The sun rose weakly over the ruins of Red Stone Village. Its pale light illuminated broken houses and burnt trees. Smoke lingered in the air, carrying the scent of blood and ash. Wang Hao sat amid the rubble, his body aching, his hands scraped and bruised. Memories of the village's destruction replayed in his mind, but his spirit burned brighter than ever.
He held the ancient technique scroll tightly. Faded symbols glimmered faintly under the morning light, almost as if the scroll was alive. The Eternal Chaos Body pulsed within him, its energy responding to his intent. His muscles twitched with potential. He was weak, yes, but he felt the first stirrings of power.
A soft glow near the rubble caught his eye. Wang Hao crawled closer and stopped. There, half-buried in ash, lay a small egg. Dark blue with streaks of lightning, it radiated a faint heat. The air around it seemed to hum. Wang Hao felt a pulse of energy, not from himself, but from the egg.
This is no ordinary creature, he thought. Something alive, something strong.
The egg trembled, faint cracks appearing along its shell. The ground shivered slightly. Wang Hao instinctively pulled back. He sensed the raw force inside, waiting to emerge.
Then, with a soft push, the creature began to hatch. Tiny claws tore through the shell, and light spilled out. Scales shimmered blue and silver. Eyes opened, intelligent and bright, burning with curiosity. Wang Hao's chest tightened. A dragon?
He knelt slowly, hands outstretched. "I will call you Ling'er," he whispered. The little dragon blinked at him and nuzzled his hand. Its small wings fluttered, glowing faintly. Wang Hao felt a strange warmth. Together, they would survive. Together, they would grow.
Hours passed. Wang Hao unrolled the scroll again, tracing the symbols with his fingers. The words, images, and movements flowed into his mind. It spoke of energy, flow, and formations. Time and space seemed to warp around him, confusing and powerful. He didn't fully understand it yet, but instinct told him it would make him stronger.
Ling'er hopped around him, mimicking his movements. Its presence made his energy surge subtly. Sweat poured from Wang Hao as his muscles burned, but he refused to stop. Every motion was practice, every mistake a lesson. Slowly, he felt the first stirrings of Body Refining cultivation.
Then, movement at the edge of the ruins caught his attention. Lei Feng and two other disciples from the Stone Peak Sect emerged. Their eyes gleamed with curiosity and mockery.
"You survived the Thunderblood Clan's attack?" Lei Feng said with a sharp laugh. "Most children would have died."
Wang Hao's fists clenched. Blood dried on his arms, ash and dirt streaked his face. "I survived," he said quietly. "That is enough."
Lei Feng's smirk widened. Lightning flickered faintly around his palms. "Surviving is only the first step. In this world, the strong take everything. The weak die. If you want to live, boy, you must become stronger than all of us."
The clash began. Wang Hao dodged clumsily, stumbling under the speed and precision of his opponents. Pain shot through him as small strikes landed. He bit back the sting and studied their patterns. Ling'er darted at their feet, claws glowing, distracting them just enough. Wang Hao seized the opening, striking at weak points revealed by the scroll's guidance. He didn't win, but he survived.
After the fight, Wang Hao fell to his knees, exhausted. Sweat and blood mixed on his skin. He looked at Ling'er, who perched silently on his shoulder, wings folded but glowing faintly. We survived together; we will grow together.
Night fell over Red Stone Village. Wang Hao practiced alone under the stars, with Ling'er by his side. Every motion strengthened his body, awakened his Eternal Chaos Body, and sharpened his mind.
This was only the beginning. Many trials awaited him: rival geniuses, hidden treasures, forbidden lands, and dangerous techniques. Every struggle, every drop of blood, and every mistake would forge him into someone stronger.
For the first time, he felt hope. He was no longer the weak boy from the ruins. He was a survivor. A fighter. A spark of defiance in a cruel world. One day, he would defy Heaven itself.
The journey had begun.