Inside the sealed chamber, the last trace of warmth drained from Ji Wuyuan's face.
In public, he was the dream young master—polite, gentle, harmless.
In private…
His eyes were colder than winter steel.
A sound echoed in his mind, like a page turning in a book written in blood.
[War Archive System activated.]
Ji Wuyuan didn't move.
He simply waited.
He had waited his whole first life for a miracle that never came.
This time, he would not waste a single breath.
[Physique analysis complete.]
A black screen unfolded within his consciousness. Pale characters formed line by line, neat and merciless.
[Primary Physique: Saintly Teacher Physique][Rank: Heaven-grade peak]
Ji Wuyuan's expression remained calm, but his fingers tightened slightly.
Heaven-grade peak…
Even in the broader cultivation world, that word was enough to make sect masters lose sleep and imperial dynasties rewrite alliances overnight.
No wonder the Awakening Stone had shattered.
It hadn't failed.
It had simply been… outclassed.
The system continued.
[Secondary Physique detected…][Unrivalled Emperor Physique][Type: Growth Physique][Status: Dormant][Note: Hidden from external detection. Only Host can perceive its existence.]
Ji Wuyuan's gaze sharpened.
Good.
Let the world see only what it was allowed to see.
Let them guess.
Let them underestimate.
He didn't need admiration.
He needed time.
Then—
[Awakening Event Completed.][Reward distribution initiated…]
Ji Wuyuan felt the air in the sealed room grow heavy, as if something enormous had been pressed into existence.
Not qi.
Not killing intent.
But the weight of authority.
[Reward 1: Legion Seed — "Heaven Devouring War Legion"][Contains: 100,000 soldiers (sealed)][Current deployable limit: 10,000][Unlock condition: Host authority + cultivation + merit]
Ji Wuyuan's heartbeat didn't speed up.
But something deep inside him settled.
A foundation.
A certainty.
Ten thousand troops was no longer "hidden force."
It was a blade.
A blade big enough to carve a clan into obedience.
The system's text flowed again.
[Reward 2: Merit Points +10,000][Merit System unlocked.][Merit can be used to exchange items, bloodlines, cultivation resources, soldiers, formations, and special authorities.]
Ji Wuyuan's lips curved faintly.
Not a smile of joy.
A smile of possession.
He had always believed that power should be measurable.
That loyalty should be purchasable.
That the world should have a price tag.
Now it did.
[Reward 3: System Shop unlocked.][Shop Tier: 1][Daily refresh enabled.][Limited-time deals may appear based on Host actions.]
[Reward 4: Inventory unlocked.][Inventory capacity: 1,000 slots][Includes: auto-sorting, concealment mode, soul-binding protection]
Ji Wuyuan's gaze flickered.
Inventory.
That meant no one could trace his resources.
No one could steal them.
No one could even confirm he possessed them.
Perfect.
The system did not stop there.
[Reward 5: War Doctrine — "Ninefold Formation Manual"][Includes: mass training method + battlefield qi circulation]
[Reward 6: Resource Pack — "Bloodforge Pills x3000"][For rapid cultivation of troops]
[Reward 7: Nightveil Expansion Slot +3][Nightveil: Hidden Barracks space expanded.]
A faint ripple passed through the sealed chamber.
Not visible.
Not audible.
But real.
As if somewhere beneath the courtyard, a silent underground world had been carved out—waiting to be filled with soldiers who did not speak, did not question, and did not betray.
Ji Wuyuan took a slow breath.
Then another.
His mind was steady.
His eyes were sharp.
He spoke softly.
"Open the shop."
A new panel unfolded in his consciousness.
Weapons. Pills. Formation flags. Soldier templates. Cultivation manuals. Slave seals. Bloodline fragments.
Everything had a price.
Everything had a method.
Everything had a path forward.
Ji Wuyuan stared at it for a long time.
Then he closed his eyes.
The kindness returned to his face like a mask sliding perfectly into place.
He stood up, brushed his sleeves, and walked to the window.
Moonlight washed over the Ji Clan rooftops.
Peaceful.
Silent.
Like a sleeping beast that hadn't realized its throat was already marked.
From the shadows of distant courtyards, faint movements could be sensed—servants moving too quietly, guards walking routes that weren't assigned, people speaking in low tones that died the moment they were overheard.
The clan was restless.
The clan was rotting.
The clan was already at war—only the fools still believed it wasn't.
Ji Wuyuan's gaze remained gentle.
But his thoughts were cold.
If they want to play family politics…
Then he would teach them what power looked like.
He turned away from the window.
And in the sealed chamber, where no one could see, the air trembled faintly—like a sleeping army had opened its eyes.