The rain fell steadily on the thatched roof of the Chen family home as fifteen-year-old Zhao Chen sat by the window, watching droplets trace paths down the glass. In this life, he had been Chen Zhao but deep within his soul, memories of another existence burned brightly.
Earth. Skyscrapers. Corporate boardrooms. The screech of brakes before everything went dark.
He had been Zhang Wei then, a 28-year-old strategic consultant who had built his reputation on turning failing companies into empires. The irony wasn't lost on him in his previous life, he had conquered markets and businesses. In this life, he would conquer worlds.
"Zhao'er, come help your father with the firewood," came the gentle voice of his mother, Li Mei, from the kitchen.
"Coming, Mother," he replied, his voice carrying the accent of this world despite his inner memories.
The Chen family wasn't wealthy. His father, Chen Wanshan, worked as a village blacksmith, while his mother tended to their small garden and helped neighbors with sewing. They lived in Qingshan Village, a settlement of barely three hundred people on the border of the Iron Mountain Kingdom.
But today was different. Today was his fifteenth birthday, the day when, according to this world's customs, young people could begin formal cultivation. More importantly, it was the day his system would awaken.
As Zhao Chen helped his father stack firewood, he noticed the older man's calloused hands and weathered face. Chen Wanshan had tried to cultivate in his youth but never progressed beyond Body Tempering Stage 3. In this world, that made him barely stronger than a normal human.
"Father," Zhao Chen said carefully, "tell me again about cultivation."
Chen Wanshan paused, setting down a log. His eyes held decades of experience of both triumph and disappointment. "Why the sudden interest, son? You've never cared much for such things."
"I'm fifteen today. Shouldn't I at least try?"
His father's weathered hands stilled on the wood. The afternoon light caught the small scars from years of smithing work. "Cultivation..." he began slowly, "is the path to power, yes, but it's also the path to danger. Those who seek strength often lose themselves to it."
Chen Wanshan straightened, his expression growing serious. "I've seen good men become monsters once they tasted real power. I've watched families torn apart by cultivation obsession. Promise me, no matter how strong you become, you'll remember where you came from."
"I promise, Father."
The words carried more weight than Chen Wanshan could know. In his previous life, Zhao Chen had seen how power corrupted, how success could turn humble beginnings into arrogant endings. He wouldn't make the same mistakes.
"There are stages to cultivation," his father continued, settling onto a wooden stool. "The first realm is the Mortal Realm, then Body Tempering, then Qi Gathering, then Foundation Building. Each stage has multiple levels, and breaking through requires both talent and dedication."
"How far did you get?"
"Body Tempering Stage 3. Took me two years to reach that point, and I could never advance further. My talent simply wasn't sufficient." There was no bitterness in his voice, only acceptance. "But even that small amount made me stronger than most men. I could work longer, lift heavier loads, and my reflexes were sharper."
"What stopped you from continuing?"
Chen Wanshan's eyes grew distant. "Life, son. Your mother and I married, we had you to think about. Cultivation requires time, resources, and often dangerous risks. I chose family over power, and I've never regretted it."
He stood, brushing sawdust from his clothes. "But you're young. If you have the talent and the desire, you should try. Just remember what I said about remembering who you are."
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold, Zhao Chen excused himself and went to his small room. The space was modest with a bed, a desk, a small wardrobe, and a window that looked out over the village. Everything he owned in this world could fit in a single chest.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, just as he remembered from the cultivation novels he'd read in his previous life, and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, becoming deep and regular. He reached inward, searching for something he couldn't quite name.
Come on, he thought. If this is really a cultivation world, and I really have a system, then show it to me.
The world exploded into light.
[System Initialization Beginning...]
The familiar blue interface filled his vision, though his eyes remained closed. Text scrolled past in elegant script, each line burning itself into his consciousness.
[Scanning Host...]
[Memories Detected: Otherworlder Confirmed]
[Previous Life Analysis: Strategic Genius, Corporate Leader, Ethical Foundation]
[Analyzing Current Body: Age 15, Untrained, Dragon Bloodline Trace Detected]
[Adapting System Parameters for Optimal Growth...]
[Initialization Complete]
[Welcome, Host, to the Infinite Proficiency System]
[Host Status Window:]
Name: Chen Zhao (Zhang Wei - Previous Life)
Age: 15 years, 0 days
Cultivation: None (Mortal)
Bloodline: Ancient Dragon Bloodline (0.001% Purity)
Physical Condition: Healthy, Untrained
Mental State: Determined, Focused
Karmic Alignment: Neutral Good
[Core System Features:]
Proficiency Acceleration: All skills gain experience 10,000x faster than normal
Talent Assessment and Evolution: Evaluate and upgrade natural talents
Bloodline Integration Protocol: Absorb and merge bloodlines from defeated enemies
Empire Management Interface: Govern territories and armies with supernatural efficiency
Knowledge Database: Access information from multiple worlds and civilizations
Multiverse Navigation: Access to dimensional pathways (Currently Locked - Requires Immortal Realm)
Zhao Chen's heart raced. It was real. The system was actually real.
[Conducting Comprehensive Talent Assessment...]
[Scanning genetic markers, soul resonance, karmic patterns, and previous life experiences...]
[Assessment Complete]
[Talent Results:]
Swordsmanship: SSS-Rank (Legendary - 1 in 10 billion probability)
Strategic Mind: SSS-Rank (Legendary - Enhanced by previous life experience)
Leadership: SSS-Rank (Legendary - Natural charisma combined with management experience)
Cultivation Aptitude: A-Rank (Excellent - Upgradeable through system rewards)
Archery: S-Rank (Exceptional - Natural hand-eye coordination)
Formation Arrays: S-Rank (Exceptional - Mathematical mind)
Spear Arts: A-Rank (Excellent - Physical coordination)
Alchemy: B-Rank (Good - Upgradeable through study)
Beast Taming: C-Rank (Average - Improvable)
Crafting: B-Rank (Good - Enhanced by smithing exposure)
Three SSS-rank talents. Even in the novels he'd read, such a combination was virtually unheard of. Most protagonists were lucky to have one peak talent. But more than the rankings themselves, he felt something deeper, a resonance with this world's fundamental energies, as if he had always belonged here.
[Ancient Dragon Bloodline Analysis Complete]
[Bloodline Origin: Unknown - Traces suggest Supreme Divine Dragon ancestry]
[Current Purity: 0.001% (Extremely Diluted)]
[Current Benefits:]
Enhanced Physical Constitution (+50% muscle development rate)
Superior Qi Absorption Rate (+500% cultivation speed)
Elemental Resistance (Minor - 5% reduction to all elemental damage)
Draconic Instinct (Enhanced combat intuition)
Bloodline Evolution Potential (Unlimited growth possible)
[Note: While bloodline purity is extremely low, the system can facilitate enhancement through various methods including combat victories, rare materials, and special circumstances]
Dragon bloodline, Zhao Chen mused. That explains why this body always felt stronger than it should, why I never got sick like the other children.
[Tutorial Mission Available]
[Mission: First Step on the Cultivation Path]
[Objective: Successfully reach Body Tempering Stage 1]
[Method: Practice provided Iron Body Foundation Method for 1 week]
[Rewards: Intermediate Cultivation Technique Upgrade, 100 System Points, Status Enhancement]
[Failure Conditions: None (Tutorial missions cannot be failed)]
[Time Limit: 7 days]
[Accept Mission? Y/N]
"Yes," he whispered.
[Mission Accepted]
[Downloading Iron Body Foundation Method - Enhanced Version...]
[Knowledge Transfer Complete]
Information flowed into his mind like water filling a vessel. But this wasn't just raw data, it was understanding. The circulation patterns of qi through the human body, the breathing techniques that maximized energy absorption, the physical postures that optimized meridian alignment, the mental states that enhanced cultivation efficiency.
It was as if he had studied cultivation theory for decades under the guidance of master practitioners.
[Iron Body Foundation Method - Enhanced Version]
[Quality: Intermediate Earth-Rank (Upgraded from Basic)]
[Description: A foundational body cultivation technique focusing on physical strengthening and qi absorption. Enhanced version provides 300% faster results and superior foundation building.]
But as he prepared to begin his first cultivation session, footsteps approached his door. Light steps, carrying the familiar rhythm of his mother's gait.
"Zhao'er? Are you alright in there?" Li Mei's voice carried a note of maternal concern. "You've been very quiet since dinner."
"I'm fine, Mother. Just... thinking about things."
"What kind of things?" The door creaked slightly as she leaned against it. "You can talk to me, you know. About anything."
Zhao Chen smiled despite the cosmic magnitude of what was happening to him. Even with a system that could potentially make him the strongest being in the multiverse, his mother's care still warmed his heart.
"Just thinking about cultivation, about what I want to do with my life."
"Ah." There was a pause, and he could almost hear her thinking. "You know, your father and I will support whatever path you choose. Whether you become a cultivator, a blacksmith like your father, or something else entirely. We just want you to be happy and to remain a good person."
[Maternal Love Detected]
[Emotional Foundation Strengthened]
[Mental Resilience +10]
[Karmic Alignment: Reinforced toward Good]
"I know, Mother. That means everything to me."
"Well, don't think too hard. You're still young, you have time to figure things out. Come eat some birthday cake with us. Your father prepared something special."
Zhao Chen realized that even with cosmic power at his fingertips, family still mattered most. Perhaps that's what would keep him grounded where others had fallen to corruption.
As he joined his parents in their small dining room, he noticed details he'd overlooked before. The way his mother's eyes crinkled when she smiled, showing lines earned through years of laughter and worry. The pride in his father's voice when he spoke of the quality sword he'd forged that day. The simple meal of rice porridge, steamed vegetables, and a small honey cake that represented their modest but loving household.
The honey cake was decorated with fifteen small candles made from beeswax. In a world where most families couldn't afford such luxuries, his parents had saved for weeks to make this birthday special.
"Make a wish, son," Chen Wanshan said, his eyes bright with paternal love.
Zhao Chen looked at his parents' expectant faces and felt his throat tighten with emotion. In his previous life, he'd been an orphan who'd built his success alone. Having a family who loved him unconditionally was a gift beyond any system or power.
"I wish to become strong enough to protect everyone I care about," he thought as he blew out the candles. "And wise enough to use that strength responsibly."
[Sincere Wish Detected]
[Personal Goal Established: Protection of Loved Ones]
[System Alignment: Confirmed Compatible]
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Filial Devotion]
[Reward: Family Bond Enhancement - Cultivation breakthroughs provide minor benefits to family members]
After dinner, as his parents went to bed with satisfied smiles, Zhao Chen returned to his room. Outside, the rain had stopped, and stars were visible through breaks in the clouds. The village was settling into its evening quiet, with only the distant sound of night insects and the occasional dog bark.
He resumed his cross-legged position and began his first true cultivation session.
[Iron Body Foundation Method - Enhanced Version: Initiated]
[Current Proficiency: 0/1000 (Beginner)]
[Multiplier Active: 10,000x Experience Gain]
Following the technique's instructions, he assumed the proper stance with the back straight, legs positioned for optimal qi flow, arms held in a specific mudra that enhanced energy circulation. His breathing became deep and rhythmic, each inhalation drawing ambient qi into his body, each exhalation expelling impurities.
The qi of the world was subtle but definitely present. It felt like a gentle current in the air, barely perceptible to normal senses but clearly detectable once he knew how to look for it. As he breathed, tiny amounts of this energy entered his body, flowing through pathways he was only now becoming aware of his meridians.
[Qi Absorption Detected]
[Iron Body Foundation Method - Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 10%]
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 20%]
What should have taken hours of careful practice was happening in minutes. The 10,000x acceleration wasn't just affecting his learning speed, it was compressing the actual cultivation process itself, as if time moved differently for his development.
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 30%]
He could feel changes beginning in his body. His muscles were becoming denser, not larger but more efficient. His bones were growing harder and more resilient. His skin was developing a subtle toughness that would provide protection against minor injuries.
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 40%]
[Warning: Rapid advancement detected. Recommend gradual integration to avoid foundation instability.]
[Automatic pacing protocols activated.]
The system slowed his progress, ensuring that each improvement was properly integrated before the next began. Even with supernatural acceleration, it wanted to maintain the highest quality foundation possible.
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 50%]
[Iron Body Foundation Method - Small Success Achieved!]
[Technique Understanding: Intermediate Level]
[Physical Enhancement: Strength +50%, Durability +30%, Agility +20%]
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 60%]
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 70%]
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 80%]
[Proficiency +100]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Progress 90%]
[Final Integration Phase Beginning...]
[Proficiency +100]
[Iron Body Foundation Method - Proficiency 1000/1000 - MASTERY ACHIEVED]
[BREAKTHROUGH SUCCESSFUL!]
[Body Tempering Stage 1: Complete]
[Cultivation Realm: Mortal - Body Tempering Stage 1]
Power flowed through him like a gentle but persistent river. The transformation wasn't dramatic, he still looked the same but he could feel the profound difference. He was stronger, faster, more durable than any normal human. His senses were sharper, his reflexes quicker, his endurance greatly enhanced.
[Mission Complete: First Step on the Cultivation Path]
[Rewards Calculating...]
[Base Rewards: Intermediate Cultivation Technique Upgrade, 100 System Points]
[Bonus Rewards: Perfect Foundation Achievement +50 System Points, Mastery Bonus +Advanced Qi Gathering Method]
[Total System Points: 150]
[New Technique Acquired: Flowing River Qi Gathering Method]
[Quality: High-Grade Earth-Rank]
[Description: An advanced qi gathering technique that provides superior cultivation speed and qi purity. Synergizes well with Iron Body Foundation Method.]
[New Mission Available]
[Mission: Building the Foundation]
[Objective: Reach Body Tempering Stage 3 and learn a weapon technique]
[Suggested Timeline: 1 Month]
[Rewards: Weapon Technique Selection, 200 System Points, Bloodline Enhancement]
[Accept? Y/N]
Zhao Chen grinned as he accepted the new mission. At this rate, he'd surpass his father's lifetime achievement within a week. But he needed to be careful as advancing too quickly would draw unwanted attention before he was ready to handle it.
As he settled into sleep, rain beginning to fall again on the roof, Zhao Chen felt truly alive for the first time since his reincarnation. His body thrummed with newfound power, his mind buzzed with cultivation knowledge, and his heart was warm with his family's love.
Tomorrow, his real journey would begin. But tonight, he was simply Chen Zhao, fifteen-year-old son of a blacksmith, safe in his family's humble home with dreams of the future dancing in his head.
The balance between power and humanity would define his path forward. But with the right foundation both in cultivation and in character, he was confident he could achieve both strength and wisdom.
[End of Day 1]
[Cultivation Progress: Body Tempering Stage 1 (Mastered)]
[System Points: 150]
[Family Relationships: Strong and Loving]
[Village Status: Ordinary Resident]
[Threat Level: None]
The first day of his new life was complete.