The rising sun bathed Azure Sky City in a golden glow. Its light poured across the vast Li estate, a grand mansion nestled near the eastern quarter. Here, towering walls wrapped around blooming courtyards, alchemy gardens, and training grounds—all signs of the prosperity and prestige the Li clan held as one of the city's founding families.
Within a secluded corner of the estate, a tiny figure ran with all the determination his little legs could muster.
Li Qingyun, now two years old, dashed barefoot across the smooth training stones. His steps were uneven, his breath quick, but there was no hesitation in his eyes. His black hair, tied into a messy little knot, bounced with each step as he wobbled between the pillars and garden walls.
He didn't look like the son of a powerful cultivation family at the moment. He looked like a mischievous child running for a stolen treat.
But his purpose was sincere.
> "Running and swimming—these are simple exercises, but even the strongest temples need a solid foundation. My new body may be young, but I have time. If I don't waste it, I can walk this road my way."
Sweat beaded down his face. His limbs trembled by the time he reached the end of the courtyard, and he collapsed into the grass, panting and smiling.
His thoughts drifted to his past life.
He had been weak then—not just in strength, but in will. Tired of surviving, lacking purpose, always struggling just to get through the day.
But this time, he had a family. Love. A system. A second chance.
"Li Qingyun," he whispered, chest rising and falling, "you don't get to waste this life."
After training, he returned to the residence, where Lin Meiyu had already prepared his herbal bath. A skilled alchemist and his mother, she took every measure to ensure her son's body developed perfectly.
"Still pushing yourself so hard, Qingyun?" she asked, brushing his wet hair with a soft towel.
He grinned, puffing his chest proudly. "I'm strong!"
"You're sweaty, that's what you are," she chuckled, kissing his forehead.
He stumbled to his feet and toddled off to the bathing chamber, where a warm, fragrant steam awaited him. His mother had already prepared a medicinal bath for the day—a blend of low-grade spiritual herbs designed to strengthen his bones and organs without affecting his growth. As a high-ranked alchemist and someone from a cultivation background, Lin Meiyu took special care of his health.
Qingyun dipped into the bath with a sigh.
> "This kind of treatment… I must be the luckiest two-year-old in the world."
He wasn't wrong. Few children in the Blazing Sun Empire enjoyed such luxuries. As the number of common mortals are still the majority and martial artists and cultivators have various requirements for their training, not many people can get the treatment Li Qingyun was provided by his parents.
The water tingled against his skin as the herbs worked their magic. He could feel the slightest warmth spread through his veins and joints. His constitution, slowly and subtly, was being refined.
Once out of the bath and wrapped in fresh robes, Qingyun sat at the dining table with his parents.
Li Tianyang, his father, sat at the head. With a calm demeanor and a cultivation base in the Core Formation realm, he was one of Azure Sky City's most respected figures. The Li clan's cultivation heritage was rich, especially in alchemy and resource refinement.
"Father, Mother," Qingyun said seriously, "can I ask you something?"
Lin Meiyu blinked, a smile tugging at her lips. "Oh? What is it now?"
"I want to start cultivating," he said. "But I know I'm still young… so, could you help me find a technique that's safe? Something that won't harm my body but will let me begin slowly?"
Lin Meiyu tilted her head. "You want to start already? Most children begin basic breathing techniques at five or six."
"I don't want to waste time," he replied. "Even if I can't push my qi or enter a realm yet, I want something that lays the foundation. Just something simple and safe."
Li Tianyang put down his teacup and looked at his son with a mix of pride and thoughtfulness.
"You've been diligent with your running and swimming," he said. "Most children your age are still learning to walk properly. Meiyu?"
Lin Meiyu nodded approvingly. "Then I have just the thing."
She walked over to a jade cabinet, opened a drawer, and returned with a small jade slip.
"This is the Jade Body Tempering Scripture," she said, handing it to Qingyun. "It's a Rank 1 High Grade cultivation method, designed to harmonize qi within the body. It won't clash with your growth and is used by many alchemist families for early spiritual development."
"What does it do?" Qingyun asked, eyes sparkling.
"It builds internal resilience—strengthens the bones, tendons, and organ harmony. There's no forced qi circulation involved, so it's completely safe even for young children."
Qingyun's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Mother!"
"You'll study the breathing pattern first," said Tianyang. "No pushing qi forcefully yet. Let your body adapt."
"I promise I'll be careful."
Back in his room, he sat cross-legged and pressed the jade slip to his forehead.
> [Technique Detected: Jade Body Tempering Scripture (Rank 1 - High Grade)]
[Slot this technique?]
[Yes]
[Slot successfully assigned.]
The system interface appeared before his eyes:
---
[Host: Li Qingyun]
[Realm: None]
[Slots Available: 0/1]
[Technique Cultivated: Jade Body Tempering Scripture]
[Energy: 74 points]
---
What followed was… nothing. No pulse of heat, no trembling meridians. Just peace.
> "Huh," he thought, then blinked.
"Wait… it's cultivating on its own."
The technique began cultivating at a slow but steady pace.
He could feel a warm, subtle rhythm form deep in his chest, spreading to his limbs. It wasn't fast, but it was gentle, nourishing. It was like a gentle breath of life brushing against his bones.
> "So this is what cultivation feels like…"
He clenched his tiny fists under the covers, eyes closed, breathing steady.
> "I'm not going to waste this life. No matter how long it takes, I'll stand at the top. This time… I'll walk the path with my own feet."
He opened his system again, eyes twinkling.
> [Use points to accelerate technique? (10 points = 1 year equivalent)]
[Increase slot capacity: 50 points for +1 slot]
> "So I really don't need to sit still or meditate to make it work? The system cultivates it endlessly, as long as there's potential… and energy to fuel it."
He grinned, hugging his knees on the bed.
> "This is… this is too good! I can focus on physical training, learning, and absorbing energy while the technique grows quietly."
He looked over at a nearby table, where several silver taels, gold pieces, and a jade bracelet sat. Gifts from his parents—he'd asked for them under the excuse of liking "shiny things."
He placed his palm on a silver tael.
> [Item recognized: 1 tael silver – 1 point energy absorbed.]
[Energy: 75 points]
Satisfied, he continued.
> [Item recognized: Gold ring – 3 points energy absorbed.]
[Energy: 78 points]
He stopped after reaching 80.
"I'll store more over time," he whispered. "But for now, I'll let the system work at its natural pace."
He could already feel a shift. His breath had become smoother. His limbs, still small and soft, carried a faint firmness.
> "This isn't like my old life… where effort rarely paid off. Here, every ounce of training, every drop of energy, every moment counts."
And the system would never sleep.
---
From that day forward, Qingyun's schedule remained simple but efficient.
Morning runs, afternoon swimming, periodic collection of trinkets for system energy, and most importantly… watching the quiet progress of his first technique advance steadily on its own.
His determination only deepened.
He didn't know what fate awaited him or what kinds of power and danger the cultivation world held.
But with his family's love, the system's help, and a heart full of fire—
He would find out.