Chapter 5 — Fragments of Power
The cracks behind the house had always fascinated Chin Lin. At first, they were simply shallow fissures in the soil and stone, but over months of observation, he realized they contained more than shadows and dust.
They were small. Too small for him to fit his body. But he did not need his body.
One quiet afternoon, he whispered, "Integration System," and split his soul into two fragments simultaneously—a technique he had been refining for months.
Pain surged, but not as sharply as before. His body and mind were adapting. Carefully, he guided the fragments into two nearby dead rats, each scavenging a corner of the cracks.
Instantly, the fragments absorbed faint Qi and hidden spiritual stones embedded in the soil, feeding back into the system.
[Resource Points +15]
[Soul Fragment Duration: 8 hours]
[System Evolution: Multi-Fragment Support Activated]
Chin Lin smiled inwardly. Longer, stronger, safer. My efficiency is increasing.
Village Whispers
Meanwhile, the Chin family began to notice murmurs in their small village.
"Did you hear? The young master of the Li family awakened a strong martial soul at age five," one parent whispered at the market.
"And the eldest of the Sun family? He's already enrolled in a prestigious cultivation school," another replied.
Chin Lin's adoptive parents glanced at each other nervously.
"If Lin ever wants a chance at a good cultivation school," his father murmured, "he will need a strong martial soul awakening… soon."
Chin Lin absorbed this information silently. So there's competition, standards. Resources alone aren't enough.
First Cultivator Visit
The next week, a visiting cultivator arrived. The man was lean but radiated a subtle aura that made the adults shift nervously.
"Chin Lin?" the cultivator asked, squinting at the crib. "I came to assess your family's potential. Martial families are rare—children with natural aptitude rarer still."
Chin Lin's infant body sat quietly, but a fragment of his soul floated closer, curious.
[System Note: Observer Interaction Detected]
The cultivator crouched near the crib, inspecting the child's faint aura.
Chin Lin's fragments, hidden in nearby animals, twitched. Qi surged slightly in response, something the cultivator could unconsciously sense.
The man froze for a heartbeat.
"…Interesting," he murmured. "You're… unusually calm for an infant. Your aura… shifts subtly."
Inside, Chin Lin suppressed a small grin. That's my first subtle shock. He senses it… but not fully.
Soul Training & System Evolution
Later, alone, Chin Lin experimented again.
Two fragments in separate corpses
Qi absorption simultaneous
Spiritual stones scattered around
The system responded:
[Soul Fragment Count: 2]
[Fragment Duration Increased: 12 hours]
[Resource Optimization Algorithm Activated]
Chin Lin could feel it. The system was evolving along with him—learning, adapting, helping him cultivate faster without breaking stability.
[Next Upgrade: Multi-Fragment Soul Mastery] (estimated: 1 year in-system time)
Pain was less. Control was better. And the efficiency… was astonishing.
Subtle Shock to the Elder
That evening, an elder from the village stopped by the Chin family home.
"I heard your child is unusual," he said, leaning on a cane. "Perhaps you should guide him properly before trouble finds him."
Chin Lin, still an infant, only blinked. Yet a fragment of his soul brushed the elder's perception subtly—a faint tremor in his aura that no ordinary infant could create.
The elder froze briefly. His gaze sharpened.
"…Curious," he muttered. And left without further comment.
Chin Lin returned the fragment to his body and closed his eyes, smiling inwardly.
One day, I'll show them everything.
Chapter 5 Status Check
Name: Chin Lin
Bloodline: None
Body Refinement: Beginner (5%)
Soul Refinement: Stabilizing (Multi-Fragment Active)
Cultivation: Mortal Foundation
Resource Points: 21
Hidden spiritual stones.
Two soul fragments.
System evolving.
The village quietly buzzing.
Chin Lin smiled inwardly.
The path is clear. The experiment begins in earnest.