The morning sun cast long shadows across the Starfall Family's training grounds. Lin Feng stood silently, watching his eldest brother demonstrate the family's signature technique. To anyone else, he seemed the diligent younger sibling, studying each sword movement with reverent focus. But his mind was elsewhere—fixed on the shimmering threads of fortune coiling around his brother like invisible strings of destiny.
"Forty-three seconds until the opening," Lin Feng thought, his eyes narrowing as he examined the probabilities around him.
Lin Feng, a businessman in his first life, hadn't always possessed this unusual gift. Back on Earth, he'd built a reputation as a shrewd negotiator, climbing the corporate ladder with ruthless efficiency. He had treated people as resources and connections as calculated moves in a high-stakes game. Nothing was ever personal; everything had a price and a purpose. Yet, his ambition had been cut short in the most unexpected way.
The memory was still vivid, even in this new life. On the night he closed his biggest deal, Lin Feng left his office feeling on top of the world. The glow of city lights blurred as he sped through the empty streets, mentally mapping out his next steps. But then, without warning, a truck barreled through a red light, and in a blinding instant, his car was crushed. The life he had meticulously crafted was extinguished in the blink of an eye.
He awoke in a new world, in a new body—an heir to the prestigious Starfall Sword Family, with the title of Third Young Master. As he grappled with his new reality, he discovered that fate had not abandoned him completely. A strange power had awakened within him, allowing him to glimpse and manipulate the threads of probability. He could see paths of fortune, glowing and twisting around others like serpentine strands. He was no longer a mere businessman; he had become a manipulator of fate itself.
Today, he would use his gift to exploit an opportunity before him. Right on cue, his second brother, Lin Yang, strolled onto the training grounds. The threads surrounding Lin Yang pulsed with a purple glow, marking him as someone with moderate to high fortune. In contrast, Lin Wei, the family's golden heir, burned with radiant strands of gold—a favorite of fate.
Lin Yang called out, "Third Brother, up early again?"
Though his tone was friendly, a glint of rivalry sharpened his gaze. Lin Feng returned a respectful bow. "Second Brother, Elder Brother. I hoped to learn from Elder Brother's demonstration."
Lin Wei paused, sword gleaming in the morning light. "Come then, Third Brother. Show me what you've learned from watching."
Lin Feng stepped forward, adjusting his stance to appear slightly unsteady. He noted how the threads of probability shifted around him, revealing possible outcomes. Most were inconsequential, but among them shimmered the path he sought.
He moved, deliberately awkward, not enough to seem inept but just enough to…
"Your foot position is wrong," Lin Yang interjected, stepping closer. "Let me correct you."
Lin Feng masked his satisfaction as his second brother moved to adjust his stance. This intervention, just as he had anticipated, caused Lin Wei's golden threads to pulse with a mix of frustration and pride.
"Actually," Lin Wei interjected, stepping forward, "there's a trick to this movement Father taught me last month. Watch closely."
And there it was.
Lin Feng watched as his eldest brother demonstrated a slight variation of their family's immortal sword technique. It wasn't the family's greatest secret, but it was a lesson Lin Wei wasn't supposed to reveal. The threads shifted again, showing Lin Feng what might come. In the most likely future, their father would learn of this breach within three days, creating a minor crack in Lin Wei's flawless reputation—a flaw that, with time, could widen and he was able to watch this trick of sword first hand.
"Thank you, Elder Brother," Lin Feng said, replicating the move with just enough improvement to appear sincere. "Your guidance is invaluable."
As training continued, Lin Feng silently noted how every moment tied into his long-term plan. He had three months until the Divine Beast Academy's entrance ceremony, just enough time to plant seeds of influence across his family and beyond. His brothers and their ambitions were mere pieces on his board.
Near the training grounds' edge, he spotted Old Liu, their father's loyal retainer, watching intently. The old man's eyes narrowed slightly at the display of the family's secret technique.
"Right on schedule," Lin Feng mused.
Old Liu would dutifully report this morning's events. Lin Feng hadn't orchestrated this particular move out of malice; it was simply another layer of his intricate setup. His eldest brother's bright fortune was a golden well he intended to tap, but only when the time was right. For now, minor imperfections in Lin Wei's image would suffice. Like water carving stone, every crack, however small, could eventually become a weakness.
When the training concluded, Lin Feng returned to his study. Unlike his brothers' quarters, which displayed various martial achievements, his study was filled with books and scrolls, projecting the image of a studious third son. Beneath this facade lay journals filled with insights on his family members—their habits, secrets, and ambitions.
He sat at his desk, documenting the morning's events and potential outcomes. His gift allowed him to see possibilities, but experience had taught him the value of meticulous record-keeping. Every moment, every decision, was a calculated step toward a greater goal.
"Young Master," a voice called from outside. "The Family Head requests your presence in the study."
Lin Feng allowed himself a small, measured smile. He had anticipated his father's summons. Old Liu's report would have reached him already, prompting his father to test his reaction to Lin Wei's indiscretion.
Adjusting his expression to one of earnest humility, he made his way to his father's study, choosing his words and expressions carefully, as if selecting strands of fate to weave his story.
"What better disguise for a schemer," he thought, "than that of a dutiful son? And what better way to harness fortune than to seem blessed himself?"
In his past life, Lin Feng had learned that power acquired too quickly invited suspicion. True success lay with those patient enough to cultivate it. Now, with the gift to shape his own destiny, he had all the time he needed.
With a slight smile, he approached his father's study, fully aware that the real dance had just begun.