The morning wind blew gently.
A thin mist still shrouded the mountain slopes, clinging between the tall pine trees. Dewdrops fell one by one from the tips of the leaves onto the cold ground below.
In a rocky clearing, the sound of repeated impacts echoed.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
A young man stood there.
His body was drenched in sweat. His breathing was heavy. In front of him was a large boulder, nearly as tall as a man's chest, already cracked in several places.
The young man took a deep breath.
Then, without hesitation, he swung his fist again.
BANG!
The cracks on the boulder grew longer.
At the same time, the skin on his knuckles tore open. Fresh blood flowed, dripping onto the ground.
The young man showed no reaction.
He only glanced at his hand for a moment before raising his fist once more.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
As if pain meant nothing.
As if his body was merely a tool that had to be forced into submission.
In the distance, an old man stood with his hands on his hips. His hair was messy, his robe shabby, and in his hand he held a pottery jar filled with herbal tea.
He took a crude swig straight from the jar and shouted,
"Hey, kid! Are you trying to smash that rock or your own hand?"
The young man stopped.
He turned his head slowly.
His face was calm. His eyes were deep. Although his body looked slender, the look in his eyes showed an unusual determination.
"Master," he said shortly.
The old man clicked his tongue.
"How many times have I told you not to call me Master? I don't have any disciples!"
The young man nodded slightly.
"Understood… Old Man."
"Insolent brat!" the old man barked, hurling the empty jar at the young man.
Whoosh!
The young man raised his hand and caught it effortlessly.
The old man snorted.
"Stubborn fool. I've told you, your body is indeed different. But that doesn't mean you can push it like this. If you die, I'm the one who'll be troubled."
The young man looked back at the boulder.
"If I don't push it… I'll never be able to surpass them."
The old man fell silent for a moment.
Then he let out a small laugh.
"Surpass them, he says."
He walked closer and patted the large boulder.
"Kid, this world doesn't belong to people like you."
The young man didn't answer.
The old man continued,
"The people out there have Nuraga. They have inner energy, techniques, and legacies. While you?"
He pointed at the young man's chest.
"You're just an empty shell!"
A brief silence followed.
The wind blew again.
The young man finally spoke,
"If it's empty… then I'll fill it in my own way."
The old man stared at him for a long time. Then, unexpectedly, he burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Good! I like that answer!"
He slapped the young man's shoulder hard.
"But remember one thing, kid… the path you've chosen is not the path of humans."
The young man frowned.
The old man leaned closer and whispered, "This is the path of a monster."
The young man didn't step back. Instead, he answered calmly,
"If that's the case… then I will become a monster."
*****
Several years earlier…
The sky over Yellow City was bright and clear.
The city gate stood majestic. Tall walls rose high, guarded by soldiers armed with spears. People came and went in neat clothes, showing the prosperity of the region.
In the center of the city stood a grand residence.
Its gate was wide, adorned with carvings of dragons coiling on both sides. Above it hung a plaque with the building's name: Li Residence.
That day, the atmosphere inside the residence was lively.
The elders had gathered in the main hall.
In the middle of the room, a twelve-year-old boy stood straight. His face was calm, but his eyes looked tense. The boy was Li Wuchen.
A middle-aged man sat in the main seat. His face was stern, his gaze sharp. He was the head of the Li Family. Beside him, several elders watched seriously.
"Begin," said one of the elders.
Another old man stepped forward. He raised his hand and placed it on Li Wuchen's back.
The room instantly fell silent.
Several moments passed.
The old man's brows slowly furrowed.
Then… his expression changed. He quickly withdrew his hand.
Everyone in the room stared at him.
"How is it?" asked the head of the Li Family.
The old man paused for a moment, then spoke in a heavy voice,
"There is… no flow of Nuraga."
The atmosphere froze instantly.
"What?"
"Impossible!" one elder exclaimed.
"Check again!" said another.
The old man shook his head slowly. "I've checked three times already."
He looked at Li Wuchen.
"This child's body… has no inner energy core at all."
Silence.
This time, it was complete silence. As if a needle dropping would be heard by everyone.
The boy at the center of attention, Li Wuchen, stood motionless. He didn't fully understand… but he could feel that something bad was happening.
The head of the Li Family stared at him for a long time. His gaze changed—from hope… to coldness.
"Starting today," he said slowly, "Li Wuchen's status as the main heir candidate… is revoked."
The words fell like a hammer. Some people sighed. Others simply shook their heads. Li Wuchen clenched his fists. But he said nothing.
A different boy standing in the corner of the room smiled faintly.
"What a shame, Brother," he said softly.
The boy stepped forward. His clothes were neat. His aura felt different.
"From now on… let me take that position."
He was Li Tianyang. Li Wuchen's cousin. A genius who had opened his Nuraga flow at the age of eight.
Li Wuchen looked at him. Not with anger. Not with sadness. Only silence. As if something inside him… was slowly changing.
*****
Back to the present.
Thud!
CRACK!
A loud sound echoed once more. The large boulder finally cracked completely… then collapsed into several pieces. Dust flew everywhere. Li Wuchen stood in the middle of it. His hands were covered in blood. His breathing was heavy.
Yet he smiled faintly. The old man who had been watching from behind grinned.
"You're already happy just from breaking a rock like that?"
Li Wuchen turned his head. "This is only the beginning."
The old man snorted. "Indeed. Because after this… we're moving to the next level."
Li Wuchen raised an eyebrow. "Next level?"
The old man pointed toward the forest at the bottom of the slope.
"There's a giant black bear down there. Huge. Ferocious. It has already killed several hunters."
He grinned widely, "Starting today, that will be your sparring partner."
Li Wuchen was silent for a moment. Then he asked flatly,
"What if I die?"
The old man answered without hesitation, "Then you're useless and deserve to die."
After a long pause, Li Wuchen finally nodded. His gaze became sharper.
"Understood. I will definitely defeat it."
He stepped down the slope without the slightest hesitation. Seeing this, the old man chuckled softly.
"Crazy kid…"
He took another swig of his tea. However, behind his laughter, his eyes narrowed.
"This world… will change because of that boy."
*****
Elsewhere…
An elegant pavilion stood by the edge of a lake. The water was crystal clear. Lotuses were in full bloom. The wind carried a calming fragrance.
On top of the pavilion, a girl sat cross-legged. Her eyes were closed. A gentle aura swirled around her body. The leaves around her trembled softly, as if following the rhythm of her breathing.
Moments later, she opened her eyes. A pair of clear, cold eyes. She was Lin Xue'er. A young genius from a major sect.
A female servant immediately approached and cupped her hands respectfully.
"Young Miss, there is news from Yellow City."
Lin Xue'er did not turn her head immediately.
"Speak."
"Several years ago, the Li Family had a candidate for the main heir… but it turned out he had no Nuraga at all."
Lin Xue'er raised her eyebrows slightly.
"And then?"
"The boy was removed from the main line."
There was a brief silence. Then Lin Xue'er said indifferently,
"A person without Nuraga… isn't even worthy of being called a martial artist."
She stood up.
The wind blew, gently fluttering her long hair. Without looking back, she walked away.
However, for some reason… a slight curiosity arose in her heart.
*****
Meanwhile, on the mountain slope…
A loud roar echoed.
A massive black bear stood before Li Wuchen. Its eyes were red. Its breathing was rough. Li Wuchen stood still. His body was covered in old wounds. His hands were still bleeding. Yet his gaze remained calm.
The bear roared and charged.
Whoosh!
Its massive claw swung toward his head. If it hit, his skull would surely shatter into pieces. But Li Wuchen did not retreat. He stepped forward. One step. Then…
BANG!
He threw a straight punch toward the bear's head. A violent collision occurred, and the massive body halted for a moment.
For the first time… the ferocious beast cried out and took a step back.
In the distance, the old man narrowed his eyes.
"Interesting…"
He smiled faintly.
*****
And in the vast sky above…
The clouds moved slowly.
As if witnessing…
the birth of something that would completely
collide with this world.
To be continued.