Azure Wind Town's central plaza was alive with the sound of voices — a constant hum of excitement broken by bursts of laughter, murmurs of anticipation, and the occasional shout of a merchant calling out his wares. It was the day every youth awaited and feared in equal measure: The Talent Awakening Ceremony.
Once a year, on the first day of spring, the town's young men and women who had reached the age of sixteen gathered beneath the shadow of the Azure Wind Crystal — a towering, translucent monolith standing at the plaza's heart. It rose from the ground like a frozen pillar of sky, its depths swirling faintly with cerulean light, as if holding the wind itself captive inside.
Sect envoys in flowing robes, minor clan elders, wandering cultivators, and common folk filled the plaza, forming a ring around the ceremonial dais. The scent of incense drifted through the crisp morning air, mixing with the faint aroma of street food from the nearby stalls. Children darted between legs, too young to understand the weight of the event, while older townsfolk whispered predictions about which child might awaken a rare spiritual root.
This crystal had decided countless fates. With a single touch, it could illuminate a youth's path to greatness — or doom them to an ordinary life.
The elder presiding over the ceremony, Elder Zhao, stood at the base of the crystal, his long white beard swaying in the wind. In his hand was the ceremonial register, each name inked in neat brushstrokes. His voice, steady but commanding, cut through the noise:
"Next! Lin Feng!"
A ripple of whispers spread through the crowd. From among the youths waiting their turn, a thin boy stepped forward.
Lin Feng's clothes were worn and patched, the faded grey fabric fraying at the edges. His black hair was slightly messy, as if cut with a dull knife. There was nothing about his appearance to suggest talent or influence. But it was his eyes that caught a few by surprise — they were calm. Too calm for someone whose entire destiny was about to be sealed.
"That's the orphan, isn't he?" a woman whispered to her friend.
"Mm. His father died on a mission for the Sky Edge Sect…. His mother died giving birth to him."
"Poor boy… with no family backing, even if he awakens a root, what sect would take him?"
"Hah! Without spiritual roots, he'll be sweeping streets his whole life."
The murmurs cut into him like needles, but Lin Feng gave no reaction. His face was unreadable as he climbed the stone steps toward the crystal.
He placed his palm against the cold, smooth surface.
The Azure Wind Crystal pulsed faintly with light — for the briefest moment, a swirl of energy flickered within… and then faded into lifeless transparency.
Elder Zhao frowned, tapped the side of the crystal with his staff, and motioned for Lin Feng to try again.
Nothing.
The silence was heavy until the elder's voice, cold and formal, rang out:
"Spiritual Roots: None. Talent: Zero."
It was as if the plaza itself inhaled before the laughter erupted.
"Hahaha! A rootless trash!"
"Even a farmer's dog might awaken a better root!"
"What a waste of everyone's time!"
Among the smirking faces was Wang Tao, the arrogant son of Azure Wind Town's wealthiest merchant. His robe was of fine silk dyed in deep green, his hair tied neatly with a golden clasp. He stepped forward just enough for Lin Feng to hear.
"Heaven has decided you'll never cultivate, Lin Feng," Wang Tao said with a mocking smile. "Perhaps you should focus on… cleaning my boots."
Lin Feng's hand clenched, but his face remained expressionless.
The ceremony continued, name after name, until it ended. While the crowd slowly dispersed, Lin Feng tried to slip away unnoticed. But Wang Tao was waiting.
Two burly attendants blocked Lin Feng's path, each built like an ox.
"Trash like you should know your place," Wang Tao sneered. He didn't wait for a reply — his slap came fast, knocking Lin Feng to the ground. Dust and grit stuck to his cheek.
"Kneel and call me Young Master, and perhaps I'll let you go," Wang Tao said, his tone dripping with superiority.
Lin Feng spat blood into the dirt. "Dream on."
The attendants moved at their master's nod, fists and boots finding their target until Lin Feng's body ached in every joint.
"Throw him out of town," Wang Tao ordered. "Let the beasts teach him some manners."
The sun had dipped low by the time Lin Feng was dragged to the outskirts of the Beast Forest.
Mist hung heavy between ancient, twisted trees, their bark blackened by time. The air was damp, carrying the faint scent of rotting leaves and the metallic tang of blood. Somewhere deep within, the distant cry of a spirit beast echoed, sending a shiver down Lin Feng's spine.
His body ached with every breath. His vision blurred in and out, the world swaying like a ship on rough waters.
Is this… how I die?
Memories flashed — a vague figure of a man in armor, leaving for a mission and never returning. His mother's face, pale and weak in a bed she never rose from. The pity in the eyes of strangers.
No… I can't die here. If I survive tonight… I swear, I will become the strongest cultivator of my generation. No one will mock me. No one will insult my dead family again.
His hand shifted in the damp moss and brushed something hard — smooth yet cool to the touch.
A jade pendant, half-buried in the earth, etched with strange, swirling runes that seemed to shift when looked at too closely.
The moment Lin Feng grasped it, the pendant shattered into motes of pale light. The fragments didn't fall — instead, they sank into his chest, vanishing beneath his skin.
A voice, calm and mechanical, echoed directly in his mind:
[Heaven's Rebirth System Activated.]
First Quest: Survive the Night in the Beast Forest.
Reward: Low-Grade Cultivation Talent + Basic Fist Technique.
Failure: Death.
Before Lin Feng could process the words, the bushes ahead rustled.
From the shadows emerged a wounded spirit wolf. Its fur was a silvery-grey, now streaked with blood, one leg dragging slightly as it moved. Even injured, the predator radiated danger — its eyes glowed faintly with spiritual light, and its teeth gleamed like small ivory blades.
Lin Feng's heart pounded, but something was different. His mind felt… sharper. Clearer. It was as if countless battle scenarios were flashing before his eyes, his body adjusting automatically.
Simulation Mode, the voice whispered in his thoughts, guiding his stance, his breathing, the angle of his feet.
The wolf lunged.
Lin Feng moved — just barely — his shoulder passing the edge of snapping jaws. His fist, guided by the System, drove into the beast's injured side. Pain shot up his arm, but the wolf recoiled.
Another strike. Then another. His movements were clumsy but relentless.
With a final, desperate punch to the wolf's throat, the beast collapsed, its body shuddering once before going still.
[Quest Complete.]
Low-Grade Cultivation Talent Acquired.Technique Unlocked: Iron Fist Drill.10 EXP.
Warmth spread through Lin Feng's veins, flooding his limbs and chest. For the first time in his life, he felt it — Qi, faint but undeniable, flowing within him.
He allowed himself a small, grim smile.
"Wang Tao… enjoy your days while you can. The trash you mocked is gone."
The System spoke again:
[Special Function Unlocked: Heaven's Mind Space.]
Description: A personal realm connected to the host's consciousness. Time inside flows ten times faster than outside. Can be used for cultivation, skill training, or simulation.
Would you like to enter? [Yes/No]
A realm where time flowed differently… where he could train without interruption? Lin Feng didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
The forest dissolved into white mist.
When his vision cleared, Lin Feng stood in an endless expanse of soft, rolling fog. The air was rich, saturated with Qi so pure it made his skin tingle. Beneath his feet was a circular black stone platform. Beyond it, vague shapes floated — the outlines of weapons, glowing herbs, and shadowy figures locked in silent combat.
The System's voice explained:
[This is your Heaven's Mind Space. Here, you can:]
Train martial arts infinitely without injury.Simulate battles against foes of your choice.Absorb Qi at ten times normal speed.Store treasures in a private vault.
Lin Feng's chest tightened with determination. If I'd had this earlier. No matter. I'll use it to make sure no one I care about dies powerless again.
Before him, a shadowy wolf appeared — the exact image of the one he had fought.
[Simulation Mode: Start?]
Lin Feng nodded.
The wolf lunged, and the battle began. Again and again. Each time he fell, the simulation reset. Days seemed to pass in this realm, though only an hour passed outside. His strikes grew sharper, faster. His body flowed into the Iron Fist Drill technique as naturally as breathing.
Finally, the notification came:
[Iron Fist Drill – Mastery: 100%. Power increased by 200%.]
[Basic Footwork Unlocked.]
When he stepped back into the real forest, the night air felt cold, but the fire in his eyes burned hotter than ever.
"This world… bows only to strength. Very well. I'll become so strong that even the Sky Edge Sect will bow before me."
In the east, the first light of dawn crept over the treetops. Lin Feng took his first steps back toward Azure Wind Town — unaware that this journey would shake the heavens themselves.