An empty space on a hill overlooking the Welkin Sect's base was ensconced by a dense thicket of emerald-green woodlands. Standing before a weathered wooden post was a young man clad in a white garb, drenched from head to toe by the pouring rain that clung to his lithe frame. His fists were balled so tightly that they threatened to rend his palms asunder and draw blood.

"Am I nothing but a pathetic loser now? Once upon a time, I believed myself to be a genius. But since my injury three years ago, everything has changed. I can no longer cultivate even the most rudimentary martial energy. I loathe myself! If you dare, God, unleash your thunderbolts and strike me down where I stand! If not, I will take revenge by any means necessary!" To ensure that his grievances reached the heavens, the young man bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Rumble!

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the mountaintop, reverberating across the valley below. The deafening sound resembled the bellow of a colossal giant. A split second later, a blinding bolt of lightning lanced down from the sky, shrouded by dense, ominous clouds. The young man was engulfed by the lightning bolt in an instant.

Perhaps this was divine retribution for his blasphemy against the Almighty!

However, just as the lightning bolt fully consumed the young man, a hazy, luminous apparition entered his body.

The lightning bolt dissipated as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind an object of peculiar appearance, about the size of a human fist, which floated gently down from the sky. It emitted a dazzling array of iridescent hues, resembling the shape of a compass.

The young man cautiously opened his eyes, revealing a countenance devoid of bitterness and despair. Instead, his visage radiated shrewdness and intelligence, as if he had undergone a metamorphosis. He appeared reborn.

The young man caught the peculiar object as it landed in his outstretched palm. He examined it closely, then gazed around at his surroundings with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. "Where am I?" he exclaimed in a modern dialect, which was unusual for the era he found himself in. "Have I traveled through time and space?"

"I was only trying to have some fun with the Treasure-Hunting System, I never expected to end up in a different time and place. Is this some sort of bonus?" Zachary Zi spoke as he swung his legs and flexed his hands to test the limits of his new body. "My name is Zachary Zi, and I still remember it. But is this truly my body? It seems that only my soul has been transported to this planet and taken possession of this form."

The realization that his dispirited body was now inhabited by a spirit from another realm was jarring. However, it was possible that his ill-fated soul was now gone forever, now that he was no longer despondent.

Zachary Zi started to fuse the memories of the ancient soul with his own. The ancient soul had belonged to a young master from the Zi Clan, a powerful family with a massive following. His father was the revered leader of the clan. Moreover, the ancient soul was a natural-born prodigy in martial arts, inheriting his talent from his father. He lived a life of luxury, with everything he wanted within reach, and enjoyed the respect of everyone around him.

However, calamity struck three years ago when a group of strange men, possessing immense strength, attacked the Zi Clan's estate and massacred numerous disciples. The old soul's parents fought back against the intruders but ultimately perished. His father instructed him and his fiancee to escape through a hidden tunnel before taking his last breath. Although the pair managed to find the tunnel, they were pursued by the invaders. When they were about to be caught, his girlfriend sacrificed herself to save him, leaving her on the brink of death.

To ensure his fiancee's safety, he ran in a different direction alone to lure their pursuers away. Despite his efforts, they eventually caught up to him, and he suffered severe injuries, nearly dying. Fortunately, Lewis Xuan, his father's sworn brother and the head of the Welkin Sect, arrived in time to save him from certain death. After that, he sought refuge under Lewis Xuan's protection and began searching for his beloved fiancee. However, despite his best efforts, he could not find any trace of her.

Lewis Xuan later informed him that the mystery group had slain all of the Zi Clan's members save for him. He accompanied Lewis Xuan to the Welkin Sect's stronghold since he had become homeless. To revenge his kin, he chose to remain in the area and train to become a strong warrior. He also wanted to figure out who the killers were and locate his missing fiancee.

He could not have predicted, however, that his injuries would debilitate him and strip him of his natural genius abilities. He couldn't even get into the Welkin Sect as an official disciple three years later, let alone seek vengeance for his parents' murders!

"This guy's name is Zachary Zi, just like mine. The spellings are same as well. Isn't it likely that this isn't a coincidence? Maybe there's a reason I'm here. Maybe I'm supposed to be here to grant his wish! But I'm not Aladdin's genie or anything like that..." Zachary Zi rubbed his chin gently as he was buried in thinking.

Suddenly, a tall figure rushed through the heavy downpour. It came behind Zachary Zi in the twinkling of an eye, completely dry! Its awe-inspiring vibe pervaded the entire area. That was clearly a great man.

Zachary Zi instantly turned around after sensing a heavy presence behind him. He was bewildered at first but then cried, "You've arrived, Master Lewis. What's going on?"

The guy who was now standing in front of Zachary Zi had an imposing look, with pointed eyebrows. He appeared to be a lot younger than his fifty years. He was the Welkin Sect's leader, Lewis Xuan.

"Tomorrow is the anniversary of your parents' deaths. Remember to pay honor to them and tidy their graves. You've been a member of the Welkin Sect for three years. How quickly time flies!" Lewis Xuan spoke emphatically, his eyes gleaming with sorrow and a trace of sadness.

"Sure!" Lewis Xuan's reminder drew a light response from Zachary Zi. To hide his true identity, he tried to act like the old soul based on his memories.

"In a month, the yearly selection exam will be held. If you are still unable to become an official disciple, you are no longer permitted to remain here. You must then depart from the Welkin Sect. I recommend that you look for jobs and work hard! You don't have to keep trying to become an official disciple since certain things are beyond your control..."

With a gloomy expression on his face, Lewis Xuan muttered. Then he turned around and vanished behind the rain curtain.

"Did you say that there were some things that are beyond my control? Since that's the case, I'll alter them and demonstrate my worth to you!" Zachary Zi confidently chuckled loudly as he looked in the direction Lewis Xuan had gone.

Following Lewis Xuan's departure, Zachary Zi proceeded to combine the memories of the original soul with his own. He discovered that this realm was referred to as the Olden World. The Welkin Cult was a sect situated in the Enigmatic Kingdom in the Supernal Continent's southwest corner.

The Supernal Continent was the most common continent in the Olden World, since it was made up of numerous other, more mysterious, mythical, and archaic continents that had most likely existed in the Olden World's earliest ages.

The majority of humans on the Supernal Continent did not dare to travel to those continents since they were filled with mystery and highly hazardous. Only the bravest of warriors dared to go there. Because they were very powerful, their physical limits far exceeded those of ordinary humans.

A "warrior" was someone from the Supernal Continent who practiced martial arts in order to gain unstoppable abilities. The warriors were revered and admired by the common people.