[Desire System Activated]

Seeing the blue panel appear before him, Xia Chun, who was sitting on a bed, was confused. Systems weren't new to him; he had read about many in novels.

The strange thing was: what kind of name is this?

Desire System…

"System! What are you for?" he asked mentally, but received no response.

Non-intelligent system...

"Status."

Still, no response.

What the hell is this system good for, then?

Growing impatient, he eventually gave up. He decided to ignore the system, got out of bed, and put on a white robe. It was time to meet his fifth sister; today, he would help her with alchemy.

Leaving his house, where he currently lived alone, Xia Chun thought about his master. She had taken him in as a child but had traveled somewhere a week ago to handle something unknown. Withoutcultivation and with a body incapable of cultivating, Xia Chun usually stayed reclusive.

In fact, he had never left the Glacial Sect. There was no reason to leave.

His sisters spoiled him too much.

It's so good to be the only man.

Satisfied, he looked up at the sky, which was a beautiful sunny blue. Breathing deeply, he inhaled the fresh air of nature, and feeling renewed, he ran toward the Alchemy Pavilion. He didn't want to be late to help his fifth sister.

After ten minutes, he arrived at a large green-painted mansion. Upon entering, he saw several pill cauldrons that hadn't been used for years but were always spotless, with no traces of dust.

Farther ahead, a burnt smell reached his nose. Prepared, Xia Chun pulled a mask from his storage ring, a gift from his beloved adoptive mother (his master).

Continuing down the corridor, he soon heard the sound of an explosion. He quickly ran toward the noise and saw a woman covered in soot, her black hair disheveled. The only pristine thing about her was her emerald eyes, shining brightly with joy.

It was Ling Lan, his fifth sister, who loved alchemy. A true genius, she was already a royal alchemist at twenty.

"Wait for me, fifth sister! Don't blow—" He stopped mid-sentence upon noticing words floating above her head:

[Ling Lan desires another cauldron. Fulfill this desire to earn rewards.]

So, this is the function of my golden finger? Curious, Xia Chun picked up a cauldron and carried it down the corridor. It was very heavy, weighing about fifty kilos, and since he couldn't cultivate, this was almost unbearable for a sixteen-year-old boy.

Reaching Ling Lan, he was completely drenched in sweat, his robe soaked.

"You're so weak, little brother, but thank you!" Ling Lan said, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"Sister, don't kiss me while you're dirty..." he complained, wiping his forehead. His hand came away covered in soot. He didn't dislike the affectionate gesture but didn't want to get dirty.

Seeing his reaction, Ling Lan frowned and hugged him, smearing him completely.

"Don't act spoiled in front of me, brat!" she scolded before grabbing the cauldron. As soon as she touched it, the words above her head disappeared.

[You fulfilled your fifth sister's desire.]

[Body Remodeling Pill - Obtained!]

[Desires remaining: none. Countdown: 24 hours.]

Seeing the messages, Xia Chun grew excited. His biggest problem was his defective body. If he took this pill, could it be restored? He wanted to try.

"Fifth sister! I just remembered my master asked me to feed the chickens. Sorry, see you later!" he said, running out of the alchemy hall.

Ling Lan, about to start refining again, raised an eyebrow.

"Lazy little brother! Running from work… I'll punish him later!" she muttered, turning her attention back to alchemy. Xia Chun better be ready; she'd deal with him later.

Back home, Xia Chun went straight to his room. Sitting cross-legged, a question popped into his mind.

How do I claim the reward?

Usually, other systems have an inventory, but this one…

"Damn it!"

He couldn't help but curse.

After taking a deep breath to calm down, he closed his eyes. Normally, these "golden fingers" were linked to the mind, and his didn't seem to be different. In the darkness that formed when he closed his eyes, a white pill appeared. Using the power of his mind, he grabbed it.

Opening his eyes again, he saw the pill resting in his palm.

This is so strange...

He couldn't help but think.

Examining the pill closely, it didn't seem special at first glance. But the mere thought of cultivating made him excited. Even so, he hesitated for a moment.

This was his only chance to become a cultivator. Even if it was dangerous, he had no other option. His current life was good, but relying on his sisters forever wasn't something he wanted. He wanted to protect them.

Without further hesitation, he popped the pill into his mouth. As soon as it went down his throat and reached his stomach, the pain began.

"Aaaaahhhh!"

A scream escaped his lips as his body was destroyed from within. The pill dissolved into a liquid that spread to every corner of his mortal body. Every organ it touched was completely destroyed.

I'm going to die... Was I stupid?

He thought as his vision darkened. The room seemed to fade as he lost consciousness.

Even unconscious, the process in his body continued. In the end, he no longer had anything sustaining his physical form. His bones, organs, and muscles had turned into something akin to jelly.

But he wasn't dead yet.

After the liquid destroyed everything, it began to restore. The pain of his bones being rebuilt was so intense it woke Xia Chun. Looking at the ceiling again, he was confused, but the pain in his body kept him from thinking clearly.

The restoration continued. When the liquid reached his innate veins, which determined his ability to absorb Qi, the real issue appeared. Someone had removed those veins, blocking his path to cultivation and leaving him crippled.

But the liquid, clearly not an ordinary substance, began to forcibly restore them.

The pain now was a thousand times worse. Xia Chun felt as if his body was being torn apart.

After some time, the innate veins were fully restored, but now they were completely different. New golden veins had formed in his body, far more powerful than the old ones.

Still, he had no time to admire the transformation. Exhaustion overtook him, and he passed out again.