An empty, vast grassland stretched out below, a sea of green meeting a sky bruised with a stormy purple. High above the field, I floated, a young man a lonely speck against the roiling clouds. On the ground, a girl stood looking up, her eyes red from crying, her face a mask of pleading.
"Yei Feng, you should think again!" she shouted, her voice thin against the rising wind. "It's still too soon for you to ascend!" This was Qing Yi, my lover, my fiancée.
I looked down at her, the distance between us feeling impossibly vast. "I have already thought about it," I called back, my voice steady and firm. "There is no need to reconsider. Don't worry, I will be back. You don't think I would leave you behind, do you? Just believe in me, like you always have, Qing Yi." My words were a final promise to a lifetime we still had to live.
As I spoke, the clouds began to grow darker, coiling into a vortex above me. I prepared myself for the heavenly tribulation, the trial that would either grant me ascension or end my journey forever. The test was simple: I had to survive three bolts of lightning. My mind, remembering the lessons from the past, became a fortress of resolve. Yes, I can do it.
The sky cracked, and the first bolt struck. It was a searing lance of brilliant light that hit my chest with a concussive force. I gritted my teeth. "Ahhh," I said, a sigh more than a cry. The pain was sharp but manageable, far less than I had anticipated.
Then, without a moment's pause, a second bolt descended. This one was a furious torrent of pure energy. "Ahhhhh!" I screamed as it tore through me. The pain was a thousand times worse than the first, a deeper agony that felt like my very essence was being burned away. But it ended, and only one was left.
I steadied myself, my body trembling and my mind a maelstrom of thoughts. I can do this. This last one is nothing in front of what I have done to come here. I thought of all the years of cultivation, the endless days and nights, the sacrifices I had made. It all came down to this.
The final bolt arrived. It was not a singular strike but a collapsing cascade of light and thunder. "Ahhhhhh!" I screamed, my whole body engulfed in a fiery torment. I felt my skin shrivel and my bones ache as if they were turning to ash. I can't believe it's this painful... but it's worth it.
The light finally faded. I slowly descended to the ground, my body broken but my spirit intact. I looked at Qing Yi, and managed a weak smile. "It's all over now, Qing Yi." She cried, her eyes red with tears of relief, then started rushing toward me. "You did it!"
I looked at her, but something didn't feel right. The sky should have cleared, the storm should have vanished, but the clouds remained dark and oppressive. Before I could process the chilling realization, a fourth, impossible bolt of lightning struck at me.
"What?" I gasped. Blood gushed from my mouth as the force threw me to the ground. Qing Yi, seeing me fall, rushed to my side, her joyful cries turning to sobs. "Yei Feng, how did this happen? I told you not to do this! How could you do this? How will I live now?" Her tears fell onto my face, hot and salty.
I looked at her, all energy drained from my body. My vision began to blur, but I could still see her face, a mix of agony and love. "Don't worry, you are still young," I whispered, my voice barely a rustle of sound. "You can find someone, Qing Yi. I loved you. Thank you for being with me."
Then, I closed my eyes. I died. Yes, I died. I also thought that.
I opened my eyes, confused. "Huh? I thought I died. What is happening here? How can I be alive? Where is Qing Yi?" I looked around and saw nothing but darkness. "Where am I?"
Suddenly, a screen appeared in front of me. "What the heck is this?" I stared at the screen, which displayed a message: "Calm down, host."
"Calm down, host? Who is your host?" I questioned. "I never received a system. How can this happen after I died? How can my luck be this bad?"
The message changed again: "Host, do you know how you died?" My heart wanted to know the answer, but my mind protested. There was no point in uncovering that now; I doubted it would help me.
I replied, and the screen updated once more: "What if you got a second chance? What if you could be reborn?"
I contemplated the message. Yes, that's what I had always wanted. But I thought to myself, it wouldn't be easy to gain power this time; I would have to struggle just like I did before.
As I said that, the message on the screen changed again: "Don't worry, host. It will be much easier this time. I will be with you."
I looked at the screen, feeling a bit reassured. But I had questions. "First, why did I get killed? Why were there four lightning strikes?"
The message appeared once more: "You will have to find that out on your own, host. You have been given a second chance, and you need to cherish it to live the life you want and to resolve all the regrets from your past life."
After a moment of reflection, I realized I had nothing to lose. "Okay, let's go, system. I wonder what will be my age when i will be reborn".