## Chapter 3: First Steps with the System
A thin blade of sunlight crept between the shutters, flickering over Xiao Yu's eyelids and rousing him from fitful sleep. Today felt different—every nerve in his body tingled, every breath tasted new. The memory of the night's revelations lingered: the Myriad Shop's crystalline interface, pills and scrolls appearing at a thought, a sea of power at his fingertips. He resisted the urge to smile; a thousand emotions churned in his chest.
Silence blanketed the house. He dressed quietly, binding his hair in the usual topknot—but beneath the surface, he felt transformed. Standing barefoot on the cool floor, he closed his eyes and summoned the system's dazzling menu once again. With a thought, information fluttered across his mind: categories, subcategories, icons for everything from basic daily necessities to world-shaking treasures.
Curiosity awoke. He focused on physique first; after a silent moment of examination—considering flames, lightning, light, shadow—he hesitated, then settled on a **Basic Divine Flame Physique.** Warmth erupted within his core as it fused, gentle but exhilarating. He shivered, fire blossoming in his meridians, Dou Qi circulating smoother than ever before.
He summoned a **Cloud-Tide Steps** movement technique. The knowledge slipped into his muscles instantly; standing, he performed a hesitant leap, and found his feet lighter, springier—each landing as silent as mist.
Still unseen, he crept out to the kitchen. The Myriad Shop offered a choice: a fragrant tea blend called *Celestial Dawn Leaves*. He willed it into reality—suddenly, a small wooden sachet appeared on the countertop. He brewed a pot, inhaling the gentle floral steam as sunlight brightened the room. He prepared two bowls of porridge and carried one down the hall to Xiao Yan's door.
His brother opened it after a moment, hair tousled, eyes shadowed by fatigue but alert. Xiao Yu offered the bowl wordlessly, then paused.
"Try this tea with your breakfast," he suggested, setting the cup beside Xiao Yan. His brother lifted it, sniffed curiously, and took an experimental sip. His dark eyes widened.
"This—where did you get it?" Xiao Yan's voice was still sleepy, but tinged with surprise.
Xiao Yu smiled softly. "Let's call it a small stroke of luck." He didn't press further, but as they ate, he catalogued every detail: the ease in his body, the clarity of his mind, a certainty that he would never again be powerless.
After breakfast, Xiao Yu excused himself. In the quiet side yard, beneath the shelter of old camphor trees, he ran through the new movement technique. His body answered every intent with precision: step, flick, pivot, surge—each movement cleaner and more fluid than ever before.
He then opened the Myriad Shop again and acquired a **Body-Tempering Pill.** Swallowing, he felt warmth flood through his muscles, bones strengthening, fatigue fading. He bent, stretched, and leapt, marveling at the subtle increase in power coursing through his limbs.
The day unfolded with quiet miracles. With each new acquisition, his confidence grew. He tested boundaries, conjuring simple items: a rare book of Dou Techniques, a jade comb for his mother, a healing salve for an elder with aching joints. Each appeared at a thought, discrete, untraceable. He was careful to avoid anything too ostentatious—no legendary weapons or world-shaking skills—yet the joy of abundance bubbled up all the same.
Throughout the day, his new strength was only for himself to notice. During drills with other clan members, he held back, masking the sharpness in his steps. He spoke quietly, answered elders with deference, and presented himself just as he always had: the quiet, diligent younger brother.
But as the sun began its descent, Xiao Yu's anticipation grew. The system whispered promises of power, growth, and freedom. He knew that soon—maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow—he would need to share his secret. But not yet. Not until he was absolutely certain of its scope and its safety.
As dusk painted the courtyard in copper and lilac, Xiao Yu stood beneath the magnolia, his heart filled with purpose. He looked up at the sky, the air humming with hope and power, and whispered to himself:
"I am ready now."
He closed his eyes and meditated, Dou Qi circulating in rhythmic waves, the knowledge of countless ages nested quietly in his thoughts.
Tomorrow, he would decide what gifts to share, and with whom—and how to begin shaping a future he had only dreamed of.