Wang Hao awoke, cold and damp from sweat. The discomfort was overwhelming, and he found himself shaken. Struggling to orient himself, he realized his memories from two lives offered little assistance. Adaptation, he decided, would be his best strategy. Analyze and act.
As his senses gradually sharpened, Wang Hao discerned that he was lying on some kind of bed—not comfortable, but rather reminiscent of those used in ancient cells or prisons. The absence of light rendered him effectively blind, though his other senses remained functional.
The air hung heavy with dampness, suggesting a cell-like environment where moss and mold contributed to the humidity. Wang Hao pondered the utility of this information as he heard a familiar voice.
"You look comfortable," came Long Ao's raspy utterance. The old man spoke with a strong accent reminiscent of Mandarin. Time had not been kind to him, but the same could be said for Wang Hao.
As Wang Hao attempted to pinpoint the source of the voice, he felt an overwhelming force push him back onto the bed, rendering him immobile. Uncertainty about Long Ao's intentions flooded his mind—was he dealing with a madman?
Suddenly, a light pierced the darkness. An ember, darting about the room like a flickering flame, eventually alighted on one of the walls, igniting what appeared to be a lamp. Standing beside Wang Hao's bed was his so-called "kidnapper."
Wang Hao's fury was palpable. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening to the point where he feared it might dislocate. Long Ao's knowledge of his otherworldly origin implied numerous unsettling possibilities.
"Hidden truths in shadows lie,Only the brave shall reach the sky.Take the plunge and risk it all,For those who fall shall rise once more."Long Ao resided a strange poem which confused Wang Hao.
"Wang Hao," Long Ao began, "I know you have questions, and I might have the answers. But nothing in this world comes without a price. I'm offering you two options."
An invisible force seemed to keep Wang Hao in place and restrict his voice.
"The first option: I let you go, erasing your memory and everything you know. Sounds appealing, doesn't it?" Long Ao paused, allowing Wang Hao to contemplate. "The second option: stay, endure these trials and tests, and if you emerge victorious, I will answer your questions truthfully. I swear to the heavens."
Long Ao's tone dripped with sarcasm as he continued, "If I were in your position, I'd choose the first option—to step back and let the world continue as it was. Being a slave in your own home, enduring disgusted stares from those who once feared and respected you, planning daily to escape a clan full of Gu Masters—is that the life you desire? Truthfully, it sounds preferable to the second option."
Wang Hao recognized the disparagement in Long Ao's words. Even if he chose the second option, the consequences could be dire—possibly even fatal. The prospect of death was terrifying, not for the pain, but for the uncertainty of reincarnation and whether he would possess the will to live another life in a new body.
For years, Wang Hao had contemplated ending it all. Life had seemed meaningless, devoid of love for his brother, father, or even his mother—whose face he could no longer recall. The humiliation of being labeled a cripple had disgusted him, a term used so casually in this world.
"What about the second option?" Wang Hao inquired, finding it more appealing than the first, which suggested he might forget, but his clan would not.
Long Ao explained, "You'll undergo intensive training for several years—perhaps eight or even ten—and that's just the first test. Then comes the second: studying all possible gu that humanity has documented over the past few thousand years. This will take about five years, as you'll learn the names of the gu and their functions in various situations. The purpose isn't to use the gu, but to avoid dying by them."
Wang Hao's eyes narrowed in the dim light. It appeared they aimed to create a force capable of dealing with Gu masters using trained mortals—an impossible feat, as far as he knew. Never in history had a mortal man killed a Gu master, also known as a cultivator.
Long Ao continued, "The third trial, which begins concurrently with the first but concludes much later, is the martial arts trial. There's training, and then there's advancement. Both share the same essence but are fundamentally different."
Wang Hao realized this meant the first and third trials would be completed at different times.
"The fourth trial isn't the end, but the beginning of your so-called future," Long Ao elaborated. "This is the mutation progression. The purpose is to allow a null-grade talent like yourself to have a pseudo-spiritual root implanted, granting you the potential of an ordinary cultivator. However, in return, you'll experience excruciating pain each time you absorb energy. Only one person has succeeded in the mutation."
"Who's that?" Wang Hao asked.
"Well, me, of course," Long Ao replied.
FOUR DAYS LATER
For the past few days, Wang Hao had been confined to this cell, provided with food, but primarily left to contemplate his options. Long Ao had stated that once the lamp's flame extinguished, if Wang Hao didn't move from his bed, they would return him home, erasing his memories. If he stood and opened the door, it signified choosing the second option.
Wang Hao had made his decision.
He stared at the lamp's flame, knowing its extinguishment was imminent. As if on cue, the room began to shake. A wind swept in from beneath the iron-locked door, rushing through the room, causing everything to shudder—the bed, the furniture, all of it.
And then, the room plunged into pitch darkness.