Fourteen years had passed since Xu Tianyi first opened his eyes in this world—not the one of flashing screens and concrete towers he once knew, but one steeped in mist and memory, where the mountains whispered old tales and time moved like drifting clouds.
In those early days, he'd thought it no different from an ancient realm of his old history books—quiet, simple, and plain. He lived in a remote village tucked within the embrace of emerald mountains, where the sun bled gold each morning and the winds carried the scent of pine and earth. The days were slow, the nights serene, and the people content in their ignorance. There were no soaring immortals, no divine arts, no whispers of cultivation. Only the rhythm of life—planting, harvesting, laughter around the fire, and dreams as small as the village itself.
Xu Tianyi began to believe the heavens had granted him peace after his strange rebirth. He called it his second childhood, and he shared it with a girl who called herself his sister.
Xu Mingxia.
But all illusions must end. And theirs ended in fire.
It came on a moonless night, when even the stars dared not gaze upon the land.
A howl—unearthly and cruel—split the sky, followed by a roar that turned marrow to ice. A demon beast, its fur black as the abyss and its eyes glowing like molten hatred, descended upon the village with hunger in its bones and death in its breath.
Flames bloomed like crimson lotuses across the rooftops. Screams were torn from throats like fragile paper, silenced in an instant. Blood painted the soil, soaking the earth with stories that would never be told.
He remembered holding Mingxia's hand, her grip trembling, her voice a brittle whisper:
> "Tianyi… don't let go. Whatever happens, don't let go."
He hadn't.
They hid beneath the shattered remnants of a granary, praying to gods they did not know, as the beast stalked through the ruins like a god of death. Until—
Until light fell upon the earth.
A sword cleaved the night in two. A flash of white—like starlight drawn into steel—descended from the sky. The demon beast let out a howl, guttural and enraged, before its voice was silenced forever. Its body fell with a thud that shook the ground, smoke and blood hissing into the soil.
When Xu Tianyi opened his eyes, a figure stood amidst the carnage.
Clad in white robes stained with crimson, a woman stood with her blade resting by her side, its surface still glowing faintly, humming as if it had sung the song of death itself. Her presence was like a lotus blooming in the midst of rot—serene, untouchable, divine.
She turned to the children.
Eyes like frozen moonlight stared at them—not cruel, but distant, ancient. Pity flickered across her face, soon replaced by something harder. Resolve.
She spoke, her voice quiet yet weighty, like snowfall over a silent lake.
> "You've seen the truth of this world far too early."
Mingxia, though trembling, took a step forward, her voice cracking but thankful.
> "Thank you… for saving us."
The woman regarded her for a long moment. Then she sheathed her sword with a soft click, as if sealing away a storm.
> "I did not come to save. I came to pass through. But fate, it seems, writes its own script."
Xu Tianyi tried to stand but staggered, legs too weak to carry the weight of grief. Mingxia caught him, her arms warm and trembling. The woman's gaze softened.
> "What are your names, children?"
> "Xu Mingxia," the girl answered. "And… this is my little brother. Xu Tianyi."
The woman nodded slowly, as if committing those names to memory.
> "Very well. From this moment, you are under my wing."
She turned away, her robes fluttering like pale wings in the breeze.
> "I am Yun Wanshang, Core Formation realm cultivator of the Qingyun Sect. If you desire strength… if you wish to never be this powerless again… then follow me."
She did not look back. She didn't need to.
Mingxia tightened her grip on Tianyi's hand. Their eyes met—hers full of sorrow, his full of silent questions. But in that moment, they both understood:
Their old lives had burned to ash that night.
What remained… was the path ahead.
Their journey stretched long beneath the shifting sky. The road coiled through valleys veiled in morning mist and forests so dense they seemed to breathe. Birds flitted between ancient branches, and unseen beasts rustled in the underbrush, yet the world remained oddly hushed—as though holding its breath for what was to come.
Inside the quiet carriage, Xu Tianyi sat beside his sister. The steady rhythm of the wheels striking stone gave him space to think—to remember, to wonder, to unravel.
Fourteen years of drifting like a leaf in a stream, watching the world pass him by.
It happened suddenly.
A simple brush of the hand—his fingers grazing Xu Mingxia's as she adjusted her robe. It was innocent, casual. And yet, the moment their skin met, his body reacted.
A strange warmth surged through him. Not like heat, but like a gentle tide rising within, brushing against every corner of his soul.
And then—
> Ding!
A glowing screen burst into existence before his eyes, translucent and humming with a faint golden aura—like starlight trapped in glass.
---
> [Bonding System Activated]
You may now bond with individuals of the opposite gender within your cultivation realm.
When bonded individuals make breakthroughs or awaken abilities, you will receive a random 1×–10× version.
— Touch to bond.
His golden finger. His cheat. The blessing every transmigrator dreamed of… had finally awakened!
His heart thundered in his chest. He could barely believe what he was seeing.
Without hesitation, he focused his gaze on Xu Mingxia, and the screen shimmered again, revealing her status:
---
> Name: Xu Mingxia
Age: 16
Cultivation: None
Spiritual Root: 4th Grade
Special Physique: Sword Heart
---
> [Bonding Target Found]
Would you like to bind?
---
Xu Tianyi blinked.
> "Spiritual Root… Sword Heart?" he muttered, his voice barely more than a breath.
A 4th-grade spiritual root was already quite respectable—most outer disciples of even large sects wouldn't have better.
But Sword Heart? That was more than just rare. It was fabled—the stuff of legends. Sword Heart meant unshakable will, perfect affinity with the sword, and a future that could cleave through the heavens.
> "That's an incredible constitution for a sword cultivator…" he whispered, awe flickering in his voice.
He didn't hesitate.
> Confirm.
---
> Bonding Successful
[4th Grade Spiritual Root ×1] — Share?
[Sword Heart ×10] — Share?
He nearly jumped out of the carriage in excitement, fists clenched with glee. The temptation to shout, to laugh, to declare to the world that he had it now, was almost too much to bear.
But reason stepped in like a bucket of cold water.
> "Wait…"
His eyes narrowed, the screen still floating quietly before him.
> "If something unexpected happens during the transfer… if I collapse, or if others see. And if someone finds out about my golden finger…"
His heartbeat slowed as caution took hold.
> "No. Not here."
He let out a long, controlled breath and dismissed the glowing panel. It faded like mist in the sun.
He looked at Mingxia.
She had dozed off, her expression serene, her head resting on his shoulder,her hand still tightly holding his.
> "When we're safe. When we're alone. Then I'll share it."
A faint smile crept across his lips, eyes gleaming with hidden determination.
> "I won't just survive this world… I'll rise above it."
And so, as the carriage rolled on, bearing them toward the unknown, Xu Tianyi sat in silence—knowing that his true journey had finally begun.