My Ascension is a Cosmic Joke

Zhuo Qianfeng was once the Empyrean Sovereign, the undisputed master of the cosmos, until his beloved disciple, Yao Shimei, plunged a cursed dagger into his heart. He awakens a thousand years later in the body of a talentless youth with shattered meridians, being chased by debt collectors. For a being of his stature, this is less a setback and more a supreme annoyance. Using his encyclopedic knowledge of cultivation, Zhuo Qianfeng begins his methodical, emotionless climb back to the top. Every impossible feat he performs - from repairing his own 'incurable' body to concocting legendary pills from common weeds - is done with a cold, deadpan pragmatism that others mistake for profound wisdom. Arrogant young masters, ancient monsters, and stuffy sect elders are all just minor obstacles on his cosmic to-do list. But as he gathers allies, including a hot-blooded rival who can’t stand his guts and the ghost of a love he thought long dead, he learns the truth: his betrayal was a setup, and the path back to his throne is a meticulously crafted trap. The final Ascension isn't a reward; it's the punchline to a joke the heavens have been waiting a millennium to tell. Can a man who has sealed away his heart outwit the gods themselves, or is he destined to become the ultimate fool?