Jinan City — Morning
Yang Fen stood in front of a tall residential building painted in shades of white and yellow. The sun cast a warm hue over its surface, reflecting faintly in the glass windows above. He tilted his head and looked up, taking in the familiar yet foreign structure.
"So this is… my home," he murmured under his breath.
He walked through the entrance, the glass doors sliding open with a quiet whoosh. Inside, the lobby was clean and quiet, with white tiled floors and pale yellow walls. Two elevators stood ahead, their silver doors gleaming under the ceiling lights.
A soft chime rang as one of the lifts opened. Several people stepped out, chatting among themselves. One of them, a young man in a white shirt, black coat, and black pants, stopped when he saw Yang Fen.
"Hey, Yang Fen! Where've you been since last night's party?" he asked, stepping closer.
Yang Fen looked at him carefully. A face from the memories of this body surfaced.
Luo Bai—his closest friend in this world.
He forced a casual smile. "Ah, I just had something to do. Went out for a bit."
Luo Bai raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did you finally get a job?"
Yang Fen shook his head. "No, not yet."
The smile on Luo Bai's face dimmed. "I see…" He gave Yang Fen a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Well, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, okay? And try to find something soon."
"I will," Yang Fen replied softly.
As Luo Bai walked past and exited the building, Yang Fen watched him go.
This friend… he's a good man.
He stepped into the now-empty elevator, the doors closing silently behind him. He pressed the button for the 10th floor. A faint mechanical hum followed as the lift began its ascent.
Two minutes later, the elevator came to a stop. With a soft ding, the doors slid open.
Yang Fen stepped out and looked around the hallway. He walked forward slowly, studying the surroundings, taking in the details of the world he now lived in.
The room number was 231.
He stopped in front of the door and raised his hand.
Let's see this new life properly…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The door creaked open. A middle-aged woman stood there, her eyes filled with concern and fatigue.
"Yang Fen, where have you been since last night?" she asked.
Yang Fen didn't speak. Instead, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
The woman stiffened, surprised. Then she slowly returned the embrace.
"Mother," he whispered, his voice low and full of emotion. "I'm sorry… from now on, I'll earn money for this house."
His eyes burned with something deeper than just guilt—longing, gratitude, and a strange new warmth.
In the Immortal World, I had no parents. I cultivated alone. I stood above millions, but I was alone…
But here, I have a mother. I have a family. I'm no longer alone.
As he held her, he realized something else.
This world might not have divine beasts or celestial realms, but it had something even more valuable—people who cared.
And for the first time in centuries, Yang Fen felt like he was home.
Inside the Apartment – Morning Light
Yang Fen sat cross-legged on the floor beside his mother, the worn tiles cool beneath them. The morning sunlight streamed in through the half-drawn curtains, casting golden rays across the modest living room. A simple mat was spread between them. In the background, the low hum of city life filtered through the windows.
His mother, Yang Yan, looked at him with eyes still puffy from worry. Her voice was hesitant, hopeful.
"What do you mean… earn money for this house?"
The apartment was small—a two-bedroom space with a cramped kitchen, a hall barely large enough for a table, and a single shared bathroom. The walls bore the faded signs of time and struggle.
Yang Fen smiled. "I got a job."
That was a lie… but I'll find one soon. Somehow.
Yang Yan's expression shifted instantly. Relief washed over her, and then came the tears. She sniffled, her voice breaking.
"Really? That's… wonderful. But please, don't push yourself too hard."
Yang Fen nodded gently. "I won't. Ah—where's Yang Shui?"
His little sister. Age twelve. The only blood family this body had left besides their mother.
Yang Yan wiped her cheeks, composing herself. "She must be at school now."
Yang Fen stood and dusted off his pants. "I'll go pick her up. You should rest, Mother."
She nodded, her eyes still glassy, and rose to her feet. "Alright. Thank you, Fen'er…"
As she disappeared into one of the rooms, Yang Fen stood alone in the small hall, his gaze thoughtful.
This family… has been surviving on his father's savings. That man died five years ago, when this body was nineteen. Since then, it's been nothing but hardship.
But it ends now. I will become stronger again.
Just like Huan Li always told me—stronger, always stronger.
He turned toward the second bedroom and stepped inside.
The room was simple. A single bed pushed against the wall, a small wooden desk stacked with old textbooks, and a creaky fan overhead. Dust lingered in corners, but the space was clean.
He sat down on the bed, legs crossed, palms resting on his knees.
This body is weak… too weak. But I'll change that.
I'll use the Six Path Reincarnation Technique.
He closed his eyes and stilled his breath. The air around him quivered faintly, responding to an ancient energy that had not been summoned on this Earth for countless years.
A swirl of faint light circled his body. Then, from deep within his core, six glowing orbs began to emerge—each one resonating with a different force.
One burned with fiery red light—Fire.
One shimmered like rippling waves—Water.
One danced with invisible currents—Wind.
One pulsed with deep brown strength—Earth.
One sparked with electric arcs—Thunder.
One radiated green, living energy—Wood.
The orbs hovered around him in slow motion, like stars orbiting a world yet to be awakened.
And in that moment, the ancient power of the Six Paths returned to life in a modern world that had long forgotten what true cultivation meant.
Yang Fen opened his eyes slowly. They glowed faintly, filled with determination.
"haha...I'm now at Qi Refining First Layer."