The morning light pierced their tent with intensity, turning it yellow. Dodging the intense sunlight was tricky, but Sun Tie found a position that didn't strain his neck.

They had been there for half an hour, as indicated by the system countdown. Sun Tie was growing impatient, and the heavy silence that filled the small room wasn't helping. He was unsure how much Cole remembered about the dungeon and wasn’t sure about whether he wanted the old man to recall it. Perhaps ignorance was bliss.

Splitting up might still be the best course of action. In the dark tunnels, Sun Tie had experienced a fear he'd never felt before—the looming specter of death. The days he'd spent alongside Cole had been the strangest of his life. The man was far from easy to get along with, but Sun Tie couldn't deny that a bond had formed between them, one forged by survival. The fact that they made an effective fighting duo only amplified this connection.

Every thought that crossed Sun Tie's mind was valid, but it was also true that the same man had thoroughly disrespected the young master—something no one would dare to do except for his grandfather.

"I'm sorry, Sun Tie," Cole's muttered voice broke the silence. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I don't regret what I said, though," he added.

"Is that so?" Sun Tie responded, his voice tinged with irony.

"Yes, kid," Cole continued. "At the end of the day, we barely know each other, but I'm certain this new world will demand sacrifices from us if we want to survive. You need to let go of whatever it is you're holding onto."

"Pff!" Sun Tie half-smirked. "You truly don't know me, Cole!"

"That's okay, Sun Tie. Let's not argue," Cole said, resting his head against a wooden pole. "I also wanted to thank you." Sun Tie swallowed, realizing the man remembered what had transpired.

"You don't need to thank me. I merely did what any honorable cultivator would do," Sun Tie replied, feigning a detached tone.

"Regardless, I would have been doomed without your help. I'm forever grateful, Sun Tie. You're the bravest kid I've ever met." The words had a final tone to them, and Sun Tie felt his heart quicken and his palms grow sweaty. The words weighed heavily on his mind. "I can be harsh sometimes. I'm still working on that—remnants of my old job, I think."

"Were you a dragon tamer or something like that?" Sun Tie asked with a faint smile, his heart slightly lighter. Cole chuckled.

"No, I was a cop. A police officer," Cole explained. Sun Tie remained silent, unfamiliar with the terms. "Think of it as someone who ensures that the law is upheld," Cole finally clarified.

"Oh, I see. And that Jackie you mentioned—is he a fellow 'cop'?" Sun Tie inquired. He couldn't see all of Cole's movements, but he noticed the man flinch, clearly uncomfortable.

"No... Jackie is my brother. If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about it," Cole muttered. Sun Tie could only imagine how painful it must be to discuss his brother.

"That's okay. You asked about my core while we were in the dungeon. Would you like to hear about it?" Sun Tie asked, eager to share his story.

"Sure," Cole responded.

"Before all this chaos, I had a duel with a foolish cousin of mine. We were both in line for succession in our clan and decided to settle it with a duel to determine the next leader. But—" Sun Tie sighed, "I have a penchant for duels, okay? I upped the stakes too much."

“And you won?”

“Yes, I won. Except the little bastard cheated at the end. He had no Qi left at the end.”

“What’s Qi?”

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Qi is like mana. May I continue?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“He had no Qi left.”

“Are you sure?

"He had no Qi left, you old fool! Let me finish the story." Cole fell silent, allowing Sun Tie to continue. "Just as I was about to win, his sword flew toward my heart, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in my room. I don't know how he cheated, but he did, and he's probably preparing to take my grandfather's seat as the clan leader right now." Sun Tie sighed again. Talking about it was both relieving and disheartening.

"And you lost this 'core' of yours in the process?" Cole inquired.

“My grandfather shattered my core and said I would be exiled forever, prohibited from entering the cultivator’s district. Doomed to a human life. Just as I lost my power, I heard the System Voice.”

“What a twist. Had the timing been just a few minutes different, you would be still a powerful cultivator.”

"Yes," Sun Tie agreed, his gaze dropping. "But I haven't given up on my quest. Whether in this new or old world, I still want to prove my worth. I won that fight, and I'll make sure all of Eternal Wind knows it. Sun Li will pay for his deceit, and I'll find a way to mend my shattered core."

"Seems fair," Cole responded.

"I want your help. We'll leave as soon as we escape this godforsaken place, alright?" Before Cole could respond, a shadow entered the tent, its gaze settling on them.

A man with a hawk-like face, lean build, and brown complexion stood before them, a broad smile on his face. He wore sleek black pants, shiny shoes, and a white button-down shirt—his clothes were immaculate, in contrast to everyone else's. Although older than Sun Tie, he wasn't by much. He held a teacup in one hand.

"Hi, guys!" he exclaimed, his smile still lighting up his face. He set his teacup on the ground and walked toward them. "I apologize for the confusion; I must have miscommunicated my intentions to Sofia. I didn't want you to be treated like that."

The man pulled a small knife from his pant pocket and pointed it in their direction. Sun Tie and Cole flinched; they knew a smile could conceal dark intentions. The man chuckled at their reaction.

"Relax, guys. You're safe," he said, proceeding to cut their bonds. "My name is Leigh, and it's an honor to finally meet you."

They rose quickly, dusting themselves off. Cole grimaced and couldn't help but remain suspicious of Leigh, who returned the knife to his pocket and sat on the ground.

"I'm afraid I have no chairs to offer, but if you don't mind sitting again, I made this tea for you, Sun Tie. Fortunately, one of the survivors had a teacup in his backpack along with some herbs when this whole situation started," Leigh said, gesturing for Sun Tie to sit.

Sun Tie eagerly took a seat; he had been craving some tea.

“It’s not perfect, but I think it's drinkable.”

“Thank you, peasant.” Sun Tie replied, sitting and picking up the cup. He glanced up at Cole, who seemed baffled by the exchange he had just witnessed. “Sit, Cole. Don’t be rude.”

“I’m okay standing.” The old man said, adjusting his hat and locking eyes with Leigh.

"Again, my apologies. I hope we can move past this unfortunate first impression," Leigh said. Sun Tie felt good about Leigh; finally, he interacted with someone who treated him with the respect he felt his position warranted—or at least something close to that. "I'm just a high school Social Studies teacher who got caught up in this mess with my students, so you can be sure I mean you no harm. Sofia was just cautious; we all know people can behave unpredictably in extreme situations."

"Indeed," Sun Tie replied, catching another questioning look from Cole.

"Do you mind if I ask what you found inside the dungeon you both entered? I'm quite curious about it," Leigh inquired.

"We found nothing," Cole answered.

"Nonsense," Sun Tie interrupted. "We may not have found anything of value, that's true, but the dungeon was filled with creatures from my world and featured strange carvings on the walls."

"Would you mind sharing more?" Leigh asked, leaning in, his eyes sparkling with interest. Sun Tie described the carvings, the Eternal Wind beasts they fought, the strange creatures he suspected were Tenedariams, and the yellow cube depicted in both paintings and the corpse's hand in the throne room.

"Fascinating!" Leigh exclaimed. "I'm thoroughly impressed. Other civilizations, planets, and cultures—what a time to be alive!" His smile grew even more expansive, joy taking over him. "I need to explore one of these dungeons myself. Your assistance would be invaluable."

"We have other priorities," Sun Tie responded quickly. Cole remained silent.

"Oh, I understand. No problem at all. Do as you need to. We don't have much here at the camp, but we can provide you with food, and you're entirely free to come and go as you please," Leigh said, standing up and extending his hand to Cole.

"There's just one thing I'd like to ask of you, Cole. Could you speak with the pale woman with pointed ears? She refuses to talk with us but has been asking to speak with you ever since your encounter in the woods."