The Forsaken Grave

Chapter 1: The Forsaken Grave

A Cold Awakening

Leon Voss awoke to the scent of blood and damp earth. His body ached, each breath sending sharp pain through his ribs. His vision blurred as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Jagged rocks jutted out of the ground around him, the air thick with the scent of decay. The dim glow of luminescent fungi barely illuminated the cavern he was trapped in.

Memories flooded back-betrayal, pain, the mocking laughter of those he once called brothers. He had been a disciple of the Azure Sky Sect, a rising star with boundless potential. But on the night of the Grand Awakening Ceremony, everything changed. His spirit root, the very core of his cultivation, had been shattered by none other than his own master. Accused of being a fraud, a disgrace, he was cast into the Abyssal Ruins-a place where no one ever returned from.

They had left him to die.

Yet, he was still alive.

The System's Call

As he struggled to sit up, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[Ascension System Activating...]

[System Bind Successful.]

[Welcome, Host.]

Leon froze. He had heard of such things-ancient relics, forbidden inheritances that granted power beyond mortal means. But why him? And why now?

[Initializing Status Check...]

A translucent screen materialized before his eyes.

Name: Leon Voss

Cultivation: None

Physique: Shattered Meridian Body (Recoverable)

System Rank: Level 1

Available Quests: 1

Leon's fists clenched. No cultivation. No strength. He was worse than a cripple.

But then-

[New Quest: Survive the Forsaken Grave]

Objective: Escape the Abyssal Ruins

Reward: Partial Meridian Restoration + 10 System Points

A chance.

For the first time since his betrayal, something stirred inside him. Hope.

The First Trial

Gritting his teeth, Leon pushed himself off the cold ground. Every muscle screamed in protest, but he refused to remain weak. He needed to move, to escape. But as he turned, something in the darkness shifted.

A low growl echoed through the cavern.

Eyes gleamed from the shadows-feral, hungry. A creature slithered forward, its black scales glistening under the faint blue light. A Void Serpent.

Leon's breath hitched. A beast at the Qi Refinement Realm. Even at his peak, fighting such a monster would have been difficult. But now? He was nothing more than a wounded mortal.

The serpent lunged.

Leon barely rolled aside, his body moving on instinct. Pain exploded in his ribs, but he had no time to dwell on it. He needed a weapon. A plan. Something.

[Emergency Combat Assistance Engaged.]

A brief surge of energy flooded his limbs, just enough to move faster than before. A rusted sword lay half-buried in the dirt nearby. He dove for it, grabbing the hilt as the serpent coiled back to strike.

With all his strength, Leon swung. The blade connected with the creature's eye, and the serpent hissed in agony. But it wasn't dead. He had only enraged it.

His heart pounded. He wasn't strong enough. He needed more.

[Absorption Skill Available.]

[Do you wish to activate Energy Drain?]

Leon didn't hesitate. "Do it."

A chilling force surged through his fingertips. The moment the serpent lunged again, he reached out-his hand pressing against its wounded eye.

Black tendrils of energy coiled around his arm, siphoning the beast's life force. The serpent thrashed violently, its body convulsing as its energy drained away. Moments later, it collapsed, its body shriveling into an empty husk.

Leon stumbled back, panting. Strength coursed through his veins, his wounds slowly knitting together.

The Dawn of Something New

A notification blinked before him.

[Quest Completed: Survive the Forsaken Grave]

[Reward: Partial Meridian Restoration + 10 System Points]

Warmth spread through his meridians-fractured pathways now partially mended. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Leon clenched his fist, feeling the smallest spark of Qi return to him. He was still weak, still far from the power he once held. But he had something now.

A system. A path forward.

And the burning desire to make them all pay.

With a determined gaze, Leon took his first step toward vengeance.