The strange dragon that appeared before Sky Ling had claimed it was responsible for saving his life. Now, it wanted to reveal the truth about chi. Ling couldn't help but be drawn in, his curiosity stirred despite the surreal circumstances.
"Everything you know about chi is a lie," the dragon began, its voice a low, vibrating echo that danced through the air like a storm cloud rumbling from within. "People of this era awaken their chi veins naturally. These veins, powered by what you call vein seeds or chi cores, grant you access to natural energy flowing in the world. You use these truths like lanterns to guide your path toward power, but they are deceptions, crafted by mankind to mask what was never fully understood."
The dragon slithered effortlessly through the air, and as it passed above him, Ling felt his throat tighten, struggling to breathe. There was a presence in its voice—something ancient and heavy. The more it spoke, the more the foundation of his beliefs began to fracture.
"The vein seeds..." the dragon continued, "...are not natural. They are dormant bio-machines, remnants of a technology left behind by an ancient race. Chi is not a spiritual force. It is harvested energy—manipulated and circulated to prolong life, grant strength, and conceal the price that comes with it."
Ling's chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath short. Though the words were foreign, their weight settled deep in his bones. The connection he shared with the dragon allowed him to feel their truth, even if his mind hadn't caught up yet.
"Otherworldly beings came here, far beyond the age of legends. With technology lightyears ahead of ours, they experimented on primates, embedding these vein seeds into their DNA. These primates evolved—became your kind. Yes, humans, are engineered. The chi in your body is a crop, planted long ago for a harvest that has yet to come."
A cold wave rolled down Ling's spine.
"They vanished," the dragon said, pausing for a beat. "No one knows why. Perhaps they underestimated humanity, not expecting your kind to develop martial arts or expand the limits of chi. But you humans grew beyond the purpose you were meant for. And because of that, I exist."
Ling's mind reeled. Every word was reshaping his understanding of life, of power, of himself.
"Sometime far in the future," the dragon said, "they returned—only to vanish again. That marked the end of the martial era. Cultivators disappeared, assimilated perhaps. All that remained were non-chi users, unaware of the war that took their protectors."
Ling felt sick. The silence that followed was heavier than any battle he had ever seen. And then the dragon pressed forward.
"A thousand years passed. Humanity leaned into machines, enhancing itself genetically, building peace from the ashes. That peace shattered when the alien race came again—stronger. Their power decimated cities. Chaos returned. But amidst desperation, a discovery was made. Time travel. The answer wasn't in the future. It was buried in the past."
The dragon's form shimmered slightly as it conjured a glowing projection of a DNA strand.
"A mission was launched—to this era. To find a martial cultivator who could surpass limits, who could survive and stop what's to come. You, Ling, are that candidate."
Ling froze up. His lips parted, trembling as he asked, "Why... me? I'm just... I'm a nobody. A trash. And what happened to the person that night?"
The dragon's eyes, glowing like starlit embers, dimmed in reflection. "I am the latest advancement in bio-enhancement. I have bonded with your DNA, adapting you to meet the necessary parameters. You may call me SUPER GENE TECH. The person who injected me into your presence made a one-way trip. Time travel degrades the body. His sacrifice was deliberate."
A projection flickered to life—a lone man standing beneath swirling light, disintegrating piece by piece, his face calm.
Ling's throat tightened. For him... someone had given their life.
His emotions boiled. Regret, awe, pain—all swirling together.
Suddenly, heat exploded in his abdomen.
A pulse of energy burst outward, rolling through his body like a tide. Ling gasped. His body trembled, causing him to drop on his side and curl into a ball as chi surged through every limb, every nerve. His muscles stretched, bones vibrated. The pressure intensified, then shattered like glass.
His vision blurred, and a screen materialized before him:
[You have broken through two layers
You have reached the Third Earth Stage
Inner chi level has risen]
Ling stared, wide-eyed. His jaw hung open.
"Did... did I just break through?" he asked, voice hoarse.
The dragon curled into a spiral midair, smiling with pride. "I told you—you had fully recovered."
Tears slipped down Ling's face before he realized it. It wasn't just power—this was the first time in his life he had felt whole. Alive.
For a moment, there were no words.
After the silence, he finally found his voice. "If this chi is their creation, their trap... then why use it? Why fight them with the very power they gave us?"
The dragon's smile faded. It raised a single claw, motioning for silence.
"You are not yet ready for every truth. But know this: They gave us a tool, but they did not foresee what we would make of it. Chi became our sword, not just our shackle. But make no mistake—they are still stronger."
Ling clenched his fists. The glow of power still shimmered faintly beneath his skin, like a torch lit inside him.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "but I don't think I can live up to what you want. I'm still far behind everyone. I don't have a teacher. I don't even know how to start."
The dragon lowered itself until its eyes met his. "You only need one guide on this path. Me."
There was no dramatic promise, no grand vow. Just a quiet, worn-out smile from Ling.
"Then I'll leave it in your hands."
That day, Ling smiled for the first time since his mother's death. In the moment he brushed against death, he found something greater:
A second chance.