The orphanage was quiet, the creaky old floorboards sighing beneath the weight of the night. Ye Fan lay awake, the faint glow of moonlight painting silver lines across his thin blanket. The laughter of the other children from earlier still lingered faintly in his ears, but his mind was elsewhere.
Inside his consciousness, the silver panel shimmered like a mirror reflecting a boundless universe. A mechanical chime echoed—cold, emotionless, yet oddly reassuring.
[Ding! Welcome, Ye Fan, to the Shop of Eternity.][Bound soul detected. Past life memories integrated.][As the pioneer of this System in this world, you are granted three free gifts.]
Ye Fan exhaled slowly. His heart beat faster in his small chest.
Three gifts… these will decide everything.
The panel expanded before his mind's eye, transforming into rows upon rows of glowing shelves. It looked like an endless celestial market, treasures floating in glass cases, artifacts humming with restrained power, and seeds radiating elemental energy so dense it made his soul tremble.
His breath caught in his throat. "So it's true… all the treasures of Versatile Mage's world, even the impossible ones, are here."
The First Gift – The Seed
The shelves shimmered and rearranged themselves. A glowing wheel spun before him, covered in symbols—flames, lightning, shadows, water, and more. He reached out, and the wheel slowed. A pale blue orb floated down into his palm.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Heavenly Ice Seed – Growth Type.]
For a moment, Ye Fan forgot how to breathe.
Heavenly… Ice… Seed?
He had read enough about the Versatile Mage world in his past life to understand its weight. A normal elemental seed was already considered a supreme treasure, capable of granting an element sharpness and depth far beyond ordinary. But a Heavenly Seed? That was the dream of entire clans. It elevated spells into forces that could destroy armies, while growth-type meant it would evolve alongside him—never stagnating.
He held it tightly. The seed melted into his soul, and he felt a cool stream rush through his veins. It wasn't pain, but a clarity so sharp it felt like his body had been reborn. The moonlight in the room seemed colder, purer. Even his thoughts became crystalline.
"This seed alone… is enough to change my destiny."
The Second Gift – The Manual
The shelves shifted again. This time, rows of tomes floated down, pages glowing faintly. He picked one, and it dissolved into his hand like starlight.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Star Path Acceleration Manual.][Effect: Reduces cultivation time for Stardust → Star Path → Galaxy stages by 40%. Stackable with future upgrades.]
Ye Fan's lips curved in a grin.
In this world, cultivation speed was everything. Even a talented genius often needed years just to stabilize their first element and awaken a second. With this manual, he could compress years into months. By thirteen, he could stand as an Intermediate Mage. By fifteen, he might already be stronger than most adults.
And all the while, he would keep his Ice element hidden, waiting for the right moment.
The Third Gift – The Pendant
The shelves dimmed. From the deepest corner of the Shop, a single object emerged—a silver pendant shaped like a teardrop of frozen crystal. It pulsed faintly, as if a living storm was sealed within.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Pendant of Ice Calamity.][Effect: Grants control over abnormal effects of the Ice element (frostbite, slowing, freezing, sealing, paralysis). Increases mastery and resistance to ice magic. Can store energy for one life-saving activation.]
The pendant floated before him, and he reached out carefully. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, his bones chilled to the core. He nearly gasped, but then the cold settled into him, becoming strangely familiar—like meeting an old friend.
His eyes widened. This isn't just a treasure. This is a weapon, a shield, a destiny.
With this pendant, his Ice element would not merely freeze water or slow enemies. He could manipulate the very abnormalities that made Ice terrifying: biting frost that crippled limbs, seals that trapped beasts, paralysis that made opponents helpless.
And even if he faced death, the pendant could unleash its stored calamity once to protect him.
Ye Fan clenched it tightly. "Perfect. This pendant will be my hidden ace. No one must know I have it."
System Explanation
The voice returned.
[System Reminder]– These three gifts are bound to your soul. They cannot be stolen or destroyed.– Future treasures must be purchased using Kill Points.– Kill Points Conversion:Servant beast = 100 pointsWarrior beast = 500 pointsCommander beast = 2,500 pointsMonarch beast = 10,000 pointsEmperor beast = 100,000 pointsSovereign beast = ???
Ye Fan nodded, determination in his eyes. The rules were simple: kill to grow. Survival itself required fighting beasts, so why not make every kill count?
Resolution
He opened his eyes. The dormitory was silent, the other orphans asleep, breathing softly under the glow of the moon. The pendant shimmered faintly against his palm before sinking into his chest, merging with his soul.
His body was still weak, but his foundation was already set:
A Heavenly Ice Seed, hidden from the world.
A cultivation manual to race past his peers.
A pendant that could command calamities of Ice.
Ye Fan curled his small fists, his gaze cold yet burning with ambition.
Fifteen years before Mo Fan awakens, I will carve my path. By the time the true storm comes, I will already stand at the peak.
The night air felt sharp and cold, but Ye Fan welcomed it. For him, Ice was no longer just an element. It was the promise of eternity.