Chen Wei, the second son of the Chen Family's third elder, was having a rough day. In the bright setting of the Chen Riverwood Estate, Chen Wei felt like a forgotten thread in the tapestry of family life. His existence was a comfortable cage filled with a crushing sense of inadequacy. He spent his days consuming the finest spiritual resources, attending lessons with esteemed tutors, and failing to meet the expectations of his family.
At twenty years old, he remained stuck at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation. In a lesser family, this would be just okay. In the Chen Family, it was a constant embarrassment.
His bad mood stemmed from his cousin, Arya Chen.
That morning, during a supervised sparring session in the family training pavilion, the instructor had been explaining the 'Crimson Spark,' a basic fire-control technique. Chen Wei had tried to master it for six months. His attempts usually resulted in nothing more than a weak puff of warm air, a single spark or accidentally igniting his own sleeve.
As he struggled, Arya, who had mastered the technique at nine, passed by without saying a word or even looking directly at Wei. He simply walked to the alchemy chambers, and as he gestured to a servant, a ball of flame danced on his fingertip for a moment before disappearing. It was as casual as breathing.
The instructor sighed, and the other junior cousins snickered. In that moment, Chen Wei felt a familiar mix of jealousy and shame twist in his stomach. Arya's effortless existence highlighted Wei's failures.
Now, he sulked in his personal courtyard, a beautifully decorated but secluded area of the sprawling estate. He kicked at a perfectly crafted bonsai tree, wincing as pain shot up his foot. Even the plants seemed more successful than he was. He was surrounded by the signs of his family's power and all of it felt like mockery.
"It's not fair," he muttered, plopping down on a stone bench. "If I had his physique, his bloodline… If I just had one chance, one legendary treasure, I'd prove myself."
In the depths of his self-pity, a voice echoed in his mind. It was powerful as if coming from the edge of the cosmos.
[Mortal soul, rejoice! Your destiny has arrived!]
Chen Wei jumped to his feet, a yelp escaping his lips. He glanced around the empty courtyard. The spirit-fish bubbled in the pond. The bonsai tree stood silently. He was alone.
[You have been chosen by a will that transcends dimensions. A supreme treasure, forged from primordial chaos by a being beyond universal law, has found its vessel.]
A translucent blue panel appeared before him. It was a sight of incredible beauty and otherworldly design.
Years of living in a powerful and paranoid family told Chen Wei not to think of this as a 'fated opportunity,' but as a 'potential assassination attempt.'
"Who are you?!" he shouted, drawing a decorative sword from his belt. The sword was beautiful and inlaid with silver, but not practical for combat. "Is this an illusion? A curse from the Jin Family? Show yourself!"
He swung the sword wildly, slicing through a flower that seemed particularly offensive. The petals fell to the ground. The voice in his head remained calm.
[This is no illusion. This is your chance to grasp fate, to seize the heavens, to stand at the peak of existence. This is the Undying Regeneration System.]
The name was odd, but 'undying' and 'regeneration' sounded appealing. Still, he was a young master of the Chen Family. He had heard stories of ancient demonic arts that promised power but turned victims into mindless puppets.
"You're a demonic spirit, aren't you?" he accused, his voice shaking. He tried to sound authoritative, but it came out more like frightened squeaking. "My Chen Family has Nascent Soul ancestors! They will find you and purify your essence!"
The system conveyed a sense of cosmic weariness. [Demonic spirits are low-level parasites that lurk in forgotten tombs. I am a supreme universal law treasure. To compare me to a demon is to compare a True Dragon to a garden snake.]
The flattery worked surprisingly well. The analogy made him feel important by association. The garden snake was probably one of the Jin family members.
[Do you accept this gift of destiny? Do you wish to embark on the path of eternal life and boundless power? The power to surpass all who have looked down on you?]
The last part struck him hard. Surpass all who had looked down on him. It echoed his deepest ambition. It felt like the system was holding up a glowing sign that read: "POWER TO BEAT ARYA."
Two words pulsed on the screen.
[ACCEPT] / [DECLINE]
He stared at them, his mind racing with fear and desire. This was a huge risk. If it was a trap, he could lose his life, his soul and his comfortable position in the family. The safe choice was to decline. He could continue living in quiet mediocrity, forever in Arya's shadow.
He pictured Arya's indifferent face. He saw the perfect flame dancing on his cousin's fingertip. He heard the dismissive laughter of the other disciples. He felt the sting of a lifetime spent being second-best, or third-best, or not even in the running.
Mediocrity was its own kind of death.
With a surge of desperate resolve, he focused all his will and slammed his mental fist onto [ACCEPT].
The screen blazed with a light so bright he had to shut his eyes. [Host confirmed. Binding the Undying Regeneration System to the soul… 10%… 50%… 100%. Binding complete. Welcome, Host Chen Wei.]