The room was silent save for Lin Xuan's breathing.
It came shallow at first, uneven—his body protesting even the smallest movement—but gradually, rhythm began to form. Not strength. Not endurance. Just rhythm.
That alone was progress.
Lin Xuan sat on the edge of the bed, bare feet touching the cool stone floor. He didn't rush to stand. He didn't force himself upright like someone eager to prove something. Instead, he closed his eyes and let the sensations settle.
The lingering dull ache in his limbs.The faint tightness along his chest.The subtle, almost imperceptible resistance within his meridians—like clogged channels that refused to flow smoothly.
This body was still fragile.
And fragile things break when pushed.
He inhaled slowly, then exhaled.
Only then did he stand.
The daily quest hovered at the edge of his awareness, unintrusive yet present—like a reminder rather than a demand.
[Daily Quest: Light Physical Conditioning]Objective: Perform low-intensity physical activity for a cumulative duration of 30 minutesReward: 5 System CoinsStatus: Incomplete
No urgency pulsed from the system. No countdown timer ticked ominously in his vision.
That, Lin Xuan appreciated.
He began with stretches.
Slow ones.
Arms raised overhead, fingers interlaced, spine extending just enough to coax stiffness from his back without triggering pain. His shoulders protested immediately, joints popping softly as he rotated them in careful circles.
Each movement was deliberate.
Measured.
A far cry from the explosive conditioning drills of his previous life.
Back then, his body had been a weapon—trained, honed, pushed beyond comfort without hesitation. Pain had been background noise. Fatigue something to ignore.
This body, however, demanded respect.
Lin Xuan bent forward slightly, resting his hands against the bedframe as he stretched his hamstrings. His balance wavered for a moment, forcing him to steady himself.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
So this is the baseline.
He wasn't frustrated.
If anything, he felt… calm.
The system had already laid out the truth: forced cultivation had damaged the foundation. Years of reckless resource dumping by the previous owner had left the meridians brittle and uneven, like poorly reinforced tunnels.
Charging ahead now—whether with pills or techniques—would only repeat the same mistake.
So he worked.
Slow leg lifts.Controlled breathing.Gentle rotations of the waist.
Every few minutes, he paused—not because he was exhausted, but because he was listening. To the subtle feedback of muscle and bone. To the faint stirrings of Qi that resisted being drawn too forcefully.
Sweat eventually formed along his temples, thin beads sliding down his cheek. His breathing deepened, chest rising and falling steadily.
Time passed.
Not quickly.
Not slowly.
Just… naturally.
By the time he straightened again, his shirt clinging faintly to his back, the dull ache had shifted—not worsened, but redistributed. A sign that blood flow had improved, that the body was responding rather than collapsing.
A translucent notification shimmered into view.
[Daily Quest Completed]Reward Granted: 5 System Coins
Lin Xuan exhaled.
No surge of exhilaration followed. No rush of triumph. Just a quiet acknowledgment.
Five coins.
Small.
But necessary.
Before sitting back down, Lin Xuan reached for the wash basin by the corner of the room. He splashed cool water over his face, letting the lingering heat bleed away, then wiped his neck and arms clean.
Only then did his gaze lift—unintentionally at first—to the bronze-edged mirror mounted beside the wardrobe.
He paused.
…Come to think of it, he hadn't actually looked at himself yet.
In his previous life, appearance had never mattered. Clean, presentable, forgettable—that had been ideal. Mirrors had been tools at best, obstacles at worst.
But this wasn't that life.
This body carried a name. A clan. Expectations—spoken and unspoken.
Lin Xuan stepped closer.
The reflection that met him was unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant.
The young man in the mirror was lean—perhaps too lean. His frame lacked definition, shoulders narrow, arms slim with little visible muscle tone. It was the kind of body that spoke of insufficient training rather than malnutrition, of someone who had relied on resources rather than effort.
Weak.
At least, for now.
His skin was pale but healthy, unblemished by scars or harsh lines. Black hair fell loosely past his shoulders, slightly damp from exertion, framing a face that was… striking.
Not aggressively handsome.
But balanced.
Sharp eyebrows sat above calm, dark eyes—eyes that, even now, held a depth mismatched with the body they belonged to. His nose was straight, his jawline clean, lips naturally set in a neutral line that could easily soften or harden depending on expression.
A scholar's face.
Or perhaps a noble's.
Not the face of a brawler. Not the face of someone who fought their way forward with fists.
Lin Xuan studied it silently.
So this is what they see.
He didn't feel pride.
Nor dissatisfaction.
Just acknowledgment.
"This will do," he murmured quietly.
Turning away, he returned to the bed and sat down carefully. The room's light had shifted while he exercised, the sun now angled lower, casting elongated shadows across the floor.
Dinner would be soon.
Good.
He needed to think.
"System," Lin Xuan said softly. "Open the shop."
The air before him shifted.
A clean interface unfolded—not flashy, not overwhelming. Tabs aligned neatly along the side, each labeled with concise clarity.
[System Shop]Categories:
▸ Attack
▸ Defense
▸ Support
▸ Miscellaneous
Filters Available: Price | Tier | Qi Requirement | Compatibility
His gaze flicked over the categories.
Attack?
Useless.
Defense?
Equally so.
Support… perhaps later.
Right now, he lacked even the most basic method of circulating Qi reliably. Purchasing a combat skill—even a low-tier one—would be nothing more than wasted potential.
Lin Xuan selected Miscellaneous.
Then adjusted the price filter.
Maximum: 5 System Coins.
Only two entries remained.
His focus sharpened immediately.
[All-Seeing Insight]
Tier: Basic
Cost: 5 System Coins
Qi Requirement: None
Description:Grants the user the ability to perceive detailed information about any target within visual range…
Information.
Pure leverage.
The second skill—Stillness of the Mind—was tempting, useful, and patient. But patience worked both ways.
Tomorrow would come.
Today, information mattered more.
"Purchase," Lin Xuan said.
[Skill Acquired: All-Seeing Insight]
The sensation was subtle—like a new layer settling behind his eyes.
He tested it immediately.
Object: Wooden Table
Material: Oakwood
Condition: Moderately worn
Usage: Writing, dining
Clean. Efficient.
Perfect.
He skimmed the other categories briefly—Attack, Defense, Support—only to be met with prices in the hundreds.
No regret followed when he closed the shop.
A soft knock interrupted the silence.
"Young Master," the attendant's voice called gently. "Dinner is ready."
"I'll be there shortly," Lin Xuan replied.
The footsteps retreated.
Lin Xuan stood, smoothing his robes, and glanced once more at the system panel—at the numbers, the slow progress, the deliberate path unfolding before him.
Power can wait, he thought.Stability cannot.
With that, he stepped toward the door.
Tomorrow, he would begin laying real foundations.