C1 Devouring System
Under the cloak of night, Lintian City lay serene and tranquil, its daytime bustle now slumbering in the dark, lulled by the nightingale's song.
In the woodshed of the Jiang Mansion's backyard...
A teenager lay silently on the ground, his temples caked with dried blood. Beneath his ragged hemp clothes, his emaciated body bore both fresh and old wounds, his back particularly marred, eliciting pity from any onlooker.
The boy had ceased to breathe, his body temperature lost to the cold night air.
Suddenly, the sky cracked with thunder, and a bolt of lightning struck the boy's body. His pale body convulsed, and as the electric light faded, color returned to his gaunt face, and his heart began to beat once more.
Time passed, and a formidable force surged through him, rousing him from unconsciousness. He opened his eyes slowly to find a man in a dark robe looming over him. Confused, he asked, "Where am I?"
The man responded with a series of kicks to his back, barking, "You lazy cur, playing dumb won't save you! Get up!"
Clarity returned to the boy's eyes as fragments of memory flashed through his mind, quickly assembling into coherence. He realized who he was—Jiang Xiaofan, the Jiang family's Outer Sect disciple with the least talent, perpetually stuck as a Martial Disciple. After a hard-won breakthrough to Original Martial, his progress was cruelly undone by the young master during a clan competition. Now, he was condemned to a bleak existence, barely surviving.
The Jiang family's scorn, ridicule, and relentless beatings had been Jiang Xiaofan's daily torment until an afternoon injury claimed his life at the tender age of sixteen.
But this night was different, marked by strange phenomena in the heavens. A teenager, in the midst of an intense gaming session, was transported to this world by a lightning strike, awakening within this frail body.
"Didn't you hear me?!" the man snarled, intensifying his kicks, each one sending shudders through the boy's slight frame.
Jiang Xiaofan slowly rose, a fierce glint in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the man towering over him.
Jiang Lei was a crony of the Jiang family's young lord, a Martial Disciple whose real talent lay in his skillful flattery. He had made quite a name for himself within the Jiang family's circles.
"You lowlife! How dare you look at me that way? Do you have a death wish?" Jiang Lei's fist flew up before crashing down towards Jiang Xiaofan's head with ferocity!
Jiang Xiaofan's demise earlier that day had been at the hands of Jiang Lei's devastating punch. Now, how could he not fight back?
He tried to retaliate but found himself so feeble that lifting his arms was an impossible task. Just then, a bolt of lightning struck him, electrifying his entire body.
All of a sudden, Jiang Xiaofan's mind was awash with flashing lights.
"Ding!"
"System Prompt: Congratulations, you have acquired the Devouring System. Would you like to activate it?"
Jiang Xiaofan was momentarily dumbfounded. What in the world was this? Had the lightning scrambled his brain? He had been gaming one moment and the next, he found himself in Jiang Xiaofan's body—how could there possibly be a game system now?
Skeptical yet curious, Jiang Xiaofan mentally commanded, "Activate!"
"Ding!"
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, for activating the Devouring System. You have received a Newbie Gift Bag x1."
As the lightning vanished, a peculiar sensation of numbness and warmth spread through Jiang Xiaofan's body. Meanwhile, Jiang Lei was hurled away by the lightning's force, slamming into a wall and coughing up blood as he clutched his chest.
Without hesitation, Jiang Xiaofan opened the Newbie Gift Bag.
"Ding!"
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, for opening the Newbie Gift Bag. You have unlocked the reward — System Exclusive Ability: Devour."
A surge of black energy erupted, swirling around Jiang Xiaofan before plunging into his chest, infusing him with newfound strength.
Curious, he accessed the attribute panel in his mind and opened it:
Jiang Xiaofan
Level: 0
Martial Level: None
Skills: None
Functions: None
Equipment: None
Points: 0
Luck: 0
Ability: Devour
...
Jiang Xiaofan was torn between amusement and frustration. He had thought the lightning strike might have granted him some grand thunderous power, but upon checking his attributes, he found nothing more than a blank slate.
At that moment, Jiang Lei slowly rose to his feet, his gaze seething with murderous intent. "You cur! I'll kill you!" he declared.
With those words, Jiang Lei launched his fist in a ferocious arc toward Jiang Xiaofan. Sensing his strength had returned, Jiang Xiaofan swiftly backpedaled, snatched a broken stick from the ground, and with a powerful stomp, charged at Jiang Lei!
A sneer spread across Jiang Lei's face. "You think you, a worthless piece of trash, can lay a hand on me? You must be sick of living! Let me show you what it means to be a Martial Disciple Level Four!"
As he swung his massive fist, Jiang Xiaofan leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blow, and plunged the jagged end of the stick into Jiang Lei's vulnerable neck.
"Puchi!"
Jiang Xiaofan's face was splattered with warm blood as Jiang Lei stared in disbelief, unable to utter a sound. "No... It can't be..."
Shoving Jiang Lei aside, Jiang Xiaofan gasped for air, while Jiang Lei convulsed on the ground a few times before falling still.
A soft, milky-white aura began to rise from Jiang Lei's corpse. Dark Qi burst forth from Jiang Xiaofan's chest, engulfing the white light. It writhed and shrieked, but ultimately, the dark Qi devoured it, dragging it into Jiang Xiaofan's chest.
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Jiang Lei and acquired the Jiang's Steel Saber."
Instantly, Jiang Xiaofan felt the white light suffuse his body, his power surging!
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, for leveling up after devouring Jiang Lei's soul power!"
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, for leveling up after devouring Jiang Lei's soul power!"
The experience from defeating a Martial Disciple Level Four allowed Jiang Xiaofan to jump two levels instantly, filling him with elation.
He accessed his attribute panel and indeed, there was a significant change!
Jiang Xiaofan
Level: 2
Cultivation: Martial Disciple Level Two (Martial Disciple, Original Martial, Spirit Martial, Profound Martial, Earth Martial, Celestial Martial, Martial King)
Skills: None
Function: None
Equipment: Jiang Family Steel Sword
Points: 0
Luck: 0
Ability: Devour
...
"Brother, Jiang Luo and I came to see you. We heard you got hurt this afternoon. Are you okay...?" A girl's voice called out, followed by the sound of footsteps drawing closer.
Jiang Xiaofan's heart raced. The visitor was his sister, Jiang Nianrui, the only member of the Jiang family who treated him with kindness. Though Jiang Xiaofan was her adoptive brother, they had grown up together. Without her care, he might have already succumbed to starvation or violence.
Before Jiang Xiaofan could conceal Jiang Lei's body, Jiang Nianrui and Jiang Luo entered the woodshed. They shuddered at the sight before them, and Jiang Nianrui's bamboo basket clattered to the floor, spilling food and a bottle of medicinal wine.
"Murder! Jiang Xiaofan has killed someone!" Jiang Luo fled in terror, her screams echoing behind her.
Jiang Xiaofan looked at the shocked Jiang Nianrui and managed a wry smile. "Nianrui, I'm sorry, I..."
Jiang Nianrui snapped out of her daze and quickly grabbed Jiang Xiaofan's wrist. "Brother, run! You've killed Jiang Lei, and the young lord will never forgive you!"
Despite her small stature, Jiang Nianrui's strength as a Level Three Original Martial was formidable, far surpassing Jiang Xiaofan's. Without allowing him to protest, she pulled him from the shed and they dashed toward the back door.
At the back door, Jiang Nianrui produced a pink purse from her robes and pressed it into Jiang Xiaofan's hand. "Brother, there are thirty copper coins in here. You must escape quickly, leave Lintian City!"
"Escape? But where?" A stern, icy voice cut through the air. Suddenly, Jiang Xiaofan felt an overwhelming force descend upon him. With a thud, he was pinned to the ground, gasping for air, powerless to resist.
Several figures approached slowly. The leader was a man in his twenties, Jiang Tianyang, the young lord of the Jiang family, a Level Ten Original Martial and a prodigy of the clan. By his side was his personal guard, Jiang Lun, wielding the formidable power of a Level Seven Spirit Martial.
Jiang Xiaofan was pinned to the ground, unable to rise due to the overwhelming pressure exerted by Jiang Lun. His superior Martial Level left Xiaofan with no room to fight back.
With a sneer, Jiang Tianyang taunted, "Jiang Xiaofan, I never imagined you'd kill Jiang Lei, a member of our own Jiang family. For such a crime, death is the only sentence. Today, I will be the one to send you to meet your parents in hell!"
"Please, Young Master, spare my brother!" Jiang Nianrui pleaded, falling to her knees, her tears flowing like rain.
Jiang Tianyang's face twisted into a lascivious grin as he leered at Jiang Nianrui. "Ah, Nianrui, you always avoid my gaze, don't you? Well, today I'm offering you a chance! Agree to marry me and become my concubine, to amuse me, and I'll spare this worthless life."
Jiang Nianrui shuddered, while Jiang Xiaofan, upon hearing this, was filled with a seething rage. Clenching his teeth against the crushing pressure, he managed to force out a few words, "Don't... agree to him!"
Jiang Tianyang's laughter boomed, his arrogance unmasked as lewd smiles spread across the onlookers' faces, with Jiang Lun's eyes blazing with desire.
Jiang Nianrui, with her striking beauty, was coveted by both Jiang Tianyang and Jiang Lun. The Jiang family's strict rules had previously protected her, but now, with an opening, neither man would easily let this chance slip by. Jiang Tianyang, known for his promiscuity, would pass on his discarded playthings to Jiang Lun. If Jiang Nianrui consented, her life would be forever shrouded in darkness.
Tears brimming in her eyes, Jiang Nianrui bit her lip hard. She turned to her brother, lying defeated on the ground, and said, "Brother, I'm sorry. From now on, you'll have to fend for yourself."
Jiang Xiaofan struggled desperately to rise, but with a slight exertion of force, Jiang Lun barked, "Stay down!" A more intense power bore down on Xiaofan, rendering him immobile. Jiang Lun's face was a picture of smug satisfaction. "Jiang Xiaofan, you disgrace of the Jiang family, you've brought ruin upon your parents, and now your sister has agreed to marry for your sake. You'd be better off dead!"
Jiang Tianyang watched Jiang Nianrui with a malicious grin. "Agree to my terms, kowtow three times, and I'll spare his life."
Jiang Xiaofan didn't want Jiang Nianrui to endure such humiliation for his sake, even if it meant his death. But in this moment, he was utterly helpless, dwarfed by the overwhelming force before him.
With her eyes tightly shut, Jiang Nianrui couldn't bear to meet Jiang Xiaofan's gaze. She slowly bowed her head and kowtowed three times before Jiang Tianyang, who sneered, "Not loud enough. Do it again!"
"Ah! Jiang Tianyang! Damn you!"
Jiang Xiaofan's roar filled the air as he struggled to rise, but Jiang Lun's will crushed him back to the ground. Tears of rage and helplessness streamed down his face. He despised his own weakness, a weakness that forced Jiang Nianrui to sacrifice her future for his mere survival. "No! Don't do it! Please, don't agree!"
Jiang Nianrui's lips were clenched so tightly that blood began to trickle from the corner of her mouth, yet she refused to open her eyes. With a surge of determination, she bent down sharply.
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
Each sound echoed with the agony of a heart being carved out by a blade.
