At 8 a.m., Feng Yi lay soundly asleep in a luxurious, well-appointed bedroom, his body positioned on his stomach, the stillness broken only by the quiet rhythm of his breathing. A small shadow moved silently toward him.
In an instant, Feng Yi was jolted awake, his heart racing as he felt the cold chill of something icy melting against his neck. A low voice, soft and almost teasing, drifted into his ears.
"Wake up…"
Without hesitation, Feng Yi's mind began to race, but his instincts didn't falter. He knew better than to panic. If it wasn't his mischievous little niece playing one of her early morning pranks, then who else would dare disturb him like this? After all, he was the hidden hand behind a web of drug trafficking that spanned the globe a network so elusive that even the MPS couldn't unravel it.
"Yi er, breakfast is ready. Why don't you come down first and join us for a meal together?"
The voice, gentle and filled with warmth, made him pause in his tracks. Sighing, he stopped chasing whatever had been on his mind and, with a slow, deliberate motion, descended the stairs. He quickly took his seat at the table across from the elderly man, a figure in his seventies. Without sparing him a glance, Yi er focused on his food, eating quickly to avoid any chance for conversation.
But as he neared the end of his meal, a voice, now tinged with the weight of years, sighed softly. "Yi er... you shouldn't let your work keep you from finding a good wife. I'm getting old, and I'd like to see a grandson before these old bones give out."
Hearing his father's voice only made him eat faster, eager to retreat back to the solitude of his room, he started changing his clothes getting ready to set out to somewhere quieter and clear his mind.
---------
His mother, seated beside her husband, cast him a fleeting glance one that mixed mild resentment with the quiet sorrow of a mother who knew the fragile bond between father and son.
"Humph," the old man muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "You've spoiled him too much. Now see, he dares to disrespect his father."
The words stung, and the elderly woman in her sixties could not suppress the wave of regret that swept over her. She lowered her voice, speaking with quiet intensity, as if carefully weighing each word.
"We both know that's not the real issue. If you remember, our son's dream was to be a doctor to save lives. But you pushed him to take over your position, and now… now he's part of this criminal world. He's ruined others' lives, and in the process, his own. A young man full of regret. Over thirty, and he still doesn't want a family. Don't you think you bear the greatest share of the blame?"
There was a long pause before she added, her voice soft but heavy with sorrow, "My only regret is that I didn't stand by him back then. Maybe, together, we could have changed your mind… and avoided this mistake."
Hearing this, the old man's brow furrowed. He stood abruptly, his movements stiff, and without a word, he turned and walked out into the garden. There, he began to water the plants with a quiet intensity, as if the task could somehow wash away the tension in the room and the weight of his wife's words.
------
In the dimly lit bedroom, Feng Yi stood before the mirror, his reflection sharp and unwavering, yet his face betrayed the inner turmoil he couldn't escape. He dressed quickly, almost mechanically, as if each movement was a forced gesture. A deep resentment clouded his features, the weight of his decision pressing heavily on his chest. He couldn't believe he had given up on his own dreams, abandoning the path he once envisioned for a life of his own choosing. Instead, he had followed his father's footsteps into the world of crime, becoming a silent puppet master who controlled nearly the entire criminal underworld in the region. He was feared by most, his name whispered with a mix of dread and respect. But despite the power and the fear he commanded, he hated what he had become. He longed for freedom, for the life he had sacrificed, but there was no turning back now.
With a last glance at his reflection, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the bedroom, eager to escape the suffocating walls of his home. He descended the stairs quickly, the anger that fueled his every step mixing with an unspoken urgency to leave everything behind. Yet, in his haste, his foot caught on the edge of the step, sending him tumbling forward. The fall happened in an instant, and before he could brace himself, his head struck the hard ground with a sickening thud. The sharp pain coursed through his skull, momentarily stealing his breath, as the world around him began to lose it's colours at the edges of his vision.
Feng Yi lay still on the ground, unable to feel his limbs, his body a heavy weight that refused to move. Despite the numbness that enveloped him, he forced himself to rise, struggling against the overwhelming sensation of helplessness. The next moment, he saw his mother standing nearby, her eyes filled with worry as she reached for something near his feet.
"Mom, don't worry, I'm okay," he whispered, his voice barely audible, but it seemed to make no difference. She continued to reach, her hands moving toward his feet as if she hadn't heard him at all.
Confusion flooded him as he looked down—and then, the horror set in. There, lying motionless on the floor, was his own body, cold and lifeless. His breath caught in his throat, and a wave of terror washed over him. He stepped back, heart racing, as he watched his mother clutch his body, her face streaked with tears, though no sound came from her lips. He stood there, frozen, unable to move, silently watching the heartbreaking scene unfold before him.
As Feng Yi stood frozen, watching his mother's silent grief, the world around him began to change. The vibrant colors of life faded, draining away into an eerie, colorless void. His surroundings turned grey, and even the warmth of the air seemed to dissipate, leaving him in a chilling emptiness.
Suddenly, a powerful force gripped him. Before he could react, his feet left the ground, and he was pulled upwards, drawn toward the sky with an overwhelming, helpless force. He tried to resist, but his body felt weightless and unanchored, as if his very will had no power over what was happening.
Above the house, a dark, swirling mass of clouds formed a strange and unnatural phenomenon. The sky twisted in on itself, and a faint, bloody aura seeped from the storm, casting a dim, ominous glow. The air grew heavy with the scent of something ancient and unsettling, and Feng Yi was helplessly sucked into the heart of it. The pull was inescapable, and no matter how hard he fought against it, his body was drawn higher, disappearing into the ominous sky as the world beneath him seemed to vanish altogether.
As Feng Yi is drawn upward, the world around him blurs, fading into a pale, silvery haze. When the haze clears, he finds himself in a vast, silent city, its every building dull and colorless, radiating a sense of timelessness. The structures around him are tall and ancient, their architecture worn and simple, as if they've stood undisturbed for centuries.
The streets stretch out in every direction, quiet and empty, illuminated by a soft, sourceless glow. There's no warmth or breeze, and an eerie stillness fills the air. Feng Yi feels neither fear nor emotion; in this state, without a physical body or organs, he's detached from the sensations of the living. Realizing he's entirely alone, he begins to walk.
After some time, he comes across an unusual door, sleek and modern, that stands in sharp contrast to the city's old-fashioned surroundings. Drawn by curiosity, Feng Yi steps through it, following a narrow path that descends into a large, dimly lit basement.
Inside, he encounters a strange, colorless creature twice his height, hunched over and eating the fresh flesh of other beings that resemble it. Yet, even in this unsettling scene, Feng Yi feels nothing, only observing in detached silence.
Noticing him, the creature stops its feast, turning to regard him with curiosity and amazement. In a gravelly voice, it asks, "How did you, a human, end up here?"
Feng Yi looked startled as he took in the sight of the strange creature before him a human-like but taller than normal human, with wrinkled, gray skin. It studied him with sharp eyes and, to his surprise, spoke.
"I'm lost," Feng Yi replied, his voice steady but cautious. "I thought I was supposed to be dead by now. This doesn't look like heaven… more like hell. Who are you, and what is this place?"
The creature eyed him with a hint of amusement. "You actually have the guts to talk to me," it said. "But I'll tell you a bit about this plac, I like brave souls."
"This is the Soul World, a passage between realms," it continued. "When you die, you pass through here. It's dangerous, which is why guardians are born from the Well of Heaven to escort souls like you to their final destination. But you… you're here alone. So, where's your guardian?"
Feng Yi stood in stunned silence, absorbing this strange revelation. My ridiculous death was already a bad enough joke, he thought, and now this absurd place? Destiny must be in a strange mood today.
While he was lost in thought, the creature continued. "This world is full of dangers. Without a guardian, survival is nearly impossible. But you're in luck because I don't eat souls myself, though I am a soul eater. I feed others of my kind, as you can see. There are… grudges between us."
It paused, its eyes narrowing slightly. "I can help you get through this, but you'll need to do something for me in return. What do you say?"
Feng Yi pondered for a moment. It was normal to ask for something in return, but he couldn't help but ask, "How exactly can you help me? And where will I end up afterward? It's fair enough to ask for something in return, so just say it."
The creature's gaze never wavered. "I'll help you sneak into another world like the one you came from. We soul eaters can't enter it normally, but you can. As for which world it will be… well, that depends on your luck."
Feng Yi thought it over. It was tempting to return to his world, even if the outcome was random. It's all about luck anyway, he mused. With a resigned sigh, he nodded to the creature and asked, "Alright, I'll try my luck. But what is it you want from me in return for your help?"
The creature looked at him with a strange expression of greed, saliva dripping from its mouth as it murmured, "Well, about that… Just do what I tell you, and you'll have no worries."
---
A few hours later…
Feng Yi stood atop an ancient building, as old as time itself, and shouted, "Is there anyone here?"
What responded was the dead silence of this gloomy world and the echo of his voice. He thought to himself, This better work, or I'll be in deep trouble. Why is there no one, not even a sound?
Before he could finish his thoughts, he noticed strange shadows in the distance—three in total. They were watching him, and then, as if with unnatural speed, they sprinted toward him. The distance of half a mile was nothing to them, and in the blink of an eye, they were standing on the rooftop of a building opposite him. Their bodies were no different from the first soul eater, gray, wrinkled, and unsettling.
Before Feng Yi could even process their speed that seemed more like a scene from a TV show in his past life, a shadow appeared next to him. It was his new ally, the soul eater.
With a swift motion, the creature grabbed Feng Yi and turned his transparent soul into a ball of soul energy. A strange eye opened between its brows, and Feng Yi's soul was placed inside it. From within the eye, he could see himself swimming like a fish in a vast sea.
The soul eater spoke to him. "You're brave and fearless. You deserve to know my name. I am Xiong . I'll show you how I destroy my enemies, make sure you never forget my name."
Feng Yi looked around and realized he could now see from the soul eater's perspective, hidden in the third eye. He breathed a sigh of relief and etched the creature's name into his heart. Then, he turned his gaze to the three soul eaters, observing them curiously and wondering if this would be a fair fight.
Xiong stood unmoving, his presence like a still storm, as the three soul eaters approached him. Their wrinkled, gray skin rippling with malice, they circled him cautiously, but their eyes told the truth they knew they were outmatched. They had been sent as scouts, nothing more. It was clear to them that Xiong was not to be trifled with but they could only grit their teeth and step forward.
One of them, a tall, gangly soul eater with hollow eyes, sneered. "Xiong, you always did think too highly of yourself. How long did you think you could live in exile before the rest of us came for you? You will never our leader."
The second soul eater, a more brutish figure with jagged teeth, barked out a laugh. "You're weak now. We can take you down without breaking a sweat."
Xiong's eyes remained calm, unwavering. "Weak, am I? If you think so, then you've already lost."
With that, he moved. His body vanished in a blur, and the first soul eater barely had time to react before Xiong appeared behind him. The Soul Destroying Claw swept down, cutting through the air with terrifying precision, and the soul eater crumpled to the ground with a guttural cry, its form disintegrating into nothingness.
The second soul eater didn't flinch. Instead, it charged forward, its claws extended and ready to strike. "You won't get away so easily!"
But Xiong was already gone, his form flickering like a shadow. When he reappeared, it was beside the second soul eater. His claw slashed across the creature's chest, and the soul eater fell in a heap, its body flickering and fading as it dissolved into the void.
The third soul eater, the smallest of the three but no less vicious, took a step back, its eyes wide with fear. "You... You're stronger than we thought. We didn't come here to die."
Xiong's lips curled into a slight smile, though his eyes remained as cold as ever. "Then why are you still here?"
The third soul eater hesitated, then lunged, its claws aimed straight for Xiong's throat. But once again, Xiong's movements were faster. In a blink, he teleported behind the soul eater, his claw striking with deadly force. The creature's form flickered one last time before it was gone, swept away like dust in the wind.
Xiong stood tall amidst the fading remains of his enemies, his expression unchanged, as though he had merely swatted away flies. The fight had been over before it truly began.
"Pathetic, who said I have desire to rule over weaklings " he muttered to himself, turning his gaze toward the shadows. "But I suppose this was only the warm-up."
As if on cue, the air around him shifted, and two figures emerged from the darkness. The atmosphere crackled with energy as the two leaders, the ones who had betrayed him finally made their appearance. Their presence was unmistakable; they were powerful, and they were the true threat.
One of the leaders sneered, his eyes burning with contempt. "You thought you could come back and reclaim your place? You've been nothing but a disappointment, Xiong. The soul eaters are beyond you now."
The other leader's voice was colder, filled with venom. "This was never about strength, Xiong. You lost the moment you refused to get out of our way, the old man exiled you as if protecting you, but now you'll pay the price."
Xiong didn't flinch, didn't even blink. His gaze was steady, calm, as he sized them up. "the old man is dead and You're welcome to try."
With a flick of their wrists, the two leaders sent their minions charging at Xiong, dozens of soul eaters pouring from the shadows, ready to strike. They were powerful, but not enough to truly challenge him not yet.
The first leader raised his hand, and the air trembled with energy. "Attack, Show this bastard that his time is over!"
The soul eaters rushed forward in a coordinated attack, but Xiong stood his ground, his eyes narrowing slightly. The first wave of attackers got within a few feet before Xiong's Soul Domain erupted, suffocating the energy around them. Their movements slowed as their strength was drained, and Xiong moved, faster than any of them could comprehend.
He teleported again, striking from unexpected angles, his claw tearing through soul eaters like paper. Each strike was precise, each opponent falling without a sound, leaving only echoes in the void.
But even as the first wave fell, the two leaders didn't move. They stood back, waiting, watching their underlings perish. It was clear they were letting the weaker ones fight first, to exhaust Xiong.
Xiong, however, didn't break a sweat. His movements were effortless, his strikes clean and lethal, and soon, the battlefield was littered with the broken forms of the soul eaters.
Finally, the two leaders stepped forward, their eyes gleaming with malice.
"You think you can defeat us?" the first leader spat, his body crackling with raw energy.
Xiong didn't answer. His Soul Domain flared once again but this time it was at full strength and the air it self became heavy, suppressing the overwhelming surge of power from the two leaders. He teleported behind the first leader and struck with his Soul Destroying Claw. The leader stumbled, his defenses shattered, but he quickly recovered, retaliating with a brutal swipe of his own.
Xiong blocked the attack with ease, his form flickering as he vanished, reappearing behind the second leader. In a swift motion, he struck again. The second leader grunted in pain, but Xiong wasn't finished. With a sudden burst of energy, he used his teleportation skill once more, this time teleporting right between the two leaders.
Before they could react, the Soul Domain shrank at an alarming speed from a hundred metres to nearly a dozen, the less the area covered, the stronger his control over his soul suppressing domain, completely enveloping the two leaders. Their movements slowed, their power suppressed, and for the first time, they understood the true meaning of Xiong's strength. They were trapped.
The two leaders fought against the Soul Domain's pull, but it was futile. Xiong's claw that is far more strong under the influence of his domain tore through the first leader's defenses with brutal efficiency.
Seing this scene , the second leader collapsed on his knees in shock knowing that's it's hopeless to fight. Xiong enjoyed the view and let out a loud laugh full of satisfaction and then he turned to the second leader, delivering the same crushing blow.
The leaders collapsed, leaving only gray wrinkled bodies that are torn apart. The battlefield was silent once more, except for the sound of Xiong's steady breath.
Feng Yi, hidden in the third eye, watched in awe. The fight had been nothing like he expected ,unpredictable, swift, and overwhelming, Xiong had fought not just for survival, but for revenge, and he had done so with a calm, confident grace.
After a brief silence...
Xiong turned back and walked slowly.
" I originally wanted to destroy them without leaving anyone a Live , but seeing how they disappeared like they're nothing, I lost interest, now let them find a new leader and I'm no longer interested in this gloomy world.."
Feng Yi jumped out the third eye and froze after hearing this ,then couldn't help but ask" you mean you are also..."
Xiong couldn't hide and answered with soft sigh.
" I always wanted to the world outside this place but it was impossible before, I could use a human soul to cross to another world but the gaurdians are god like existences, designed to be invincibile in this world and I have no chance of winning against them"
After a slight pause he continued" if you're willing to help I will be grateful and will do my best to repay you"
Feng Yi then couldn't help but ask" is it dangerous? "
"It is dangerous, I'm va soul eater which means I'm well versed in the ways of the soul, I can turn you into an embryo of reincarnation, you will be directed rejected by this world and sucked in another world but.."
Hearing the word "but", Feng Yi's heart sank and thought that nothing guarantees his safety if he refused to help.
"After temporary merging my soul with yours I can also follow you to the outer world but , there is a chance I get detected buy the gaurdian and responsible for the gates of reincarnation and be destroyed on the spot."
Hearing Xiong's explanation, Feng Yi weighted up and concluded that if it works he might have a helping hand wherever he ends up. And then noded in agreement and added with a solemn expression "senior Xiong is willing to help, with that I'm dead anyway, so why would I refuse?"
His words were flattering, although he had no fear but he rational mind guided him to the best solution in this situation.
" I didn't expect you to be willing to help but since we both agreed..."
Before he could finish the the sentence, Xiong's body turned into dust as if sacrificed, and his soul emerged , without wasting time he grabbed Feng Yi and and turned him in an small emberyo that gives a sense of peace and innocence surrounded with a thin placenta, and the next moment Xiong soul condensed into a small drop of Gray lequid, and penetrated into the emberyo,not long after, the placenta turned into dust in the air and the emberyo was exposed.
As if attracting the will of heaven, the strange phenomenon occurred again and the emberyo was sucked into the clouds.
In the next moment there was a huge status like existence guarding a huge gate, the emberyo was sucked into the gate under the sharp gaze of the guardian.
In the embryo, Feng Yi's consciousness felt a heavy oppression as ifa a god cast his gaze upon a mortal, not knowing what's going on and then there was relief.
Feng Yi didn't know how long he waited and finally he started hearing sounds.
After some time, there was loud screams and then comes congratulations, he could feel his limbs, and the mother's hands grabbing him gently, he opened his eyes and the blurry vision became clearer and clearer.
"Am I...reborn?"
"The stupid guardian couldn't find out our plan .."
"Wait this...Simple traditional clothes?, an old hut? Could it be that I have traveled back in time? "
"There must be internet at least right ?"
"Why are they frightened as if I'm a cursed newborn ?"
All kinds of confusing questions arose in his heart and he forgot to act like a baby and cry loud, which made his new mother, wearing simple robes ponder in her heart, and his father who's wearing simple clothes full of dust and signs of hard work surprised and joyful.