In a world where kingdoms rose and fell like the turning of seasons, power was everything. Knights clad in steel guarded their lords, mages bent the elements to their will, and mercenaries wandered the roads chasing coin, glory, or death.
The continent of Sumi was vast, divided by borders drawn in blood. Noble families schemed for power, while the common folk prayed simply to survive the harsh winters and the wars that never seemed to end. Beyond the walls of human cities lurked beasts, monsters, and creatures from old legends—reminders that the world was far older and far more dangerous than men believed.
And yet, despite its dangers, this world thrived. Markets overflowed with trade, adventurers boasted of their exploits in noisy taverns, and travelers whispered of dungeons filled with treasures waiting to be claimed. For those brave—or desperate—enough, opportunity lay everywhere.
It was in this world, ordinary to some yet perilous to most, that a certain story was about to unfold. A story that would begin not with a king or a hero… but with one soul who had yet to realize how far fate would drag him.
High above the bustling city, where the trees grew thick and silence reigned, a lone figure sat on a branch. His hair was white as snow, his eyes dark as obsidian, and his expression carried the weight of someone who had already suffered far too much.
"This is not enough…" the young man muttered under his breath, his voice hoarse and bitter. "Why the hell did I lose all my powers that night? Why was everything stripped away from me? Crippled… useless…"
His name was Kai, twenty years old.
Just three years ago, he had stood proudly as an inner disciple of the Crimson Blade Sect—one of the most renowned orthodox sects on the continent. At that time, his talent had been unquestionable. Strong enough to secure a place among the inner disciples, strong enough to rise into the Top Ten. He had even claimed the second rank, standing just beneath the sect master's own son.
Glory, respect, and a future brighter than the sun itself… all of it had been within his grasp.
And yet, with one mysterious night, it was all gone.
Now, he was nothing more than a cripple sitting atop a tree, cursing the heavens.
Kai leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, his gaze lost in the endless stretch of sky above. The memories he had tried so hard to bury clawed their way back, dragging him into that cursed night.
That night, after an exhausting day of training, Kai had collapsed onto his bed. His muscles burned, his breathing was rough, yet there was a quiet satisfaction in his chest. He wasn't someone who longed for titles or seats of authority—no, what he wanted was simpler. To walk the world freely, to test his strength against the unknown, and to carve a path no one else could tread.
The day had been like any other. The disciples of the Crimson Blade Sect had trained from dawn till dusk, their bodies drenched in sweat, their spirits burning with ambition. Kai, as always, had pushed himself harder than the rest. His strikes had shattered stone, his Qi had surged like wildfire, and even the elders watching from afar had nodded with approval.
Exhausted, yet satisfied, he returned to his quarters when the sun dipped behind the mountains. His body ached, his breathing was ragged, but the pride in his heart drowned out the fatigue.
That night, he closed his eyes and dreamed of the future—of surpassing the sect master's son, of one day becoming an elder, of carving his name into history.
But when dawn broke… the dream shattered.
Kai jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat. At first, he thought it was nothing but lingering fatigue. Yet, as he sat cross-legged and reached within himself, his face drained of all color.
His Qi… was gone.
The endless current that had always surged inside him, the very essence that defined a cultivator's existence—vanished without a trace. His core, once blazing with vitality, felt like a broken husk, hollow and lifeless.
"No…" he had whispered, panic tightening his throat. He tried again, again, and again—circulating his breathing, forcing his body, clawing desperately at nothing. But no matter how he struggled, not even a single thread of Qi responded.
It was as if the heavens themselves had cursed him.
And that morning, Kai realized the cruel truth. In one single night of sleep, everything he had worked for—his strength, his future, his pride—had been stripped away.
He was crippled.
Kai's fists tightened around the bark of the branch, pulling him out of the memory. His teeth ground together as he muttered under his breath.
"Someone did this to me… I don't know who, or why, but no one loses their Qi overnight. Not like that."
The wind stirred the leaves around him, carrying his voice into the silence of the forest. His black eyes darkened, the weight of three years of helplessness pressing down on him. He had replayed that night countless times in his mind, searching for answers, searching for the hidden hand that had stolen everything from him.
But no matter how hard he thought, the truth remained hidden in shadows.
He sighed, leaning back against the trunk, his white hair falling messily across his face. "Crippled… useless… That's what they all see when they look at me now. The once second-ranked inner disciple of the Crimson Blade Sect, reduced to this pathetic state."
His voice was calm, but underneath lingered a sharp, restrained anger. The kind of anger that could ignite into something far greater once given the chance.
For now, he was powerless. But deep down, Kai knew one thing—whoever had plotted against him, whoever had dared to shatter his path… one day, he would uncover them.
And on that day, the heavens themselves would tremble.
Kai finally climbed down from the branches and began his walk back toward the city. Though he had lost everything within the sect, his family still held influence within their territory. They were not commoners struggling for scraps, but respected figures in the city—wealthy enough to hold power, and influential enough that his surname still carried weight.
Yet, to Kai, all of it felt hollow.
As he walked through the busy streets, the chatter of merchants and the clamor of carriages surrounded him. Life went on, indifferent to his fall. He kept his head low, his white hair swaying in the breeze, until a familiar laugh froze his steps.
Up ahead, just outside a bustling teahouse, stood his fiancée. Dressed in fine silks, her beauty was undeniable, but her smile was not directed at him. Instead, she leaned close to another young man, her hand resting casually on his arm as they exchanged flirtatious words.
Kai's chest tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm. His footsteps slowed, his black eyes narrowing.
Her long black hair shimmered under the daylight, flowing gracefully down her back. Her emerald eyes, once filled with warmth, now glimmered with arrogance. Dressed in healer's robes embroidered with golden threads, she looked every bit the dignified beauty… until she opened her mouth.
Selene leaned into the arm of the young man beside her, her laughter delicate yet sharp as a blade. When her gaze landed on Kai, her lips curled into a mocking smile.
Selene's emerald eyes gleamed with disdain as she let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Well, if it isn't Kai. I almost didn't recognize you. It's hard to see the difference between you and the beggars these days."
Kai's gaze lifted to her lazily, his tone flat. "Then perhaps you should look more carefully next time. Not that it matters—I wasn't waiting to be recognized by you."
Her smile faltered for a moment before twisting sharper. "Still so arrogant. Do you really not understand your situation? You're nothing now, Kai. A cripple has no place in this world."
Kai shrugged slightly, as if she were commenting on the weather. "Maybe so. But isn't it strange? Even as a cripple, I still manage to be more memorable than the man clinging to your sleeve."
The young man's face stiffened, but Selene laughed louder, trying to cover the sting. "Memorable? Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but a stain on my past. From today onward, our engagement is over. Why would I tie myself to dead weight?"
Kai's black eyes were calm, unreadable. His reply was quiet, almost bored. "Then untie it. A chain like that was never worth carrying anyway."
Her expression darkened, his indifference striking harder than anger ever could. "Kai, you—!"
But he had already turned, his white hair swaying in the breeze as he walked past her without looking back.
"Waste your breath if you like," his voice drifted over his shoulder, cold and even. "But one day, you'll understand who really wasted who."
Kai walked away from the teahouse without once glancing back. The crowd's whispers trailed behind him, but he paid them no mind. His steps were steady, his expression unreadable, like ripples over still water.
Only when the voices faded into the distance did his lips part ever so slightly, a murmur escaping that no one else could hear.
"Mock me all you want… I don't care."
His black eyes narrowed, glinting faintly under the sunlight.
"There's a way. I know there's a way to restore my core… to reclaim my Qi. The heavens wouldn't have taken it from me without leaving a path to take it back."
For three long years, he had searched, questioned, and chased every scrap of rumor that might hold the answer. Most had led to nothing—false hopes, lies, and dead ends. But deep within his chest, Kai never once accepted that he would remain crippled forever.
His hand curled slightly into a fist at his side.
"I don't know how long it will take… but once I find it, I'll return stronger than before. And on that day, those who mocked me will kneel."
The calm mask on his face never shifted, but within his heart, the fire burned brighter than ever.