"Mother, father, I've failed you. I'm withering away. I could neither become a Martial Emperor nor a prominent scholar." Qian Yun, still chained, lifted his head slowly, tears tracing paths through the grime on his face.
He felt a presence. He knew he wasn't alone. He looked up only to find himself face to face with a man who looked just like him.
"Me? No, you're not me. Those eyes, they are not mine." He pushed himself against the chains, his voice rasping. "Who are you and what are you doing in my Sea of Consciousness?"
Johan remained silent, his gaze detached as he observed the miserable man before him.
"Forgive my outburst." Qian Yun chuckled, a harsh, dry sound.
"I've heard Uncle speak of this before. When a soul inhabits an active body, the soul of the host must either make space or wither away. I guess in my case, it was the latter. Who knew an act of kindness would be my end?" He laughed bitterly, shaking his head in despair.
"Qian Yun..."
"No, it isn't your fault. May I know your name?"
"Johan."
"Yo Han? Weird but interesting name." Qian Yun's expression softened. "My soul will disappear soon. I only have this Level Three Zen Martial Soul and scholarly knowledge to leave you."
He willed three ancient-looking books to appear beside him, hovering in a soft light. "I'm sorry I can't leave you much. I know this is too much to ask, but please take care of my family. I can't let them see me like this."
Taking in Johan's indifferent expression, he added, his eyes narrowing with fierce determination. "Remember this: the soul won't fully dissipate until it's at rest. Meaning if you hurt my loved ones..." He trailed, his jaw clenching.
"If I hurt your loved ones?" Johan tilted his head, the question sounding like an idle curiosity.
"I'll kill us both." He murmured, his voice low and heavy with absolute resolve.
Johan just stared, a flicker of something that might have been intrigue passing in his eyes, as he thought of how to respond. He neither wanted to live, but the opportunity to explore a new world and see his first dream come to life was tempting. Very tempting.
"Fine, I'll accept your terms, but—" Johan paused, letting the silence hang heavy, savoring the moment. "I won't be responsible for them." Johan's smile was dead.
"Thank you... Yo Han." Qian Yun smiled, a single tear slipping from his eye and rolling down his cheek.
Qian Yun believed that Johan agreeing not to hurt his family was a start of him accepting them as his own. As the tear hit the ground, the chains which were bound to the soul broke, and Qian Yun's soul dissipated into an emerald essence that transformed into a small, sturdy plant in the center of the garden.
Johan circled the plant which had just grown in the centre of the garden.
"This place is indeed full of surprises." Johan felt his curiosity growing stronger.
He sat cross-legged beneath the ancient tree, the elixir still warm in his veins. A quiet hum pulsed through his meridians, subtle at first before rising like a tide.
The wind shifted. Leaves trembled. A surge of energy erupted from within, lifting him off the ground in a slow, unnatural float. His robes fluttered, his golden hair cascading like silk in the breeze.
"What is this…?" he thought, eyes still closed. The sensation was foreign to him. Like being rewritten from the inside out.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer beneath the tree. He was back in his sitting position, behind the One-Eyed Oracle's table, the room dim and fragrant with incense. Li Ping stood nearby, her eyes wide with awe.
A gust of wind burst through the hut, swirling around him like a silent storm, the air shimmering.
"Young master, congratulations for breaking through." Li Ping's voice was laced with admiration.