The wind howled through the jagged cliffs surrounding the Yun Clan's territory, whipping dust and the faint scent of burning wood into the air. Li Xian stumbled through the mud, his tattered robes clinging to his thin frame, face streaked with grime and blood. His body ached from the day's work—gathering herbs from poisonous swamplands, fixing broken fences, and dodging the insults of richer cultivators who treated his family like insects.
He had grown used to this life of hardship. To survive in the Yun Clan, one of the smallest and weakest clans in the cultivation world, meant enduring humiliation. Every day, it felt like the world was a mountain pressing down on his shoulders. And today was no exception.
"Get out of my way, scum!" a harsh voice rang out.
Li Xian barely had time to react before a heavy foot slammed into the mud where he had been standing moments before. He rolled to the side, tasting blood in his mouth as he spat out the grit. A group of cultivators from the neighboring Lin Clan—wealthy, strong, and arrogant—practiced their moves, each spark of golden Qi lighting up the cliffside. Their movements were precise, controlled, their power undeniable.
Li Xian clenched his fists, jaw tight. "One day…" he muttered to himself, "…one day I'll show them all." But deep down, he doubted even he would survive that long.
A sudden tremor ran through the cliffs, making loose rocks tumble dangerously down. The air shimmered unnaturally, vibrating with a strange energy that made Li Xian's chest tighten. His vision blurred slightly, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. He had felt something like this before—overwhelming, inescapable, as if the world itself was judging him.
Then, unexpectedly, a voice rang in his mind. Clear, commanding, and impossible to ignore:
"System activated.
User: Li Xian.
Objective: Rise from ashes.
Rewards: Wealth. Power. Romance."
Li Xian froze mid-step. He spun around, searching the cliffs, expecting to see some mystical figure or ancient artifact, but there was nothing. The voice came from inside his own head.
A System? Is this real? he wondered. Am I losing my mind?
Before he could dwell on it, the tremor intensified. A shard of jagged energy shot from the cliffside, aimed straight for him. The world slowed. Rocks and dust swirled around him as he dove, narrowly avoiding the searing projectile. He landed hard on the muddy ground, pain searing through his ribs, vision swimming. For a moment, he felt the darkness at the edges of consciousness—a creeping shadow that promised oblivion.
Then, a strange warmth blossomed in his right palm. He looked down and saw a glowing orb of blue energy, hovering above his hand, humming softly, pulsating with a power that was impossible to ignore. It seemed alive, responding to his heartbeat, syncing with his breath.
Instinctively, he closed his fingers around it. A surge of energy coursed through his body, burning away fatigue and pain, flooding him with a strength he had never felt before. Every muscle, every nerve, every drop of blood seemed to awaken.
"System detected near-death experience.
Reward granted: Beginner's Qi Seed.
New ability unlocked: System Missions."
Li Xian gasped. His mind reeled as he tested the newfound energy flowing through him. His breathing steadied; the aches and bruises that had clung to him for years were lighter, almost gone. He could feel his Qi responding, vibrant and alive, as though it had finally found its rightful master.
A notification appeared in his mind:
Mission 1: Survive and reach the Lin Clan training ground.
Reward: Gold, Treasure, Companion Opportunity.
Companion… Gold… Treasure… The words were intoxicating, almost impossible to believe. Li Xian's chest tightened with a mix of fear and excitement. Could this really be his chance to rise from the ashes?
He shook the mud from his robes and forced a grin, though his hands trembled. "Alright… let's see how far this goes."
As he limped toward the distant training ground, his eyes caught a figure on a cliff above him. A woman—no, a cultivator—watched him intently. Her long, flowing hair shimmered in the wind, and her crimson robes clung to her figure like fire dancing in the sun. There was an aura about her, a dangerous mixture of beauty and strength, intelligence and seduction.
Li Xian's heart skipped. Who is she?
The System pinged again:
Potential Companion Detected: Li Yuxin.
Affection Level: Neutral.
Unlock through missions or interaction.
A thrill ran through him. Wealth, power, romance—all laid out in front of him like a feast. All he had to do… was survive.
And yet, he didn't notice the faint shadow moving behind the woman. Eyes like polished obsidian followed him silently, patient, and dangerous. The figure smiled ever so slightly, invisible to Li Xian, biding its time.
Li Xian shook his head, refocusing on the path ahead. The cliffs were treacherous, the Lin Clan's territory still far, and the wind cut like knives. Every step was agony, but with the System's energy pulsing inside him, he felt a spark of hope—a first real spark in his entire miserable life.
If this System is real, if it can truly give me the power to rise… I can't waste it.
Pain and fear surged around him like the tides, but a stubborn determination rooted itself deep in his soul. He tightened his fists, feeling the warmth of the Qi Seed coursing through him, and whispered under his breath:
"Li Xian… this time, you'll survive."
And in that moment, for the first time, the boy who had been crushed by poverty, mocked by the world, and beaten by fate… felt alive.
This was only the beginning.