Chapter 1 I Became a Heretic in Hollywood

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"Tick-tock...tick-tock..."

The sound of water leaking from the toilet faucet.

"Bang...smack..."

The sound of something being smashed next to me on the left.

"Fuck...don't eat the pickled radish..."

The sound of a man next door beating and scolding a woman.

"Waaaa...waaaa..."

The sound of a baby crying downstairs.

...

Around 11 p.m., various sounds entered Cao Kun's ears from all directions, making it impossible for him to fall asleep.

Besides these sounds, more sounds kept coming from a little further away.

For example, some people sing loudly, some dance at home with the speakers blasting, and some turn the TV volume up to the maximum...

Today marks the third night since Cao Kun transmigrated here, but he hasn't slept well at all, and his dark circles have become visibly more pronounced.

Cao Kun also considered trying to reason with his neighbors.

However, when he knocked on his neighbor's door last night, the tall, bear-like old man pointed a pistol at his head.

Cao Kun's face turned pale instantly, his mind went blank, and he slunk back into the house, which made the old man next door laugh loudly and curse a string of foul words.

From that moment on, Cao Kun knew that it was impossible to reason with these guys.

This is an old apartment building in Los Angeles. It is not only dirty and messy, but also has almost no soundproofing. Its only advantage is that it is cheap.

Such places are naturally inhabited by the poorest people in the country, leading to extreme chaos.

This morning, an ambulance took away a person who died from a drug overdose from here.

However, everyone was already used to it, and no one found it strange.

Cao Kun's predecessor was naturally one of these poor people, living a life where he didn't know where his next meal would come from.

Or rather, that wasn't Cao Kun's predecessor, but rather himself in a parallel world.

Same name, same appearance, just different families and different backgrounds.

As a seasoned internet user who had read countless novels and watched numerous films and television shows, Cao Kun quickly accepted the idea of time travel, and was even somewhat excited at first.

However, when his golden finger (gadget) failed to materialize and his money dwindled, Cao Kun realized that time travel was far less idyllic than depicted in works of art.

Especially since it was in a foreign country.

It was getting later and later, but the noise not only showed no signs of stopping, but instead grew louder and denser.

Cao Kun, who hadn't slept well for three consecutive days, felt dizzy and even seemed to be hallucinating.

Just then, a series of emotionless voices rang in Cao Kun's mind.

"System binding conditions met, system binding in progress."

"Trigger a low-probability event to gain system selection power."

"Please choose between the 'righteous cultivation system' and the 'villainous cultivation system' within 10 minutes."

"If the host fails to make a choice in 10 minutes, the system will be automatically bound to the Righteous Immortal Cultivation System."

Cao Kun was taken aback at first, then overjoyed: "My cheat has arrived?"

"Wait, I can still choose the system?"

"A righteous cultivation system, or a villainous evil cultivation system?"

"System, besides the good guys and the bad guys, what's the difference between these two systems?" Cao Kun tried to ask.

"The righteous cultivation system requires gathering spiritual energy, eliminating evil spirits, doing good deeds, and accumulating merit. One cannot kill people indiscriminately. However, one will gain the love and respect of the world. In the future, one can build temples and statues, enjoy incense offerings, and be worshipped for generations, which will be as easy as turning one's hand."

The voice, devoid of any emotion, replied.

Cao Kun nodded slightly: "What about the Villainous Cultivator System?"

"The villainous evil cultivation system requires gathering evil energy, cultivating evil skills, killing, refining corpses, raising monsters, and having no taboos. But once you choose this path, you will be on the opposite side of the righteous side, despised, resented, and feared by the world, and become an enemy of the world."

They might even be besieged by the righteous forces, and if they are not careful, their bodies will be reduced to ashes—this is a common occurrence.

Cao Kun's eyes lit up; such a good thing was possible.

"Please make a choice within 6 minutes and 33 seconds. If you fail to make a choice, you will be bound to the Righteous Immortal Cultivation System by default."

The system reminded you again.

"I choose the Villainous Cultivator System," Cao Kun declared.

"Reminder: The Villainous Cultivator System is intolerable to Heaven and Earth and fraught with danger. Please choose carefully."

The system issued three identical warnings in a row. Although the tone was still devoid of emotion, the rapid pace of the speech made the warning very clear.

Cao Kun frowned: "What does it mean that the heavens and earth will not tolerate it, and that danger lurks everywhere?"

The system did not respond.

Cao Kun gritted his teeth: "I'll choose the evil cultivation system. Hurry up and stop talking nonsense."

"Please confirm, host, whether you wish to select the Villainous Cultivator System?"

Cao Kun: "Confirmed."

"Selection successful, the villainous evil cultivator system is being bound."

"Binding successful."

"The basic techniques for practicing heretical cultivation have been distributed."

"Basic skills for evil cultivation have been issued."

"Reminder: The path of evil cultivation is intolerable to Heaven and Earth, fraught with danger. Host, please be careful."

After another notification, the system sound disappeared.

Before Cao Kun appeared a virtual system panel.

Host: Cao Kun

Identity: A second-rate heretical cultivator

Technique: The Art of Condensing All Evil

Cultivation level: Unranked

Skills (Spells):

Corpse Refining Technique (can only be used after reaching the highest cultivation level)

Experience points: 0

"As expected of evil cultivators, 'The Myriad Evils Condensing Fiend Technique' and 'Corpse Refining Technique' sound sinister just from their names."

Cao Kun looked at the two names in the cultivation techniques and skills section and muttered to himself.

Immediately, a large amount of information flooded his mind.

"So it turns out to be a detailed guide to the cultivation and use of techniques and spells."

"There doesn't seem to be much difference between heretical and orthodox cultivation."

"Orthodox cultivators use spiritual energy as their source of cultivation, while unorthodox cultivators use unorthodox energy as their source of cultivation."

"The first stage of orthodox cultivation is called Qi Refining, while that of unorthodox cultivation is called Gathering Evil."

"What are experience points?"

"What's the use?"

"Never mind that for now, let's try to sense the evil energy first."

Cao Kun sat cross-legged on the bed, focused his mind, and silently recited the incantation of the evil cultivation technique.

At first, the various noises always made it impossible for him to calm down.

But after several attempts, those sounds disappeared from his ears, and Cao Kun became completely immersed in the cultivation technique.

"When there is evil energy in the heavens and earth, yin and evil spirits are born."

"Spiritual energy resides in the yang, while evil energy resides in the yin."

"Yin and Yang are originally one, and they generate each other."

"Yang energy governs the daytime sun, while Yin energy governs the nighttime moon."

...

To cultivate Qi, one must first sense spiritual Qi.

To gather evil, one must first sense the evil energy.

Cao Kun was just giving it a try and never expected to succeed on his first attempt.

To his surprise, after he silently recited the incantation, he immediately felt a large amount of energy filling his body.