Days passed, and Xu Yao trained every single day. He practiced from sunrise until the stars came out, his heart heavy with the weight of being weak.
His whole body ached. Every time he tried to push his qi through his body, his energy channels felt like they were being scraped with needles. It was a sharp, burning pain, but he bit his lip to keep from crying out. He was tired of being at the bottom.
One morning, while sitting near an old pine tree at the edge of the valley...a quiet place where he could hide his tears.
His hand brushed against something cold buried under the damp moss.
He pulled it out.
It was a jade pendant.
It felt unnaturally cool against his hot, sweating palm and gave off a soft, green light. It had no special markings, just a simple, smooth piece of jade. It felt like it was humming with a secret life of its own.
Xu Yao looked at it, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Maybe another student dropped this," he whispered to himself, feeling a strange comfort from the cool stone.
He didn't want to lose it, so he hung it around his neck and hurried back to his room.
He lived in one of the tiny bamboo huts tucked away behind the main sect halls.The bamboo walls were pale yellow, cracked by years of harsh weather.
He had no idea that this simple piece of jewelry was a gateway to a lost world, and that it would change his life forever.
The Next Day
Xu Yao was training when a senior student named Zhao Wei walked over, his face twisted into a sneer.
Zhao Wei was big and strong, and he loved to make others feel small. He stood in front of Xu Yao, looking down at him with pure mean-spirited joy.
"So, you're still dreaming about becoming an Inner Disciple? Give it up, loser."
Xu Yao didn't answer. He just stood there, his chest heaving.
That silence only made Zhao Wei angrier. Without warning, he shoved Xu Yao hard. Xu Yao crashed backward, and before he could get up, a heavy kick slammed into his stomach.
The pain took his breath away. A punch hit his shoulder, then another hit his ribs.
Xu Yao tried to swing back, but his arms were shaking. He was just too weak.
After a few minutes, he lay on the dirt, covered in dark bruises. A little blood trickled from his lip, mixing with the dust.
But even then...
He refused to look at the ground. He glared at Zhao Wei, his eyes burning with a deep, hidden fire.
Zhao Wei frowned, feeling a moment of unease because of that intense look.
"Fine. Keep struggling if you want. It'll only make your failure more embarrassing."
With a cold, mocking laugh, he walked away.
Xu Yao stayed on the ground for a long time. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white, feeling the sting of the dirt against his skin. In that moment of humiliation, he made a silent vow: he would not die a weakling. He swore that he would grow strong enough to stand tall and one day crush Zhao Wei under his feet.
Xu Yao dragged himself back to his damp, rotting bamboo shack. Every step felt like walking on broken glass. His muscles screamed, his wounds stung, and even breathing hurt. He collapsed against the wall, feeling completely alone and defeated.
A single, salty drop of blood fell from his cut hand.
Drip.
It landed right on the jade pendant.
Suddenly, the pendant exploded with a bright, beautiful green light. The room filled with an emerald glow that felt warm and alive. Xu Yao's vision blurred, and before he could even gasp, his mind was pulled into a deep, silent place.
Sea of Consciousness
Xu Yao opened his eyes and gasped.
He was standing in a strange, peaceful world filled with thick white mist. Soft clouds floated under his feet like a pillow, and the sky above was packed with millions of bright, twinkling stars.
Then, a cheerful, high-pitched voice broke the silence. "Pui! Pui! Pui! Finally! I can talk again!"
Xu Yao looked around, his heart pounding in his chest.
Floating right in front of him was...
A tiny green worm.
It was round, glowing, and actually looked very cute, like a little toy. The creature blinked, its glowing body pulsing with light. It tilted its head, squinting at him as if trying to solve a puzzle.
"Wait!" it squeaked, its voice rising. "Who are you? How did you get here? This place is hidden deep behind ancient seals! How is a weak human standing in my home?"
Xu Yao felt his heart hammer against his ribs. He took a shaky step back. "I... I don't know," he stammered. "I was just in my room. There was a bright light..."
The worm zipped through the air, circling Xu Yao at lightning speed. It poked his cheek with a tiny, glowing tail, then zoomed back to stare into his eyes, looking absolutely frantic.
"You're pathetic!" the worm cried, throwing its tiny arms up. "You're weak, your energy is messy, and you look like a total nobody! How did you get past the seal? Did you steal this pendant? Are you some kind of master in disguise? Answer me, boy!"
Xu Yao flinched, his head spinning. "I'm not a thief! I found it buried in the moss... near an old pine tree."
The worm froze in mid-air. Its glowing skin dimmed for a second, then flared bright green again. It hovered inches from Xu Yao's face, its expression changing from anger to pure, shocked disbelief.
"Buried in the moss? Near the pine tree?" The creature began to pace in the air, talking to itself. "This is impossible. That seal shouldn't have broken for another thousand years! This is a total disaster!"
It looked back at Xu Yao, its eyes wide. "Do you have any idea what you've done? You've dragged me into your short, miserable human life! My glorious return is ruined by a boy who can't even win a simple fight!"
Xu Yao stood frozen, completely stunned that he was being scolded by a glowing worm.
The worm stopped pacing and took a deep breath. It puffed out its small chest and floated right in front of Xu Yao's face, trying to look as important as it could.
"Fine," the worm huffed, crossing its tiny arms. "Since we are stuck together, I will tell you who I really am."
It did a slow, fancy spin in the air, glowing with a soft green light.
"I am the Ancient Emerald Spirit Devourer! But I wasn't always this small. I used to be a magnificent dragon! I once flew high above the clouds and commanded the storms. I have swallowed whole rivers of energy and stood taller than the highest mountains!"
It stopped for a moment to see if Xu Yao looked impressed. Then, it coughed in a shy, awkward way.
"Well, as you can see, I am not a dragon right now. I am stuck in this tiny, round body. I was trapped in this form after a few... very messy accidents with some powerful people who were jealous of my strength."
It puffed up its chest again and looked Xu Yao straight in the eye.
"But do not be fooled by this shape! I know everything about the world, and I can help you become powerful. If you want to stop being a weakling , I am the only one who can help you. So, what do you say, boy? Do we have a deal?"
Xu Yao looked at the tiny creature. A dragon? He had only ever seen drawings of dragons in old books - fierce, giant beasts that could destroy cities. Seeing one as a glowing, round worm was hard to believe.
But then, he remembered the pain of Zhao Wei's kick and the feeling of being the weakest student in the sect. He looked at his bruised, shaking hands. He had nothing to lose.
"A deal?" Xu Yao asked. "Do you really think a boy like me can become strong? Everyone says I have no talent. They say my energy channels are blocked forever."
The worm let out a tiny, proud laugh. It flew closer, its green eyes locking onto Xu Yao's.
"Everyone is a fool," the worm said. "They don't know real power. Your channels aren't 'blocked'...they are just filled with garbage. They have been clogged by weak, impure energy your whole life. I don't just teach moves; I change people."
The worm flew in a circle around Xu Yao, its green light feeling warm against his skin. "But listen to me, boy. Working with a dragon isn't easy. You will feel like your bones are being pulled apart and put back together."
Xu Yao didn't blink. He thought of Zhao Wei's mean laugh and the way other students looked at him with pity. That feeling was worse than any physical pain.
"I have spent my whole life feeling like a failure," Xu Yao said, his voice firm. "I don't care about the pain. I want the power to change my life. I accept."
The worm's face lit up with a wild, toothy grin.
"Good! Very good!" the creature squeaked, doing a happy dance in the mist. "Then close your eyes. The first thing we need to do is clear the trash out of your body. It is going to be... very intense!"
The white mist began to swirl faster. A strong pressure filled the air, making Xu Yao's heart race.
"Wait," Xu Yao asked, bracing himself. "What do I call you?"
The little green light hovered in front of him, glowing brighter than ever.
"I am the great Verdant Sky-Dragon! But for now, you can just call me... Master."
Before Xu Yao could even reply, a sharp, golden light shot out from the worm and dove straight into his chest.
*Pain.*
It felt like fire was rushing through his veins. Xu Yao gasped, The golden light burned through Xu Yao like liquid fire, tearing through his blocked energy channels until he felt every muscle and bone being completely scrubbed clean. When the agony finally faded, he collapsed, panting as a foul, black sludge seeped from his skin, leaving him feeling lighter and sharper than ever before. He cautiously stood up, accidentally cracking the floor with a mere touch of his hand, and realized with a jolt of pure joy that the process was a complete success. Looking at his revitalized body, the dragon-worm grinned, its eyes gleaming with promise as it whispered that this was only the beginning of his transformation into a true warrior.