"Ahhh—"
Am I going to die? Every heartbeat thundered in Qin Feng's chest, faster and faster, almost like it would burst. His vision blurred, and the pain in his body grew unbearable.
"So this is… death," he whispered, his lips trembling.
"Qin Feng!"
"Qin Feng!"
"Q–Qin Feng!"
Voices called his name, distant and fading, but they brought no comfort. Qin Feng tried to push himself up, but his limbs refused to move. A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
I don't have a luxurious life like those rich bastards, he thought. Mom… I couldn't give you a good life… I failed you.
From deep within the thin air, a loud, bone-chilling voice echoed.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!"
Someone was screaming. Qin Feng's heart skipped a beat. Is that… my mother? But she wasn't here. Or… am I dying and hearing things?
"Sorry, Mom," he whispered. "I tried my best… but I'm talentless. I have no grades in cultivation… no skill in alchemy. All I ever did was watch donghua while my friends rose to higher realms. I'm useless…"
The world grew dim. Slowly, Qin Feng's eyes closed.
His soul felt light… and then heavier than anything he had ever known. It drifted through endless darkness, away from his broken body. The pain remained, but it was distant, like a faint echo of life.
Ahead of him, a vast void appeared. A strange, glowing gate loomed, stretching into the heavens. It radiated colors he could not name—reds, blues, purples, and golds intertwined like living rivers.
THE GATE OF REINCARNATION.
"Ah…"
A voice, low and terrifying, resonated through the void. "Another soul has died. Let me see the story of your life."
Qin Feng's soul froze. Every sound that came from this being felt like it could crush him. He tried to move… but he couldn't. Fear rooted him in place.
"You lived a life full of regret," the voice continued. "Talentless. Poor. Powerless. Nothing but trash."
Qin Feng's fists clenched instinctively, but he could not argue. The truth stung more than any blade.
"However," the being continued, "your death was not fated. You are not meant to die yet."
Qin Feng's soul trembled.
"I will allow you to pass through reincarnation. You will be reborn with a superior bloodline. One that can give you the chance to change your fate. Now—go."
A gentle push, stronger than any force he had ever felt, sent Qin Feng forward.
The Gate of Reincarnation opened wider. Its colors swirled and expanded, stretching into infinite space. Without any choice, Qin Feng drifted toward it.
Inside, it was like falling through a river of light. Colors rushed past him, changing faster than his eyes could follow. The air smelled of nothing and everything at once, a mixture of life, energy, and eternity.
As he fell deeper, memories of his life flickered before his eyes—his failures, the laughter of classmates as they passed him, the loneliness, and the moments he wished he could change. Each memory burned like fire, yet he felt no pain. Only regret… and longing.
Then, the voice spoke again, calmer this time: "You have lived as a weak soul, Qin Feng. But your next life… will be different. Only those who survive their trials may rise. Only those who seize opportunity will leave the path of trash behind."
Qin Feng's heart raced, though he no longer had a physical one. A faint spark ignited within him, a small flicker of hope.
The Gate continued to pull him in. He saw shadows of past lives, distant and vague, floating in the light. Then, a figure approached—tall, cloaked, its eyes shining with knowledge far beyond mortal comprehension.
"Do not fear what comes next," it said. "You will be tested. You will be challenged. But your bloodline will guide you. You must awaken it, or you will perish again."
Qin Feng wanted to speak, to ask questions, to plead… but no words came. Instead, he focused on the spark in his chest, feeling it grow, pulsing like a heartbeat of a new life.
And then… darkness swallowed everything.