"You… you're not worthless!" Zhao Kun's teeth chattered. "What are you? How can someone with a sealed vein cultivate?"
Lin Che stood slowly. His right arm snapped back into place with a series of cracks—broken bones realigning, flesh mending, leaving not a single scar. He clenched his fist, feeling Peak Qi Gathering Realm spiritual energy surge through his meridians—for the first time in sixteen years, he felt power.
"Zhao Kun," his voice was as calm as a death warrant from hell, "you just said you'd feed my sister to monsters?"
Zhao Kun tried to summon his spiritual energy to fight back, only to find his meridians frozen by overwhelming pressure. This was the foundational form of Bai Qi's inheritance—God of Slaughter Aura. Within ten zhang, cultivators of the same realm were no stronger than ants.
Lin Che grabbed Zhao Kun by the throat, lifting the two-hundred-jin man with one hand. Devour activated.
[Absorbing spiritual energy… 25%… 50%… 75%… 100%!]
[Detected Zhao Kun's cultivation: Fifth Layer Qi Gathering Realm (inferior quality). Excess impurities and unrefined yang energy detected. Purifying… Purification complete. Gained pure spiritual energy: 15 points.]
Zhao Kun's body shriveled visibly, his skin clinging tightly to his bones as his fat, flesh, and essence were drained in an instant. Three seconds later, a mummy crashed to the ground, the bamboo basket slipping from his hand—the Blood Spirit Herb remained intact.
[System Alert: Detected Zhao Kun's final thought—"My father is Zhao Tianxiong. He'll avenge me." Host, you're in trouble.]
=== System Update ===
Host: Lin Che
Cultivation: Qi Gathering Realm · Peak (15/1000)
Technique: Cangxuan Soul-Devouring Art (Layer 1 · Fragment)
Awakened Inheritance: Bai Qi [God of Slaughter Domain · Ten Thousand Souls Devour] (Range: 10 zhang radius)
Domain Effects:
Suppresses 50% of power from same-realm cultivators Devours Body Tempering Realm targets without physical contact Permanently increases Killing Intent cap by 1 per kill Host's healing speed increased by 200% within the domain
Next Objective: Devour 1 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, reach 5,000 Killing Intent to unlock Xiang Yu's Inheritance [Overlord's Formation Break]
[Secondary targets detected. Eliminate? Yes/No]
"Yes." Lin Che turned to the two remaining bodyguards.
They collapsed to the ground, kowtowing frantically until their foreheads bleed. "Spare us, hero! Zhao Kun forced us! We have families to feed—"
[System Note: Classic begging line. Added to "Top 100 Villain Surrender Scripts". Recommendation: Kill.]
Two swirls of black mist swept over them. Two more mummies fell, their souls devoured entirely.
[Novice Mission Completed. Rewards Disbursed.]
[Congratulations on achieving First Kill. Reward: 100 Killing Intent points.]
Lin Che took a deep breath, savoring the surging power within him. Once the pinnacle of two realms, he now returned to the starting line—yet bore the mark of ten lifetimes of slaughter. This time, he would not repeat his past mistakes.
He dug up the Blood Spirit Herb, carefully placed it in the basket, and wrapped its roots in cloth to preserve the soil.
Xiao Ying, big brother is back.
From now on, no one in Qingyun City will dare bully you again.
Lin Che slung the basket over his shoulder and vanished into the night in a flash.
---
[Flashback: Sibling Bond]
One month ago, Qingfeng Town Market.
"Brother, sugar hawthorns!" Three-year-old Lin Ying pointed at a stall, her eyes shining like two little stars.
Lin Che patted his empty pockets—twelve copper coins, barely enough for half a skewer. He knelt down, wiping drool from her chin. "Xiao Ying, be good. Brother didn't earn much today. When I gather valuable herbs, I'll buy you two skewers—one hawthorn, one strawberry. Promise."
"Promise!" She held out her pinky. "Pinky swear, a hundred years no take-backs!"
"Pinky swear."
That night, she fell asleep clinging to his arm, muttering in her dreams: "Sugar hawthorns… so sweet…"
Three days ago, the dilapidated temple.
The little girl lay on the straw mat, her body cold as iron. The physician had given his verdict—only a Century-Old Blood Spirit Herb could save her.
Lin Che clenched his fists. "How much do you need?"
"Money?" The physician scoffed. "Century-Old Blood Spirit Herbs only grow deep in Blackwood Cliff, guarded by Qi Refining monsters. You, a worthless sealed-vein nobody—"
Before he could finish, Lin Che pressed all his savings into his hand. "Please, keep her alive for one more day."
The physician trembled at the boy's bloodshot eyes, leaving a low-grade Fire Essence Pill. "This will only buy one day."
The original owner had been an orphan, finding the infant Lin Ying in the snow three years prior. No blood relation, yet closer than family. He chopped wood, begged, endured robberies and beatings—all to feed her a bowl of warm porridge. For three years, Lin Che had inherited these memories, and this responsibility.
He remembered Su Qingyao. He remembered their vow on the Cangming Continent to reincarnate and rebuild, refusing the gilded cage of the Immortal Realm. Now that she was gone, Lin Ying was his only anchor.
A sealed spirit vein? He had tried countless methods to draw Qi, all in vain. Until today—when the System used Zhao Kun's life to break the first lock.
---
The dilapidated temple came into view.
Lin Che pushed open the door and set the Blood Spirit Herb beside the straw mat. Lin Ying curled in the corner, her small face still pale, but her breathing steadier than before.
He sat beside her, pulling a cherished osmanthus candy from his bosom and placing it gently in her hand.
"Xiao Ying, I brought you something nice." He whispered. "Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the market and buy you sugar hawthorns—two whole skewers."
As if hearing him in her sleep, her lips curved upward, and she mumbled indistinctly: "Sugar hawthorns… don't steal…"
Moonlight streamed through the broken window, illuminating her small hand clutching the candy—and the scarlet glow in Lin Che's eyes.
He knew the Zhao family would not let this rest. Zhao Kun's father, Zhao Tianxiong, was a Late Qi Gathering Realm cultivator, and the Zhao clan was the richest and most influential in Qingfeng Town. Today's battle was only the beginning.
But as he stared at his sister's peaceful sleeping face, a cold smile tugged at Lin Che's lips.
[System Alert: Zhao family's life token shattered. Investigation team expected within 24-48 hours. Recommendation: Hunt monsters to earn money for Lin Ying's snacks.]
[System Note: Sugar hawthorns cost 3 copper coins per skewer; monster materials sell for 10 copper coins each. Host, your financial planning is admirable.]
Ignoring the System's sarcasm, Lin Che began circulating the Cangxuan Soul-Devouring Art.
Beneath the moonlight, the God of Slaughter Domain in the temple contracted slowly, like a lurking beast.
Tomorrow would be a good day.
At the very least, there would be sugar hawthorns.
---
Chapter Hook: Lin Che wakes with a promise to buy sugar hawthorns for his sister, only to find Qingyun City abuzz with rumors of Zhao Kun's death. How will the sugar hawthorns Lin Ying craves become his chance to earn his first fortune? More importantly, what secrets will he uncover about his "sister" when he begins teaching her to cultivate?
Next Chapter: Chapter 2 - Sugar Hawthorns and the First Fortune. The Shadow of the Zhao Family.
[Cultivation Level Explanation for This Book]: In this world, cultivation realms from lowest to highest are—Body Refinement Realm, Qi Gathering Realm, Foundation Establishment Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm, Spirit Transformation Realm, Void Refinement Realm, Mahayana Realm, and Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Each realm is divided into five sub-levels: Entry, Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Peak Stage.
Current Status:
- Lin Che: Qi Condensing Realm - Peak Stage
- Zhao Kun: Qi Condensing Realm - Early Stage
- His Guards: Body Tempering Realm