On that night, a young Dan Heng overheard a conversation among the Vidyadhara Dragon Masters:
"How's the 'Useless Cultivation Plan' going?"
"It's progressing slower than expected, currently at only forty percent completion. But the progress curve is trending upward. Give it another seventy or eighty years, and it should be about done."
Dan Heng: ?
What were they talking about?
What was this "Useless Cultivation Plan"?
Bang!
Someone seemed to slam the table. "Another seventy or eighty years? That's even worse than the 'Indentured Servitude Plan'! What's going on?"
"Hmph, what's the point of yelling at me? His past life was Dan Feng, after all—the only one in all these years whose prestige, both within and outside the clan, suppressed us so much we couldn't lift our heads. That pride is etched into his bones. Turning him into a timid, cowardly, self-doubting puppet who obeys our every word takes time!"
At this point, Dan Heng froze. His heartbeat quickened, intuition telling him he'd stumbled upon a monumental secret—one that could affect his entire life as a Vidyadhara.
Dragon Master One: "Sounds like nonsense to me. Can something this simple really turn someone into a useless wreck?"
Dragon Master Two: "Elder Dan, we may be old, but our thinking needs to keep up with the times. According to current statistical data, this cultivation method has the lowest cost and the highest success rate."
Dragon Master One: "Fine, then explain it to me. Let's hear it."
Dragon Master Two: "According to the Divination Commission's data, among Luofu youths aged 180 to 300, sixty percent are self-doubting, cowardly, and apathetic. Most lack grand ambitions. Give them a jade omen, and they'll lie in bed all day doing nothing."
Dragon Master Two: "These people only maintain basic survival needs. Emotionally, they're like clowns throwing away money. Professionally, they're lazy dreamers with high aspirations but low ability. Online, they act as mighty as Dragon Sovereigns, but offline, they're too embarrassed to even speak loudly. They're true 'useless' types."
Dragon Master One: "Oh? That does sound plausible. You're right—even among the Vidyadhara, there are plenty like that."
Dragon Master Two: "Not just in our clan. Across the entire galaxy, this group is far from small."
Dragon Master Two: "From my analysis, most of these people were overly ordinary in their youth. Periodic, inexplicable PUA causes them to misjudge their own worth, setting unrealistically high goals. Repeated failures in reality dull their edge, making them timid and cowardly."
Dragon Master Two: "Due to a lack of information, they believe their failures are entirely their fault, not considering the objective factors separating them from so-called 'success.' This deepens their inferiority, like pigs chasing a carrot on a stick—they can see it but never reach it. Eventually, they lose patience and confidence, giving up entirely."
Dragon Master One: "I see. So, by deliberately creating difficulties to crush Dan Feng's confidence, feeding him ideas to make him self-destruct, and setting unattainable goals to wear down his will, we can use 'failure' to craft a weak, inferior Dragon Sovereign, right?"
Dragon Master Two: "Exactly. That's why I raised his Cloudhymn Art test standards tenfold, forged a debt contract from his past life, and sent people to instill ideas about how wicked Dan Feng was…"
"Even his tendency to shrink when feeling fear, inferiority, or a desire to escape was something I tampered with during his 'Scale-Shedding Rebirth.'"
"These methods may not harm his body, but they cut sharper than any blade."
Dragon Master One nodded. "In that case, this method does seem like a permanent solution. Once someone's spirit is broken, it's gone for good. Physical scars can heal on their own, but mental ones don't. Alright, then we'll wait a few more decades."
"A few decades? That's not enough! We're taming Dan Feng's reincarnation, after all. To be safe, we should wait another century. By then, this kid will probably stammer just facing us, hahahahaha…"
"…"
The recollection ends here.
"Waaah… damn it, damn it!"
Stelle, clutching Dan Heng's neck, was a mess of tears and snot. "Is there anything more despicable than these Dragon Masters?! This is straight-up criminal! They should be sentenced to the electric chair!"
For some reason, Stelle deeply empathized with Dan Heng at this moment, completely breaking down.
Thankfully, the one subjected to the "Useless Cultivation Plan" was Dan Heng. If it had been someone with a weaker mind, they'd probably have slowly turned into a self-doubting, gloomy goblin under these relentless blows. It was truly terrifying…
Bailu, wiping her tears, her face a mess of emotions, said, "Brother, you've had it so rough. To be treated so inhumanely just because of your Dragon Sovereign identity. Good thing I was born in the next generation, or I might've faced the same thing…"
Stab!
It was as if an invisible blade called "next generation" struck Dan Heng.
Qingque sighed sympathetically. "Sigh, I've been through something like this too. But my parents told me it didn't matter. Once, they even stood up to a teacher who was PUA-ing me. So after that, I stopped caring about those things."
Stab!
Dan Heng felt another inexplicable blow.
Why… why was the world so unfair?
"Um… that's the real reason I shrank," Dan Heng said, his expression somber. "I've tried to forget this past, but… it's too hard."
"[Memory] is too elusive. Its mere existence can shape a person's entire life."
Jing Yuan patted Dan Heng's shoulder with a sigh. "I never imagined… these years haven't been easy for you either."
"But as a friend of your past life, I want to offer you a few words, hoping they'll help."
"In your past life, Dan Feng was an exceptional person. He had me and three other close friends. For a century, he could guard the backs of four people."
"And in this life, Dan Heng, you're just as exceptional. From what I know, you also have four companions you can trust to have your back, right?"
"[Memory] is hard to forget, but you don't have to. [Memory] may bring cracks, but those cracks can also be healed with [Memory]."
"As long as you have these companions by your side, one day you'll face your past with confidence. You don't need to run anymore, because you're no longer alone."