The forest faded away around him as Li Wei stood still, his hand firmly gripping the blade Mei Chen had thrown him. Yet, his focus drifted beyond the blade, beyond the trees, into memories of lives long past. He hadn't been born into the knowledge of cultivation, nor had he achieved his profound understanding of the path to immortality easily. His journey had spanned countless lifetimes, each one marked by relentless pursuit and bitter sacrifice.
His first life was an ordinary one, but it was that life that sparked the flame that drove him across worlds. A foolish death had stolen his time, his dreams, and, more than anything, his chance to know what it meant to leave a mark upon the world. He could still remember the last moments of that life—the regret, the longing, and a deep yearning for more time. Time he could have used to change things, to seize opportunities he'd never considered before. That yearning would become the foundation for his undying resolve.
