The cold wind howled across Thunder Peak, carrying the scent of ozone and ancient decay.
Eric Strom sat on the edge of a jagged cliff, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon where the sun was setting behind the majestic towers of the Silver Blade Academy. Once, those towers had felt small beneath his feet. Now, they felt like monuments to a life he no longer possessed.
At twenty, Eric had been a legend—the youngest cultivator in the history of the Silver Blade Kingdom to reach the Golden Core realm. They called him the "Divine Dragon of the North."
But dragons can be brought low.
Three years ago, in a desperate ambush by the elders of the Heavenly Blade Academy, Eric had done the unthinkable. To save his life and his dignity, he had forced a "Qi Overload," shattering his own Golden Core to unleash a strike that decimated his enemies. He survived, but he was no longer a dragon.
He was a cripple.
"Still staring at the clouds, Eric? You know, the view from the bottom doesn't change much."
A sharp, mocking voice broke the silence. Eric didn't turn. He knew that voice well. Vice-Director Pharos stepped forward, his purple robes fluttering in the wind. Behind him stood a few disciples, their faces twisted in smirks.
"Pharos," Eric said, his voice as calm as a frozen lake. "I see you've finally found the courage to climb my mountain. Did you bring enough men to protect you this time?"
Pharos's face darkened for a split second before a cruel smile returned. "Always the sharp tongue. But words cannot fix a shattered Dan Tian. The Academy Council has reached a decision. Thunder Peak is a waste of resources. We cannot have a 'trash' elder occupying the most spirit-dense peak in the sect."
He tossed a jade scroll at Eric's feet. "The decree is simple. You have one month. Find a disciple with talent, or Thunder Peak will be dissolved, and you will be stripped of your elder status and cast into the outer wilderness. And let's be honest... who would want a broken master?"
Pharos laughed, a dry, grating sound, before turning to leave. "Enjoy your last month of peace, 'Divine Dragon.'"
As the sound of their footsteps faded, Eric clenched his fist so hard his knuckles turned white. The bitterness in his throat was like poison. One month? I can barely circulate a single wisp of Qi.
Suddenly, a strange, crystalline sound echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Soul Scan Complete.]
[Unyielding Will detected. System Synchronization: 100%.]
[Welcome, Host. The 'Master's Multiplication System' is now active.]
Eric froze. "A... System?"
[Status: Broken Golden Core detected. Initiating Emergency Repair.]
[Reward for Activation: 30% Meridian Restoration + Passive Skill: 'Eye of Insight'.]
A sudden surge of warmth flooded Eric's chest. The agonizing coldness that had resided in his Dan Tian for three years began to melt. He gasped as a faint, purple glow flickered beneath his skin. It wasn't full power, but it was life.
[Mission: Accept your first disciple.]
[Requirement: The disciple must have at least 'Mysterious Grade' potential.]
[System Perk: Any resource or skill given to your disciple will be returned to you multiplied by 100x to 10,000x!]
Eric stood up slowly. For the first time in three years, the light in his eyes wasn't just reflection—it was a spark of lightning.
"A month, Pharos?" Eric whispered, looking at his trembling hand as a tiny spark of blue electricity danced between his fingers. "In a month, I won't just keep this peak. I'll make you regret ever stepping foot on it."
He turned his gaze toward the academy's testing grounds below. With the Eye of Insight, the world looked different. He didn't see students; he saw potential. And somewhere down there, a hidden gem was waiting for the spark that would ignite a revolution.