Li Feng sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking his village, a place cradled within the valley and surrounded by a sea of emerald-green forests. The soft whispers of the wind carried the scent of pine and the faint echo of the river that ran through his home. The world felt tranquil, as it always did. But today, something felt different—an unease that made his skin prickle.

He clutched a small wooden pendant hanging from his neck, the only relic left of his parents. Li Feng knew little about his past; the village elder had taken him in when he was just a child, claiming that he had been left on the village's doorstep with nothing but the pendant and a cryptic note: Seek the echoes in the heavens.

The elder's words had haunted him ever since. What were these echoes, and why did his parents leave him here?

"Li Feng!" The voice of Old Tian, the village blacksmith, echoed up the path. Li Feng turned to see the stout, gray-haired man climbing the hill, wiping sweat from his brow. "Still staring off into the distance, eh? You've got work to do."

"Coming, Uncle Tian," Li Feng replied, pushing the thoughts from his mind as he stood. The village depended on him for odd tasks, and he was always eager to help. But no matter how hard he worked, the sense of something greater calling to him never left.

Together, they walked back down to the village, where the hum of daily life filled the air. Children played by the river, traders bartered over fresh produce, and the blacksmith's forge rang with the familiar sound of metal striking metal. It was a simple life, but one Li Feng cherished. Still, that day, the sense of unease lingered, and his eyes kept drifting toward the distant horizon.

As he helped Old Tian with a new batch of farming tools, a distant boom echoed across the valley. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and villagers stopped in their tracks, looking around in confusion. Li Feng's heart raced. "What was that?"

Old Tian's eyes darkened. "I don't know, lad. But it didn't come from the village."

Li Feng dropped the tools and sprinted toward the source of the sound. It came from the woods beyond the fields—a place the villagers rarely ventured. He moved swiftly, his breath quickening with each step. Branches whipped at his face as he pushed through the dense undergrowth until he stumbled upon a clearing.

There, in the center of the clearing, lay a crater. Smoke rose from the charred ground, and at the center of the impact site was a stone—no, not just any stone. It was an intricate relic, covered in glowing runes that pulsed with an ethereal light.

Li Feng's eyes widened. The air around the relic felt charged with energy, and it pulled at his very soul. He reached out, hesitant but unable to resist the allure of the strange object. His fingers brushed the cool surface, and a surge of power jolted through his body.

Memories—no, visions—flooded his mind. Images of ancient temples, celestial battles, and warriors wielding powers beyond comprehension flashed before him. He saw a great war that had torn the sky apart and shattered the heavens. He saw his own face among the warriors, wielding a weapon of immense power.

He stumbled back, clutching his head as the visions faded, leaving him breathless and shaking. "What... what is this?"

As the light of the relic dimmed, he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see the village elder, his face grave and his eyes focused on the relic. "Li Feng," the elder said, his voice tinged with a sadness that sent chills down Li Feng's spine. "It seems the echoes have found you."

Li Feng stared at the elder, his heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

The elder sighed, a weight of centuries in his eyes. "This is only the beginning, Li Feng. The path ahead of you is fraught with danger, but it is the path you were destined to walk."

Li Feng felt his world shift. Everything he knew, the life he had led, felt like the prelude to something much greater—and much more terrifying. As he stared at the relic, a sense of determination and fear mingled within him.

Whatever lay ahead, he knew one thing: his quiet life in the village was over.