The first thing Azazel felt was an intense, overwhelming pressure in his chest, as though the very air he breathed was heavier than before. The ground beneath him seemed to shift, and his surroundings appeared distorted, flickering between reality and something else. A voice echoed in his mind, distant yet commanding, and he felt a sudden rush of memories flood his consciousness.
Who... am I? Azazel thought, gripping his head in confusion.
The memories were not his own. He could see images of a man, a young man, whose life was shaped by hardship, discipline, and an iron will. The figure he saw was an expert martial artist in an ancient, yet unfamiliar world. His name—Jiang Xian—echoed in Azazel's mind, as though it had always belonged to him.
The memories continued to pour in. Jiang Xian was a son of the Jiang family, a once-prominent clan from the southern provinces. But they had fallen from grace after a betrayal that left them scattered. His family was no longer the powerful entity it once was, and Jiang Xian was now a mere wanderer, struggling to survive in a world where martial strength determined everything. His father, Jiang Wei, had been a mighty general whose martial prowess was unmatched, but his mother's identity remained a mystery, a secret long buried.
As Azazel grasped the fragments of Jiang Xian's life, he understood that the young man had been alone for many years, struggling to survive in this martial world. The memories also revealed the complexities of this world—martial sects, dangerous beasts, and the cultivation of one's martial arts abilities were all central to this world's reality. The world was ruled by the strong, where the weak were crushed underfoot, and only those who could harness their inner energy—Qi—could hope to survive.
Is this... a dream? Azazel wondered, but as the memories solidified in his mind, the pain in his chest told him otherwise. His body was no longer his own, but that of Jiang Xian, or rather, it was the body of someone who had once been him.
He blinked, adjusting to the new reality. The last memory that lingered was of Jiang Xian standing at the edge of a dense forest, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The wind carried with it the faint scent of something foreign, and the sound of distant water reminded him of his past.
Then, just as quickly as it had all begun, the memories stopped, leaving Azazel with an overwhelming sense of loss. He tried to shake off the feeling but found it impossible. His heart felt empty, as though it had been ripped from him.
I'm not Jiang Xian, he thought. But I am.
Confusion swirled in his mind as he tried to make sense of it all. What was happening to him? Why was he in this world, this strange place, in the body of a man who seemed to be nothing more than a shadow of his former self?
Suddenly, a voice reverberated in his mind, commanding and almost mechanical.
Host: Azazel. Welcome to the Iron Soul System.
Azazel recoiled, blinking rapidly as the voice washed over him. The words were not his own, and the language sounded foreign, yet perfectly understandable. His eyes widened, and he raised his hand to his forehead as a sudden surge of information flooded his consciousness.
The Iron Soul System? What was that?
A holographic interface appeared before him, floating in midair, glowing with strange, intricate symbols that Azazel could barely comprehend.
Iron Soul System Initialized.
Host: Azazel. Identity: Transmigrator.
Host's current body: Jiang Xian. Age: 19. Martial Realm: Qi Gathering Stage—Middle Rank.
System Level: 1
Azazel gasped, his mind reeling as he processed the information. A system? It was like something out of the countless stories he had read back in his original world. But this was no mere fantasy—it was real. His new life, his new body, was now connected to something far greater than himself.
Host: Initializing memory download…
Azazel winced as a new wave of memories—far more detailed and vivid than before—began to overwrite the remnants of Jiang Xian's life. It was as if he were being given an entire history lesson. The Iron Soul System was not just some tool; it was a legacy, an ancient power that could reshape his destiny. The system appeared to be tied to the mysterious "Iron Soul," a hidden potential within the host's body, one that could be unlocked through cultivation.
But what did this mean for him? Why had the system chosen him?
Host: You have inherited the memories of Jiang Xian, as well as the legacy of the Iron Soul. The path you now walk is one of strength, discipline, and vengeance.
Vengeance? The word lingered in his mind, and a sudden coldness washed over him.
Jiang Xian's memories... he sought vengeance on those who wronged his family. He was betrayed, and now... Azazel's eyes narrowed as he began to understand. His new life was now intertwined with a history of loss, vengeance, and the promise of power. The system would guide him to cultivate the Iron Soul, granting him the ability to rise above the broken remnants of his predecessor's life.
Host: The world is harsh, but with the Iron Soul, you can rise to power. Your cultivation journey begins now.
Azazel stood up, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. The sky above him was a deep purple, and the air smelled of wild herbs and damp earth. He was surrounded by tall trees, the forest alive with the sounds of night creatures. His fingers flexed, feeling a faint surge of power within his body, like a flickering flame waiting to be fed.
The path ahead of him was unclear, but one thing was certain: he was no longer just a wandering soul. He was Azazel, the inheritor of the Iron Soul, and his journey had just begun.
With the system now embedded in his consciousness, he felt both a sense of purpose and a deep uncertainty. What did the future hold? Would he be able to unlock the true potential of the Iron Soul and seek vengeance for Jiang Xian's broken family?
The answers lay ahead, but for now, he had only one goal: survival. The world was vast, and he was but a single pawn in a much larger game.
As he took his first step forward, the system's voice echoed in his mind once more.
Host: Begin cultivating your Iron Soul to unlock your true potential. Your journey starts now.
And so, Azazel walked into the unknown, ready to face the trials and tribulations of a new world, with the power of the Iron Soul guiding his every move.