The iron clang of practice swords reverberated across the Su Clan's training yard, cutting through the crisp morning air of Qingyang City. Su Chen leaned against the weathered stone wall, his chest heaving with each ragged breath. His tattered training robe clung to his back, soaked in sweat that mixed with the dust kicked up by the other disciples' footsteps. At sixteen, he should have been refining his third meridian, standing among the clan's promising youth-but instead, he was a laughingstock.
"Look at him," sneered a voice from the center of the yard. Su Hao, the clan leader's nephew and the most talented disciple of his generation, twirled his sword with a arrogant smirk. "Still wallowing in weakness after all these years. No wonder the elders say his meridian is shattered beyond repair."
A chorus of snickers erupted. The other disciples paused their training, their eyes darting between Su Chen and Su Hao. It was a familiar scene-one that had played out every day since Su Chen's father, the former clan leader, had fallen into a mysterious coma three years ago. Without his father's protection, the once-respected heir had become the target of endless mockery.
Su Chen's hands tightened into fists at his sides. He could feel the dull ache in his chest, a constant reminder of his flawed meridian. Unlike the other disciples, who were born with at least three intact meridians to channel spiritual energy, his had been shattered in a childhood accident-an accident many whispered was no accident at all. No matter how hard he trained, no matter how many medicinal herbs he consumed, his spiritual energy leaked away like water through a sieve.
"Come on, Su Chen," Su Hao taunted, stepping closer with his sword pointed lazily at the ground. "Why don't you join us? Or are you too afraid to embarrass yourself further?"
The disciples laughed louder. Su Chen's jaw clenched. He had endured this for three years-insults, humiliation, the cold stares of the elders who had once doted on him. But today, something inside him snapped. He pushed himself away from the wall, his gaze sharp as flint.
"I'm not here to entertain you," he said, his voice steady despite the anger boiling in his veins.
Su Hao's smirk widened. "Oh? Then what are you here for? To stare at us while we grow stronger? To dream of the days when you were still the clan's golden boy?" He took another step, his sword rising slightly. "You know what they say, don't you? A shattered meridian is a death sentence for a cultivator. You'll never amount to anything-just a burden on the clan."
Su Chen's breath hitched. Those words struck deeper than any blade. He had spent countless nights lying awake, wondering if it was true. Wondering if he would ever be able to avenge his father, to uncover the truth behind his coma. But as Su Hao's mocking face blurred before his eyes, a strange warmth suddenly spread across his chest.
It was coming from the jade pendant around his neck-the only thing his father had left him before falling unconscious. It was a simple pendant, carved with intricate patterns that resembled flowing meridians, and it had always felt slightly warm against his skin. But now, it was burning-hotter and hotter, as if a flame had been ignited inside it.
"What's wrong with you?" Su Hao asked, noticing Su Chen's sudden paleness. "Scared speechless?"
Su Chen couldn't answer. The heat from the pendant was spreading through his body, searing through his veins. It was not a painful heat, but a powerful one-like a river of molten gold, surging through his shattered meridian. He could feel the cracks in his meridian trembling, as if being stitched back together by an invisible force.
"Hey! Are you listening?" Su Hao snapped, reaching out to push Su Chen's shoulder.
The moment Su Hao's hand made contact, the pendant flared with a blinding golden light. Su Chen let out a gasp as a wave of spiritual energy exploded from his body, knocking Su Hao backward several steps. The other disciples stared in shock, their laughter dying in their throats.
Su Chen stared at his hands in disbelief. He could feel it-spiritual energy, pure and powerful, flowing through his meridian like never before. The cracks were still there, but they were glowing with a faint golden light, and the energy was no longer leaking away. Instead, it was circulating faster and faster, growing stronger with each passing second.
"What… what kind of trick is this?" Su Hao stammered, climbing to his feet. He glared at Su Chen, his eyes filled with jealousy and rage. "You've been hiding your strength this whole time!"
Before Su Chen could respond, the pendant's light faded, leaving only a warm tingle in his chest. But the change in his meridian was real. He could feel it-something had awakened inside him. Something ancient. Something powerful.
He looked up at Su Hao, a newfound confidence burning in his eyes. "I'm not hiding anything," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I'm just getting started."
Su Hao's face twisted with anger. He raised his sword, spiritual energy flickering along the blade. "You think you can stand against me now? I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"
He lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound. Su Chen's body moved on its own-faster than he had ever moved before. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade, and felt the spiritual energy in his meridian surging to his fist.
Without thinking, he punched forward-aiming not to hurt Su Hao, but to defend himself. The moment his fist connected with Su Hao's chest, a burst of golden spiritual energy erupted, sending Su Hao flying backward into the stone wall with a loud crash.
The training yard fell silent. The disciples stared at Su Chen in stunned silence, their faces a mix of shock and fear. Su Chen stared at his fist, his heart pounding. He had never been able to channel spiritual energy so effectively-never been able to move so fast, to hit so hard.
The pendant around his neck was still warm, its patterns glowing faintly. Su Chen realized then that this was no ordinary pendant. It was the key to his father's legacy-and to his own destiny.
He looked up at the sky, the morning sun shining down on him. For the first time in three years, he felt hope. Hope that he could repair his shattered meridian. Hope that he could uncover the truth about his father's coma. Hope that he could become stronger-strong enough to protect himself, strong enough to avenge his father, strong enough to conquer his own fate.
But he also knew that this was just the beginning. The awakening of his meridian would not go unnoticed. The elders of the clan, the enemies who had plotted against his father-they would soon learn of his transformation. And they would not be happy.
Su Chen took a deep breath, his gaze hardening. He was no longer the weak, shattered disciple everyone had mocked. He was Su Chen, heir to the Su Clan, and the wielder of a power that defied all known laws of cultivation.
The Reverse God Meridian had awakened. And the world would never be the same.