1 To Be The Eminence In The Shadow

Su Manor - Midnight

Inside one of the luxurious guest bedrooms, a tall, young man was engaging in an unusual conversation with the air.

"So you're telling me that the original owner of this body..... eee, what's his name again?"

Despite the man appearing somewhat delusional for talking to no one, as if afflicted by schizophrenia, a mechanical sound suddenly emerged and responded to his query.

[Yang Huo!]

"Right, Yang Huo... So, this guy is actually a fully grown scoundrel who bullied everyone around him? With the most notorious reputation throughout the empire as the most arrogant disciple of the Myriad Void Sect?"

[Correct!]

"This has to be a joke... How the heck did I get myself into this?"

While muttering repeatedly, "This got to be a dream," over and over, the man couldn't shake off the info dump he received from his newfound companion, the System.

Yang Huo, the original inhabitant of this body, held the esteemed position of a core disciple within the renowned Myriad Void Sect. Acknowledged widely as one of the most promising members of the unanimously agreed-upon, golden generation.

So indeed, it wasn't surprising that the former Yang Huo became excessively proud, belittling anyone he deemed untalented. Mortals, in particular, disgusted him, and Yang Huo would prefer bathing in a puddle of mud than touching commoner's skin for even a second.

Yang Huo also routinely suppressed any new disciple showing potential to surpass him, earning him a reputation as a notorious bully within the sect. On missions, he ensured everyone, enemies and allies alike, to fully understand that they were inferior to him in all aspects of strength, intellect, and future prospects.

This turned Yang Huo into an infamous arrogant celebrity amongst high officials and wealthy merchants around the empire.... and as for the commoners, Yang Huo's disdainful treatment that ensure these commoners to grovel on dirt whenever in his presence.... just ask yourself, what kind of reputation would emerge from this?

"Dammit, and now I'm the one having to deal with the repercussions."

The new Yang Huo sighed in exhaustion, allowing himself to fall onto the soft bed with a satisfying 'thump!'

"No wonder you were poisoned to death by your own servant, foolish bastard"

Yang Huo opened his eyes and observed a small black dragon floating in front of him with a hint of annoyance.

"Hey, aren't all Systems supposed to have a screen-like appearance? Why the heck do you have a form?"

The dragon responded with a look of haughtiness.

[Hmph! That's boring! Why would I want to be a rectangular, dull shape? Having dragon-like features is way cooler and more imposing!]

Yang Huo couldn't help but roll his eyes.

'Yeah, right. With this small size, you can only look like a moving noodle at best.'

Yang Huo sighed once again and ridiculed the dragon with a disappointed expression.

"And to think the reason I got this second, crappy life is because some System wanted a Host that does cool, mastermind things."

When the System sensed Yang Huo's gaze, it halted its motion abruptly. It couldn't accept Yang Huo's insolent and ignorant comment.

[What's wrong with that? What's the point of life if you don't have cool moments every so often? And what's cooler than being an eminence in the shadow pulling strings from the back?]

[Flexing against supreme player with pure strength is overdone! But flexing against elite tactician in real-life chess with pure intellect and deception?]

The dragon suddenly shuddered in cloud nine as it delved into its wild imagination.

Yang Huo couldn't help but shoot a disgusted look.

"Seriously, having you with a form is making things worse. You look like a pervert!"

[Hmph! I am not! You're just jealous of my badass jet-black appearance! I am a great divine dragon! How could I be a pervert!]

Yang Huo felt like his life was inching closer to death by exhaustion with each passing moment spent with this seemingly perverted System.

Yang Huo shook his head and decided to focus on the main point.

"Whatever..... so how do I get System points? I assume I earn points from scheming against others?"

[Nice guess! But wrong!]

The dragon suddenly transformed into a mini demonic human figure, complete with long horns and black wings. Adorned in a sleek business suit, the System then began its explanation, accompanied by a presentation board.

[Scheming against others only applies to enemies! A true manipulator controls both internal and external factors, managing allies and enemies alike!]

[Leading others by the nose, turning favorable situations even more advantageous, manipulating others using their own words or weapons, and forging new opportunities from the impossible—all count and allowed!]

"So anything goes as long as I don't rely on my strength then?"

[That's not really.... ugh, you'll figure it out later! Figuring this out can be considered a task to become a great Host!]

Yang Huo shook his head in disbelief, he was truly dealing with a kid.

"Let's put that on hold.... where am I? I don't have the original's memory, is this my bedroom?"

Yang Huo examined his surroundings, it was nice for sure, with ample moonlight accompanied with aromatic incense. But it was just that—luxurious. It lacked a sense of ownership, devoid of personal touches. It felt more like a hotel room.

But Instead of answering Yang Huo, the System offered encouragement.

[Thrown into a foreign world with barely any information, it will be harsh! But I believe in you, Host! Your journey to the apex begins now! And I'll be here cheering you on!]

Like a cheerleader, the dragon dance with its bright eyes shone with anticipation.

Yang Huo's eyes twitched watching the ridiculous mascot. He hadn't anticipated the System withholding even the most basic information. Did it want him to die quickly?

He suspected that this System only revealed the original's body reputation only to create a headache for him!

Suddenly, a notification appeared, and a screen popped into Yang Huo's vision.

DING!

[Beginner's gift had been provided! Please check the System's inventory!]

It seemed the System was sensible enough to at least provide the bare minimum of assistance.

Curious, Yang Huo opened his System's inventory to see what gift he received. Among the items were one bottle of Life Condensing pill, two bottles of Dragon Breath pill, one bottle of Meridian Mending pill, a Harmony Strike sword, and 10,000 high-spirit stones.

Upon inspecting the contents, Yang Huo nodded in great approval. These items were valuable, even when compared to the original's storage ring. The spirit stones alone nearly doubled his savings, and he believed the quality of the other items was in no way inferior.

It was indeed very generous for a beginner's gift. But...

"System, let's make a deal. I'll exchange all of this."