Alex walked toward the door, his steps steady but cautious. His body was still weak from the remnants of the poison, and the soreness from yesterday's training hadn't fully faded. He reached for the handle, twisted it, and pulled the door open.
Standing before him were two familiar figures—his mother, Ava, and his father, Austin.
Both wore calm expressions, but Alex could sense an air of importance in their visit. His mother's gentle yet firm gaze met his, while his father, a man of few words, stood beside her with his usual unreadable expression.
Ava was the first to speak. "Son, may we come in?"
Alex hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was unusual for his parents to visit him so early in the morning, especially together. But he quickly pushed aside any doubts and stepped aside.
"Sure, please come in."
His mother and father entered, moving with the grace and authority befitting their noble status. Alex closed the door behind them, then turned to face them, arms crossed.
"So, what happened?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Austin, ever direct, spoke first. "The Celestial Sword Sect has requested your return."
Alex froze.
His mind reeled, struggling to process the words.
What the fuck?
The previous owner of this body had joined a sect? With this weak, poisoned body?
"For fuck's sake…" he muttered under his breath.
He looked at his mother and asked, "When?"
"As soon as you recover," Ava replied, her voice soft but firm.
Alex exhaled sharply. His thoughts raced. Returning to a sect he had no memory of, where countless dangers likely awaited him, was not part of his plan.
"But why did I join a sect in the first place?" he asked.
His parents exchanged a look—one that clearly said, Is he serious?
Ava sighed and shook her head. "Because you were chasing after a girl. A young lady named Sophia. She joined the Celestial Sword Sect, so you followed her."
Alex blinked.
Are you fucking kidding me?
The previous Alex Midnight had thrown himself into a prestigious sect, not out of ambition or a thirst for power—but for a girl?
This made no sense to him. He was objectively handsome as hell—a face that could make countless noble daughters and even sect disciples swoon. And yet, he had chased after a single girl?
She must be extraordinary, Alex thought.
His curiosity was piqued.
Before he could ask more, Austin stepped forward, pulling out a small porcelain bottle from his robes.
"Here, take this," he said, handing it to Alex.
Alex accepted the bottle, feeling its cool surface against his palm.
"The doctor left this pill for you," Austin continued. "The poison in your body can't be removed entirely, but this will alleviate its effects."
Alex narrowed his eyes, weighing his options. While he despised the fact that his body had been left in such a fragile state, he had no choice but to accept the reality.
"Thanks," he muttered, tucking the bottle away.
Ava placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We just came to inform you. Your father and I have an important meeting to attend."
She gave him a stern look. "Be a good son and stay home. Do not go outside. Your body still needs time to recover."
Austin nodded in agreement. "Rest and regain your strength. The sect will not wait forever."
With that, they turned and left the room, closing the door behind them.
Alex sat down on his bed, deep in thought.
For several moments, he simply stared at the floor, processing everything.
Half an hour passed.
Boredom gnawed at Alex.
He considered ignoring his mother's warning and sneaking out to explore, but he remembered yesterday's brutal beating and thought better of it.
Fine, he thought. I'll stay in. For now.
Then, he recalled something from the book he had been reading—Qi Gathering.
His heart stirred with excitement.
In this world, cultivation was everything. Strength, power, influence—all of it stemmed from one's mastery of Qi.
If I want to survive in this world, I need to start cultivating. Now.
He wasted no time.
Crossing his legs, he assumed the lotus position, just as the book had described.
He straightened his back, placed his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes.
For a while, there was only silence.
Then, slowly—very slowly—he began to feel it.
A strange, invisible energy surrounded him, shifting and swirling like a gentle breeze.
It was both warm and chilling, like a mixture of fire and ice brushing against his skin.
He focused.
Breathe in.
The energy began to move, seeping into his skin, his muscles, his bones.
Breathe out.
The energy flowed through him, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into what felt like eternity.
Then—
[Ding!]
A robotic voice echoed in his mind
[System Notification]
[You have learned a skill: Basic Qi Gathering]
[Rank: Mortal]
[Host has leveled up.]
Alex's eyes snapped open.
A sharp, pungent smell hit him immediately.
Looking down, he saw black, tar-like liquid seeping from his pores, covering his skin.
Impurities.
This was the waste his body had accumulated, toxins being expelled as he absorbed pure Qi for the first time.
The sight of it was disgusting, but Alex knew it was a good sign.
He had officially stepped onto the path of cultivation.
But before he could celebrate—
Pain.
An unbearable, searing pain erupted in every inch of his body.
It felt as though his bones were being shattered, his flesh torn apart, his very soul wrung dry.
His vision blurred. His body convulsed violently.
And then—
Darkness.
Status Update
Name: Alex Midnight
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Age: 17
Bloodline: ?????
Title: [None]
Cultivation Level: Second Level of Body Awakening Realm
Cultivation Type: Qi Cultivation / Dual Cultivation
Status: Weak
Level: 2
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Stamina: 10
Intelligence: 10
Charm: 10
Soul Strength: 10
Mental Strength: 10
Affinity: [None]
Skills: [Basic Qi Gathering]
Alex's body slumped forward as he lost consciousness.
The system had granted him power—but his body was not yet ready to handle it.
As he lay there, unconscious, his soul drifted into the unknown.
A mysterious white and black light enveloped him.
_ _ _ _ _
A/N: I planned the plot. I outlined the chapters. But my characters took one look at my plans and said, 'Yeah, nah.'🤧