The morning sun hung low in the sky, its light faintly illuminating the broken courtyard. Dust drifted through the air, and the faint smell of blood still lingered from the battle that had ended this body's previous owner.
Chen Xiao stood silently amid the ruins. His robes were torn, his hair messy, yet his eyes shone with an unfathomable calm.
"This body's strength is too weak," he muttered, examining his palms. "If I wish to rise again, I must begin cultivating immediately."
He sat cross-legged on the cracked stone floor, guiding his breath in the ancient rhythm that had once shaken empires.
The technique that appeared in his mind was one he had never known before — Void God Art, a cultivation method directly bestowed by the Void Tower.
The moment he circulated it, a deep hum echoed from within his Sea of Consciousness.
Dark mist surged around him, drawn from the very air. It gathered like a whirlpool, condensing into streams of pure spiritual energy that poured into his body.
His weak meridians trembled, resisting at first, then slowly widening as the power washed through them.
Boom!
A muffled explosion rang inside him. His energy surged violently, and the aura of a mere mortal broke through its limits.
"First Level of Body Refinement…" Chen Xiao whispered. "So fast."
He opened his eyes. A faint black light flashed within his pupils — the mark of the Void Dragon faintly glowing under his skin.
The Void Tower was feeding him energy, strengthening his foundation far beyond ordinary cultivators.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard.
"Chen Xiao! You're awake?"
A young woman in a light blue robe rushed in. Her face was pale, her expression anxious yet relieved.
He recognized the faint memory that surfaced within the body — she was Xue Lan, the orphaned servant girl who had cared for him when no one else would.
Her eyes widened when she saw him sitting cross-legged, the air around him still rippling with spiritual energy.
"You… you broke through!?" she gasped.
"How is that possible? The clan physician said you wouldn't survive the night!"
Chen Xiao slowly stood. "The heavens decided otherwise."
Xue Lan bit her lip, glancing nervously toward the courtyard gate. "Young Master, you shouldn't be here.
The Ling Clan disciples are still searching for you. They said you dishonored their young master and tried to kill him."
A cold gleam flashed in Chen Xiao's eyes. "Ling Clan… so they still dare to use that name before me."
His aura rippled faintly, dark and ancient. Xue Lan instinctively stepped back, feeling as though she were standing before a sleeping dragon.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "I won't die so easily again."
The wind swept through the courtyard, scattering leaves as he looked toward the distant mountains.
"Three thousand years ago, I fell under their betrayal. This time…"
His voice turned cold.
"I'll return everything they gave me — tenfold."