Jiang Chen stepped out of the cavern, his eyes narrowing as the morning sun bathed the mountains in golden light. It had been only a day since his fall, but he felt like a completely different person. His once frail body now brimmed with power, his every movement lighter yet stronger.
As he descended the rocky path back toward the village, a familiar anger burned within him. The ones who tried to kill him were still there, laughing, living their lives as if nothing had happened.
He clenched his fists. They thought he was dead. Now, he would let them know otherwise.
---
The village square was bustling with activity. Merchants shouted prices, children ran through the streets, and cultivators from the local academy walked with arrogant postures. Among them, three figures stood out—Wu Tian, Lin Fei, and Zhao Kun.
Jiang Chen's killers.
Wu Tian, the leader of the trio, leaned lazily against a stall, bragging to a group of young villagers.
"Jiang Chen? Hah! That cripple finally did something useful and died. What a waste of space he was."
Lin Fei chuckled. "His parents are still trying to send him to the academy. Can you imagine? A broken dantian trash like him thinking he could cultivate? His family's nothing but a joke."
Zhao Kun smirked. "It's better this way. One less insect to dirty our sect's name."
Laughter rang out.
Then, a voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Is that so?"
The laughter stopped.
Wu Tian turned, and his smug grin vanished. The crowd hushed as Jiang Chen stepped forward, his dark eyes sharp as steel.
Lin Fei's face paled. "Y-You… you're supposed to be—"
"Dead?" Jiang Chen tilted his head, his lips curling into a smirk. "Looks like Heaven didn't want me just yet."
Wu Tian's shock faded, replaced by a sneer. "So, the cripple survived. You should've stayed dead, Jiang Chen. What, you think coming back changes anything?"
Jiang Chen took another step forward, his presence pressing down on them like a mountain.
For the first time, they felt something different.
The weak, pathetic Jiang Chen they had mocked was gone. The one standing before them now… was something else.
A predator among insects.
Zhao Kun swallowed hard. "H-He's bluffing. He's still the same trash—"
Before he could finish, Jiang Chen moved.
BOOM!
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Zhao Kun. His palm lashed out, striking his chest. CRACK! Zhao Kun flew backward like a ragdoll, slamming into a wooden stall. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
The crowd gasped.
Wu Tian's eyes widened in horror. "You—"
Jiang Chen turned to him, his gaze cold.
"You wanted me dead, right?" His voice was calm, but the power behind it sent chills down their spines. "Try again."
Wu Tian's fists clenched. "You dare—"
Jiang Chen vanished.
A fist buried itself into Wu Tian's gut. BOOM! He collapsed to his knees, gasping for air, his entire body trembling.
Lin Fei turned to run—but Jiang Chen grabbed his collar and slammed him to the ground.
The village was silent.
Everyone watched as the former cripple stood over his would-be killers.
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly. "This is just the beginning."
His journey had only just begun.
---