"Alright, I think I got the gist of it." He stared at his palms, slowly adjusting to the unfamiliar sensation of a younger body.
"System, I already know you can heal any injuries, but what else can you do?"
[I have many functions, but if you are asking for my main function, I can copy and assimilate other cultivators talents and techniques.]
"Huh!?"
[Is there a problem master?]
"What do you mean you can copy and assimilate other cultivators talents??"
[I can perfectly copy a cultivators talents and martial arts form and completely assimilate it into your status. Would you like a demonstration?]
"Yes."
[Pick up the martial arts text next to you and scan through the pictograms.]
Following the system's instructions, Li Yao reached for the martial arts manual resting on the table beside him. He picked it up and glanced at the cover, his eyes narrowing with curiosity as unfamiliar characters etched in bold, ancient script stared back at him.
"The Dragon Sect's fighting forms?"
He flipped to the next page, then the next, and again. With each turn, his eyes narrowed and shuttered like a camera lens, capturing every illustration and movement etched on the paper till the final page.
[Dragon Sect First Fighting form has been successfully copied!]
[Assimilating the first form...]
His eyes began to glow a bright, vivid blue as the assimilation process took hold. It felt as though the system was etching the first form directly into his being, engraving it not just in his mind, but into his very muscle and spirit, making it a permanent part of who he was.
[The Dragon Sect's first fighting form has been successfully assimilated!]
[You have levelled up!]
"Levelled up!? You mean everytime I assimilate a talent or technique I level up?"
[That's right, as I said my major function is to copy and assimilate. With each talent assimilated, you grow stronger, and with each time you use those assimilated talents, your muscle adapts more to it.]
"Are you sure? I mean I definitely felt that tingling sensation, but are you certain I have assimilated the first form?"
[Try it out.]
Li Yao stood in the middle of the room, took a natural stance and inhaled deeply. Then, almost as if he was programmed, his feet slid into a firm stance, grounding him like a mountain.
In one smooth motion, he extended his right arm forward, fingers tightened as if gripping a long spear though he held nothing in hand, the force in the motion made it feel as if a weapon had formed in his hand.
Then suddenly, he shifted.
With explosive grace, his body twisted, and his arm thrust outward in a powerful, piercing motion.
"The first fighting form of the Dragon: Dragon Lance!"
The air rippled around his strike, sharp and focused like a lance cutting through the wind. His movements were fluid, yet precise, like a dragon lunging from the clouds, its strike impossible to predict and unstoppable once unleashed.
The ground beneath him cracked slightly from the force of his pivot. A faint, blue afterimage of a dragon's head coiled briefly around his arm before vanishing in a shimmer of light.
He exhaled slowly, eyes still glowing faintly as he completed the first form flawlessly.
[You have successfully utilized the first form!]
[+2 strength.]
[+2 agility.]
He exhaled sharply, the sound cutting through the silence like a blade. As the breath left his lungs, the glow in his eyes faded, returning to their natural state.
It was as if an unseen force that had been guiding his every move had suddenly let go, releasing its grip and leaving him once more in full control of his body.
"Awesome..."
He mumbled to himself, eyes fixed on the thin cracks splintering across the ground beneath him. He could hardly believe it, what he had just done with precision.
A martial arts form that would take even the most dedicated disciple of the Dragon Sect years to comprehend and perfect, he had not only learned it, but mastered it in five seconds, all thanks to the system.
"Holy shit... You really are something else system, I feel re-"
A sharp pain suddenly tore through his hands and legs, searing like fire under his skin. His muscles convulsed, fibers ripping without mercy, as if he'd just lifted something three times heavier than his body could handle.
"AARGH!!" He collapsed to his knees, the weight of exhaustion and pain crashing down on him all at once. His limbs trembled, refusing to respond to his command, in that moment, he couldn't lift a single muscle.
[Injuries detected.]
[Initiating Cellular Regeneration.]
[Cellular Regeneration complete.]
Li Yao gasped softly, drawing in shallow breaths as the tension in his body slowly eased. Gradually, the sharp ache that had gripped his muscles began to fade.
"System.. What happened to my body?"
[Apologies, I forgot to mention, the first form of the Dragon sect requires years of mastery to execute, hence the strength and speed required is far beyond the capabilities of your current body.]
"Far beyond? Damn it, so even a powerful ability like that has it's massive drawbacks?"
[Yes, I have analyzed the stress placed on your muscles to fully carry out the first form and measured the strength needed, do you want me to integrate strength and physique training quests in order to attain the requirements needed?]
"Yes, that will be very much needed."
[Understood, daily quests will be created shortly.]
He rose to his feet, his muscles fully healed from the strain of executing the first form of the Dragon Sect technique.
With a clearer understanding of the system and the body he had transmigrated into, he knew it was time to turn his attention to more urgent matters awaiting him.
"Daichi mentioned something about those bastards stooping so low and attacking me while they were both away, does that mean that whatever killed the original Li Yao was all planned? If so, by who? Damn it, even after transmigrating I can't seem to lead a peaceful life."