Chapter 1: SS-Class Talent
“Yang Dai, if you want to pursue me, you’d better survive!”
Staring at the youthful girl before him as she encouraged him, Yang Dai was utterly baffled.
Miss, who are you?
Yang Dai glanced around. He was seated in a high school classroom. More than fifty students in uniforms lined up in the aisles between desks. A calendar hung beside the blackboard, counting down to the college entrance exam—thirty-six days left.
He looked at his own body—it was slimmer, clad in the same uniform.
His mind was a muddled mess.
Was he dreaming?
Last night, worn out from work, he’d scrolled through short videos before bed. One video joked about dreaming of returning to student days, only to wake up and continue working. Now, waking up, he really had been reborn?
This…
Was incredible!
Yang Dai pinched himself; it hurt, making him even more excited.
Gradually, he recognized his classmates. This wasn’t a transmigration, but rebirth. Yet he had no recollection of pursuing anyone in high school!
The girl before him wasn’t in his memories, either. Observing for a while, he realized this was a parallel world—many classmates were strangers to him.
Wait!
Something was off!
“Heaven help me, I must get a B-grade talent!”
“B-grade? You’d be lucky with D-grade!”
“I just want to survive…”
“I heard last month the survival rate for newcomers in the Deep Domain was less than sixty percent.”
“So our class will lose twenty students?”
“Nonsense, shut up!”
…
Listening to their conversations, Yang Dai was confused. What was the Deep Domain?
During his high school days, he’d never heard of such a thing.
Suddenly, he widened his eyes—a boy at the front of the line vanished without warning. Truly vanished; Yang Dai was certain he hadn’t missed anything.
On the podium sat a basketball-sized purple stone. Three teachers stood behind it, all looking grave. Neither teachers nor students seemed surprised by the boy’s disappearance.
Yang Dai couldn’t help tugging at the girl before him, asking, “How did he disappear?”
She turned around—her skin was pale, eyes large, lashes long, hair tied in a ponytail. By any standard, she was a school beauty, but Yang Dai was too anxious to care. He just wanted answers.
“He went to the Deep Domain, of course! Yang Dai, fear is useless. Steady your nerves. Once you’re there, find a way to survive. If you don’t act rashly, your chances aren’t bad,” she said, brow furrowed with worry.
Yang Dai timidly asked, “What is the Deep Domain?”
“The Deep Domain is just the Deep Domain! Why are you pretending?”
“Come on, tell me again, to encourage me. After all, I did pursue you.”
“You didn’t. Some classmates just said you had a secret crush on me.”
“Hurry up, it’s almost our turn!”
Yang Dai snapped, annoyed at her stubbornness.
The girl had no choice but to explain.
The Deep Domain had become the second world. Humans who entered it could gain extraordinary powers to combat disasters and monsters in reality. Three years ago, all senior high school students nationwide were conscripted into the Deep Domain. Those with strong talents could become cultivators and soar in status; the rest continued with the college entrance exam and ordinary lives. The prerequisite for all this was surviving the Deep Domain.
Monsters?
Apocalypse?
Yang Dai frowned. She gave only a brief overview, speaking quickly, clearly nervous herself.
Now, only one student separated her from the podium.
Yang Dai looked to the classroom doors—each guarded by two burly teachers. Escape was impossible. As for jumping out the window, a glance told him they weren’t on the ground floor.
“If this parallel world is so dangerous, running isn’t an option. Last life was mediocre—now that I’ve been reborn, should I repeat it?”
Yang Dai took a deep breath, his gaze firm.
He was intrigued by the supernatural powers usually found only in novels. Though the girl had said little, he understood one thing—status in this world depended on one’s achievements in the Deep Domain.
He wanted to ask more, but it was her turn. She raised both hands and pressed them onto the mysterious purple stone atop the podium.
“Classmates, don’t panic once you enter. Remember, be cautious of anyone you meet inside. If you encounter ghosts or monsters, flee if you can!”
The speaker was a middle-aged man—the typical teacher, thinning hair. Yang Dai remembered him; his old homeroom teacher, Mr. Cao, whom the boys affectionately nicknamed “Stick.”
Mr. Cao’s warning didn’t draw much attention from the anxious students, but Yang Dai took note.
He hadn’t had time to gather more information, so he needed to remember every bit of advice.
The girl suddenly vanished. Yang Dai stepped forward, steeling himself. He raised his hands and pressed them on the purple stone.
It was hot!
But he didn’t let go.
The three teachers offered no instructions. Yang Dai waited nervously. Suddenly, a strong force pulled at his hands, and his world spun.
Soon, his feet hit solid ground. He stood firm, not falling.
His vision cleared—he was gazing at a forested mountain under the night sky. The trees weren't dense; he stood midway up the slope, surrounded on all sides by rolling peaks.
Yang Dai was stunned.
He instinctively checked his body.
[You have successfully entered the “Deep Domain.” Survive until dawn, and you may return to your original world.]
[Please name your identity in the “Deep Domain.”]
Two lines of text appeared before him. It felt like a video game.
Without hesitation, he thought, “Yang Dai.”
[Name already taken, please choose another.]
His real name was rejected?
Time for a nickname!
He silently thought, “Sweeping Thousands!”
[Name already taken, please choose another.]
“Conqueror Beyond the River!”
[Name accepted.]
[Would you like to draw your Deep Domain talent now?]
Yang Dai recalled that talent was the most discussed topic among his classmates—it was clearly crucial, defining one’s starting point.
Draw!
[Congratulations, you have drawn C-grade talent—Enhanced Speed II.]
[Enhanced Speed II: C-grade talent. Each breakthrough increases your speed twofold.]
Only C-grade?
Yang Dai frowned. He remembered someone hoping for B-grade. So C-grade wasn't very impressive.
[Detected: traces of two lifetimes. You may redraw your Deep Domain talent. Would you like to redraw?]
Yang Dai’s eyes widened.
The Deep Domain could detect his rebirth?
Could his rebirth be related to the Deep Domain?
[Congratulations! Trialist ‘War Tiger’ from Xia Nation has drawn an A-grade talent.]
[Congratulations! Trialist ‘Galloping Horse’ from Xia Nation has drawn an S-grade talent.]
…
A-grade!
S-grade!
Yang Dai was thrilled by the notifications scrolling before him.
How could C-grade compare to A-grade?
His current talent was too weak. Since he had a chance to redraw, he’d surely regret missing it!
Draw again!
If he ended up with D-grade, he’d just survive until dawn and never enter the Deep Domain again—it wasn’t like he hadn’t been a bystander before.
Redraw!
Yang Dai silently willed it, and the text appeared before him:
[Redrawing Deep Domain talent…]
[Congratulations, you have drawn SS-grade talent—Lord of Ten Thousand Shadows.]
[Lord of Ten Thousand Shadows: SS-grade talent. You may absorb any soul to become your Shadow Minion. Success depends on your strength; their power depends on their pre-death strength. Unlimited Shadow Minions. Each soul absorbed grants partial benefits. Shadow Minions will never betray you, nor can they possess or occupy living bodies, until released.]
[Congratulations! Trialist ‘Conqueror Beyond the River’ is the fifth in Xia Nation to obtain an SS-grade talent.]