From the moment Tian Yunxiu awakened, the entire Tian Clan fell into chaos. The room was soon filled with close family members and clan physicians, all hoping for the best, yet the trembling hands scanning his body told a different story.
"Meridians… shattered. Spirit root… dead. Dantian… broken. Young master, he…"
The sentence alone felt like being thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil. Many would give up on life upon hearing they were forever severed from the path of immortality. Tian Yunxiu's father stormed out of the room immediately after, his face white as bleached paper.
It was hard to say what he was thinking, but the bloodshot eyes and clenched fists told a story: he had yet to give up on hope. His qi trembled faintly around him, as if the truth itself pressed against his chest. His steps carried him to the patriarch, delivering the crushing news.
"Is that so?" Tian Zhanhe paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. His aura flickered once, betraying the composure he tried to maintain. Before him, Tian Longming kneeled with his hands on his knees.
"Relocate him to the outer palace. Have somebody watch over his recovery. No matter that he caused the clan great shame, I understand why he felt his frame stood higher than the heavens themselves. Geniuses are arrogant, foolish. It is your fault for not teaching your son well, Longming."
His eyes finally settled on his own son. No matter how much anger they held, he could not force himself to exile him, nor his grandson.
"Yes, Father." Tian Longming clasped his hands respectfully and rose with a controlled, graceful movement.
"And one more thing. Bring him that medicinal pill." The patriarch's words trembled despite the steady tone he tried to maintain.
"Father… even for Yunxiu, such a pill?" Longming's composure faltered. "It is the only one in the entire lower realms. If I use it on him and it doesn't work, our clan will become a laughing stock." His voice wavered between duty and desperation. On one hand, nothing mattered more than seeing his son recover; on the other, the clan's future sat heavily on his shoulders, demanding restraint.
"Do as I say." Tian Zhanhe cut him off, though the strain in his voice revealed the weight of his decision. "If it doesn't work and he remains a cripple, I will personally shatter my own dantian and step down as patriarch. This is my order. Just… do not get caught by that old dog Tian Yan. If he senses you in his treasure pavilion, he will raise a storm about it."
Tian Zhanhe let out a painful laugh, brittle and tired. It was the only thing keeping him from breaking under the turmoil twisting inside him.
----
"From the brightest star to the dimmest candle… how quickly the heavens grow bored."
A biting laugh sliced through the quiet of the room where Tian Yunxiu rested. Several figures stepped inside, their gazes lingering on him with open mockery. They looked roughly his age, though the one who had spoken carried himself like a man in his mid-twenties, already hungry for dominance.
Tian Yunxiu let out a low sneer as their faces filled his vision. "So the dogs who once begged for scraps have finally worked up the courage to bite," he said, forcing a laugh even though every breath sent pain crawling through his body.
So these are my cousins from the other branch of the clan… and the one who spoke is Tian Renshu, if I remember correctly. Not bad... core formation at twenty-four. A talent, sure, but still nothing compared to the former owner of this body.
His thoughts curled with dark amusement. I cannot let them step over me, not even while this body is crippled. The system said I only need seven days to recover. Fine. I will endure this now, but once those seven days pass, I will make them kneel and beg for mercy beneath my foot.
"A trash like you has no right to speak like that. Do you wish to die?"
A man built like a walking mountain roared, veins swelling across his forehead as if they might burst.
Trash, huh… Tian Haoyang, you used to look up to the previous owner of this body, yet you switched sides the moment the wind changed and started licking Tian Renshu's toes. Good. Very good. I'll remember this.
I didn't expect people of this world to fold so quickly. Does family mean nothing to them? No wonder the system said this world is ruled by the fist. If that's how it is, then I'll just have to climb higher than all of them and beat every barking dog into submission.
"Aren't I already half dead? Do you not have eyes? No wonder your cultivation is still stuck at Foundation Establishment. Come here then, let this grandpa teach you a trick or two, though I won't do it for free."
Tian Yunxiu's taunt made the veins on the burly man's forehead pulse even harder. He took a step heavy enough to make the floor tremble, his fist already rising, but a hand stopped him before he could lunge.
Tian Renshu held him back with a faint smile that never reached his eyes. Their sharp gleam told a different story.
"Cousin, we're not here to cause trouble. Can't you see how worried we are?" His voice dripped with honey and poison alike.
"A genius of the clan, our greatest hope… laid up like this. What a pity. The Heavens have certainly taken a cruel interest in you. But you'll recover before the Great Sect Gathering Competition, won't you?"
Each word sliced deeper than a blade. Tian Yunxiu sifted through the inherited memories, finding the one he dreaded: he had been expected to compete in the gathering in two months. Failure would mean expulsion from the clan.
So you came here just to rub it in, huh? Fine.I will recover.
He kept the thought buried where none of them could see it. Speaking it aloud would only invite more mockery. Even he understood that much. Sometimes the smartest move is to stay quiet and let silence work in your favor.
"I guess I beat your head so many times you turned into an idiot, Renshu."
A melodic voice drifted in from outside, sharp enough to cut through the tension. A young woman stepped into the room, flawless as carved jade. Her long black hair shimmered under the sunlight, yet her eyes carried a quiet threat, ready to strike the moment she needed to.
So that's my older sister? She's… stunning. Tian Yunxiu drew a small breath through his teeth. The memories told him she had always been close to the former owner of this body, but seeing her defend him now still felt strange. He barely knew her, yet she stood between him and the wolves circling the room.
A dull ache pressed through his chest. I need to recover fast. I need to learn how to cultivate.
In this unfamiliar world, strength was all he could rely on. Everyone else had family to lean on; he had inherited bonds he didn't fully understand. And the truth settled in heavily: he was alone, and many in his place would have already broken.
"You! How dare you speak like that to our clan's number one genius? You should be growling under his feet—"
"Enough, cousin." Tian Renshu raised his hand, stopping Tian Haoyang in place. "Yushuang has come to see her brother. We shouldn't bother them more."
He clasped his hands behind his back as he headed toward the exit. The gesture looked polite on the surface, but the way he walked out so casually showed that he no longer placed Tian Yunxiu in his eyes. The bulky man followed right after, giving the youth in the bed one last glance filled with mockery and killing intent.
"What a bunch of hypocrites, am I right, Yunxiu?"
A warm smile brightened Tian Yunxiu's dim world. In his past life, he had no siblings, and yet this woman's care felt genuine enough to make something stir in his chest. For the first time since arriving, he wished he could truly integrate into this world.
"I will forever remember this kindness, big sister." He clasped his hands together in respect, no matter how much the movement hurt. But the action made the woman's expression drop instantly.
"What are you doing? We're family, and you're injured… Yunxiu. Why must you always be so respectful?" She rushed to his side, supporting him before he could strain himself further. "Here, Father asked me to give you this. Quickly, ingest it before anyone sees."
Her fingers scrambled through her sleeve before pulling out a small jade container. When she opened it, a sweet medicinal fragrance drifted through the room.
"This is…?" Tian Yunxiu did not recognize the pill, but even from the scent and the memories he inherited, he could tell it was anything but ordinary.
"[This is a Primordial Chaos Restoration Pill, a treasure nearly impossible to obtain in the lower realms. It is likely the only one of its kind. It could potentially help you recover fragments of your strength and stabilize your injuries. However, it cannot repair what the heavenly law has destroyed. No earthly pill can.]"
The robotic voice echoed through his mind, widening his eyes.
Then I should refuse it?
"[No. Consume it. It will harmonize perfectly with the Void Emperor's Body Technique. With this pill, your recovery will accelerate significantly. Estimated time: three days.]"
Three days… good. Those who dare look down on me will soon receive a pleasant surprise.