The afternoon sun dipped low, casting jagged shadows across the Lin clan's training grounds. Ancient stone pillars, etched with faded cultivation runes, loomed like silent sentinels, bearing witness to generations of cultivators honing their arts. The air thrummed with spiritual energy, vibrant streams of qi dancing from the hands of young disciples, their colorful flows weaving through the air like silken ribbons.
All except Lin Tian.
The seventeen-year-old stood at the edge of the vast stone platform, clutching a worn cultivation manual so tightly his knuckles turned white. While his peers glowed with the faint shimmer of spiritual energy, Lin Tian was a void—painfully ordinary. His thin frame and pale face marked him as the clan's disgrace, a"waste"whispered about in every corner of the Lin compound.
"Focus, you useless boy!"Third Elder's voice lashed out like a whip, sharp and biting. The white-bearded cultivator strode toward Lin Tian, his eyes narrowed with scorn."Even a five-year-old can sense spiritual energy. Yet here you stand, as lifeless as a stump!"
Lin Tian shut his eyes, desperation clawing at his chest. He strained to feel something—anything—a flicker of the spiritual energy that pulsed through the world. But, as always, there was nothing. Just a hollow emptiness where others sensed the universe's breath.
"I'm trying, Elder,"he rasped, sweat beading on his brow.
"Trying?"Third Elder sneered, his voice dripping with disdain."The Lin clan doesn't coddle failures. We forge greatness!"He snatched the manual from Lin Tian's hands, tossing it to the ground with a thud."You're squandering resources better spent on those with actual potential."
The training ground fell silent, all eyes on the familiar scene. Some disciples smirked, their superiority barely concealed, while others averted their gazes, pity flickering in their expressions.
Lin Feng, Lin Tian's cousin and the clan's shining star, stepped forward from the crowd. At nineteen, he'd reached the fourth stage of Qi Condensation—a feat that outstripped many twice his age."Third Elder,"he said, his voice thick with mock concern,"perhaps my cousin needs a simpler lesson. I'd be happy to show him how it's done."A malicious glint sparked in his eyes.
Third Elder nodded, a cruel smile tugging at his lips."A fine idea, Lin Feng. Let the boy learn from a real cultivator."
Lin Feng sauntered to the platform's center, his movements fluid and assured. With a deep breath, he extended a palm, and a shimmering orb of azure energy coalesced above it, pulsing with raw power."This,"he declared, voice loud enough for all to hear,"is basic energy manipulation. Something even the youngest disciples master in days."His gaze locked onto Lin Tian, taunting, daring him to react.
Lin Tian's cheeks burned with shame. Five years of failure weighed on him like chains—countless nights poring over manuals, memorizing every technique, yet never once conjuring a wisp of energy. The clan physicians had confirmed it long ago:his spiritual roots were defective, a birth defect no effort could overcome.
"Lin Tian!"Third Elder barked, his tone slicing through the air."Step forward and show us what you've learned."
A heavy silence descended. Everyone knew what was coming.
Lin Tian dragged himself forward, legs leaden. He raised his palm in the basic stance he'd practiced a thousand times, pouring every ounce of focus into the act.
Nothing.
Laughter erupted, sharp and mocking, echoing across the grounds.
"Pathetic,"Third Elder spat, disgust etched into his weathered face."You shame your ancestors, Lin Tian. Three days from now, at the family meeting, every disciple must prove their progress. As a son of the Seventh Branch, you'll attend—though I can't imagine what you'll show beyond your own failure."He turned away, dismissing him with a wave."Training's over. Clean the grounds before you leave."
The crowd dispersed, some casting sneering glances at the lone figure on the platform. Lin Feng lingered, his smile predatory."Don't take it too hard, cousin,"he called, loud enough for stragglers to hear."Not everyone's meant for greatness. The kitchens need a pot-scrubber—maybe that's your calling."He chuckled, flicking his sleeve as he strutted off.
Lin Tian's fists clenched, nails digging into his palms."One day, Lin Feng,"he growled under his breath,"you'll choke on those words."
Lin Feng paused, tossing a mocking grin over his shoulder."I can't wait to see what a talentless waste like you could possibly do."With a final laugh, he vanished into the fading light, leaving Lin Tian alone in the lengthening shadows.
Tucked at the compound's farthest edge, Lin Tian's small cottage lay hidden beneath ancient willows, a forgotten relic compared to the grand halls of the clan's elite. Its peeling paint and sagging roof mirrored his own neglect, the overgrown garden a testament to years of disregard.
Inside, Lin Tian slumped at a rickety table cluttered with cultivation scrolls. A single oil lamp cast a flickering glow, illuminating the stubborn determination carved into his young face despite the day's humiliation. On the wall hung a faded family tree, its names blurred by time and dampness. His finger traced the line to his father, Lin Wei—a once-promising cultivator who perished on a clan mission when Lin Tian was an infant. Below it, a simple portrait of a woman with gentle eyes stared back at him.
"Mother,"he whispered, voice trembling,"I'm still failing you."
Lin Yue had given everything for him after his father's death. From the humble Seventh Branch, she'd fought for his right to train, even as his defects became clear. Her unwavering faith had been his anchor—until illness stole her two years ago, leaving him with a promise he couldn't keep.
"I swore I'd make you proud,"he choked out,"but how, when my spiritual roots are broken?"
He grabbed the simplest manual, its pages worn from years of desperate study. He knew every breathing technique, every diagram by heart—better than most of his peers. But without the ability to sense spiritual energy, it was all useless.
With a frustrated snarl, he flung the book at the wall. It struck an old wooden chest, the lid creaking open. A glint of metal caught the lamplight.
Curious, Lin Tian approached. Inside lay an octagonal bronze medal, its surface swirling with strange patterns that seemed to shift under his gaze. At its center was a symbol like a stylized eye, ancient and unsettling.
"What is this?"he murmured, reaching out. The moment his fingers brushed the cold metal, a jolt of energy surged through him. He gasped, stumbling back as the medal erupted in an unearthly blue glow.
The light intensified, swallowing the room. Lin Tian shielded his eyes, heart pounding. When he looked again, he stood in a boundless void, stars and nebulae swirling around him.
"What's happening?"His voice echoed in the cosmic expanse.
"Destiny System activating,"a cold, mechanical voice reverberated from all directions."Scanning potential host…"
A beam of light engulfed him, probing his very essence.
"Host identified:Lin Tian. Status:Mortal with severed spiritual pathways. Potential:Calculating…"
Lin Tian's mind raced. A system—like the mythical tools of legend, choosing their masters?
"Anomaly detected. External spiritual blockage identified. True potential:Extraordinary."
"Blockage?"Lin Tian's voice trembled."My spiritual roots aren't defective?"
"Incorrect. Host's spiritual pathways have been deliberately sealed. Origin of seal:Unknown."
The words hit like a thunderbolt. Years of ridicule, shame, believing himself broken—someone had done this to him. But who? Why?
"Destiny System binding initiated. Partial unsealing possible. Proceed?"
"Yes!"Lin Tian shouted, desperation fueling his choice."Unseal my spiritual roots!"
"Acknowledged. Process may cause severe discomfort."
Pain erupted, molten fire searing through his veins. He collapsed, screaming as the system dismantled the barriers within him. It felt like an eternity, though it might've been minutes. When the agony faded, he lay panting on the cottage floor, the void gone, the medal now a presence in his mind.
"Unsealing 10%complete. Spiritual capacity at 15%. Destiny System bonded."
Lin Tian rose shakily, a new sensation stirring within—a warm current flowing through his meridians, a faint awareness of the energy around him. For the first time, he felt spiritual energy.
"I can feel it,"he whispered, awestruck, as a golden glow flickered from his palm.
"Basic functions available:Skill Acquisition, Status Viewing, Quest System."
"Status,"he commanded.
A blue screen materialized:
Name:Lin Tian
Age:17
Cultivation:Early Qi Condensation(Level 1)
Spiritual Roots:Dual-Attribute(Fire/Wind)-90%Sealed
Skills:None
Quests:[Active]Proving Your Worth:Compete in the Lin Family Tournament
Reward:Skill Book"Elemental Fireball"
Dual-attribute roots—fire and wind—a rare gift prized for its versatility. Lin Tian's breath hitched."Someone sealed me,"he growled, anger rising."They made me a joke."
"Insufficient data to identify culprit. Advancement may reveal more."
"Then I'll advance,"he vowed, a cold smile spreading."Starting at the tournament."
Three days later, the competition arena buzzed with anticipation. Hundreds of clan members filled the stone tiers around a massive central platform, banners emblazoned with the Lin clan's cloud-wreathed peak snapping in the breeze.
Lin Tian stood among the disciples, ignoring their whispers."Why's the waste here?""Probably fetching water."He kept his face blank, but inside, he smirked. Three days of secret cultivation under the system's guidance had stabilized his Qi Condensation First Level, mastering the energy manipulation he'd once only dreamed of.
"Preliminary matches starting soon,"the system intoned."Opponent assignment incoming."
The Clan Leader, a stern man radiating immense spiritual pressure, opened the event."Today, we see our future,"he declared."Let the strongest bring glory to the Lin name."
Matches were drawn by lot."Lin Tian versus Lin Feng,"the coordinator announced.
The crowd erupted in laughter. Lin Feng, at Qi Condensation Fourth Level, was leagues above him—or so they thought.
Lin Feng scowled."This is an insult. I demand a real opponent."
Third Elder frowned."The draw is fair, but—"
"I accept,"Lin Tian cut in, stepping forward with a confidence that drew puzzled stares.
Lin Feng laughed, cold and mocking."Fine, waste. I'll make this quick—try not to cry in front of everyone."
On the platform, the system updated:"Quest revised:Opponent Lin Feng. Reward upgraded:'Advanced Elemental Fireball.'"
Third Elder signaled the start. Lin Feng summoned a pulsing orb of azure energy, his smirk vicious."Let's end this fast."
Lin Tian assumed a perfect stance, palm raised. A golden-red sphere flared to life, its concentrated power silencing the arena.
"Impossible!"Lin Feng stammered, his focus breaking.
Lin Tian struck, the orb shattering Lin Feng's barrier like glass. It slammed into him, singeing his robes and sending him staggering back, shock replacing arrogance.
The arena fell deathly quiet. Third Elder's face paled, his teacup trembling in his hand.
"How?"Lin Feng's voice shook, fear creeping in."You're nothing!"
"Focus on staying upright,"Lin Tian shot back, his smile icy.
Lin Feng roared, charging with fists aglow in blue energy."I'll crush you!"
Guided by the system's prompts, Lin Tian dodged with newfound agility, striking Lin Feng's chest with a burst of power. Lin Feng flew back, crashing against the platform's barrier and crumpling, unconscious.
The crowd exploded—disciples shouting, elders rising, chaos erupting."Lin Tian wins!"the referee stammered.
Lin Tian bowed to the elders, noting Third Elder's ashen face and the Clan Leader's calculating stare.
"Quest complete. Reward:'Advanced Elemental Fireball.'New function:Spiritual Perception."
Activating the ability, Lin Tian's senses expanded, revealing the energy signatures around him. A faint, familiar thread in his seal caught his attention—matching Third Elder's aura.
"So,"he whispered, eyes narrowing at the elder,"it starts with you."
The waste had awakened. The Lin clan would never be the same.