Agony surged through his body like countless steel needles, stabbing into every inch of flesh and bone. The dull, crushing pain in his chest was the worst of all, threatening to drag his fading consciousness into darkness.
Lin Yue forced his heavy eyelids open.
What greeted him was the dim, damp ceiling of a woodshed. Rotten wooden beams sagged overhead, tangled with spider webs, while the air reeked of mold mixed with a thick stench of blood. He tried to move a finger, but all he felt was the grinding creak of broken bones. Every breath pulled at shattered ribs, sending waves of pain through his body and drawing a sharp gasp from his throat.
"Where… am I?"
Fragments of chaotic memories flooded into his mind, crashing against his consciousness. Images of collapsing at a desk from overwork in the modern world overlapped with memories that clearly did not belong to him.
This was the outer sect of the Qingyun Sect.
He was now Lin Yue—an outer disciple with mediocre talent, orphaned, bullied, and insignificant. The body's final memory was painfully clear: he had accidentally discovered Zhao Hu, another outer disciple, secretly hoarding sect-issued spirit stones. Zhao Hu, along with several lackeys, had beaten him nearly to death and dumped his body in this abandoned woodshed.
The memories ended with Zhao Hu's twisted grin and the final kick that crushed his chest—fear and resentment frozen into the moment of death.
And now, a soul from a technological age had taken over this dying body.
"So I transmigrated… and straight into the body of a beaten-to-death trash disciple?" Lin Yue laughed bitterly in his heart. The spiritual energy within him was so weak it was almost nonexistent, while an icy numbness spread from his chest. He knew his situation was dire.
The original Lin Yue had only been at the third level of Body Tempering. After suffering such injuries, his life force was rapidly slipping away. Without treatment, he wouldn't last half an hour.
He struggled to sit up, but the moment he exerted force, tearing pain exploded in his chest. A mouthful of blood spilled from his lips, staining the dry straw beneath him.
Despair surged forward like a tide.
Was he really going to die again—right after transmigrating?
Just as his consciousness began to blur, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
[Host soul stabilized. Physical body at critical condition. Activation requirements met. Initiating All-Path Devouring System…]
[Activation complete. Host: Lin Yue.]
[Cultivation: Body Tempering, Third Level (Critical).]
[Abilities: None.]
[Beginner Gift Pack detected. Open now?]
System?!
Lin Yue's mind snapped awake.
As someone who had read countless web novels in his previous life, this word was all too familiar. This was his only chance to survive.
"Open it. Now!" he shouted inwardly.
[Beginner Gift Pack opened successfully.]
[Rewards obtained:]
[Basic Devouring Ability (allows devouring spiritual energy, cultivation, and item-based energy for personal use).]
[Cultivation Infusion: Body Tempering — Great Perfection.]
[Instant Fireball Technique (low-tier spell, no incantation required, instant cast).]
The moment the notification ended, a vast yet gentle surge of energy flooded his body. It wrapped around his shattered bones and torn meridians, repairing them at a visible pace. Broken ribs fused together, torn muscles regenerated, and the crushing pain in his chest melted away like snow under the sun.
At the same time, his cultivation surged forward without pause.
Fourth level.Fifth.Sixth…
In mere moments, it blasted through all bottlenecks and reached the tenth level—the peak of Body Tempering.
Lin Yue could clearly feel the transformation. His body was stronger than it had ever been, muscles brimming with explosive power. His senses sharpened dramatically—every faint sound in the woodshed, even drifting dust particles, were now clearly perceived.
The once-feeble spiritual energy inside him was now dense and flowing smoothly through his meridians.
In just a few breaths, a body that had been on the verge of death was restored to peak condition—far stronger than the original owner had ever been.
Lin Yue slowly clenched his fist, feeling the power coursing through it. A cold glint flashed through his eyes.
"Zhao Hu… this debt is far from settled."
[Basic Devouring Ability available. It is recommended that the host devour surrounding spiritual energy to stabilize cultivation.]
Following the system's prompt, Lin Yue activated the devouring ability. Instantly, the thin spiritual energy in the air was pulled toward him as if drawn by an invisible force, seeping into his body through every pore. Though the outer sect's spiritual energy was sparse, the devouring effect refined and absorbed it efficiently, further stabilizing his newly attained realm.
Just then—
Bang!
The wooden door of the woodshed was kicked open.
Two figures swaggered inside. Leading them was a triangular-eyed youth with a sneering expression—Wang Hao, one of Zhao Hu's lackeys, at the fifth level of Body Tempering. Behind him was a thin disciple barely at the second level.
Wang Hao crossed his arms and glanced down at Lin Yue with contempt. "Didn't expect this trash to still be breathing. Tough life, huh? Tiger Brother said leaving him alive is risky. We're here to finish the job."
The thin disciple hesitated. "Brother Hao… if he really dies, won't the sect investigate?"
"Investigate my ass!" Wang Hao spat, kicking aside a pile of firewood. "He's an orphaned nobody. Who would care if he dies? Tiger Brother has people backing him. Stop whining and do it—there's a reward waiting."
With that, Wang Hao clenched his fist and smashed it toward Lin Yue's head. A fifth-level Body Tempering punch was more than enough to kill him—at least, it should have been.
Lin Yue rolled aside effortlessly. Wang Hao's fist slammed into the ground, dust exploding upward.
"Oh? You can dodge?" Wang Hao sneered. "Looks like you didn't get beaten enough!"
He lunged again.
But Lin Yue was now at Body Tempering Great Perfection. In both speed and strength, Wang Hao was completely outmatched.
As he sidestepped the attack, Lin Yue quietly gathered spiritual energy in his right hand and triggered the Instant Fireball Technique.
A fist-sized fireball materialized in his palm, radiating scorching heat, then shot forward.
"What the—?!" Wang Hao's face changed in shock.
Too fast.
The fireball slammed into his chest and exploded.
Boom!
Flames engulfed his upper body as he screamed in agony. His clothes turned to ash, skin scorched black, smoke rising from his wounds. He staggered backward, staring at Lin Yue in disbelief.
"Y-you can use spells?! You were just a third-level trash!"
The thin disciple collapsed on the spot, terrified beyond reason. The bullied nobody he knew had become a monster overnight.
Lin Yue stepped forward calmly, eyes icy. "Trash? Say that again."
Wang Hao retreated instinctively, fear seeping into his bones. Lin Yue's aura was overwhelmingly stronger—especially the killing intent in his gaze.
"D-don't come closer! I belong to Tiger Brother! If you touch me, he won't let you live!" Wang Hao threatened weakly.
"Zhao Hu?" Lin Yue smiled coldly. "Good. I was planning to find him anyway."
He lifted his foot and kicked Wang Hao square in the chest. Already injured, Wang Hao was sent flying, smashing into the wall and coughing up blood before passing out.
The thin disciple began kowtowing frantically. "Brother Lin! I was wrong! I didn't do anything—please spare me!"
Lin Yue glanced at him, indifferent. "Get lost."
The disciple fled without looking back, abandoning Wang Hao entirely.
Silence returned to the woodshed.
Lin Yue approached Wang Hao and activated the devouring ability. A thin stream of spiritual energy flowed out of Wang Hao's body and into his own—weak and impure, but still usable.
"So it works on people too." Lin Yue stopped after absorbing only a small amount. Killing Wang Hao now would only alert Zhao Hu. Fear was a better messenger.
Stepping outside, dusk had already fallen. The fading sunlight stretched his shadow across the mountain path.
He looked toward the direction of Zhao Hu's residence, his gaze sharp.
This was only the beginning.
As he pondered further, thoughts turned to the original owner's parents. According to memory, they had once been disciples with decent cultivation, supposedly killed during a sect mission years ago. Yet before their deaths, they had sent a strange letter—one filled with subtle hints, never fully explained.
Before Lin Yue could think further, the system spoke again.
[Residual aura of host's parents detected. Hidden quest conditions met.]
[Hidden Quest Activated: Investigate the Truth Behind the Parents' "Death in Battle."]
[Quest Description: The deaths of the host's parents contain unresolved anomalies. Uncover the truth and restore their honor.]
[Reward: Unknown.]
Lin Yue's heart sank.
So there really was something wrong.
As night descended over the Qingyun Sect, cold wind swept through the mountains. Lin Yue clenched his fists, resolve hardening.
Revenge against Zhao Hu was only his first step.
The truth behind his parents' deaths—that was the path he had to walk.
Unbeknownst to him, after he left the woodshed, an elderly figure emerged from the shadows. The unremarkable sweeping monk, Mo Chenzi, gazed after Lin Yue and murmured softly:
"The All-Path Devouring power… it has appeared again after all these years. This child's future is boundless—but his fate will not be smooth."
Under the silent night sky, the storm surrounding Lin Yue had only just begun.