CHAPTER 268: SYSTEM UPGRADED SUCCESSFULLY

[System Maintenance... Over]

[System Upgraded Successfully]

Yu Xuan froze, blinking in surprise.

"Oh?"

He glanced down at the glowing text hovering in front of him.

The timing was too perfect.

He looked at the two caterpillars still sitting in his hands, both of them gazing up at him innocently.

"...Are you two my luck charms?"

Neither of them responded, of course — though the black one tilted its head slightly and made a tiny squeaky sound.

"Alright, alright. Let’s see what kind of changes this upgrade brought..."

Yu Xuan chuckled.

"Something tells me," he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips, "life’s about to get... interesting again."

’Status’ Yu Xuan thought.

And a new system design greeted him.

————⟬ System Interface ⟭————

« Identity »

[Name]: Yu Xuan

[Age]: 14

[Race]: Human

« Status » : Happy

« Titles » : Reincarnator, Young Master, Young Genius, Flower of Yu Clan, Contractor of Divine Life, Wielder of Heavenly Flames

« Cultivation »

[Realm]: Foundation Establishment (12 / 12)

[Spiritual Root]: Origin (EX)

[Physique]: Darkness & Light Origin Physique (EX)

[Bloodline]: The Darkest Light (M+)

« Attributes »

[Physical Strength]: 100 / 100

[Spiritual Strength]: 100 / 100

[Soul Strength]: 100 / 100

«Techniques»

[Cultivation Technique]: The Everchanging Ascension Technique

[Martial Technique]: The Formless Martial Path

[Magic Arts]: Magic Swordsmanship of the Avalon Imperial Family (E+^)

« Abilities »

[Traits]: Soul Vision, Mental Resistance, Adaptive Mind

[Skills]: Telekinesis (B+), Ultra Instinct(SS+) ,Immortal’s Gaze (SS+^), Fated Encounter (???)

« System Access »

[Talent Evaluation]

[Quests]

[System Shop]

[Inventory]

——————————————————

Yu Xuan stared at the newly updated system interface, eyes gleaming faintly.

"This looks... quite great now," he muttered.

The layout was smoother, and the golden-black frame shimmered faintly.

Yet, despite the fancy appearance, Yu Xuan’s expression remained unbothered.

He’d learned his lesson.

Never trust a shiny interface until it actually does something useful, in daily life.

But he didn’t have much time to test it out.

His breakthrough was near, and that came first.

Just as he was about to close the interface, the two caterpillars, who had been resting quietly, suddenly crawled up his shoulder and onto his forehead.

Before he could react, both began to glow faintly.

Then, in a blink of light, they vanished.

Yu Xuan sensed them — both caterpillars were sleeping soundly inside his soul, nestled comfortably within him.

He sighed in relief.

Still, he made a mental note.

Before the tribulation, get them out.

The last thing he needed was for heavenly lightning to accidentally roast his newborn pets.

It was still early morning when Yu Xuan finally left his residence, his heart steady.

He then, made his way up, toward his master’s mansion.

When he arrived, the enormous doors opened on their own. Standing there was his master, the Elemental Heaven Peak Master.

"Good morning, my disciple," she said, studying him briefly.

"Your aura’s stable. That’s good, let’s begin your breakthrough."

Yu Xuan raised a hand sheepishly.

"Wait, Master, before that, there’s something I should show you."

The Peak Master raised a brow.

"What now?"

Yu Xuan smiled awkwardly.

"Do you remember those two eggs?"

"Yes."

He tapped his forehead, and two tiny lights emerged — one dark, one pale blue. Slowly, the two caterpillars materialized in front of them.

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master blinked once. Then again.

Yu Xuan cleared his throat.

"They hatched yesterday."

The scene was undeniably... strange.

Two glowing caterpillars emerging from someone’s forehead wasn’t exactly common. But they were cute, so the strangeness was forgotten.

The little creatures blinked at her.

Then, with what could only be described as judgmental looks, they stared directly into her eyes.

The Peak Master’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

"...Are they judging me?"

Yu Xuan was silent, pretending not to notice their little faces.

"Anyway, I thought it’d be safer if they stayed with you while I undergo my breakthrough."

The caterpillars chirped in protest but, after Yu Xuan gently coaxed them through their bond, they reluctantly floated toward his master.

When they reached her, they stared again, and then, apparently deciding she passed their mysterious ’inspection,’ both crawled onto her hand and coiled up comfortably.

The Elemental Heaven Peak Master looked down at them, expression unreadable.

"...You have strange taste in summons."

Yu Xuan smiled awkwardly.

She sighed.

She tucked her hand slightly, letting the caterpillars rest on her sleeve before giving him a firm look.

"Alright, enough delays."

"Where will we do this, Master?" Yu Xuan asked, because the last time they were inside the room.

The Peak Master’s eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile curling at the edge of her lips.

"What are you talking about? Here, of course. Or would you rather have my mansion be vaporized by your tribulation lightning?"

"Ahaha... right, of course not," Yu Xuan said.

"Good."

With a gesture of her hand, she swept aside a wide area of stone near the edge.

"Sit there."

Yu Xuan nodded and walked over, taking a deep breath before sitting cross-legged.

He closed his eyes, steadying his breathing, and began circulating his Qi.

His master stood a short distance away, the two caterpillars resting calmly on her arm, both watching him with their bright, curious eyes.

The Peak Master’s gaze softened ever so slightly.

"Now then, Yu Xuan..." she whispered, "show me how much you’ve grown."

Yu Xuan inhaled deeply, his breath steady, his mind sharpening.

After completing several minor Heavenly Cycles, calming himself, he opened his Spiritual Eye.

A faint, ethereal mark, shaped like a half-open eye, shimmered on his forehead.

With that awakened perception, Yu Xuan turned his gaze inward.

His consciousness sank into his body.

The energy channels within his body glittered faintly, rivers of essence flowing through intricate paths.

Now came the crucial step.

He had to open the remaining Four Extraordinary Meridians, and activate the Twelve Gates, completing the grand network that formed the Great Heavenly Cycle.

Only then, by linking them all, within his Lower Dantian could he forge the foundation of the next great step — the Life Core.

It was the essence of the Core Formation Realm — to take everything that made one alive, and condense it into a single, radiant point of eternity.