His body started to shake uncontrollably.
The pain was unbearable, like every organ was being stabbed with hot knives.
He fought the urge to scream, not wanting to alarm his sleeping mother.
On the floor, he thrashed around wildly, eyes squeezed shut.
The black substance that had been part of him was now trying to leave his body in a painful and dramatic way.
With each spasm, more of the black substance spurted from his mouth, forming a gross pool around him.
The smell was horrible—like burning rubber mixed with rotten eggs.
Finally, the convulsions stopped, and the pain eased. He lay on the cold floor, panting and drenched in sweat.
When he opened his eyes again, the room was spinning.
In front of him was a long and thick sword, something he usually wouldn't be able to carry because of its size.
The blade was broad and looked powerful, with a sharp, angled tip that promised great strength.
Its surface was dark and matted. Near the hilt, two circular holes added a unique touch, surrounded by lined patterns etched into the metal.
The guard was solid and sturdy, with rivets and a reinforced structure that suggested it could withstand a lot of impact.
When he reached to grab it, he noticed that his skin had turned back to normal, but he still had the toned body and muscles from before.
As he wrapped his fingers around the grip, a surge of energy coursed through him.
The weapon felt surprisingly light, as if it was made just for him.
He stood up, testing the weight and balance of the blade.
Each movement felt natural, almost effortless.
Wanting to test it more, he swung the sword awkwardly through the air.
Despite his lack of training, the blade sliced cleanly, making a sharp, histling sound that demonstrated its quality.
'I've never seen a sword like this, not even in books,' he muttered as he raised it.
'Could this be a heavenly treasure like those in legends?'
But if that were the case, why did her mother hide it?
Why not use it to cure herself?
These questions raced through his mind, and he found it odd that she would keep something so amazing hidden.
'If I could learn martial arts, all those daydreams would come true,' he thought.
No longer did he have to waste time imagining things; now, he could become someone important and respected.
But as he started dreaming of his new, better life, a troubling thought crossed his mind.
The cultivation world was filled with greedy people, and if they found out he had such a treasure, he would be killed right away.
He remembered a saying he had read in a book, spoken by someone with great wisdom in the cultivation world:
"It is a sin to have anything if you can't protect it."
Before anything else, he needed to make sure no one discovered his secret until he was strong enough to protect his life.
Once he ensured that he was safe from the prying eyes of others, he would find out who had attacked his mother.
Then, he would take his revenge.
Just thinking about what happened to her sour his mood.
'Expect a slow and painful death,' he gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing with anger.