System Awakening

(Brain storage)

Cold. Piercing, bone-chilling cold coiled around him before consciousness returned.

The stench of rust, blood so thick it would not dissipate, and the sour reek of corpses beginning to rot mingled together and forced their way into his nostrils, making him choke as he abruptly opened his eyes.

Darkness. Not utter darkness—faint light leaked through gaps in the tattered shed roof overhead, sketching the outlines of figures sprawled every which way. Beneath him was a rough, hard plank that dug into his body; the slightest movement made it creak under the strain.

Where was this?

He looked around blankly, his memories still frozen on the moment he had worked overtime until dawn and collapsed face-first onto his keyboard. The ghostly glow of the computer screen overlapped with, then tore apart from, the hellish scene before him.

This was not a dream.

A chill crawled up his spine and spread through his entire body. Looking down, he saw himself clad in a filthy, battered leather cuirass smeared with dark brown stains. When his fingers touched it, they felt a sticky slickness. A chipped short blade hung at his waist, its hemp-wrapped hilt blackened by sweat and blood.

An unfamiliar body, an unfamiliar environment, and a deathly stench so thick it made him want to vomit.

"New guy, save your strength. Whether you'll still be alive tomorrow is anyone's guess." A curled-up figure beside him spoke in a hoarse voice, carrying an almost numb, lifeless air.

His throat was too dry to make a sound, and his heart hammered madly in his chest. Then, fragments of memories that did not belong to him surged into his mind like floodwaters bursting through a breached dam—

The Great Yan Dynasty. A world of high martial arts. Beacon fires everywhere, human lives as cheap as grass.

He was now an unnamed soldier in the frontier army's Supply Camp, also called Chen Qing. He had just turned sixteen and had been forcibly conscripted less than half a month ago. The battle at the front was pressing; tomorrow, auxiliary soldiers like them would be driven to the first line of defense to exhaust the enemy's arrows and strength.

Cannon fodder. Pure, unadulterated cannon fodder.

Despair wrapped around his heart like an icy venomous snake, squeezing until he could barely breathe.

No!

At the very instant his terror and unwillingness reached their peak, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice suddenly rang out in the depths of his mind:

[ Ding! Strong desire for survival detected. Kill-for-Proficiency System activated! ]

[ Kill living beings to obtain corresponding proficiency and raise your martial arts realm. ]

Before his eyes, a pale blue, translucent screen silently unfolded, simple to the point of cruelty.

[ Host: Chen Qing ]

[ Realm: None ]

[ Martial Art: Black Tiger Fist (Not Initiated, Proficiency: 22/100) ]

[ Martial Art: Black Tiger Saber Technique (Not Initiated, Proficiency: 13/100) ]

A system? A golden finger!

Wild joy instantly scattered his despair. He stared fixedly at the screen as if he had seized the only life-saving straw. The Black Tiger Fist and Black Tiger Saber Technique were the family arts passed down by this body's original owner. Supposedly, an ancestor had once been someone remarkable and left them behind. But by this generation, only a few damaged forms and stances remained—barely enough for fitness, much less killing enemies on the battlefield.

But now, things were different!

Subconsciously, he recalled the forms of the Black Tiger Fist and tried to stir his breath according to the breathing method in his memories. They were only a few simple opening stances, yet an indescribable sense of coordination spread through his muscles, along with a faint current of heat.

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +1 ]

The number on the screen flickered.

It worked! It really worked!

A frightening light burst from Chen Qing's eyes. He no longer hesitated, nor did he care about his body's exhaustion or the terrible surroundings. Right there on the cramped, foul-smelling bunk, he silently practiced the incomplete Black Tiger Fist from his memories over and over.

His movements were stiff, even somewhat ridiculous, but with the system's aid, every punch and every step increased his proficiency a little. Sweat quickly soaked through his ragged clothes, and his muscles began to ache, yet he did not stop for a moment.

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +1 ]

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +1 ]

As he endured and trained madly, the sky gradually began to brighten.

Woooo—!

A deep, desolate horn blast, like a funeral bell, shattered the dawn.

"Up! All of you, up! The wolf cubs are coming! Move! To the front line!" The ferocious squad leader stormed into the barracks with a whip, roaring as he lashed at the still-dazed soldiers without regard for right or wrong.

The crowd was driven out of the barracks like livestock. Chen Qing was swept along among them, gripping the broken blade at his waist tightly. Its cold touch kept a sliver of clarity in him.

The sky outside was gray, and the air was thick with killing intent. A ruined camp, ranks of spears, and from the distant horizon came the muffled, thunderous sound of hooves.

He was shoved into place behind a crudely built row of wooden barricades. Around him were countless faces as young as his own, yet filled with terror and numbness. Ahead, dust billowed, and a writhing black line was rapidly growing larger.

Northern Barbarian cavalry!

"Archers! Ready—" An officer's hoarse roar trembled.

No one fired. The auxiliary camp did not even have enough proper bows to go around.

Boom!

The black flood crashed into the wooden barricades like a hot knife slicing through butter. The frail defenses instantly shattered into pieces.

Chen Qing saw it.

A Northern Barbarian Infantryman in a filthy leather coat, his face full of flesh and his eyes flashing with bloodthirsty ferocity, charged at him howling with a curved saber raised. That dense Killing Intent was nearly tangible, churning his stomach like a river overturning the sea.

He could not dodge! He would die!

The shadow of death descended, but in that instant, the instinct to survive overwhelmed fear.

"Roar!"

A suppressed, youthful yet vicious growl burst from Chen Qing's throat. Almost instinctively, he unleashed the most direct move from the Black Tiger Fist that he had practiced countless times the night before—Black Tiger Heart Pluck!

He turned sideways, stepped forward, twisted his waist, and threw a punch!

The movement still carried traces of awkwardness, but that coordinated force and the faint yet genuine heat within his body made the punch astonishingly fast—and astonishingly vicious!

Bang!

His fist smashed squarely into the Northern Barbarian Infantryman's chest.

Crack.

The crisp sound of bones breaking.

The Northern Barbarian Infantryman's forward rush came to an abrupt halt. His eyes bulged wide, filled with disbelief. His mouth opened, bloody froth spilled out, and his body collapsed limply.

[ Northern Barbarian Infantryman killed. Acquired a small amount of Vitality and Blood. Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +15! ]

The cold prompt sounded.

A faint but distinct stream of heat appeared out of nowhere within his body and swiftly flowed into his limbs and bones. Much of the exhaustion from his frantic training the night before was driven away, and the aching swelling in his arms eased. His understanding of the Black Tiger Fist also seemed to deepen slightly.

So this was... growing stronger by killing enemies!

Chen Qing's heart pounded violently, not from fear, but excitement!

He bent down and picked up the curved saber dropped by the Northern Barbarian Infantryman. Its blade was curved, and it was incomparably better than his broken short knife.

Just then, another Northern Barbarian Soldier noticed the youth who had instantly killed his companion and came slashing at him with a savage grin.

The blade wind was fierce!

Chen Qing's gaze sharpened. He no longer relied solely on his fist technique. With a flick of his wrist, the newly acquired curved saber swept upward with fierce momentum!

Black Tiger Saber Technique—Fierce Tiger Swings Its Tail!

Clang!

The two sabers collided, scattering a trail of sparks.

Chen Qing's arm shook and he staggered back half a step, but his eyes became even fiercer. The Northern Barbarian Soldier clearly had not expected such strength and reflexes from this skinny youth, and he froze for a moment.

That moment!

Like a hungry tiger pouncing on prey, Chen Qing charged forward. His curved saber drew a streak of cold light and chopped straight at the man's neck!

[ Northern Barbarian Infantryman killed. Acquired a small amount of Vitality and Blood. Black Tiger Saber Technique Proficiency +12! ]

Another current of heat surged into him.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Chen Qing's eyes turned completely bloodshot. Rather than waiting passively, he began actively searching for targets. Alternating between the Black Tiger Fist and Black Tiger Saber Technique, he was like a hungry tiger that had charged into a flock of sheep. With the system's precise exertion techniques, the strength restored after every kill, and his steadily growing proficiency, he fought desperately to survive amid the chaos of the battlefield.

He specifically targeted lone Northern Barbarian Soldiers or those already wounded. His movements became increasingly skilled, his punches more vicious, and his saber strikes more treacherous.

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +8 ]

[ Black Tiger Saber Technique Proficiency +10 ]

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency +11 ]

His proficiency rose at a breakneck pace, and the heat within him accumulated in ever greater amounts. His whole body felt warm, while his strength steadily increased.

He did not know how long he had been fighting. When he once again pulled his curved saber from between a Northern Barbarian Soldier's ribs, drawing out a spray of warm blood, the prompt in his mind suddenly changed:

[ Black Tiger Fist Proficiency has reached 100/100. Realm advanced: Initial Glimpse (1/500)! ]

Boom!

It was as if thunder had exploded inside his mind.

The Black Tiger Fist moves that he had previously only copied by rote suddenly became incomparably clear and profound. How every muscle should move, how his breath should coordinate, how force should run through his body—all manner of realizations flooded his heart. He even felt that his fists had become somewhat harder.

Initial Glimpse!

Almost at the same time, the breakthrough in his fist technique drove forward his understanding of the saber technique.

[ Black Tiger Saber Technique Proficiency +20! ]

[ Black Tiger Saber Technique Proficiency has reached 100/100. Realm advanced: Initial Glimpse (1/500)! ]

The many crucial secrets of the saber technique also suddenly became clear!

Chen Qing could not help letting out a long howl, expelling the pent-up gloom from his chest! He swung the curved saber in his hand and forced back a Northern Barbarian Soldier trying to ambush him, his movements more than a level faster than before!

The surrounding Northern Barbarian Soldiers seemed to realize that this blood-soaked youth was no easy target. For a moment, they actually hesitated to advance.

Woooo—!

Just then, the command horn signaling the Northern Barbarians' retreat sounded from afar.

The enemies who had surged in like a tide began to withdraw like a tide.

All that remained on the battlefield were shattered banners, scattered weapons, and layers upon layers of corpses.

He had survived...

Chen Qing braced himself on the chipped curved saber, gasping for breath as his entire body trembled slightly. Not from fear, but from exhaustion and the collapse after extreme excitement.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell upon his face, smeared with blood and sweat. Yet his eyes shone with a frightening brightness.

He looked at the blue screen visible only to him.

[ Host: Chen Qing ]

[ Realm: Skin Refining Realm (Early Stage) ]

[ Martial Art: Black Tiger Fist (Initial Glimpse, Proficiency: 1/500) ]

[ Martial Art: Black Tiger Saber Technique (Initial Glimpse, Proficiency: 1/500) ]

Skin Refining Realm!

This was the first threshold of martial cultivation in this world of high martial arts! It meant toughened skin, vastly increased strength, and power far beyond that of an ordinary person!

From cannon fodder who could die at any moment to stepping into the ranks of true martial artists, all it had taken was one battle!

The system's immense power made his blood surge with emotion.

"You. What's your name?" A deep voice sounded beside him.

Chen Qing raised his head and saw an officer wearing damaged iron armor, a vicious saber scar across his face, staring at him with sharp eyes. This officer was the squad leader responsible for their area. His surname was Zhang, and he was usually exceedingly fierce.

Chen Qing's heart tightened. He concealed the sharp light in his eyes, lowered his gaze, and said hoarsely, "Reporting to Squad Leader, this one is Chen Qing."

Squad Leader Zhang looked him over from head to toe. His gaze paused for a moment on the clearly captured Northern Barbarian curved saber in Chen Qing's hand, then swept over the two or three Northern Barbarian Soldier corpses at his feet.

"Mm, not bad. You have a bit of your old Chen family's ancestral bearing." Squad Leader Zhang's tone revealed neither joy nor anger. "Since you're not dead, hurry and clean up. There are still hard battles ahead."

With that, he turned and walked elsewhere to continue counting the casualties.

Chen Qing watched Squad Leader Zhang's departing back and slowly straightened.

The sunlight stretched his shadow long across the mountain of corpses and sea of blood.

He gently stroked the curved saber at his waist, glutted on fresh blood. Along its cold edge was reflected his youthful brows and eyes, already carrying Killing Intent.

In these chaotic times of high martial arts, human lives were as cheap as grass.

But he had the system, this saber, and these fists.

His path had only just begun.

Under heaven, where could he not go?