Chapter 1: A Faint Glow in the Dark
The morning sun filtered through the window, casting streaks of light across the modest room. Zhen Kai stirred, his muscles aching from the familiar strain of training. It wasn't the sharp pain of injury—just the dull weight of constant effort.
Tomorrow, he would start as an instructor at a Yunzhou government martial school. It was a stable path, yet a strange heaviness sat in his chest. Was this truly the life that awaited him?
He lay still for a moment before exhaling and rising from the bed. It didn't matter. He had already made his decision.
Stepping into the small courtyard, he removed his upper robe, letting the cool morning air settle against his skin. Taking a steady breath, he planted his feet and began his training—Steel Flesh Discipline, the foundational method used in the military.
His movements were slow, measured, and deliberate. Each motion tensed his flesh to the limit, forcing them to endure strain until they trembled under the pressure. Again and again, he repeated the same techniques, his body heating up from exertion.
This was the training of soldiers—harsh, methodical, and focused on survival. It had brought him this far, but deep inside, he knew the truth. It wouldn't be enough.
He had seen younger cultivators surpass him effortlessly. It had taken him a year to complete Stone Skin, three years for Bronze Skin, and nine long years to push Steel Flesh to the stage where the flesh in his fingers, toes, arms, legs, and core[ Abdomen , Chest and Back] had been hardened to Steel, but his shoulders, neck, and head still lagged behind. Every strike sent aching vibrations through those unrefined spots—a reminder that he still had a long way to go. He wasn't okay with just this little bit of progress. Not when he had given so many years to it.
Now, on the night of his 25th birthday, this was where he stood.
Not talent—just effort.
But that was fine.
After hours of training, his flesh trembled from exhaustion. Sweat dripped from his brow, but he forced himself through the final movements before exhaling deeply. It wasn't much, but it was still progress.
Today, after months of training, he had finally tempered his shoulder to the Steel level.
The ache in his bones was deep, but it came with a quiet satisfaction—one more part of his body had crossed that threshold. Progress was slow, but it was still a steady progress. He couldn't afford to waste time now, not with a new chapter of his life beginning.
With that in mind, he ate a heavy breakfast filled with meat to replenish his energy, then freshened up and headed to the market. Since he was new to the area, he wanted to make sure he had everything he might need for the coming week. It was better to stock up early than scramble later. The streets were alive with chatter—merchants calling out their wares and cultivators discussing techniques in hushed tones.
This city was different from the one he had left behind—bigger, more structured, with martial schools that carried an air of prestige.
As he stepped into a convenience store, the owner, an older man with a grizzled beard, glanced up.
"New face—haven't seen you around much."
Zhen Kai gave a nod. "Just picking up a few things."
The old man grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze lingering for a moment before returning to his work.
Zhen Kai quietly picked out what he needed, took the items to the counter, paid, and stepped back onto the street, his mind still unsettled.
Tomorrow, he would be responsible for training students. He had been through grueling military drills, survived exhausting combat exercises, but teaching? That was different.
Could he really guide students? Could he shape them into something greater? Would they even listen to someone like him?
He had no fame, no remarkable achievements. Just persistence.
In a world that values talent over effort, would that be enough?
He exhaled, shaking his head. It didn't matter. He would do what he had always done—move forward.
His next stop was a small cake shop tucked away in a quieter street. The scent of fresh pastries filled the air, warm and inviting. Tonight would be his 25th birthday.
He wasn't one for celebrations, but still, he felt the need to buy something—a small cake, nothing extravagant.
As he browsed, his thoughts drifted. His old friends were in a different city now. Back then, birthdays had been filled with sparring matches, friendly brawls, and shared meals. Now, in this unfamiliar place, there was only silence.
A pang of loneliness crept in, but he pushed it aside. He had long grown used to being alone.
The streets were dimly lit by lanterns as he made his way home, the weight of the day settling on his shoulders. Tomorrow will mark a new beginning.
That night, after eating his cake, as he prepared to sleep, something strange happened.
A faint glow appeared in the darkness.
His breath hitched. His instincts kicked in, muscles tensing as he turned sharply—but there was no enemy, no presence. Just a soft light, hovering in the air.
Then, as if responding to his gaze, the glow shifted, forming into something tangible.
A bracelet of ethereal beads shimmered into existence on his left wrist. Each bead pulsed with a quiet, blue and gold light. They floated just above his skin, weightless yet undeniably real.
His heart pounded.
What was this? Where did it come from?
He raised his hand, watching as the beads glowed softly, neither warm nor cold. A strange sensation filled him—something ancient, something beyond mortal understanding.
Shock and curiosity warred within him.
And then—
The light faded.
Zhen Kai stared at his wrist, his mind racing.
Tomorrow, he would begin a new life as an instructor.
But tonight, something had changed.
Something far greater than he could yet comprehend.