The Awakening Ceremony was supposed to be the proudest day of my life.
From the moment I could walk, I had imagined this day—standing before the clan altar, spirit energy swirling around me, the voice of heaven declaring my destiny.
My parents had once told me that when it was my turn, the heavens would grant me a powerful system, and all the years of mockery would be washed away in an instant.
But deep down, I feared the opposite.
The Falling Cloud Clan's altar stood tall at the center of the martial square, carved from a single slab of jade stone.
Ancient runes pulsed faintly across its surface, remnants of a divine inscription handed down through generations. Torches burned bright on every side, their flames tinted blue from spirit oil, while banners fluttered against the wind.
The entire clan had gathered. Elders sat cross-legged in their seats of honor. Families crowded behind the stone fence, whispering with nervous excitement. And we—the clan's youths—stood in a long line, waiting for our turn to step into destiny.
"Qi Condensation System!"
The first boy's name was announced. The altar blazed gold, and cheers erupted from the crowd. Elders stroked their beards approvingly. His parents wept tears of joy, bowing deeply to heaven.
The boy puffed out his chest and walked down the steps like a young king.
Another youth climbed up. He placed his hand against the altar stone, and flames rushed up his arm.
"Flame Alchemy System!"
The cheers were even louder. Someone shouted that the clan would no longer need to buy pills from outsiders once this boy matured.
On and on it went, each youth stepping up, each system announced with thunder in the air. Even the weakest systems brought smiles to their families. At worst, they would become servants in greater sects, but servants with value.
Then came my cousin, Li Hao.
Golden-robed, hair tied with jade pins, every step he took was heavy with arrogance. The girls in the crowd whispered about his looks; the elders leaned forward with expectation. He was already considered the clan's most gifted disciple. This was only the formality that would cement his glory.
He placed his palm on the stone.
BOOM!
The altar erupted in dazzling light. Sword intent screamed into the sky, sharp enough to make weaker disciples flinch. I felt it cut against my skin, invisible blades prickling across my flesh.
The voice of heaven thundered:
"Sword God System!"
The crowd gasped. Mothers covered their mouths, eyes wide. Elders rose to their feet, trembling with excitement. This was one of the rarest systems in history, spoken of in legends.
Li Hao basked in it, eyes closed, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "Did you all see?" he asked softly, but his voice carried, dripping with superiority. "The heavens favor me."
The crowd roared in approval.
I clenched my fists. My turn was next.
---
I walked up the steps, my legs heavy, my palms slick with sweat. The altar's surface was cool against my hand. I drew in a deep breath, my heart hammering.
"Please," I begged silently. "Just give me something. Anything."
The runes beneath me flickered… sputtered weakly… then went dark.
The square fell silent.
No golden scroll.
No divine voice.
No system prompt.
Nothing.
The silence broke into whispers.
"…No system?"
"Impossible."
"Has heaven abandoned him?"
Snickers followed.
"Trash."
"Systemless waste."
"Not even fit to clean the latrines."
My chest tightened, but I couldn't move. My worst fear had come true.
Li Hao stepped forward, sword aura swirling around him. His glow made my emptiness seem even darker. He looked down at me with a sneer sharp as a blade.
"Pathetic," he said, voice dripping with scorn. "Even the heavens think you're worthless."
Before I could respond, his palm slammed into my chest.
CRACK!
Pain tore through me. I heard my ribs snap as blood gushed from my mouth. I flew backward, smashing against the altar stones.
Gasps rang out, but no elder moved. Their eyes were cold, indifferent. To them, I was already dead weight.
Laughter followed me as I collapsed, clutching my broken chest.
Trash.
Cripple.
Useless.
---
By nightfall, I had been dragged from the altar and tossed into the clan's refuse yard like garbage.
The refuse yard stank of rust and mold. Broken swords jutted from piles of scrap like bones in a mass grave. Rotten herbs leaked foul juices into the dirt. Shattered cauldrons lay blackened with soot. The moon's pale light washed over it all, making every heap look like a corpse mound.
I lay there in the dirt, shivering, blood sticky on my lips. Every breath was agony.
"So this is how it ends," I whispered.
I closed my eyes.
And then—
---
Ding!
---
A chime rang inside my skull, clear and mechanical. My eyes snapped open. A golden screen floated before me, dripping molten light like liquid gold.
---
[Heaven's Auction System Activated.]
---
I blinked in disbelief.
---
[Heaven's Auction System v1.0]
Next Auction Countdown: 00:59:59
Selected Item: Broken Sword (Rank: Trash)
Evolution Potential: Mortal → Divine
Failure Penalty: Host Death.
---
My gaze shot to the rusted, half-snapped blade lying beside me in the dirt. It rattled, then rose into the air, wrapped in shimmering light.
My heart hammered. "An… Auction System?"
The screen pulsed.
---
Auction Opening…
Starting Bid: 1 Spirit Stone.
---
A cold, emotionless voice echoed in my head:
---
[All Realms Connected. Bidding Begins.]
---
The night split with voices.
"Five Spirit Stones!"
"Ten!"
"Fifteen!"
Each bid slammed into my mind, fierce and greedy. I could not see the bidders, but their hunger was palpable.
The screen updated:
---
Current Bid: 15 Spirit Stones
Auction Points Accumulated: 150
---
Heat surged through my body. My ribs ached, then shifted. Pain flared—and then dulled as bone knit to bone. My bleeding slowed. My chest filled with strength.
It was real.
This was my system.
---
The golden screen shifted again.
---
Evolution Locked.
Final Bids Converting…
Broken Sword → Evolution in Progress.
Countdown: 00:00:10
---
The sword floated before me, trembling violently. Cracks spread across its rusted surface, spilling streams of silver light.
I shielded my eyes.
The voice whispered once more:
---
[Congratulations, Host. Your first auction is complete. Trash shall become treasure.]
---
CRACK!
The blade split apart. Radiance poured out like a newborn sun, flooding the refuse yard in divine brilliance.
The broken sword that had been nothing but rust and ruin was no longer dead steel.
It was alive.
It was transforming into something terrifying, majestic, and godlike.
And I, the clan's discarded trash, could only stare—
—as the broken sword began to transform.
---