---
"Yuan'er, come and sit," Xiao Luo said with a gentle smile, her voice soft as spring rain after a long drought.
Shen Yuan stepped forward, each movement composed yet relaxed. He bowed slightly out of habit and respect before pulling out the wooden chair carved with celestial motifs—stars, comets, and swirling constellations danced across its frame, mirroring the night sky that had become so familiar during his years of training.
He settled in quietly, the legs of the chair creaking softly against the polished floor of the Falling Star Pavilion's main hall.
His father, Shen Ming, let out a hearty laugh that filled the room with warmth. "Yuan'er, have you returned for the Coming of Age Ceremony?"
Shen Yuan's lips curved into a faint smile. "Yes, Father. I'm sixteen now. I believe I qualify this year, don't I?"
"Haha! You should be!" Shen Ming's laughter echoed again, booming like thunder yet lacking any sharp edge. His face, bronzed by years under the sun, lit up with pride. Though his build was stocky and his hands calloused like a warrior's, the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at his son softened his whole demeanor. "Feels like just yesterday you were chasing after spirit birds with a wooden sword, tumbling through the courtyard like a little wild beast."
Shen Yuan chuckled softly and lowered his gaze. In truth, those weren't his memories—not originally—but the fragments passed down through the body he now inhabited still resonated with a strange warmth. Echoes of a childhood he'd never truly lived lingered in his soul like the aftertaste of something sweet.
He didn't need to fake the smile.
The Falling Star Pavilion wasn't bound by blood like a clan, but it held itself together through bonds just as strong. Ever since the clash between two Dou Di titans three years ago left scars on both land and sky, the Pavilion had changed. Ties had tightened. The Coming of Age Ceremony had become more than a tradition—it was a statement of resilience, a rite to remind them all that the next generation would rise, no matter the shadows of the past.
"There's still time before the ceremony," Shen Ming said, placing a firm palm on the table, the wood letting out a dull thump. "Use it wisely. Sharpen yourself. This isn't just any event—it's a declaration."
Shen Yuan gave a small nod. "That suits me just fine. I have some things I want to refine anyway."
Shen Ming's gaze lingered on him a moment longer, the pride in his eyes unhidden. "You speak like someone who's already seen the world."
Before another word could be exchanged, Xiao Luo reentered, holding a steaming dish. "Enough talk," she chided gently, setting it down at the center of the table. "If you keep this up, dinner will get cold and all your so-called 'mature strength' will wither away from hunger."
"Yes, Mother," Shen Yuan replied with a sheepish smile, and for a heartbeat, he almost felt like the original boy again.
The aroma that wafted up from the table was divine—cloud-spiced pheasant, her signature dish. Shen Yuan blinked. Just the scent brought back faint emotional echoes: comfort, belonging, a deep-seated nostalgia he hadn't known he could feel.
He took a bite, the meat tender and fragrant, seasoned with spirit herbs and slow-cooked cloud mushrooms that shimmered faintly under the light. The warmth spread through him not just physically, but spiritually. The trace spiritual energy in the dish stirred his core.
"…It's perfect," he murmured.
Xiao Luo smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Good. You've gotten thinner."
Shen Ming took a bowl for himself, even though everyone knew he didn't need to eat. At his level, food was unnecessary. But he still sat at the table every day, still lifted his chopsticks, because this—family—was what he fought for.
Laughter mingled with the scent of herbs and roasted meat as the evening deepened. It was the kind of peace that crept up slowly, wrapping around the heart before you even realized it was there.
For the first time in a very long time—perhaps in either of his lifetimes—Shen Yuan felt something close to… home.
---
That night, when the stars began to dot the sky in quiet brilliance, Shen Yuan sat cross-legged in his room.
The moonlight streamed through the open window, spilling across the wooden floor in silver strands. The cool night breeze carried with it the faint fragrance of blooming night lotuses. Paper screens rustled softly, and the whole world seemed to hold its breath.
His body was still. His heart steady.
"Learn Origin Immortal Sutra," he whispered into the silence.
[Ding! Host has successfully learned Origin Immortal Sutra.]
The system's voice echoed in his mind—calm, clipped, mechanical. Then came the flood.
Ancient mantras, complex meridian diagrams, flowing energy paths, and deep philosophical revelations about essence, balance, and the harmony between self and universe—it all poured into him in one overwhelming rush.
He winced, jaw tightening. But he endured.
His golden eyes flickered open, pupils gleaming faintly with mysterious light. He could feel it—an internal alignment he hadn't possessed before. Like a key finally sliding into place within a locked gate.
The Origin Immortal Sutra... a Qi Method said to come from a lost Immortal Clan, one that attuned its practitioner to the very rhythm of creation. This wasn't merely about power—it was about connection, about transformation.
"Open status," he said quietly.
The air shimmered. A translucent screen unfolded like a mirror against reality itself:
---
[Status Panel – Shen Yuan]
Name: Shen Yuan
Age: 16
Title: Talented Genius
Bloodline: None
Special Physique: None
Talent: 69
Constitution: 2
Physique: 3
Agility: 2
Perception: 5
Control: 35
Charm: 89
Current Realm: Immortal Master (Dou Shi) – 8th Star
Qi Method: Origin Immortal Sutra
Elemental Affinities: Fire | Lightning | Wood
Spiritual Cultivation: Rising Soul (Mortal Realm - High)
Formation Mastery: Unranked
Spiritual Runes Mastery: Unranked
Alchemy: Unranked
Talisman Mastery: Unranked
Learned Skills: —
Dou Techniques: —
Stat Points: 30
Skill Points: 18
Attribute Points: 1
"Relationships"
Master: —
Wife: —
Parents: Shen Ming (Father), Xiao Luo (Mother)
Apprentices: —
Children: —
---
"Use five stat points on Constitution, fifteen on Talent, and ten on Physique," he instructed.
[Ding! Allocation complete.]
A warm pulse surged through him. His bones ached briefly as they thickened. Muscles tightened and grew more defined. His breath came easier, deeper, more stable.
He felt… stronger. Not just in body, but in soul.
---
[Status Panel – Shen Yuan]
Talent: 84
Constitution: 7
Physique: 13
(Other stats unchanged)
Stat Points Remaining: 0
---
He exhaled slowly, satisfaction curling through him.
"This'll do. For the ceremony—and for what comes next."
With that, he closed the panel and began cycling the Origin Immortal Sutra. Spiritual qi rushed through his body in golden threads, dancing through his meridians like stardust in a river.