Darkness.
It was not night, nor the closing of eyes, but something deeper—a silence without color or end. Long Chen floated there, weightless, his mind empty. No breath, no warmth, no body. Only one truth:
He existed.
Who am I?
The thought rippled across the emptiness. No answer came. The Void wanted to erase him.
Then a voice stirred the dark.
"Child of fate…"
The words echoed like thunder wrapped in silk. A figure appeared, clothed in radiant light, presence vast as the heavens themselves.
"You are lost," the being spoke, voice neither male nor female, yet absolute. "But you are chosen. I shall grant you three wishes. Choose wisely."
Long Chen's instincts roared. He didn't know his past, but he knew what he needed.
"I want the strongest System possible."
"Granted. You shall wield the Origin Dao System, fusion of True God Creation and Heavenly Dao. It shall guide you across all universes."
"I want a bloodline… one that cannot be bound. A power that devours all."
"Granted. You shall inherit the Heavenly Devouring Divine Dragon Bloodline. It can consume beasts, treasures, and even the laws of heaven."
Long Chen's gaze sharpened. "And I want a background so powerful that even gods bow before me."
The light stilled. Finally, the being answered:"Granted—but hidden. Your origin shall awaken only when the time is right. Until then, survive with your own strength."
The figure raised its hand.
"Awaken, Long Chen. Your journey begins now."
Light engulfed him. A chime rang out—mechanical, cold, undeniable.
[ Origin Dao System – Initialization ]
User: Long Chen
Bloodline: Heavenly Devouring Divine Dragon (Sealed – Stage 1)
Realm: Mortal (Unawakened)
Status: Weak / Unrefined
System Functions Available:
Status Panel ✔️
Inventory ✔️
Quests ✖️ (Locked)
Multiverse Travel ✖️ (Locked)
The Void shattered.
When Long Chen opened his eyes again, a vast azure sky stretched above, mountains piercing the clouds, cultivators flying on swords in the distance.
His first breath tasted of iron and rain. He touched his chest—he had a body again, lean and young.
"System," he whispered. "Open Status."
[ STATUS ]
Name: Long Chen
Age: 17 (Apparent)
Realm: Mortal (Unawakened)
Strength: 3 (Mortal Baseline: 5)
Vitality: 4
Agility: 4
Spirit: 7
Bloodline: Heavenly Devouring Divine Dragon (2% unsealed)
Skills: —
Functions: Status ✔️, Inventory ✔️, Quests ✖️, Multiverse Travel ✖️
A faint smile tugged at his lips. So this is my beginning.
The System pulsed again.
Tutorial Gift Pack Unlocked!
Contents: Nourishing Pills ×3, Beginner Qi Manual (Azure Sky Breathing), Spirit Stone Fragment ×1
Items shimmered into existence at his feet. Long Chen picked them up—three bone-colored pills, a jade slip, and a faintly glowing stone.
He inspected the jade slip. Instantly, instructions flowed into his mind: a crude breathing method for guiding Qi.
"Good enough for a start," he murmured.
Sitting cross-legged, he placed a pill on his tongue. Bitter warmth spread through his body. Closing his eyes, he followed the slip's guidance—slow breath, inviting the world's Qi like a guest.
At first, nothing. Then—faint silver mist slipped into him, threading through his chest and belly. It hurt, like frozen water cracking stone, but he endured.
Minutes passed. The Qi completed a single cycle through his meridians. A soft chime rang in his mind.
[ System Notice ]
First Qi Circuit Completed!
Reward: +1 Spirit, +1 Vitality
Realm: Mortal → Mortal (Qi-Sensitive)
Bloodline Resonance: 0.3% → 1.0%
Long Chen exhaled, sweat on his brow. The world seemed sharper; colors brighter, sounds clearer.
"System," he said, "scan area."
[ Scan (Basic) ]
Nearby refineable energy detected:
Spirit Stone Fragment (Low)
Weak Spirit Herb (Minor)
Ambient Qi (Thin)
A line of text pulsed.
Bloodline Catalyst Available: Use Spirit Stone to unlock Devour (Rank 1).
Proceed?
"Yes."
The stone floated to his palm, cracked, and dissolved into light that surged into his body. Heat burned through his veins, hunger awakening in his blood.
[ Bloodline Skill Unlocked ]
Devour (Rank 1) — Convert spiritual items into raw essence.
Conversion Efficiency: 43%
Bloodline Unseal: 1.0% → 2.6%
Strength tingled faintly in his limbs. He clenched his fists.
From above, a shadow crossed the sky—a man flying on a sword, cloak snapping in the wind. Long Chen's eyes widened, awe burning in his chest.
"So this is the cultivation world…"
The System chimed once more.
Tutorial Task (Optional): Seek nearest village to learn local customs.
Reward: +1 Spirit, Crude Local Map
Long Chen looked east. Smoke curled from beyond the forest, where rivers met. But before he could move, the bushes rustled.
A twisted boar emerged, hide slick, eyes glowing green. Its tusks gleamed with foul Qi as it snorted and pawed the earth.
[ Scan ]
Target: Mudback Grottling (Corrupted Beast)
Threat Level: Low-Moderate
Core: None
Note: Dangerous to mortals.
The beast turned toward the distant village. Long Chen's gaze hardened. He had only one skill, a weak method, and a fragile body.
But he was Long Chen—the one who would rise beyond heavens.
"Then," he whispered, lowering his stance, "let this be my first prey."