Chapter 2 — Infant Awakening
One week passed in the blink of an eye.
For Elias Rowan, now trapped in the fragile body of an infant, time flowed strangely. He could not move freely, could not speak, and could barely keep his eyes open for long. Yet his mind—sharpened by decades of scientific thought—remained fully intact.
The weakness frustrated him.
Every breath felt heavy.
Every movement exhausted him.
This body is… inefficient, he concluded calmly.
On the seventh day, the small courtyard of the Chin family was filled with quiet activity. Worn wooden tables were set out, incense burned in clay holders, and simple offerings were placed before the ancestors' tablets.
It was the naming ceremony.
An old man with graying hair and a stern face stepped forward. His cultivation was shallow, but his presence carried weight within the family.
"He shall be named," the elder announced, "Chin Lin."
Soft murmurs followed.
The baby was lifted gently.
"May he grow strong."
"May his path be smooth."
"May his cultivation not shame the family."
Chin Lin listened to every word.
So this is my new name, he thought.
Chin Lin…
His new parents looked down at him with tired smiles.
"He has your hair," his father said quietly.
"And your face," his mother added, her voice weak but warm.
Chin Lin felt something unfamiliar tighten in his chest.
Family…
The ceremony ended simply. No grand treasures. No powerful elders. Just a low-grade cultivation family doing their best.
That alone told him everything he needed to know.
Resources here are scarce.
Infant Awakening: Body Analysis
Later that night, wrapped in cloth and lying in a wooden crib, Chin Lin focused inward.
He could not cultivate.
He could not circulate energy.
But he could observe.
This body is underdeveloped, he analyzed.
Muscle fibers weak. Bone density low. Nervous system immature.
Then there was something else.
The air.
It felt… thick.
Not physically—but perceptibly. Like invisible particles pressing gently against his skin, entering his lungs with every breath.
Energy, he realized.
Not chemical. Not electrical.
Qi.
Chin Lin did not try to control it. He did not force it. He simply noticed it—allowing it to brush against him naturally.
And that was when something stirred.
The Status Window
Integration System, he thought silently.
Nothing happened.
He frowned internally and tried again, more deliberately.
"Integration System."
This time, a translucent panel unfolded before his consciousness.
Name: Chin Lin
Bloodline: None
Body Refinement: None
Soul Refinement: None
Cultivation: None
Resource Points: None
He examined the window carefully.
No bloodline advantages.
No cultivated body.
No soul foundation.
A blank slate.
Instead of despair, Chin Lin felt calm.
"A controlled baseline," he concluded. "Perfect for experimentation."
Before he could explore further, new lines appeared.
[System Rule 1: Cultivation requires resources.]
[System Rule 2: Resources can be converted into growth.]
[System Rule 3: Growth pathways include body, soul, bloodline, and cultivation.]
[System Rule 4: Optimization is possible.]
The final line lingered longer than the rest.
Optimization.
Chin Lin's infant heart beat faster.
So cultivation here follows progression… realms, he reasoned.
And realms require accumulation.
Though the system did not list them yet, fragments of instinctive knowledge surfaced.
Mortal foundations.
Body refinement.
Qi gathering.
Sequential stages, he concluded.
Not unlike developmental thresholds.
Subconscious Qi Testing
That night, without realizing it, Chin Lin relaxed his body completely.
No resistance.
No intention.
He simply breathed.
Qi drifted naturally toward him—thin, weak strands barely noticeable to ordinary cultivators. Yet to Chin Lin's mind, they were data.
Absorption rate minimal, he observed.
But measurable.
The Qi did not circulate. It did not form a cycle. It simply lingered briefly—then dispersed.
Still, something changed.
His exhaustion eased slightly.
His breathing steadied.
[Passive Qi Exposure Detected]
[Status: Unregistered Cultivation Activity]
Chin Lin smiled inwardly.
So even passive interaction is recorded.
Before sleep claimed him, a final thought settled firmly in his mind.
"This world cultivates power blindly," he thought.
"But I won't."
With a system to measure progress, and a scientist's mind to optimize it—
Chin Lin closed his eyes.
And began preparing for cultivation from infancy.