Chapter 2 – The Awakening
A heavy silence pressed down on Leon's mind, like he was sinking into an endless abyss. There was no pain, no sound—only darkness.
Then, a spark.
The faint golden glow of the Celestial Jade pierced through the void, wrapping his broken body in warmth. The sensation was unfamiliar yet comforting, like being embraced by the heavens themselves.
Leon's eyes snapped open.
He was no longer lying in the blood-soaked courtyard of the Azure Cloud Sect. Instead, he stood in a vast, ethereal space—an endless sky filled with swirling stars. Beneath his feet was nothing but a shimmering surface of light, as if he were walking upon the very fabric of the cosmos.
"Where… am I?" he whispered, his voice echoing into the void.
A deep, ancient voice answered, carrying the weight of eternity.
"Child of fate… you who hold the Celestial Jade… do you seek vengeance?"
Leon's heart pounded. His first thought was Eldric—his Senior Brother, the man who had torn apart everything he held dear.
"Yes," Leon growled, his fists tightening. "If heaven grants me the strength, I will rise again. I will make them regret their betrayal!"
The voice rumbled with approval.
"Then you shall inherit the legacy sealed within this jade. But know this—vengeance comes with a price. The path of cultivation you walk will be bathed in blood and sorrow. Do you accept it?"
Without hesitation, Leon raised his head, his eyes burning with unyielding determination.
"I accept."
The Celestial Jade burst into a brilliant golden flame, engulfing his body. Pain unlike any wound he had ever endured tore through him, but within that agony, he felt his veins surge with newfound power. His shattered bones knitted themselves together, his broken meridians ignited with life.
When the light finally faded, Leon found himself lying on cold stone once more—but not in the courtyard of betrayal. He was in a hidden cavern, the jade glowing faintly at his side.
His wounds were gone. His body, stronger than before.
Leon staggered to his feet, eyes blazing with resolve.
"They thought I was finished," he muttered, clutching the jade. "But this is only the beginning. Eldric… Azure Cloud Sect… I will return."
Above him, the cavern roof split just enough for a single shaft of moonlight to fall upon him, illuminating the reborn cultivator who would one day shake the heavens.