The rain had calmed a little, becoming a steady drizzle instead of sharp needles. Li Xuan sat quietly on the cold ground, trying to understand what had just happened.
His heart was still beating fast.
Just minutes ago, he had been dying. Now… he felt something warm moving slowly through his body, like a thin stream of fire. It wasn't painful. It felt alive.
Is this… Qi?He couldn't believe it.
For ten years, he had felt nothing but emptiness. But now, the small flow inside him was real. Weak, but real.
—Don't get too excited. This body is still in terrible condition, the voice spoke again.
Li Xuan straightened his back in surprise. "W-Who are you?" he whispered.
—You don't need my full name yet, the voice said calmly. But you can call me… the Grand Immortal.
Li Xuan's eyes widened. He had heard stories about beings who ruled the Immortal Realm, but he never thought he would speak to one.
"Why… why are you inside me?"
—Because I died, the voice answered plainly. My own disciples betrayed me. At the moment my soul shattered, it fell down to the mortal world. And your body… was close to death too.
Li Xuan stayed silent. The idea felt too big for his small world.
—Our souls mixed, the Grand Immortal continued. Half of me, half of you. Now we share the same body.
Li Xuan let that sink in. His fingers trembled slightly. "If you're so strong… can you fix me completely?"
A short pause.
—I can guide you. But I cannot rebuild your body for you. Cultivation requires your own effort.—However, I can give you a chance.
A chance.That was something Li Xuan never had before.
He swallowed quietly. "What kind of chance?"
—To break your meridian blockage. To stand up. To cultivate. To grow stronger.—To take back everything this world denied you.
Li Xuan clenched his hands. His bones still hurt, and the bruises were starting to throb, but his heart felt strangely steady.
"What should I do now?"
—First, breathe the way I tell you.—This rain has strong cold Qi. It is painful for normal children, but for someone like you—someone who has nothing—it is the best starting point.
Li Xuan wiped the rain from his eyes and nodded.
"Okay. Tell me."
The Grand Immortal's voice became firm.
—Sit straight. Relax your shoulders. Close your eyes.
Li Xuan did as instructed.
—Now breathe in deeply. Don't try to guide Qi yet. Just let the cold enter your nose and settle in your chest.
The air was cold enough to sting, but he followed the instructions.
—Good. Again.
He breathed in and out, slow and steady. The rain pattered on the ground around him. The courtyard felt strangely calm now, almost peaceful.
—Now focus on the center of your body. Think of the blockage you have always felt.
Li Xuan focused. That cold, hard knot he had hated his whole life… he could feel it clearly.
—Use the warmth from earlier. Push it toward the knot.
He tried, but the warmth moved only a little.
"I… I can't do it."
—You can, the Immortal replied with certainty. Push harder. This is your body, not a prison. Control it.
Li Xuan gritted his teeth and tried again. The warm stream inside him slowly pressed against the knot of cold.
Crack.
Li Xuan gasped.
A tiny sound echoed in his mind. It was like a grain of ice breaking.
—Good, the voice said. That is the first step.
Li Xuan felt light-headed, not from pain, but from shock. "I… I actually made progress."
—Yes. And from now on, you will continue. But you must move. Staying here will only make you sick.
Li Xuan looked around the empty yard. The rain was softer, but he was still soaked from head to toe. His legs felt unsteady, but he pushed himself up.
For the first time, he didn't fall.
He stood.
—Listen carefully, the Grand Immortal said.—From today onward, you cannot show weakness. The people in this sect want you gone. If they sense you are changing, they will act.
Li Xuan's chest tightened. "They will… try to kill me?"
—If necessary, the voice answered coldly. Power always invites danger. Even weak power.—For now, hide your progress. Train quietly. Grow slowly.—Then, when the time is right… you can show the world who you are.
Li Xuan breathed out. His small hand curled into a fist.
He looked at the entrance of the courtyard. The lanterns were still burning, their yellow light shaking with every drop of rain.
"I won't be useless anymore," he whispered to himself.
—Good, the Immortal said. Now go. Return to your room. Your new life starts today.
Li Xuan took his first step.
His wet shoes splashed softly on the stone floor.His thin figure walked forward through the light rain.He was still weak, still hurt, still unsure…
But for the first time in ten years—He had hope.