"System," he thought, "how do I upgrade my talent?"
(Structure Rewrite Potion – 100 Desire Points: Increases your talent from E – D)
His grin stiffened.
"…So expensive."
He stared at the price in silence.
One hundred Desire Points.
All he had.
But he understood immediately.
No matter how powerful a cultivation technique was, talent determined how far one could go. Without improving it, even a Grade 5 technique would be wasted in his hands.
He exhaled slowly.
"No choice."
Resolve hardened in his eyes as he made his decision.
"Buy it."
(Potion has been added to inventory)
The Desire Points dropped to zero.
Qing Yu didn't regret it.
"This is just the beginning," he whispered, fingers curling around the invisible bottle in his inventory.
He would grow stronger.
He would rise step by step.
And when he returned…
The Qing Heaven Sect would kneel.
He reached into his inventory and pulled the potion out, tilting his head back and drinking it in one go.
At first… nothing happened.
Qing Yu frowned slightly. "That's it?"
Then—
Pain exploded inside his skull.
It was sharp, violent, and sudden, like a blade being driven straight into his brain. Qing Yu gasped, clutching his head as his knees buckled. A scream tore from his throat as he collapsed to the ground, fingers digging into his scalp as if trying to hold his head together.
It felt like his mind was being ripped apart.
Thoughts shattered. Vision blurred. His ears rang as if thunder was crashing inside his skull. The pain was so intense it almost drove him mad, wave after wave slamming into him without mercy.
Minutes stretched into agony.
Time lost meaning.
By the time thirty minutes had passed, Qing Yu was drenched in sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Then—just like that—the pain vanished.
No warning. No fading.
It was gone, as if it had never existed.
Qing Yu lay there, panting heavily, staring at the ceiling. His body still shook, and even thinking about the pain made a chill crawl up his spine.
(Talent had been upgraded E→→→D)
(Remark- You can at least understand basic things now)
"…Basic things?" Qing Yu muttered, staring at the remark in disbelief.
Exasperation flickered across his face. "This system really knows how to insult people."
He pushed himself up and steadied his breathing.
"Alright," he said, resolve hardening. "Let's start cultivating."
He opened the Heaven Body Forge technique—
—and failed.
(Talent requirements not met)
Qing Yu froze.
Then his face twisted into something between disbelief and misery.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
So even after all that pain, it still wasn't enough.
He clenched his fists, memories of that unbearable agony flashing through his mind. His jaw tightened, but his eyes burned with stubborn resolve.
"If this is the price I have to pay for revenge," he whispered, "then so be it."
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the slave quarters.
"Wake up, you lazy bastards! The masters feed and protect you every day—the least you can do is do your jobs properly!"
The warden's shout sent the quarters into chaos. Slaves scrambled to their feet, voices rising as everyone hurried to prepare for the day.
Qing Yu stood and stepped outside, his posture relaxed, his expression harmless.
But his eyes—
Sharp. Cold. Observant.
Like an eagle watching its prey.
The warden passed by his room and stopped dead.
His face drained of color.
What?
How is he alive?
Did he find out?
"Good morning, Warden," Qing Yu said politely, a faint smile on his lips.
The warden stiffened, then snorted. "What are you smiling about? Go get ready before I whip you."
"Yes, Warden," Qing Yu replied obediently.
He turned and walked toward the bathroom, his expression calm and pleasant.
But inside—
His mind was raging.
So it was you.
The memories clicked into place. The original owner of this body had once spoken to the warden's daughter. She had been infatuated with him—too infatuated.
And that had been enough.
"…You killed him for that?" Qing Yu thought, eyes darkening. "Interesting."
A slow, dangerous grin spread across his face.
"Well then… let's see how well you can protect her from me."
(A new mission has been acquired
Revenge on the Warden: The Warden killed you because you dared approach his daughter, make him pay for his sins.
Difficulty----B Rewards: Gratitude of the other soul.)
"The other soul…" Qing Yu murmured thoughtfully.
So the system meant the real Qing Yu—the one whose body he now inhabited.
He nodded slowly.
"If I'm using his body," he said quietly, "then I'll fulfill his last wish."
After washing up and getting dressed, Qing Yu left the slave quarters and headed toward his assigned work.
Pruning plants. Trimming trees.
He worked in the villa of his Twelfth Uncle.
Fourteen uncles.
Fourteen family branches.
Fourteen nests of vipers.
Qing Yu lowered his head as he walked, looking every bit the obedient slave.
But inside, he was already planning.
Step by step.
Blood by blood..
As fate would have it… the man who killed me with his own hands will be the first one I destroy.
Qing Yu's lips curved into a cold smile.
A moment later, his expression smoothed out, returning to the dull, obedient look expected of a slave as he entered the villa grounds and began pruning the plants. Each snip of the blade was steady, measured, unhurried—yet his mind was already working at full speed.
For now, his focus had to be the Warden.
The man controlled everything in the slave quarters—food distribution, medicine, work assignments, even punishments. If the Warden wanted someone dead, it wouldn't take a blade. A little less food here, a delayed medicine delivery there… slaves died quietly all the time.
In the slave quarters, the Warden was king.
All the slaves feared him.
He was already in the Body Refinement Realm, far beyond what any slave could reach. With their food deliberately cut down to the bare minimum and their days filled with exhausting labor, cultivation was a luxury none of them could afford.
They knew the truth.
They just couldn't fight it.
The sect rules stated that a slave could challenge the Warden for his position—but it was a cruel joke. No one had ever succeeded. Everyone also knew that if the Warden wanted to kill a slave, there would be no consequences.
Qing Yu almost laughed.
A perfect tyrant, he thought. And tyrants always fall the same way.
As he worked, a plan slowly took shape in his mind. He didn't need brute force. Not yet. He needed leverage.
And he already knew where to find it.
The daughter.
He remembered from the body's memories that she often visited the villa. One of his uncle's daughters was close friends with her, and she frequently came along. It wouldn't take long before their paths crossed again.
As Qing Yu moved toward the back of the villa, pruning the trees along the rear wall, a faint sound reached his ears.
Crying.
He paused, tilting his head.
The sound was soft, restrained—like someone trying not to be heard. It came from behind the wall.
Frowning, Qing Yu stepped closer and reached out, intending to knock.
His hand passed straight through.
"…What?"
Startled, he withdrew it, then cautiously tried again. The wall rippled like water beneath his fingers.
An array, he realized instantly.
Curiosity piqued, Qing Yu stepped forward—and passed through the wall entirely.
The sight that greeted him stole his breath.
It was a hidden courtyard, small but breathtaking. A clear lake flowed gently through the center, its surface shimmering under the sunlight. Smooth stone paths curved around it, and rare plants and shrubs grew in careful harmony, filling the space with a calming fragrance.
A table sat beside the lake.
And on it—
A woman.
She sat hunched slightly, shoulders trembling as quiet sobs escaped her lips. Tears streaked down her face, ruining her carefully applied makeup. Her robes were loose, slipping just enough to reveal pale skin beneath, delicate and vulnerable.
Qing Yu recognized her immediately.
Twelfth Uncle's wife.
Understanding dawned at once.
Before his death, he had heard the whispers—how his uncle couldn't keep himself under control, how women were constantly brought into this villa. Each time, his wife was left alone to swallow the humiliation in silence.
Qing Yu's gaze sharpened.
So that's how it is…
A slow grin tugged at his lips.
Have the heavens finally decided to repay me after all this suffering?
He adjusted his robes slightly as he approached, loosening them just enough to reveal the lean lines of his body. A few strands of his black hair slipped free from the bun at the back of his head, framing his face as he moved closer—quiet, respectful, unthreatening.
Not a predator.
Not yet.
Just a slave who happened to be in the wrong place at the perfect time.
(You have received a new mission)
Wife Domination
The man who killed you left his wife heartbroken and vulnerable. Fate has given you an opening—what you do with it is up to you.
Objective: Get close to the wife.
Difficulty: C
Rewards: Calculated based on performance.
A cold light flickered through Qing Yu's eyes.
So the system wants me to start here…
Then another notification appeared.
(Host, you don't plan on seducing her like this, do you?)
(Your physical appeal is… inadequate.)
(However, the system can provide a loan.)
Qing Yu stiffened.
"Inadequate?" he muttered darkly.
(A temporary loan of 500 Desire Points can be issued.)
(Recommended purchase: Body Enhancement Potion.)
(Permanent effect. Grants Canal Aura.)
(Repayment: 550 Desire Points. All future gains will be deducted until cleared.)
Qing Yu hesitated for only a heartbeat.
Power always comes at a price.
"I accept."
The potion burned as it went down, heat surging through his body. His muscles tightened, his posture subtly changed, and something unseen yet undeniable wrapped around him—an invisible pressure that made the air feel warmer, heavier.
(Canal Aura acquired.)
He absorbed the information instantly.
A passive effect… Heightened attraction. Enhanced presence. Increased sensitivity through touch.
"…So I become the temptation itself," Qing Yu murmured.
Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the woman by the lake.
She still hadn't noticed him.
Her shoulders shook as she cried quietly, hands clenched in her robes. Up close, she was even more beautiful—fragile in a way that made men want to either protect her or ruin her.
Qing Yu approached slowly, careful not to startle her.
"My lady," he said gently, lowering himself so his face was level with hers. "What troubles you?"
She jerked, startled. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
"I'm a servant," he replied calmly. "I was pruning the gardens and heard someone crying. I didn't even know this place existed."
Her eyes narrowed. "You're not supposed to be here. Leave."