Chapter 1 – The End and the Beginning
Rain fell in sheets across the dimly lit streets of Shanghai, its rhythm tapping against glass and steel like an endless dirge. Neon lights reflected on the wet asphalt, painting the world in shimmering hues of red and blue. For most, it was just another stormy night. For Chen Yue, it was his last.
He was running—lungs burning, legs pounding against the slick pavement—yet no matter how fast he moved, the sound of screeching tires behind him kept closing in.
"Damn it!" he spat, clutching the strap of his battered delivery bag tighter. The cheap sneakers on his feet barely gripped the road, and every step felt like skating on thin ice.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He had worked two jobs, studied through sleepless nights, tried to live honestly in a city that devoured the weak. But fate was cruel. A single moment of bad luck—a rich brat's car swerving into his lane—and his life was reduced to running for survival.
The headlights blazed behind him, the engine roaring like a beast. Chen Yue's body screamed for rest, but adrenaline kept him moving. His thoughts scattered like broken glass.
Why… why me?
He had dreams once. To escape poverty. To build something meaningful. But the world never cared. His parents were gone, his girlfriend left when his bank account hit zero, and now, he was about to die on the very street he had walked a thousand times.
The car struck.
A deafening crash, a blinding flash of light—and then nothing but pain. White-hot, bone-deep agony. His body twisted as glass and steel shredded his flesh. He tasted blood. Heard his own breath rattling like a dying engine.
Above him, the rain kept falling.
As his vision dimmed, the last thing he saw was the sky—a gray void, cold and distant, like the world itself.
When consciousness returned, there was no rain. No pain. No sound at all.
Chen Yue opened his eyes and found himself floating in endless darkness. No ground, no sky—just a vast, empty void stretching in all directions.
"What… what is this?" His voice echoed, thin and hollow.
Then came the voice.
[System Initialization Complete]
[Welcome, Chen Yue, to the Path of Ascension.]
The words were neither loud nor soft—they simply existed, resonating inside his mind like the tolling of ancient bells.
Chen Yue froze. "System…? Did I hit my head too hard?"
[Negative. Your mortal shell has perished. You are now bound to the Heaven's Fragment System.]
[Would you like to review your status? Y/N]
He blinked. The panic clawing at his chest gave way to confusion… then curiosity. He had read enough novels to recognize this trope—but this wasn't a story. This was real. His death, the accident—it had happened.
He took a shaky breath. "Yes… show me."
A panel of glowing text appeared in the darkness:
[STATUS]
Name: Chen Yue
Age: 24
Race: Human (Reincarnating)
Cultivation: None
Energy Affinity:Primordial Qi (Dormant)
Special Authority: Heaven's Fragment Holder
System Functions Unlocked: Basic Status | Starter Quest | Inventory
Primordial Qi? Cultivation? His pulse quickened. He had spent his whole life in a world ruled by technology, not magic. Yet here it was—a promise of power, of something beyond the ordinary.
"What does this mean?" he whispered.
The voice replied calmly:
[Your soul has been chosen as a Vessel. The lower worlds have long abandoned cultivation for mana-based systems. You alone shall inherit the ancient path.]
"The ancient path…" Chen Yue repeated, tasting the words. "You mean… cultivation?"
[Affirmative.]
Before he could ask more, the void rippled like water. A blinding light swallowed him whole.
A New World
Chen Yue gasped as air filled his lungs.
He was lying on soft grass beneath a clear blue sky, sunlight warming his skin. The sound of birdsong drifted on the breeze, and in the distance, towering mountains pierced the clouds like jade pillars. Rivers sparkled like silver threads, weaving through rolling forests.
It was beautiful—too beautiful to be real.
He sat up slowly, heart pounding. His hands were pale, unscarred. His delivery uniform was gone, replaced by a simple white robe tied with a cord. A small satchel rested at his side.
"This… isn't Earth."
[Correct. You have been reincarnated in the Lower Realm: Aetherion.]
[Population: Mana Users. Cultivation: Extinct.]
[Objective: Awaken Ancient Qi. Restore the forgotten path.]
Aetherion. The name alone felt heavy, like something out of myth. But before he could marvel further, the system chimed again:
[Starter Quest: Awaken Your First Qi Thread]
Reward: Beginner Cultivation Manual – Heaven's Fragment Edition
Failure: Soul Disintegration
His throat went dry. "Failure means… I die? Again?"
[Affirmative.]
Chen Yue cursed under his breath. "Great. No pressure."
He looked around. The meadow stretched toward a dense forest, and beyond that, distant smoke hinted at civilization. For now, survival came first.
The satchel contained a waterskin, a few dried fruits, and a short dagger. Not much—but better than nothing.
Then, another notification flashed:
[New Function Unlocked: Cultivation Technique Database]
[Loading… Complete.]
A scroll of light unfurled before him, displaying the first technique:
Technique Acquired: Primordial Qi Breathing – Stage 1
Description: Draw upon Heaven and Earth's essence to form the first Qi thread within your dantian.
Warning: Failure will cause meridian collapse.
Chen Yue exhaled slowly. "So… this is it. My first step."
He sat cross-legged on the grass, closed his eyes, and followed the instructions. His breaths deepened, each inhale pulling in the scent of flowers, the whisper of wind, the hum of life itself.
For a while, nothing happened.
Then—something stirred.
A warmth bloomed in his core, faint but real, like an ember glowing in the dark. He focused on it, guiding it with sheer will. The warmth grew, threads of golden light weaving through his veins.
[Qi Detected.]
[Condensing First Thread… 10%... 20%...]
Sweat trickled down his brow. His muscles trembled. Every breath felt like dragging molten metal into his lungs.
[60%... 80%...]
A sudden spike of pain shot through him, white-hot and merciless. He gritted his teeth, refusing to let go.
"Not… again… I won't die again!"
[Condensation Complete.]
[First Qi Thread Awakened.]
[Realm Achieved: Qi Refining – Stage 1.]
The pain vanished, replaced by a rush of vitality so pure it left him dizzy. His senses sharpened. The wind against his skin felt alive, every blade of grass distinct.
He had done it.
Chen Yue opened his eyes, chest heaving. A laugh bubbled from his lips—half joy, half disbelief.
"I… I'm really a cultivator."
But before the relief could settle, the system spoke again:
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Ancient Revivalist]
[Special Reward: Fragment Authority – Tier 1 Function Available.]
[Incoming Message: 'Welcome, inheritor. The game begins.']
The sky darkened.
Clouds rolled in from nowhere, swirling into a vast vortex above. A single bolt of golden lightning lanced down, striking the earth a hundred paces away—and from the smoking crater, a shadow emerged.
Massive. Horned. Eyes burning with crimson fire.
[Alert: Beast Detected – Class: Ironhide Demon Boar – Rank: Mana Beast Elite.]
[Recommended Action: RUN.]
Chen Yue stared at the monster as it bellowed, shaking the earth.
He swallowed hard. "So much for a peaceful start…"
End of Chapter 1.