The air hummed with energy, thick and vibrant, filling Hou Yu's lungs as he took his first tentative steps in this alien universe. Every breath he drew seemed to pull raw power into his body, awakening senses that had lain dormant in the mortal world. The landscapes stretched infinitely—floating mountains, rivers of light, and forests that shimmered with their own life force.
Hou Yu's mind raced. This far dimension was not just a place of survival; it was a realm where strength determined fate. Technology and war machines had no place here. Only the Dao—its mysteries, its flow, and its cultivation—dictated who lived, who ruled, and who perished.
He remembered the black fog behind him, the void that had transported him, and the images of his family—their laughter, their faces, now consumed by rage and sorrow. He clenched his fists, letting the memories fuel his determination. He could not change the past, but he could shape the future.
A sudden shimmer of light caught his eye. On a plateau suspended in the air, a figure floated, draped in robes that seemed woven from the essence of the Dao itself. The cultivator's eyes were closed, yet his presence radiated absolute authority. Hou Yu felt the ground beneath him tremble as invisible energy waves pulsed outward.
This is the level I must aspire to, Hou Yu thought. If I am to return to my world and avenge my family, I must master this power.
Cautiously, he approached, feeling the energy around him respond to his presence. The cultivator opened his eyes slowly, revealing irises that shimmered like molten gold.
"You are not from this universe," the figure said, voice calm yet piercing, "yet you carry a will stronger than most born here. Tell me, why have you come?"
Hou Yu straightened his posture, unafraid. "I seek power," he said, voice firm. "Power to protect what remains of my family and to return to my world stronger than ever. I will not fail."
The cultivator regarded him silently, measuring the weight of his words. Finally, he nodded. "Then your path begins here. In this universe, strength comes not from machines, nor from fleets, nor from fleeting force. Only through understanding the Dao, tempering the soul, and mastering your inner essence can you rise."
Hou Yu's heart quickened. He had lived in a world where wars were fought with steel and fire, where fleets and weapons defined power. Here, the rules were entirely different—and the challenge was far greater. But he welcomed it.
"Teach me," Hou Yu demanded. "Show me the way to cultivate, to grow, and to become strong enough to return and face the void creatures that destroyed my world."
The cultivator's lips curved into a faint, approving smile. "Then begin, Hou Yu. The Dao is alive, and it tests all who seek it. Only by enduring its trials, facing the abyss within, and mastering its flow can one rise above mortality. Your journey is only beginning."
As Hou Yu knelt, feeling the first sparks of the Dao's energy awaken within him, he realized something profound: the universe was vast, its rules countless, and the power he sought was no longer a matter of force or technology—it was a matter of heart, spirit, and mastery over life itself.
This was his new world.
And Hou Yu would rise.