Bryan picked himself off the ground, his body aching in places he didn't know could hurt. He looked down at his thin arms and legs, touching his face that felt nothing like his own.
He took in his appearance noticing that he seemed to be wearing a rag.
"So it's real," he muttered, turning slowly to take in the stone buildings and distant mountains. "I'm really not on Earth anymore."
His head throbbed as memories that weren't his own flashed through his mind. The former Xiao Feng,was a pitiful creature who swept floors and emptied chamber pots. Daily humiliation was his bread and butter. And today's beating? All because he dared look fondly at a servant girl who'd caught his eye.
"That bitch," he grumbled, remembering how she'd run straight to Bao Chen, batting her eyelashes while pointing at Xiao Feng. "And that stupid meathead fell for it."
They thought he'd just fainted from the beating and woken up. They had no idea that the real Xiao Feng was gone, replaced by Bryan's soul.
Something warm stirred in his chest again. That strange power he'd felt earlier...
"The seal," he whispered, suddenly understanding. "The old Xiao Feng had a seal on his soul. That's why they called him a cripple. The seal was what was blocking and preventing him from using spirit energy."
He concentrated, feeling the energy flowing through his veins where before there had been nothing. The seal was gone, dissolved when the original soul departed.
Rage bubbled up inside him, hot and fierce. His nails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists.
"I refuse to be a worm crawling in the dirt, I will claim the life of Xiao Feng, avenge him and fulfil his dreams." he said through gritted teeth. Then, with a burst of defiance that surprised even himself, he turned toward the direction Bao Chen had disappeared.
"Hey, Bao Chen!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the training yard. "Your girlfriend's only with you because she feels sorry for your tiny dick!"
Several labor disciples nearby gasped. One dropped a broom. A few female servants turned red as they glared at him furiously, hurrying away.
"Did... did he just...?" someone whispered.
"He's dead. He's so dead," another murmured.
Xiao Feng caught their stares, some wide-eyed with shock, others narrowed with calculation. No doubt they were already planning to report his words to Bao Chen. Let them. He couldn't care less.
He walked away with his head held high for the first time in this body's life, ignoring the pitying looks that followed him.
"Poor Feng."
"He won't last the night."
"Should we prepare a burial site?"
Following the memories in his head, Xiao Feng found his way to a tiny shack at the edge of the sect grounds. He pushed open the creaky door and grimaced.
"How did anyone live here?" he muttered, taking in the filthy blankets, cobwebs, and layer of dust covering everything. "Even rats would ask for a refund."
He spent the next hour cleaning, finding a small satisfaction in making the pitiful space somewhat habitable. As he swept under the bed, his broom hit something solid. Crouching down, he pried up a loose floorboard.
"Hello, what's this?"
From the hiding place, he pulled out a black staff. It wasn't ordinary, intricate runes covered its surface, glowing faintly in the dim light. The metal felt warm to his touch, almost alive.
He briefly recalled the old Xiao Feng finding this when he was dumping out trash. The old Xiao Feng had suspected it was a treasure and had taken it, while hiding it.
"Now we're talking," he grinned as he ran his fingers over the strange symbols. "Maybe old Feng wasn't completely useless after all."
Before he could examine it further, a thunderous banging shook his door.
"FENG! GET YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OUT HERE!"
Bao Chen. And from the sounds of it, his entire crew of bootlickers.
"That was fast," Xiao Feng murmured, feeling strangely calm. "Word travels quickly when it's shit being flung."
He felt the energy in his body surge, responding to his emotions. The staff in his hands seemed to pulse with the same rhythm.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Xiao Feng smiled genuinely. He stood up, gripping the staff firmly, and walked to the door.
"Time to introduce the new me," he said, swinging the door open to face his destiny.