"Arghhhhh!"A loud roar of pain echoed through the dark abyss. The kind of sound that would send chills down the spine of any nearby listener, if anyone had been close enough to hear."Arghhhhh!"The scream came again, sharper and louder, cutting through the silence that wrapped the abyss."Haaaaa!!"Another cry followed, deeper and more violent, shaking the depths of the abyss. The roars went on for who knows how long until, at last, the place fell into a heavy silence.A long stretch of quiet passed and then a burnt hand reached out from the darkness, fingers dragging across the cold, broken ground. A body followed slowly behind it, moving inch by inch until it finally crawled into the light."Finally," Rain groaned, collapsing on his back. His charred hair stuck to his face, and his entire body looked like it had been through a furnace. His clothes were in tatters, his skin burnt, and thin smoke rose from the surface of his flesh."When will this torture stop," he muttered, his ey

Rain’s expression darkened further as the banging continued and it wasn’t the polite kind of knock you get from someone with good intentions. It was loud, commanding, and sharp like whoever was outside was already pissed and just needed an excuse to cause trouble.Still, Rain stood up, his steps were steady as he walked to the door and opened it.The face that greeted him was all too familiar, grey sect robes, an arrogant chin tilted up just a little too high, and a golden crest pinned to his chest. Rain’s gaze flicked over it once.A golden-crest outer disciple, someone guaranteed to be picked by an elder during the upcoming five-year trial. A so-called rising star.To the sect, this badge meant potential but Rain, it meant nothing.The five-year trial was only for those the elders had overlooked during recruitment. Anyone at Foundation Establishment Realm or above had a shot. That was the bare minimum. Anyone weaker was simply background noise.Rain? Ten years and still stuck in Qi

Rain stared at the pile of gold coins once more, fingers tapping the edge of the drawer. A slow breath left him. With this much, clearing his meridians and forcing a breakthrough to Foundation Realm was possible. Barely. But possible.He still needed more, much more. A thousand coins looked impressive to the eyes, but for cultivation? It was a drop in the ocean.He’d barely begun calculating how much he’d have to earn when,“Rain! Rain!”A frantic shout echoed from outside, followed by quick, uneven footsteps sprinting toward his door.Before he could react, the door slammed open and a girl burst inside.“Rain! Are you alright? I heard Jackson came looking for you after you scared his younger brother shitless!” she yelled, words spilling over each other as she rushed to him.Without waiting, she grabbed his hands, his arms, his shoulders checking him head to toe like a mother hen with a dying chick.Rain stiffened.“Jasmine, I’m fine,” he said, voice flat, completely thrown off by how

The instant Rain’s words dropped, the air shifted and a blur of motion sliced through the street like a shadow without weight, it was fast, too fast actually. Rain barely caught the flicker before a figure landed on one knee before him, head bowed, movements smooth and reverent.“Young master,” came the low, respectful voice.Rain’s eyes narrowed.His posture remained calm, hands still behind his back, but every muscle in his body was alert.“You are?” His voice was neutral, but there was a steel edge behind it. No warmth or familiarity.The figure slowly raised his head.“It’s me, Chen.”The moment Rain saw the man’s face, something clicked. Another surge of foreign memories unraveled in his mind, flooding his awareness and his jaw tightened slightly.Chen.Bodyguard. Shadow. One of the most loyal blades of Rain’s father.Powerful, silent and obedient.Always watching.He had no idea what realm Chen had reached but even in his fragmented memories, Chen’s presence had always radiated

Rain soon arrived at his small apartment inside the sect.He pushed open the creaky wooden door, and a familiar wave of dust and stale air greeted him. The room was dim, the window barely allowing any light in, and the floor was cluttered with scrolls, broken bowls, and torn fabric. Still, he didn't spare it a second glance.None of that mattered now.Now was the time to turn this broken, mocked body into something terrifying.Dragging an enormous iron bath bowl from the toilet, Rain placed it near the center of the room. He moved with sharp, deliberate efficiency. Then, he lit a fire beneath the bowl, boiling a pot of water until the steam rose in thick clouds, curling into the ceiling like ghostly snakes.He stared at it.“This is just literally cooking myself alive,” he muttered, but his voice held no humor.Without hesitation, he picked up the large bag of dried herbs he’d purchased and dumped it into the boiling water. A thick hiss followed. Then came the small pouch, the one Jas