The morning in the mountains crept through the gaps of the student's window, carrying the cold air that awoke Tianran from his restless slumber. Cold sweat still soaked his brow; his heart raced as if he had just emerged from a silent battle that existed only in the realm of dreams.
He stared at his own palm—thin, veined, marked with scars. The scent of damp earth and an old blanket reminded him: this was not just a new body, but a legacy of wounds and hopes he had never chosen.
"This body… why does it still feel foreign, as if I'm merely a passenger?"
A system panel appeared, dim and soothing:
─────[HEAVENLY FATE CODEX]─────
Name: Yu Tianran
Cultivation Level: Qi Condensation (Beginning)
Qi: 14%
Meridian Path: 1/12 (newly unlocked)
Body Status: Weak, post-breakthrough recovery
Active Skill: Echo of the Void (Lv.1)
Emotional Effect: Fluctuation (stably low)
─────▲─────
Tianran hugged his knees, letting his breath lengthen. "But this pain…" he murmured softly, "...still lingers here, a remnant of the training last night that drained everything."
In the silence, a voice—not entirely his—whispered from the corners of his mind: "Enough… just stop, it's better to disappear..." The voice sounded familiar, as if reminding him of the inadequacy that had always shackled him.
Visions of the past flashed by: a skinny child, always lingering in the background, the subject of mockery. He bit his lip, holding back tears. "Why must it be like this?" he asked himself, "Why am I always the weakest?"
"Don't pretend to be strong, Tianran! If you fail, Elder Bai will discard you!"
Tianran gritted his teeth. "It's not me who is afraid… but this legacy is filled with despair…" In his heart, the pain gripped tighter than ever, reminding him of how much was at stake.
A system panel appeared, now feeling warmer than usual:
"Stop pretending to be strong, Tianran!" a firm voice urged, full of warning. "If you fail, Elder Bai will not hesitate to throw you away!"
Tianran clenched his teeth, feeling injustice surge in his chest. "I'm not the one who is afraid…" he said in a low but firm voice. "But this legacy… feels so full of despair."
The system panel appeared before him, warm and unsettling: "Host is experiencing a wave of soul rejection. It is advised to perform 'Self-Acceptance' before training to stabilize resonance."
"There's no time to doubt myself," he thought, taking a deep breath. He brushed aside the panel with a decisive wave of his hand and stood tall. The oversized outer robe felt heavy on his shoulders, like an invisible burden. In front of the small mirror, his eyes reflected two images: his own— and another figure trapped in his memories, unwilling to fade away.
"Who am I now?" he murmured, his voice hoarse slipping from his lips. "Yu Tianran, Fitran Fate, or just the remnants of two worlds' failures?"
**
The raucous noise from the courtyard shattered his reverie. The students had gathered, ready for the morning practice. Tianran swallowed hard, suppressing the strange feeling that had seeped into his chest. "It's time to move," he whispered to himself before stepping outside.
The outside air welcomed him with the scent of dew, wet soil, and appetizing kitchen smoke. The field was filled with students; some were running energetically, others swung their swords with rigorous techniques, all searching for their place in this world. Master Han, his voice booming, shouted:
"Line up! Those who are late will run around the mountain three times!"
Zhou Weiming, with a familiar sardonic smile, glanced at Tianran and said, "Well, look who's here. The failure. In three days, you'll surely be toppled."
Tianran attempted to ignore his words, but each syllable felt like it pierced deep into his heart—awakening echoes of old trauma and remnants of memories of Fitran Fate.
Tianran struggled to disregard it, but every word struck deep—reviving the echoes of old trauma and fragments of memories from Fitran Fate. The system panel warned:
─────[SOUL STABILITY: VULNERABLE]─────
Effect: Identity denial, risk of losing control, training progress decreasing.
Suggestion: Brief meditation for grounding.
─────▲─────
The breathing exercise began.
"Take a deep breath, feel the Qi of the earth and sky! Don't let your body become a burden for your mind!" his instructor urged firmly.
Tianran followed the instruction, "Filling my breath with Qi..." Yet, his mind resisted, "Why does this feel so difficult? Why isn't the Qi flowing?" He felt as if blocked by a wall holding him back. His inner self screamed, "You have to make it! This is only temporary!"
In the midst of the training, Yueqing's voice gently broke through, sincere:
"You look pale today, Tianran. What's wrong?"
Tianran replied softly, "I… am just adjusting." He tried to smile, though his heart rebelled.
Yueqing looked at him intently before offering a faint smile. "There's no need to be embarrassed. Everyone needs time to make peace with themselves."
Tianran felt a warmth wash over him at Yueqing's words. "Have you ever felt out of place in your own body?" he asked, expressing his uncertainty.
Yueqing nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "Very often. But life never waits for us to be ready, does it?"
Tianran sensed the empathy in her voice, and the tension in his muscles began to ease. "Sometimes, I feel like the voices in my head are louder than anything else," he admitted, tired.
"There's always a voice in my head telling me I don't belong here," he said, his voice trembling.
Yueqing gently patted his shoulder, her voice steady. "You're here now. Don't let the past, or anyone's voice, hold you back."
Tianran nodded, and for the first time that day, the dark voice in his mind quieted. He whispered, "Finally, I can hear clearly."
**
After training, the students were given time to meditate. Tianran chose to sit beneath the old plum tree. He closed his eyes, suppressing the tremors in his hands. He took a deep breath, "This tree always feels like a sanctuary."
"System, how can I accept all of this?"
The System replied softly, "Visualize the 'Soul Roots': Imagine roots growing from your body into the earth. Pain and fear become fertilizer—not burdens. Draw Qi slowly, allowing the foreign sensations to become part of the unification process."
"What if I can't?"
With a hopeful tone, Tianran asked, "What happens if I fail?"
The System responded firmly, "Failure is part of the journey. Embrace the uncertainty."
Tianran followed the guidance, envisioning roots piercing the ground, absorbing shame and wounds into new energy. His breath gradually steadied, warmth flowing upward from his feet to his chest. In his mind, he whispered, "I will transform all of this into strength."
The system panel updated:
─────[MEDITATION PROGRESS: SOUL ROOTS]─────
Inner Resonance: 32%
Physical Condition: Stable
Meridian Progress: 1/12 (growing)
Echo of the Void: Passive (flexible soul)
Effects: Acceptance up, denial down
─────▲─────
His inner voice finally emerged, clear:
"I am Tianran. I bear wounds, but I also hold hope. I am not just a failed body, or the shadow of Fitran Fate. I am something new—choosing to endure."
The flow of Qi felt smoother. The world's energy entered his body, small yet steady, no longer being repelled.
Footsteps approached. Master Han stood beside him, his voice calm yet firm. "Feeling better?"
"A little," Tianran replied softly, feeling warmth within. "There's still a lingering fear."
"I'm… still afraid of failing. But I want to try, Master," Tianran added, his gaze full of hope.
Master Han gave a faint smile, his eyes shining with understanding. "No one is born strong, Tianran. Even dragons need a thousand years to grow their first scales. Remember, patience is key."
Tianran chuckled lightly, a bit nervous. "I'm not sure I can become a dragon. But… I want to live, even if I have to start as a worm first."
Master Han nodded, his demeanor showing approval. "Your weakness is not a shame—as long as you don't run from it. Every small step you take toward strength is a meaningful step."
**
In the following days, during his nighttime meditation, Tianran gradually accepted his new body, old wounds, and the unfamiliar feelings that had once accumulated. He closed his eyes, imagining the Qi energy flowing peacefully. Every morning, he forced his body to move, accepting the reality that change takes time.
Yueqing was always there by his side—sometimes sharing stories under the trees, sometimes just sitting silently beside him. "Tianran," she said one time, her smile gentle, "don't be too hard on yourself. Everyone has their own pace."
The system panel displayed real progress:
─────[DAILY STATUS]─────
Soul Resonance: 47%
Qi: 17%
Echo of the Void: Stable
Meridian Progress: 1/12 (stable)
Skill: Emotional Grounding active (with close friends)
Effects: Body accepts physical training & light meditation
─────▲─────
One night, as the moon was nearly full, Tianran stood at the edge of a small river. The water reflected a pale light. He whispered to the river, his voice soft yet full of resolve, "River, I don't know what I will become. But tonight, I choose to endure. I choose to live, not just to survive among others."
"I will find my own path," he whispered, as if the river could respond. "No matter how difficult the road ahead, I will not back down."
The wind carried the scent of wildflowers, reminding Tianran of the beauty of nature. In the distance, the sounds of senior disciples practicing swordsmanship could be heard clearly. He heard the clash of metal and the cries full of spirit. "They are training hard," Tianran murmured, "I must work even harder."
Behind all the wounds and weaknesses, he knew: the will to survive was his first strength—and from there, everything began. "Every wound will become a lesson," he thought, "every difficulty is a stepping stone toward greater strength."
The system panel closed that day with a message, indicating the progress he had made:
─────[SYSTEM NOTE]─────
Host has passed the initial stage of denial.
Survival strength: GROWING.
Soul Resonance: 50%
Growth potential increases in the next training session.
─────▲─────
Tianran smiled faintly, this smile brought a profound relief. "For the first time since my reincarnation, I finally feel like Yu Tianran," he whispered to himself, "with wounds, a past, and new hopes that I will carve on my own." He felt a flow of positive energy coursing through him, as if every part of his soul were interconnected—finally, he felt alive. "I will make my name remembered," he vowed internally, filled with new enthusiasm.