Chapter 1: The Burden of the Fallen LineageThe Lu Village was a speck of dust in the vastness of the world. It was a place where the air was thin of spiritual energy and the dreams of men were confined to the muddy fields they tilled. In this forgotten corner of the empire, a "Master" was merely someone who had reached the 6th Stage of the Qi Refining Realm. To the soaring sects of the distant mountains, this village was the absolute bottom—ranked 100th out of 100 in the regional census.
In the heart of this humble settlement sat the Ling family estate. Once, perhaps, they were something more. But now, they were the last of the "Great Families" remaining in Lu Village; the others had long since packed their riches and fled to more prosperous lands.
Ling Xia stood on the veranda, his gaze fixed on the horizon. It had been exactly three days since he had woken up in this body, his soul having crossed the void from Earth.
"Three days," he whispered to himself. "From a world of skyscrapers to a world where breathing the right way can make you a god."
The Sovereign SystemUpon his arrival, a mechanical resonance had echoed in his mind. He was gifted with a System, but it wasn't one that simply demanded he become the strongest. Its mandate was far more ambitious:
Main Mission: Elevate the Ling Family and Lu Village to the Number One position under the Heavens.
It was a daunting task. His father, the Clan Leader, was the strongest man in the village, yet he was stalled at the 6th Stage of Qi Refining. His uncle, the Great Elder—a man of unwavering loyalty—sat at the 5th Stage. The six subordinate elders followed closely behind at the 4th Stage. They were big fish in a very small, drying pond.
Ling Xia himself had been a "mortal" with no cultivation three days ago. However, the System's starter gift—Three Months of Refined Cultivation Base—had surged through his meridians, catapulting him directly to the 4th Stage of Qi Refining.
"Still..." Ling Xia gripped his fist, feeling the faint hum of energy. "In the outside world, I am still an ant."
The Divine ProclamationSuddenly, the cold, ethereal voice of the System vibrated in his consciousness.
[Host, your current strength is insufficient to protect the clan's destiny. A new mission has been issued.]
[Mission: Breakthrough to the Foundation Building Realm.]
[Guidance: Proceed to the designated spiritual coordinates. Meditate for three weeks to absorb the latent terrestrial energy.]
A map materialized in his mind, pointing toward a secluded ridge overlooking the valley. Ling Xia didn't hesitate. He informed his father he was going into seclusion and slipped away into the mountains.
The Path of StillnessThe location was a jagged cliff, where the wind whistled through the pines like an ancient flute.
"System, where is the optimal spot for my meditation?" Ling Xia asked.
[The choice is yours, Host. The Earth's veins flow beneath your feet; find the point where your spirit feels the most resonance.]
Ling Xia scanned the terrain and chose a high, flat rock that jutted out over the mist-covered forest. He crossed his legs, his spine straight as a spear. First, he emptied his mind of Earthly distractions—the noise of his past life, the fear of the unknown, and the weight of his new family's poverty.
He focused. He breathed.
He began to draw the thin strands of Qi from the atmosphere, weaving them into his core. One day turned into five. A week turned into two. The spiritual energy in this specific spot was denser than in the village, acting like a whetstone against his dull senses.
Three weeks later...
Ling Xia's eyes snapped open. A visible shockwave of golden light rippled outward from his body, blowing back the dust and loose pebbles. The bottleneck that had felt like an iron wall had been shattered.
He checked his internal sea. The energy was no longer a thin mist; it was a swirling vortex.
[Congratulations, Host. You have advanced from the 4th Stage to the 8th Stage of the Qi Refining Realm.]
He stood up, his movements fluid and powerful. He wasn't at the Foundation Building Realm yet, but he had surpassed his father. In just twenty-one days, he had become the strongest cultivator Lu Village had seen in a century.
"The journey to the top has just begun," Ling Xia smiled, looking down at his village. "And I'm taking everyone with me."
Would you like me to continue the story with Chapter 2, perhaps focusing on how his father reacts to his new power or his first encounter with a rival family?