The world was dark, too dark. A suffocating emptiness surrounded him, as though the very air had been drained of life. Chen Yan's eyes fluttered open, but all he could see was a shadowed, void-like abyss—a place where time had no meaning, where nothing existed except a faint sense of being. There was no sound. No motion. No feeling of existence beyond this darkness.
But this wasn't death. No, he was sure of that.
As his senses slowly returned, he could feel the faintest of pulses—like the thrum of a heartbeat. It was distant but undeniable. A heartbeat that resonated in his chest, tugging at him, beckoning him back to reality. He could not ignore it, for it was the only thing that felt real in this cold, oppressive void.
His mind began to race, stirring with fragmented thoughts, memories of a life he once lived. A life that had been torn apart by treachery and betrayal, a life filled with the bitter taste of loss. He had died. He knew that much. He remembered the final moments—how his enemies had laughed, how they had used him, betrayed him, discarded him as if he was nothing more than a pawn in their grand schemes.
"I died..." Chen Yan murmured to himself, his voice cracking in the silence. "But... why am I here?"
The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning—he wasn't dead. Not anymore.
He inhaled sharply, his chest rising with the effort, and finally, the darkness began to recede. Slowly, light began to seep into his vision, faint at first, then growing stronger. His body felt heavy, but with each breath, he became more aware of it—his limbs, his chest, the air filling his lungs. His hands trembled slightly as he pushed himself to sit up.
The world around him began to take shape. He was lying on the ground, but it wasn't the cold, sterile floor of a tomb. It was grass—wet, soft, and cool to the touch. Above him, the sky was dark, and the air smelled of burnt wood and ash. A distant sound of crackling fire lingered in the air, along with the faint scent of something metallic.
"What... is this place?" Chen Yan muttered, the confusion still clouding his mind.
He felt a wave of nausea rise in his stomach as memories of his first life surged to the forefront. His mind rushed to make sense of it all, but the pieces were scattered—fragments of memories, like shattered glass, too broken to form a coherent picture.
But one thing was clear.
This was not the same world he had left behind.
He stood shakily, his limbs unsteady as if he hadn't walked in years. His eyes darted around, taking in the unfamiliar landscape. It was barren, scorched—evidence of devastation. The remnants of burnt trees, the cracked earth beneath his feet—it was all too familiar. His first life had been filled with destruction, and this place, this moment, seemed to echo that same sense of ruin.
And yet, something was different.
The ground was not scorched as if by battle or war—it was something deeper, something older. The air was thick with the residue of something far more ancient, something that had seeped into the very fabric of the land.
Chen Yan's hand clenched into a fist as the realization hit him with a sharp pang.
I've been reborn.
He could feel it now—something stirring inside him. A strange, burning sensation deep within his chest, like a spark that threatened to ignite into a blazing inferno. The Phoenix.
His memories flickered once more, images of a great and majestic beast—the Phoenix, the creature of rebirth, the immortal fire that symbolized both life and death. He had once been bonded to it, connected by a strange force, an essence that allowed him to tap into its flames and its powers. But in his first life, the bond had been severed. The Phoenix had been lost, and with it, he had lost everything.
But now… now it was back.
A sudden, sharp pain shot through his chest, and Chen Yan staggered back, gasping for breath. The Phoenix's power—he could feel it, almost as though it were an extension of himself. The connection, weak but undeniable, coursed through him like wildfire. But it was not the same as it had been before. No. It was different, fragile. He could feel the fragments of memories, the echoes of its ancient consciousness mingling with his own.
The Phoenix... it has returned to me.
With trembling hands, he reached for the air around him, instinctively drawing on the faint connection he had with the creature. A flicker of warmth spread from his chest, filling his body, suffusing his limbs with a fire that was both comforting and painful. His mind raced with the implications.
Was this some sort of second chance? A rebirth? Why had the Phoenix chosen to return to him?
He looked around again, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The land before him stretched out in vast, desolate plains, broken and torn by the passage of time. Ruins dotted the horizon, ancient structures half-buried in dust and decay. The world felt ancient, yet it also felt new.
"Am I... in the past?" Chen Yan whispered to himself, the thought forming with surprising clarity. He had been betrayed in his previous life, exploited by those he had trusted. The world he had known had crumbled beneath the weight of their ambition, and he had fallen with it. But now, it seemed as if fate had granted him a second chance.
He clenched his fists, the pain from his chest subsiding as he began to think more clearly.
This is my opportunity. This time... I will not be a fool.
His previous life had been one of selflessness—always sacrificing for others, always putting the needs of those around him before his own. But where had that gotten him? Betrayed. Used. Abandoned. No more. This time, he would rise above them all. He would be ruthless. He would take what was his, and no one would stand in his way.
"I will not make the same mistakes again," he muttered under his breath. "This time... I'll use everything I know."
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. The Phoenix's power surged again, warmer now, more stable. It responded to his determination, as if it recognized the change in him. He could feel its presence—ancient, eternal, and yet deeply familiar. He could feel its memories, fragmented as they were, whispering to him.
The Phoenix was not just a beast. It was a symbol—a guide to his ascension. And it would be his weapon, his companion in this new life.
But that was not all. Chen Yan understood that the power of the Phoenix alone would not be enough to secure his future. He would need more—much more. He would need to grow stronger, to master his cultivation and to unravel the secrets of this new world. A world that, from the looks of it, was ruled by cultivation.
I will not waste time. I will rise.
With that resolve burning in his chest, Chen Yan took his first step forward. The landscape was vast, and though it was barren and desolate, it offered no real threat. His mind was already racing, planning his next move. The world of cultivation awaited him, and this time, he would conquer it all.
But as he walked, a thought crossed his mind, one that made him stop in his tracks.
If I'm truly in the past… does that mean I know what's coming?
A wicked smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
This time... I will make sure the world doesn't forget my name.
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