The yard of the Darkveil Clan brimmed with noise.The spring wind gently blew against the lantern. That day was supposed to be a day of celebration because three sons had been born that morning. Each of them carried the bloodline of the Darkveil name.The clan gathered with eager faces with their eyes bright with expectation.On a raised dais, elders cradled two swaddled infants. A soft glow of qi shimmered faintly around their tiny bodies and the mark of spiritual roots had already stirred within them.“Look at them,” someone whispered. “Blessed from birth. They will bring pride to our clan.”Cheers erupted from the people present. Mothers smiled and fathers straightened their backs in pride. These children, blessed by the heavens, were already destined for cultivation.But then, a heavy silence fell. A third infant was carried forward. He was small, quiet, his skin was pale and his cries were very weak. There was no glow of qi surrounding him. This was Arin Darkveil.The clan physic

The yard of the Darkveil Clan glowed with lantern light.The Awakening Ceremony came only once every decade. It was the day the clan’s youths revealed their fates, tested their roots, and secured their place in the hierarchy of the clan.Bright banners snapped in the wind. Elders with sharp eyes stood in a half-circle with expectations. The stone altar in the center vibrated faintly with ancient qi. The stone was ready to measure meridians.All the children lined up in ceremonial attire. They looked nervous, eager and trembling with dreams of glory.Arin Darkveil stood among them. His small fists clenched inside his sleeves.His hands were pale, cold and trembling. He rubbed his thumb over a hidden scrap of cloth stitched with a broken-spoke symbol which was his mother’s last gift.The cloth gave him strength. But not enough to silence the murmurs around him.“There’s the cripple.”“Why let him take the test?”“He’ll shame us all over again.”Arin kept his head bowed. His ears burned

The yard was silent when dawn came across the Darkveil compound.Children still slept in their quarters. Elders had not yet begun their morning routines.Only Arin moved.His body ached from the beating. His ribs were still tender, bruises painted his skin in ugly red stains. As the first light broke, the familiar cold chime echoed inside his skull.“Ding! Daily Quests Generated.First: Perform 200 basic strikes. Reward: +0.5 Strength. Penalty: –1 year lifespan.Two: Practice meridian breathing for 30 minutes. Reward: +1 Qi Sensitivity. Penalty: –1 year lifespan.Three: Survive one confrontation. Reward: Minor Stamina Recovery. Penalty: –2 years lifespan.”Arin’s eyes widened at the last line. ‘I must survive one confrontation?’It didn’t say win. It didn’t say defeat. Only survive.The system wasn’t merciful. But it wasn’t entirely cruel either.Still… if he ignored them, he said would lose years of his life. And he had only seventeen.He began his practice in the corner of the cla

The yard of the Darkveil clan glowed with solemnity. It was the inspection day.The elders stood tall upon the raised platform. Their robes were lined with silver and crimson. Their eyes are sharp as blades. Before them, the clan’s youths gathered in rows with weapons in their hands. Each ready to display their progress.For Arin, it should have been another day of humiliation. He should have been invisible and mocked like before. But fate was cruel.And the system never allowed him to remain unseen.“Kael Darkveil, step forward,” called the First Elder.Kael walked to the front. His aura flared. Fire moved around him like a serpent of red flame. That made the crowd gasp. He executed a fierce strike, scorching the practice ground black.“Excellent,” the elders murmured. “Truly, the clan’s brightest star.”Kael smirked, basking in praise.“Next,” the elder barked. “Bring forth the others.”The names were called, youths performed, then applause rose and fell.And unexpectedly, “Arin Dar

The wind howled across the barren ridge as two figures made their way along the frozen path.Arin walked with steady strides now. He was no longer the broken youth who had left his clan’s gates in humiliation. His qi flowed smoother and his meridians no longer felt like chains of fire tearing through his flesh. Instead, his body pulsed with faint power, subtle and yet undeniable.Beside him walked Lyra Frostwind. Her pale cloak fluttered like a shard. She said little, but every so often her icy gaze drifted toward him, as if measuring the changes in his stance and the growing strength in his aura.The wilderness had carved him anew.Days bled into nights. Their journey toward civilization became a crucible.At dawn, Arin drilled Dragon Vein Fist until his knuckles split. The system chimed relentlessly, issuing quests that rebuilt him.“Ding! Daily Training Quest: Perform 500 Dragon Vein Strikes.Reward: Dragon Vein Fist Proficiency +5%.Penalty: –2 years lifespan if failed.”His arms