IMMORTALS INFINITE PATHS

Twenty years had passed since the Great Awakening, when mana flooded the world with boundless energy. Its sudden arrival reshaped the planet, birthing mysterious Interdimensional Spaces known as Gates. Each Gate was a realm of its own, brimming with riches, resources, and horrors unlike any that had walked the earth before. Cities rose around them, and countless lives were lost within them. The world itself changed!!

New paths of life emerged with mana as their foundation.

Healers mended flesh and soul with radiant magic.

Enchanters forged weapons, artifacts, and technologies so advanced one could only dream of their existence.

Elemental Mages bent the storms, the seas, and the fires to their will.

Warriors and Hunters alike braved the Gates, battling monsters and carving their fortunes.

All stood as equals before the lure of the Gates, for every Gate held wealth beyond imagination.

Power was measured in Tiers, a universal ranking that determined one's standing in this new age:

Tier 1: Novice

Tier 2: Apprentice

Tier 3: Expert

Tier 4: Master

Tier 5: Legendary

Fēn Yǐng, the assassin whispered of in shadows, stood at Tier 3. His Avatar ability granted him a duplicate body, a weapon of deception few could withstand. Through it, he had slain nobles, generals, and heroes alike. The world called him the Twin-Headed Dragon, a phantom with two lives who struck where no blade should reach.

This time, his contract was unlike any before. A name appeared in a single message on his phone:

Target: Jiàn Shèng, the Sword Saint. Eliminate upon return from the Gate of the Ancient Dragon.

Jiàn Shèng was not simply strong. He was a Tier 5, an S-rank Hunter who had stepped into legend. To attempt his death was to step into the jaws of divinity itself.

Yet Fēn Yǐng accepted.

That night, the city glowed with lights and cheers. On a grand stage, Jiàn Shèng stood tall, sword sheathed at his side, while cameras and applause hailed his triumph.

Fēn Yǐng watched from the crown of a skyscraper, his eyes cold and sharp.

"Legends are still men," he murmured.

His body rippled as a perfect double emerged beside him, the Avatar come alive. Without hesitation, the duplicate descended into the streets, slipping like smoke through the crowd.

Fēn Yǐng's real body stayed above, his mind split into two streams of thought, both watching, both waiting.

The Avatar broke through the press, closing the distance. The explosive device hidden within its body ignited with a violent flash.

The blast shattered the air. Screams rose as fire tore through the plaza.

But the Sword Saint was already moving. His blade drew a silver arc, faster than thunder, and the Avatar's head toppled from its shoulders.

On the rooftop, Fēn Yǐng stiffened. A sting touched his neck. Warmth spilled across his collar. His hand trembled upward and met the wetness of blood.

His eyes widened.

"No… no…"

Pain erupted, tearing through his true body as if mirrored by the Avatar's death. His vision twisted, the city skyline blurring. Then, with horrifying clarity, he saw his own body as his head detached.

The last words he heard were Jiàn Shèng's voice, ringing across the carnage:

"Shadows cannot kill the sword."

And darkness swallowed him.

SOUL NUMBER: 4219817629931053778492017374001195721…

[RECOGNIZED]

[BEGINNING REINCARNATION PROCEDURE INTO WORLD NUMBER: 87412129100045733291849210…]

[ERROR] SOUL INTEGRITY DAMAGED. SURVIVAL CHANCE LESS THAN TWENTY PERCENT.

Fragments of memory splintered inside him. His past unravelled like frayed silk.

[ATTEMPTING RESTORATIONS]

[ERROR] SOUL ALREADY BOUND TO ABILITY.[INITIATING ALTERNATE PROCEDURES][COMMENCING SKILL FUSION]

[ABILITY DETECTED]: AVATAR

[SEARCHING COMPATIBLE SKILLS]

[RESULT FOUND]: CLONING. PARALLEL THOUGHT...

[FUSION IN PROGRESS]

[FUSION COMPLETE]

[NEW SKILL CREATED]: HIVE

[SURVIVAL RATE INCREASED TO FIFTY PERCENT]

[BEGINNING REINCARNATION]

[REINCARNATION SUCCESSFUL]

Silence. Then nothing.

.

.

.

.

The Great Moon Continent stretched across the horizon, endless, stretched  beyond ones eyes can hope to see. Mountains crowned with mist cut into the skies. Rivers like silver threads carved through dark forests where unseen powerful  beasts prowled. Cities rose like fortresses, their banners proud, while wastelands bore the scars of ancient times.

This was a land where strength was the only law. Here, the weak were trampled, and only the strong carved their names into history.

In this world, a child was born into the Duō family, a modest  clan. His body was delicate, his breath shallow, his flesh too frail for even the cold winds threatened to end the infants life. The whispers began at once.

"Such a fragile boy."

"How will he ever stand among cultivators?"

"He cannot even gather qi."

Years passed and every attempt to draw qi left him trembling on the floor, bloodless and faint. Days of rest followed every failure. Children mocked him.

"Chicken".

"Weakling".

"Useless".

Their laughter followed him like a curse.

Yet behind those pale blue eyes lingered the soul of Fēn Yǐng, who had gotten reborn. He endured in silence. He was above the scorn of insignificant children.

One afternoon, the garden echoed with laughter. Children shoved him into a pond, his body plunging beneath the cold water.

"Look at him struggle."

"He's worthless."

Their jeers faded as they walked away, still laughing.

Duō Yī dragged himself from the pond, water dripping down his frail frame. He said nothing. He only clenched his fists and walked across the garden until he found himself standing before a forgotten courtyard.

There, beneath the shadow of an ancient stone dragon whose gaze pierced the heavens, he lowered himself to the ground.

Closing his eyes, he reached for qi once more as he had attempted countless times now. Pain flared instantly, like molten knives carving into his veins. His chest burned. His vision darkened. His body screamed for release.

But he did not yield.

He pushed deeper, forcing his will through agony, enduring as he always had.

A single thread of qi finally flickered to life within him, fragile yet undeniable.

At that instant, a voice resonated in his mind.

[ENERGY THRESHOLD CONFIRMED]

[HIVE ABILITY INITIATED]

His eyes flew open, and he cried out, a sound torn between triumph and madness.

" Hahahahahahahahahhahahahaha "

"Finally!"

"Fucking finally!!!!!"

The effort consumed him. Darkness closed in as he fell unconscious on the stone floor, a faint smile on his lips.

For the first time since his rebirth, Duō Yī had taken a step onto the path.

And the world itself would tremble for it