Chapter 3: Early Signs
At six years old, the child moved through the village with a calm, deliberate gaze. Though his body was small, villagers often whispered about his unusual intelligence. Three years ago, when he was only three, his insight had already startled the elders. Simple observations, small decisions, even tiny calculations about daily life — all revealed a mind far beyond his age.
His parents smiled proudly, unaware of the full depth behind those Dark eyes. Even his little sister, still a lively five-year-old, sometimes hesitated under his piercing gaze, sensing without understanding that he was… different.
Fang Yuan had begun noticing the world's true rules. He saw whispers of power, glimpses of cultivation he could not yet practice himself. Immortals existed, and the path to power was harsh — the Heaven Fire test determined who could cultivate and who would die trying.
He recalled the stories from the villagers:
> "Those who survive the Heaven Fire in ten seconds… they are true geniuses, rank nine. Ten minutes, rank one — still alive, but weak."
The test did not lie. It was the world's way of separating the capable from the ordinary, the gifted from the doomed.
His golden eyes lingered on his sister, her small hands grasping at a flower as she played. One day, she would stand before the Heaven Fire, her aptitude tested, her potential revealed.
Interesting, the child thought. So she will have talent… or perish. And all this… I will watch, calculate, and prepare.
Fang Yuan's mind was already racing ahead. Even though he was still a child in appearance, he understood the first rule of this world: strength was life, weakness was death. Patience and observation were his weapons now. When the system awakened, he would know exactly how to use it, and the lottery of children would be a tool far beyond ordinary comprehension.
For now, he remained a small boy, blending with the world, learning silently. The villagers praised him for his intelligence. His sister grew up under his quiet observation. And the rules of cultivation — brutal, precise, and merciless — waited patiently for him to awaken fully.
Fang Yuan's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. Immortals. Heaven Fire. Aptitude ranks. All pieces of the same game. And he… he had already begun to see the board.