The sky was painted in hues of crimson, and the clouds roared with fury as Zhao Tian, one of the most powerful cultivators in the Murim world, took his last breath. The mountains around him trembled with the force of his final struggle. Zhao Tian had once been a legend, a man whose name was whispered with reverence across the lands. But now, he lay betrayed by those he had called friends.
"Is this all you have, Zhao Tian?" sneered Yan Luo, the man who had once been Zhao Tian's most trusted ally. In his hand was a dagger, its blade dripping with a venom that had already begun to consume Zhao Tian's life force. "Even at the peak of your power, you couldn't defeat us. Now, with your death, the Murim world will be ours."
Zhao Tian's vision blurred as he looked around. Beside Yan Luo stood Mei Ling and General Feng, both of whom had once fought by his side. They had all been consumed by jealousy and ambition, plotting his downfall. Zhao Tian felt a surge of anger, but his body no longer obeyed him. The poison was spreading rapidly, and he could feel his strength fading.
"Do you think this is the end?" Zhao Tian whispered, his voice weak but resolute. "My soul will never forget your betrayal. And one day, I will return."
For a brief moment, Yan Luo's confidence wavered, but he quickly masked it with a smirk. "Empty hopes, Zhao Tian. Even your soul will find no refuge in this world."
Zhao Tian's eyes closed, and his body collapsed to the ground. But death was not the end for him. His soul was pulled into a dark vortex, swirling into the unknown.
300 Years Later...
In a remote corner of the Murim world lay the Fallen Leaf Village, a place that had once been the heart of a powerful clan. Now, it was a shadow of its former self, a village where poverty and despair reigned supreme. The strongest cultivator in the village, Elder Zhang, had barely reached the 9th stage of Core Formation, the second major realm of cultivation. Compared to the rest of the Murim world, this was pitifully weak.
On the outskirts of the village, in a small hut, lived a 15-year-old boy named Li Wei. He was the son of one of the poorest families in the village. His father had died in a hunting accident, and his mother struggled to make ends meet. Li Wei spent his days gathering firewood in the forest and selling it in the village to support his family.
But lately, something strange had been happening to Li Wei. He had been having vivid dreams—dreams of a towering mountain, of battles fought and lost, and of faces he didn't recognize but felt an inexplicable hatred toward. Each time he woke up, his chest ached as if he had been stabbed.
One day, while gathering firewood, Li Wei felt a sudden dizziness and collapsed to the ground. As he closed his eyes, a flood of memories surged through his mind. Memories of Zhao Tian. Betrayal, battles, victories, and ultimately, death. When Li Wei opened his eyes, he knew who he truly was.
"I... am Zhao Tian," he whispered to himself. "But how? This body... this weak body is mine?"
Li Wei stood up and looked at his hands. They were thin and frail, but he could feel the faint sparks of his former power within him. "If I am truly Zhao Tian reborn, then I will rise again in this world. And this time, those who betrayed me will pay."
When Li Wei returned to the village, he was greeted by Elder Zhang, the village's strongest cultivator. Elder Zhang was a wise and kind man, but his cultivation level was only at Core Formation 9th Stage, a far cry from the heights Zhao Tian had once reached.
"Li Wei, where have you been?" Elder Zhang asked, his voice tinged with concern. "It's dangerous to wander the forest alone."
Li Wei looked at Elder Zhang and felt a sense of respect. But he also realized how small this village was compared to the world he once knew. "I... I just needed some time to think," Li Wei replied, masking his true thoughts.
Elder Zhang studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. But remember, the forest is not safe. There are beasts and bandits out there."
Li Wei forced a smile. "I'll be more careful, Elder Zhang."
As Li Wei walked through the village, fragments of his past life continued to flash before his eyes. He saw himself standing atop a mountain, the wind whipping through his hair as he faced an army of cultivators. He saw the betrayal, the dagger piercing his chest, and the faces of those who had turned against him. And then, he saw the vortex that had swallowed his soul, dragging him into the abyss.
But amidst the chaos, there was one memory that stood out—a memory of a young girl with bright eyes and a mischievous smile. She had been his disciple, his protege, and perhaps something more. Her name was Xiao Lan, and she had been the only one who had remained loyal to him until the very end.
"Xiao Lan..." Li Wei whispered, his voice trembling. "Where are you now?"
That night, Li Wei lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He knew he couldn't stay in the village forever. If he was to reclaim his former power and seek revenge, he would need to leave and find a way to cultivate properly. But he also knew that revealing his true identity would be dangerous. The world had changed in 300 years, and he had no idea who he could trust.
"I'll keep my identity a secret," Li Wei decided. "To everyone, I'll just be Li Wei, the weak boy from Fallen Leaf Village. But in the shadows, I'll train and grow stronger. And when the time is right, I'll reveal myself to those who deserve to know."
As Li Wei prepared to leave the village, he couldn't help but notice the absurdity of his situation. Here he was, a legendary cultivator reborn in the body of a scrawny teenager, about to embark on a journey that would either make him a hero or destroy him completely.
"Well," he muttered to himself, "at least I don't have to worry about shaving for a few more years."
Li Wei's journey had just begun. With the memories of his past life and the determination to reclaim his former glory, he set out from the Fallen Leaf Village, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But little did he know, the Murim world had changed in ways he could never have imagined, and his path would be fraught with danger, betrayal, and unexpected allies.