CHAPTER 2: The Multiplier
The rain continued to pour, washing over Gabriel as he knelt in the mud of his tiny backyard. But he no longer felt the biting cold. The golden system panel glowing before his eyes radiated a warmth that seemed to seep directly into his soul.
"Claim Starter Package," Gabriel commanded in his mind, his heart hammering against his ribs.
[Ding! Starter Package claimed. Items have been deposited into the System Inventory. Host can summon them at will.]With a mere thought, a small, intricate jade bottle materialized in his palm. He popped the cork, and instantly, a rich, intoxicating aroma filled the damp air. Inside sat a single, perfectly round pill, glowing with a soft, iridescent light.
The Divine Marrow Cleansing Pill.
In the Central Imperial Realm, even the Emperor himself would wage a bloody war for a pill of this caliber. It defied the natural order, capable of rewriting a person's very destiny.
Gabriel didn’t hesitate. He tossed the pill into his mouth and swallowed.
It didn't go down like medicine; it flowed like liquid fire. The moment it hit his stomach, a terrifying, explosive energy erupted. Gabriel bit down on his lip to muffle a scream, tasting his own blood as the divine energy rushed through his shattered meridians.
CRACK.
The sound of his broken Spirit Veins snapping back together echoed in his mind. But it didn't stop at merely healing him. The golden energy tore away his mortal flesh, purging years of accumulated toxins, dark blood, and physical trauma. A thick, foul-smelling black sludge oozed from his pores, washed away instantly by the heavy rain.
His veins didn't just heal—they expanded, widening into roaring rivers of pure Qi, glowing with a faint, divine gold hue.
[Host's Spirit Veins have been perfectly reconstructed.][Talent upgraded from A-Rank to Divine-Grade.][Cultivation restored and advanced!]Gabriel felt the profound power rushing back into his limbs. The agonizing weakness that had plagued him for eight years vanished.
Mortal Physique (Peak—Gold Bones)!Spirit Vein Opening (Early)!Spirit Vein Opening (Mid)!Spirit Vein Opening (Peak)!
His progression didn't stop until he smashed straight through his previous prime, settling firmly at the very threshold of the Martial Scholar Realm. The sheer pressure radiating from his body evaporated the raindrops before they could even touch his skin. He clenched his fist, feeling the raw, explosive strength coursing through his gold-tempered bones.
He was back. And he was stronger than ever.
Gabriel quickly drew a bucket of rainwater from the barrel, washing the remaining black impurities from his skin. When he looked at his reflection in the water, he paused. The deep wrinkles of stress and premature aging were gone. His eyes were sharp, his jawline strong, and his aura carried the heavy, unyielding weight of a dormant dragon.
He turned his gaze back to the small cottage.
Three days.
He walked inside, closing the squeaky door behind him. The twins were still fast asleep on their thin mats, their faces pale from the grueling, unguided training they had forced themselves through.
"Ethan. Elena. Wake up," Gabriel said, his voice quiet but carrying a strange, resonant authority that hadn't been there an hour ago.
The twins stirred, blinking sleepily in the dim candlelight. When they looked at their father, they both froze.
"Dad?" Ethan rubbed his eyes, confused. "You look... different. Did your aura change? You don't look sick anymore."
"There's no time to explain everything right now," Gabriel said, stepping forward. He opened his palm. In a flash of faint light, two jade boxes appeared, alongside a sleek, silver-tasseled spear and a beautifully forged azure longsword.
Elena gasped, scrambling back on her knees. "A spatial ring? Dad, where did you—are those weapons? That sword... it feels alive!"
"These are yours," Gabriel said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The weapons are sealed. To anyone else, they will look like high-quality steel, but they are Low-Grade Immortal Artifacts. They will grow with you as your cultivation rises."
He pushed the two jade boxes into their trembling hands.
"And inside those boxes are Heaven-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills. Eat them. Right now. You are going to break through the Iron Flesh bottleneck tonight."
Ethan stared at his father as if he were looking at a ghost. "Heaven-Grade? Dad, the Duke of House Aurelius only gives Earth-Grade pills to his direct heirs! If anyone finds out we have these, the Inner City guards will execute us for theft!"
"No one will execute you," Gabriel said, his eyes darkening with a fierce, protective light. "Because anyone who tries will have to step over my dead body. I have unlocked a hidden inheritance, and our days of starving in the mud are over. Eat the pills, Ethan. That is an order."
Seeing the absolute certainty in their father's eyes, the twins didn't hesitate anymore. They popped the jade boxes open, swallowing the fragrant pills.
Instantly, the cottage was flooded with dense spiritual energy. The twins squeezed their eyes shut, gritting their teeth as the massive influx of pure Qi rushed into their undernourished bodies, violently expanding their channels and tempering their flesh.
Gabriel watched them with a proud smile, crossing his arms.
Then, the crystal bell chimed in his mind once more.
[Ding! Host has bestowed 1x Low-Grade Immortal Spear to Son (Ethan).][Triggering 50x Critical Return!][Host receives: Mid-Grade Immortal Weapon - 'Dragon-Subduing Halberd'.]
[Ding! Host has bestowed 1x Low-Grade Immortal Sword to Daughter (Elena).][Triggering 100x Critical Return!][Host receives: High-Grade Immortal Movement Technique - 'Phantom Lightning Steps'.]
[Ding! Host has bestowed 2x Heaven-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills to Offspring.][Triggering 500x Critical Return!][Host receives: 2x Divine-Grade Celestial Origin Pills!]Gabriel’s breath hitched. A 500x return? The system wasn't just spoiling his children; it was turning him into an absolute monster. The Divine-Grade Celestial Origin Pill was a legendary resource that could force a cultivator directly into the Martial Grandmaster realm without any bottlenecks!
Before Gabriel could process the sheer absurdity of his new wealth, a shockwave of Qi blasted through the small room, rattling the wooden walls and blowing out the candle.
Gabriel waved a hand, dispersing the pressure with a gentle stream of his own Qi.
Ethan and Elena opened their eyes. The exhaustion and pallor were completely gone, replaced by a radiant, explosive vitality.
"Dad..." Ethan whispered, looking at his hands in disbelief. He clenched his fist, and a faint metallic sheen rippled across his skin. "I... I broke through. Not just Iron Flesh. I hit Copper Bones (Peak)!"
"Me too," Elena breathed, unsheathing the azure sword. The blade hummed in perfect resonance with her newly awakened Qi. "I feel like I could cut a boulder in half."
Gabriel smiled, feeling the weight of eight agonizing years finally lifting off his shoulders.
"Good," Gabriel said, his voice turning dead serious as he looked at his children. "You have three days until the Imperial Entrance Exam. For the next seventy-two hours, we aren't sleeping. I am going to teach you how to fight, how to survive, and how to crush every single arrogant noble who looks down on you."
He walked to the door and pushed it open, letting the cold, pre-dawn light filter into the room.
"House Aurelius threw us to the wolves," Gabriel said, his eyes reflecting the storm outside. "It’s time we showed them what happens when the wolves bite back."