As I fell from the balcony, everything felt heavy—like the weight of the world had finally lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in years, it was like I could finally rest.
I looked up at the sky, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I saw the full moon—its soft light more beautiful than I had ever imagined. It felt like a promise, something peaceful, something beyond the pain.
I realized, in that moment, that I would never have to wake up to this house again. I wouldn't have to face her, her madness, or the misery she'd put me through every single day.
I closed my eyes, letting the darkness swallow me, knowing that this—this was the end.
Zhen Wu would end here.
This life—this broken, suffocating life—was over.
And with that thought, everything faded away.
As I felt myself falling deeper into the darkness, I suddenly heard something. A voice.
"Zhen Wu..."
It echoed through the void, a sound so strange, yet oddly familiar.
"The world needs you."
I could feel my heart racing, my pulse pounding in my ears. I didn't understand what was happening, but it felt like something was pulling me back.
"Take a step back," the voice urged, calm yet insistent. "That's the best the god can do for you."
I tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come. I felt like I was being torn between two realities. My body was cold, and my mind... my mind was a blur.
Where was I? Was I... dead?
The thought made my head spin, but before I could make sense of it, I suddenly found myself standing in a pitch-black room. There was no light, no sounds—just a deep, all-consuming darkness.
"Where is everyone?" I whispered to myself. "Did I die? Is this... the end?"
But before I could think any further, a strange, faint scent filled the air. It was sweet, almost intoxicating, and before I could even process what it was, everything went black.
I collapsed, unconscious, my body too weak to resist the pull of whatever force had taken hold of me.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my head, making me wince in agony. It felt as if my skull was splitting open.
I groaned, trying to push myself up, but my body felt so weak. My vision swam in and out of focus, everything around me a blur. What's happening? I thought, my mind struggling to grasp onto anything familiar.
As the haze slowly began to lift, a sight that left me breathless appeared before my eyes. I was lying in a bed, but the sensation was… strange. It felt like I was no longer in the world I once knew. My head still throbbed, but the pain was almost secondary to the confusion rising in my chest.
Beside me, a figure loomed. His presence was commanding, almost overwhelming. A tall, muscular man with features that spoke of strength, yet there was a softness in his eyes that contrasted with the sharpness of his appearance. He was staring at me intently, worry etched into his brow.
His voice rang out, rich with urgency.
"Yu Hengtian, what ails you? Tell me, my love, what troubles your heart?"
His words… they were foreign yet somehow familiar, like the lines of a wuxia drama I had once read about. His voice held the same reverence, the same intensity of those heroic tales, and it sent a strange chill through my spine.
"Tian," he urged, his voice thick with concern, "Why do you struggle so? Speak to me."
My vision continued to clear, and I looked at him more closely. His words, his tone—they were so… alive with the language of the martial world, the kind that echoed in the halls of ancient sects, the kind that I had only read about.
I looked at my own hands, trying to make sense of it. These weren't my hands. This wasn't my world.
"Yu Hengtian?" I whispered, the name rolling off my tongue like it belonged to someone else. "Why… why are you calling me that?"
My voice shook slightly, caught between the reality I knew and the strange new world I had awakened in.
He frowned slightly, his brow furrowing in confusion. "You've forgotten yourself? Tian, your soul has been lost for so long, but it has returned. You are Yu Hengtian, the pride of the Meilan Sect, the one destined to stand beside me. The one I love."
I blinked, utterly bewildered, my heart racing. "The Meilan Sect? I... I don't understand."
He took my hand gently, his touch warm, but there was an urgency to it. "You have suffered long enough, my beloved. Let us not waste any more time in confusion
I pointed a trembling finger at myself, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. "No… that's not possible…"
He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, filled with sorrow and concern. "Yu… please, listen to me."
I recoiled, pushing him back with every ounce of strength I could muster, my chest tightening in panic. "Stay away from me!"
I couldn't breathe, my vision flickering in and out. This is real, right? I died. I fell off the balcony. I died… or…
Am I dreaming?
I slapped my own face hard, the sting sharp and biting. "Pinch me… someone, please!" I looked around, desperate.
Wei Xiaotian, the man beside me, watched silently, his gaze filled with a pain that mirrored my own confusion. "No," he said, his voice low and steady. "I won't pinch you, Yu. I can never hurt you. You're not dreaming. This… this is real."
"I'm not Yu Hengtian!" I shouted, stepping back, my heart pounding in my chest. "I am Zhen Wu!"
He blinked, the confusion in his eyes deepening. "Zhen Wu?" He repeated, like the name was foreign on his tongue. "No, you are Yu Hengtian. My love…
I gasped, shaking my head. "No, no! I'm not him! Don't call me that. You… you must be mistaken!"
His hand reached out, but I stepped back, my heart racing as I instinctively raised my fists. "Don't come any closer!"
"This must be a dream," I muttered to myself, backing away, my voice trembling. "You're not getting it. Whoever you are, I am not your Yu Hengtian. I am Zhen Wu, and I know this is a dream!"
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I was certain of it—I'm dreaming. This was the last thing I remembered before I died,the last 7 minutes yeahh the fleeting moments before everything went dark.
But then, suddenly, his hand shot out, gripping mine in an unyielding force. My body stiffened as he swiftly twisted my arm behind my back, locking it in place, pulling me closer.
Before I could react, before I could even protest, he kissed me.
It was nothing like the coldness of a dream. His lips were warm, urgent, and real—too real. My eyes widened in shock as I froze, unsure of what was happening. Why did it feel so real?
I pulled away, gasping for air, my heart racing even faster. "W-what are you doing?!"
His gaze was intense, his expression a mix of desperation and something deeper, more painful. "Yu, you don't remember… but I do. I remember everything. This is not a dream. You are Yu Hengtian, and I will never let you go."