The dorm room was quiet now, filled only with the echo of the past. The shattered mirror glinted dully in the moonlight. Yun Zai—now Lin Feng—stood in the center of the wreckage, arms folded behind his back, deep in thought.
He had soul force. That much was clear. But no spiritual energy flowed through this body's meridians.
And without spiritual energy, cultivation was impossible.
He knelt on the floor, closing his eyes.
First, assess the damage.
He scanned the body's inner world.
The dantian—center of energy and cultivation—was intact but weak. It resembled a cracked well, half-filled with brackish water. His meridians were narrow, brittle, as if never properly developed.
"No wonder this body was called trash," he murmured. "It was never given a chance."
He tapped a finger to the center of his forehead. A golden spark emerged—his soul flame.
Even if this body was weak, his soul retained fragments of his former cultivation. He could use them.
He formed a seal with his fingers.
"Void Origin Breathing Technique—First Cycle."
This was a forbidden technique. Lost to the world five thousand years ago. It didn't absorb spiritual energy—it converted soul force into spiritual roots.
It was slow. Painful. But it worked.
He drew a breath.
Then another.
With each inhale, the cracked dantian trembled. Golden light trickled in, slowly mending the breaks. His meridians, unused to the flow, twisted in agony.
He bit his lip. Blood dripped down his chin.
Still, he endured.
Hours passed.
Then—
Boom.
A faint explosion of light rippled through his chest. The first spiritual spark ignited.
Body Refinement Realm—Level 1.
He exhaled slowly, opening his eyes.
"I'm back."
Morning.
Yun Zai—no, Lin Feng—stepped out of the dormitory. His robe was the same, but his presence… utterly different.
Students turned to stare. Some sneered. Others looked confused.
A voice shouted from across the courtyard.
"Lin Feng!"
A tall, thin boy jogged up to him. It was Han Zhou—one of the few who hadn't mocked the old Lin Feng. He looked surprised.
"You okay? I heard there was a fight last night. Some people said you crushed Li Zong and his gang?"
"I did," Lin Feng said simply.
Han Zhou blinked. "How?"
Lin Feng just smiled. "Breakfast first."
Later that day, he stood before the academy's cultivation tower.
Students lined up outside. The tower allowed one to test cultivation level and potential.
As he approached, laughter erupted.
"Well, well! If it isn't the academy's walking corpse," a girl said mockingly.
It was Wen Meili, daughter of a city elder. Lin Feng remembered this one. Cruel. Arrogant. Ignorant.
"I thought you couldn't even open your dantian?"
"I couldn't," Lin Feng said.
Now it was open.
She scoffed. "Go ahead, make a fool of yourself."
He stepped forward.
The tower scanned his body.
A dull hum.
The crystal orb glowed faintly—then flared gold.
Gasps.
"What?! Body Refinement Level 1?!"
"Impossible! He was a cripple yesterday!"
Wen Meili's jaw dropped.
The tower buzzed louder.
Text appeared on the stone slate beside it:
"Body Refinement Realm — Unstable Soul Type — Unknown Potential."
The instructor's eyes widened.
"Unknown Potential…?"
Lin Feng stepped away silently.
Wen Meili stormed after him. "What trick did you pull?!"
He glanced at her.
"Want to find out?"
He raised a finger. A tiny spark of gold formed at the tip.
She stumbled back in shock.
Lin Feng turned, robes swaying.
It had begun.
And the world had no idea what was coming.
To be continue...