I stumbled through the hallways of Li Mei's manor, my mind in a fog. The vision in the library had left me dazed and disoriented. Servants and guards gave me strange looks as I passed by, but I barely noticed them. My feet moved on autopilot, leading me back to my room. Each step felt heavy, as though the weight of the vision bore down on me.

When I finally reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed, my body unable to support me any longer. As my head hit the pillow, a sudden, intense pain shot through my forehead. I clutched at it, feeling something pushing out from beneath my skin.

A brilliant grey light filled the room as the jade bead coalesced into being from my forehead. It wobbled in the air, its light growing brighter and more intense. I tried to focus on it, but my vision blurred, and I felt myself being pulled away.

I lost consciousness and found myself transported to a different space. It was a vast, ethereal landscape filled with swirling clouds and shimmering light. The air was charged with an overwhelming sense of power, and I could feel it thrumming through my very being.

The sky above was a tumultuous expanse of dark clouds, crackling with lightning. The ground below was rugged and barren, dotted with jagged rocks and scorched earth. The atmosphere was thick with the tension of an impending storm, the air vibrating with an almost palpable energy.

In the distance, I saw a figure standing on a rocky outcrop. He was a young man, dressed in flowing robes that seemed to shimmer with an inner light. His eyes were closed, and his expression was one of intense concentration. Surrounding him were dark clouds, crackling with lightning and swirling with an ominous energy.

As I watched, I realized I wasn't just observing this scene—I was living it. I was inside the memory of this young man, experiencing everything he felt. His thoughts, emotions, and sensations flooded into me, merging with my own consciousness.

The heavens themselves seemed to roar in defiance. Bolts of lightning struck the ground around the young man, each one more powerful than the last. But he stood firm, his eyes now open and filled with a fierce determination. With a shout, he raised his hands, drawing the lightning towards him.

The scene was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The young man was clearly a cultivator, someone who defied the very heavens to achieve power. The energy around him was almost palpable, and I could feel it resonating deep within me.

As the lightning struck him, his body glowed with a brilliant light, and I could see the power coursing through him. He gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he withstood the heavens' tribulations. Each bolt seemed to push him closer to his limit, but he refused to yield.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the last bolt of lightning struck, and the young man let out a triumphant shout. The dark clouds dissipated, and the air was filled with a sense of calm and serenity. He had done it. He had defied the heavens and made a breakthrough.

Suddenly, the scene shifted, and I found myself on a battlefield. The sky was dark with storm clouds, and the air was thick with the sounds of battle—clashing weapons, cries of pain, and the roar of warriors. I looked down and saw that I was no longer in my own body. Instead, I was in the body of a young mercenary.

My hands clutched a spear, its wooden shaft rough against my palms. My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline of battle surging through me. Around me, men fought and died. The ground was littered with bodies, and the air smelled of blood and sweat. I had no time to think, no time to question. I was thrust into the chaos of battle, my instincts taking over.

A man charged at me, his sword raised high. Without thinking, I raised my spear and thrust it forward. The tip pierced his chest, and he let out a gurgling cry before collapsing at my feet. I stared at him, the reality of taking a life sinking in.

There was no time to dwell on it. Another warrior lunged at me, and I barely had time to yank my spear free before parrying his blow. The battle was a blur of movement and noise, my senses overwhelmed by the intensity of it all.

I fought with a desperation born of survival. Each swing of my spear, each thrust, was driven by the instinct to stay alive. I felt the weight of my armor, the strain on my muscles, but I kept fighting. The battlefield was a sea of chaos, and I was a lone island, struggling to stay afloat.

The hours dragged on, the sun sinking lower in the sky. My body ached, my mind was numb, but I kept fighting. I killed more men, their faces a blur in my memory. Each life I took weighed on me, but there was no time for remorse.

As the battle wore on, I found myself facing a formidable opponent. He was larger and stronger than the others, his eyes filled with a fierce determination. We clashed, our weapons ringing out in the night. He was skilled, his movements precise and deadly.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

I fought with everything I had, but he was relentless. He struck a blow to my side, and I felt the pain sear through me. I stumbled back, trying to regain my footing, but he was on me in an instant. His sword slashed across my chest, and I fell to the ground, my vision fading.

As I lay there, my life slipping away, I felt a strange sense of peace. The battle around me faded into the background, the noise and chaos replaced by a deep, calming silence. I closed my eyes, accepting my fate.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my room. The jade bead lay on the bed beside me, its light dim and flickering. I sat up, my body aching, my mind reeling from the experience. The memories of the battle were fresh and vivid, the faces of the men I had killed haunting me.

I stared at the jade bead, its light casting shadows on the walls. The vision had been more than just a dream. It had been a glimpse into another world, another life. The young mercenary's experiences were now a part of me, his skills and memories blending with my own.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The path of cultivation was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but it was also filled with potential. The jade bead had given me a glimpse of that potential, a taste of the power that lay ahead

As I sat in my room, the memories of the young cultivator and the mercenary battle still vivid in my mind, I felt a burning desire to harness the power I had glimpsed. The jade bead's vision had awakened something within me, and I knew that I needed to start my journey on the path of cultivation.

I closed my eyes and tried to meditate, focusing on the sensations in my body. The air around me felt charged with energy, and I tried to draw it in, to channel it within myself. But each time I tried to concentrate, my mind wandered, distracted by the pain and fatigue that still lingered from my injuries.

Frustration welled up inside me. I had seen the young cultivator defy the heavens, had felt the power he wielded. Yet here I was, unable to grasp even the most basic level of cultivation. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I needed to focus, to remember what I had seen.

The young cultivator had stood firm against the tribulations, drawing power from the very heavens themselves. He had been calm and centered, his mind and body in perfect harmony. I tried to emulate that, to quiet my thoughts and focus on the energy within and around me.

I envisioned the area above my navel, imagining it as a focal point where the Chi could gather and flow. The Chi was the life force, the energy that permeated the universe and gave strength to those who could harness it. I pictured it coalescing within me, a bright, shimmering light that pulsed with power.

Hours passed as I struggled to maintain my focus. My mind kept drifting, pulled away by the aches and distractions of the physical world. But I persisted, driven by the memory of the young cultivator's breakthrough. If he could achieve it, so could I.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I felt a small spark of energy above my navel. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. I latched onto it, concentrating all my will on drawing it in, nurturing it, and making it grow.

Slowly, the spark began to expand, spreading warmth through my body. I could feel the Chi flowing, merging with my own life force. It was a strange sensation, both invigorating and calming. The energy coursed through me, washing away the fatigue and pain, filling me with a sense of vitality and strength.

As the Chi gathered, I felt a strange pressure building within me. It was as if my body was resisting the influx of energy, pushing back against the change. I gritted my teeth and pushed harder, willing the energy to flow freely, to break through the barriers that held me back.

Suddenly, there was a sharp, searing pain, and I felt something inside me snap. The Chi surged through me, breaking down the walls that had confined it. My body convulsed, and I let out a cry of pain and relief.

I opened my eyes and looked down at myself. My skin was slick with a foul, dark substance that reeked of rot and decay. It was as if all the impurities within me had been expelled, purged by the surge of Chi. My clothing was ruined, soaked through with the disgusting sludge.

I stood up, feeling a strange sense of lightness and clarity. My skin was softer, smoother, and I felt an overwhelming sense of cleanliness, as if I had been reborn. The air around me felt different, charged with energy that I could now perceive and manipulate.

Above my navel, I could feel the Chi coalescing, a bright, pulsing light that radiated warmth and power. It was the focal point of my being, the center where my life force and the energy of the universe merged and flowed.

I took a deep breath, feeling the Chi move with me, flowing through my veins and muscles, invigorating every part of my body. The young cultivator's breakthrough had shown me the way, and I had finally achieved the first realm of cultivation.

The path ahead was still long and fraught with challenges, but I had taken the first step. The impurities had been expelled, and my body was now a vessel for the Chi, ready to be nurtured and strengthened. I felt a sense of accomplishment, of purpose. I had broken through the first realm, and there was no turning back.

I looked around the room, the foul sludge that had been expelled from my body staining the floor and my ruined clothes. I needed to clean up, to rid myself of the remnants of my old self. But I felt no shame, no embarrassment. This was a necessary part of the journey, a step towards becoming stronger.

As I cleaned myself and changed into fresh clothes, I couldn't help but marvel at the transformation. My skin was smooth and radiant, my body felt lighter and stronger. The Chi flowed within me, a constant source of strength and vitality.

I sat back down and closed my eyes, focusing on the Chi above my navel. I could feel it, a bright, pulsing light that guided and empowered me. The path of cultivation was now open to me, and I was ready to walk it.

The vision of the young cultivator defying the heavens had shown me what was possible. The battle as the young mercenary had given me a taste of the strength and resilience needed to survive. Now, with the Chi flowing within me, I felt that I had once more become the man i was before marriage.