Night had fallen over the mountain village.
The snow had stopped.
But Kael couldn't sleep.
He sat inside Jian's small training room, staring at the broken piece of black metal on the table.
His father's message kept repeating in his mind.
Don't trust the memories.
Kael rubbed his eyes.
“How am I supposed to understand anything?”
Across the room, Jian sat cross-legged.
“You're asking the wrong question.”
Kael looked up.
“What should I ask?”
Jian opened his eyes.
“Whether you're ready to hear the answer.”
Kael frowned.
“I've already been attacked by cultivators, nearly killed by a wolf, and watched my master fight four people by himself.”
He pointed at the metal fragment.
“And now I'm seeing memories that aren't mine.”
He stood.
“I think I'm ready.”
Jian studied him for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
“Sit.”
Kael immediately sat down.
Jian placed two fingers against Kael's forehead.
“Close your eyes.”
Kael obeyed.
“Forget the world around you.”
The room became silent.
“Forget the snow.”
Kael breathed slowly.
“Forget your body.”
His breathing became steadier.
“Now listen.”
Kael heard nothing.
Then—
Thump.
His heartbeat.
Thump.
Again.
Jian's voice came from somewhere in the darkness.
“Every living creature contains Qi.”
“Ordinary people have Qi, but they cannot control it.”
“Cultivators learn to gather it, refine it, and circulate it through their bodies.”
Kael listened carefully.
“There are nine major realms.”
Jian raised one finger.
“Body Tempering.”
“The first step.”
A second finger.
“Qi Gathering.”
“Then Qi Condensation.”
“Foundation Establishment.”
“Core Formation.”
“Spirit Soul.”
“Domain.”
“Saint.”
“And finally...”
Jian's voice became quieter.
“Sovereign.”
Kael opened his eyes.
“That sounds impossible.”
Jian almost smiled.
“You haven't even taken your first step.”
He pointed at Kael's chest.
“Your body is currently at the beginning of Body Tempering.”
Kael blinked.
“I've never cultivated before.”
“I know.”
“Then how?”
Jian's expression became serious.
“That is what concerns me.”
He placed a small stone on the floor.
“Most people spend months strengthening their bodies before they can properly sense Qi.”
Kael looked at the stone.
“You did it today.”
“Because of the golden flame?”
“Perhaps.”
Jian's eyes narrowed.
“Or because the flame is using you for something you don't understand.”
Kael's expression changed.
“Can it hurt me?”
“Yes.”
The answer came immediately.
Kael swallowed.
“Then teach me how to control it.”
Jian nodded.
“Good.”
He pointed toward the stone.
“Sit.”
Kael sat cross-legged.
“Back straight.”
Kael corrected his posture.
“Breathe slowly.”
He inhaled.
Then exhaled.
“Imagine the energy around you entering your body.”
Kael tried.
Nothing happened.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
His legs began hurting.
Sweat formed on his forehead despite the cold room.
“Master?”
“Keep going.”
Another ten minutes.
Nothing.
Kael gritted his teeth.
I can do this.
He remembered the masked warrior.
You should have died seventeen years ago.
His fists tightened.
He remembered the mysterious battlefield.
The sword.
His own death.
Then he remembered Jian's words.
Your destiny was never yours to begin with.
Something inside Kael changed.
The warmth returned.
At first, it was tiny.
Then it grew.
A thread of golden energy entered his body.
Kael's eyes remained closed.
He could feel it.
The Qi moved through his arms.
Into his chest.
Then down toward his stomach.
His entire body became warm.
Jian's expression changed.
Already?
Kael suddenly felt tremendous pain.
His muscles tightened.
His bones seemed to shake.
He nearly stopped.
“Don't resist it!” Jian shouted.
Kael gritted his teeth.
The golden energy surged through his body.
Crack!
A sharp sound came from his spine.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
He gasped.
For a moment, he couldn't breathe.
Then the pain disappeared.
Silence.
Kael slowly looked at his hands.
His body felt different.
Lighter.
Stronger.
He stood.
The wooden floor creaked beneath his feet.
Jian walked toward him.
“Punch the wall.”
Kael stared.
“What?”
“The wall.”
Kael hesitated.
Then he clenched his fist.
He punched.
BOOM!
The wall shook.
A crack appeared across the wooden panel.
Kael stared at it.
“I did that?”
Jian nodded.
“You have entered the first layer of Body Tempering.”
Kael's eyes lit up.
“I'm a cultivator.”
“Barely.”
Kael's excitement disappeared.
Jian turned away.
“Don't let one breakthrough make you arrogant.”
He pointed toward the cracked wall.
“You're stronger than an ordinary person now.”
Then his expression became cold.
“But the people coming for you are much stronger.”
Kael remembered the four warriors.
“How strong?”
Jian looked at him.
“The weakest one today was in the Qi Gathering Realm.”
Kael's excitement disappeared completely.
“How many realms above me?”
“Two major stages.”
Kael sighed.
“So I'm still weak.”
“Very.”
Kael sat down again.
“Then let's continue.”
Jian smiled faintly.
“You really are his son.”
Kael froze.
“Whose?”
Jian didn't answer.
Instead, he walked toward the door.
“We leave before sunrise.”
Kael stood.
“Where?”
“A place where you can train without being found.”
“Where is that?”
Jian looked toward the mountains.
“The Ruined Moon Sect.”
Kael had heard the name before.
Every cultivator in the Northern Territory knew it.
Once, it had been one of the strongest sects in the region.
Now only ruins remained.
“Why there?”
Jian's expression became complicated.
“Because your father trained there.”
Kael's heart jumped.
“My father?”
Jian nodded.
“And if you're lucky...”
He looked at the black metal fragment.
“His old enemies won't find us first.”
Kael looked toward the window.
Beyond the village, the mountains disappeared into darkness.
Somewhere out there were answers about his father.
Answers about the golden flame.
Answers about the strange memories.
And perhaps—
answers about the seven deaths he couldn't remember.
Kael clenched his fist.
“I'll go.”
Jian opened the door.
“Then get some sleep.”
Kael looked at him.
“Master.”
Jian stopped.
“What?”
Kael's voice was quiet.
“If I really have lived before...”
He hesitated.
“Then who was I?”
Jian remained silent for a long moment.
Finally, he answered.
“That's the question you should be afraid to ask.”
He closed the door.
Kael stood alone in the training room.
His eyes slowly narrowed.
Outside the village, something moved through the snow.
A black-robed figure stopped on a distant hill.
He looked toward Jian's house.
Then smiled.
“They're leaving.”
A second figure appeared behind him.
“Should we attack tonight?”
The first man shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
His gaze fell upon the sleeping village.
“Because the boy has only just begun cultivating.”
He smiled.
“Let him grow.”
The second figure frowned.
“Grow?”
The man turned away.
“It's much more satisfying to destroy hope after it has taken root.”
Far inside the village, Kael suddenly opened his eyes.
For just one second—
the golden mark appeared on his palm.
And this time...
a single word appeared inside his mind.
RUN.