Shatter!

The window beside Xie Fan's hospital bed shattered, sending shards of glass scattering across the room. There was no going back now. Goodbye, world, he thought. He picked up the largest shard, blood dripping from his trembling hand. He took a deep breath—one last breath—and used all his strength to drive the shard into his neck. The pain was like fire, worse than anything he had ever felt, and then… the pain vanished.

Thud!

"Ugh!" Xie Fan screamed, his voice echoing. His head throbbed violently, as if a thousand needles were piercing his skull. He writhed on the ground in agony. When he managed to open his eyes, he saw strange plants—plants unlike anything he had ever seen. Tall figures were standing on high platforms, using bizarre tools to cut leaves from the alien vegetation.

Confused, Xie Fan looked down at himself and froze. His body was not his own. Panic and pain took hold. His vision darkened, and he collapsed, losing consciousness.

"Young master!" The panicked shouts of maids echoed as they rushed to his side.

"Bring him to the doctor!" one of them cried.

A while later, Xie Fan opened his eyes, the light blinding him as he squinted against it. He groaned and slowly sat up. He looked at his new body—slightly chubby but frail, with skin pale like porcelain. His gaze stopped at his hands. On his right hand, he saw something bizarre: a single finger, old and gnarled, with skin red as if burned, ending in a dark, abyssal nail. It seemed ancient—an artifact from another age, not a part of him.

He chuckled darkly, his voice raspy. "From a hospital bed to a new one. How ironic." The sound of muffled voices reached him from outside the room, and realization dawned—he could feel the memories of this body's previous owner, who had died. Memories of a privileged but troubled life.

He was now the young master of a first-rank family within a sect.

As more memories flooded in, Xie Fan grinned. This world is amazing, he muttered.

Mortals occupied the first four continents, while the Center Continent was the domain of immortals—those who had transcended the limits of the flesh, breaking free from their body's constraints to harness the true Divine Essence. Mortals could only use its fragments.

These fragments of Divine Essence were used to empower Heaven's Cards, which could summon secret arts, divine weapons, and mythical creatures, each harnessing a fragment of Heaven's power. This was like a god's gift to Xie Fan, who had spent most of his life confined to a hospital bed because of his illness.

As Xie Fan processed the situation, a maid entered the room, her eyes wide with surprise. "The young master has woken up!" she called, her voice echoing down the halls.

Soon after, an elderly nurse entered. Her hair was silver, her face lined with age and experience. She wore a plain white robe. "Young Master Yin Bai," she said. "I'm Ling Yue, head of this hospital. Are you feeling well?"

Xie Fan nodded slightly, allowing her to examine him, though he still struggled to process everything.

After confirming that he was stable, she instructed the maids to take him home.

As they walked through the estate, Xie Fan took in the unfamiliar scenery. A maid greeted him and led him to his room. She helped him change into fresh clothes and took away his old ones.

In the room—adorned with a king-sized bed, a circular carpet beside it, and a window with a balcony—he finally had time to process everything. He had reincarnated into a new body, and excitement welled up within him. He felt like someone who had been freed from his restraints. He wanted to experience everything this world had to offer, especially its powers. Xie Fan, bedridden in his past life, had always dreamed of wielding superpowers.

Knock, knock.

"Young Master Yin Bai, the family head summons you!" a voice called from outside.

Xie Fan frowned. What could this be about? In the memories of the body's previous owner, the family head was a figure to fear—cold, cunning, and unpredictable.

He quickly checked his reflection in the mirror before walking down a long, dimly lit corridor. The hallway was narrow, lined with flickering candles whose flames danced in the gentle draft.

At the end of the corridor stood a grand wooden door, decorated with ornate golden designs. Xie Fan pushed it open, revealing a spacious room filled with children. Their backs were to him, but as he stepped inside, many turned, their faces twisting into mocking grins. Whispers filled the air. "Here comes the loser," someone muttered, followed by snickers.

Xie Fan remained indifferent. He had been ridiculed before, both in his past life and now in this new world. Their words were as insignificant to him as rustling leaves in the wind.

The previous owner of the body hadn't had a great reputation and was often bullied for taking odd missions, being overweight, and acting strangely.

A heavy door to the left of the room swung open, and a tall, regal man stepped out. His long hair was tied back, and he wore a crimson robe adorned with intricate golden markings, symbols of his nobility.

He moved to the center of the room, and all the children bowed low. "Greetings, Family Head!" they said in unison.

The man cleared his throat. "The Meridian Opening Ceremony is approaching, and you will all take part. I expect exceptional results," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "Our clan competition is in three years, and I want all of you ready."

This competition determined the clan's access to cultivation resources. Xie Fan listened closely, eager to gather as much information about this new world as possible.

When the family head finished speaking, he dismissed everyone—except for Yin Bai, the previous owner of Xie Fan's body. The room echoed with whispers and laughter as the children walked out.

When they were finally alone, Yin Xuan, the family head, turned to Xie Fan. His presence was imposing, the air around him thick with tension.

"I heard you injured yourself during a mission," Yin Xuan said, his voice cool and impassive.

Xie Fan nodded. "Yes, but it wasn't anything serious."

Yin Xuan's gaze was piercing. "Good. You can't afford to be hurt. You must be in top condition for the wedding."

Xie Fan forced a polite smile. "Understood. I'll be more careful next time."

Yin Xuan's gaze turned icy. "There had better not be a next time."

Xie Fan, knowing that the wedding was more about forming political alliances than love, saw an opportunity. "Then how am I supposed to get cultivation resources and money?"

"Your mother can provide you with them," Yin Xuan replied, clearly not wanting to waste time on this conversation.

"Father, I think it's important to learn independence. If I rely on my mother, how will I become stronger?"

Yin Xuan sighed, irritated. "Fine, you'll receive an increase in your allowance. It will be more than what you earn from those ridiculous missions."

This is a small price to pay for the benefits to come, Yin Xuan thought, though he kept his thoughts to himself. He looked at Xie Fan with unreadable eyes before dismissing him.