I took the bus with the little money I had left.
"We have to stop here," the driver said suddenly.
"Why? Can't you go a little farther? My village is almost here."
"Sorry, sir, but this is the last stop. We're not allowed to enter the forest."
I sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll walk the rest of the way."
My village was deep inside the forest, far from civilization. Buses rarely came this far.
After walking for fifteen minutes, I finally saw the faint outline of my old village. Nostalgia hit me like a wave. I walked faster, wanting to see it again—
until a figure appeared in front of me out of thin air.
I froze for a moment, startled, but quickly composed myself.
"Heh," I smirked. "If this is some kind of prank, it won't work on me. I'm not in the mood."
The man hovering in the air didn't respond. His expression was calm, indifferent—like he was watching something trivial.
"Wait," he said softly.
Just one word, and my entire body froze.
My muscles locked in place. I couldn't even twitch a finger.
'What the hell—?!' My mind was racing, but my body wouldn't move.
The man looked at me, his eyes deep and ancient. "You're interesting," he said slowly. "Most people panic when they're restricted. But you're calm. Why?"
He tilted his head slightly, as if genuinely curious. "Ah, right. You can't answer like this."
He snapped his fingers.
Instantly, the pressure vanished. My limbs felt light again.
I took a deep breath and asked, "What… are you?"
He chuckled lightly. "Me? I'm just a cultivator."
'A cultivator...?' The word echoed in my mind. Something from stories—fictional, impossible. Yet he was standing right in front of me, breaking every rule of logic I knew.
"You didn't answer my question," he said, his tone soft but piercing. "Why were you calm?"
"I've imagined beings like you all my life," I said honestly. "So seeing one... it's shocking, but not impossible. Besides, fear won't change the situation."
He stared at me for a long moment, then gave a faint nod. "I see. Since you already know the concept of cultivation, can you guess why I'm here?"
I thought for a moment. "Because I have something you want?"
He smiled thinly. "No. You have nothing I want."
'So that was wrong.' I exhaled quietly.
"You don't seem disappointed," he said. "Why?"
"It was a guess. There are countless reasons for someone like you to appear. I just tried the most logical one."
He gave a quiet hum of amusement, then asked, "You're surprisingly composed. Do you always face the unknown this way?"
"I've faced enough in life that surprises don't matter much anymore."
For the first time, his gaze softened. "I see… Then let me tell you why I'm here."
He straightened slightly, and the air itself seemed to grow heavier. "I am choosing a successor—someone to inherit my position."
I blinked. "So I meet your requirements?"
A low chuckle escaped him. "Hahaha… no. You lack talent, potential, and cultivation. You meet none of them."
"Then you're choosing randomly?" I said, half-joking. "Aren't you being irresponsible for someone so powerful?"
The smile faded from his lips. His eyes grew cold. "There are very few who dare speak to me that way. I'll overlook your ignorance once."
His tone alone could've frozen blood, yet he quickly returned to that strange calmness. "Tell me, will you accept the chance to inherit my position? Be warned—it is dangerous beyond your imagination."
I shook my head. "No. I have no interest in cultivation or your position."
He studied me silently for a few seconds, then said, "You've lost the fear of death. You live without purpose or desire… like a man already dead." His gaze sharpened. "But I don't believe there's nothing you want. Cultivation carries infinite potential—do you truly desire nothing?"
The words "infinite potential" echoed in my mind. After a moment, I asked quietly, "Can cultivation… bring back the dead?"
He fell silent. His eyes flickered faintly, as if he was weighing my worth.
"Do you believe in reincarnation?" he finally asked. "Every soul is reborn after death. If you can find the same soul and unlock its past-life memories, you can bring someone back—at least, in essence. But even with my help, finding them would be… nearly impossible."
My heart pounded. Nearly impossible—not impossible.
For the first time in years, I felt a spark of hope.
He noticed it and smiled faintly. "So. I'll ask again—will you accept my offer?"
"I accept," I said without hesitation.
"Good," he said simply. "Then listen carefully. To inherit my position, your first trial is this: reach my home planet within a hundred years. Only those who arrive have the right to continue. The rest… will perish along the way."
He waved his hand, and several items appeared from his ring—floating between us.
"These will aid you on your path," he explained. "A guidebook—its contents will expand as your cultivation grows. A storage ring with its own space. A travel device—slow, but usable. And finally, a pill containing the knowledge of over a hundred thousand languages. Consume it, and you will understand any tongue."
He paused, his gaze turning distant. "Before I go, you may make one request. But know this—whatever you ask for will come with a burden."
I thought carefully before answering. "Then… I want a place where my home will always remain safe, no matter what happens."
He looked at me for a moment, then gave a small, amused smile. "You could have asked for anything, and yet you choose that. Very well."
He followed me to the village and waved his hand. My house shimmered, then vanished into thin air.
"I've sealed it within my pocket dimension," he said. "When you reach my planet, I'll return it to you. However, there is one condition—you must take another person with you. If that person dies, you fail."
With that, he reached into his ring again and pulled out an unconscious girl. Without hesitation, he tossed her to the ground before me.
I looked at her, then back at him. "Giving me someone who'll obey me completely… isn't that too generous?"
His eyes narrowed faintly. "No. She has no talent. Keeping her alive will be your burden. You'll understand soon enough."
He turned away, his aura fading into the sky. "I've done what I came for. The rest depends on you."
And just like that, he rose into the air and disappeared beyond the clouds.
I stood there for a while, staring at the empty sky, then looked down at the unconscious girl.
A slow breath escaped my lips.