Chapter 1 Plain Text (For Publishing)
Volume One: Qingfeng Town - The Dragon Rises from the Abyss
Chapter 1: Sister on the Brink of Death. The Worthless Brother. The Kill-to-Survive System Activates.
Tags: Underdog Reversal, Bully Retaliation
The wind at Blackwood Cliff sliced through Lin Che's flesh like a poison-laced file, siphoning his body heat and carrying the stench of rotten miasma. This was one of Qingyun City's three forbidden grounds—at its base lay a sealed battlefield of a thousand-year-old corpse demon. Every full moon, resentment condensed into tangible black mist that rose to corrode all living things. Legend had it a Golden Core ancestor once defied taboos to plunder treasures here under the full moon. The next day, he returned as a wandering mummy, screaming "Give me back my life!" at anyone in his path.
Tonight was the fifteenth day of the lunar month. The moonlight was as pale as the powder on a corpse's face.
Lin Che's right arm was shattered. Bone jutted from his elbow, the stark white splinter caked in blood and mud, leaving a gruesome trail across the rocks. He lay on the icy ground, his back pressed against jagged stone edges. Each shallow breath grated his broken ribs against his flesh, emitting a cringe-worthy "creak." The stench of blood mixed with miasma seared his lungs, as if thousands of red-hot needles were dancing across his lung tissue.
"Crack."
Zhao Kun's boot crushed Lin Che's chest, its sole still stained with dog dung from noon—now grinding into his collarbone. "Worthless trash like you isn't even fit to lick my boots."
The crimson glow in the bamboo basket was Lin Ying's only hope. Three days prior, she had fallen into a coma, and the physician had given a death sentence—unless they found this century-old Blood Spirit Herb. The rare plant grew deep in Blackwood Cliff, guarded by the Crimson-Scaled Python, a Qi Refining Stage monster. To harvest it, Lin Che had crawled along the cliff base for two days and nights, surviving on rotten leaves and murky water until he seized his chance.
"No…" Lin Che coughed up blood-tinged foam, mixed with half a shattered molar. For the first time in sixteen years, he felt the limit of this body. A sealed spirit vein—his meridians were as rigid as black iron, making even the most basic Qi absorption impossible. The original owner had endured sixteen years of mockery, chopping wood, gathering herbs, and raising his younger sister, never fighting back even as he died on a straw mat in a dilapidated temple.
But Lin Che was not the original owner.
His soul held the millennium-old memories of a Transcendence Stage powerhouse. The Qingyun Continent, Cangming Continent, the Nine Nether Demon Realm… He had once stood side by side with his Dao Companion Su Qingyao, slaying demon gods and annihilating three thousand sects. In the end, they chose to reincarnate and rebuild their cultivation, refusing to ascend to that gilded cage that imprisoned immortals.
He still remembered their last meeting. On the Reincarnation Platform, Su Qingyao wore a phoenix crown and wedding robes, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Qingxuan, I'll come find you in this life. Cultivate hard—don't let those fox spirits ensnare you again."
What had he replied? "Don't worry. When I find you, I'll carve a path to you through the demon realms."
But reincarnation went awry. He had inhabited this useless body for sixteen years and seven months. And Su Qingyao… was nowhere to be found.
"Worthless?" He muttered, his eyes darkening to scarlet. "I've heard that for sixteen years and seven months. Today, I've had enough."
"Finish him." Zhao Kun waved at his bodyguard.
The bodyguard, Wang Hu, was a burly brute at Layer 1 of Body Tempering Realm, with a knife scar slashing from his brow to his jaw—an outlaw Zhao Kun had hired for five taels of silver. He picked up a hoe and strode toward the Blood Spirit Herb. "Kid, don't blame me. Blame your lousy luck. What Young Master Zhao wants, he gets."
The hoe's blade glinted in the moonlight, poised to sever the herb's roots—
Lin Che's pupils contracted sharply. Murderous intent boiled in his veins like molten lava.
Xiao Ying… I'm sorry…
Just as the hoe was about to strike, his chest erupted in searing pain.
That black jade pendant—a worthless amulet the original owner had found by the river three years ago—now burned like a branding iron, searing through his rough cloth shirt and leaving a charred mark on his sternum.
[Emergency Protocol Activated]
A cold mechanical voice exploded in his mind, laced with sardonic mockery:
[Host detected near death. Sister Lin Ying's remaining lifespan: 47 hours, 23 minutes, 17 seconds. Enemy seizing life-saving medicine. Current Killing Intent: 999/1000]
[System initializing… 10%… 30%… 60%… 100%!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host Lin Che, on binding the "Soul-Devouring God-Slaying System"! Forged jointly by the Ten Great Slaughter Gods, specializing in 3,000 years of underdog comebacks—trusted by 100,000 losers with a 99.9% success rate!]
[Now, kill. Efficiency is key.]
A translucent panel erupted before his eyes, its blood-red text like congealed blood:
=== Soul-Devouring God-Slaying System ===
Host: Lin Che (Soul Form: Transcendence Stage Powerhouse · Qingxuan Dao Lord)
Status: Near Death (Right arm comminuted fracture, 300ml internal bleeding, 3 fractured ribs)
Killing Intent: 999/1000 (Maxed, about to overflow)
Bloodline Seal: Godslayer Spirit-Sealing Vein (Layer 1 · Spirit Suppression)
Inheritance Sequence: Bai Qi (God of Slaughter), Xiang Yu (Overlord), Lü Zhi (Poison Empress), Han Xin (Military Sage), Huo Qubing (Wolf Sealer), Jia Xu (Poison Strategist), Genghis Khan (Heavenly Hero), Huang Chao (Rebel Lord), Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor), Cao Cao (Tyrant)
Urgent Mission: Slay Zhao Kun and his two accomplices; secure the Century-Old Blood Spirit Herb
Mission Reward: Unlock Layer 1 Seal, Heal All Injuries, Awaken Bai Qi's Inheritance [God of Slaughter Domain · Ten Thousand Souls Devour]
System Note: Stop staring. Your sister is dying. Hesitate, and she's gone forever. There is no second chance—death is permanent.
Tidal waves of murderous intent surged from the depths of his soul—the wails of a million lost spirits, the brand of ten lifetimes of slaughter. Lin Che's eyes turned crimson, a blood-red lotus spinning slowly in his pupils.
The air froze. Literally. Wang Hu, a Body Tempering cultivator, found his spiritual energy stagnant, even breathing a struggle. Zhao Kun's plump face blanched instantly, a primal terror gripping his soul—as if a rabbit cornered by a tiger, fear etched into his very blood.
"Ghost… a ghost!" Wang Hu screamed, his pants soaking through. Yellow liquid dripped down his legs, pooling on the rocks and steaming in the cold air.
"You… you're not worthless!" Zhao Kun's teeth chattered. "What are you? How can someone with a sealed vein cultivate?"
Lin Che stood slowly. His right arm snapped back into place with a series of cracks—broken bones realigning, flesh mending, leaving not a single scar. He clenched his fist, feeling Peak Qi Gathering Realm spiritual energy surge through his meridians—for the first time in sixteen years, he felt power.
"Zhao Kun," his voice was as calm as a death warrant from hell, "you just said you'd feed my sister to monsters?"
Zhao Kun tried to summon his spiritual energy to fight back, only to find his meridians frozen by overwhelming pressure. This was the foundational form of Bai Qi's inheritance—God of Slaughter Aura. Within ten zhang, cultivators of the same realm were no stronger than ants.
Lin Che grabbed Zhao Kun by the throat, lifting the two-hundred-jin man with one hand. Devour activated.
[Absorbing spiritual energy… 25%… 50%… 75%… 100%!]
[Detected Zhao Kun's cultivation: Fifth Layer Qi Gathering Realm (inferior quality). Excess impurities and unrefined yang energy detected. Purifying… Purification complete. Gained pure spiritual energy: 15 points.]
Zhao Kun's body shriveled visibly, his skin clinging tightly to his bones as his fat, flesh, and essence were drained in an instant. Three seconds later, a mummy crashed to the ground, the bamboo basket slipping from his hand—the Blood Spirit Herb remained intact.
[System Alert: Detected Zhao Kun's final thought—"My father is Zhao Tianxiong. He'll avenge me." Host, you're in trouble.]
=== System Update ===
Host: Lin Che
Cultivation: Qi Gathering Realm · Peak (15/1000)
Technique: Cangxuan Soul-Devouring Art (Layer 1 · Fragment)
Awakened Inheritance: Bai Qi [God of Slaughter Domain · Ten Thousand Souls Devour] (Range: 10 zhang radius)
Domain Effects:
Suppresses 50% of power from same-realm cultivators Devours Body Tempering Realm targets without physical contact Permanently increases Killing Intent cap by 1 per kill Host's healing speed increased by 200% within the domain
Next Objective: Devour 1 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, reach 5,000 Killing Intent to unlock Xiang Yu's Inheritance [Overlord's Formation Break]
[Secondary targets detected. Eliminate? Yes/No]
"Yes." Lin Che turned to the two remaining bodyguards.
They collapsed to the ground, kowtowing frantically until their foreheads bleed. "Spare us, hero! Zhao Kun forced us! We have families to feed—"
[System Note: Classic begging line. Added to "Top 100 Villain Surrender Scripts". Recommendation: Kill.]
Two swirls of black mist swept over them. Two more mummies fell, their souls devoured entirely.
[Novice Mission Completed. Rewards Disbursed.]
[Congratulations on achieving First Kill. Reward: 100 Killing Intent points.]
Lin Che took a deep breath, savoring the surging power within him. Once the pinnacle of two realms, he now returned to the starting line—yet bore the mark of ten lifetimes of slaughter. This time, he would not repeat his past mistakes.
He dug up the Blood Spirit Herb, carefully placed it in the basket, and wrapped its roots in cloth to preserve the soil.
Xiao Ying, big brother is back.
From now on, no one in Qingyun City will dare bully you again.
Lin Che slung the basket over his shoulder and vanished into the night in a flash.
---
[Flashback: Sibling Bond]
One month ago, Qingfeng Town Market.
"Brother, sugar hawthorns!" Three-year-old Lin Ying pointed at a stall, her eyes shining like two little stars.
Lin Che patted his empty pockets—twelve copper coins, barely enough for half a skewer. He knelt down, wiping drool from her chin. "Xiao Ying, be good. Brother didn't earn much today. When I gather valuable herbs, I'll buy you two skewers—one hawthorn, one strawberry. Promise."
"Promise!" She held out her pinky. "Pinky swear, a hundred years no take-backs!"
"Pinky swear."
That night, she fell asleep clinging to his arm, muttering in her dreams: "Sugar hawthorns… so sweet…"
Three days ago, the dilapidated temple.
The little girl lay on the straw mat, her body cold as iron. The physician had given his verdict—only a Century-Old Blood Spirit Herb could save her.
Lin Che clenched his fists. "How much do you need?"
"Money?" The physician scoffed. "Century-Old Blood Spirit Herbs only grow deep in Blackwood Cliff, guarded by Qi Refining monsters. You, a worthless sealed-vein nobody—"
Before he could finish, Lin Che pressed all his savings into his hand. "Please, keep her alive for one more day."
The physician trembled at the boy's bloodshot eyes, leaving a low-grade Fire Essence Pill. "This will only buy one day."
The original owner had been an orphan, finding the infant Lin Ying in the snow three years prior. No blood relation, yet closer than family. He chopped wood, begged, endured robberies and beatings—all to feed her a bowl of warm porridge. For three years, Lin Che had inherited these memories, and this responsibility.
He remembered Su Qingyao. He remembered their vow on the Cangming Continent to reincarnate and rebuild, refusing the gilded cage of the Immortal Realm. Now that she was gone, Lin Ying was his only anchor.
A sealed spirit vein? He had tried countless methods to draw Qi, all in vain. Until today—when the System used Zhao Kun's life to break the first lock.
---
The dilapidated temple came into view.
Lin Che pushed open the door and set the Blood Spirit Herb beside the straw mat. Lin Ying curled in the corner, her small face still pale, but her breathing steadier than before.
He sat beside her, pulling a cherished osmanthus candy from his bosom and placing it gently in her hand.
"Xiao Ying, I brought you something nice." He whispered. "Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the market and buy you sugar hawthorns—two whole skewers."
As if hearing him in her sleep, her lips curved upward, and she mumbled indistinctly: "Sugar hawthorns… don't steal…"
Moonlight streamed through the broken window, illuminating her small hand clutching the candy—and the scarlet glow in Lin Che's eyes.
He knew the Zhao family would not let this rest. Zhao Kun's father, Zhao Tianxiong, was a Late Qi Gathering Realm cultivator, and the Zhao clan was the richest and most influential in Qingfeng Town. Today's battle was only the beginning.
But as he stared at his sister's peaceful sleeping face, a cold smile tugged at Lin Che's lips.
[System Alert: Zhao family's life token shattered. Investigation team expected within 24-48 hours. Recommendation: Hunt monsters to earn money for Lin Ying's snacks.]
[System Note: Sugar hawthorns cost 3 copper coins per skewer; monster materials sell for 10 copper coins each. Host, your financial planning is admirable.]
Ignoring the System's sarcasm, Lin Che began circulating the Cangxuan Soul-Devouring Art.
Beneath the moonlight, the God of Slaughter Domain in the temple contracted slowly, like a lurking beast.
Tomorrow would be a good day.
At the very least, there would be sugar hawthorns.
---
Chapter Hook: Lin Che wakes with a promise to buy sugar hawthorns for his sister, only to find Qingyun City abuzz with rumors of Zhao Kun's death. How will the sugar hawthorns Lin Ying craves become his chance to earn his first fortune? More importantly, what secrets will he uncover about his "sister" when he begins teaching her to cultivate?
Next Chapter: Chapter 2 - Sugar Hawthorns and the First Fortune. The Shadow of the Zhao Family.
[Cultivation Level Explanation for This Book]: In this world, cultivation realms from lowest to highest are—Body Refinement Realm, Qi Gathering Realm, Foundation Establishment Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm, Spirit Transformation Realm, Void Refinement Realm, Mahayana Realm, and Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Each realm is divided into five sub-levels: Entry, Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Peak Stage.
Current Status:
- Lin Che: Qi Condensing Realm - Peak Stage
- Zhao Kun: Qi Condensing Realm - Early Stage
- His Guards: Body Tempering Realm
Author's Note
Hi everyone! This is my first time writing a web novel—super excited (and a little nervous) to share Lin Che's story with you all!
If you have any questions about the plot, cultivation system, or character backgrounds (like the realms or the system's mechanics), feel free to leave a comment below. I'll read every message and reply as soon as possible to clear things up!
Your support means the world to me—whether it's a vote, a comment, or a follow, it keeps me motivated to write more exciting chapters. I'm still learning and growing, so any feedback (good or constructive) is totally welcome.
Stay tuned for Chapter 2: Sugar Hawthorns and the First Fortune. The Shadow of the Zhao Family—more action, more system sarcasm, and of course, Lin Che's journey to protect his sister and conquer the world!
Thanks for reading! ❤️