare them another glance—they were beneath his notice, insignificant as dust.

His mind now turned to the Newcomer’s Gift Pack, and a thrill of excitement coursed through him.

"Newcomer’s Gift Pack: Cultivation boosted to Tempered Body Fourth Layer, Earth-rank supreme-grade technique [Worldforge Tempering], and 300 merit points."

At first, Wang Lin had been disappointed—not a single piece of equipment in sight.

But when he examined the technique manual, his disappointment instantly transformed into exhilaration. [Worldforge Tempering] was actually an Earth-rank supreme-grade cultivation method!

"When the great roc takes flight with the wind, it soars ninety thousand miles in a single day! This [Worldforge Tempering] shall be the first gale that carries me to the heavens!"