Bo City, China
In a quiet two-story house, a boy sat alone at the dining table, the faint glow of a laptop illuminating his sharp, handsome features. He was only fifteen years old, yet his eyes carried a depth far beyond his age—as if he were weighing the future of an entire world.
"So… I've passed the high school entrance exam," he murmured to himself, fingers resting lightly on the keyboard.
"Well then, I can finally begin the next phase of my plan."
His name was Yun Ming.
In this world, he was an ordinary boy from Bo City—but in truth, he was a reborn soul, someone who carried memories from another life. He knew this world well. It was the world of magic, demons, and cultivation—the world of Versatile Mage.
Yun Ming's parents had both been military mages.
His father was a Mid-Tier Level 1 Fire Mage, known for his explosive combat style. His mother was a Novice Tier Level 3 Water Mage, calm and precise, specializing in battlefield support. Together, they had served on patrol missions outside the city's safe zone.
When Yun Ming was nine years old, tragedy struck.
During a routine patrol, their squad was ambushed by a General-level demon. The battle was hopeless. Not a single member of the squad survived.
From that day on, Yun Ming was alone.
Now, he lived in the same house using the pension left behind by his parents. Several of their old friends—veteran mages who had once fought alongside them—occasionally checked in on him, ensuring he lacked nothing in terms of basic needs.
But no one knew what truly lay beneath the calm surface of the quiet boy.
As Yun Ming stared at the laptop screen, a faint smile formed on his lips.
"This time," he thought,
"I won't be powerless."
Now that he had passed the high school entrance exam and secured admission into Tian Lin Magic High School, Yun Ming's preparations could finally move forward.
According to the laws of the Magic Association, citizens were allowed to awaken magic only after turning fifteen. In Yun Ming's case, that day was just three days away.
Once his magic was awakened, he planned to immediately use his parents' savings and military compensation to purchase a Mortal-Grade Stardust Cultivation Tool. With it, he would gain at least a two-month cultivation advantage over ordinary students—an advantage that could determine his position for years to come.
Money was not a problem.
Yun Ming currently possessed nearly ten million yuan in total assets.
Six million yuan came from the military compensation awarded after his parents' deaths.
A portion came from his parents' personal savings.
The rest had accumulated over the years from a monthly pension of 35,000 yuan.
Thanks to careful spending and a lonely life with few luxuries, the funds had steadily grown.
Everything was ready.
All that remained… was awakening.
Three Days Later
Yun Ming finally turned fifteen.
After a simple breakfast, he changed into clean clothes and left the house. His destination was unmistakable—the Magic Association of Bo City, the tallest building in the entire city, a towering structure that symbolized humanity's resistance against demons.
Standing before it, Yun Ming took a brief breath before walking inside.
He didn't hesitate.
After entering, he went straight to the seventh floor, the floor reserved exclusively for magic awakening ceremonies.
At the front desk, a young receptionist looked up as he approached.
"Hello," Yun Ming said calmly. "I'm here to awaken my magic."
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked professionally.
"No."
"Then you'll need to wait for a while."
"That's fine," Yun Ming replied. "What's the cost?"
The receptionist tapped on her terminal and recited the prices.
"An ordinary elemental awakening costs 100,000 yuan.
Ice or Fire elemental awakening stones cost 150,000 yuan.
Lightning elemental awakening stones cost 200,000 yuan."
Without hesitation, Yun Ming said,
"Arrange a Lightning Element awakening stone."
The receptionist paused for a fraction of a second, then nodded.
"Very well. Please fill out this form first. But you must understand—there is no 100% guarantee that you will awaken the Lightning Element."
"I understand," Yun Ming replied.
He took the form, filled it out carefully, and handed it back.
After transferring the payment, he sat down quietly in the waiting area, his expression calm—but inside, his heart was anything but.
Lightning…
This is the first step.
No matter what happened next, his fate would begin to change today.
After nearly half an hour, it was finally Yun Ming's turn.
A staff member led him into the awakening chamber.
The moment he stepped inside, Yun Ming felt a subtle pressure in the air. The chamber was far more luxurious than he had expected—smooth marble floors, softly glowing magic arrays engraved into the walls, and at the center of the room stood a raised stone platform.
Upon it rested a deep purple crystal, its surface faintly shimmering with electric light.
The awakener present inside the chamber looked at Yun Ming and spoke calmly, clearly accustomed to scenes like this.
"Place your hands on the crystal and enter your spiritual sea. If your awakening is successful, you will be able to sense your element inside. I will step outside now. Come out once the awakening is complete."
With that, the awakener left the room, and the heavy door slowly closed behind him.
Silence filled the chamber.
Yun Ming walked up to the platform and placed his hands on the awakening stone.
It was cold—far colder than he had expected.
He closed his eyes.
In the next instant, his consciousness sank deep into his spiritual sea.
Darkness.
Vast, empty darkness.
Yun Ming searched carefully, scanning every corner of his spiritual sea, waiting for the familiar signs of an element forming—lightning sparks, elemental stars, anything.
One minute passed.
Two minutes passed.
Three minutes passed.
Nothing.
A trace of panic crept into his heart.
"Did I… fail the awakening?" he thought, his breathing growing slightly uneven.
Just as despair threatened to take hold—
He noticed it.
In the depths of his spiritual sea, a black stardust cluster slowly emerged. It was faint, almost hidden, yet unmistakable. The stars were pitch-black, but each carried a subtle purple hue, like shadows illuminated by distant lightning.
Yun Ming froze.
This isn't Lightning…
Understanding struck him instantly.
"This is… Shadow Element."
He didn't awaken Lightning.
But he had awakened Shadow.
Instead of disappointment, a calm smile appeared on Yun Ming's face.
"So be it," he murmured inwardly.
Shadow magic meant concealment, evasion, and survival.
At the very least—
"I'll never have to worry about escaping alive."
With his heart steady and his resolve firm, Yun Ming slowly withdrew from his spiritual sea and opened his eyes.
His path as a mage had officially begun.
After completing the awakening, Yun Ming left the Magic Association and returned home.
The moment he arrived, he didn't waste any time. Sitting down at the dining table, he picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number—one he had memorized long ago.
"Hello, Uncle Chen?" Yun Ming said.
"Hello, Xiao Ming," came the warm reply. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Yun Ming answered.
"So, why did you call me?" Uncle Chen asked directly.
"Uncle, I wanted your help buying something."
"Oh?" Uncle Chen sounded interested. "What is it? Tell me—I'll help if I can."
"Today I went to the Magic Association to awaken my magic," Yun Ming said.
There was a brief pause, followed by a surprised laugh.
"You awakened magic? Congratulations! What element did you awaken?"
"Shadow Element."
"Shadow?" Uncle Chen repeated, clearly surprised. "That's rare for a first awakening—but it's a very good element."
Then he continued, "And what do you want to buy?"
"A Stardust Cultivation Tool," Yun Ming replied.
"I see," Uncle Chen said thoughtfully. "I can help you buy one through military channels. It'll be at least half a million yuan cheaper than the market price."
Yun Ming's eyes lit up slightly. "Okay."
"I'll come to your house in two days and bring it with me," Uncle Chen said.
"Alright. Thank you, Uncle Chen."
"No problem at all. Then I'll see you in two days."
"Goodbye, Uncle."
After ending the call, Yun Ming leaned back in his chair, feeling a sense of relief.
Everything was progressing exactly as planned.
He turned on his laptop and began browsing the internet, searching for basic information on meditation, mana circulation, and introductory knowledge about the Shadow Element. He carefully read guides written by experienced mages, memorizing the posture, breathing rhythm, and mental focus required for proper cultivation.
Once he felt confident, Yun Ming closed the laptop and sat cross-legged on the floor.
He adjusted his breathing.
Calmed his thoughts.
And slowly entered meditation, just as he had learned.
In the quiet room, shadows seemed to gather faintly around him—unnoticed, yet waiting.
Two days later, Yun Ming stood quietly in his house, waiting.
During these two days, he had done almost nothing but meditate.
From early morning until late at night, he repeatedly entered his spiritual sea, carefully stabilizing his Shadow stardust. Through this process, he discovered something important—
Just like Mo Fan, he could cultivate nearly twice as long as an ordinary person.
Yun Ming wasn't surprised, but he was cautious.
"It might be related to rebirth," he thought. "Or perhaps my spiritual strength was already higher than normal from the beginning."
Unfortunately, there was no way to confirm it yet.
Thinking of rebirth naturally reminded him of Mo Fan.
Yun Ming had seen him before—back in primary school. Mo Fan was five years younger, which meant Yun Ming had a massive advantage in time. Five full years to prepare, accumulate resources, and build a solid foundation before Mo Fan even stepped onto the mage's path.
That alone could decide everything.
Lost in thought, Yun Ming was suddenly pulled back to reality by a knock on the door.
Knock. Knock.
He stood up and walked over, opening it.
A middle-aged man stood outside, his posture straight and his eyes sharp despite the relaxed expression on his face.
"Uncle Chen," Yun Ming said with a small smile. "Come in."
Uncle Chen stepped inside and sat down at the dining table.
"Xiao Ming, how are you?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Yun Ming replied. "How about you? How's work?"
"It's the same as always," Uncle Chen said with a sigh. Then he waved his hand. "Enough talk. Here—take this."
He reached into his storage ring and took out a small wooden box, placing it gently on the table and sliding it toward Yun Ming.
Yun Ming opened the box.
Inside lay a bracelet.
It looked ancient and unique, covered in faint, flowing patterns that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
Yun Ming's breathing involuntarily quickened.
A Stardust Cultivation Tool.
Even though it was the lowest Mortal-Grade, Yun Ming knew exactly how valuable it was. With this alone, his cultivation speed would completely surpass that of ordinary students.
He slowly closed the box and placed it back on the table.
"How much did it cost you, Uncle?" Yun Ming asked seriously. "Tell me—I'll transfer the money."
"4.3 million yuan," Uncle Chen replied.
"Alright. Wait a moment."
Yun Ming brought out his laptop, logged in, and transferred the full amount without hesitation.
After that, the two of them had dinner together.
While eating, Uncle Chen suddenly spoke in a serious tone.
"Xiao Ming, don't tell anyone about this cultivation tool. Not your classmates, not even teachers. If word gets out, it could be stolen."
He paused before adding, "If possible, only use it at home. Keep it somewhere safe. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Uncle," Yun Ming nodded firmly. "I won't tell anyone."
Satisfied, Uncle Chen relaxed.
After dinner, they talked for a while longer—mostly about cultivation, military life, and the dangers outside the safe zone. Eventually, Uncle Chen stood up and left.
When the door closed, the house fell silent once more.
Yun Ming picked up the wooden box and looked at it quietly.
"This," he thought,"is where everything truly begins."