Nexus: All-Heaven System

After stepping out of the shower, Lin Xuanyu stood in front of the mirror, dazed.

Just an hour ago, he had been in his small apartment, ready to play some games. Now, here he was, with an all-powerful system and overpowered cultivation techniques.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine experiencing something like this.

He took a closer look at his body and face. The Lin Xuanyu of this world and the one from his old world looked almost identical, except this version was undeniably more handsome.

Studying his reflection further, he noticed his eyes were now a striking blue, unlike the brown ones he had in his previous life.

His physique had also undergone a drastic change. He now had a lean but sturdy frame, a far cry from the pale, sickly look he had when he first woke up.

The Stellar Ascension Technique had rebuilt his body, giving him healthier skin and a much stronger presence.

Setting those thoughts aside, Lin Xuanyu returned to his room. After slipping into a simple T-shirt and shorts, he sat down in front of a computer.

While going through the previous Lin Xuanyu's wardrobe earlier, he had found an impressive collection of expensive clothes, a longsword and a stash of Energy Gathering Pills inside a container.

The system had preserved only essential and common knowledge of this world, erasing the memories of the original Lin Xuanyu.

This left him with no information about the previous owner's family or background. But judging by the luxury items, the pills, and the Empyrean Cultivation Technique in his possession, it was clear that the previous Lin Xuanyu was anything but ordinary.

From what little he knew, obtaining a cultivation technique capable of reaching the legendary Transformation Stage was incredibly rare.

The Cosmic Alliance hadn't even managed to create the Transformation Stage part of their official cultivation technique yet.

Most cultivators relied on ancient techniques from the old era, which only resurfaced once in a millennium.

This could only mean one thing—the place Lin Xuanyu came from must have been extraordinary.

Determined to learn more, he decided to start his search online.

First, he cautiously turned on the computer.

He inched his finger toward the power button and pressed it slowly, bracing himself.

He had no intention of being electrocuted and dying again.

Thankfully, the computer powered up without any trouble.

"This looks straight out of a sci-fi movie," Lin Xuanyu muttered, his eyes wide with astonishment.

The sleek, streamlined design of the futuristic computer was mesmerizing.

If not for his familiarity with high-tech concept PCs from his previous life, he might not have even recognized it as a computer.

Its chassis was composed of smooth, black metal alloy, adorned with faintly glowing circuits that pulsed rhythmically like a heartbeat.

There was no visible monitor or keyboard. When he pressed the power button, the circuits lit up, projecting a crystal-clear holographic interface into the air before him.

The hologram then displayed a minimalistic interface with just two options: Cosmic Net and Folders App.

"Well... pretty basic for such a futuristic computer, isn't it?" Lin Xuanyu remarked with a wry smile.

Despite the incredible presentation, the simplicity of its interface made him skeptical.

Still, curiosity piqued, he tapped on Cosmic Net.

On the screen, a futuristic web browser appeared, sleek in design, with a glowing blue eye icon in the center and a search bar right below it.

Before he could process it fully, a soft, mechanical voice rang out from the PC:

"Authorization complete. Welcome, Young Master Lin. What would you like to do today? Would you like to visit your usual website for Lia Rain's pictures?"

"???"

A strange expression appeared on Lin Xuanyu's face.

Was the previous owner of this body... a creep?

What kind of person frequented a website dedicated to some Lia Rain's pictures?

"Who even is Lia Rain? An uhmm... actress?" he muttered, shaking his head.

Clearing the odd thoughts, Lin Xuanyu focused on what mattered most—getting information about this world!

"Okay... uh, what's your name?" Lin Xuanyu asked awkwardly.

"Young Master Lin, my name is Lia," the voice replied emotionlessly. "You personally gave me this name when you were 10 years old."

Lin Xuanyu: "..."

"Is there an option to rename you?" he asked after a pause, speechless at what he was hearing.

He officially confirmed that the previous owner of this body had some... questionable tendencies.

"Negative, Young Master," Lia replied, her tone still the same, "Renaming me would result in the loss of all stored data."

Lin Xuanyu sighed heavily. "Fine. Alright, Lia, what are your functions?"

"Young Master Lin," Lia replied, "I am your personalized AI, gifted to you at the age of 10. My capabilities far surpass the standard AIs available on the market. I was specially developed by the CA Business Enterprise. My functions include keeping a personal record of all your activities, performing complex tasks on demand, and accessing the Cosmic Web, which handles trillions of data uploads every minute."

"Then, do you what my identity is?" Lin Xuanyu asked, his tone steady.

"You are the youngest son of the Lin Clan's Patriarch, Lin Xin," Lia replied matter-of-factly. "The Lin Clan is a colossal entity within the Cosmic Alliance, overseeing two galaxies and recognized as one of the most significant contributors to the Military."

Lin Xuanyu nodded, his suspicions confirmed.

He was indeed from a prestigious clan, and not just any prestigious clan—the direct son of its Patriarch.

However, he quickly set that aside. Something else occupied his mind.

"You mentioned you keep a personal record of everything that happens?" Lin Xuanyu frowned, leaning closer. "How does an AI inside a computer manage to do that?"

"Young Master Lin, I am no ordinary AI," Lia explained, "I am bound to your mind. I reside within your body. As long as you remain within the observable universe, I can stay connected to the Cosmic Web, constantly recording events and adding them to the database."

"Bound to my mind?" Lin Xuanyu's frown deepened. "Strange. My spiritual sense is no joke. I can inspect my mind and body with precision, and I sense nothing resembling an AI."

"That's because I no longer exist within you," Lia said.

"Hm?" Lin Xuanyu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And why is that?"

"The version you're talking to now is just a backup I created when we arrived on this planet for your training," Lia explained. "The original me ceased to exist along with you, Young Master Lin. I left this backup in the computer as a precaution, and luckily, it worked as intended."

Lin Xuanyu paused, his expression stiff. "Wait… are you saying I died?"

On the other hand. It made sense—if the previous owner of this body hadn't died, how else could he have come to this world and taken over?

But what truly shocked him was the AI's awareness of his death.

Lia continued, her tone still emotionless.

"Correction: Young Master Lin, you were murdered by your trusted subordinates."

Lin Xuanyu's expression darkened.

Betrayed? He felt no emotional attachment to the former owner of this body, yet hearing about such treachery still left an effect.

"You mentioned earlier that you have a personal record of everything that's happened," Lin Xuanyu said after a pause. "Does that include the… incident?"

"Yes, Young Master Lin," Lia confirmed. "I have a recording of the event stored in my database. Would you like to view it?"

Lin Xuanyu nodded slowly, his expression solemn.

The blue eye icon on the screen glowed, and a recording began to play. It displayed a first-person perspective, likely captured by the original Lin Xuanyu.

In the video, two people stood in front of Lin Xuanyu with fawning smiles. The man on the left had a tough, muscular frame and a large build, while the one on the right was smaller and more slender, holding a glass of some liquid in his hand.

"Here you go, Young Master. The Energy Gathering Drink is ready," said the smaller man with a bright smile. "You should drink it quickly before it gets cold!"

The Lin Xuanyu in the video nodded and took the glass. He inspected it briefly before asking, "Are you sure this will help me reach Level 12 of the Transition Stage?"

The larger man grinned, his voice confident. "Of course, Young Master! You might not know this, but this drink is so rare that even the Seven Hearts Academy struggles to keep it in stock. Luckily, we managed to secure the last one just for you."

"If not for the potion appearing on this remote planet, It would have already been sold out. Luckily, we were able to see through what it was and immediately bought it for you." The smaller man added.

Hearing this, the Lin Xuanyu in the video seemed genuinely moved. His expression softened as he said, "You two... You really are the best subordinates I could ask for!"

Without hesitation, he raised the glass to his lips and drank it all in two large gulps, a smile of gratitude still on his face.

But the moment the liquid entered his system, his demeanor changed. His eyes widened as he clutched at his chest. His heartbeat grew erratic, and a warning message appeared in his vision.

"Warning! Young Master Lin, your vitals are dropping rapidly!" Lia's flat, emotionless voice rang out in his head.

The video feed flooded with diagnostic data, displaying blocked pathways in his heart and a foreign energy rapidly corroding his meridians.

He has been poisoned by his most trusted subordinates!

"You... guys... what's happening?" Lin Xuanyu's voice trembled, fear and confusion clear in his tone. His vision blurred as he felt his life slipping away. His body grew weaker with every passing moment, yet his mind desperately clung to the hope that this was all a mistake.

But what he saw next crushed that hope completely.

The two subordinates he had trusted the most—the ones he thought were loyal to him—stood over him, their expressions no longer friendly. Instead, sinister grins spread across their faces.

"What an idiot!" The larger man sneered, his deep voice filled with mockery. "He actually believed that was a Rare Energy Gathering Drink!"

The smaller man chuckled coldly, his tone dripping with disdain. "Now, with him out of the way, we can finally get the core-formation pills for ourselves and finally break through to the the first stage of core-formation realm!"

Lin Xuanyu's heart sank as he listened to their words.

These were the men he had shared his victories and struggles with, the ones he thought would stand by his side no matter what.

And now, they were laughing at his naivety, celebrating his death.

"You can't blame us, Young Master Lin," the smaller man continued, feigning regret. "It was all your eldest brother's plan! We're just following orders. His love for the Young Miss Lia far surpasses you that he would kill you to take his spot!"

He then pulled out a gleaming artifact, its surface pulsing faintly with power. "This artifact, it was personal given to us by Eldest Young master, it ensures that no one will ever trace your death back to us—not even the Patriarch will know!"

The larger man crossed his arms, a smug grin on his face. "After all, we're not even here. We're still back at the main house, eagerly awaiting your return from training. We even have alibi back at Main planet!"

Lin Xuanyu's body gave out, collapsing to the ground with a dull thud. His breathing grew shallow, and his vision dimmed. With the last of his strength, he looked up at the two men. There was no anger in his eyes, only sorrow and quiet disbelief.

Why?

Why had they done this to him?

That gaze seemed to strike a nerve with the smaller man.

He clicked his tongue in irritation. "I don't like the way you're looking at me."

Without hesitation, he raised his foot and brought it down with brutal force.

CRACK!

The sound of bones breaking echoed through the room. Lin Xuanyu's painful voice resounded out from the video.

"Hmph!" the smaller man grinned, "You love giving orders to us right? try giving one now! Nobody in this world can ever order me around again!"

The video feed distorted for a moment, the sound of the stomp still reverberating, before it abruptly cut to black.