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The Barehanded Tyrant

Cinderlee
7
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
On the day of the spirit root test, Lin Ye was declared the lowest-grade waste root—incapable of cultivating for life. But the moment humiliation peaked, the ancestral jade pendant on his chest ignited. Ancient divine runes flooded his mind—he had awakened the legendary Copy Sigil! He copied the elder’s secret technique on the spot, blasted him off the stage, and turned ridicule into reverence. From copying martial arts to mimicking beast talents, Lin Ye rewrites fate with bare hands. In a world ruled by spirit, blood, and lineage— He, the so-called trash, will rise as the untouchable Tyrant.
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Chapter 1 - The Test of Fate

On the day of the spirit root assessment, the elder declared it before the crowd—I was born with the lowest-grade, most useless waste root.

Laughter erupted from all directions.

But in that moment of deepest humiliation, the ancestral jade pendant at my chest suddenly turned scorching hot.

Countless golden runes surged into my sea of consciousness—An ancient Copy Sigil had awakened!

Right then and there, I replicated the elder's secret technique and struck him so hard he flew off the platform, coughing blood.

The sect took me in as an exception, unaware I could even replicate the innate powers of beasts.

Within the illusion trial of the entry assessment, I tore apart a Tier-3 Ironhide Rhino with my bare hands.

The beast core burned in my palm—and finally, those hiding in the shadows could no longer sit still.

Rain fell in dense, icy streaks, hammering the stone square in front of the Skycloud Sect's grand gate. Mist rose in damp swirls, thick with the scent of wet earth and moss.

Beneath the towering entrance, a sea of hopeful faces gathered. Whispered voices merged into a low, oppressive hum—Quickly scattered again by the relentless drizzle.

One by one, drenched figures lined up for the test. Youthful faces filled with hunger, anxiety, or barely disguised fear. This was a day that came only once a decade—

Skycloud Sect's open recruitment.

Today, spirit roots would determine destiny.

I, Lin Ye, stood quietly among the crowd, insignificant as a speck of dust.

My rough hemp robe had long been soaked through. The chill seeped into my skin and bone. Beneath the thin fabric, I shivered slightly—perhaps from the cold, or perhaps from the rising tension that had been stirring since last night.

I clenched my fists tightly. My knuckles cracked. Nails dug into palms as I tried to suppress the growing heat in my chest.

The jade pendant resting against my skin was burning—scorching hot, searing through fabric and flesh alike.

It had never been like this before.

"Next—Lin Ye!"

A dry, rasping voice sounded from the high platform. It belonged to a gaunt old man in a blue cloud-patterned robe—Elder Zhou Xian, the outer sect steward.

He didn't even bother to lift his eyes.

The plaza fell into a brief hush.

Thousands of eyes turned toward me—curious, mocking, indifferent, or tinged with pity. Their stares bore down like a weight.

I took a deep breath of damp, iron-scented air and dragged my heavy legs forward, step by step, toward the platform where fate awaited.

My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest.

With each step, the pendant at my chest grew hotter, as if it would burn straight through skin and bone.

On the platform, the crystal Spirit Testing Stone floated quietly before Elder Zhou. Wisps of mist churned inside, glowing faintly with an arcane light.

Zhou Xian's fingers rested casually atop the stone. His eyes remained half-lidded, as if even glancing at me was a waste of effort.

"Place your hand on the stone. Clear your mind," he ordered flatly, like speaking to an object.

I reached out with a cold, trembling hand.The moment my fingertips touched the surface—

A chill surged up my arm, piercing into my mind like ice water.

I shut my eyes, trying to drown all thought, letting my spirit sink into the vast, freezing void.

Time passed. A few breaths? Or longer?

The square was silent, save for the splatter of rain on stone.

Suddenly—

The mist within the Spirit Testing Stone froze, then churned violently.

Its colors began to shift in rapid succession—

Crimson. Gold. Green. Azure. Brown. Five elements collided and spiraled in chaotic fury, like someone had shattered a palette of ink.

Then—

A sickly, ashen gray bled through it all.

"Woom—"

A low hum shook the air as the chaotic light exploded, scattering into dim fragments like dying fireflies.

And then—

Stillness.

As if nothing had ever happened.

The next words from Zhou Xian were as sharp and cold as an iron spike.

"Five-element hybrid root. Chaotic, impure, and rotten to the core. The lowest-grade waste spirit root—lifelong cultivation, hopeless!"

"What?!"

The square erupted.

Like cold water hitting hot oil—The laughter came in waves, harsh and biting.

"Hahaha! A waste root! Did you hear that? No chance at cultivation—ever!"

"Five elements all present? That's the worst! The spiritual energies inside him will fight each other!"

"Trash like this dares show up at Skycloud Sect?"

"Go home, boy! You're wasting everyone's time!"

"Ugh, look at that ragged outfit. Did his ancestors offend the heavens?"

Mockery rained down like poisoned arrows, stabbing into me from all sides.Each word seared into my soul like red-hot iron.

My blood surged—and then froze.

Waste root. Lowest grade. Lifelong failure.

These words echoed in my head, louder and louder—until—

BOOM!

The pendant on my chest erupted.

Not just heat—an explosion, like a dormant volcano finally awakening.

A surge of power, ancient and wild, tore through my body without warning. It flooded my meridians, bones, and blood—

Then slammed into my mind.

"CRACK!"

Thunder roared in my sea of consciousness.Golden light swallowed my vision.

And then—they came.

The runes.

Thousands of golden sigils spun and collided like stars being born. They formed intricate, massive diagrams of ancient wisdom, each one searing itself into the depths of my soul.

The pain was unbearable. Like my skull would split open.

But amid the agony—one phrase stood clear, burning in the void:

[Ancient Sigil: Myriad Transformations]

Copy. Analyze. Seize. Claim all paths as one's own.

Twelve words.Twelve truths.

Branded deep into my very soul.

In that moment, all noise faded.My gaze pierced the veil of light—

And locked onto Zhou Xian.

That frail body. That cold, disdainful face.

And within him—visible now through the lens of the Copy Sigil—a strand of dark spiritual energy, coiled like a venomous serpent.

His secret technique.His trump card.

Every detail of it—its rotation, flow, and weak point—was laid bare before me, like ink on paper.

The sigil stirred. The instinct was overwhelming.To copy, to claim, to strike back!

"Ugh… aaah—!"

A low growl ripped from my throat as I raised my right arm.

My fingers spread—then clenched tight!

The blood in my veins ignited.

A savage current surged through my "rotten" meridians, tearing them open by force.

Dark energy gathered at my fingertips, mirroring the exact pattern hidden within Zhou Xian's own body—

A shadowy gleam, small but sharp as a needle.

"Strike."

I whispered hoarsely.

The energy snapped forward—a thread of gray-black force, no thicker than a hair, cutting through the rain like lightning!

Too fast. Too sharp.

Too late for Zhou Xian to dodge.

His face twisted. Eyes widened in disbelief.

"You—?!"

Before the word left his lips—

CRACK!

The copied technique slammed into his chest.Right at a weak point even he had forgotten.

"GRAAAH—!"

Blood exploded from his mouth as he flew backward, crashing into the Spirit Testing Stone's base.

THUD.

Silence.

He lay crumpled on the stone, robes soaked with blood, eyes wide with pain, rage—and fear.

The square was dead silent.

Thousands stared, mouths agape.

At the elder coughing blood…

And at me—a soaked, tattered youth still holding his strike stance, hand outstretched in the rain.

The pain in my meridians surged. My strength was gone.But I stood straight.

And slowly, calmly—I lowered my hand

The square was deathly silent—So quiet that the drop of a pin could be heard.

Only the cold rain remained, tirelessly tapping against the bluestone ground, producing a dull, oppressive rhythm beneath the stormy sky.

"Wummm—"

A gentle yet commanding wave of power pulsed across the plaza, like ripples stirred by a stone cast into a still lake. It wasn't aggressive, but carried a calming force, one that seemed to soothe every restless soul, dispersing fear and confusion from every heart in an instant.

Behind the platform, the ancient temple doors—once tightly shut—had unknowingly creaked open by a sliver.

A figure stepped out.

He, too, wore a robe embroidered with cloud patterns, but his was pure white, edged with a faint, flowing silver light. The fabric was neither silk nor linen, and glowed softly with a quiet radiance.

Though appearing to be only middle-aged, his features were refined and scholarly. Three long strands of beard fell gracefully across his chest. His eyes were calm and warm—yet deep as the ocean, as if capable of peering into the hearts of men and seeing through all illusions.

He walked with ease, his footsteps light and measured.Not a single drop of rain touched him as he stepped upon the wet stone platform.

He was none other than Master Yunqing, an inner sect elder of Skycloud Sect—his status far above that of the outer sect steward Zhou Xian.

Yunqing's gaze first fell on Zhou Xian, still curled up beside the base of the spirit testing stone, writhing in pain and barely breathing.

His brows creased—ever so slightly.

Then, that gentle yet piercing gaze turned to me.

There was scrutiny.There was inquiry.And buried beneath all that—an unmistakable glint of shock.

"This boy…" Yunqing finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly through the rain, into the ears of every soul present. Like spring water flowing over stone, it soothed the storm within the hearts of all.

"That strike just now… while it may have taken a shortcut, his comprehension… his bone and spirit… are far from ordinary."

He paused for a moment, eyes lingering on me, as though confirming something—perhaps weighing a decision.

All around the square, thousands held their breath, waiting for this inner sect elder's final judgment.

At last, Yunqing spoke again—slow and resolute:

"Spirit roots are said to be the foundation of cultivation. Yet the Dao is vast and mysterious—how can a single stone determine a man's fate for life?"

"What we witnessed today… proves he is anything but ordinary."

He turned toward the crowd, his voice steady and commanding.

"This child, Lin Ye—possesses a unique constitution and exceptional comprehension. Our Skycloud Sect shall cast off convention—and admit him as an exception!"

"Admit him as an exception."

These four words fell like thunder across the silent lake.

After a breathless pause—The square erupted like a tidal wave crashing onto the shore!

"He—he's getting admitted?!"

"Did I hear that right? Elder Yunqing himself said it?!"

"He's a waste root! The worst grade! And yet—!"

"That finger just now! You saw it! Elder Zhou flew backward spitting blood! This kid's not normal!"

"Damn… who is this Lin Ye?"

Shock, envy, disbelief, jealousy… all surged through the crowd like a storm.Countless gazes turned toward me once more—no longer filled with mockery and disdain.

Now, there was fear. There was awe.And above all—curiosity.

Yunqing paid no mind to the noise below.With a light wave of his sleeve, a gentle force swept across the platform.

It supported me—steadied my swaying figure, still reeling from fatigue and spiritual turmoil.

"Come with me," his voice rang softly beside my ear.Gentle—yet leaving no room for disobedience.

I drew in a deep breath, suppressing the burning blood in my chest and the stabbing pain in my fingers.I forced myself to stand tall.

My gaze swept over the sea of faces beneath the platform—each carrying a different expression.

I saw Zhou Xian still curled in a pool of blood, eyes brimming with venomous hatred, glaring at me.

Then I turned to Master Yunqing.His warm yet unfathomable gaze met mine.

Admitted as an exception?

The gates of Skycloud Sect had opened to me—In a way I had never imagined.

But beyond this gate…Would the road ahead truly be smooth?

The rain… had not stopped.

Cold drops struck my face, washing away heat and pride.The pendant at my chest no longer burned—it now gave off a faint, gentle warmth.

Like a sleeping beast.

I said nothing.

Silently, I followed behind Master Yunqing, stepping into the temple doors that had opened just for me.

Behind me—Thousands of complex stares.A rain-soaked storm of shock and noise.

Before me—A world unknown.A sect of hidden currents and unseen tides.

My journey—had only just begun.