## [That Night - Chen Wei's Room - 11:30 PM]
Chen Wei lay on his simple wooden bed, staring at the ceiling. His new body felt strange. Smaller, younger, but also healthier than his old body had been in years.
"I can't let them die," he whispered to the darkness. "I've read this scenario a thousand times. The tutorial village gets attacked. The family sacrifices themselves. The MC gets motivated by revenge."
But Chen Wei wasn't going to be a passive character in someone else's story.
He sat up quietly and activated his Reader's Eyes. Golden text appeared in his vision:
**[Scanning for Hidden Elements in Area...]**
**[Radius: 500 meters]**
**[Scan Complete]**
**[Found: 1 Hidden Location - Old Well (Abandoned Cultivation Site)]**
**[Found: 1 Hidden Character - Mysterious Beggar (??? Level)]**
**[Found: 1 Cultivation Method - Basic Qi Manual (Hidden)]**
**[Found: 3 Spiritual Herbs - Common Grade]**
"There it is," Chen Wei smiled. In every cultivation story, the MC always found hidden treasures in the starting village. But other characters were too blind to see them.
He had the Reader's Eyes. He could see what others couldn't.
Chen Wei quietly opened his window. His new body was surprisingly agile. He dropped to the ground without making noise.
The village was dark and peaceful. Only moonlight lit the dirt paths between houses. Chen Wei could see his neighbors sleeping safely, not knowing that death was coming in three days.
"I'll save you all," he promised quietly. "But first, I need power."
---
## [The Old Well - Midnight]
The old well sat behind the village, forgotten and overgrown with weeds. Most villagers probably didn't even remember it existed. But Chen Wei's Reader's Eyes showed a bright golden marker pointing directly at it.
**[Hidden Location: Ancient Well of the Flowing River Sect]**
**[Status: Abandoned for 200 years]**
**[Hidden Treasures: Available]**
**[Danger Level: Low]**
**[Entry Requirements: None]**
"Flowing River Sect?" Chen Wei approached carefully. "Never heard of them. Must have been destroyed long ago."
The well was about three meters wide, made of old gray stones. Vines covered most of it. When Chen Wei looked down into the darkness, his Reader's Eyes activated automatically.
**[Scanning Well Depth...]**
**[Depth: 15 meters]**
**[Hidden Chamber: Detected at bottom]**
**[Cultivation Manual: Confirmed present]**
**[Spiritual Energy: Weak but pure]**
"A hidden chamber," Chen Wei grinned. "Classic cultivation story setup. Now, how do I get down there?"
He looked around and found an old rope half-buried under leaves. It was thick and looked strong enough to hold his weight.
"Here goes nothing."
Chen Wei tied one end to a large stone and threw the other end down the well. The rope disappeared into the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the rope and started climbing down.
---
## [Inside the Well - Hidden Chamber]
The climb took five minutes. Chen Wei's new body was weak from having no cultivation, but adrenaline kept him going.
At the bottom, instead of water, he found a small cave entrance. Faint blue light glowed from inside.
**[Entering: Flowing River Sect's Secret Cache]**
**[Warning: This location has been sealed for 200 years]**
**[Spiritual Energy Concentration: 3x normal level]**
Chen Wei stepped into the cave. The walls were carved with flowing patterns that looked like rivers. In the center of the room sat a stone altar with three items on it.
**[Item 1: Flowing River Basic Cultivation Manual]**
**[Rarity: Common]**
**[Effect: Teaches basic Qi cultivation method]**
**[Special: Includes breathing techniques and meridian maps]**
**[Item 2: Spiritual Energy Gathering Stone]**
**[Rarity: Uncommon]**
**[Effect: Increases cultivation speed by 50% when held during meditation]**
**[Duration: 30 days before depletion]**
**[Item 3: Sect Identity Token]**
**[Rarity: Rare]**
**[Effect: Unknown - Requires investigation]**
**[Note: May contain hidden functions]**
"Jackpot," Chen Wei whispered. He grabbed all three items carefully.
The cultivation manual was made of some kind of beast leather that felt smooth and cool. When he opened it, text appeared in his vision:
**[Flowing River Cultivation Method - Basic Level]**
**[Suitable for beginners]**
**[Estimated time to Qi Gathering 1st Level: 7 days with normal talent]**
**[Your estimated time: 4 days (System bonus)]**
The gathering stone was about the size of his fist, glowing with soft blue light. It felt warm and seemed to pulse like a heartbeat.
The sect token was made of some kind of jade. It had the character for "River" carved on one side and strange symbols on the other.
**[Learning Opportunity Available]**
**[Do you want to learn Flowing River Cultivation Method?]**
**[Warning: This will be your foundation technique]**
**[Choose carefully - changing foundation methods is difficult]**
Chen Wei didn't hesitate. "Yes, learn it."
**[Learning in progress...]**
**[Integration with System...]**
**[Complete!]**
Suddenly, knowledge flowed into Chen Wei's mind. He could see the meridian pathways in his body like glowing rivers. He understood how to breathe properly, how to sit in meditation pose, how to guide spiritual energy.
**[Cultivation Method Acquired: Flowing River Basic Art]**
**[New Function Unlocked: Cultivation Status]**
**[New Function Unlocked: Progress Tracking]**
**[Chen Wei - Status Update]**
**[Cultivation: Mortal (0% progress to Qi Gathering 1st Level)]**
**[Cultivation Speed: Normal + 50% (Gathering Stone) + System Bonus]**
**[Estimated breakthrough time: 4 days]**
"Four days," Chen Wei said to himself. "The bandit attack is in three days. I won't be strong enough to fight them directly."
But then he remembered something from all the stories he'd read. Sometimes the MC didn't win through raw power. Sometimes they won through intelligence and strategy.
"I know when they're coming. I know how these story events work. I can prepare."
Chen Wei sat down in the cave and began his first cultivation session. He held the gathering stone in his lap, closed his eyes, and followed the breathing technique from the manual.
**[Beginning First Cultivation Session]**
**[Spiritual Energy Detection: Successful]**
**[Qi Gathering: In Progress]**
**[Session Status: Optimal conditions]**
---
## [Two Hours Later - 2:30 AM]
**[First Cultivation Session Complete]**
**[Progress: 15% toward Qi Gathering 1st Level]**
**[Spiritual Energy Absorbed: 47 units]**
**[Physical Condition: Improved]**
**[Mental Clarity: Enhanced]**
Chen Wei opened his eyes. He felt amazing. His body felt lighter and stronger. His mind was clearer than it had been in years.
"This is incredible," he whispered. "No wonder people get addicted to cultivation."
But he couldn't stay here all night. His new parents would worry if they found his room empty in the morning.
Chen Wei carefully put the gathering stone and sect token in his clothes. He kept the manual to study later.
As he prepared to climb back up the well, his Reader's Eyes detected something new.
**[Hidden Character Detected]**
**[Distance: 50 meters and approaching]**
**[Threat Level: Unknown]**
**[Character Type: Mysterious Encounter]**
"Someone's coming," Chen Wei whispered. "At this hour? That's not normal."
He quickly climbed up the rope and hid behind some bushes near the well. A few minutes later, a figure approached through the moonlight.
It was an old man in ragged clothes. He looked like a beggar, but he moved with purpose toward the well.
**[Character Analysis: Old Beggar Wu]**
**[Real Identity: ??? - Information Blocked]**
**[Cultivation Level: ??? - Too High to Detect]**
**[Threat Level: Extreme - Do Not Engage]**
**[Character Type: Hidden Master/Plot Device]**
**[Warning: This character knows about the hidden chamber]**
Chen Wei's blood ran cold. A hidden master? Here? Now?
The old beggar stopped at the well and looked down. Then he turned and looked directly at Chen Wei's hiding spot.
"Young man," the beggar said with a raspy voice. "You can come out. I know you're there."
Chen Wei's heart pounded. Should he run? Should he pretend to be innocent?
"I'm not going to hurt you," the old beggar continued. "But we need to talk. You found something down there, didn't you?"
Chen Wei slowly stood up. There was no point hiding now.
"I... I was just exploring," he said nervously.
The old beggar smiled. His teeth were missing, but his eyes were sharp and intelligent.
"Exploring? At midnight? After falling down and hitting your head?" The beggar chuckled. "Young Chen Wei, you're a terrible liar."
"How do you know my name?"
"I know many things." The beggar sat down on a large stone. "For instance, I know that three days from now, the Crimson Wolf Bandits will attack this village. I know your brother Chen Hao will try to fight them and die. I know your father will die trying to protect the villagers. I know your sister will be taken as a slave."
Chen Wei felt like ice water had been poured on him. "How... how do you know that?"
The old beggar's eyes twinkled. "The same way you know it, young Reader."
**[Character Identity Revealed]**
**[Old Beggar Wu - True Name: Master Liu Tianming]**
**[Former Sect: Void Reading Sect (Destroyed)]**
**[Cultivation Level: Peak Soul Formation]**
**[Special Ability: Story Sight - Similar to Reader's Eyes]**
**[Status: Hiding from unknown enemies]**
"You... you can see story patterns too?" Chen Wei whispered.
Master Liu nodded. "I am what you might call a 'Regressor.' I have lived this timeline seven times, trying to change the ending. But every time, I fail."
"Seven times?"
"The bandits attack. The village burns. A young cultivator arrives three days later, sees the destruction, and swears revenge. He becomes the protagonist of this region's story." Master Liu's expression was sad. "But I've grown tired of watching good people die for someone else's character development."
Chen Wei stared at the old master. "So you want to change the story too?"
"I do. But I am too powerful. If I interfere directly, the world's narrative force will send stronger enemies to maintain balance. That's how story worlds work." Master Liu looked at Chen Wei carefully. "But you're different. You're weak enough to avoid attention, but you have the Reader's Eyes. You can see the patterns without disrupting them too much."
"What are you suggesting?"
Master Liu smiled. "I'm suggesting we work together, young Reader. I'll teach you what I know about changing story events. You'll be my hands in this world, acting where I cannot."
**[Quest Offered: The Master's Bargain]**
**[Objective: Learn advanced story manipulation from Master Liu]**
**[Reward: Powerful cultivation techniques, Story-changing abilities]**
**[Risk: Unknown consequences of altering major plot events]**
**[Accept? Y/N]**
Chen Wei looked at the quest notification, then at the old master's expectant face.
He had wanted power to save his family. Now he was being offered something much bigger - the chance to change the entire story.
But every cultivation novel had taught him that power came with a price.
"What do you want in return?" Chen Wei asked carefully.
Master Liu's smile grew wider. "Smart question. I want you to help me find the real author of this world's story. The being who wrote the rules that govern our reality."
"The author? But that's..."
"Impossible? Young Reader, you transmigrated from another world. You have a system that shows you character information. You can see story patterns made manifest." Master Liu stood up. "In a world where such things exist, is finding the cosmic author really so impossible?"
Chen Wei thought about all the cultivation stories he'd read. The MC always started with small goals - save the family, get revenge, become strong. But eventually, they always aimed higher. Fight the heavens. Transcend reality. Become gods.
Maybe this was his path to transcendence.
"I accept," Chen Wei said.
**[Quest Accepted: The Master's Bargain]**
**[New Ally: Master Liu Tianming]**
**[Story Difficulty: Increased to Nightmare Mode]**
**[Reward Potential: Cosmic Level]**
Master Liu clapped his hands once. "Excellent! Then let's begin your real education. First lesson: How to save a village without becoming the protagonist."
As the old master began to speak, Chen Wei realized his story was about to become much more complicated.
But for the first time since arriving in this world, he felt truly excited.
He wasn't just going to survive this story.
He was going to rewrite it.
**[Chapter 2 Complete]**
**[Next: The Seven Ways to Avoid Death]**