Second Times the Charm
2.9k 2 70
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

The night air was cold as winter began to set in. The snow softly drifted down, blanketing the land with white. The forest was silent, all the animals burrowed safely in their nests to wait out the cold.

The only sound, heard by those nearby, was the soft sound of breathing. Condensed air slipped past the lips of the man, half-buried in the snow. Despite the chill, the man's body was still, as if he were dead.

Yet he had only been dead for a few moments before life returned to him.

He gasped, his eyes snapping open. The man sat up, curling up to get himself warm again. He looked around, scowling as he noted how deep he'd been buried in the snow.

"Of course it'd be winter when I get sent back." The man said through chattering teeth. "Probably hoping I die of hypothermia, that damn system."

Liang Fei forced himself to stand, wobbling as he did so. He chalked it up to the cold and attempted to jump onto a nearby tree branch. Unfortunately, he only managed to jump a few feet in the air before collapsing into the snow.

He laid there for a minute, his body too cold to move. He knew he should move but he so wanted to sleep just then. Just a minute...

***

The world was dark and cold yet he knew he wasn't alone. There were others... they were talking in urgent tones.

"Your excellency!?" A female called out, sounding horrified. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm putting an end to this." A man spoke, his word as desolate as his tone. Liang Fei shivered in despair, though he knew not why.

"This? What 'this'?"Another female asked. "My lord if you continue-"

"I know what will happen. I'm fine with that."

"My lord..."

"Bro, this isn't right! It's not supposed to be this way."

"And what do you know?!"

"I know all of this- It isn't you. You're cold and cruel but you're not evil. You wouldn't-"

"There's nothing else for me in this world. It's still so empty, even after all this time. I've waited, hoping to find something to live for but... It's still so empty."

"...I-"

"So I'll just put an end to it. I'm sorry that you have to be involved but it can't be helped. I'll be sure to make it painless, at least for you.

"Bro, don't-"

The world flashed bright white and shook. The sound drowned out any cries and the world quickly went black.

***

Liang Fei awoke with a start, unsure of what had just occurred. It was a conversation but it felt... strange.

IT was as if he had been witnessing an event through a heavy fog, muffled and grainy. He frowned, trying to make sense of the words said but...

Why was there a loud beeping sound?!

With clenched teeth, Liang Fei stuck his hand out, intending to smack the offending object. It sounded like an alarm clock but all he felt was snow. Looking out into the darkness he saw a curious sight.

[NOTIFICATION: Host: {Liang Fei} has received an email from User: {God of reincarantion}.]

[Open Email?]

[ Yes                       [ No

This message was floating just before his eyes, it's light bright the night. This left the man, who had been shivering and annoyed, very confused. Still, he knew he had to do something or else it wouldn't go away anytime soon.

"Yes?" He replied, watching the notification disappear. Seeing a familiar email layout, Liang Fei couldn't help but marvel at the sight. Not because of his rebirth in a fantasy, his foray in the heavens or even his abilities as a cultivator.

No, what truly threw him for a loop at this moment was the fact that God's apparently had email addresses. He hadn't expected a god to have an email address. It just seemed so... mortal.

Had the god of reincarnation heard this, he would have defended himself by stating that gods had social lives too and to communicate via scrolls or doves in the age of smartphones was just plain idiotic. No one had time to wait six weeks for a letter to be delivered and returned when he could just send an email.

But Liang Fei was unaware of the popularity of smartphones and tablets in the heavens so he continued on, blinking at the envelope. Like years before, this left him staring into space, blinking hard to get it to open.

When it did, Liang Fei questioned whether to read any further. The subject looked important enough, with a large and in all caps [IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ] but...

[email protected] jumped out at him from the address bar.

Should he really open it? It wasn't some mythical spam, was it? Or perhaps it was really just malware?

Before he could come to a decision, he heard a noise coming from some distance away. The chattering of a group, their tones malicious and low.

Memories of his first time being reborn flooded back. It had been hot that day and he'd fallen from a tree only to meet Xieren for the first time. Perhaps this time too...

He ran over, unaware of how much he hoped to see his student there. Even if he was being cornered like before, small and vulnerable, Liang Fei had intended to be there to protect him.

Like he had promised.

Yet upon arrival, he was disappointed to see that it wasn't Xieren there. Instead, a woman in a hood was surrounded by men in ragged clothing. It was obvious they were cultivators, though their robes were in such bad condition.

Rogues, then. Liang Fei concluded, recalling his studies about them. They were cultivators who were kicked out of their sects for one reason or another.

"Pretty miss, won't you lend us some of your goods? Surely, we can come to some kind of exchange?

The woman remained silent, her back straight and still even when surrounded by threats. Liang Fei couldn't help but admire her will.

"Ah? You won't even speak with us?" One man pressed, drawing closer. "Are we so low in your eyes?"

Liang Fei watched the exchange, not seeing a reason to interfere. The woman stood tall, unafraid of the men, so he figured she must be fine. Surely, if she was in danger, she'd show a hint.

Then again, if she was alone, showing a strong front when defenseless was the best tactic. So she might actually need his help.

That and he needed directions to a town.

Since he had no weapon to speak of, Liang Fei did the next best thing. He tackled the attacker to the ground, catching him by surprise. Just as the others came out of their shocked silence, Liang Fei grabbed the downed man's sheath and held it out.

He still wasn't a swordsman but he was a master at using a blunt object.

The two other rogues attacked, seeking to flank him from both sides. To his surprise, he noticed how much faster they seemed, almost hitting him as he dodged. If not for the obvious actions, he might not be able to tell where they were coming from.

Liang Fei tossed this thought in the back of his mind, focusing on defeating the men first. The fight was short since they weren't that inventive in terms of strategy. He quickly took the men down with a strike to... sensitive areas and the use of snow.

Liang Fei, no matter what, was a dirty fighter.

His breath, however, was labored as he struggled to remain upright. His body was cold, he was tired and the fight, while short, was exhausted. His vision began to fade, his condensed breath barely visible as he stared blankly at the snow.

His sight drifted to the woman, who had hidden behind a tree, just as his body gave up. His last sight was a pair of pretty blue eyes and a curiously familiar sachet on her hip.

***

Liang Fei woke up sometime later, his head throbbing as he stared up at the ceiling. He was in a cave, it seemed. Looking around, he saw a humble camp sight with only a fire and a few furs as bedding. His own was heavy and warm so he was tempted to go back to sleep.

Yet he remained awake, trying to sort out his thoughts.

His body was weak yet he couldn't figure out why. Was it just because of the cold? He was sure it must be more than just that.

There was something wrong with him...

"Oh good, you're awake." Liang Fei turned his head to the sound, seeing the woman from before coming from the snow. She shook the frost from her cloak before sitting beside him. "I was so worried when I saw you collapse."

She smiled, her expression was serene and calming. A scent drifted off her, easing his tension and relaxing his body unconsciously. Liang Fei said nothing, continuing to watch her as she began taking out some herbs.

"I apologize about leaving you alone but I didn't have enough Rose roots to treat you." She explained as she prepared some medicine. "With how cold you were, I had to make sure you didn't get sick."

"You... you're a doctor?" He asked, his first words since his rebirth. As expected his voice was strained and gravely, yet the woman just smiled at him.

"No, not exactly a doctor." She replied, looking a bit embarrassed. "I make pills, medicine like-"

"Ah, you're an alchemist then." He concluded, recalling the many, many mini-lessons he sat through with Xieren's friend, Xinyi. Xiao Yi was cute, so he never had a problem listening to her ramble and rant about her passion.

Her eyes were glowing with such excitement and joy when talking freely, he didn't have the heart to tell her how hungry he was or how he had to go to sleep.

The woman blinked, frowning at him now. Her thoughts were unclear as she stared at him, letting the crackle of the fire somewhat ease the tension.

"Yes, I am." She answered, turning back to her work. Silence fell once again, though Liang Fei had no issue with that. He was still somewhat tired. He had almost fallen back asleep when the woman spoke again. "About those men before, I'm sorry..."

"Why?" He countered, not even blinking. "Did you do something?"

"Eh?" The woman jumped a bit, not expecting such a quick reply. "I-I mean, you got hurt because of me..." Guilt filled the woman's chest, making her want to curl up. Had she been stronger, had she not chosen to go alone, perhaps she wouldn't have needed this man to risk his health.

Liang Fei did not feel the same.

"I did?" The man frowned, confused by her words. "I don't recall you be involved in that. Did you attack me?"

"No, but-" She started but was quickly cut off.

"Did you encourage those men to attack me?" 

"Of course not, but-"

"Then there's nothing to apologize for." He concluded, his tone flat as if the matter were nothing more than a statement of fact. The woman, feeling a bit befuddled, could only slump her shoulders.

"I... I suppose so." She mumbled, unsure of what else to say.

"There is nothing to suppose." He said, struggling to sit up. The air was cool but definitely warmer than outside. "My assistance was my own choice. Everything that happened after is my responsibility."

"I see." The woman stared, her chest feeling a little fluffy after his words. She had forgotten how kind men could be. Especially after... "Then thank you, sir. Though I must say, you surprised me."

"How so?"

Liang Fei watched the woman get up to prepare some tea for him. His body was still weak and cold so he remained on the bedding.

"I've never seen a non-cultivator move like that." She explained as she served him his medicinal tea. Her tone was light and bouncy. "Usually, regular people can barely keep up with a trained cultivator yet you took them down so easily!"

"Non-cultivator?" He echoed, his hands stopping at her words. "What makes you think I'm not one?"

"I checked." She replied casually, cleaning up the area. Liang Fei was left with a furrowed brow.

"You... checked?"

"Uh-huh!" She nodded.

"Do you usually ogle men who are in your care?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. While the notion of being ogled was a bit embarrassing, he was more curious than anything.

The woman flushed deep red at his words.

"N-no, not like that!" She cried, covering her face. "You don't have a golden core, I mean. If you were a cultivator, I would have sensed it within you but I didn't so..." She explained.

"Ah! So you pried into my body to find a golden spot within?" He surmised, his tone as flat as usual. "How brazen."

"Are... Are you teasing me?!" She cried, glaring at Liang Fei with a flushed expression.

"Am I?" He shot back, looking at her with a blank expression. It was hard to tell how serious he was being just then.

She stared at him for a while, her eyes narrowed as she tried to read his indifferent expression. And yet...

"...I can't tell." She sighed, frowning. She stared at the fire, watching the wood burn and the ember fly as she whispered. "It's so weird though. You remind me so much of him."

"Him?"

"Ah, no it's nothing." The woman seemed to come back to her senses, blinking the tears that nearly came away. "I was just thinking about someone else."

Liang Fei watched as she forced a smile, trying to reassure him. His heart clenched at the sight.

"Did you lose this person?" He asked, wanting to comfort her but being unable to. What could he do?

"I don't know." She mumbled, staring at her hands. "He might still be around but he just... disappeared one day."

"I'm sorry about that." He replied, bowing his head in remorse. Seeing the look of sorrow on her face, he could imagine how Xieren must have felt when he died. Had he held such an expression as well? Had he looked for him?

"There's no need to apologize." She assured him, smiling at his attempt at comfort. He really was a nice guy. "It's not your fault, mister...?"

"Han." He answered without a thought.

"Lord Han." The woman nodded, smiling at the older man. "My name is Jun Xinyi, head apprentice at the TianJian sect."

Liang Fei felt his heart stop.

This... this pretty woman was Xinyi!? But... why was she so big?!

Looking her over, he could see the resemblance. The same long black hair, cherub shaped face and sky blue eyes. Even the sachet she often carried with her hadn't changed in scent or design yet...

This was clearly an adult woman!

"You... are Xinyi?" He forced out, trying to come to terms with this. Surely it must be some kind of mistake. "Was your master an elder named Zhihao?"

"Eh? You sure know a lot about our sect, Lord Han." Again, this adult Xinyi frowned at him. "Have you met my master before?"

Hearing her words, Liang Fei felt like his world had shifted drastically. This woman was Xinyi, the young girl who smiled and clung to her master like a child and ate with such enthusiasm.

How long had he been dead?

"...Perhaps I have." He mumbled, covering his face with a hand. His body was still cold from the snow yet his mind was on other things. "I apologize, I'm feeling quite tired. Might we speak more of this later?"

"...Sure." She answered, seeing that the man seemed to be dealing with something. She knew better than to ask any further. "If you feel sore anywhere, please tell me, okay?"

"Yes." Liang Fei closed his eyes, his head hurting from all that had occurred that day. There was too much to deal with just then.

***

And yet there was no freedom to be had, even in sleep.

Liang Fei found himself in a familiar void, misty and desolate as his breaths echoed. This is where he'd found himself the first time he'd died.

"Please tell me I didn't die in my sleep or something." He muttered, looking around. "I'd have at least liked to get something done first."

Suddenly, a text bar appeared in front of him, the words being quickly typed out.

{(•◡•) / Yo, host! How ya been?}

Liang Fei stared for a minute, unsure of how to respond.

"Who are you?" He could tell this wasn't System Q. That thing wasn't nearly as friendly with... probably anyone.

{Eh? Didn't you open my email? (≖_≖ )}

"I thought it was spam."

{How rude. t(>.<t)} The bar shook as if displaying the person's annoyance. {Was it the address? Look, that can't be helped. I was a bachelor back then and-}

"Ah!" So this person was the 'boss' Q and Shi mentioned? when they said he couldn't communicate directly, he hadn't expected an email to the alternative. "May I ask you some questions, 'boss'."

{Ah, now you know me. Go ahead, man. (─‿‿─)}

"Why did Xinyi say I'm not a cultivator?"

{Cause you're not. You are human.}

"I thought I was still Shao Liang Fei?"

{You kinda... well, your original body, well Shao's original body, was dead and kinda rotten so we had to mix things up. (─‿‿─)}

"Rotten?" He echoed, thinking about how much older Xinyi was. Some time must have passed already since his death. "So the body was no good then?"

{Exactly. (≧°◡°≦) So we just used your original body as a template and wrote you into the story.}

"Is that something you can do?" He felt like that was an overreach but the text box assured him.

{¯\_(ツ)_/¯~Meh, the character whose place you took was a nameless background character.} Its tone was clear, even in text form. {Trust me, you won't have any issues on that front.}

From the mist, a mirror appeared. Looking into the reflection, Liang Fei saw a familiar face he hadn't seen in years. Violet eyes stared back at him, noting all the small details. Even the old scar on his left eyebrow from his first fight was there.

Seeing his own face again was strange when paired with a fantasy aesthetic. His hair was super long, fitting in with the setting. It was strange how... right he looked for this world, like he belonged there.

Thinking back, he felt he should have realized it sooner. His weak body, his lack of cultivation skills and even Xinyi not recognizing him.

This body was clearly his own, not Shao Liang Fei's.

"I see." He sighed, watching the mirror fade into the mist. "Then, for all intents and purposes, this body is the one I died in the first time?"

{Yep.}

Liang Fei sighed, happy that this diety had stopped using emoticons. It was... weird to see what he assumed was a god trying to act cute. It was kind of gross, since he imagined a really old man typing this all out.

Had Chongsheng heard his thoughts, he would have never forgiven the man. He was a god, one of the most handsome and sought after in the heavens. How dare this bastard call his beloved wife's taste into question!

"I see. Won't that complicate things?" He asked, turning to the text box. "Xieren won't recognize me."

{Yeah, that's not really my problem. I grant wishes but I can't hold your hand. That's what my systems are supposed to be doing."

"The ones who ditch their hosts and toss them into worlds blind?" He shot back, cocking a brow.

{Yeah, I know. They suck. I'm taking care of it right so piss off.} There was a brief pause before more words were typed in. {Anyway, for now, just focus on getting your strength back so you won't die. You got lucky tonight. Those guys weren't your students, so they were complete shit but next time you might not be so lucky.}

"So what do I do?" He knew he was in a bad spot. He couldn't even begin to search for Xieren if he was entirely mortal. "I can't start cultivation now. It would take decades to get back to where I was."

{Yeah, that's why you need a Shuizhi.}

(AN: Translates to 'Leech')

"Shuizhi? What is that?"

{Its a type of seed.} The text box expanded, showing a picture of a round gold... thing. It sort of looked like a small banana with red patches. {Trust me, just get this thing, follow the steps and you'll be fine.}

"I see." This was new to him but he needed a way to survive. "And where does one find a Shuizhi?"

{Ah! That's simple. (✿◠‿◠) } It wrote, ignoring Liang Fei's look of dismay as the emoticons returned. {First, you have to cross through the valley of woe to the temple of Garbadoon, where you must answer 3 riddles by the guardian residing there. And then..." Chongsheng spent the next few minutes explaining in excruciating detail all the steps required to just find the location of the Shuizhi. Throughout the explanation, Liang Fei's mind started to drift elsewhere, quickly getting bored.

He briefly wondered what he would be having for breakfast after he woke up. It would be his first meal during this second- no, third life and he hoped it'd be delicious.

Maybe he could even cook some soup and-

{Oi, are you listening to me?! ┻━┻ ︵ヽ('▭')ノ︵ ┻━┻ }

"Hm?" The man looked up, truly having not heard a word that was said. "Oh, are you done? I was getting bored."

{...I'm starting to see why my system had such a hard time with you. (≖_≖ )} Liang Fei wanted to argue that but was cut off by the text box. {Either way, I'll send you the info later. Time to wake up.}

The world faded as he felt himself wake up. Just before he did, the text box left him one last message.

{Try not to fuck up the world, will ya?}

***

The next morning Liang Fei and Xinyi departed for the town. Turns out they weren't too far from the place he needed to go. He could only place his thanks onto dumb luck, since he doubted that bitter system meant to do that.

As they walked, Liang Fei was obviously interrogated by Xinyi, who had yet to forget his small slip of the tongue the night before. For a regular human to not only defeat rogues but also to know her master, was truly suspicious.

Yet it resolved quite simply.

All he did was tell the truth. Well, half.

He had told her that he and her master were drinking buddies. Zhihao was well known to frequent local towns and drink the pubs dry. With this, Xinyi let the matter lie, relieved that the man who had saved her was friends with her master.

This allowed Liang Fei to focus on his main mission.

During breakfast, which had been delicious, Liang Fei decided to read the email left by the so-called god of reincarnation. There wasn't a lot there, since most of the text was blacked out.

How familiar.

Yet unlike before, this boss person had explained that knowing the future was not a good thing since it would affect his actions. That and his main priority was to get the Shuizhi and get his abilities back. Otherwise, the rest of the story was meaningless.

The email told him where he could find the Shuizhi. Despite his long drawn out explanation, he'd managed to slip one into a shop that was in a nearby town. All he had to do was buy it and the next step would be revealed to him.

It seemed simple enough.

Yet nothing is ever that easy.

He found the seed very easily upon arrival. It was barely noticed by anyone in the shop and cost next to nothing. Liang Fei felt pity for this rarest of rare items, left in the bargain bin at the back of a shop.

But that wasn't the hard part. No, the hard part was step 2.

Step 1: Get Shuizhi.

Easy enough

Step 2: Bury seed in Shao Liang Fei's grave for 3 days and 3 nights while watching over it.

Putting aside the watching over part, how the hell was he supposed to do this? He didn't know where his corpse was. Hell, he couldn't even say he had been buried at all! Who was to say the body hadn't been eaten by beasts?

Even so, how was he to find the corpse!?

Liang Fei sighed, staring up at the ceiling of an eatery. He and Xinyi had stopped by to rest after shopping. Xinyi had quite the spread before her, gaining the eye of many a customer. Before she had started to eat, most assumed the food had been for him.

Oh, how wrong they were.

It was only after the fifth plate that Xinyi noticed his expression. Spotting his untouched bowl, she placed her chopsticks down.

"Are you okay, Lord Han?"

"I'm fine." He replied, sounding slightly distracted. His mind was still on how to find his corpse.

Honestly, just the thought alone made him wonder how his life had come to this.

Seeing his expression, which she had come to realize rarely changed, she chose to change the subject. Perhaps that would cheer him up.

"So where were you planning on going, Lord Han?"

"I'm not sure yet." He finally began to eat, absentmindedly munching on his food. " I originally intended to search for someone but I first need to ensure my safety."

Xinyi didn't think too much about the second part, more curious about the first.

"Who were you looking for?" She shared some of her food, placing some meat on his plate. It had been a while since she felt so comfortable with someone.

"My student." He answered, nodding in response. "Due to certain... circumstances, we got separated and I was unable to look for him immediately."

"You must really care for that person." She thought of Xieren and how much she had missed him.

"They relied on me and trusted me." He continued, nodding. "I can't allow myself to let down that trust. Not again."

"I see." Xinyi smiled, finding herself really liking this person. "You are quite kind despite your sour face."

"Hm?" Liang Fei blinked, his hand going to his cheek. "Whose face is sour?" Liang Fei knew he wasn't the most expressive person but never had he been called 'sour-faced'.

"Yours!" She stated, pointing at him. A sly smile spread across her face. "Look at you, all frowny and dour. How do you expect to find yourself a wife?"

"Eh? This is my regular face." He replied, feeling wronged.  "What's wrong with it?"

"For one thing, you frown too much. I can't read you at all."

"Is that a problem?"

"Of course!" She cried, moving closer. Her bosom bounced, gaining the attention of every male nearby. Liang Fei, seeing Xinyi as the child she was, didn't notice. "Lord Han is super handsome but too stone-faced to draw any eyes. In fact, you sometimes come off as scary!"

Liang Fei recalled when he'd first met Xinyi. She had cowered and simpered every time he looked at her. At the time, he assumed it was because of the original's reputation but hearing her words, it might have been his facial expression.

"Ah, that might be a problem." He muttered, grimacing.

"Right. If you want to go around and ask about your student, you'll need to fix that face first. No one will want to talk to you.

"I understand."

For the rest of the day, Liang Fei tried to get information about his possible burial site. Considering how much Chenyu seemed to like him, he assumed the man would bury him, despite his actions.

At least he hoped so.

As such, he tried to regain his bearings and make a guess. Considering how that man acted, he assumed his grave would be under some sort of protection rather than out in the open. 

So he just needed to go to some site that people were barred from going near. With any luck, it'd actually be his grave and not some zombie infested hellscape.

Just the thought sent shivers down the older man's spine.

Yet actually getting the information was the hard part. Turns out, Xinyi was right. His lack of expressions made most people nervous, especially when asking about areas forbidden to the public.

It screamed suspicious. 

As such, it took dozens of tries for him to get the information he needed. There was a clearing in the far forest where those who drew close, were soon consumed by fog. Those who entered the area soon found themselves lost and unable to escape.

Must be the place.

Using the money he absolutely didn't loot off Xinyi's attackers, he bought supplies. Apparently, he had to remain nearby the seed and the grave for those 3 days. As such, he came prepared.

Books.

Food.

Treats.

Only the bare essentials!

He had informed Xinyi that he would be gone a few days. She was only slightly saddened.

"I see. Stay safe, alright." She smiled up at him, feeling sad to part from this nice man. they'd only known one another for a day but she felt such a familiar sense of ease around him.

It was like she was with her father or uncle.

"I'll be fine, I promise." He replied, resisting the urge to pet her. "Just wait for me in town and I'll escort you where ever you need to go."

Liang Fei had been worried about her since she had no means to defend herself. For some reason, she was alone out here and refused an escort. He hoped she'd wait for him.

"Right right." She huffed, rolling her eyes. As much as she pretended to bein annoyed, she felt really happy to hear they'd be seeing each other again. "See you."

Liang Fei walked away, his mind now on his current situation. He'd have to get through the forest, past the wards and plant the seed in his grave for a few days. 

Which meant camping outside. How terrible. He very much wanted to sleep indoors, since it was winter.

Sigh~

His mind was on other things, absentmindedly walking when he bumped into someone. The body was small and soft.

"Ouch..." On the ground, a pretty young lady sat on the ground, rubbing her cheek. Her clothes were fine and revealing. All of this was noticed by Liang Fei but he said nothing on it.

"Are you alright, miss?" He asked, holding out a hand.

"Eh?" She looked up, finding herself in a daze. "I-I'm fine!" Eh!? Who is this super handsome guy?! Is this a dream?

"I see." Liang Fei nodded, about to pull away when he recalled Xinyi's words. To smile more.

So he did.

"I'm glad." He said, though his words fell on deaf ears. The lady's attention was solely on Liang Fei's face, which shined as he gently smiled down at her. His words were drowned out by her racing heart and her face went completely red.

This woman, having seen all kinds of men in her life, had never seen such a beautiful smile and was left speechless.

Liang Fei, on the other hand, misunderstood the woman's silence as fear. Perhaps he hadn't smiled correctly again? He'd scared the poor dear into silence.

"I'll leave you to your business, miss." He bowed and turned away with a wave. The woman stared after him, absentmindedly waving back. After he disappeared from sight, she regained her soul, having been standing in place for a while.

That man... How could a man that handsome be living here and I didn't know! The woman looked around, trying to catch sight of him again.

For the rest of the evening, she would try and learn more about this handsome and mysterious man. She was young but very experienced in seeing people's potential. While she couldn't be sure, she could tell he was something special.

This search of him would lead to many a misunderstanding.

***

Unsurprisingly, Liang Fei found himself lost in the forest. Whether it was due to the wards or his natural lack of direction, it was hard to say. But after hours of wandering, he finally found himself standing in front of his grave.

As expected, the tombstone was large and elaborate. Looking at it, one would think some important person, like a sect leader or mayor, was laid to rest here rather just some guy.

Really, this guy Chenyu was too much.

Touching the cool stone, he felt a strange sensation burning in his chest. Below his feet, the body he resided in was laid to rest while he stood above in his own body. 

It was strange, to say the least.

Still, he had to focus on other matters. Such as planting the seed and making camp. 

The next 2 nights went by without much excitement. Other than the odd animal that somehow wandered by, the days were quiet.

He did, however, come to realize why step 2 required him to remain nearby. The seed had been drawing out the remaining energy in his corpse and Liang Fei could feel the energy coming into him. It was very little, barely at the level of a disciple but it was miles better than where he was before.

He had been resting in a tree, watching the stars from the shelter he'd built the day before when he heard some noise. He didn't think much of it. He assumed it was just another animal, perhaps a deer or something.

Yet the air quickly got cold, colder than even the snow. Instinct had him freezing in place, waiting to see what beast had entered the area.

From the fog, a black silhouette appeared, silencing the woods. Wary, Liang Fei watched, unsure whether they were man or beast.

 

70