Lin Xuan sat upright on the edge of the bed, both feet planted firmly against the cold stone floor.
He did not rush.
The Low-Grade Body Recovery Pill rested in his palm, its surface smooth and faintly warm, like a living thing patiently awaiting activation. Even without consuming it, he could feel a subtle resonance—gentle, controlled, far removed from the violent medicinal surges described in some of the memories he had inherited.
That alone told him something.
This pill was meant for him.
Or rather—meant for someone at this stage.
He closed his fingers around it and inhaled slowly.
In his previous life, hesitation often meant death. Indecision had cost him opportunities, allies, and once—even an escape route. But this world operated differently. Strength here was layered, cumulative, and deeply unforgiving toward mistakes made early.
This body had already paid that price once.
"I won't repeat it," he murmured.
With that, Lin Xuan raised the pill and swallowed it in one smooth motion.
The effect was immediate—but not explosive.
Warmth spread outward from his stomach, flowing through his limbs in measured waves rather than violent bursts. It was not the sensation of power surging uncontrollably, but something closer to… nourishment. Like dry earth finally absorbing water after years of drought.
His muscles loosened.
His breathing deepened.
The constant dull ache beneath his skin—something he hadn't fully noticed until it began to fade—eased slightly.
Lin Xuan closed his eyes, focusing inward.
He could feel vitality replenishing damaged tissue, knitting together microscopic tears, restoring balance that had long since been neglected. His heartbeat grew steadier, stronger, no longer uneven or strained.
Then—
Just as the medicinal energy began drifting deeper, brushing against the pathways of his meridians—
The warmth stalled.
A sharp, crystalline chime echoed within his mind.
[WARNING]Cultivation Foundation Instability Detected
Lin Xuan's eyes snapped open.
The system panel unfolded before him, brighter and more defined than before.
[SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC REPORT]
Current Condition:• Physical Recovery: In Progress• Meridian Damage: Severe• Cultivation History: Irregular / Forced
Assessment:Host cultivation foundation is unstable.Proceeding without intervention will result in:• Long-term stagnation• Reduced breakthrough probability• Permanent limitation on upper cultivation realms
Lin Xuan's jaw tightened.
"So it noticed," he muttered.
He wasn't surprised.
The previous Lin Xuan had forced Qi through damaged meridians repeatedly, hoping effort alone would bridge the gap left by talent. Each attempt had compounded the damage, creating a fragile foundation that looked serviceable on the surface but would collapse under pressure.
The system didn't stop there.
Another prompt appeared—clean, unemotional.
[OPTIMIZATION REQUIRED]
To maximize long-term cultivation efficiency, the system recommends selecting one of the following corrective paths:
[PATH ONE: RE-CULTIVATION]
• Abandon current Qi Refining progress• Reset cultivation to zero• Rebuild foundation naturally
Pros:• Clean foundation• No external resources required
Cons:• Time-intensive• Prolonged vulnerable state• Increased risk within current environment
[PATH TWO: FOUNDATION STABILIZATION]
• Utilize a Meridian Stabilization & Expansion Pill• Repair damaged meridians• Expand Qi capacity• Stabilize cultivation up to Stage 3
Classification:• Unique Tier• Stage 2 Pill
Result:• Exceptionally stable cultivation foundation• Improved long-term breakthrough potential
The room fell silent.
Lin Xuan stared at the panel, eyes narrowing—not in frustration, but calculation.
Two paths.
One safe, slow, and politically dangerous.
The other efficient, rare, and resource-dependent.
He leaned back slightly, resting his hands against the bed.
"The system isn't forcing me," he thought. "It's advising."
That realization mattered.
This wasn't a rigid interface that rewarded blind obedience. It was evaluating outcomes—future viability, risk exposure, efficiency curves.
In other words…
It was treating him like a long-term investment.
Lin Xuan exhaled slowly.
"Can I make that pill?" he asked.
The words left his mouth before he consciously decided to speak them.
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then—
[QUERY ACCEPTED]
The panel shifted.
[RESPONSE]
Alchemy Knowledge: None
Pill Complexity: High
Current Success Probability:• 1 / 10,000
Expected Result:• Low-grade outcome at best• High failure rate
Lin Xuan blinked.
"…One in ten thousand?"
"That's generous," he muttered dryly.
But the system wasn't finished.
[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION]
Pills are categorized by Stage, corresponding to cultivation realms.
• Stage 1 Pills: Optimized for Qi Refining Realm
• Stage 2 Pills: Optimized for Foundation Establishment
• Stage 3 Pills: Optimized for Core Formation
Consuming pills beyond recommended stage may result in:• Medicinal backlash• Meridian rupture• Cultivation deviation
Note:The recommended pill is a Stage 2 Unique Tier pill.
Lin Xuan's gaze sharpened.
"Unique tier?"
[EXPLANATION]
Unique-tier pills are not standardized products.
They are results of:• Extensive experimentation• Repeated failure• Specialized refinement techniques
Characteristics:• Effects may exceed standard pill limits• Often effective beyond intended stage• Rarely exceed effectiveness by more than 1–2 stages
The pieces clicked together.
This wasn't a mass-produced solution.
It was something that shouldn't exist in abundance.
Which explained why the system was offering it—not as a free correction, but as an option with cost.
Lin Xuan leaned forward.
"If I learn alchemy," he asked, "will it improve the odds?"
[QUERY ACCEPTED]
[RESPONSE]
Alchemy Basics will provide:• Fundamental pill theory• Fire control principles• Ingredient compatibility knowledge
With Alchemy Basics:
• Pill creation capability up to Stage 3
• Failure rate significantly reduced
Reason:Stage 3 corresponds to Foundation Establishment Realm.System-purchased knowledge compensates for experience gap.
Lin Xuan let out a low breath.
"So even basics would be enough… in theory."
But theory and practice were two very different beasts.
He summoned the System Shop.
This time, he wasn't browsing.
He was auditing.
[SYSTEM SHOP]
Alchemy Basics: 10 System Coins
Unique Pill Recipe (Foundation Stabilization): 20 System Coins
Total: 30 System Coins
Lin Xuan checked his balance.
[CURRENT BALANCE]
System Coins: 25
"…Five short," he said quietly.
The system did not comment.
It didn't need to.
This wasn't a crisis.
It was a constraint.
And constraints were familiar territory.
Lin Xuan leaned back against the headboard, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.
Re-cultivation would take time—months, at least. Time he did not have. Not in a powerful clan where weakness invited interference, and resources were quietly redirected away from those deemed unworthy.
Foundation stabilization was the optimal path.
But it required planning.
Not desperation.
He glanced at the system again.
The Low-Grade Body Recovery Pill was still working—slowly repairing tissue, increasing vitality, raising his Body Recovery percentage without touching the meridians.
The system had halted the process deliberately.
Protectively.
"That alone tells me this choice matters," he thought.
He closed the shop interface.
No impulsive purchases.
No half-measures.
Five coins.
That was all that stood between him and a foundation that could support everything that came after.
Lin Xuan straightened.
"Then I earn them," he said calmly.
Not somehow.
Not eventually.
Earn them—cleanly, efficiently, and on his own terms.
Outside, the distant clang of a bell echoed faintly through the estate.
Dinner would arrive soon.
Qing'er would return.
And when she did—
He would already be moving.