The blood moon had finally dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky bruised purple as dawn approached. In the silence of his chamber, Lian Voss sat cross-legged on the starwood bed, palms resting on his knees. Tiny motes of dark aether drifted around him like fireflies made of night.
He had spent the remaining hours after the ceremony in deep meditation, guiding the stolen traces of Elara's wind and water essence through his Eclipse Aether Root. The root didn't merely absorb—it devoured, twisted, and remade. What entered as pure wind became a whispering void breeze; what had been clear water turned into liquid shadow that flowed without sound.
Now the spark in his dantian pulsed stronger.
"Push," he commanded himself.
Pain flared along his meridians as the spark swelled, stretching thin threads of energy outward. Veins in his arms glowed faintly black before fading again. Sweat rolled down his temples. At six years old, even a perfect body had limits—but the system didn't care about limits.
**[Progress: 87% toward Seed Awakening]
Warning: Overexertion may cause minor qi deviation in immature body. Proceed? Y/N]**
"Y," Lian hissed through clenched teeth.
The final push came like cracking open a sealed vault. A low hum filled the room. The spark imploded once, then bloomed outward in slow motion—dozens of dark seeds taking root in his energy pathways. Each seed pulsed once in unison, releasing a wave of cool, soothing power that washed away the pain.
**[Element Foundation Realm – Seed Awakening Completed]
New Title Unlocked: Shadow Sprout
Reward: Passive Skill – Veil of Whispers (Low-grade)
Effect: Minor concealment of presence and intent. Detection difficulty increased by 15% against peers below Element Fusion Realm.]**
Lian exhaled slowly, feeling the new weight of power settle comfortably in his core. He was still far from anything impressive on a planetary scale, but for a six-year-old in a top clan? This was already abnormal—if anyone ever discovered the truth.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Young Master? Breakfast will be served in the Jade Garden in twenty minutes. The Second Young Master requests your presence."
Lian recognized the voice—old Mei, one of the loyal attendants assigned to him since birth. He stood, stretched his small limbs, and replied in the childish tone he'd practiced.
"Coming, Granny Mei!"
He changed into simpler robes—black silk trimmed in silver—and slipped out. As he walked the winding corridors of the inner estate, he kept Veil of Whispers active at the lowest level. No one would sense anything unusual, but he could already feel how the air around him seemed to bend slightly, muffling his footsteps.
The Jade Garden was one of the clan's prized locations: floating jade platforms connected by arching bridges, spirit koi swimming through clouds of mist, and ancient trees whose leaves shimmered like polished emeralds. At the central pavilion sat his second brother, Darius Voss—seventeen, tall, broad-shouldered, already at Element Fusion Realm's Dual Element Harmony stage. Fire and metal affinities. Arrogant, but not stupid.
Darius looked up from his tea as Lian approached.
"Little brother," he drawled, gesturing to the empty seat opposite him. "Sit. We need to talk about yesterday."
Lian climbed onto the cushioned chair with deliberate clumsiness, letting his legs dangle. "What about it, Second Brother?"
Darius leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Your shadow root. Middling? Please. I watched the platform readings myself. The obsidian barely reacted, yet I felt… something. A ripple. Like the air itself was holding its breath around you."
Lian blinked innocently. Inside, he was impressed. Darius was sharper than expected.
"I don't know what you mean," Lian said, reaching for a sweet lotus bun. "I tried really hard, but it just didn't work well…"
Darius studied him for a long moment, then chuckled and leaned back.
"Fine. Keep your little secrets—for now. But listen carefully. Elara is leaving for the outer sect trial grounds in two weeks. She'll be gone for at least a month. While she's away, some of the branch family whelps are getting bold. Especially that servant boy, Kairos. I've heard rumors he's been sneaking into restricted libraries."
Lian's expression remained blank, but his mind sharpened.
Darius continued. "If anything happens to tarnish the main family's reputation while Elara is gone, Grandfather will be furious. I want you to keep an eye on things. You're small, unassuming. People talk around you. Report anything strange directly to me."
Lian tilted his head. "You want me to spy?"
"I want you to be useful," Darius corrected. "For once."
Lian pretended to think, then nodded eagerly. "Okay! I'll watch carefully!"
Darius smirked, satisfied, and waved him off to eat.
But as Lian nibbled on the bun, the system chimed softly.
**[Opportunity Detected]
Side Mission Unlocked: Plant the First Seed of Ruin
Target: Kairos Vale
Objective: Within the next seven days, create a situation where Kairos is caught breaking a minor clan rule in public—preferably in a way that makes him appear greedy or disrespectful.
Reward: 300 Luck points (convertible to cultivation resources) + Reputation Decay Token (x1) – can accelerate ruin plans on marked targets by 20%.
Failure Penalty: None (this time).]**
Lian's lips curved behind the pastry.
Perfect.
Later that afternoon, while most of the clan napped or cultivated in seclusion, Lian slipped into the restricted library wing using Veil of Whispers and a child's natural ability to go unnoticed.
He found Kairos exactly where Darius suspected—hunched over an ancient scroll in a shadowed alcove, copying forbidden body-tempering techniques onto a small jade slip.
Lian didn't approach. Instead, he retreated silently, found a patrolling outer disciple, and—using the most pitiful expression he could muster—pointed toward the alcove.
"Big brother… I saw someone sneaking in there… I think he's stealing…"
The disciple frowned, then thanked the "kind young master" and hurried off to investigate.
Minutes later, shouting echoed through the halls.
Kairos was dragged out by two enforcers, jade slip confiscated, face pale with fury and humiliation. A small crowd gathered—disciples, servants, even a few elders.
"He claims it was just borrowing for study," one enforcer reported to the supervising elder. "But the scroll is restricted to core lineage only."
The elder scowled. "A branch family servant touching forbidden arts without permission? Greed and disrespect. Thirty lashes and three months menial labor."
Kairos clenched his fists but said nothing. His eyes, however, burned—with the kind of hatred that only a reborn expert could carry.
From the edge of the crowd, Lian watched with wide, innocent eyes.
**[Side Mission Completed]
Reward delivered.
Reputation Decay Token (x1) acquired. Kairos Vale's public image degraded by 8%. Future schemes against him now 20% more effective.]**
Lian turned and skipped away, humming a childish tune.
One small crack in the hero's armor.
Many more to come.
(End of Chapter 3)