The Thornveil Mountains lay shrouded in mist, silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant howl of wind across jagged peaks. Clouds curled above like restless dragons, but down below, in the crumbling ancestral hall of the Thornveil Clan, a single candle flickered, casting long, quivering shadows across rows of faded tablets.
A boy knelt before them, his black hair hanging loose over his shoulders, his dark eyes fixed on the flame. Sixteen years old. Thin. Quiet. A nobody.
To everyone else in the clan, he was Li Shen, the forgotten third son of a once-great bloodline.
But Li Shen knew something no one else did.
> "System… sign in," he whispered, barely moving his lips.
A faint chime resonated in his mind, almost melodic, almost alive.
> Ding!
You have signed in at the Thornveil Ancestral Hall.
Reward: Heavenly Marrow Cleansing Elixir obtained.
A small jade bottle appeared in his palm, glowing faintly with soft blue light. Not much to a normal cultivator—but to him, it was the first spark of a fire that no one could see.
He tucked it carefully into a jade slip, sealing it with a thread of spiritual energy. His face remained calm, unreadable. Beneath the surface, however, something stirred—an ancient power, quiet and patient, waiting for the right moment to awaken.
Outside, laughter pierced the quiet night.
> "Li Shen! Still praying to ghosts?"
"Maybe the ancestors will pity you and open a spirit vein for you, haha!"
The voices belonged to his cousins, all arrogant, all loud, all convinced the boy was nothing.
Li Shen's gaze flicked to the courtyard, then back to the ancestral tablet. His lips curved into the faintest of smiles.
> Let them mock. Let them underestimate me. The longer they believe I am weak, the longer they will live.
A calm, mechanical voice echoed inside his mind:
> Daily Sign-In Complete. Next sign-in available in 24 hours.
Tip: Higher-ranked locations yield greater rewards.
Li Shen's fingers traced the edge of the tablet. He could feel it—the pulse of his ancestors, the long-dead glory of the Thornveil Clan. And deeper still, a flicker of hidden inheritance, something that no mortal eye could perceive.
> Patience. Precision. Timing. Everything else is noise.
---
By dawn, whispers ran like wildfire through the clan. Even the elders glanced toward the ancestral hall with unease. The patriarch, Li Feng, frowned but remained silent.
Li Shen had already left. He moved lightly through the misty courtyard, every step measured, calm, and deliberate.
Inside him, the Sign-In System pulsed faintly, syncing with the tiny streams of qi he could sense in this weak, reborn body.
> Next Sign-In Available: Spirit Vein Training Grounds.
A small smile touched his lips.
> "Then that's where I'll go tomorrow."
---
Night returned, colder and quieter.
Li Shen sat cross-legged beneath the ancient pine in the courtyard. The moonlight bathed him in silver, shadows stretching long and thin across the stone tiles.
> Sign in.
> Ding!
You have signed in at the Spirit Vein Formation.
Reward: Shadow Vein Awakening Pill obtained.
He swallowed the pill without hesitation. Pain flared, sharp and explosive, shooting through every vein. Black lines pulsed faintly beneath his skin, glowing and disappearing in an instant.
> Hidden Constitution Detected: Heaven-Devouring Flame Physique.
Hidden Bloodline awakened at 1%.
Li Shen's eyes opened. Calm. Collected. But beneath the surface, a thrill ran through him—a subtle excitement that came from sensing the first hint of his clan's true legacy.
> "So this is it… the Thornveil inheritance," he murmured.
He rose slowly, feeling the warmth coil beneath his skin. Around him, the shadows seemed to shift slightly, as though acknowledging his awakening.
---
The next morning, the Spirit Vein Ceremony began. Disciples stood on carved marble circles as the elders activated the formation. Lines of faint light traced beneath their feet. Some glowed brilliantly—others remained dim, lifeless.
Li Shen walked among them. The formation flickered, then died.
A ripple of laughter followed.
> "Another failure."
"The third son of Thornveil can't even manifest a single vein."
Even the patriarch's eyes narrowed in concern. He said nothing.
Li Shen bowed silently, then stepped aside. Not a word. Not a glance. Only calm.
> Let them believe I am weak. They won't see me until I want them to.
---
That night, Li Shen signed in again.
> Ding!
You have signed in at the Ancient Tomb of Thornveil Ancestors.
Reward: Spirit Condensation Manual (Fragment). Hidden Bonus: Voidstep Technique (Minor).
He traced the diagrams with his fingers, absorbing them almost instinctively. Even this small fragment contained techniques long forgotten.
The Voidstep Technique, even at minor strength, would allow him to move unseen—a tool for a patient, cautious cultivator like himself.
Hours passed in silence. When he finally opened his eyes, the moon had shifted, silver light brushing the courtyard.
> "Patience… the heavens have only begun to notice me," he thought.
"Tomorrow… the real cultivation begins."
---
By the fifth night, he had secretly gathered elixirs, fragments, and minor treasures from daily sign-ins. Not a single person in the clan suspected.
To them, Li Shen remained quiet, mediocre, talentless.
But beneath that calm exterior, a storm brewed—a patient, calculated, ruthless storm. One day, it would sweep across the Lower Mortal Sky Realm, and no one would survive unscathed.
He gazed toward the distant mountains, lightning coiling faintly across the clouds.
> "When the time comes, the world will remember my name," he whispered.
Far above, the heavens seemed to stir. Clouds shifted, winds rumbled, and lightning flashed—not as a warning, but as recognition.
A force had awakened.
And it would not rest.
> Next Sign-In Target: Heavenly Spirit Ruins. Danger level: Extreme.
Prepare accordingly.
Li Shen's eyes gleamed coldly.
> "Let the game begin."
---