MTL - Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse - Chapter 561 "Anthropologist"

It’s 2100, and Vincent Carter – Ying – is a twenty-year-old virgin with a penchant for profanity, he has but three guiding principles:“In a world where honour and valour seem like unaffordable luxuries, cowardice remains the pragmatist’s ultimate virtue. Spinelessness isn’t shameful, it’s simply self-preservative romance.”“Doubt is unironically the cheapest superpower a person can have, after all if it’s human, it’s probably plotting something. And if it’s plotting something, it’s probably hiding something. And if it’s hiding something… well, you get the idea. So question everything, one sceptical step at a time.”And lastly,“Muscle heads – because who needs brains when you can just flex your way through life? Couldn’t be me, I’ll tell you that much.”Armed with nothing but these… questionable (?) values, as well as experiences shaped by a hellish life in the slums, Ying dives headfirst into the latest VR sensation – Cultivation Climax, a world brimming with great magic, ancient mysteries, and blood-curdling conspiracies just waiting to be unravelled.However, because Ying’s life is just that kind of special, he is greeted with a rather ‘lovely’ surprise upon opening his eyes to the new world…Ding![Your misfortune is truly astounding!][You have awakened the absolute WORST talent for Cultivation!]‘…’“…W-what?!”Yes, what indeed.

The year was 2026, and the world wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Abyss Gates cracked open three years ago, spilling monsters and dungeons across the planet, life had turned into a chaotic mess. Cities were half-ruined, half-rebuilt, and people clung to whatever normalcy they could find. Hunters—those brave or crazy enough to fight the monsters—became the new heroes. Everyone else? Well, they just tried to survive.Fin wasn't a Hunter. He wasn't a hero either.He was just… Fin. A lanky 19-year-old with messy brown hair, a chipped front tooth from a dumb skateboard accident, and a power that everyone called useless. Absorption. Sounds cool, right? Like he could suck up energy or steal someone's strength. Nope. All it did was let him “feel” things he touched a little more than normal. He could tell you the exact texture of a brick wall or how warm a coffee mug was—big whoop. No fireballs, no super strength, no flashy moves. Just a glorified touchy-feely trick.“Fin, you gonna eat that sandwich or just stare at it like it's gonna confess its life story?” Meg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.He blinked and looked across the rickety table at his best friend. Meg was short, loud, and had a wild mop of dyed purple hair that she swore made her look “intimidating.” It didn't.

Hikaru Nozomi, an ordinary university student, gets recruited by the Order of the Elements after awakening the Element of Light. And his mission? To find the other 9 Elements.

While most cultivators were scratching their heads as they pondered how to advance to the next realm, Li Lang was busy systematically studying the mechanics of cultivation.Scientist Langley Seiker has always dreamed about immortality. Reincarnating into a world of cultivation, it is no longer a dream except for the fact that he has no talent. However, through a chance encounter, he gains access to his familiar laboratory that will allow him to study the wonders of cultivation.Not even the heavens will know what fate has in store for Langley as he systematically unravels not only how to cultivate, but also various crafts such as refining pills and inscribing talismans. Preparation is key to surviving in the merciless world of cultivation, especially for those with no talent.Expectations:- Detailed study of each stage of cultivation and crafting- Not technology vs cultivation, scientific method will be used to study cultivation- No harem- Slow burn progression. MC won’t be skipping through cultivation ranks at record speed- Weak to Strong- Sect Building (Much later in the story)