I woke to an ice-cold sensation on my forehead as if a blade had been plunged into it. I sat up immediately, my heart racing rapidly. My surroundings were pitch black, the only source of illumination was the moonlight that shined through the window onto me. I blinked repeatedly to adjust to the darkness of the room, trying to gain my bearings. I was laying down on a mattress covered in some sort of animal pelts. There was a single bed in the center of the room. My vision was gradually returning as I looked all around me, taking in my new surroundings. I slowly stood up, the pelts slipping off my body, I touched my forehead to find an ice-cold cloth stuck to my forehead. My clothing had been replaced with simple robes, and my ring was nowhere in sight. I felt vulnerable and exposed without it. I took a deep breath and walked towards the window, trying to get a glimpse of my surroundings.

The moon was high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the small creek below, After a while I began to recognize, however vaguely, my surroundings. It was a very beautiful, peaceful night, the sounds of crickets and frogs chirping faintly in the distance. The cool breeze swept gently over me, blowing strands of my hair away from my face. As far as the eye can see, nothing else existed in that direction but trees, brush, and grass.

It was my own mansion but yet somehow different, everything looked so old like things had been there for long time but I had just revoted the entire estate a few days ago, Just then, another breeze blew past, fluttering through my hair and clothes. As the wind passed, the curtains of my bedroom parted slightly and allowed the moonlight to stream across the floor. The window frame creaked quietly as the wind stirred the fabric of my clothes. A sudden noise startled me

"Bang"

The door slid open with a deafening bang, making my heart leap to my throat. I was about to scream when a man entered, his long black hair framing his ruggedly handsome face. His piercing black eyes scanned the room in one swift glance, taking in everything. His skin was so fair it was almost ghostly, which contrasted beautifully with his jet-black hair. He was dressed in traditional Han-era Hanfu robes that draped off his broad shoulders and flowed down his lean frame. On his hip, he carried a katana in a white sheath, which was a silent reminder of his immense power. Everything about him seemed eerily familiar.

As he walked towards me, I couldn't help but notice how his eyes seemed to change as the moonlight fell upon him. They shimmered like dark pools, reflecting the light in an almost otherworldly manner. He moved with quiet confidence, his steps sure and purposeful.

When he finally stood before me, he spoke in a deep, commanding voice, "Finally awake are we?"

The voice was very familiar it cut through my thoughts and then I recognized the voice instantly, and my mind raced with confusion and disbelief.

What the actual fuck,

I reeled back in shock as I recognized the man standing in Infront of me, It was me, Lin Yun! That was impossible, it couldn't be me, but here I was, looking exactly like me! In the dimmed moonlight, my eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of my own face. How could it be, this must be a dream, yes this definitely a dream because this is impossible! How... How could this be possible?! I stared at the man he was different but he was definitely the current me he looked older more refined and definitely more powerful, but still the face was the same as the one I wore right now and even the voice sounded the same.

As I looked on with pure disbelief my doppelganger smirked and spoke, "Oh look, my face looks so cute when it is confused!" My eyes turned into slits and narrowed as I looked at my twin, My doppelganger had spoken in perfect English, a language that did not exist in this world, in the same way, and style as I did before coming here.

"Hey there my past self! You look better than I remember." He scoffed and rolled his eyes at me.

"Did you make the deal, well of course you did otherwise you wouldn't be here"

I pinched myself hard in a vain attempt to wake myself up. This could not possibly be real. Yet there I was, with a piercing pain in my arm staring at my own face, My doppelganger burst into loud laughter and started shaking his head. his face then morphed into a look of disgust.

"No Rich this isn't a dream, I am all too real I'm afraid, so why don't you listen carefully since we don't have much time." My body stiffened at the sound of his words, specifically at the name he had used that was my real name which only a few handful of people had known and none of them were in this world,

I was about to speak, but my doppelganger cut me off.

"I know you have a lot of questions, but I 'am afraid I can't answer any of them. For now, just listen to me. There's a reason why we're here, and it's not a coincidence that we look the same. You and I, we are the same person me and you, you are my past and I am your future" He paused for a moment and then continued speaking.

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"Now I can't tell you much but we have a mission, a mission that is bigger than us, bigger than this world. And we have to work together to accomplish it."

I stared at my doppelganger, my mind racing with disbelief and confusion.

Was this real?

My doppelganger seemed to read my mind and nodded,

"Yes, this is real, and yes, I am you, but from a certain future and I am contacting you from a different dimension. I don't have time to explain everything right now, but I promise I have your best interest at heart Since I am you and you are me, I need you to believe me when I say that it will not make sense at all."

My doppelganger paused once again to gather his thoughts and calm himself. It was clear that he needed to take control of our conversation. When he continued speaking, he sounded more confident, although still very tired, he spoke softly.

"Now, please listen to me, even though I know you will not follow my advice as I never did but I need to tell you some things and I can only tell you some clues If you know more than that then They might find you and kill you. It's safer for everyone this way for everyone,"

As my doppelganger continued to speak, I couldn't help but feel like I was in a dream. But his words were so urgent, so clear. He needed me to listen, to believe him, even though he knew that I would not follow his advice.

Bloody hell what was going on

"First thing is first, when the marriage proposal is made, accept it. Do not reject it or offend the family that will make the proposal. Second, build a private army for yourself. In ten years, you will need them. Third, save Wang Cheng. Do not abandon him. Fourth, do not join the army but instead join a sect. Fifth, whenever everything is okay, always ask if everything is really okay. Sixth, you must never ever reveal your true source of knowledge. Always hide from others and try to be careful and discreet. seventh Don't go to the academy eight never even indulge in time travel And lastly cherish your loved ones," My doppelganger said sternly looking me straight in the eyes. My doppelganger's voice was strong but soft and calm; however, it was also very clear that he was exhausted.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. Was this really happening? Was I really talking to myself from another dimension, from the future? My mind was racing with disbelief and confusion, but my doppelganger cut my thoughts

"do you understand?" he asked shaking me as grabbed my shoulders roughly "If you do repeat the things I said say them back to me."

My doppelganger's voice was strong but soft and calm. However, it was also very clear that he was exhausted. Was all of this really happening? I decided to focus on the important matters and put aside the fact that I was talking to myself from another dimension.

"I understand," I repeated, trying to take in all of the key points my doppelganger had just told me. He had given me so much information in such a short amount of time, and it was all incredibly confusing.

My doppelganger nodded, closing his eyes briefly as he took a deep breath. "Good. Remember what I have told you, Rich. It is crucial for our future." His sympathy was written all over his features, but then something strange happened. He began to melt as if he were made of wax, his skin began drooping and dripping.

It was a pitiful sight.

Noticing my gaze, he looked down at himself and let out a long sigh. "Our time is almost up, Rich. Now I will give you one last gift in hopes that you will not turn into me."

He placed his left hand on my chest, and after a second, a piercing ice-cold sensation coursed through my body. I felt myself freeze, unable to move or speak. My mind went blank, and my thoughts ceased functioning. A strange buzzing sensation spread throughout my body, my blood pumping furiously. My muscles relaxed, and everything around me began to fade slowly like smoke.

Suddenly, a black fog started spreading outward, forming into a small figure that glowed slightly in contrast to the dark surrounding. I heard what sounded like voices shouting, laughing, and cheering.

"Don't worry, Rich. With this, your false ice spirit body will turn into a true ice spirit body, giving you the same mastery over ice as you have over water. Now, goodbye. I hope you never meet your past," my doppelganger said, as everything around me started to fade away.

Everything became black, except for that small figure, which kept growing and growing. After an eternity I could no longer see anything and everything finally faded into darkness.

I felt weightless, and yet at the same time, I felt heavy. I could hear someone yelling, or perhaps crying.

My eyes adjusted to the bright light streaming in from the window as I slowly regained consciousness. A sharp, ice-cold sensation pierced through my forehead like a dagger, causing me to sit up abruptly, my heart racing with fear and confusion. I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. I was in my own room, that much was clear, but everything else felt strange and unfamiliar.

As my eyes scanned the room, they landed on the tear-stained face of Chen Hua, who was sitting in a chair beside my bed. She looked absolutely miserable, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Next to her was an older woman who held a tray full of food. I had never seen her before.

"Chen Hua?" I said, my voice hoarse from disuse. "What's going on? Who is this?"

Suddenly, Chen Hua jumped out of her chair and ran out of the room, shouting something about me being awake to her brother. The older woman accompanying her followed closely behind, trying to stop her from running.

Amused by Chen Hua's antics, I broke into a fit of laughter. But then, a strange sensation hit me, turning my insides out. I lifted my hands to find them covered in a layer of icy frosting, with steam rising from my palm. I was stunned as I tried to comprehend what had just happened.

This was solid proof that what I had gone through was all too real, and not some lucid fever dream

What had I gotten myself into?