In a quiet wooden room warmed by the golden touch of morning sun, Zhen Liang's eyes snapped open.
His forehead was damp with sweat, his breath shallow and uneven. The ceiling above him felt unfamiliar, as though it belonged to another time. Faint traces of his dream still clung to his senses: towering cities of glass and steel, glowing screens, roaring machines, and voices speaking a language unlike any heard in the Zhen Clan.
"That... was my life. My past life," he murmured.
The realization settled into him like a stone dropped in still water. The memories were clear but distant, not like visions or dreams, but like pages from a book he had read long ago. He could recall the logic, the machines, and even the social constructs of that foreign world. Yet, as he sat in his simple wooden bed, surrounded by carved stone walls and faint incense, the world of his dream felt far away.
He took a deep breath.
"Strange... but that doesn't change who I am now."
Rather than panic, Zhen Liang gently tucked the memories away, burying them in the back of his mind like one would shelve an old scroll—not to be forgotten, but not to be obsessed over either. He stood, stretched his arms with a lazy yawn, and changed into his training robe before stepping into the fresh mountain air.
In the east training pavilion, dozens of children from the Zhen Clan sat cross-legged on the polished wooden floor beneath a ceiling carved with drifting clouds, heavenly dragons, and ancient sword sigils.
Elder Zhen Gu, their instructor, stood at the front. His back was straight, his beard snow-white, and his aura calm yet commanding. In one hand, he held a silver ring, and in the other, a wooden staff adorned with iron inlays.
"Children," his voice rang clear, "to walk the path of cultivation, you must first understand the world that surrounds you."
With a casual wave of his sleeve, a shimmering illusion bloomed in the air—a vast map, filled with mountain ranges, glowing rivers, and endless plains.
"This is the Shifting Star Continent—a land of ancient legacies, lost secrets, and ceaseless struggle. Our home lies within the Jade Willow Kingdom, a small but respected nation surrounded by thousands of others."
The illusion zoomed in, revealing a mountainous region glowing with formations and protective seals.
"This region is under the jurisdiction of the Eternal Star Sect—one of the Six Great Sects. Our Zhen Clan is among its upper-branch families. We train, grow, and contribute disciples to the sect in exchange for protection, guidance, and prestige."
A boy in the back raised his hand. "Elder, who is the strongest in our clan?"
Zhen Gu's lips curled in amusement. "Our founder, Zhen Wuyou, once cleaved an entire river range with a single sword swing. He reached the Nascent Soul Realm, and though he has long since left for seclusion, his name still opens doors in the Eternal Star Sect."
Even Zhen Liang looked up with a flicker of interest.
The elder continued. With another wave, the illusion changed again—this time into a spiral of glowing characters, rotating slowly in the air.
"Your path begins at the Body Tempering Realm."
He pointed to the innermost circle.
"The human body starts weak, barely able to withstand the flow of spiritual energy. At Level 1, your body should withstand the weight of 9 kilograms. With each level, that strength multiplies tenfold."
He tapped his staff on the floor. "You will tear muscle, break bone, and rebuild again. This is the foundation of all cultivation."
Several children paled.
"After Level 9, you will be prepared to draw in qi—and begin the Qi Condensation Realm."
He gestured outward.
"Then comes Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and the Nascent Soul Realm."
A girl in green robes blinked. "And after that?"
"Beyond that... lies the unknown. Some chase immortality. Some vanish into legends."
The next day, training began.
It was brutal.
Martial stances held under the scorching sun. Weighted boulders hoisted over shoulders. Meditation under freezing waterfalls. Hundreds of punches, kicks, and spirit-breath cycles.
Elder Zhen Gu bellowed like thunder. "Hold your stance! Breathe through the pain! Again!"
And yet, as always...
"Zhen Liang! Late again!"
A yawn answered him. Barefoot steps approached slowly. Zhen Liang strolled in with tousled hair and half-lidded eyes.
"Yes, yes, Elder. I'm here."
The children chuckled. Zhen Gu glared, but said nothing more. Because Zhen Liang—despite his attitude—finished every task faster than anyone else.
He grunted through push-ups. Perfected stances. Lifted weights. And the moment drills ended, he disappeared beneath his favorite pine tree.
To sleep.
Or to read.
He wasn't all sloth. At home, his father, Zhen Mu, saw to his growth in silence. Every night, a wooden tub would be filled with herbs: marrow-tempering lotus, bone-hardeners, qi-root moss. Liang soaked with closed eyes.
"Thanks, Dad," he'd murmur. Zhen Mu rarely responded, but his actions never faltered.
At the clan library, old Grandpa Lin huffed whenever he saw the boy.
"You again?"
Liang grinned. "Got anything on martial arts, formations, or battle history?"
"You're too young to even hold a talisman properly... but fine."
Scrolls and jade slips passed hands. Liang returned each one in pristine condition, sometimes adding margin notes.
Three years passed.
The children grew stronger. Most had reached Body Tempering Level 4 or 5. A handful touched Level 6.
During seasonal competitions, Liang always showed up late, yawned, and walked away with victory. He gave away his rewards to younger disciples.
One day, under his pine tree, Zhen Liang stirred. His breath deepened. A whirlpool of qi gathered naturally in his dantian.
He blinked.
"Qi Condensation... I've stepped into the next realm."
No ceremony. No roar of thunder. Just a lazy nap ending in quiet power.
That afternoon, Elder Zhen Gu summoned the class.
In his hand was a bronze token marked with a flame.
"Zhen Liang," he said, "you've completed the Body Tempering Realm. Take this."
He handed the token to the boy.
"With this, you gain access to the Sutra Pavilion. You may select three techniques: a qi cultivation method, a mental technique, and a martial art."
Liang took the token with a slight bow.
Then raised a finger.
"Elder... Since I'm also the first to reach Qi Condensation, do I get a reward?"
Zhen Gu's eye twitched. After a sigh, he reached into his sleeve and tossed a second token. This one was silver with a leaf motif.
"Show this to the Pavilion Guardian. You will get your reward."
"Much appreciated, Elder."
As Liang walked off, the other children stared in disbelief.
"He sleeps more than he trains!" "How did he break through before all of us?!"
Zhen Gu watched him go.
"Lazy brat."
Then turned to the remaining students with a smile.
"Since Zhen Liang took my silver token, you lot can train double today."
Groans filled the training grounds.