The morning sun flooded the high-tech, stainless steel kitchen of Skyview Manor.
Lin Hao stood at the marble island, a mug of coffee in one hand. He felt the connection to his parents fading as the "Perfect Health" upgrade settled into their bodies. They were pain-free. They were healthy.
But they were still mortal.
"Optimal health" just meant dying of old age at 90 instead of heart disease at 60. In a world where Level 5 beasts could shatter buildings, "mortal" was a fragile state of being.
He opened the interface again.
[Target: Lin Wen (Father)] [Talent: Level 1: Mortal (Dormant)]
[Target: Jia Li (Mother)] [Talent: Level 1: Mortal (Dormant)]
"Mortal" meant their bodies were sealed containers. They couldn't interact with Reiki. They couldn't naturally reinforce themselves against the ambient energy of the new era.
He couldn't give them the "Common Root" upgrade he gave his sister. The "Purge", the black tar and the screaming agony, would likely kill them, or at least traumatize them. Their bodies were too old for a violent reconstruction.
But there was a middle ground.
[Upgrade: Level 2: Waste Root (Open Pore)]? [Effect: Allows passive absorption of ambient Reiki. Increases lifespan potential to 120 years. Minor instinctual danger sense.] [Cost: 10,000 UP per target]
"Waste Root." In cultivation novels, it was an insult. It meant you had barely enough talent to light a candle.
But for two retirees living in the suburbs? It was a superpower. It meant they would slowly, gently become stronger just by breathing. It meant their "Perfect Health" would be maintained by the environment itself.
"System," Lin Hao said. "Upgrade them both."
[Deducting 20,000 UP. 310,330 UP Remaining.]
A subtle ripple left him. This time, there was no flash, no drama. Just a gentle "unlocking" of potential miles away. His parents, currently laughing in their kitchen, would feel nothing but a slightly deeper breath, a slightly sharper sense of the world.
"Now," Lin Hao said, setting down his mug. "The cover story."
He couldn't just tell them, "I used a system to upgrade your DNA." He needed a physical object. A placebo that they could believe in.
He walked over to the indoor herb garden Fatty had installed near the window. He plucked a handful of rosemary and thyme, common, aromatic cooking herbs.
He placed the bundle of green leaves on the counter.
"System. Object Upgrade."
[Object: Fresh Herbs (Rosemary/Thyme)] [Grade: Mortal] [Upgrade: 10x Low-Grade Spirit Tier 'Body-Refining Pills']? [Cost: 500 UP]
He confirmed.
[Deducting 500 UP. 309,830 UP Remaining.]
The green leaves withered instantly, their essence extracted and compressed by the System's power. A soft green light enveloped the pile.
When the light faded, ten small, moss-green pills sat on the counter. They didn't glow like the "Vitality Pills" or "Healing Pills." They looked earthy. Natural. They smelled like a concentrated forest after rain.
These were mild. Gentle. They were designed to nourish the bones and muscles over time, perfectly complementing the "Waste Root" passive absorption.
He found an empty glass jar, dumped the pills in, and screwed on the lid.
"Herbal supplements," he muttered, weighing the jar in his hand. "From a 'friend' who studies traditional medicine."
It was a flimsy lie. But his parents, currently riding the high of their "miracle" recovery, would believe anything he told them.
He checked his balance.
[Upgrade Points (UP): 309,830]
He had spent over 70,000 UP on his family in the last twelve hours. A fortune.
But as he put the jar in his pocket and walked toward the door to pick up his sister, he felt lighter than he had in weeks. The rear guard was secure.
Now, he could focus on the front lines.