The wind in the Silent Grave Peaks was dead.
It didn't whistle. It didn't howl. It whispered—like ghosts dragging rusted chains through the bones of a forgotten battlefield.
Li Xuan stood before the tomb entrance.
Carved into the jagged cliffside was an ancient stone gate, its surface etched with incomprehensible runes that pulsed with crimson light. Every step closer made his blood stir, as if something deep in his soul recognized what lay beyond.
System Notification:
—Location Discovered: Tomb of the War God (Sealed Legacy of Long Chen)—
—Warning: Unknown Divine Artifact Detected—
—Danger Level: Extreme—
—System Stability: 62%… 48%… 31%…—
"System, what's happening?" Li Xuan asked.
System Response: bzzzzzt…ERROR…Incompatibility detected…Suppressed legacy data incompatible with primary system core…Attempting reboot…
He narrowed his eyes. "Don't break on me now."
But it was too late.
The gate opened with a thunderous boom, sucking him into darkness.
—
Inside was silence. Then a voice.
[ "Who disturbs my slumber?" ]
It wasn't shouted. It echoed—inside his head, inside his bones.
A ghostly image formed before him. A man in tattered robes, wielding a saber that split mountains. His hair danced like flames. His eyes… contained galaxies.
Li Xuan clenched his fists. "You're Long Chen."
The figure smirked.
[ "And you're still standing. Most crumble the moment my will brushes them. Good. Let's see how much spine you've got." ]
The space twisted violently. A crushing weight fell on Li Xuan—a soul trial. Endless illusions of failure, betrayal, humiliation. Friends slaughtered. Family broken. Dreams shattered.
But he never knelt. Not once.
He screamed, eyes bloodshot. "If you want to destroy me, do it! But I don't bend! Not to you. Not to heaven!"
Then silence again.
[ "Heh… Finally. A spine worthy of inheritance." ]
Suddenly, the tomb pulsed.
BZZZZT… SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS…
[ "You're mine now, brat. Let's give this rusty system some real flavor." ]
System Notification:
—System Core Overridden—
—New Controller: Long Chen—
—New Currency: Long Chen Points (LCP)—
—New Interfaces Unlocked: System Shop / Simulation Realm / Mission Hub—
A new screen appeared in Li Xuan's vision:
[System Shop – Curated by Long Chen]
Skills Available:
Dragon Soul Saber Technique – 80 LCP
Split the Skies – 120 LCP
Nine Star Body Refining Art (Tier 1) – 300 LCP
Chaos Pearl – 1000 LCP
[Locked Legacy Techniques – Clearance Required]
[Simulation Room] – Train skills at 300% learning speed.
[Mission Hub] – Complete assignments for LCP. Failure incurs penalties ranging from minor injury to fate disruption.
Li Xuan blinked.
"…What the hell just happened?"
Long Chen's voice echoed again.
[ "Simple. You impressed me, brat. So I'm making you my project. You'll earn every damn thing—but I'll give you the tools. Use them. Abuse them. Just don't disappoint me." ]
Then a scroll materialized before him. It looked ancient… until he unrolled it.
[Face-Slapping Divine Art – "You Talk Too Much"]
Description: Automatically triggers a high-speed counterattack when opponents start monologuing.
Li Xuan's face twitched.
"…This was the divine inheritance?"
[ "First lesson: Every blow doesn't need to be flashy. Sometimes the most satisfying cut… is through ego." ]
Li Xuan grinned.
"Yeah… I can work with that."
—
System Status
Cultivation: Late Qi Condensation – Peak (450/600 EXP)
Long Chen Points: 137 / 1000
Skills: Phantom Step, Predator's Pressure (Passive), Face-Slapping Divine Art
Weapons: Heaven-Shearing Executioner, Backup Saber
New: Simulation Realm / Mission Hub Unlocked
System Controller: Long Chen
Missions: Available
Consequences: Yes. Very.