The taste of iron lingered in his mouth. His body ached, his vision swam, and the distant murmur of laughter and whispered mockery clawed at his ears.
Mel Long blinked, trying to orient himself. His limbs felt heavy, like lead, his head throbbing from a recent impact. He inhaled sharply, the scent of dirt and sweat filling his nostrils. When he looked down, he saw his hands—young, unscarred, unmarred by the hardships he had endured in his previous life.
I'm back.
The realization sent a chill down his spine. He was no longer the ruined man abandoned by fate, the disgrace of a fallen sect, the desperate survivor clawing through the ashes of what once was. He was back in his old body—before it all went wrong.
But before he could process the full weight of his return, a sharp voice cut through his thoughts.
"Are you still going to pretend you fainted?"
Mel turned his gaze upward. Standing above him, arms crossed, was her—the woman he had once tried so hard to impress, the woman he had foolishly antagonized in his youth, the woman who had later stood against his family in its final hours.
Si Yue.
The disdain in her gaze was unmistakable. She wasn't just disappointed—she was disgusted.
Mel exhaled slowly, forcing his body to move. He sat up, ignoring the protests of sore muscles, and let his eyes sweep the crowd surrounding him. There were plenty of familiar faces—students from the cultivation academy, some sneering, some whispering, all watching with varying degrees of amusement.
He could remember exactly what had happened before he lost consciousness.
His past self—an arrogant, spoiled fool—had loudly boasted of his superiority, flaunting his wealth as if that alone could elevate his status. Then, with all the pride of a young master who had never tasted true hardship, he had challenged a Grade 10 cultivator to a duel.
And lost. Miserably.
No wonder they're laughing.
The person who had knocked him out, Guo Chen, stood a few feet away, arms folded across his chest. His smirk was wide and unapologetic.
"So? Gonna run your mouth some more, Long family brat?"
The old Mel would have.
The old Mel would have doubled down on his arrogance, refused to acknowledge his loss, and done something reckless in a desperate bid to reclaim his pride.
But Mel Long wasn't that person anymore.
Instead, he slowly rose to his feet, brushing dirt off his robes. He ignored the laughter, the sneers, the jeering comments. His eyes flicked to Si Yue once more—her expression hadn't changed—before landing on Guo Chen.
Mel could feel his system activating in the back of his mind.
[System Task: Defeat Guo Chen in a duel. Progress: 0/3 Reputation Points Earned]
He tilted his head slightly, a slow smirk creeping onto his lips.
"Alright." His voice was calm, composed, without the usual whiny arrogance. "I'll fight you."
The laughter briefly stilled, as if no one had expected him to agree so quickly. Guo Chen's grin widened.
"Hah! You really are a glutton for punishment, huh?"
Mel chuckled. "Perhaps. But… give me a month."
That caught the crowd off guard. Murmurs of confusion rippled through them.
"A month? What's he planning?"
"Is he actually going to train?"
"Ha! As if he could catch up in that time."
Guo Chen arched a brow. "A month? What, you need time to bribe someone to fight in your place?"
Mel shrugged, the smirk never leaving his face. "Nah. I just need time to cultivate properly." His tone turned slightly mocking. "It wouldn't be fair to beat you without at least preparing first, right?"
That struck a nerve.
The crowd oohed in unison, and Guo Chen's expression darkened. For a brief second, he looked uncertain. He had easily crushed the old Mel Long—but this version of him was different.
"Fine," Guo Chen said after a pause. "One month. But don't cry when I knock you out again."
Mel smiled, already thinking ahead.
A month.
That was all the time he had to push himself forward. In his past life, he had wasted every opportunity given to him. This time, he wouldn't.
He turned on his heel, walking past Si Yue without acknowledging her. He wasn't concerned with her opinion anymore.
His first step forward would be through cultivation.
And when the duel arrived, he'd make sure everyone saw the difference.