Zhang Yong stood in the empty white space, the only sound being the voice of an old man echoing around him.
He slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
"Look at yourself. Have you always been this weak?"
The figure spoke again, his voice carrying through the entire space.
Zhang Yong slowly turned to find an old man standing a few steps away.
His appearance was pitiful—sunken eyes carrying the embers of a long life of suffering, appearing almost devoid of life.
A short, unkempt beard, and a body bent with a hunched back. But what truly sent terror into Zhang Yong's heart were the features on his face. They shared similar faces, the difference being that his face appeared more feeble and aged, lined with wrinkles.
"I... from the future?" Zhang Yong whispered, his voice nearly choking in his throat.
He was right. The Reincarnation Spring shows the past, present, and future. Having witnessed the first two, he had yet to see the future, but he never expected to see himself addressing himself.
"Young man, you are far too weak. You are unworthy even of carrying my name. Neither the former nor the current me. There is no resemblance between you and me." A tone of mockery appeared in his voice for a moment before he sighed.
Then the old man smiled bitterly, as if reading Zhang Yong's thoughts. "I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am what you will become... or one possibility of what you could become." He paused for a moment, his eyes gleaming with painful memories. "Are... are Yuan Ling and Su Ming alright?"
Zhang Yong's heart tightened upon hearing his question. He stammered, his voice trembling as he looked down, his head bowed. "Yuan Ling... she is gone. My parents are also gone. But Su Ming is still alive."
Before he could finish his words, the old man pounced on him with speed that belied his frail appearance, landing a powerful punch that sent Zhang Yong flying several feet backward. "Do not look at the ground like a coward!" the old man roared. "You see? Even a broken old man like me can kill you in your current state." He spat, his words profound.
Zhang Yong rose, clutching his aching jaw, and shouted loudly, "What do you know?" He clenched his fist and screamed with all his being, "What the hell do you know? Perhaps you've already forgotten after all the years you've lived. For you, it was years, but for me, it has only been two years, you bastard!"
The old man's gaze suddenly shifted. "Oh, I know more than you imagine, you fool." The old man's eyes held a mixture of contempt and pity. "You disgust me. I can't believe I was once like this in the past. You cherished everyone around you, yet you failed to protect them. It started with your grandparents, then your parents, your sister and brother, and soon you will lose everything. Everyone you cared about, everyone you shared your life with—you will watch them die before your eyes."
Zhang Yong rose from the ground and hurried toward the old man. "Silence! What makes you think you are any better than me? I refuse to believe I will become like you. You have already lost, but what makes you think I will lose everything like you?"
The old man grabbed Zhang Yong's clothes and pulled him close, his voice cold and harsh. "Because I stood where you stand now. I was once like you, always spouting nonsense without true courage. I trained, I fought, I killed, I proved myself, and I ended everything. I became strong, but I had nothing left to protect. It was already too late. I will not allow the past to repeat itself because of your foolishness. Every one of us has witnessed loss and does not wish to see it again."
Zhang Yong muttered, "Every one of you?"
Behind the old man, countless figures appeared. Countless miserable fates. For every possible future he could have.
Zhang Yong stared at the old man in shock, his eyes wide with realization.
The old man's words seemed true, reflecting the same fears and doubts that had haunted Zhang Yong's thoughts for years. As he grasped the meaning of the old man's words, Zhang Yong felt a chill run down his spine.
"Let us be realistic. Every one of us chose a different path, but that persistent hatred is tied to our fate. It is our curse. The moment you leave this place, the same fate will pursue you! This is our destiny," said the elderly Zhang Yong with an expressionless face.
Zhang Yong stared at all the figures behind his future self before clenching his fist and throwing a punch at the old man's face. "I will not end up like you."
The old man staggered backward from the force of the punch, but he did not cry out in pain. Instead, he burst into bitter laughter that shook the walls of the white space. Blood dripped from his torn lips as he sneered.
"Is this all you have?!" he roared, wiping the blood. "A tantrum-throwing child's punch? This is how you will not become like us? Pathetic."
Suddenly, a heavy iron chain materialized around Zhang Yong's neck, pulling him downward with unnatural gravitational force.
"You think you are special because you have suffered a little? Everyone here has suffered more than you have. We are all monsters. How dare an ignorant child like you utter words about changing his fate when even the most powerful versions of him could not do so? You are a dreamer."
The old man stood over him, his eyes radiating a pale purple light. "You seek freedom yet shirk your responsibilities. You search for truth while indulging in comfortable lies. You desire peace but cannot live without hardship. So do you truly believe you are seeking a way to escape your fate?"
"What makes you so certain that I will fail? I have enough time to become stronger. No—I will become stronger," Zhang Yong cursed, growling.
"Look around you!" cried the old man, his trembling hand pointing to the crowds behind him. "Every single one of us carried the same foolish hope! Every one of us thought we would be different, that we would break the mold!"
The old man leaned down until his face was level with Zhang Yong's. The scent of death and despair wafted from him. "We want you to understand the truth before it is too late. This chain?" He shook the chain violently. "It is what you will carry throughout your life, whether you want to or not. The difference between us is that we stopped trying to break it."
Zhang Yong looked down for a moment before staring seriously at everyone. "So you say you are all stronger than me now, huh?"
The future version of Zhang Yong's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Certainly. You are nothing but a—"
Zhang Yong interrupted directly. "If you truly possess the power you claim, then give it to me. Show me what you pride yourselves on. Grant me your strength, yours and that of everyone behind you."
The elderly Zhang Yong's lips quivered, then he burst into hysterical laughter that made the young Zhang Yong's bones tremble. "Do you know why you are the worst version of all of us? Because you are the only one foolish enough to ask this of us."
Suddenly, the ground beneath Zhang Yong's feet split open, and he fell into an infinite abyss of memories—but this time, they were not his memories.
Thousands of blades piercing his body. Betrayals. Torture. Madness. Loss of everything.
Each possibility more agonizing than the last.
The elderly Zhang Yong leaned on his cane, watching Zhang Yong's descent with lifeless eyes. "This is what you asked for, isn't it? Power... We will give it to you... along with every nightmare that accompanies it."
Zhang Yong raised his eyes and looked at his elder self before speaking. "Fate gives us such cruel treatment. The end of every life is worse than the last. So what if I rebel against heaven? I want to live my life as I choose. I will create my own destiny. If heaven stands in my way, I will shatter it. If my fate is doomed to suffering, then I will destroy my fate. If the entire world stands against me, I will crush the world. If the price for this is such an amount of suffering, then I will accept it gladly."
A calm smile appeared on the old man's face. Not only him, but on the faces of all the versions. "Hold onto this will, and never retreat from what you have said. Remember one thing: heaven toys with you. Therefore, never change a decision you have made."
Zhang Yong felt a strange weight on his shoulders—a sensation of dozens of souls watching his next steps.
Suddenly, the white space around him collapsed, and a white light flooded the place.
The Reincarnation Spring erupted with a shockwave, lifting Zhang Yong to the surface. When he opened his eyes, he looked at his mission window.
(Mission completed successfully)
(Life and Death Constitution increased by one level)
(Advanced skill obtained: [Great Smash])
(Fated secret skill obtained: [Ancestral Inheritance: Paths of Reincarnation])
(Advanced Grade)
Great Smash lvl1
(Fated Grade)
Paths of Reincarnation lvl?
(Fated Grade: A special grade. Techniques at this level can be counted on one hand. These techniques possess the ability to change even fate, and their capabilities cannot be predicted. Even rulers of different realms may not possess one.)
(Life and Death Constitution elevated to the fifth level. New ability unlocked: [Shadow Tentacles])
(Shadow Tentacles: Octopus-like limbs capable of shifting between spiritual and solid states, but are fragile.
Creation cost for one: 100%
Once created, one will remain permanently until destroyed, at which point new limbs will require creation.
Current number of tentacles: 0)
Zhang Yong stepped out of the waters of the lotus pond with heavy steps. Each movement of his body released shockwaves of energy.
The water around him evaporated instantly, leaving a dry circle in the middle of the pond.
But what was clear were the writings on the ground.
"I am the Ancestor of Humanity. I leave this message for descendants of future generations. I placed this world here as a final line of defense against the coming catastrophe—one that threatens not only this world but the entire universe. Having received a portion of the inheritance, make your way to the Sage's Mountain."
Zhang Yong looked at the writing with cold eyes. His face was stern and icy as he read.
"A catastrophe, is it..." Zhang Yong muttered quietly. The situation did not seem as simple as it appeared.
But only two words caught his attention.
The first was "I placed this world," which meant something clear. The Ancestor of Humanity did not create this world; he placed it. This meant someone else created it. And to create a world possessing all the laws present in this realm—that was an unfathomable power. At worst, it could be a ruler of this world, and at best... Zhang Yong did not dare even to speculate.
The second was "not only this world but the entire universe," which meant that the Ancestor of Humanity was aware of the existence of the outer universe. Because Zhang Yong knew something: in this world, if you do not reach the highest level permitted by the World Will, do not even dream of leaving your world.
Therefore, it meant that the Ancestor of Humanity had either transcended the boundaries of this world or... had encountered some entity.
All these possibilities were, in one way or another, perplexing to anyone who read them, but Zhang Yong only felt exhilaration.
Suddenly, the place began to become illusory, and in an instant, the weight beneath Zhang Yong's feet vanished, and he appeared as if suspended in mid-air.
When he looked around, he was outside the Heavenly Realm boundary.
Several human figures appeared, and the sect leaders who had been waiting eagerly for their disciples emerged.
Master Gu was sitting in the embrace of Lady Zi Yan of the Pure Jade Sect.
Although Elder Gu had been opposed to this, she had insisted.
Elder Gu felt his dignity had already been lost, his body now like that of a child.
"Oh, your disciple Zhang Yong has returned," Zi Yan observed from a distance.
Elder Gu sighed in relief. "Good. At least they are alive."
Then Su Ming appeared in the distance from Zhang Yong, followed by the others: Long Yuliang, Jiang Ruyan, Liu Yan, and finally, Wu Ruxian.
Su Ming stepped forward a few paces, his eyes meeting Zhang Yong's. "So, how was it?" he said, a hint of concern in his gaze.
After witnessing Zhang Yong's previous attempt to kill himself, he could not help but worry. What if he tried it again when he was not around?
Once that thought appeared, it was not easy to shake.
Zhang Yong patted Su Ming's shoulder gently. "Don't worry. I am at my best. If there is anything I regret, it's the year of my life wasted inside there, hehe," Zhang Yong said jokingly.
Su Ming smiled a relieved smile, but his eyes remained sharp. "As you say. But seriously, we need to find a way to extend your lifespan."
Zhang Yong shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry. There are still many ways."
"Zhang Yong," Wu Ruxian approached with light steps, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What happened when everyone separated? Are you alright?"
Zhang Yong was startled for a moment before a calm smile appeared on his face. He reached out and brushed a speck of dust from her shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
There was a smile, but there was also a fleeting memory in Zhang Yong's mind: 'Heaven toys with you.'
In that moment, behind that smile, a cold, demonic, ugly expression appeared: 'Wu Ruxian, I have made my decision. I will kill you.'