That night, Erynd left Ashfall.
Not as a worthless mortal.
But as the last heir of a forbidden bloodline.
The Ashfall System pulsed quietly in his mind, revealing cultivation realms, techniques, and sealed abilities—each requiring sacrifice.
[Ashfall Path unlocked.]
[Warning: This path allows rapid growth at extreme cost.]
Erynd clenched his fists.
He remembered the laughter.
The scorn.
The rejection.
"If power demands a price," he whispered,
"Then I will pay it."Erynd's first night outside Ashfall Village was cold, bitter, and quiet. The crimson mark on his wrist pulsed faintly, reminding him that the Ashfall Bloodline had awakened—yet he still did not fully understand its power.
[Ashfall System: Tutorial available.]
The voice echoed in his mind. He clenched his fist and discovered the first lesson: control the ember within, or be consumed by it.
Suddenly, the forest trembled. Void Beasts had not forgotten the mark. They lunged from the shadows, faster than any human eye could follow.
Erynd raised his hand instinctively, summoning the Ash Flame – First Ember. The beasts scattered into ash, but one, larger than the rest, roared with intelligence. Its eyes glowed like molten metal.
[Warning: Enemy Level – High. Success requires skill.]
Erynd realized this was his first trial outside his village. Survival was not guaranteed. The following day, Erynd met a wandering cultivator named Master Kiyu, a middle-aged man with a scarred face and an aura of calm power.
"You carry the Ashfall Bloodline," Kiyu said, examining the mark. "You are far from safe, boy. Many will seek to control or destroy you."
Erynd wanted answers. "What is this bloodline? What is happening to me?"
Kiyu shook his head. "You must learn quickly. Come with me. There is a sect hidden in the mountains—a place where your power can grow without being hunted."
[New Goal: Reach the Hidden Sect]
Erynd knew this path was dangerous, but he had no other choice.The journey to the Hidden Sect was treacherous. Erynd had to cross the Crimson Ravine, a canyon that legends said devoured the unworthy.
Each step tested his control of the Ashfall power. The system guided him, offering skills in exchange for stamina, life force, and risk:
[Skill Unlock: Ashfall Sword Technique – Level 1]
Night fell, and Erynd was attacked by a pack of Void Wolves. He barely survived using his first sword technique, but the attack left him wounded.
[Warning: Host vitality – Low]
Erynd realized something crucial: power came at a cost, and overconfidence would kill him.Upon reaching the Hidden Sect, Erynd was tested by the elders. The test was simple yet lethal: enter the Hall of Shadows, a place filled with illusions of past fears.
Inside, Erynd confronted visions of failure—his village mocking him, his friends turning against him, and even himself as a broken, powerless man.
[Ashfall System: Emotional Stability – Critical]
With his mark burning hotter than ever, he channeled the Ash Flame to shatter the illusions. The elders watched silently.
"You possess raw talent," one elder finally said. "But raw talent alone does not make a cultivator. You must harden your mind, body, and spirit."After the initiation, Erynd began learning the history of the Ashfall Bloodline.
It had once ruled a kingdom that rivaled the heavens.
Betrayal and fear led to its near extinction.
The system that now guided Erynd was a remnant of that power, designed to awaken the heir at the right moment.
[New Objective: Restore Ashfall Bloodline Glory]
Erynd realized the truth: survival alone was not enough. He had to grow strong, fast, and ruthless if necessary.Master Kiyu became Erynd's mentor. The training was brutal: physical conditioning, Ashfall power control, and combat techniques designed to push him beyond human limits.
"You must learn to fight before you rely on your mark," Kiyu said. "The Ashfall Bloodline can give you fire, but it cannot replace skill."
Erynd's first duel with a fellow initiate ended in failure. Humiliation burned, but so did resolve. He unlocked the Second Ember, a surge of power that allowed him to finally overcome his rival[Ashfall System: Level 2 – Ashfall Power GrowthOne night, the Hidden Sect was attacked. A cloaked figure appeared, wielding dark qi, stronger than any Void Beast Erynd had faced.
"You are the heir," the figure hissed. "Your bloodline must die before it grows."
Erynd faced the enemy with trembling hands. This was his first true test: not a beast, not a system challenge, but a human cultivator with lethal intent.
[Cliffhanger: Will Erynd survive his first assassin encounter?]