Chapter 1: System Awakening

Yunluo Li year 9991, late autumn.

In the square before the Radiant Temple in Fenlai Cheng, carriages stood one after another, and the sounds of nobles greeting each other rose and fell. Boys and girls in splendid clothes followed their parents; some clenched their fists nervously, others held their chins high with feigned composure.

I stood beside a black carriage, looked up at the towering Radiant Temple, and took a deep breath.

It had been three days since I transmigrated.

In my past life, I was a programmer who died from staying up late; the last second before death, I was still fixing bugs on my computer. I woke up as the legitimate son of the Aikes Clan in the Fenlai Kingdom—Aikesi Yan, eight years old this year, here today to take the magic test.

"Young Master Yan, don't be nervous." The old butler Ka'er beside me bent down, looking at me with those cloudy yet kind eyes, "With your talent, you will surely pass."

I nodded and said nothing.

The Aikes Clan was an old noble family in the Fenlai Kingdom; their territory was not large, but they had engaged in trade for generations, accumulating considerable wealth. The original body's father was a shrewd merchant, his mother died early, leaving only this old butler and a few servants in the house. For three days, relying on the original body's lingering memories and information gathered from inquiries, I had finally figured out the basic situation of this world—

Yulan Continent, Magical Beast Mountain Range, Radiant Church, and... the Baruch Clan.

"Linlei should have arrived by now," I thought, my gaze sweeping over the crowd in the square.

I had read the original work three times and was too familiar with this world. Dragonblood Warriors, Four Ultimate Warriors, Grandpa Delin inside the Coiling Dragon Ring... these names spun around in my mind several times. Pity I transmigrated a bit late and missed the time when Linlei picked up the ring.

"Enter! Enter! Line up!"

The priest's voice pulled me back to reality. The crowd began to move toward the church interior; I followed the flow into the hall, where the bright marble floor reflected blurred shadows. The hall was already full; nobles gathered in groups talking in low voices, while commoners and country minor nobles stood on the other side of their own accord.

I glanced around and did not see Linlei.

"As expected, he should be with Xierman; he might still be lining up outside right now." I withdrew my gaze and looked at the testing area in the center of the hall.

The test was simple: first measure elemental affinity, then measure spiritual power.

A bald old priest sat beside the testing platform, with a crystal ball and a hexagonal Magic Array placed nearby. One by one, the youths stepped forward; some left in disappointment, while others were led with joy to the admissions staff standing aside.

"Next."

The youth ahead walked out with head bowed and spirits low; I stepped forward.

"Place your hand on it," the old priest said without looking up.

I pressed my right hand onto the crystal ball.

The next second, the entire crystal ball lit up.

Crimson light, like flames, surged out from within the crystal ball; the blinding light made those around involuntarily squint. The light grew ever brighter; the old priest gasped and nearly let go.

"Fire, Fire Element Super Grade!" His voice changed pitch.

A sound of collective gasps rose in the hall.

"Super Grade? Are children these days all this perverted?"

"The Aikes Clan? The one that does business?"

"Fire Element Super Grade; this means a great figure is about to emerge..."

I ignored the murmurs around me, my hand still pressed on the crystal ball. Just then—

Ding—

A cold voice sounded in my mind.

【Detected a host meeting the conditions; Sign-in System activating...】

【Activation complete.】

【First sign-in triggered; current scene detected: Magic Aptitude Test.】

【Sign-in reward: Fallen Heart Flame (Heaven and Earth Anomalous Fire; can be integrated into the body to enhance Fire Element magic power; can devour other flames to evolve).】

【Claim?】

I froze for a second.

Then I shouted without hesitation in my mind: Claim!

The next second, a warm current surged from the heart position and instantly flowed through my entire body. That feeling... was like a small flame wandering in the blood; not burning, but rather comfortable. I could clearly perceive its presence, as if it belonged there from the start.

"Young Master?" The old priest's voice pulled me back, "Are you alright? You may let go."

I released the crystal ball, took a deep breath, and tried to keep myself calm.

"Test spiritual power," the old priest said, pointing at the Magic Array beside.

I stepped into the array; white light lit up, and a sense of pressure descended. Light-element magic—Deterrence. I gritted my teeth and held on, but my mind was still thinking about the system just now.

Sign-in System. Sign in once a year; rewards relate to the scene. Today, I signed in at the magic test and received the Fallen Heart Flame. What about next year? The year after?

This golden finger was even more outrageous than I imagined.

"Good," the old priest's voice sounded, "Spiritual power, twenty times that of peers, High Grade."

Another commotion erupted in the hall.

Fire Element Super Grade, High Grade spiritual power, twenty times—this data among today's testers was absolutely first tier.

"The young master of the Aikes Clan?"

"Eight years old, Fire Element Super Grade, twenty times spiritual power; this is material for Ensite!"

Several admissions staff had already begun moving toward this side.

Just then, another youth walked in through the doorway.

Brown hair, determined eyes, accompanied by a burly middle-aged man.

Linlei.

I recognized him at a glance. That look, that stance, and the small bump on the shoulder—Beibei must still be hidden inside his clothes. He walked to the testing platform and placed his hand on the crystal ball.

Earth-yellow and cyan light lit up simultaneously, dazzling and brilliant.

"Earth Element, Wind Element Super Grade! Fire Element Medium Grade!"

The old priest's voice rose again.

The hall completely boiled over.

"Two? Two Super Grades today?"

"One is Fire Element, the other is Dual Element. What have this year's children been eating to grow like this?"

Watching Linlei in the testing array, a smile involuntarily curled my lips.

This is the original protagonist. I have seen him with my own eyes.

For the spiritual power test, Linlei held on for a long time before finally kneeling on one knee. The data came out—eighteen times that of his peers, Superior Grade.

"Congratulations." As Linlei stepped out of the testing array, I walked over proactively, extending my hand. "Aikesi Yan, Fire Element."

Linlei paused for a moment, then reached out to grasp it: "Linlei Baluke."

His hand was very strong, and his eyes held a steadiness far beyond his peers. I could feel him sizing me up—a noble young master who initiated conversation; in the eyes of Linlei, who grew up in the countryside, I must seem somewhat strange.

"You are very strong," I said. "Dual Element Super Grade, spiritual power eighteen times. The Ernst Institute will definitely fight to recruit you."

Linlei smiled, revealing small tiger teeth: "Your data isn't bad either."

"We might be classmates in the future," I said.

No sooner had I spoken than a middle-aged man in white robes walked over, smiling as he looked at Linlei: "Linlei, the Ernst Institute sincerely invites you to become one of us."

At the same time, several recruitment staff surrounded me, introducing their respective institutes in a chaotic jumble of voices.

I waved them off, my gaze passing over the crowd to watch the scene of Linlei accepting the red envelope.

The Ernst Institute.

Indeed, the gears of fate have already begun to turn.

As I stepped out of the church, the sky had already begun to darken. Old butler Ka'er was waiting at the door; seeing me emerge, he hurried forward to greet me: "Young master, what were the results?"

"Fire Element Super Grade, spiritual power twenty times," I said.

The old butler froze for a second, then his eyes turned red: "Excellent! Excellent! If the Master knew, he would be overjoyed!"

I smiled but said nothing.

Sitting in the carriage, I closed my eyes, feeling the warm flame within my body. The Falling Heart Flame lay quietly dormant at the position of the heart, like a sleeping young beast. I could feel that as long as I wished, it could be mobilized at any moment.

【Falling Heart Flame: A strange fire of heaven and earth. It can be integrated into Battle Qi or magical power to enhance the power of Fire Element attacks, and can devour other flames to evolve. Current state: Infant Stage.】

The system's voice rang in my mind.

Infant Stage. That is to say, it can still grow in the future.

The carriage moved with a gentle sway. I lifted the curtain, looking back at the Light Church as it receded into the distance. The crowd in the square had already dispersed, leaving only a few lamps swaying in the night.

Linlei must have left too. Carrying that acceptance letter from the Ernst Institute, he would return to his Wushan Town, see his father, and then begin his legend.

And I—

Leaning against the soft cushion of the carriage, a smile lingered on the corners of my lips.

Three days since crossing over, signing in to obtain the Falling Heart Flame, meeting Linlei, and entering the Ernst Institute has become a certainty. The door to this world has already opened for me.