The Weakest Cultivator

The afternoon bell echoed across Azure Dragon Cultivation Academy, signaling the end of another exhausting day.

Students poured out of the academy gates in groups, laughing, discussing cultivation techniques, and comparing the results of the day's spiritual assessment.

Among the crowd walked a lone young man with messy black hair and worn-out clothes.

His name was Xiao Chen, though his close friends—if he had any—would have called him Xaihen.

He stared blankly at the ground as he carried his old school bag over one shoulder.

"...I failed again."

He let out a long sigh.

"Damn... being a cultivator isn't easy."

He looked up at the clear blue sky.

"No matter how hard I train, no matter how much I practice... why am I so terrible at this?"

Today's examination had been another disaster.

While other students had advanced to higher cultivation stages, Xiao Chen had once again failed to increase even the slightest amount of spiritual energy.

His cultivation talent was so poor that the academy had created a rank below every other student.

F-Rank.

A rank that existed for one person alone.

Him.

As he walked through the academy gates, several older students noticed him.

One of them smirked.

"Look who it is."

"The legendary F-Rank."

The others burst into laughter.

"I heard he failed again."

"At this rate he'll graduate before reaching First Spirit Realm."

"No... he'll probably die of old age first."

Their mocking laughter echoed through the street.

Xiao Chen stopped walking.

He slowly turned around.

The students expected him to lower his head as usual.

Instead, he smiled.

"You people really have a strange hobby."

The laughter stopped.

He folded his arms.

"Imagine spending your free time chasing after the weakest student instead of improving yourselves."

One boy frowned.

"What did you say?"

Xiao Chen looked him straight in the eyes.

"I said you're living proof that having spiritual power doesn't guarantee you have a brain."

Silence.

"If your cultivation matched your arrogance, maybe you'd actually become strong enough to matter."

The students' faces darkened.

"You—"

"But don't let me stop you."

He shrugged.

"Keep laughing."

"It's probably the only thing you're talented at."

Without waiting for another word, Xiao Chen turned around and continued walking.

Behind him, angry voices filled the street.

"One day we'll teach that loser a lesson!"

"He talks big for someone who can't even cultivate!"

Xiao Chen simply waved without looking back.

"Have fun."

Soon, their voices faded into the distance.

His confident smile slowly disappeared.

"..."

His shoulders slumped.

"They're right..."

He clenched his fist.

"I really am the weakest cultivator alive."

The words hurt far more than he wanted to admit.

Every joke...

Every laugh...

Every insult...

He pretended they didn't bother him.

But they always did.

Still...

He couldn't give up.

There was someone waiting for him.

Someone who depended on him.

...

The small government house sat at the edge of the city.

It wasn't luxurious.

The walls were old.

The roof leaked whenever it rained.

But to Xiao Chen...

It was home.

He pushed the front door open.

"I'm back."

Before he could even finish speaking—

"BIG BRO!"

A cheerful blur rushed toward him.

Thump!

A small girl jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Welcome back!"

Xiao Chen almost lost his balance.

"H-Hey! Easy there, Su Chan."

She giggled.

"You came back later today."

He smiled despite his bad mood.

"Sorry."

She tilted her head.

"So..."

"How was the cultivation exam?"

Xiao Chen scratched the back of his head.

"Well..."

"You already know."

Su Chan sighed dramatically before climbing off his back.

"I was hoping today would be different."

"So was I."

For a moment, the room became quiet.

Then Su Chan suddenly clapped her hands.

"Forget it!"

She smiled brightly.

"I made lunch!"

Xiao Chen blinked.

"You cooked?"

"Mhm!"

"It isn't burned this time."

"...That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence."

She pouted.

"Big Brother!"

He laughed.

"Alright, alright."

"Let's eat."

The two siblings sat together at their small wooden table.

The meal was simple.

Rice.

Vegetables.

A little soup.

Nothing expensive.

Yet Xiao Chen ate every bite with a smile.

"This is good."

Su Chan beamed.

"Really?"

"Much better than last time."

"...You mean when I almost poisoned you?"

"...Let's not talk about that."

The siblings laughed together.

For a few precious minutes...

The worries of the world disappeared.

After washing the dishes, Xiao Chen walked into the kitchen and picked up several neatly packed containers.

Inside were homemade takoyaki.

He had learned the recipe from an elderly street vendor years ago and now sold them every evening to earn enough money for food and school expenses.

"I'm heading out."

Su Chan looked up.

"Can I come too?"

"Hmm..."

He pretended to think for a moment.

"...Okay."

"Yay!"

She ran to her room.

"Give me one minute!"

A few moments later, the brother and sister walked through the busy evening streets together.

Customers were already gathering near Xiao Chen's usual stand.

The aroma of fresh takoyaki soon attracted more people.

"I'll take six!"

"Make mine ten!"

"They're delicious as always."

Xiao Chen worked with practiced hands while Su Chan happily collected payments and greeted customers with a bright smile.

As the sun slowly disappeared beyond the mountains, the containers became emptier and emptier.

By nightfall...

Almost everything had sold out.

Su Chan counted the coins carefully.

"We did great today!"

Xiao Chen smiled.

"This should be enough for groceries tomorrow."

The two began the walk home under the moonlit sky.

Neither of them noticed the faint breeze carrying strange spiritual energy through the city.

...

Later that night...

After making sure Su Chan had gone to bed, Xiao Chen quietly entered his own room.

Moonlight streamed through the window.

He opened an old wooden drawer.

Inside lay a silver pendant attached to a faded cord.

His expression softened.

"This..."

"...was the last thing Mom ever gave me."

He gently held it in his palm.

"Damn it..."

"What exactly are you?"

"I've had you since I was seven."

"I've carried you everywhere."

"But you've never done anything."

He chuckled bitterly.

"I wonder if I'll stay weak forever."

Unknown to Xiao Chen...

Deep inside the pendant...

A tiny golden light flickered.

Once.

Then again.

As though something sleeping within it had finally heard his voice.

But from the outside...

The pendant looked completely ordinary.

Xiao Chen sighed and placed it back around his neck.

He lay down on his bed, unaware that destiny had already begun to move.

Far beneath the pendant's silent glow...

An ancient power was slowly awakening.

To be continued...

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