Earth Year 4005
East Domain — Capital City — North Side: Stonehill
The setting sun bathed the sky in soft hues of gold and orange. Light spilled across the tiled roofs and flickered over the smooth stones of a quiet courtyard in the area of Stonehill.
A little girl with pale skin, crystal-blue eyes, and black hair touched with dark purple ran across the courtyard with unsteady steps. She giggled as she made her way toward a teenage boy waiting with open arms.
"Brother!" she cried out just as her foot caught on a stone. She tumbled forward but before she could hit the ground, the boy swiftly caught her in his arms.
The boy have cristel blue eyes with black hair with hint of dark purple and his skin was pale like untouched by sunlight,his figure was lean and delicate facial feature and fluffy messy hair the come to his eyes and his face looks extremely beautiful that even beautiful women feel jealous with a Hit of manliness
"Got you," he smiled, lifting her up.
The girl beamed, her tiny fingers clutching his shirt. "Brother! Brother!"
He laughed softly, "Our Elia finally said 'brother' properly." He swung her gently. "To celebrate this happy moment, your amazing brother will give you candy!"
"Candy! Candy!" she shouted with pure joy, bouncing in his arms.
Standing by the garden path, a woman with long dark purple hair and gentle gray eyes watched them, a soft smile playing on her lips. She ls 37 year old but looks twenty-seven, her graceful figure and calm expression exuding elegance. She was their mother, Amara Elcarth.
Not far behind her, in a small open kitchen space beside the courtyard, a man was taking meat off a clay oven grill. He had a youthful face despite being around forty, his sleeves rolled up, humming a happy tune. The scent of roasting herbs drifted on the evening air.
"Food's ready!" he called out loudly, his voice booming across the courtyard. He gestured with a pair of tongs. "Honey! Kids! Come on!"
Amara turned slightly. "Arishu, Elia, let's go. Your father's calling."
"Yes, Mum!" the boy answered, holding his little sister gently as they walked toward the dining area set up beneath the garden pavilion.
As they all took their seats around the stone table under hanging lanterns, the aroma of grilled meat and spices filled the air, making Elia wriggle in anticipation.
"Amara," said the father, Kaelen Elcarth, serving her a plate, the steam rising from the seasoned meat, "you've got to try this one. I marinated it myself—used the herbs from the west ridge."
She smiled politely, taking the plate. "Thank you, dear." Then looked at Arishu, who was carefully adjusting Elia's small chair. "Did your sister tire you out?"
He shook his head, ensuring Elia was secure. "She's full of energy. I'm starting to think she'll reach Foundation Qi stage before me."
Kaelen laughed, a hearty sound that echoed in the courtyard. "If she does, I'll make her the next CEO."
Amara gave him a side glance, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "She's two."
"Details, details," Kaelen said, waving his chopsticks dismissively. "Now, enough teasing. Let's talk about the star of the evening—our son!" He clapped Arishu on the back, making him cough slightly.
Arishu looked down, a little shy, tracing patterns on the stone tabletop with his finger.
Kaelen's tone became more serious, though his eyes still held pride. "You did it, boy! Admitted into the Number One Hero Academy of the Human Domain. You know how many people dream of that?"
Arishu smiled, his gaze flicking toward his plate before returning to his father. "It was just the entry test."
"Just?" his father raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "That's not just." He punctuated the words with his chopsticks. "That place produces the future protectors of humanity—the cultivators who'll defend our domain. That's a big deal."
Amara nodded, her gaze soft as she looked at Arishu. "I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Mum," he said with a warm smile, meeting her eyes briefly.
Elia, holding a spoon backwards, pointed at Arishu and yelled, her voice high-pitched, "Brother strong!"
Everyone laughed. Kaelen reached over and ruffled Arishu's hair.
Dinner continued with light chatter—Kaelen cracking a few lame jokes that made Amara chuckle and Elia giggle, Amara gently scolding him with a fond look, and Elia demanding more sweets with insistent pointing.
As the plates cleared and the sky grew darker, the lanterns flickered on, casting a warm glow over the family.
Later that night, Arishu stood quietly on the balcony. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the garden below. The stars above were bright and scattered like dust across the night sky, an endless expanse that stretched beyond the familiar walls of their home.
As i stared into the night sky, silent. The stars above told a story of an endless cycle—a dance of birth and death, a truth I have already lived. I leaned against the cool stone railing, the air carrying the faint scent of night-blooming jasmine.
Yes, this is not my first life. I closed my eyes briefly, the memories of a different world a faint echo in the back of his mind. I have been reborn. Not metaphorically. Not in the poetic sense smart people use to comfort themselves. I mean it literally—I died once, and now I live again.
This world... it belongs to a novel I once read. I opened my eyes, the starlight reflecting in their depths. A cliche tale of heroes, their camaraderie, their final stand against a so-called Demon King. Yet the story never ended. The author died before the final war. The last pages were blank. No conclusion. Just silence.
I let out a soft, almost bitter sigh.
Now I live here. A quiet life. A warm home. A loving family. Parents who smile. A little sister who laughs. As i glanced back towards the softly lit windows of my room, a flicker of something unreadable crossing my face. To most, this would be happiness.But not to me. I turned back to the stars.
his gaze distant.
I've already realized what most people spend lifetimes avoiding: In the face of death, nothing matters. I tightened my grip on the railing, the smooth stone cold against my skin. Parents, siblings, dreams, tears—all of it returns to dust. I've lived through that truth. After my death, nothing remained. No legacy. No memory. Not even a grave.
The universe is eternal. I am not. That is the difference.
Some try to fight this by assigning meaning to life. They speak of love. Of purpose. Of art, war, and ambition. But it's delusion. An illusion built by smart people to shield themselves from the terror of insignificance.And this is the best path a mortal can take.But in the end, who cared?.
Even I once did this—I pursued game development in my past life. A craft I told myself would outlive me. A creation meant to defy death.
He looked up at the vast expanse of stars.
My works faded. I vanished. And the universe moved on, unconcerned Yet this world is different.
A new intensity entered his gaze.
Here, Qi exists. The lifeblood of cultivation. A path—however narrow—that leads to godhood. Immortality. True defiance against death.I drew a slow, deliberate breath. Even if the chance is one in a billion, even if the path is painted with blood and ends in madness—It exists.That is enough for me.I no longer chase illusions. I chase permanence.
Only through immortality can I give this existence meaning. Only by standing at the peak, above life and death alike, can I look back and say: I chose my own fate.I know the odds. I know the cost.
He lowered his gaze.
But so long as I walk this path with full clarity, regret will never follow me.Even if I fall, I will fall with a smile—because I walked forward knowing the truth.
The first step?
Lightspire Academy.