3 wishes

"Where am I? This… What is this place?" A young man slowly woke up finding himself in a white place with no end in sight.

"The van… I was in a van then… oh right..." The Young man remembered his past. His name was Alex. He was on his way home after winning a math Olympiad but there was a car crash.

"I hope the others are well." Alex tossed that thought to the side and focused on himself.

"So I'm dead, was I really that bad to end in hell?"

That was the first thought Alex had being trapped with just himself for all eternity seemed like a cruel punishment but as if answering his thoughts an unassuming voice entered his mind.

"This place is not attached to any authority, you can simply call it the afterlife."

Alex turned to all directions and eventually had the instinct to see up and there he saw a man dressed in a plain brown robe wearing a conical hat he had black hair and a plain face anyone would forget in less than a second but his empty eye sockets left a deep impression that would last a lifetime.

"W-"

Before Alex could finish a word the man answered.

"I'm god."

"God?" Alex was in shock and disbelief but too many surrealistic things had happened in such a short time he found it plausible except for one detail.

"Why would someone as insignificant as me gather the attention of a god?" Alex's thoughts raced through his head analyzing what little information he had.

"There are no authorities in this place does that mean there are different forces that set laws? Is this man really the god that I know of? Is it another god? What guarantees me that he is not lying? Is this the devil? A demon? Am I hallucinating?"

A myriad of questions ran through Alex's head then he stopped "What's the use in over thinking? He can read my thoughts and id floating in the air clearly he has supernatural powers. Can I even resist if he wants to kill me?"

"You are sharp as expected, you are worthy." The man nodded before continuing as if he had done this a thousand times. "You may have many questions but they don't matter. Now listen closely."

The man descended in front of Alex and gazed straight into his eyes with his empty and moist eye sockets making Alex shiver.

"I'm bored and I want entertainment so I have a deal for you. If you refuse, this conversation will end. I won't pursue this matter. I'm not petty, I will just let the universe do its thing to your soul." The man looked at Alex who remained stift as a corpse listening closely.

"..."

"..."

Minutes passed but the man didn't utter a sound he didn't even breathe making the atmosphere awkward and tense.

Finally Alex couldn't resist his curiosity any longer.

"What thing?" Alex asked curiously, suddenly his sight changed. He no longer was in the pristine white and quiet place with the man.

Alex was floating in space looking at beautiful stars and planets scattered everywhere in the infinite cosmos forming a majestic sight that would be ingrained in anyone's soul.

But Alex couldn't appreciate the sight he felt a maddening pain he had never experienced before he remembered when boiling water fell on his arm even that couldn't compare to this not to mention he felt a strange force pressing against him he felt insignificant, scared, hopeless, and wanted to escape but no matter how much he struggled he couldn't do anything about it.

When Alex thought that was his end his sight changed once again he was in the safe, comforting, and immaculate white room with the man that called himself god.

"I believe we have an understanding."

Alex quickly nodded his body almost kowtowing in gratitude and exhaustion. If he still had a physical body he would be drenched in sweat but his soul was still shivering and recovering from what he just experienced.

The man ignored Alex's pitiful state and began talking.

"I've recently become interested in a novel of your world called reverend insanity. You have read it 5 times from beginning to end, thus you will go to the Gu world and give me a good story for my entertainment. My preferred genres are action, mystery, drama, intrigue, martial arts, and romance but I'm not picky."

"Reverend Insanity?" Alex shivered even more he knew how ruthless the Gu World was he had read it multiple times he didn't know how he would survive without plot armor.

Sure he wasn't average, he was a so-called math genius on earth and was studying nuclear physics while still in high school but how could that save him from a bunch of mini machiavelli's, the venerables, and heaven's will?

What if he had a shitty or no aptitude? Natives already struggled but what about him? He would be an otherworldly demon if he was found out by a super force he would most likely be dissected and experimented on until his soul couldn't take it anymore and self-destroyed by a miracle freeing him from the pain or he lost all value and the force kept him stashed away in a storage gu worm for who knows how long until he was once again useful like retrieving a thieving heaven inheritance.

Alex's mind was still racing with countless scenarios he could die from.

The man, having already read Alex's thoughts, continued talking slowly and casually.

"I will grant you 3 wishes."

Alex's face suddenly brightened thinking he would be safe he immediately said "I want omnipotence as my first wish."

"No." The man immediately responded and continued. "The three wishes will be related to the power system of the Gu World."

"Then I want rank 9 cultivation. I want to be the most powerful Venerable that has ever lived more powerful than the 11 venerables combined as my first wish." Alex immediately spoke.

"No, and let me finish unless you want me to go to the next candidate." The man didn't change his tone or did anything to Alex but Alex instinctively stayed quiet.

"The three wishes will be related to the power system of the Gu world and you can't ask for immediate power. It would become boring quickly if you were too powerful from the beginning. It would be like most isekai and third-rate trash. No struggle, no hardship, no accomplishments." the man started monologuing for a long time.

Alex didn't lose time and started planning.

"Of course, if you want immediate power you can ask for the sovereign immortal fetus gu as your first wish and not the imperfect rank 9 version but the rank 10 version."

"That is the same as suicide for me."

Alex shook his head. The sovereign immortal fetus gu was almost immediately discarded from his plans sure he could skip the immortal ascension and immediately get rank 6 cultivation but then what?

Alex wasn't Fang Yuan, he didn't have his 500 years of experience he hadn't even activated a gu worm before much less a killer move or gone to land ya blessed land.

Alex would immediately be hunted down by heavenly court and shadow sect the former to suck the dick the heaven's will by eliminating him while the latter would ask how this random got the recipe and resources to refine a rank 10 gu worm when they hadn't even gathered the materials to refine it themselves before they too joined the hunt they could use his sovereign immortal body as refinement materials and refine their own they might even get enough for 2 rank 9 versions and improve the recipe.

"But it all depends on the time if it is during the end of the novel the venerables are going to fuck me much faster. Fang Yuan will definitely dissect me alive to find a way to improve his own. But if it is before primordial origin I might have a chance."

Alex asked the man.

"This is not a wish, it is just a question. What is the time and Fang Yuan's regression you are going to be sending me to?" Alex repeated being careful not to waste a wish with a question in case the man was a troll.

"You don't have to worry about me manipulating your wishes. I'm not a genie that does this for work, I do it for fun." The man answered one of Alex's worries before continuing. "50 years before Fang Yuan's first regression you may choose which region to be born free of charge, but not a specific place."

"Then can you give me supreme talent and by that I mean I must be able to effortlessly become a supreme grandmaster in all paths and create paths with as much ease, same with gu recipes, mortal and immortal killer moves, gu houses, basically everything and I will gain attainments 100 billion times faster."

"No, that would mean you will become a supreme grandmaster in everything in about 10 years or so depending on how much effort you put in." The man rejected which Alex expected he was just buying time to keep thinking but the man added. "But I can make it possible with some modifications and forget about such ridiculous multipliers. Are you sure you want supreme talent as your first wish?"

"No Wait, I need to think more. Can I save wishes for later?"

"No." It was sudden but Alex could swear the man frowned it happened too fast maybe Alex imagined it.

"Can you make heaven's will be my protector and nurture me forever with all its effort?"

"Not indefinitely but the time can be discussed…"

"Can I instantly be a supreme grandmaster in Human Path?"

"No immediate power gain…"

"This is not wish can I ask you some questions?

Alex kept asking for extremely op wishes, measuring the man's bottom line, and asking questions. Only the man knew how much time passed but he suddenly interrupted Alex.

"I believe you have had enough time to think you have 10 minutes to choose or I will let the universe take its course." a timer appeared out of nowhere and started the countdown 9:59… 9.58…

"Shit." Alex instinctively felt desperate he had planned for a long time but he still felt nervous after all it was his life they were talking about.

"Alright, first I need to be on guard against spring autumn cicada or I might have Fang Yuan waiting to strike without me being aware of it. Then Shadow Sect. I will be safe as long as I don't have an extreme physique or gather their attention. Then Heavenly Court and heaven's will combined with star constellation. I can take care of the last 3 with heaven's will protection but then what do I do? Even if heaven's will ignored the sudden help it gave me out of nowhere I don't think Star Constellation will then I will be investigated and I might have dug my own grave. Not to mention Heaven's will can influence me if I'm not a complete otherworldly demon."

Alex made up his mind.

"For my first wish, I want my mind to be a safe sanctuary. I don't want any influence from heaven's will or any negative effects from gu worms, such as slavery gu or spring autumn cicada. If I need to make myself clear, I don't want anything that will negatively affect me, which includes but is not limited to forgetting future events when spring autumn cicada is used. I want the ability to know when things that affect my mind are being used, and I also want the ability to give the information I want to give in case my mind is being invaded by others. This must also apply to my soul. I want the same protection for my soul as for my mind."

"What about Wisdom Path? In that case wouldn't you be immune to most offensive methods?" the man asked and gave Alex a light smile before relenting. "I will allow it."

Alex let out a sigh of relief, smiled and then said, "I want supreme talent like we had previously discussed."

"Done what do you want for your last wish the time is ticking?"

"Hmm… what else…" Alex started thinking supreme talent was reduced. He had the talent to be a supreme grandmaster in all paths with minor difficulty and learn everything extremely quickly. "But what would those standards be? How quickly will I be able to advance? I need luck otherwise I will be extremely fucked."

Alex then hesitated he originally wanted to have no conflicting dao marks not only would that be useful in the immortal level where he could kill immortals and take their foundation for himself it would also be useful in the mortal level he could cultivate multiple paths without conflict like strength path and metal path for close combat enslavement to fight multiple enemies, fire, lightning, sword, or something for long range, and earth path for defense, etc.

But if he was killed before he became a gu master simply because his luck was bad, what was the point in having it and would heaven's will let him be once he revealed his advantages? He had the potential to become the strongest. Would heaven's will let him survive his immortal ascension and become an immortal?

"I also need a good aptitude otherwise it would all be for nothing. I also need help during my immortal ascension. It is possible to succeed without immortal help like Ben Duo Yi did but he was a variant human he was most likely helped by heaven's will. Hmm… unless I choose to be born in Central Continent but then the dickridders of heaven's will are going to kill me for being an otherworldly demon and heaven's will protection stops when I undergo immortal ascension… what to do… if I have a good aptitude I could be assassinated or be unlucky and die… unless… luck…"

"Do you really think I will let you be killed before you become a gu master? What is the point of putting in my time and effort if you just die without even using a gu worm in the gu world?" The man interrupted Alex, giving him more ideas.

"But don't get me wrong if you do stupid things like getting yourself killed by fighting a bear barehanded it is your problem I also won't do anything if difficulty strikes you and you do nothing you need to figure it out but I can guarantee you heaven's will won't target you while you are a mortal as long as you try hard you will survive you will have one of the best cultivation aptitudes there are and you will have enough human qi the moment you awaken your aperture to undergo immortal ascension and get the blessed land of the highest degree, of course, the tribulation will be hard but fair at most, you will be treated as an extreme physique." The man guaranteed Alex.

Alex felt reassured but before he asked for his last wish the man added "If you choose to be born in Northern Plains I will give you the complete knowledge of a random rank 8 inheritance of the path of your choice that exists on the time you are born and is of an existent path."

Alex nodded and asked for his third wish. "I want to slowly acquire the advantages of a rank 10 sovereign immortal body including the perfect non-conflicting dao marks. I want the perfect non conflicting dao marks when I awaken my mortal aperture and the rest of the advantages when I become a rank 6 immortal except for the otherworldly demon body I want it the moment I reach rank 8 and the sovereign aperture when I reach rank 7 but as if it was created by a fourth aperture immortal gu. And what I mean with perfect non-conflicting dao marks is that all the dao marks I possess are non-conflicting and I have the ability to turn the conflict of the dao marks on and off at will anytime I want and how many I want."

"You are saying you want all the advantages without the disadvantages?" The man looked at Alex with a smile and hummed, appearing grand and arrogant which seemed out of place with his humble clothes.

Alex quickly added "It won't make me powerful quickly there are many risks I have to take. It certainly won't be unfulfilling and won't it be interesting seeing how I handle the new advantages?"

"I will allow that wish. Now, on what continent do you want to be born?"

Alex looked at the clock, he had 20 seconds left. "Northern Plains, can I choose when to get the inheritance?"

"No, that would be the same as pulling a power up out of nowhere."

Alex sighed depending on how things went he would choose a different path. Refinement Path was a must; it could help him earn money and refine his own gu.

Food Path to increase his dao marks and most importantly try to reach an agreement with Lang Ya land spirit for help during his immortal ascension. Alex knew how sought after Food Path was and how important Lang Ya blessed land was for heaven's will and the venerables' plans.

It was the place Fang Yuan got Stargate Gu and most importantly cruel mud immortal gu that he used to cause a chain reaction that ended up destroying the imperial court blessed land. If he went there he would immediately be on heaven's will watchlist but if what the man told him was true Alex had nothing to fear as long as he went there as a Gu master.

But the path he desired the most was Human Path for its op abilities.

After a short period of hesitation Alex finally made up his mind.

"I have non conflicting dao marks so give me Food Path."

"Done." the man said and pointed towards the clock that had just turned to 0.

"Our time is done now, go and entertain me." the man waved his hand and Alex was slowly disappearing into black ashes.

Alex didn't feel pain and even remembered a certain superhero scene but decided to remain quiet.

"By the way there are other participants, some from different words and some are closer than you would expect. Kill them and you will get another wish or ally, the choice is yours."

"Wait wh-" Alex disappeared into black ashes.

…

"Hmm… it is rude to peek at someone. Come out." The man turned around a white skeleton dressed in a long black robe appeared out of nowhere.

"Abusing power, manipulating your words, mentally torturing a soul, putting a foreign soul into the living world and worse putting them in a different world. Manipulating that said world and interfering with the living. I believe you know how serious this all is." The skeleton listed all he had seen with a judgemental voice as if he was disappointed. "You already lost your eyes what else do you want to lose?"

"Cut the crap you think I don't know about your knowledge farms?" The man retaliated by showing him some images.

Instantly the skeleton corrected his tone into a more condescending one. "Oh friend there is no need to get angry, we are all friends and friends keep each other's secrets right Tany?"

Both remained standing tall quietly observing each other.

After an awkward silence the man broke the silence "We are both in this together Sim give me a hand and we will benefit mutually."

"What are you proposing?" The skeleton asked in a serious tone waiting to be ripped off.

Tim smiled and proceeded to tell his plan.

"A method that will change everything."

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