The last thing I felt was the cold of the floor when I hit my head on the pavement, choking on noodles of all things.
No flashback of my life.
Just a blank, dazed brain full of regret.
“So this is how I die.
No major accomplishments.
At least I dodged debt collectors and taxes.” I chuckled before everything went dark.
A ray of sun hit my face.
I opened my eyes slowly and found an exquisitely carved ceiling above me.
I was resting on a bed so huge and soft it felt like sleeping on clouds.
“Is this heaven?
Pretty sure I don’t qualify.”
I sat up carefully and looked around.
“Hello?
Anyone here?”
“Congratulations, Host, on your successful transmigration.”
An emotionless voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once.
“Transmigration?
Wait—isn’t this heaven?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“I don’t recall you being religious, Host.”
“This isn’t heaven.
You’ve been transmigrated to another world—one considerably more interesting than your last one.”
I looked down at my own body, then rushed to the nearest mirror.
“No way.”
I stared at a face gorgeous enough to topple kingdoms.
“So I’m basically one of those protagonists from those novels now.
This is going to be awesome.”
A smirk crept onto my face as I was already scheming.
“Sorry to cut that celebration short, Host.
You’ll need to prepare yourself.
You’re about to receive what’s left of Long Zaitian’s memory.”
“Hold on.
You’re a System, right?
The classic transmigrator’s golden finger?” I asked, ignoring its warning entirely, way too excited.
Before I could scream in pure excitement, a piercing pain tore through my skull—like a thousand ants biting into my brain all at once.
Most transmigrators, apparently, got the chance to scream before blacking out.
My pain tolerance had clearly never been trained for anything like this.
I went down instantly.
A few hours later, I woke up with a splitting headache.
“Host, call out your status.
Also, your pain tolerance is genuinely pathetic.
That’s practically a sin in this world.”
Fair, honestly.
What little had come through wasn’t a clean download—more like scattered fragments, secondhand impressions rather than lived memories.
Long Zaitian, only son of the Long Clan’s Patriarch.
A body that had spent years in a coma.
Most of what passed for “his” memories were pieced together loosely from scraps the System could scrape up, not anything I’d actually lived through.
I sighed, more than a little depressed, then called it out anyway.
“Status.”
Status
Name: Long Zaitian
Race: Primordial Dragon
Age: 18
Realm: 2nd Layer, Foundation Establishment
Bloodline Grade: ???
(Sealed)
“So this is it.
Nothing particularly impressive for the son of an immortal-tier clan patriarch.”
A knock came at the door.
“What is it?” I said, straightening my rumpled clothes.
“The Elder Council requests your presence within the next thirty minutes,” the voice at the door said, respectful and graceful.
“Fine.”
I raised my hands and clapped once.
Immediately, rows of maids appeared, carrying exquisite garments and accessories.
They filed in and waited quietly for my signal.
Zaitian couldn’t find a better way to summon people than clapping?
No bell, no tapping the floor, nothing?
I spread my arms and let them dress me.
Must be nice, being rich enough to be too lazy to dress yourself.
They finished quickly, careful not to touch anything beneath the outer garments.
I left for the Clan Hall, where guests were received.
Every hallway I passed came with rows of bows and greetings, which admittedly felt good for a moment.
Guess that’s life.
Poor, wretched rat one minute—prestigious clan heir the next.
Though I don’t recall saving the world in my last life to deserve this kind of upgrade.
Before I could dwell on it, I reached the Hall gates, not far from my own courtyard.
Instead of the usual noise of bickering elders leaking through the doors, it was dead silent.
I glanced at the guard by the gate.
He just shrugged and opened it for me.
I stepped in and immediately felt hundreds of eyes lock onto me.
I kept walking anyway, calm.
Thank god I actually have Zaitian’s fragments to work from, plus decent acting instincts.
Otherwise, I’d have humiliated myself the second I walked in.
A few of those stares felt sharper than the rest, but I didn’t look.
I kept my face blank and my focus straight ahead.
I approached the First Elder’s seat, bowed, then bowed again to the rest of the elders seated in a loose semicircle.
“Zaitian.
Do you know why you’ve been summoned?” Elder Long Kong, the First Elder, asked.
“I don’t,” I said flatly.
He nodded.
Another elder stood and bowed toward me.
“Young Master Zaitian.
The Phoenix Empire wishes to annul the engagement with you.”
Ah, the engagement plot.
Should I bring up the whole “thirty years” speech?
I don’t even remember the exact wording.
And I don’t want this to be annulled.
It’ll ruin the clan reputation.
Once he finished, I turned in the direction his gaze indicated.
A woman in servant’s attire stood there, above-average looks, nothing more.
“Are you the one annulling this engagement, or is it your Empire?” I asked, still flat.
The question sent murmurs through the elders and visibly rattled the poor servant girl.
The Third Elder cleared her throat loudly.
“Zaitian.
Show proper respect to the Empire—and to the Princess, who is seated over there.”
She gestured toward the far edge of the hall.
That was where the sharpest stares had been coming from since I walked in.
My future wife, apparently—though I still couldn’t make out her face.
“Oh.”
Embarrassment crept into my voice.
“Did your Empire decide to annul this engagement because my bloodline failed to awaken?” I asked, coolly.
System.
Tell me you’ve got a backup plan, because I am completely stranded here.
“Precisely,” the princess said.
Host.
I can release your bloodline seal temporarily—just for a moment.
Now we’re talking.
What’s the cost?
You’ll find out soon enough.
Do it.
A violent surge of aura and pressure crashed down over the hall.
My body cracked under the strain, blood trickling quietly from my nose, and the aura vanished as fast as it came.
Dead silence swallowed the hall.
Every face wore shock.
“Having second thoughts about the annulment now?” I said coldly, my breath ragged underneath it.
“If anyone’s canceling this engagement, it’ll be me.”
“Young Master—”
A minor elder started, but I cut him off immediately.
“This engagement stays,” the Phoenix Empire princess said suddenly.
“Do you think you get to have it both ways?
Stays when it’s convenient, ends when it isn’t?”
“You think this Young Master has no leverage of his own?”
She rose from where she’d been seated and approached gracefully—though I still couldn’t make out her expression, only the plain cut of her outfit.
“The engagement stays.
I’ve already decided,” she said seriously.
“You’ve already lost your chance to—”
Before I could finish—
“Zaitian.
Princess.
We’ve heard what’s been said and seen what’s been shown,” the Fourth Elder, Long Chu, cut in.
“But this decision belongs to the elders of both families.
Not either of you.”
Thanks for the timing, System.
Anytime.
The princess and I stared at each other for a long moment.
I turned, bowed to the elders, and left the hall.
The moment I reached my own courtyard, alone, I doubled over and vomited a full mouthful of fresh blood.