CHAPTER 2: THE CALL OF THE PAST

The next morning, Yuan Jian left his apartment before dawn, the cool morning air nipping at his skin as he walked toward the edge of the city. He had left a note for Yuan Mei, promising to be back soon, but he had no real plan other than to follow the pull that had been growing stronger within him.

The pendant around his neck had been warming again, a subtle but insistent heat that seemed to guide his steps. It was strange to say the least, but not uncomfortable, and Yuan Jian found himself trusting it, letting the warmth lead him deeper into the outskirts of Stonebrook. The towering buildings slowly gave way to old, winding streets and eventually to the dense woods that bordered the city.

His father had taken him hiking through these woods once, years ago, just before he passed. Yuan Jian could still remember the way his father had stopped at a particular clearing, pausing to gaze at the old stone archway that stood hidden behind a thicket of trees.

"This place is special," his father had said, though he never explained why.

Today, Yuan Jian was drawn back to that same spot.

The archway loomed before him, just as weathered and ancient as he remembered. Moss and ivy clung to the stone, and faint carvings ran along the edges, worn down by time but still visible in the soft morning light. Yuan Jian reached out to touch the cold stone, and the pendant around his neck seemed to pulse in response, its warmth growing stronger.

He stepped through the archway.

The air inside the clearing was different—cooler, heavier, as though the space was untouched by the world outside. In the center of the clearing was a stone slab, partially covered in dirt and leaves. Yuan Jian knelt down, brushing away the debris until strange symbols were revealed beneath his fingers.

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They were unfamiliar, but something about them resonated deep within him, stirring a memory he couldn’t quite grasp.

The pendant seemed to vibrate against his chest, urging him forward. Without thinking, Yuan Jian placed the pendant directly on the stone slab.

The reaction was immediate. A surge of energy shot through him, so powerful that he stumbled back, gasping for air. His vision blurred, and in the haze, he saw flashes of another world—towering mountains bathed in golden light, ancient figures seated in meditation, and rivers of stars stretching across the heavens.

The images flickered in and out of focus, but one thing remained clear: this was no dream. This was something ancient, something real.

As quickly as it had come, the vision faded, leaving Yuan Jian trembling on the ground, panting. He looked around the clearing, but nothing had changed. The symbols on the stone slab had stopped glowing, and the air was once again still and quiet.

But Yuan Jian knew something had happened. Something important.

He glanced down at the pendant, now cool and ordinary again. It had been the key, the catalyst that unlocked whatever strange energy had waited here.

His father’s voice echoed in his head once again. "Origin and reflection. The truth is often hidden in plain sight, waiting for those who know where to look."

Yuan Jian stood slowly, still unsteady from the experience. Whatever he had just witnessed—whatever power had surged through him—felt both foreign and familiar at the same time.

He turned and looked back at the archway, knowing that this was only the beginning. His father’s words had always carried weight, but now they held a new meaning. The truth was out there, waiting to be uncovered. And it was tied to him, to his name, and to the legacy his parents had left behind.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Yuan Jian began the long walk back to the city. His heart was still racing, but his mind was clear.

He had a path now. He just didn’t know where it would lead.