System Activation

"Welcome, Host. Initializing the 'Subjugation System'... Adjusting the Starter Pack rewards to fit the Host's unique circumstances."

A mechanical voice echoed in Diāo Chángjù's mind, snapping him out of his early morning daze.

Congratulations, Host! You have received the following rewards:

Restoration of your physical vitality to that of a young adult.Repair of your damaged Chaos Divine Physique to 10% of its original state.

Diāo Chángjù rubbed his temples as he processed this information. The first reward was straightforward enough, but the second...

"What does 'repair to 10% of my Chaos Divine Physique' mean, exactly?" he asked aloud.

Host, your body possesses the rare Chaos Divine Physique. However, it is in a severely damaged state. The system has repaired a fraction of it, and further progress can be made through completing system tasks.

"Chaos Divine Physique?" Diāo Chángjù raised an eyebrow. Despite living through nearly a millennium, this was his first time hearing such a term.

Indeed, Host. It's your innate constitution. Why ask me? I simply exist to assist you, not explain the mysteries of your existence.

"...Alright, what kind of system are you then?"

This system is the 'Subjugation System.' Your primary objective is to subdue and win the loyalty of women of extraordinary destiny—Fated Ones—whose fate lines intertwine with immense fortune. By doing so, you will receive corresponding rewards. The deeper their loyalty, the greater the rewards.

"Wait, so you want me to... seduce powerful women?" Diāo Chángjù's voice was a mix of disbelief and amusement.

The system allows two modes of subjugation: voluntary loyalty or forceful domination. Choose wisely based on the situation. Additionally, the system grants you access to the Fortune Mall, where you can exchange accrued fortune points for powerful tools.

"How powerful are we talking?"

Anything you desire, from divine weapons to trivial... preferences.

"Preferences, huh? Like silk stockings?" Diāo Chángjù quipped, grinning mischievously.

Certainly. Black ones, if you prefer.

For a brief moment, Diāo Chángjù couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, System, you get me. But where do I even start finding these so-called Fated Ones?"

Detection mode will activate when a Fated One enters your proximity. For now, stay alert. Opportunities will come.

Meanwhile, in Another Room

In the inner sanctum of her personal quarters, Liǔ Líyān stood silently, her expression cold and unreadable. Opposite her sat her mentor, Huā Xiāngxī, ex-leader of the Lingxiao Sect.

"You've said your goodbyes to that husband of yours, haven't you?" Huā Xiāngxī asked, her voice tinged with amusement.

Liǔ Líyān nodded, her voice calm yet resolute. "Yes, Master. Everything is settled."

Huā Xiāngxī sighed. "Once you enter the Lingxiao Sect's secret realm, you'll be gone for twenty years. That husband of yours has less than a decade left to live. Are you truly prepared to leave him behind?"

Liǔ Líyān's expression flickered for the briefest of moments, but her determination quickly returned. "I must go. This opportunity cannot be missed."

The secret realm, accessible only once every two millennia, held the promise of unparalleled cultivation breakthroughs. For someone of her caliber, it was a chance to ascend to even greater heights.

"You're willing to risk losing him forever for this?" Huā Xiāngxī pressed.

"I have no choice." Liǔ Líyān's voice turned colder. Memories of their village's destruction flashed in her mind—a vast crater, the lives of her family and friends erased in an instant by forces far beyond comprehension.

Her fists clenched. "If I do not seize this chance, I will never have the strength to uncover the truth or exact justice for my people."

Huā Xiāngxī softened. She had seen the depths of Liǔ Líyān's grief and the unyielding bond between her and Diāo Chángjù. "Very well. But know this—revenge is a cold path, and without him, it may grow even colder."

The Next Morning

Diāo Chángjù stretched, feeling the vitality coursing through his veins for the first time in years. "Amazing!" He leaped from his bed with an agility he hadn't known since his youth.

But his excitement dimmed when he caught his reflection in the mirror. His face, still lined with age, betrayed the truth. "The system might have restored my physical abilities, but I still look like an old man. And with only ten years left to live, I need to act fast."

A cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Elder Diāo! I'm here to clean your courtyard!"

He stepped outside to see a bright-eyed young woman, Bì Huàjǐn, standing at his gate. At eighteen, she exuded the kind of youthful energy he once had.

Though merely an outer disciple, she had a way of appearing every few weeks to help with chores. Over the past year, they had built a light-hearted friendship.

"Morning, Huàjǐn," Diāo Chángjù greeted warmly.

Yet, beneath her innocent exterior, rumors painted a more complex picture of the young woman. The outer sect elders had warned him that Bì Huàjǐn was no saint—she had allegedly manipulated ten senior disciples into surrendering their cultivation resources, leaving each smitten and penniless.

"A wolf in sheep's clothing," they had called her.

Diāo Chángjù studied her with new eyes, a question forming in his mind.

"System," he whispered. "Could she be one of the Fated Ones?"

Scanning...

Confirmed. Target identified: Bì Huàjǐn, a low-grade Fated One. Potential rewards: Minor cultivation pills, low-tier fortune points.

A small smirk tugged at his lips. "This might get interesting."