"Chapter 3: Imperial Dragon Origin
When Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a strange world.
No.
It was not even a world.
It was only darkness.
Endless darkness.
There was no sky.
There was no ground.
There was no light.
It was as if he had been thrown into a void where nothing existed.
Xiao Chen frowned.
The first thought that entered his mind was simple.
"Is this Heaven's domain?"
He slowly looked around the dark space.
"Or is this Heaven's punishment?"
He gave a bitter sigh.
"Only if I had enough power..."
He lowered his head.
"So the heavens finally grew tired of me and struck me down with lightning."
His eyes darkened.
"That is the only thing they know how to do anyway."
Suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the endless darkness.
"Calm down, little boy."
Xiao Chen froze.
The voice sounded ancient.
It sounded deep.
It sounded like thunder rolling across the heavens.
Xiao Chen immediately looked upward.
But above him, there was still only endless darkness.
He could not see anything.
Xiao Chen frowned.
"I thought Heaven was supposed to be bright," he muttered.
"At least that is what everyone always says."
He looked around the darkness again.
"They say Heaven is full of light and peace."
He sighed.
"But this place is so dark that I cannot even see my own fingers."
Then Xiao Chen slowly raised his head.
"So when will I get to see my sister?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the voice exploded like thunder.
"What nonsense are you saying, boy?"
"This is not Heaven."
"And you are not dead yet!"
Xiao Chen's eyes widened.
"I am not dead?"
He quickly looked around again.
He clearly remembered seeing a golden-black light falling from the sky.
Then there had been a deafening explosion.
After that, everything had gone dark.
"Then where am I?"
The voice gave a long sigh.
"This is my domain."
Xiao Chen blinked.
He looked around at the endless darkness.
"This?"
"Your domain?"
"It is completely empty."
"Who are you?"
The voice suddenly laughed.
The sound echoed across the darkness.
"I am the last host of the Imperial Dragon Origin."
Xiao Chen frowned.
"Imperial Dragon Origin?"
The voice continued.
"And I was supposed to give it to a new host."
For the first time, the ancient voice sounded disappointed.
"But the child I had chosen died."
Xiao Chen's eyes widened slightly.
The voice let out another sigh.
"Then I found you."
"A little brat standing on a mountain, pointing at the sky, cursing the heavens beside the host grave."
The voice suddenly sounded annoyed.
"What the hell were you even doing anyway?"
"Are you not afraid that Heaven would strike you down with lightning?"
"Young people these days are far too reckless."
Xiao Chen froze.
A grave.
A child.
His heart suddenly shook.
"The person you wanted to choose..."
His voice trembled.
"Was it Xiao Mei?"
For a moment, the voice became silent.
Then it spoke again.
"You and the dead child shared a similar bloodline."
"But her bloodline was much purer than yours."
"As for you... your bloodline is hidden very deeply."
"In fact, it may actually be stronger than hers."
The voice paused.
"But I still would have chosen her over you."
Xiao Chen lowered his head.
His fists slowly clenched.
The voice continued mercilessly.
"After all, you cannot cultivate."
"Your meridians are completely blocked."
"Your dantian does not even exist anymore."
"Someone most likely removed it when you were born."
Xiao Chen's eyes widened.
"Removed?"
His entire body trembled.
"My dantian was removed?"
The voice ignored his shock.
"Do you know why I still chose you?"
"I could have searched for another host."
"Someone better."
"Someone stronger."
"Someone who is not a pitiful little pawn created by Heaven."
"A broken toy meant to suffer for the amusement of the heavens themselves."
The moment Xiao Chen heard those words, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
Rage filled his chest.
But even then, he forced himself to stay calm.
"Then why?"
He slowly raised his head.
"Why did you choose me?"
The voice laughed softly.
"I have three reasons
Then the darkness around Xiao Chen suddenly began to tremble.
"The first reason," the voice said slowly, "is because you share a similar bloodline with the child I originally wanted to choose."
"Her bloodline was purer than yours, but yours is hidden much deeper."
"If it ever awakens completely, it may become something far greater than hers could ever have been."
Xiao Chen remained silent.
His fists slowly loosened.
"The second reason..."
The ancient voice suddenly became serious.
"You possess something that only one person in a million truly has."
"Will."
Xiao Chen frowned.
"Will?"
"Yes," the voice replied.
"It is not some divine physique."
"It is not some heaven-defying bloodline."
"It will not instantly make you more talented than others."
"But in cultivation, will is one of the most important things of all."
The voice echoed across the darkness.
"Without will, even the most talented genius will eventually stop moving forward."
"Without will, even someone blessed by Heaven itself will remain trapped in one place forever."
"Cultivation is not only about talent."
"It is about continuing to walk even when your body is broken."
"It is about refusing to kneel when the entire world wants you to bow your head."
"It is about moving forward even when everyone tells you it is impossible."
The darkness trembled slightly.
"With enough will, mountains can be crushed."
"Rivers can be dried."
"Even Heaven itself can be defied."
"A talentless person like you may still reach the peak of cultivation one day."
"As long as you have a reason."
"As long as you have the drive to continue forward."
Xiao Chen lowered his head.
His eyes slowly began to shake.
The voice continued.
"The third reason..."
For the first time, the ancient voice sounded amused.
"I simply want to see how far you can truly go against Heaven."
"Will you be victorious?"
"Will Heaven crush you?"
"Or will both of you eventually reach some strange balance?"
"I have lived for a very long time."
"I have seen countless geniuses."
"Countless monsters."
"Countless emperors."
"But I have never been this curious about anyone before."
"So I want to see it with my own eyes."
"I want to know who the true winner will be."
The voice fell silent for a moment.
Then it spoke again.
"Those are my reasons."
"Some people may think they are foolish reasons."
"Perhaps what I am doing is foolish."
The ancient voice suddenly laughed.
"But I do not care."
Then its voice became serious once more.
"I can give you power."
"Power great enough to truly stand against Heaven itself."
"I can recreate your dantian."
"I can unblock your meridians."
"I can give you the chance to cultivate."
The darkness around Xiao Chen began to shake violently.
"Tell me, Xiao Chen..."
"Are you willing to accept the Imperial Dragon Origin?"
Xiao Chen's breathing became heavy.
"Can I truly go against Heaven?"
The voice boomed like thunder.
"Yes!"
"With the Imperial Dragon Origin, even reaching the Heaven Realm should be child's play for you."
"After all, this Heaven is only a lower-tier Heaven."
Xiao Chen frowned.
Lower-tier Heaven?
He did not understand what that meant.
But before he could ask, the voice rang out again.
"So tell me, Xiao Chen..."
"Are you willing to accept the Imperial Dragon Origin?"
Xiao Chen slowly raised his head.
There was no hesitation in his eyes.
"Yes," he said.
The moment the word left his mouth, a blinding white light exploded throughout the endless darkness.
Xiao Chen's eyes widened as the white light swallowed his entire body.