2026-05-27 01:38:27The air rippled violently as the dark mist condensed into a towering, majestic projection of an ancient emperor. The figure wore tattered but glorious imperial robes, his gaze carrying the ancient weight of a man who knew ultimate betrayal.
"Stand up, young man," the projection commanded, his deep voice instantly pushing back the roaring sulfur winds around them. "I am Master Jiu, the former Ashen Emperor, and the first soul bound to your system's training roster."
"Where am I? My daughter is still up there with those monsters!" Lin Feng choked out, desperately trying to push himself up. "I don't care about a system, I have to go back!"
"Calm your heart, boy," Master Jiu replied, his expression shifting into a solemn, understanding look. "This system is a heavenly gift born from your absolute sorrow, granting you direct training access to the dead highest talents of history."
"I reached my legendary height only after one hundred elder cultivators transferred their entire lifework into my soul," the emperor explained. "I was betrayed by my own bloodline, just as you were. But look at you now, your meridians are complete trash."
"If I stay here to train, my daughter will die!" Lin Feng screamed, coughing up a splatter of dark blood against the stone. "The Lin clan will destroy her!"
"Then you are fortunate that this space is governed by ancient time-compressing magic," Master Jiu answered, gesturing toward the floating runes. "A single day in the mortal world equates to a full year of hellish torment down here."
"You will learn in five compressed days what ordinary cultivators spend one hundred thousand years trying to master," Jiu added. "But the system demands real stakes. It will not hand you free power without absolute struggle."
[Ding! Master Jiu has issued a Mandatory Survival Task: Execute the Ashen Lung-Purging Technique within sixty seconds.]
[Failure Penalty: Immediate destruction of the host's soul. The countdown begins now.]
"Stop complaining and focus!" Master Jiu barked, his voice carrying an intense authority. "Draw the toxic air into your lower dantian, let the sulfur spark the core, and ignore the burning. Do it now, or you will never see your child again!"
Lin Feng bit his lips until they bled, the vivid image of Nina’s bruised face fueling his absolute refusal to die. He drew the scalding, toxic fumes deep into his chest, screaming out in raw agony as the smoke tore through his lungs.
The pain felt like molten iron flooding his veins, but he forced the energy downward, following Master Jiu's strict verbal guidance. He manipulated the heat, compressing the volatile gas until it formed a tiny, burning dark spark at his center.
[Ding! Life-or-Death Task completed. Reward: Initial stabilization of the host's spiritual pool. Training Domain unlocked.]
Lin Feng fell forward, panting heavily as black smoke escaped his lips, his body trembling from the sudden shift. Master Jiu nodded slowly, his cold demeanor softening with a slight hint of respect. "Good. You have the willpower of a survivor."
Suddenly, dozens of red-eyed silhouettes began to materialize from the thick gray fog, their smoky, jagged bodies growling aggressively. "These are Sulfur Phantoms," Master Jiu explained, drawing a glowing spiritual blade from the mists.
"They are the aggressive remnants of failed experts who died in this canyon," Jiu said, tossing a phantom training blade to Lin Feng. "Your real crucible begins now. Slay them, and the system will fuse my Ashen Nether Qi into your spine."
[Ding! Training Task initialized: Slay thirty Sulfur Phantoms using bare hands and basic forms. Reward: Ashen Nether Qi infusion.]
Three phantoms immediately lunged forward, their sharp smoky claws slicing through the air toward Lin Feng's throat. Lin Feng ducked beneath the first strike, the weight of his frost-iron chains rattling loudly against the jagged floor.
He drove his fist directly into the chest of the nearest creature, channeling his raw anger into the punch. The phantom shrieked as its smoky form fractured, but the impact sent a sickening wave of pain through Lin Feng's unhealed shoulders.
"Don't hesitate!" Master Jiu shouted from the shadows, his eyes tracking every movement. "Use their momentum against them! A true sovereign does not rely on perfect meridians, he relies on an unbreakable spirit!"
For the first compressed year, Lin Feng lived in a state of constant, uninterrupted warfare against the endless waves of monsters. He didn't wake up as a cheat-code hero; he had to fight, bleed, and crawl through the dirt for every scrap of progress.
By the second year, the system's relentless tasks had forced massive amounts of Ashen Nether Qi into his broken veins. The dark energy violently burned away the lingering traces of the poison, replacing his shattered human paths with raw, unyielding power.
By the start of the third year, Lin Feng stood in the middle of a massive pile of dissolving phantom remnants, his breathing perfectly steady. Master Jiu materialized before him, his piercing gaze sweeping over Lin Feng's hardened, muscular posture.
"You have mastered the basic forms," Jiu remarked coldly. "But to inherit my ultimate mantle, your foundation must transcend mortality. I order you to deliberately shatter your remaining human bones against the heaviest iron storms."
Lin Feng didn't hesitate for a single second; his love for his daughter had completely burned away his self-preservation instincts. He walked directly into the center of a raging, metallic cyclone, letting the sharp iron shards smash his limbs into splinters.
[Ding! Ultimate Reconstruction Task completed. Bestowing the highest reward: Ashen Sovereign Skeleton reconstruction.]
The system's dark energy swarmed his broken frame, weaving the ancient, indestructible structure of the Ashen Sovereign directly into his flesh. The physical and psychological friction between the strict mentor and the desperate father had transformed him into a weapon.
By the fifth compressed year, Lin Feng stood at the absolute bottom of the abyss, the surrounding sulfur storms completely unable to scratch his skin. He stood perfectly still as the system delivered its final, legendary notification.
[Ding! Five-year crucible concluded. Bestowing the final reward: The Primordial Dragon Sovereign Core.]
A terrifying, golden-dark orb materialized inside his chest, spinning rapidly as it completely rebuilt his cultivation base to a supreme level. Lin Feng's aura flared, causing the entire execution canyon to shake violently as he prepared to leap out.
"Stop, you fool!" Master Jiu roared, his phantom form blocking the exit of the chasm. "You rush back there with your power fully unleashed, and Patriarch Lin will panic. He will use your daughter as a human shield before fleeing!"
The words struck Lin Feng like cold water, forcing his boiling mind back into a state of calculating, logical reasoning. "If you want total vengeance, you must play the ghost," Master Jiu instructed, his voice low and tactical.
"Suppress your terrifying aura entirely," Jiu added, handing him a simple staff. "Force your complexion to look sickly, and wear those tattered, blood-soaked rags. Let them believe they succeeded in destroying you until the trap is sprung."
Lin Feng understood the strategy perfectly, realizing that a hidden snake was far more dangerous than a roaring beast. He summoned a weathered wooden staff under his arm, allowing his newly forged Ashen Sovereign structure to relax into the awkward posture of a limping invalid. The Primordial Core inside his chest spun in reverse, instantly sucking away his god-like presence and leaving his skin looking sickly pale.
"Remember, boy," Master Jiu’s voice echoed one last time within his consciousness, sharp and warning. "The Lin clan thinks you are liquid sludge. If you unleash your aura too early, Patriarch Lin will use your daughter as a human shield before you can even cross the courtyard."
"I know how to play the ghost, Master," Lin Feng whispered into the dark mist as he stepped out of the time-compressed domain. "But if any of those dogs step across my path tonight, I will collect the interest for my daughter's tears."
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141
The giant gray bird circled low through the freezing mountain mist above the high stone wall. Its massive wings beat the air with a sharp, ragged whistle that cut through the morning silence. A dark trail of blood dripped from its tail feathers, staining the pale pear blossoms below.Lin Feng moved instantly, stepping between the falling shadow and the little girl in the grass. He swept his wide wool coat forward, pulling Nina safely behind his strong, steady legs. His dark golden eyes looked up into the clouds, watching the wounded beast falter in the wind."Take Granny Wan inside the house right now, Uncle Lu," Lin Feng ordered in a low voice. The old servant did not hesitate for a second, grabbing the midwife's trembling elbow with care. Together, the two elders hurried up the wooden porch steps and pulled the heavy screen shut.The great bird gave another long, painful shriek that echoed off the cold granite cliffs. It tilted sideways in the freezing air, its heavy head drooping a
140
The golden light inside the little glass bottle pulsed like a warm, tiny heart. Lin Feng looked down at the soft glow, resting his steady hand on his daughter's shoulder. Beneath the blooming pear tree, the subterranean chime of the valley grew louder with every breath. But just as peace settled over the quiet garden, Granny Wan let out a sharp cry of pure terror."Look at the third seed!" the old midwife screamed, her shaking finger pointing straight at the glass. "Oh heaven, look what is happening to Lian'er's seed!" Lin Feng dropped to one knee instantly, his dark golden eyes turning as sharp as winter iron. Inside the bottle, two of the seeds burned with bright gold fire, but the last one was turning cold.A thin, ugly gray crack was spreading across the smooth shell of the third seed. The warm golden light was leaking out of the tiny wound like melted spring snow. The shell shivered in the dark glass, losing its color and turning the dull gray of lead. Granny Wan fell to her knee
139
The heavy black box sat quietly on the damp grass between their boots. Its dark surface caught the morning light, showing a carved white lotus ringed by seven stars. Lin Feng stared down at the mark, his chest growing cold as old memories rushed back. Beside his knee, Nina held the tiny red baby shoes tightly against her warm quilted coat."Daddy," Nina whispered softly, looking up at him with wide, tearful eyes. "Is my Mama hiding inside this dark wooden box?" Lin Feng felt an ache in his throat that hurt worse than any battlefield wound. He knelt in the dirt, wrapped his strong arms around her, and pulled her close."No, my little bird," Lin Feng whispered, his voice trembling with deep love. "Your Mama is not inside, but she left a special gift for us before she went to sleep." Granny Wan wiped her wet cheeks with the rough sleeve of her patched blue coat. The old midwife sat on the grass, her tired legs shaking after the long mountain road."Lian'er never wanted you to know the tr
138
The black stone sang softly through the night.Its deep music made the valley feel safe. Everyone slept well, but Lin Feng woke up before the sun came out.He sat quietly on the edge of Nina's small wooden bed.The room was warm and smelled like dried pears. Nina was curled up under her thick quilt, holding her ash rattle tight against her chest.Suddenly, her small eyelids fluttered. A tiny tear ran down her pink cheek."Mama..." Nina whispered in her sleep. "Where did you go?"Lin Feng felt a sharp pain in his chest. It hurt more than any wound he had ever suffered.He reached out his large, rough hand. He gently wiped the wet tear from her soft cheek.He had beaten the kings of the sky. He had broken all their bad rules. But he could never bring back the mother she never saw.The door slid open with a tiny creak.Lanying walked into the room, carrying a bowl of hot water and a clean white cloth.She stopped beside the bed. Her silver eyes looked at the little girl, then turned to L
137
Grandmother Yan-Yu sat upon a three-legged stool by the ditch, her birch staff resting between her knees. She spat into the wet gravel with ancient, grandmotherly disgust."A monument is an arrogance," the old herbalist rasped, her milky eyes turned toward the sky. "Whether you carve a king's name or a beggar's name, the stone stands there like an old tooth sticking out of the dirt, pretending that human beings are more important than the trees. Drag the cursed thing into the deep swamp! Let the water-moss cover it; let the eels make their nests in the cracks; let the earth swallow what the Archons stole from its belly!"The four elders argued back and forth, their voices rising and falling like the wind through a pine canyon, each proposal carrying a fragment of truth, each solution carrying the seed of a future failure.Lin Feng did not speak.He sat upon an overturned cedar crate three paces from the great black stone, Nina resting quietly in his lap. The child had her arms wra
136
The crossroads of the valley was crowded before the sun had reached the height of a man’s head.Four hundred villagers, weavers, and orphans from the Warm Basin stood along the stone banks of the main canal, their weeding tools and pruning knives held loosely at their sides. They did not shout; they did not raise alarms. They stood in the eerie, breathless silence of people witnessing an apparition from an age that had ceased to exist.Coming down the switchback road from the northern granite bluffs was an immense timber sledge.It was constructed of eight parallel trunks of mountain oak, each three feet thick, lashed together with iron-banded cables of braided rawhide that were kept slick with melted beef tallow.Hauling the sledge were twelve pairs of black mountain yaks, their shaggy winter coats matted with red road clay, their breath rising from their nostrils in great, rhythmic fountains of steam that dissolved into the spring sun. Between the teams walked thirty men in coats of
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