Chapter 1: Awakening of the Lifespan System
Lin Chang's tiny hands clenched as he lay in the crib, his mind blank at first, struggling to understand his surroundings. The world around him was filled with sounds—a soft murmur of voices, the gentle rustling of paper, and the occasional clinking of metal. His vision was blurred, but as his gaze began to sharpen, he realized he was inside a small room. It was plain, with simple wooden beams overhead and a narrow window through which faint light filtered in. The smell of herbs lingered in the air, and it was then that he realized he was in a cultivation sect.
His heart pounded, and a sudden jolt of awareness surged through him. His memories began to flood back, each fragment coming together in a torrent of vivid images. He was no longer just a one-year-old child, but someone who had lived an entire life before.
[System Activated: Lifespan System]
The voice that echoed inside his mind was soft, clear, and devoid of emotion. It wasn't a physical voice, yet Lin Chang felt its presence as though it was a part of him. The moment the words entered his consciousness, a strange, otherworldly energy enveloped him. A status window materialized in front of him:
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[Name: Lin Chang
Age: 1
Lifespan: 1 / 90
Spirit Root: Five Elements (Low-Grade)
Cultivation Level: None
Techniques: None
System Abilities:
- Lifespan Devouring: Can devour the lifespan of others to enhance own cultivation.
- Lifespan Extraction: Gains lifespan from spirit herbs, beasts, and cultivators (10% of remaining lifespan).
- Lifespan Usage: Can evolve techniques and enhance potential using lifespan.]
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Lin Chang's small lips parted, and his breath caught in his throat. He could feel his old self within this body, the memories of a previous life that had now awakened. The weight of his newfound knowledge was immense, but it was also a gift. He knew this world, understood its structure, its politics, its dangers. But for now, he was just a child.
The Lifespan System was an unexpected surprise, a cheat that allowed him to devour the remaining lifespan of others—beasts, plants, and cultivators alike. The ability to use lifespan to enhance his potential and evolve techniques was unprecedented. But it was not without cost. It was a tool of great power, yet it came with a price: secrecy.
He didn't need to work at this age, not when he had the ability to live cautiously, to observe, and to grow. The world outside would never know that Lin Chang, the orphaned servant boy, had access to such a tool. To them, he was just another child, another lost soul in a vast sect.
A soft knock on the door broke his concentration. His little body stiffened, and he instinctively curled his fingers into a fist, as if to protect himself from whatever lay beyond the door. The door creaked open, and a kind face appeared.
"Lin Chang, are you awake?" It was an older woman, one of the caretakers in the sect who often tended to the children.
Lin Chang blinked up at her, his eyes still wide with the wonder and confusion of a child. "Y-yes," he stammered, his voice soft and childish, as any one-year-old's should be.
The woman smiled warmly at him, bending down to adjust his blanket. "It's time to get up, little one. You've been sleeping soundly all day. The other children are already awake and starting their lessons."
Lin Chang nodded slightly, feeling the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. **Lessons**, he thought. In this sect, children like him were expected to grow, to learn, to become stronger. But he had a different path, a more cautious one.
"Come now, let's get you dressed." The caretaker's hands were gentle as she helped him into a simple robe. Lin Chang allowed her to do so, his thoughts elsewhere. He was already planning his next steps. Observing. Gathering resources. Cultivating in secret. No one had to know about his abilities, not yet. There would be time for that later.
As she left the room, Lin Chang remained where he was, staring out of the window at the vast sky. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the grounds of the sect.
The Lifespan System had already given him the knowledge of his surroundings. He knew that this sect was one of the most powerful in the continent, and while it was prestigious, it also came with its dangers. The higher-ups had eyes everywhere, and even the most ordinary servant could be scrutinized. But Lin Chang wasn't ordinary, and he had no intention of drawing attention.
His eyes shifted back to the window, the faint golden light illuminating the courtyard below.
Outside, life was bustling with activity. Children, some of them older than him, were gathered in groups, practicing martial arts or reading cultivation texts. Servants rushed to and fro, carrying supplies to the elders, while the occasional cultivator passed by, their robes fluttering in the wind.
Lin Chang's thoughts were interrupted as another child, slightly older than him, walked past the door. The boy was looking at him curiously.
"Lin Chang, are you still asleep?" the boy asked, his tone teasing.
Lin Chang, still in his one-year-old body, blinked up at him and gave a small nod. "No, I'm awake," he responded in his soft voice.
"Good! You should come and play with us. The other kids are training and I bet you can do some fun tricks too!"
Lin Chang smiled faintly, the boy's innocent request reminding him that he still had to behave like a child. He knew that if he revealed too much, it would only invite suspicion. "I'll... play later," he said softly.
The boy seemed satisfied with the response and ran off to join the others, his laughter ringing out in the distance.
Lin Chang allowed himself a moment of peace, his thoughts turning inward. The time to act was not yet. For now, he would play the role of a simple, obedient child. No one could know the truth, that beneath his innocent exterior, a mind far older and wiser had awakened.
As he stood, the world felt both vast and small. He had a long road ahead of him, one filled with challenges, but for now, he would walk it with caution. His future, after all, was in his own hands.
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End of Chapter 1