Ren Yi couldn't describe the chaotic world he was in. He saw no light, heard no sound—as if an invisible cage had sealed his five senses.
Oppression, panic, shortness of breath, dizziness...
He felt miserable, wanting to roar to break the suffocating confinement. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his mouth. He wanted to see where he was, but his heavy eyelids felt glued shut, impossible to pry open.
Muddled and numb—those words perfectly described him at this moment.
This state lasted a long time. Just as he despaired and stopped struggling, the unexpected happened: he opened his eyes with surprising ease.
All he saw was emptiness, followed by waves of heat surging wildly through his meridians. It was a strange sensation—having qi flowing inside his body, filling him with a swelling feeling. He felt invincible, as if a single raise of his hand could shatter gold and break jade.
In reality, he had no control over his body at all, forced only to endure the scouring of the hot currents.
Growing accustomed to this rhythm, he closed his eyes tiredly, wanting to relax his mind.
Just then, a sharp stabbing pain erupted in his lower abdomen. His internal organs felt as if an invisible hand was twisting and tearing them apart, a pain so intense it nearly separated his spirit from his body.
It was an indescribable agony etched into his soul—he couldn't roar, couldn't roll around. He was like a dead fish on a chopping board,任由 the pain torture him.
In his daze, he heard a familiar, unfriendly complaint. After scolding him, someone kicked him hard—so hard it almost burst his swollen meridians.
"Damn woman, you're ruthless! Just you wait—I'll get even with you someday!" Ren Yi cursed silently.
Before he could finish his curse, two crisp slaps rang out—he'd been slapped twice across the face.
"Ouch! What the hell! This is too much bullying!"
"You vicious little witch! I curse you to die alone—you'll never, ever get married!"
He怨念 fiercely. These were the most vicious words he could think of.
After waiting for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea with no further abuse, he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she'd finally calm down.
But unexpectedly, a sharp pain shot through his fingertips. Before his soul could cry out, a refreshing medicinal liquid burst in his mouth.
Cool yet warm, it slid down his throat, flowing through his meridians and quickly dispelling the previous swelling.
The feeling was incredibly pleasant. Then, he did something unimaginable in his beggar's life—he moaned...
Ugh, how embarrassing!
Thankfully, the feeling faded as quickly as it came. He opened his eyes, still savoring the afterglow, only to be met with a harsh flick on the forehead.
"Ouch! Why did you hit me?"
Ren Yi jumped up, rubbing the large bump on his forehead unhappily.
It was huge—about the size of a pigeon's egg—proving she'd hit him with no mercy.
"Tch!" The transparent girl snorted in disdain, rushing over to twist his ear. "A beating is too kind for you, you fool! Who told you to eat whatever you want? Are you trying to die? I should just kill you now to be done with it!"
With that, she started beating him relentlessly.
Her fists were at the Divine King level. Even without spiritual energy, they were more than Ren Yi, a useless wretch, could bear. A mouthful of old blood spurted far away, drenching the nearby cub Ren Xiong from head to toe.
No one knew that a drop of that blood fell on its nose and slid into its mouth.
Ren Yi was shocked by himself, wiping the remaining blood from his mouth. He stared at the transparent girl in disbelief: "You're so cruel! I have no grudge against you—I didn't eat your rice or take your advantage. Why are you being so vicious? Are you a spider?"
"Hmph! Put away those angry squinty eyes! Hitting you is beneath me—look how dirty my hands are now!"
"Tsk tsk... I've traveled the Three Thousand Worlds and never seen a man more slovenly than you. I've had enough!"
The transparent girl tried to wipe the dirt from her hands in disgust, but except for Ren Yi, everything she touched passed right through her. She stamped her foot in anger.
Ren Yi refused to back down: "Hmph! If you find me disgusting, why not stay away? Don't let me ruin your eyes."
If he could, he'd wear clean clothes and sleep in a soft bed. But how could he end up like this?
He'd already exhausted all his strength just to fill his stomach. He didn't know what else he could do. He'd never received a formal education, couldn't read or write. He'd been homeless since childhood, reeking of the streets. Labor recruiters turned their noses up at him, saying he carried plagues and ate more than others—dismissing him with "we can't afford to feed you."
What could he do? He couldn't become a cultivator. His only hope was to join a martial arts sect, learn powerful skills over three to five years, then find work as a bodyguard for a escort agency or a wealthy family. That way, he wouldn't have to wander aimlessly for the rest of his life, struggling just to survive.
It was his only way out for now.
The transparent girl was stung by his words. If she could leave, she wouldn't have bothered saving him—she would've walked away long ago.
She needed to find her master, avenge him, and avenge herself. In her previous life, she'd been forced to death. This time, she'd make her enemies pay with blood.
The blazing firelight reflected off her beautiful face, her features twisted by hatred like a witch.
Ren Yi stepped back cautiously: "Y-you... If you won't leave, I'll get out of here! Is that okay?"
He turned and ran toward the cave entrance, but before he could step outside, the transparent girl blocked his path.
"Stay right there, or I'll beat you to a pulp!"
She raised her delicate fists, threatening fiercely.
"What on earth do you want? Please let me go! We've never crossed paths before!"
Ren Yi pulled a long face, wailing in agony.
Ever since meeting this weird woman, he'd experienced the most thrilling events of his life—he couldn't take any more.
The transparent girl fell silent for a long time, then said solemnly: "Come with me to find someone. Once I find him, I'll never bother you again."
Her master was omnipotent—there was nothing he couldn't solve. At that time, he'd surely free her from this stinking man's entanglement.
Ren Yi mocked himself: "Help you find someone? Heh, you're joking! Look at me—I'm a poor wretch. Do I look capable? I have no money, no connections. Searching for someone in this vast world is like looking for a ghost."
The transparent girl forced a bitter smile: "I know. But who else can I ask? No one else can see me."
She stared desolately at the falling snow outside the cave, her figure filled with unspeakable sorrow—completely different from her earlier fierce self.