I woke up much slower than usual this morning. I didn't move. I didn't yawn. I didn't pay attention to the screen flashing in my face. All I did was think back on my dreams last night.
Meng Tao. He is twenty-five years old and the city lord of Skyfall City since the death of his father two years ago. Last year while drinking wine in a private room at a restaurant, a beautiful woman appeared and offered to pour him wine. After drinks and talks he brought her back to his mansion. A battle was fought, and three weeks later he was married with a child on the way.
Reviewing the contents of the dream, I let out an audible sigh.
'All that would have been fine if not for the memories of his childhood.'
The images from the dream came to the forefront once more. Being tested for a "spirit root" by an old man at five years old, his father's disappointment, and the old man getting into an argument with an old woman before both flew away. Later that day the mountain that was there since before the founding of the city was crushed into pebbles by a golden palm falling from the sky.
There were more images of a burly man covered in scars with rough hands lightly gripping my wrist before letting it go and shaking his head. Most of what he said was drowned out by the sounds of muscular men and women playing catch with boulders behind him. The only words I could recall were "impossible" and "no earth root" before the man walked away.
I let the images and sounds fade as I relax further into the pillow. 'Of course I find myself in an eastern fantasy world.'
At some point during my contemplation the screen disappeared from my vision, and a golden box replaced it in the corner of my vision. After lying in bed for a few more minutes, I finally rose from the bed and left the room. I allowed my body to guide me to the bathroom while the rest of my memories slotted into place. My body came to a stop before a set of double doors. Opening them, I arrived in the bathroom. Two sinks and mirrors stood before me. To my right was another set of doors leading to the bath, and to my left were the facilities.
'At least I do not have to worry about plumbing.'
My feet came to a stop before the mirror, and I took a look at myself. As I took in my reflection, I couldn't help but sigh. Other transmigrators all become handsome enough to charm goddesses, and I just get the same face.
A face with short brown hair, a round face with high cheekbones, long eyelashes, and still no beard returned my stare. Average or above average if I am being generous. After staring myself down, I shrug off my robe and take in my appearance. My body, much like my old one, was chubby with slight muscle definition in my biceps and practically nowhere else.
'My face. Check.'
'My body. Check.'
My eyes drifted lower. My frown that was growing on my face retracted, and a grin reappeared on my face.
'My sword. Check.'
I left my clothes on the floor and headed to the bath. From my memories I know that I usually take baths around this time, and the maids will be by soon enough to wash the clothes and replace them with clean ones. The bath was a huge room laid with pristine white tile. It was close to the size of half a basketball court, with a huge body of water in the center of the room giving off enough steam to fill the whole room.
'Good Lord, I could easily fit fifty people in this bath easily.'
After washing myself, I entered the bath and let out a deep sigh.
"Oh man, that feels amazing!"
I leaned myself against the edge and then allowed my body to sink deeper in the water, leaving only my head above it. Feeling my body relax, I let myself think aloud in my native language. Thinking aloud is a habit I generally suppress, but it always helps me clear my thoughts.
"So I am in a cultivation world with no spiritual root, no 'heaven-defying' body, and no grandpa in a ring."
I turn my body around and lean back in the water, allowing myself to float.
"But what I do have is you."
I allowed my eyes to focus on the golden box in the upper right corner of my vision. At some point in the night the interface had reached 100% and was replaced with this box. I had been putting it off until my memories settled, but even now I feel uncertain.
'It's now or never.'
I focused my attention fully on the box. After a second box disappeared and an interface appeared in my vision.
[Tool Successfully Generated!]
After a second the words disappeared from the interface, and new words took their place.
[Receive Tool?]
"Yes?"
I let out a frightened yelp as a bright flash of white appeared in my vision. For a second I slipped under water before rising and returning to a sitting position. While clearing my vision of the white spots, I heard something land in the water in front of me. Finally, after blinking for several seconds, my vision returned, and I took in the object before me.
I stared at the object for several seconds, making sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. I closed my eyes, rubbed them, and waited a few seconds before opening them again.
"Nope, it is still there."
Floating in the water in front of me was a stick that was about three meters long. There was nothing impressive about the stick other than the fact that it was perfectly straight.
"This is my support tool? Seriously?"
"Hey system, care to explain in human words!"
I felt my eyes furrow with annoyance. I just learned that I found myself in a world where people had the power to slap mountains to pieces, and all I get is a lousy stick!?
Unfortunately, my annoyance was useless. The interface was gone. No floating screens or boxes anywhere. I turn my eyes back towards the stick before sighing.
"Whatever, maybe I can snap it in two and use it to play swords with Feng when he is older."
I reached out and grabbed the still-floating stick. When my hand touched the stick, I felt it. There was the strong sensation of something crawling underneath my skin.
"WHAT THE F***!"
I stood up immediately and tried to throw the stick away, but as soon as I let go of the stick, it seemed to come alive. It became flexible like a snake, slithered through the air, and somehow dove inside my palm, leaving no wound.
The feeling intensified twice over, and the urge to scream was peaking. The feeling rushed towards my heart, and before I could scream, the feeling was gone like an illusion.
Still in a panic, I patted my palm, checking for any wounds, and then pressed my hand against my chest to listen to my heart. However, other than an increased heart rate from my panic, I felt nothing out of the ordinary.
Just as I was calming down another interface, this time red, appeared in my vision.
[Divine Artifact Connected with Host]
[Display Details?]
Still reeling from my experience, I hesitated. Some small part of me wanted to write this whole thing off. Just to live my life as City Lord Meng Tao the mortal. However, both my fear of possible threats and curiosity about the unknown felt that this was much too interesting to pass up.
'Yes.'
[Father's Almighty Rod (Rename?)]
[Active Skills]
[Summon/Recall: By focusing, the user can summon their artifact from long distances or store the artifact within their body.]
[Passive Skills]
[The Furnace: The durability of the artifact is linked to the durability of the host. When destroyed or broken, the artifact can be summoned back in perfect condition. When broken, the durability of the artifact and host increases. Note: Safety features ensure the host isn't harmed upon destruction; however, all damage is converted into pain. Upgrade?]
All my panic, fear, and annoyance disappeared like a flame doused by fire.
"My apologies, Mr. Support Tool. I was unfamiliar with your game."