The crimson moon faded, yet its stain lingered in the hearts of those who had witnessed it. Across the continent, cultivators debated omens, scholars scoured ancient texts, and sect elders locked themselves in meditation. But in the secluded halls of the Feng estate, the true source of the phenomenon slumbered in silken cloth.
The newborn's chest rose and fell softly, yet the air around him pulsed faintly, as though heaven and earth themselves adjusted to his presence.
Only his parents knew the truth.
---
Feng Li had ordered silence. The birth was concealed, the crimson moon dismissed as a natural anomaly. But even as he enforced secrecy, unease weighed on him. The Lin Clan would not remain ignorant for long.
At his side, Lin Fei whispered weakly, her hand caressing her son's tiny fingers. "Xieyun… he is no ordinary child. We must protect him."
Feng Li's eyes hardened. "We will. No one outside this manor must know of the Dao Bone."
But already, the child stirred in ways no mortal infant should. His gaze—when it opened—was too steady, too aware. And in the quiet of the night, when even his parents slept, a whisper threaded through his soul.
> [DING — Heavenly Demon Reincarnation System Initiating.]
[Synchronization: 3% … 12% … 47% … Complete.]
A flood of light filled Feng Yu's mind. He was no longer merely a babe—he was heir to two worlds, burdened with the scar of betrayal and the chance of rebirth.
> [Welcome, Host.]
[This System is bound to your Heavenly Demon Dao Bone. The path ahead is one of slaughter, dominion, and supremacy. Do you accept?]
For a moment, the soul of Feng Yu—the betrayed heir of Earth—hesitated. Accepting meant embracing darkness, becoming the very thing his past self had despised. Yet he remembered the flames, the laughter of traitors, the kiss of betrayal from the woman he loved.
His tiny hand clenched into a fist.
Accept.
The system's voice resonated with a chilling calm:
> [Acknowledged.]
[First Task: Survive Infancy. Condition: Conceal your true nature until the age of five. Failure: Soul Erasure.]
The infant's breath caught. Even rebirth came shackled with risk. But hidden within the system's decree was a blessing—time. Time to grow. Time to plan. Time to rise.
---
Outside, thunder rolled across the distant mountains, though no storm had formed. Cultivators whispered of tribulation.
Inside, in the cradle of phoenix silk, the boy's eyes gleamed faintly with a demonic luster.
Feng Xieyun had been born.
And though the world did not yet know his name, destiny already trembled in anticipation