The strong scent of wet earth and pine clung to Li Yan's nostrils as he struggled to come to life. His body ached as if an ox had stepped on him, muscles complaining, bones humming with agony. The light patter of raindrops against the leaves above fell on his skin, each drop a touch of ice.
He drew in a harsh gasp, his breath catching as memories teased the edge of his mind—snapshots of a flying temple, chanting voices speaking in a forgotten tongue, and a searing agony that had ripped his soul asunder. But those images disappeared the moment he tried to grasp them, leaving him with one certainty: He had survived something important. But what?
Li Yan opened his eyes to discover himself lying on the ground in a dark forest, its towering trees reaching up into a foggy heaven. He sat up, his hands digging into the wet ground. His robe, a simple gray robe, was in shreds and filthy, and his body, though tired, felt somehow different—as if something deep within him had shifted.
He reached out with his senses, trying to recall any technique, any remnant of spiritual energy within him, but he was. empty. His foundation of cultivation, that river of energy that had been, was now a stagnant pond, its depths murky. Fear writhed in his chest.
"Where am I?" he croaked, his throat dry.
The leaves of the trees rustled in the breeze, and he could hear, in the distance, the gentle murmur of running water. More resolute than ever to unravel the mystery, he fought to his feet and stumbled forward. His equilibrium wobbled, but he pushed on, drawn by the brook's sound.
When he reached the water's edge, he dropped to his knees and looked at his face. The face that looked back at him was familiar but unfamiliar—his sharp eyebrows, dark eyes, and strong jaw were the same, but his skin was pale, and a gentle glow clung to him, as if his entire shape had been changed.
"What happened to me?"
He closed his fist, concentrating on his dantian, the nucleus of all cultivators. There was energy there—deceptive, latent, and ancient. It was not the same, less like the disciplined Qi of his previous cultivation and more akin to a raw power, raw and boundless.
Li Yan exhaled slowly. He lost his former energy, but something new had sprouted in him. He must sort it out.
A rustling in the bushes jolted him out of his trance. His body reacted involuntarily, stiffening into fighting position in spite of his fatigue. A wild boar burst out of the undergrowth a second later, its small, mean eyes blazing with hostility. It was no ordinary animal—its wavy body pulsed with weak spiritual power, the sign that it had absorbed remnants of Qi from the environment.
"A low-ranking spirit beast," Li Yan assessed. In his prime, he would have slain such a beast with a mere thought. Now, however, he had no weapon, no plan, and some strange energy inside him.
The boar charged.
Grimacing, Li Yan turned around, his step slower than his former lightning-fast speed. He barely escaped being speared as the tusks of the boar brushed against his side, tearing his robe. A burning pain coursed through him, but he did not stop—he grabbed a fallen branch and swung it with all his might.
The wood splintered on the boar's head, and it lurched. Seizing the fleeting distraction, Li Yan shifted his stance and let his instincts guide him. He reached inside himself, grasping the wild power in his core, and pushed it out.
There was a golden glow surrounding his fist when he struck.
The force of the impact created a shockwave that reverberated through the air. The boar let out a muffled squeal before crashing into a heap, its body twitching once before lying still. Li Yan stared at his hand, his heart pounding.
"That… was not Qi," he snarled. It had been something primal, something more reflexive. Was this his new style?
He did not have time to consider anything beyond that when the noise of footsteps trampled echoed, causing him to tense. He spun around as three individuals emerged from the woods—two males and a female, all in the same blue robes with the silver lotus symbol embroidered thereon.
"Imposing," the woman answered, her sharp eyes scrutinizing him. "That punch was packed with power I've never seen."
Li Yan said nothing, his senses in high gear.
The tallest of the three, a spear-slinger with the spear across his shoulder, stepped forward. "You're not from around here, are you?"
Li Yan weighed his options. He knew nothing of this world, its sects, or its abilities. It was not a good strategy to give too much away. So he simply said, "I woke up in this forest with no memory of how I got there."
The three shared a look. The woman seemed to study him more intently, then nodded. "Then fate has brought you into our hands. This forest belongs to the Azure Lotus Sect. You may come with us if you wish to seek refuge and answers."
Li Yan deliberated. He required knowledge, a place in which he could recover safely, and above all, time with which to discern the energy which flowed through him. If that was something the sect could provide, then that was a chance worth taking.
He moved his head sideways. "Very well."
As he followed the three through the dense forest, he could feel the weight of an unseen destiny on his back. Whatever had been done to him, whatever power had reshaped his existence, he would discover. And if this Azure Lotus Sect was to be the beginning of his journey, then so it would be.
For the next small while, he was a vagabond. But presently he would be powerful again and forge a new destiny, one which would shake the heavens themselves.
The farther they went into the forest, the more Li Yan became aware of his environment. Small spirit beasts ran through the bushes, and even the air hummed with spiritual energy. The territories of the Azure Lotus Sect were indeed a place of strength.
An hour's walk brought them to where the trees parted to enclose an enormous gate between two gigantic cliffs. Mist crept around the old stone gate, its worn surface inscribed with shining runes that softly glowed. The woman gestured to the gate. "Welcome to the Azure Lotus Sect." Li Yan breathed deeply, stepping forward. The way of cultivation was a path of continued challenges, and this was only the beginning.