The moment I woke, my body ached in a way I hadn't felt on Earth. Muscles, joints, even bones seemed alive with potential, as if the small surge from the orb yesterday had left a permanent mark. My chest throbbed softly with that lingering warmth, reminding me that I wasn't just a boy with memories, I was a boy with a chance to rewrite his fate. Every breath felt deeper, sharper, each heartbeat carrying the promise of power.
I rose, stepping barefoot onto the dew-soaked courtyard stones. The chill bit at my skin, but it was invigorating. The courtyard greeted me with its usual quiet, the soft rustle of bamboo leaves, and the faint chirp of early birds. My senses had sharpened overnight. I could feel the subtle threads of spiritual energy weaving through the air, faint yet persistent, like invisible rivers flowing beneath the surface. The pulse of the earth beneath my feet was steady, grounding, familiar yet alive with energy. Even the training dummies seemed to hum faintly, as if aware of my presence. The world felt awake, alive, resonating with possibility.
I knelt on the damp stone, closing my eyes and focusing on the warmth in my chest. Luck Points weren't just numbers, they were more than rewards, more than fleeting advantages, they were keys, tools, potential waiting to be sculpted into power. Each point I had earned yesterday was a thread in a web of possibility, waiting for me to pull it and weave it into something more. I inhaled slowly, filling my lungs with crisp morning air, then exhaled, letting energy spread from my chest into my arms, legs, and every fiber of my being.
[Luck Points +3]
Golden threads of energy began to form inside me, faint at first, fragile, but undeniably real. My body responded instinctively, muscles tightening and loosening in a rhythm that felt natural. My Mortal Root, once a cage that limited every step, now felt slightly malleable. I could sense the restrictions of my first life slipping, the old boundaries cracking, allowing the raw potential buried deep within me to stir.
I opened my eyes and surveyed the training dummy before me. On Earth, I had spent countless hours practicing football, strategy, and combat simulations, but this was different. This was raw energy, unrefined and alive, and it pulsed in harmony with my heartbeat. I clenched my fists, feeling invisible serpents of energy coil around my arms, ready to respond to my will. The sensation was intoxicating.
I struck the dummy deliberately, focusing not on brute force but on precision. Energy followed the arc of my movements like liquid gold, flowing seamlessly from my core through my limbs. Faint golden cracks formed on the wood where my strikes landed, radiating small pulses of feedback into my body. The force wasn't just physical, it carried the rhythm of my intent, a whisper that the energy itself demanded control and understanding.
[Luck Points +2]
A thrill surged through me. On Earth, I had been constrained by physicality and circumstance. Here, my mind, sharpened by the memory of a life already lived, could guide a body capable of far more. Every movement, every strike, every twist and dodge, fed the flow of energy. Every breath drew it deeper into my system, reinforcing the threads of cultivation forming inside me.
Time became fluid. Hours passed, but it felt like minutes. The sun climbed higher, casting golden light that filtered through the bamboo, glinting off the dew on the stones. My robes were soaked with sweat, clinging to my body, but I felt no exhaustion, only exhilaration. Each strike honed my awareness, each step refined my balance. Every pulse of energy fed into a cycle that strengthened my body and mind simultaneously. I could feel subtle improvements in strength, flexibility, and focus with every movement.
Then, as I was striking the dummy in a spinning arc, a new sensation prickled my awareness, a presence. Quiet, calm, patient, yet unmistakably observant. My body froze mid-strike, energy coiling around my arms defensively, instinctively.
[Luck Points +1]
I narrowed my eyes. Whoever it was hadn't revealed themselves, yet their power was undeniable. Not overwhelming, not yet, but precise, intelligent, calculating. A cultivator who knew what to feel, how to measure, and how to discern potential. Someone curious about the sudden pulse of energy emanating from a new disciple in the Wen Clan.
"Interesting," I whispered under my breath, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at my lips, "I'm being watched, but that's fine, let them watch, let them learn." The thought thrilled me. Observation wasn't a threat, it was an opportunity, a chance to sharpen my instincts, to test how my energy flowed under scrutiny.
I resumed training with renewed focus, faster this time, letting my body push beyond the limits I had experienced yesterday. Every movement sharpened my senses, every strike polished my control. My mind calculated trajectories, anticipating how energy would respond, learning patterns instinctively. I could feel the Luck Points I had collected yesterday working silently, invisibly, amplifying subtle improvements I couldn't see directly, but could feel in my reflexes and stamina.
Hours blurred into a rhythm of motion. I felt my body grow stronger, more responsive. Even minor imperfections corrected themselves naturally, guided by instinct and the lingering influence of the Luck Points. I could sense the flow of energy within me stabilizing, forming the first real foundation of cultivation. My Mortal Root, once fragile and limiting, felt almost cooperative, bending to my will, accommodating the new energy I had absorbed.
When the sun had climbed high enough to illuminate the courtyard in full, I finally stood upright, robes damp, chest heaving, but exhilaration coursing through my veins. This first true step into cultivation was intoxicating. It wasn't merely strength, but awareness, control, and understanding, the awakening of potential that had been dormant for years, now roaring quietly beneath the surface.
I walked toward the dining hall myself, feeling the rhythm of my own body in every step. The familiar scents of the morning feast greeted me, the steam of rice, the aroma of fresh vegetables, the tang of spices, but even this mundane experience felt different. Each movement felt connected to the energy still coiling inside me. I was no longer merely a boy eating lunch. I was a cultivator in motion, a reincarnated strategist, a boy who had glimpsed the limits of one life and refused to be constrained by them again.
I took my seat, letting my chest pulse with residual energy, and ate slowly, savoring each bite. My mind, however, remained alert and calculating. The observer from earlier, the cultivator watching silently, was still out there. I could feel it, faintly at first, then more sharply, beyond the edges of perception, analyzing, measuring, curious. Perfect, let them watch, let them measure me, let them learn nothing yet, while I grew stronger in secret.
This world would challenge me, test me, and push me beyond the boundaries of what I thought possible. But I had something no one else did, knowledge of a life already lived, and the ability to improve my talent with each Luck Point I collected. Every point became a hidden advantage, each surge of energy a step ahead of the rest. Step by step, point by point, strike by strike.
Today was the first real step into cultivation, and I could feel the game beginning in earnest. My body hummed with potential, my mind sharp with strategy, and my soul tingled with the thrill of hidden power. This was only the beginning, and I was ready to seize it.