Moonlight poured like liquid silver over the outer ramparts of Sylvaine Citadel. The massive black-stone walls, reinforced with layered mana arrays and aura-inscribed runes, rose thirty meters high and stretched for kilometers in a perfect heptagon. Watchtowers every hundred paces held enchanted braziers that burned with perpetual blue flame—visible wards against both mundane intruders and stealth cultivators.
Elaric moved along the inner parapet like a ghost. His new Ki circulation wrapped him in a thin veil of shadow intent; light bent slightly around his form, footsteps produced no sound even on loose gravel, and his breathing synchronized so perfectly with the night wind that no qi fluctuation betrayed him. The System's Analysis function ran passively:
Target Status – Rival Scout (Estimated)
Name: Unknown (Ki concealment active)
Realm: Peak Qi Condensation / Mid Ki Condensation
Affinities: Shadow, Poison, Earth (minor)
Threat Level to Current Host: Low (48%) – suppressible with surprise
Hidden Quest Active: "First Blood – Eliminate the intruder silently"
Rewards:
• Shadow Veil Technique (Flawless Grade)
• 300 System Points
• Random Assassination Intent Shard
• Hidden Achievement Progress +10% toward "Silent Sovereign" title
Elaric crouched behind a crenellation, emerald eyes glowing faintly with enhanced night vision from his partially awakened bloodline. Below, near the western curtain wall where the moat narrowed, a ripple in the moonlight betrayed movement. A cloaked figure—no taller than himself—pressed palm to stone. Thin threads of dark qi snaked into the array, seeking weak points.
Vesper House, Elaric thought. Father mentioned their spies have grown bolder since the last border skirmish. They want to know why our citadel's mana density spiked tonight… my breakthrough.
He opened the System interface with a mental flick.
Current Resources:
System Points: 800 (after first gacha + sign-in bonuses)
Streak: Day 1 complete → Day 2 sign-in available at dawn
Inventory: Wind Eagle Egg (Rare – incubation 72 hours remaining), Spatial Ring (upgraded capacity 50 m³), assorted low-grade pills
Available Actions Before Engagement:
1. Consume Aura Tempering Pill → +20% physical stats for 30 minutes
2. Activate 1-hour Cultivation Simulator (remaining 45 minutes) → parallel breakthroughs while moving
3. Spin Daily Lottery Wheel (free once per day)
4. Purchase from Shop: Shadow Cloak Potion (50 points) or Basic Stealth Boots (80 points)
He chose efficiency. Mentally selected: Consume Low-Grade Aura Tempering Pill + activate Simulator on all systems simultaneously.
Warmth exploded through his meridians. The pill dissolved into liquid fire that raced along every channel, reinforcing muscle fibers and bone density. Simultaneously the Simulator kicked in—golden threads of optimal qi/manna/ki/aura pathways lit up in his sea of consciousness like a living meridian map. While his body moved, cultivation continued in perfect parallel.
Progress Notification (Real-time):
Mana Core: 5-Star Novice → 7-Star Novice (0.4% per minute)
Aura Body: Early Knight → Mid Knight (body refinement 18% complete)
Qi Dantian: Peak Qi Condensation (Layer 9/13) → Foundation Establishment bottleneck approaching
Ki Sea: Early Ki Condensation → Mid Ki Condensation (killing intent condensing)
He felt invincible. Every breath drew ambient energies like a black hole; the Simulator adjusted ratios on the fly—more wind mana to lighten steps, more qi to stabilize core, more aura to harden skin against potential poison needles.
Now.
Elaric dropped from the wall in absolute silence, using a wind-assisted glide that left no ripple in the moat below. He landed ten meters behind the intruder and activated Analysis – Deep Scan (cost: 20 points, first use free).
Deep Scan Results:
True Identity: Lira Vesper, 14-year-old direct-branch daughter of Marquis Vesper
Current Mission: Map the new mana surge source + plant listening array
Concealment Technique: Nightshade Veil (Rare)
Weakness: Left kidney old injury (Foundation Establishment failure scar tissue)
Killing Move Prepared: Poisoned stiletto coated in Black Lotus Extract
Fourteen? They're sending children now? Elaric's lips curled. Either she's a prodigy… or disposable.
He decided on precision over flash. No grand spells, no aura flare. Pure system-enhanced assassination fundamentals.
He closed distance in three ghost-like steps. Ki intent coalesced into an invisible thread around his right hand—basic killing edge the System had just auto-comprehended from the Ki Condensing Seed.
Lira stiffened—sensed something a fraction too late.
Elaric struck.
Palm to lower back, exactly over the scarred kidney. Aura-coated fingers pierced clothing and skin like butter; ki thread followed, severing nerves in a clean circuit. She couldn't scream—vocal cords locked by precise intent disruption. Her body spasmed once, then went limp as he caught her falling form.
No blood spilled. The wound cauterized instantly via controlled lightning mana micro-burst.
DING!
Hidden Quest "First Blood" Completed!
Rewards Claimed Automatically:
• Shadow Veil Technique (Flawless Grade) – Learned & Mastered (100% comprehension via System)
• System Points +300 → Total: 1,080
• Assassination Intent Shard (can be fused into weapons or bloodline)
• Achievement Progress: Silent Sovereign 10% → Title unlock at 100% Bonus First-Kill Achievement Unlocked: "Blood of the Night" Permanent Buff: +8% success rate on stealth & assassination actions Title Effect: Minor fear debuff on weaker foes when you reveal killing intent
Elaric lowered the unconscious girl to the grass. System scan confirmed: alive, qi pathways temporarily sealed, memory of the last ten seconds scrambled by ki intent overload. She would wake in an hour remembering only a sudden blackout.
He planted his palm on her forehead.
New Function Unlocked: Memory Scan & Edit (Limited – costs 200 points per use at current level)
He paid without hesitation.
Images flooded in: Vesper family compound schematics, her father's furious orders ("Find out why Sylvaine's arrays are singing tonight!"), fear of failing her house, secret hope that success would earn her father's rare praise.
Elaric hesitated—then edited only one detail: the mana surge source became "faulty ley line fluctuation near eastern wing, already repaired." No mention of a ten-year-old suddenly becoming a multi-system monster.
He withdrew. Stood. Looked down at the sleeping girl.
You live because you're useful alive… and because I'm not yet cruel enough to kill children for sport. But next time…
He vanished back up the wall.
Back in his chambers thirty minutes later, he sat cross-legged on the silk meditation mat. The night's adrenaline still thrummed in his veins.
Daily Sign-In – Day 2
Streak Bonus Active: ×1.5 multiplier
Rewards:
• Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Array Stone ×1
• Flawless Body Tempering Liquid ×3
• Random Technique Ticket (Epic pool)
• System Points +800
• Wind-affinity Spirit Fruit (mature) ×5
He immediately consumed one Body Tempering Liquid under Simulator supervision. Bones crackled as they densified further; skin took on a faint metallic sheen. Aura realm jumped cleanly to Late Knight—now capable of short bursts of aura wings.
Next: Epic Technique Ticket.
Gacha – Technique Draw (Epic)
Golden light swirled. Interface spun like a slot machine.
Obtained: "Ninefold Shadow Steps" (Epic – Ki/Aura hybrid movement art)
Description: Nine illusory afterimages, each capable of independent minor action for 3 seconds. Perfect feint & escape art. Scales with realm.
Elaric stood and tested it.
One step—reality blurred. Eight afterimages appeared around the room, each mimicking a different attack stance. The real body reappeared behind his own bedpost.
Terrifying.
He spent the next two hours in deep cultivation:
• Mana Core reached 9-Star Novice → bottleneck to Adept approaching
• Qi pushed through Layer 13 → thunderous heartbeat as dantian walls trembled, ready for Foundation Establishment tribulation (light internal lightning baptism)
• Ki Sea expanded; killing intent now tangible as faint black mist when released
• Bloodline purity ticked up to 48% from ambient wind mana absorption
At 4 a.m. he heard soft footsteps outside.
His mother—Duchess Elara—slipped inside without knocking. She wore simple night robes, hair unbound, but her ki sense was fully extended.
"Elaric… the arrays registered an unauthorized touch on the western wall thirty minutes ago. Then… nothing. No alarm, no corpse, no breach trace." Her eyes searched his face. "You were awake. Did you feel anything?"
He met her gaze calmly.
"I handled it, Mother. A scout from Vesper. Young. Female. I let her live with false information. She'll report a natural fluctuation."
Elara's breath caught. She crossed the room in an instant—ki-enhanced speed—and cupped his face.
"You… killed? No—subdued a Ki cultivator at your age? Alone?"
"Not killed. Neutralized. Silently." He allowed a small, cold smile. "The System—I mean… talent—has awakened strongly tonight."
She didn't miss the slip but chose not to press. Instead she pulled him into an embrace fierce enough to crack normal ribs.
"My son… our house has hidden a monster. We must be careful. Your father will want to know everything at first light. But tonight—rest. Or cultivate. Whatever you need."
She left as quietly as she came.
Elaric sat back. Opened Shop.
Purchased:
• Foundation Establishment Protection Pill (Rare) ×1 – 400 points
• Tribulation Resistance Talisman (one-use) ×1 – 300 points
• Spirit Sense Expansion Incense ×10 – 180 points
Total spent: 880 → Remaining: 200
He lit one incense stick. Thick, silver smoke filled the room, sharpening his spirit sense until he could feel every servant in the wing, every mana current in the walls.
Then he swallowed the Protection Pill.
Breakthrough Sequence Initiated – Foundation Establishment
The dantian roared.
Internal lightning crashed—tribulation of the mortal shackles breaking.
Pain like being torn apart molecule by molecule. Elaric bit down on a jade rod to keep from screaming. The Simulator fed perfect pain-management breathing patterns; aura armored his organs; mana cooled the lightning; ki diverted excess energy into shadow dissipation.
Ten minutes of agony.
Then release.
A golden pillar of qi light shot silently from his crown chakra, visible only to those with high enough spirit sense. It pierced the roof and vanished into the night sky—unseen by mortal eyes thanks to the citadel's concealment array.
DING!
Foundation Establishment Achieved!
Realm: Early Foundation Establishment (Qi)
Lifespan Increase: +400 years baseline
New Passives Unlocked:
• Automatic Qi Regeneration (slow in combat, rapid in meditation)
• Minor Spiritual Pressure (intimidation aura)
• Enhanced Meridian Flow (+30% energy efficiency)
Simultaneously, other systems surged in sympathy:
Mana Core cracked through to Early Adept
Aura Body reached Peak Knight
Ki Sea condensed into liquid killing intent pool
Multi-System Achievement Unlocked: "Harmonious Foundation"
Permanent Buff: All future breakthroughs grant +15% bonus to parallel systems
Elaric exhaled slowly. Power thrummed in every cell. He felt the entire citadel now—every guard's heartbeat, every array's pulse, even the sleeping dragon vein deep beneath the foundations.
He stood. Walked to the window. Dawn was breaking, painting the eastern sky rose-gold.
New Main Quest Updated:
"Rise of the Sovereign – Phase 1"
Objective: Reach Adept+ in all four primary systems within 6 months
Hidden Objective: Awaken full Sylvaine Eagle Bloodline before age 12
Rewards: Mythic Gacha Ticket ×1, Ancestral Bloodline Memory Crystal, Unlock "Domain Seed" function
A soft crack came from his inventory.
The Wind Eagle Egg—incubation complete ahead of schedule thanks to ambient energy surge.
Elaric retrieved it. The shell split cleanly. A tiny eagle chick—no bigger than his palm—tumbled out, already sporting silver feathers tipped with lightning.
It looked up, met his eyes, and let out a piercing cry that resonated with his bloodline.
Contract Initiated – Wind Eagle Companion (Variant: Storm Sovereign Chick)
Name: Unassigned (suggest: Zephyr)
Current Realm: Newborn (growth accelerated by host bloodline)
Loyalty: Absolute
The chick hopped onto his shoulder, nuzzled his neck, and promptly fell asleep.
Elaric smiled—genuine this time.
"Zephyr it is."
Outside, the citadel began to wake. Horns sounded—morning drills for knights, mana lectures for young mages, qi sermons in the eastern pavilion.
But inside this room, a new sovereign had taken his first true step into domination.
And the continent had no idea what was coming.
End of Chapter 2.