The morning sun barely pierced the fog that clung to Qingyang Town, casting a dim glow over the Lin Family's ancestral grounds. Lin Fan stood at the edge of the forest, the Rank 1 Iron-Claw Wolf's core clutched in his hand. His body ached from the fight with Chu Hao, but his eyes burned with a newfound fire. The *Heaven-Defying Comprehension System* hummed in his mind, its mechanical voice cold yet empowering:
> *"Task completed: Survive the Lin Family's Ancestral Trial. Reward: System Store unlocked. Current Comprehension Points (CP): 65. Host, select your first purchase."*
Lin Fan's lips curved into a smirk. "Show me what you've got."
A translucent panel appeared in his mind, invisible to the world. The System Store listed options tailored to his pathetic Qi Condensation Layer 1 cultivation:
- **Qi Condensation Pill** (10 CP): Boosts Qi absorption for 24 hours.
- **Basic Body Tempering Manual** (20 CP): Strengthens physique to withstand Foundation Forging attacks.
- **Soul Spark Talisman** (30 CP): Awakens Soul Cultivation (Soul Awakening Stage 1).
- **Iron-Claw Fist Enhancement** (15 CP): Upgrades copied skill to mid-grade.
- **Random Modern Weapon** (50 CP): Single-use item from Earth (e.g., grenade).
Lin Fan hesitated. The *Soul Spark Talisman* tempted him—soul cultivation was rare in Qingyang Town, giving him an edge—but his immediate need was survival. Chu Hao's *Blazing Tiger Fist* had nearly killed him. He needed strength now.
"Purchase the Basic Body Tempering Manual," he whispered.
> *"Purchase confirmed. CP -20. Current CP: 45. Manual integrated into host's memory."*
A flood of knowledge surged through Lin Fan's mind. The *Iron Body Manual* detailed a method to temper muscles and bones using Qi, making him tougher than his Qi Condensation Layer 1 realm suggested. He sat cross-legged, channeling the sparse Qi in his meridians. His skin tingled as it hardened, faint metallic sheen flickering across his arms.
> *"Body Tempering initiated. CP +5 for comprehending manual. Current CP: 50."*
Lin Fan opened his eyes, feeling sturdier. "Not bad," he muttered, clenching his fist. The wolf core in his hand pulsed, a faint connection to the Lin Family's legacy. He recalled his father's stories of Lin Dong, the Martial Ancestor who joined the Dao Sect 40,000 years ago, rising from this very town to conquer the Great Thousand World. If Lin Fan wanted to restore his family's glory, the Dao Sect was his next step.
---
At the Lin Family's hall, Elder Lin Wei announced the trial results. Only ten disciples passed, Lin Fan among them. The others sneered, assuming he'd gotten lucky. Lin Xiao, his father, pulled him aside, eyes filled with pride and worry. "Fan'er, you survived. But the trial was just the beginning. The Dao Sect's recruiters are coming tomorrow. They're our only hope to rise again."
Lin Fan nodded, glancing at his mother, Su Mei, in her wheelchair. Her gentle smile hid her pain. "I'll make you both proud," he vowed.
That night, Lin Fan studied the wolf core under candlelight. The system chimed:
> *"Observed: Demonic Core. Detected trace of Ancestral Qi. Comprehend to unlock hidden potential. Cost: 30 CP."*
Lin Fan's eyes lit up. Ancestral Qi? Could it be tied to Lin Dong? He spent 30 CP, leaving him with 20. His mind plunged into the core's essence, glimpsing a faint shadow—a coiling dragon, roaring with martial intent. A fragment of Lin Dong's *Ancestral Symbol* energy.
> *"Comprehended: Ancestral Qi Seed. Enhances Qi Condensation efficiency by 20%. CP +10. Current CP: 30."*
Lin Fan exhaled, feeling his Qi flow smoother. "Lin Dong… your legacy's still here."
---
The next day, Qingyang Town's central square buzzed with anticipation. The Dao Sect, once a titan of the Eastern玄Region, was now a shadow of its former self, mocked as a low-tier sect in Qingyang Continent. Its recruiters, two stern-faced elders at Foundation Forging Stage 5, stood on a platform, scanning the crowd of hopefuls from the Lin, Chu, and Lei Clans.
Chu Xue stood with the Chu Clan, her ice-blue robes drawing eyes. Chu Hao, arm bandaged from his defeat, glared at Lin Fan. "You won't last a day in the Dao Sect, trash," he hissed.
> *"Humiliation detected. CP +10. Current CP: 40."*
Lin Fan ignored him, focusing on the elders. The lead recruiter, Elder Mo, spoke gruffly. "The Dao Sect seeks talent. Pass our test, and you may join. Fail, and return to your mud huts."
The test was simple but brutal: withstand a Foundation Forging aura for ten breaths. Most Qi Condensation disciples collapsed instantly. Chu Xue passed effortlessly, her Core Manifestation Tier 3 cultivation shining. Chu Hao gritted his teeth, barely passing. Lin Fan stepped forward, the last to be tested.
Elder Mo's aura crashed down, a mountain of pressure. Lin Fan's *Iron Body Manual* held firm, his knees trembling but unyielding. He activated *Dao Enlightenment*, sensing the elder's Qi flow. The system's voice rang:
> *"Observed: Mountain Suppression Aura. Copied as Iron Will Stance (Basic). CP +15. Current CP: 55."*
Lin Fan's body glowed faintly, stabilizing. The crowd gasped. Elder Mo raised an eyebrow. "A Qi Condensation Layer 1 enduring my aura? Interesting."
Chu Hao's face twisted. "He's cheating!"
"Silence!" Elder Mo snapped. "He passes."
Lin Fan exhaled, heart pounding. The Dao Sect was his ticket out of Qingyang Town—and toward the Lin Ancestor's Relic.
---
A week later, Lin Fan and five other recruits—Chu Xue, Chu Hao, and three Lei Clan disciples—arrived at the Dao Sect, a sprawling but dilapidated complex nestled in the Qingyang Mountains. Crumbling pagodas and overgrown courtyards spoke of its fallen status. The sect had three branches: Martial Hall, Alchemy Hall, and Soul Hall. New disciples would compete in a month for a spot in the sect's annual **Inner Sect Competition**, a gateway to resources and the rumored **Myriad Dao Secret Realm**.
Lin Fan was assigned to Martial Hall, where disciples trained in combat arts. His senior, a gruff Core Manifestation Tier 5 disciple named Zhao Feng, scoffed at him. "Qi Condensation Layer 1? You'll be cannon fodder in the competition."
> *"Humiliation detected. CP +10. Current CP: 65."*
Lin Fan smirked. "We'll see."
He spent the next weeks training relentlessly. The *Heaven-Defying Comprehension System* was his edge. Watching Zhao Feng's *Thunder Spear Art*, he copied it as *Thunder Palm* (CP +15, Total: 80). Meditating in the sect's Qi-rich valley earned him 20 CP, pushing him to 100 CP. He purchased a **Qi Condensation Pill** (10 CP) and a **Soul Spark Talisman** (30 CP), leaving 60 CP.
The pill boosted his cultivation to **Qi Condensation Layer 2**, while the talisman awakened his soul, granting **Soul Awakening Stage 1**. His divine sense, though weak, let him sense auras within ten meters—an edge no one expected from a "trash" disciple.
---
One evening, Lin Fan overheard Chu Hao plotting with a Lei Clan disciple in the Martial Hall courtyard. "The Inner Sect Competition's our chance to crush that Lin trash," Chu Hao growled. "I've got a contact in the Blood Fang Sect. They'll rig the Myriad Dao Secret Realm to take him out."
Lin Fan's blood ran cold. The Blood Fang Sect again? Venerable Shadow Fang's shadow loomed larger. He slipped away, mind racing. The system chimed:
> *"Eavesdropping successful. Strategic insight gained. CP +10. Current CP: 70."*
Lin Fan clenched his fists. "Chu Hao, you're digging your own grave."
---
The night before the Inner Sect Competition, Lin Fan trained in a secluded grove, combining *Thunder Palm*, *Blazing Lotus Palm*, and *Iron-Claw Fist* into a makeshift *Thunder Lotus Claw*. The system rewarded his creativity:
> *"Skill Fusion successful. Thunder Lotus Claw (Mid-Grade) created. CP +20. Current CP: 90."*
He sensed a presence and spun, finding Chu Xue watching from the shadows. Her ice-blue eyes studied him. "You're not what you seem, Lin Fan," she said softly. "Why hide your strength?"
Lin Fan tensed, but the system confirmed: *"No detection of system. Host's secret is safe."*
"Just surviving," he replied, wary. "Why do you care?"
Chu Xue hesitated, then turned away. "Don't die in the competition."
Lin Fan watched her go, puzzled. Was she an ally or a threat?
---
The Inner Sect Competition dawned, a massive arena packed with Dao Sect disciples. Elder Mo presided, announcing the rules: a battle royale among 100 outer disciples, with the top 10 advancing to the Inner Sect and earning a spot in the Myriad Dao Secret Realm.
Lin Fan faced his first opponent, a Qi Condensation Layer 6 disciple wielding a sword. The disciple sneered, "Trash, kneel!"
> *"Humiliation detected. CP +10. Current CP: 100."*
Lin Fan dodged a slash, activating *Swift Step*. His *Thunder Lotus Claw* erupted, claws of flame and lightning shattering the disciple's sword. The crowd gasped as the disciple collapsed.
> *"Victory achieved. CP +15. Current CP: 115."*
Lin Fan fought through five more opponents, each victory refining his skills. Chu Hao, watching, grew pale. Chu Xue's eyes narrowed, intrigued.
In the final round, Lin Fan faced Zhao Feng, the Core Manifestation Tier 5 senior. Zhao's *Thunder Spear Art* crackled, a storm of lightning. Lin Fan's divine sense, boosted by Soul Awakening, tracked the spear's path. He activated *Insight Surge* (CP -50, Total: 65), his mind blazing with clarity.
Zhao's spear thrust met Lin Fan's *Thunder Lotus Claw*. Lightning clashed, and the arena shook. Lin Fan's *Iron Body Manual* absorbed the impact, letting him counter with a blazing claw strike. Zhao staggered, defeated.
The crowd erupted. Elder Mo stood, shocked. "Lin Fan… wins!"
Chu Hao's face twisted with rage. In the shadows, Venerable Shadow Fang's cloaked figure smirked. "The relic… it's tied to this boy."
> *"Competition won. CP +50. Current CP: 115. Task: Prepare for Myriad Dao Secret Realm."*
Lin Fan stood panting, the Dao Sect's lowest disciple now its rising star. The secret realm awaited—and with it, Chu Xue, the Blood Fang Sect's trap, and the first step toward his destiny.