A Beginning in the Shadows

In the remote village of Qing Yuan, life moved at a slow pace, peaceful on the surface but filled with unseen undercurrents.

The cold wind that blew over the surrounding hills carried with it a sense of mystery, as if the land itself harbored secrets unknown to its people.

Among these hills sat a young man alone, his eyes fixed on the sky blanketed by gray clouds.

He was Liu Chen, an unusual figure in a village full of simple farmers.

Liu Chen was not like the other young men in the village.

From a young age, he possessed an insatiable curiosity and an unusual thirst for knowledge about the world.

Though his family's economic circumstances didn't allow him proper education, his mind was like a sponge, absorbing whatever he could learn.

His father had been a simple farmer who had died under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a strange book that was always hidden in their home. It was forbidden for Liu to touch it. He didn't know what the book contained, but deep inside, he felt it held the key to changing his fate.

The night was colder than usual. The wind howled outside their modest cottage while his frail mother coughed weakly in the next room.

Liu sat by her bedside, tending to her as he did every day, when he heard a strange sound.

It wasn't coming from outside but rather like whispers traveling through the walls of his mind.

"True power lies not in strength, but in intelligence and deception..."

The cryptic words seemed to carve themselves into his consciousness.

Slowly, Liu moved toward the old chest he rarely opened.

Something drew him toward it. When he opened it, he found the ancient book his father had always kept so carefully.

It was bound in dark leather, its inscriptions so old they were barely visible.

He lifted it in his hands, and as he opened the pages, he saw strange symbols and words he didn't understand.

As he flipped through the pages, he stopped at a line that caught his attention:

"The Forbidden Soul Cultivation System."

The moment he read those words, the ground trembled slightly as if responding to the moment.

Suddenly, an invisible screen appeared before him, as if his eyes had opened to a new dimension.

"Soul Cultivation System activated."

Liu hesitated for a moment, unsure of what was happening.

Was this a dream? Or did the book hold some mysterious power? But his curiosity was stronger than his fear.

This was the opportunity he had always been waiting for.

He knew that power was the only way to survive in this world, and that the mind was the sharpest weapon in the battle for survival.

The Choice: A Path of Intelligence and Deception

As he examined the newly awakened system, it presented him with two options:

1.The Traditional Path: A long and arduous road requiring years of hard work and training.

2.The Dark Path: A route that relied on cunning and manipulation to gain power swiftly.

Liu didn't need to think long.

He knew the world didn't reward those who simply worked hard.

In his view, power was a game of strategic moves, not just physical training. Without hesitation, he chose the dark path.

First Mission: Collect Soul Cores

The system issued its first task. On the surface, it seemed simple but was fraught with danger:

"Collect ten soul cores from weak beasts."

Liu knew this wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Soul cores were highly valuable in the cultivation world, and collecting them required facing beasts that might be more powerful than someone in his current state.

The next day, Liu Chen prepared to embark on his journey.

The Soul Forest surrounding the village was teeming with spiritual creatures that fed on natural energy.

It was well known that some of these beasts possessed soul cores, but even the weakest among them posed a threat.

As he ventured into the forest, Liu noticed an eerie stillness in the air.

The usual sounds of birds and insects were gone, as if the land was holding its breath.

The system gave him precise guidance on where to find the weak beasts he needed to target.

The path was not straightforward; it was filled with traps and dangers. But he wasn't afraid. On the contrary, excitement surged within him.

After hours of searching, Liu found his first target:

a small creature resembling a turtle, but its back was covered in a solid shield.

This creature was known as the "Spirit Armor Beast," and it had an inner soul core carefully protected.

Liu knew brute strength wouldn't be enough here; he would need to use his intelligence to overcome this challenge.

He studied the beast's movements for a moment, analyzing its behavior.

He realized that the creature relied heavily on its armor for protection, but there were small moments when it moved slowly, exposing part of its underbelly.

He waited patiently for that moment. When the vulnerable spot was revealed, he seized the opportunity, striking swiftly with his small knife.

The beast let out a high-pitched shriek but quickly collapsed.

Liu moved forward and extracted the soul core from the creature's body, feeling a strange energy flowing into him.

This was only the first hunt, but he knew it was the beginning of a long road filled with challenges.

As Liu returned home that night, he felt something strange.

The energy he had absorbed from the soul core wasn't just a physical enhancement; it was a change to his very being.

His mind became sharper, and he saw things with greater clarity.

The system was working inside him, strengthening him in the shadows.

He opened the system again, and a new message appeared before him:

"First mission complete. Reward: Increase in spiritual energy by 10 units."

He knew this was the first step toward achieving his dreams.

But strength alone wasn't enough.

He had to be smart, knowing when to act and when to wait.

As he planned his next move, Liu Chen realized that power didn't come only from training or collecting soul cores.

It came from manipulating the people around him. In the village, there were key figures who could either help or hinder his progress.

He began building a secret network of relationships.

He didn't deal with people honestly; he knew how to pretend and make others trust him while keeping his hidden agendas.

One of those people was Zhang Ming, a young farmer but an ambitious one, who dreamed of joining one of the powerful sects.

Liu exploited Zhang's enthusiasm, convincing him that they could work together to gather soul cores and achieve power faster.

Zhang had no idea that Liu intended to dispose of him once he was no longer useful.

Days passed, and Liu's power grew thanks to the Soul Cultivation System. With each soul core he collected, he drew closer to his ultimate goal.

But he knew this was just the beginning. In the shadows, the spiritual world was filled with secrets and deception, and not everything was as it seemed.

At the end of the day, Liu sat on a hill overlooking the village, gazing at the darkening sky.

He knew the road ahead was long, but he was prepared for whatever was to come.

…