Three Months Later
An old man stood quietly at the edge of a mountain cliff, looking far into the endless land below. The weather was calm and silent. The sky was clear, without a single cloud. Gentle sunlight fell on his aged body, warming not only his skin but also his tired soul.
The old man closed his eyes.
"It's time," he thought.
"Time for rebirth… and time to leave this body. I only have three days left. After that, this life will truly end."
A faint smile appeared on his wrinkled face.
"How long has it been?" he wondered again.
"Ten thousand years? Or even more? I have lived by changing bodies again and again. Yet one thing is clear now—each new body lasts less than the previous one."
A cold wind suddenly swept across the cliff. It was sharp and biting, like needles piercing bone and muscle. The old man slightly trembled.
"What was my real name?" he thought.
"Luo Yin? Zhang Xuan? Or something else… I can't remember anymore."
His brows furrowed.
"The backlash of the rebirth technique took too much. Even my true name has been erased."
After a long silence, his eyes slowly opened.
"Enough. It's time to check my cultivation… and begin the rebirth technique."
With a single thought, he sent out a mental call.
Luo Zheng appeared behind him.
The old man turned around and looked at him deeply. His gaze was calm, yet strangely heavy.
"Luo Zheng," the old man said slowly, "my only disciple… it's time to say goodbye."
Luo Zheng's heart froze for a moment.
"My lifespan is over," the old man continued. "I am about to die."
Luo Zheng felt something was wrong. Very wrong.
"Come here," the old man said. "Take my final gift. Sit cross-legged in front of me."
Luo Zheng took a step back. His instincts screamed danger.
"I—"
Before he could finish, an overwhelming force locked onto his body. It was invisible, yet absolute. His muscles stiffened. His limbs refused to move.
He couldn't even breathe properly.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't resist.
Slowly, his body moved on its own and sat down in front of the old man.
At first, panic filled Luo Zheng's heart. But after a few seconds, he forced himself to calm down.
Three months… he thought.
In these three months, I tempered my heart again and again.
He clearly felt it—the old man's intentions were not pure.
I don't know what he wants, Luo Zheng thought, but it's definitely not something good.
Day after day, his unease grew.
But one day, something changed.
His body, soul, mind, and heart suddenly became calm, as if a layer of dust had been swept away.
"What is the worst that can happen?" he asked himself.
"Death."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Every living being must die. Even a Great Emperor cannot escape this rule. So why should I fear?"
His eyes slowly brightened.
"Even if I die, so what? I refuse to live while trembling in fear."
Luo Zheng's will became firm.
"I will resist until my final breath. I will not let someone take my life while I do nothing."
He had already prepared himself.
The more he understood the world, the deeper his gaze became. Heaven, earth, fate—everything seemed clearer than before.
Just a few days ago, he had broken through and reached the Separation and Reunion Stage.
One day before the present moment, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
It sounded familiar.
"Shen Hao… do you fear death?"
Luo Zheng was shocked.
But he quickly calmed down.
"So you know my original name from Earth," he replied. "Just as I suspected, you're not simple. You can speak inside a formation that cuts off all outside connections."
The voice chuckled softly.
"I know far more than that," it said. "I know Yang Kai… the one you already killed."
Luo Zheng's eyes narrowed.
"If you know so much," he said, "and even know my true identity, then why are you interested in me?"
The voice laughed louder.
"You've changed a lot in just three months. I'm impressed."
"I don't need your praise," Luo Zheng replied calmly.
"I already see through you. You want to use me. But if you think fear of death can control me, you're wrong."
The voice paused, then said slowly,
"Is that your final decision? You don't need my help?"
It continued,
"You say I can't use fear to control you… yet an old man is about to use you for his rebirth. Or do you still not understand his true intentions?"
Luo Zheng's heart sank.
"I already predicted the worst," he said. "Your words only confirmed it. But tell me—are you certain he will succeed?"
The voice replied coldly,
"So you plan to gamble your life on luck? How naïve."
"I've been watching you for three months," it continued.
"You have no method to save yourself from him."
Luo Zheng remained silent.
His eyes were calm.
But deep inside, his resolve was sharper than ever.
Back to the Present
Luo Zheng was sitting cross-legged in front of the old man.
His posture was steady, but inside he felt helpless.
Almost all control over his body was gone. His limbs were stiff, his meridians sealed, and even his breathing followed a rhythm that was not his own. Still, one thing remained free—his voice.
And his mind.
Luo Zheng slowly opened his mouth, trying to speak.
Before he could say anything, the old man spoke first.
"I already know," the old man said calmly. "You've understood my plan. I am going to use your body for my rebirth."
His eyes were cold, without even a hint of hesitation.
"Don't think you can change my mind," he continued. "It's useless."
The old man raised one finger and lightly pointed toward Luo Zheng's forehead.
"I planted a seal inside your mind long ago," he said. "With that seal, I already control half of your body. Your resistance means nothing."
Luo Zheng's heart tightened, but his face remained calm.
He took a slow breath and said,
"Old man… I don't even want to argue about that."
The old man slightly frowned, as if surprised.
"But even if you control half of my body," Luo Zheng continued, his voice steady, "there is something you don't know."
"Oh?" the old man replied.
"You don't know my past cultivation method."
The old man laughed softly, shaking his head.
"Past cultivation?" he said. "You are nothing but a poor mortal. What kind of method could you possibly have?"
His tone became mocking.
"The low-level trash technique you once practiced was already destroyed the moment you cultivated the high-level method I gave you."
"You should know that yourself."
Luo Zheng slowly raised his head and looked directly at him.
A strange light flickered in his eyes.
"Are you sure?" Luo Zheng asked quietly.
The old man's smile froze for a brief moment.
The wind around the cliff suddenly became heavier.