Chapter 2: AWAKEN
A blinding headache greeted Li Feng as he breaths out, groaning as he struggled to open his eyes.
He blinked against the light, finding himself lying on a cold, hard surface. But… this wasn't his bed, nor was it any place he recognized.
Lush green leaves rustled overhead, sunlight filtering through them to dapple his face. The smell of damp earth filled his nose.
Confused, he sat up and looked around. He was in a dense forest, thick with ancient trees and tangled underbrush that stretched out as far as he could see. Panic tingled in his chest as he took in his surroundings. How could he have ended up here?
And then, he noticed his hands. They were… smaller, softer—hands that didn't belong to the thirty-year-old man he had been. He scrambled to his feet, catching sight of his reflection in a small puddle nearby.
The face that stared back was barely fifteen, youthful and wide-eyed, with a look of pure bewilderment. He was dressed in loose, flowing robes, too—deep green and lined with silver threads, a stark contrast to the tailored suit he remembered wearing just before everything had gone dark.
" Ahh!! what… what happened?" he muttered to himself, trying to make sense of the impossible.
As if in answer, a calm, mechanical voice echoed within his mind, nearly startling him out of his skin.
"Welcome, Li Feng, to the Cultivation World".
Li Feng spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but there was no one there. The voice was inside his head—cold and precise, unlike anything he'd ever heard before.
"Who… or what are you?" he demanded, the confusion quickly giving way to a mixture of fear and anger. He didn't like being kept in the dark.
"I am your system", the voice replied without a hint of emotion. "I am here to assist you on your journey in this new world".
"A system?" Li Feng echoed, even more puzzled now. "What do you mean… a new world?"
The system responded, "You have been transmigrated from your former life into this Cultivation World. You were fatally injured in your previous world, and thus, you have been brought here to begin anew".
The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Transmigrated…? A new world? He clenched his fists, struggling to process everything. His memories were clear—his mundane life, his stressful job, the few blocks he had left to walk home… then, the sudden flash of pain, the darkness. It was true—he had died.
"So, I'm… dead," he whispered, half to himself.
"Your previous life has ended", the system confirmed in its steady tone. "But this world offers you a chance to live again and grow in ways that were impossible before".
Li Feng took a shaky breath, grappling with the reality of it all. Here he was, in a world that was foreign yet vivid, with no ties to the life he had known.
"So, where am I exactly?" he asked, his voice steadier now.
"You are currently in a beast-filled forest within the Eastern Region of the Cultivation World". "This world is filled with those who train to cultivate their Qi and rise to great heights. You have been granted special abilities that will aid you in this journey".
The system's words filled him with a strange mix of dread and anticipation. He was no warrior, no hero—just a man trying to make sense of the impossible.
"Special abilities?" he echoed, intrigued despite himself. "What kind?"
"Your abilities include skill copying and skill merging", the system explained. "You may copy any skill you witness and merge skills to create stronger or unique techniques".
Li Feng nodded slowly, still struggling to wrap his mind around it all. Skills he could copy, and even merge—abilities that sounded powerful in theory. But in practice, he had no idea where to begin.
The system continued, "I have also prepared a status screen for you to better understand your starting point in this world. Would you like to view it?".
He hesitated, then took a steadying breath. "Alright. Show me."
In an instant, a semi-transparent screen appeared before him, floating in mid-air:
Name: Li Feng
Cultivation Realm: None
Copied Skills: None
Merged Skills: None (there are no skills or techniques to be merged)
The words on the screen were simple but stark. The glaring "None" beside Cultivation Realm made him feel uncomfortably exposed, as if the system were openly declaring how weak he truly was.
"Why does it say 'None' next to Cultivation Realm?" Li Feng asked, frowning. "Does that mean I can't cultivate?"
"Correct. Currently, you are incapable of cultivating as you lack meridians—a critical component for harnessing Qi. In this world, it is exceedingly rare for anyone to be born without them".
Li Feng's stomach dropped. "So… I'm basically useless here?"
"Without meridians, you would indeed be vulnerable", the system replied evenly. "However, I have been instructed to provide you with an item that can rectify this limitation".
Before Li Feng could respond, a small bottle materialized in his palm, as if conjured from thin air. Inside, a single, shimmering pill glowed faintly with a light that was both inviting and mysterious.
"This is the Meridian Forming Pill", the system explained. "Consuming it will allow you to form your meridians and begin cultivating, bridging the gap between you and those of this world".
Li Feng's fingers tightened around the bottle. The pill looked so small, so unassuming, yet he could sense the immense power radiating from it. This single pill represented the bridge between his current, powerless state and the possibility of something greater.
But taking the pill also meant accepting the unknown, stepping into a life filled with uncertainty and danger.
As he gazed at the pill, Li Feng's mind raced. This was the first real choice he would make in this new world, and he wanted to understand everything before he committed himself.
He slipped the bottle carefully into a pouch tied to his robe, letting it rest there like a promise waiting to be fulfilled.
The path ahead of him was unclear, and he was uncertain of what lay ahead. But one thing was certain: the life he'd known was gone forever, and this strange, terrifying journey had only just begun.