Dao Xuan Tian stared at the cracked ceiling of the tiny hut perched on the green‑clapped ridge. The wind whistled through the pine branches, rattling the thin bamboo shutters, while the scent of damp moss and pine resin filled the cramped space. He was fourteen, a kid from a neon‑lit city who had been yanked from a rainy alley by a flash of blinding light and dumped into a world that seemed to have been painted by an ancient ink master. The transition had been a blur of cold, a roaring in his ears, and then darkness. When his eyes finally opened, the sky was a deep sapphire, the sun a molten coin hanging low over a sea of emerald mountains.
He sat up, feeling the rough wooden floorboards beneath his palms, and the faint thump of his own heartbeat echoing in his chest. A soft chime resonated in his mind, and a translucent screen flickered into existence, hovering just above his outstretched hand.
*System activated*
*Name:* Dao Xuan Tian
*Age:* 14
*Talent:* Infinity Eyes – Unknown Grade
*Technique:* None
*Cultivation:* Mortal
*Mind:* 0 (1/10000)
*Count down:* 12:57:29
The words glowed faintly, and a calm, genderless voice whispered, "Every 24 hours, all stats will increase by a factor of 10× to 1,000,000×. No action required."
Dao blinked, the reality of his situation settling like a stone in his gut. No sect, no master, no one to guide him. Just the silent mountains, the lonely hut, and a mysterious system that promised exponential growth. He tucked the screen away with a mental flick, the glow fading as if it had never been. He would keep this secret; the world was not kind to those who flunted hidden powers.
He rose, the floor creaking under his weight, and pushed open the door. The green mountain stretched endlessly, a tapestry of trees and mist. A narrow path wound down the slope, disappearing into a veil of fog. Dao took a deep breath, feeling the cool, thin air fill his lungs, and let the faint pulse of qi that seemed to hum beneath the earth brush against his senses. The Infinity Eyes, his unknown‑grade talent, flickered faintly, allowing him to see the subtle currents of energy that threaded through the forest like invisible rivers.
He turned back to the hut, his new home. Inside, a single lantern sputtered on a cracked table, casting wavering shadows across a pile of yellowed scrolls and a rusted sword that leaned against the wall. He knelt, unrolling a scroll titled _Basic Qi Gathering Technique_. The characters were elegant, each stroke a whisper of ancient power. He placed his palms on the parchment, and a warm current surged up his arms, seeping into his meridians. The Infinity Eyes sharpened, and for a brief moment he saw the hidden threads of qi weaving through the trees, the ground, even the lantern's flame. It was as if a veil had been lifted, and the world revealed its secret skeleton.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the flow. The qi was faint, like a whisper in a storm, but it responded to his intent. Slowly, a tiny spark of energy gathered at his dantian, the core of his being. It was a modest start, but it was something. He inhaled, drawing the mountain's breath into his body, and exhaled, pushing the qi outward in a gentle rhythm. The process was slow, but the system's timer ticked silently in the back of his mind: 12:57:29.
Night fell quickly on the green ridge. The lantern's flame danced, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch toward the distant peaks. Dao sat cross‑legged on the floor, the scroll open before him, and began to meditate. The Infinity Eyes glowed faintly, scanning the subtle patterns of the qi around him. He felt the mountain's ancient heartbeat, a slow, steady drum that matched his own. Hours passed unnoticed; the only sound was the wind rustling through the pine needles and the occasional crack of a distant branch.
When the first light of dawn tinged the horizon, a faint tingling sensation spread through his veins. He opened his eyes to see the system's timer blinking at 00:00:02. The numbers flickered, then surged.
*Stats Increase: 10×*
*New Values:*
*Strength:* 10×
*Agility:* 10×
*Endurance:* 10×
*Spirit:* 10×
*Mind Level:* 0 (10/10000)
A rush of power flooded his body. Muscles tightened, senses sharpened, and his vision seemed to pierce the veil of the forest. He could hear the faint rustle of a squirrel far below, the distant murmur of a waterfall hidden in the mist, and the subtle shift of the mountain's own qi as it welcomed the new strength.
Dao smiled, a thin, secretive curve. He had no one to tell, no one to witness his transformation. The system would continue its silent work, and he would continue to hide his growing might behind the guise of a mortal boy. He rose, feeling the newfound strength in his limbs, the Infinity Eyes glowing faintly as they adjusted to the amplified qi.
He stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing his face. The green mountain stretched before him, vast and indifferent. He would learn to harness this power, to survive in a world where cultivation meant power, and power meant dominance. He would keep his system a closely guarded secret, using it to carve a path that no one else could see.
The sun climbed higher, bathing the ridge in golden light. Dao tightened his grip on the rusted sword, its blade dull but functional. He would train, he would grow, and when the time came, he would decide who, if anyone, would ever know the true extent of his ascent. For now, the green mountain was his sanctuary, his prison, and his canvas. The timer reset to 24:00:00, and the system whispered, "Next cycle pending."
He turned back to the hut, the door closing softly behind him, and began his solitary routine: gathering firewood, practicing the _Basic Qi Gathering Technique_, and watching the timer count down. The world beyond the ridge was vast and dangerous, but within the walls of his humble abode, a fourteen‑year‑old with Infinity Eyes and a secret system was already laying the foundation for a legend that would one day echo across the cultivation realms. The first chapter of his story had begun, quiet and unassuming, but the numbers on the timer promised that the future would be anything but ordinary.
As the day wore on, Dao felt the subtle shift in his body. The 10× boost was not a mere multiplication of muscle; it was as if each cell had been rewired, each nerve humming with a new frequency. He could feel the qi in the air thickening, as though the mountain itself were exhaling a richer breath. He decided to test his newfound strength. He lifted the rusted sword, feeling its weight melt away under his grip. With a swift motion, he swung it in a wide arc, the blade cutting through the thin morning mist like a hot knife through paper. The sound was barely a whisper, but the impact sent a ripple of displaced qi across the slope, causing a small cascade of pine needles to tumble down the hill.
Satisfied, he sheathed the sword and returned to his scrolls. The _Basic Qi Gathering Technique_ was only the first step. He knew that to truly harness the system's power, he needed to understand the deeper mechanics of cultivation. He opened another scroll, this one titled _Fundamentals of Meridian Flow_. The text described how qi traveled along twelve primary meridians, each corresponding to a different organ and element. It spoke of the importance of balance, of not forcing the flow but guiding it gently.
Dao placed his hand on the page, feeling the ink vibrate with latent energy. The Infinity Eyes narrowed, and he saw the meridians as glowing threads of light beneath his skin. He traced them with his mind, feeling the resistance at each node. With each breath, he coaxed a tiny amount of qi to move, smoothing the blockages. It was painstakingly slow, but the system's timer gave him confidence; every day he would be stronger, and every day the process would become easier.
The sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Dao closed his scrolls, extinguished the lantern, and sat on the small wooden porch of his hut. He looked out over the endless sea of green, feeling the mountain's ancient presence wrap around him like a cloak. He thought of his old life—crowded streets, the constant hum of traffic, the feeling of being invisible. Here, he was alone, but he was no longer invisible. He was a hidden blade, waiting for the right moment to cut through the veil of fate.
He whispered to himself, "Tomorrow, I will run faster, think clearer, and understand more. The system will multiply my stats, but it is my will that will shape this world." The timer on his mental screen flickered, now at 7:59:58, a silent promise that in less than a day, his strength would surge again, this time by another tenfold.
As darkness settled, the stars emerged, cold and indifferent. Dao closed his eyes, entering a light meditation. The Infinity Eyes glowed faintly, scanning the night sky, seeing the qi of the constellations as distant rivers of light. He felt a connection, a faint echo of something greater than himself. It was a reminder that even in solitude, the universe was vast and full of mysteries.
When the night deepened, Dao finally rose, stretched his limbs, and headed inside. He placed a simple wooden lock on the door—a symbolic gesture to keep his secrets safe. He lay down on the straw mat, the cool night air seeping through the cracks in the walls. The timer continued its silent countdown, and the system's quiet voice resonated in his mind, "Stats will increase at the next cycle."
With that thought, Dao drifted into sleep, the promise of exponential growth humming in his veins. In the green mountains, a new legend was beginning to take root, one that would be whispered about only in the rustle of pine leaves and the quiet heartbeat of the earth. The first chapter was over, but the story—like the ever‑ticking timer—had only just begun.
Current stat:
Strength: 500 (equivalent to peak qi condensation 1st stage)
Agility: 900 (equivalent to peak qi condensation 1st stage)
Endurance: 700 (equivalent to peak qi condensation 1st stage)
Spirit: 1290 (equivalent to peak qi condensation 1st stage)
Mind level: 0 (10/10000