"I will become strong enough that no one decides my value. Not elders. Not clans. Not heavens."
Outside, a bird cried in the sky.
Disciples shouted.
Life moved on.
But inside this tiny room, a boy's fate had shifted course.
A Ripple in the Distance
Far away, in another corner of the Nine Provinces Continent—a different boy trained alone under a heavy sky.
His name was not spoken here.
His fists were cracked and bloody.
His eyes were as stubborn as Astra's.
If fate could watch, it might have paused.
Two sparks had appeared on its grand tapestry.
One in plain sight, destined to rise through pain and defiance.
One in obscurity, hidden behind unknown blood and a silent system.
One day, they would see each other clearly.
Not yet.
For now, Astra sat back down on his creaking bed, closed his eyes, and began another cycle of Heavenly Pulse Breathing Art.
[Ding! Task created: "First Step Refusal"]
– Objective: Maintain daily cultivation, no skipped days, for 7 days.
– Reward (preview): Small Talent Upgrade + System Points.
– System note: Silent tracking. No control.**
The system quieted.
The world did not care that a new monster had taken his first real step.
But soon—
it would.