Xu Tian had never really looked beyond the boundaries of his village. The forest that sprawled in front of him felt like another world—one that he'd never dared to enter, until now. The trees towered above, thick and tangled, blocking out most of the light. He could barely see the sky through the dense branches. The path he walked was narrow and winding, and the air was heavy with the scent of damp earth. It felt... overwhelming, almost like the world was so much bigger than he had ever known.
The weight of the power inside him, the power he'd awakened from that strange Forbidden Scripture, was strange too. It buzzed through him like an untamed current. He could feel it, a burning energy just beneath his skin, but he had no idea how to control it yet. It was like holding onto a storm that wouldn't stop shifting. The more he tried to focus on it, the more it slipped through his fingers.
And he was alone. Really alone. Back in the village, there were people who would've helped him. At least, he used to think that. But now, there was no one. No one to guide him. No one to tell him what to do. Just him, the power, and whatever road lay ahead.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Xu Tian found a quiet spot by a stream to camp for the night. He had a small fire going, the flickering flames casting shadows around him. Sitting cross-legged, he stared into the fire, trying to focus on the energy swirling inside him.
He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The journey, the new power, the uncertainty—it was all a lot to take in. But there was no turning back now.
He reached into his bag, feeling the weight of the Forbidden Scripture. The scroll that had given him this strange, mysterious power. But it felt... wrong. Like he was only beginning to understand what it was truly capable of. The words in it didn't make sense yet, but every time he thought about giving up, something deep inside him refused.
Suddenly, as if responding to his frustration, a voice echoed in his mind.
> "The path ahead is not easy, Xu Tian. Every choice you make will cost you something."
Xu Tian froze. It was the same voice. The voice that had spoken to him when he first touched the scroll. He looked around, expecting to see someone, but there was no one.
"What do you mean?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
> "The Heavenly Dao will not let you defy it without consequences. You must be prepared."
Xu Tian's heart pounded. The Heavenly Dao—the force that controlled everything. He had been trying to escape it, to break free. But the reality of it was hitting him now.
"I'm ready," he said firmly, though doubt lingered at the back of his mind.
There was silence for a long time, so long that Xu Tian thought the voice might have disappeared. Then it came again, quieter this time.
> "You think you are, but the Dao is patient. It will wait for you to make a mistake. And when it does, you will need to be stronger than you are now."
Xu Tian clenched his fists, the fire in front of him crackling loudly.
"I don't care. I've always had to fight for everything. I'm not stopping now."
The voice didn't respond. It was as if the world was holding its breath. But Xu Tian knew one thing for sure now—there was no turning back. He had chosen this path, and no matter what came next, he would face it head-on.
The next morning, he set off early, the forest around him eerily quiet. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he couldn't stop. His mind kept replaying the voice's words, and for the first time, he truly understood the weight of his decision.
The further he went into the mountains, the darker and quieter it got. The trees closed in, and the air became thin, making it harder to breathe. But the deeper he went, the more he could feel the power inside him waking up. It was like it was becoming part of the mountain, part of the forest, part of everything.
Then, after what felt like hours, he stopped. In front of him, standing in the middle of the path, was a figure cloaked in black. The figure's face was hidden, but Xu Tian could feel the weight of their presence, like the air itself had thickened.
His heart skipped a beat. How did they know him?
The figure didn't speak at first, just stood there, as if waiting for something. Xu Tian instinctively put a hand on the Forbidden Scripture, feeling the power of the scroll pulsing against his skin.
The figure spoke, and its voice was calm, almost too calm.
"You're Xu Tian, aren't you?"
Xu Tian's grip tightened on the scroll. "How do you know my name?"
The figure didn't answer directly. Instead, it took a step forward, its voice low but firm. "I've been waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?" Xu Tian's mind raced. "Who are you?"
The figure's voice was like the crackling of leaves in a storm. "You're not the first to try and defy the Dao, Xu Tian. But you may be the last one who can."
Xu Tian frowned. "What do you mean? And what do you want from me?"
The figure chuckled, but it wasn't a comforting sound. "I want nothing. Not yet. But understand this—you can't defy the Dao without consequences. It's watching. Always."
Xu Tian took a step back. His heart raced, and his breath quickened. "I'm not afraid. I'll fight. I'll do whatever it takes."
The figure didn't respond. Instead, it turned away, its silhouette disappearing into the shadows as if it had never been there at all.
Xu Tian stood there, the air thick with tension. He didn't know who that person was, but he understood one thing: the Heavenly Dao had noticed him. And it wasn't going to let him go that easily.
But for the first time, he felt a fire inside him. A fire that wouldn't go out.
He wasn't going to be another lost soul who fell to the Dao. He would rise. He would rewrite his fate.
With that thought burning in his chest, Xu Tian pressed forward. Whatever came next, he would face it—because he had no other choice.