Chapter 2: The Awaking of Pain
That was the first thing I felt when I woke up.
Not the sharp, clean kind—this was deep, crushing pain, screaming through every bone and nerve in my body, like I'd been shattered and stitched back together wrong. My chest barely rose as I gasped for air, vision blurring as the world spun.
Rain.
I remembered the rain. I remembered standing there, soaked to the bone, still trying to process what had happened earlier that day—Lu Huang, the shield, the power humming inside me—
—and then I saw them.
Not far ahead, beneath a flickering streetlight, a group of men had cornered a high school girl. Four of them. Grown men. Laughing, blocking her path as she backed away, fear written clearly across her face.
I should have walked away. I knew that.
But my body moved before fear could stop it.
I rushed forward and shoved the nearest man as hard as I could. He stumbled back in surprise, crashing into the others.
"Run!" I grabbed the girl's wrist. "Go! Just go!"
She froze.
Four terrifying seconds. She shook, eyes wide, breath shallow. Then she nodded—and ran. Footsteps fading into the rain.
And just like that, every eye turned to me.
The leader stepped forward slowly, rolling his shoulders. I felt it immediately—the pressure, the aura.
A mana cultivator. Second Circle.
Not impressive by the world's standards… but more than enough to crush a broken kid like me.
"You've got guts," he said calmly. "Pity you won't live long enough to keep it."
The first kick drove into my stomach so hard the air exploded from my lungs. I flew backward, slamming into the wet pavement. Before I could curl up, another blow came down—this time straight to my head.
Pain burst like white fire.
Boots followed. Ribs. Back. Legs. I tried to raise my shield. Nothing came. The warmth in my chest was silent.
Blood pooled beneath me, mixing with rainwater, spreading across the ground in dark streaks. Laughter echoed somewhere far away.
"Next time," the leader said, his voice distant, "mind your own business."
Then they were gone.
I woke up two days later.
Every bone in my body screamed. My chest rose and fell painfully; every movement sent agony shooting through me. The familiar cracked ceiling of my warehouse came into focus. I was alive.
Beside my bed sat a boy with messy hair and red, swollen eyes.
"Ming Hui?" I croaked.
His head snapped up. Relief flooded his face so fast it almost broke him.
"Heavens—you're awake!" His voice trembled. "Do you know how long you've been asleep?!"
I swallowed painfully. "No…"
"Two days," he said softly. "Two whole days."
Shock rippled through me.
He pointed toward my old wooden table. On it sat fresh fruit—bright, expensive-looking—and several bottles of high-grade medicine.
My eyes narrowed. "Where did these come from?"
Hui hesitated, then smiled. "The girl you saved."
I stiffened.
"She came yesterday," he continued. "Her name is Luo Shaoqin. She said to give you this… to repay you."
Luo. That surname alone carried weight.
"She's the daughter of the biggest merchant in this district," Hui added. "Her father is at the peak of Foundation Establishment."
I stared at the food and medicine for a long moment. Despite the pain, a small smile appeared.
"Good," I muttered. "At least she made it home."
I turned my head toward Hui. "How's your training?"
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Did you unlock Mana Circle One yet?" I asked. "You've been stuck for months."
He looked down, embarrassed. "Not yet…"
I exhaled slowly. "Don't rush. You'll get there."
He looked at me, confused. "Why are you smiling like that after almost dying?"
"Because," I said quietly, "once you reach Circle Three… we're free."
His eyes widened.
"I can't cultivate," I continued. "My meridians have been broken since birth. If it weren't for that curse, I'd have already crushed people like them." I clenched my fist beneath the blanket.
"But you can," I said. "And I'll train you. With everything I know. When you're strong enough, we'll leave this place together. We'll see the world."
Hui's lips trembled. Then he broke down completely, throwing his arms around me.
"I love you, brother," he sobbed.
Pain exploded through my body. "Idiot—!" I yelled weakly. "I'm hurt! Trying to make me hurt more?!"
He laughed through his tears, hugging me tighter anyway.
Outside, the rain had finally stopped. Somewhere deep inside my chest, something ancient stirred—silent, patient, waiting.