Reverend Insanity - Verdant Heart Seed

Faithful to canon RI history and rules. No system, no harem, no cheats. One of my aims was to showcase the later introduced cultivation rules into the mortal cultivation (dao marks, attainment, etc.) and explore novel scenarios within this highly technical cultivation environment. Story: Back in the Late Antiquity Era, the protagonist meets his untimely demise. But Heaven and Earth always leave a way out, his new cultivation journey begins anew on the path of reclaiming his former strength and defying Fate. This is a story about a native cultivator of the Gu world. He lived in the era of/before Spectral Soul Demon Venerable (two venerable eras before the main RI plot). He suffered the rise of the demon venerable, barely able to make his arrangements before his death. He manages to rebirth but doesn't everything go as planned. The story starts off in an isolated small word (grotto heaven), until the MC can grow and reclaim his former glory, before surpassing it. (he was already rank 8 before) The MC has a pragmatic worldview, aligned with what you would expect from someone living hundreds of years in that kind of hostile environment. He doesn't shy away from immoral acts if it benefits him. The MC bears a close resemblance to Fang Yuan in this regard, but his goal is not eternal life.