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Chapter One: Awakening in a Strange World

Wei Feng's first sensation was pain, sharp and unrelenting, lancing through his body as if his very existence had been torn apart and haphazardly stitched back together. He lay sprawled on the damp earth, gasping for breath, his chest heaving with the effort. The world around him was a haze of indistinct shapes and muted colors, his vision blurred and his thoughts scattered. Slowly, like fragments of a shattered mirror coming together, he began to piece himself into some semblance of awareness. He pushed himself up, his palms sinking into soft, loamy soil that smelled faintly of moss and decay. Blinking against the pale, dappled light filtering through the forest canopy, Wei Feng realized he had no idea where he was—or, worse, who he was. A single name echoed faintly in the recesses of his mind, like a whisper carried on the wind: Wei Feng. It felt familiar, like a long-forgotten melody, but it brought no comfort. Beyond that name, there was nothing. No memories, no sense of purpose, no understanding of how he had come to be in this strange, silent forest.

The forest itself was both breathtaking and unnerving. Ancient trees stretched skyward, their massive trunks wrapped in spiraling vines that seemed to pulse faintly with an inner light. The air shimmered with motes of glowing spores, their luminescence casting an ethereal glow on the undergrowth. Everything felt alive, unnaturally so, as though the forest were not merely a collection of plants and animals but a singular, sentient entity observing him with quiet intent. Wei Feng shivered, though the air was warm and humid. He stumbled forward, driven not by reason but by an instinctive need to move, to escape the oppressive silence that pressed down on him like a physical weight. It was then that he noticed it—a peculiar warmth in his chest, faint at first but growing stronger with each step. It was not an external sensation but an internal one, a gentle thrum that resonated with the rhythm of his heartbeat. He clutched at his chest, his fingers brushing against his skin as if expecting to find some foreign object buried beneath. But there was nothing, only the inexplicable warmth and a vague sense of direction pulling him forward.

The warmth guided him deeper into the forest, his steps slow and hesitant as he navigated the uneven terrain. Hours seemed to pass, though he had no way of knowing for certain; the forest canopy was so thick that the sun, if it existed at all, was little more than a faint glow in the sky. His surroundings grew darker, the bioluminescent spores casting eerie shadows that danced across the ground with each breath of wind. The warmth in his chest intensified, becoming a steady pulse that filled his senses, drowning out the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional chirp of unseen creatures. Finally, the forest opened into a small clearing, and there, at its center, was the source of the warmth. A crystalline orb hovered a few inches above the ground, its surface shimmering with an iridescent light that seemed to shift and dance like liquid fire. Encased within the orb was a small, jewel-like insect, its carapace glowing faintly as though it were alive.

Wei Feng felt an inexplicable pull toward the orb, his breath hitching as he approached it. The insect inside was unlike anything he had ever seen—though, truthfully, he couldn't recall ever seeing much of anything. Its delicate wings shimmered with a rainbow of colors, and its eyes glowed with an unsettling intelligence that seemed to pierce through him. He reached out, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the orb's surface. The moment he made contact, a searing pain shot through his hand, and he jerked back with a cry. But it was too late. The orb dissolved into a fine mist, and the insect surged forward, burrowing into his palm. Wei Feng fell to his knees, clutching his chest as the warmth exploded into a blazing inferno. His vision blurred, and the world spun around him as a torrent of unfamiliar sensations and knowledge flooded his mind. He understood now—this was a Gu, a living entity that could grant incredible power to those who mastered it. But the path of Gu cultivation was not one of simplicity or safety. It was a path fraught with danger, sacrifice, and an unrelenting hunger for strength.

As the pain subsided, Wei Feng became acutely aware of the Gu now residing within him. It was weak, a mere Level 1 Mortal Gu, but he could feel its potential pulsing faintly in his dantian like a newborn flame waiting to be stoked. He rose unsteadily to his feet, his palm still tingling from where the Gu had entered. The clearing was silent once more, the crystalline orb gone as though it had never existed. But Wei Feng's journey had only just begun. Somewhere in this strange and unfamiliar world, answers awaited—answers about the Gu, about his lost memories, and about the destiny that had been thrust upon him. With no other choice but to move forward, Wei Feng took his first steps into the unknown, the faint pulse of the Mortal Gu in his chest serving as both a guide and a reminder of the trials to come.