Morning light pierced through the thin curtains, brushing against the face of the young man lying on the bed. Slowly, his eyes opened—glowing red with a flicker of confusion. His body felt strange: powerful, flexible, well-built. Wu Tian stared at his hands, moving them carefully as he adjusted to this new posture.
"Where… am I?" he whispered, his voice rough with disorientation.
The room was spacious and tidy, its walls adorned with calligraphy and sheer curtains draped across a wide window. The faint scent of incense and tea lingered in the air. Everything felt unfamiliar—yet oddly… familiar in some vague, instinctive way.
Wu Tian sat up slowly and turned to the mirror in the corner. The reflection staring back at him was a handsome young man: long white hair cascading to his shoulders, pale skin, sharp red eyes full of awareness. Defined features, straight nose, thin lips. A flawless face—but not his.
He gazed silently at himself, and realization settled like a stone sinking into water.
This wasn't his body.He… had reincarnated.
In an instant, memories surged into his mind. He now inhabited the body of the Wu clan's young master. Somehow, they shared the same name, but that part didn't matter. The real problem was this:
The previous owner of this body was infamous trash—a lazy wastrel who spent his days avoiding training and frequenting brothels.
The Wu clan was a prestigious family known for producing geniuses in every generation. Yet the former Wu Tian was a stain on that reputation.
Not only because he was lazy and indulgent—the real issue was his pathetic cultivation talent. Unable to endure the endless humiliation, he drowned himself in women and wine.
A brief wave of panic welled inside him, but Wu Tian forced it down. He exhaled, lowered his hand from the mirror, and examined the body more calmly. No fear. No grief. Just a simple fact:
He was in a new world, inside a new body.
"Young master, it's time for the clan assembly!"
A servant's voice echoed from outside. Wu Tian turned toward the door. He didn't know this world's rules, but the survival instincts he'd honed on Earth immediately kicked in. He rose, adjusted to the new body, and walked to the door.
His steps were steady, movements natural. When the servant opened the door, Wu Tian realized something important—even if the soul inside had changed, people would judge based on what they saw. And the body itself was undeniably striking.
The hallway leading to the main hall was long, decorated with intricate carvings and elegant paintings. Wu Tian walked calmly, his mind focused: observe, assess, adapt. The former owner's reputation didn't matter.
At the entrance of the great hall, he paused. The hall was vast and grand, tall pillars rising like silent guardians. Candlelight shimmered across lacquered surfaces. When Wu Tian stepped inside, several women turned toward him with wide eyes, surprised by his sudden appearance—while the men scoffed and smirked.
Wu Tian walked to the center, sword at his waist, posture composed. He wasn't here to defend the old owner's name. He had come only to meet his fiancée.
A senior member of the clan began speaking, explaining the meeting's purpose. Wu Tian listened quietly, eyes scanning every detail—the seating arrangement, the positions of elders, even the subtlest expressions.
In this new consciousness, one thing became clear:
This world was harsh and full of schemes, but at least he had a powerful family behind him. The label of "useless young master" meant nothing. What mattered now were his own steps forward.
He took his seat with the sword resting across his lap. He remained silent, unsmiling, motionless—but that calm presence alone made people glance at him with surprise. It wasn't the attitude they expected from the old Wu Tian.
He drew a slow breath. This new life belonged to him, fully and completely. No past reputation, no external expectations—no limits.
Then the hall fell silent.
A beautiful girl walked in, her face cold as winter frost. Long black hair neatly tied, elegant robes flowing around her, aura sharp and dignified. She looked at Wu Tian as though gazing at something unclean.
He recognized her instantly:
Yao Qinglan, pride of the Yao family—his fiancée.
"Wu Tian," she said, her voice crisp, "I'm here to annul our engagement."
The hall froze.
Stifled laughter echoed. Whispered mockery spread like wildfire. Some even smirked openly, as if they'd been waiting for this moment.
For the first time, Wu Tian stiffened.
Not because of heartbreak.
Not because he felt rejected.
But because memories of the previous owner flashed through his mind.
This engagement… wasn't based on love.
It was a political alliance—one that connected the Wu clan with the influential Yao clan.
A crucial bridge that—though he didn't care about it romantically—had been the strongest political shield protecting the "useless young master."
Without it… his position crumbled.
His notorious reputation would become the perfect excuse for those eager to remove him.
His heartbeat stayed slow, but heavy.
This is bad.
No heartbreak.
Just cold, immediate awareness of the political blow.
He frowned faintly—just enough to show surprise.
He opened his mouth to ask the real reason—because in the original owner's memories, Yao Qinglan's father had been the one pushing hardest for this marriage.
But she didn't give him the chance.
"From this moment on, the agreement between our families is void. This engagement brings me no benefit."
Her words slammed down like the final nail in a coffin.
Whispers swelled.
Sneers grew louder.
Wu Tian clenched his hands—not in anger, but in acknowledgment of the consequences.
This body was hated, mocked, talentless. Without political protection… the clan wouldn't hesitate to discard him.
Before he spoke, another voice cut through the hall—
"From this day forward, Wu Tian is forbidden from stepping foot into the Wu clan—unless he returns as an old man ready for burial… or when he reaches the Nascent Soul realm!"
The speaker was Wu Zhen, the current patriarch. Years ago, the First Elder convinced the others to overthrow Wu Tian's father after deeming the former owner worthless. With his parents gone from the clan, this ambush was inevitable.
The declaration sliced through the air.
Everyone stared at him again, awaiting his reaction.
Wu Tian showed no anger, no shock—only silence.
Inside, he sighed.
A new life… and the world already slaps me across the face.
Hours later, Wu Tian left the Wu clan without looking back.
There was no reason to stay.
This body had been rejected—and he couldn't care less.
He descended the mountain path toward the nearest settlement. When night fell, he rented a small room in a mountain town to collect his thoughts.
Just as he was about to sit and rest—
A thunderous voice shattered the night like a bolt of lightning.
"WU TIAN! COME OUT AND FACE ME! I'M HERE TO TAKE YOUR LIFE!"
An explosion followed, shaking the very air.
Wu Tian slowly opened his eyes.
In the dark room, his crimson gaze glowed like newly lit embers.
"…seriously?" he muttered flatly.
Only one day in this world.
On the brink of disaster, one truth became painfully clear:
This miserable world… doesn't offer a tutorial.