Chapter 1: The Shattered Veil

The rain pounded against the pavement, a relentless downpour that blurred the neon lights of the city. Mark Li pulled his jacket tighter around him as he stepped off the curb, the icy wind biting into his skin. Another day, another twelve hours wasted in a gray cubicle. The monotonous rhythm of life had dulled him, each step feeling heavier than the last.

"Just one break," he muttered, his breath visible in the frigid air. "Is that too much to ask?"

A deafening clap of thunder tore through the sky. Mark froze mid-step, his gaze snapping upward as a blinding flash illuminated the streets. Before he could react, a surge of energy engulfed him, his body weightless as darkness swallowed his consciousness.


---

Mark's eyes fluttered open, the air around him heavy with an unfamiliar warmth. His breath hitched as he took in the surreal landscape stretching before him. Towering mountains floated lazily in the sky, their jagged peaks bathed in golden light. Rivers of crystalline water wove through lush forests, their surfaces shimmering like liquid glass. Strange beasts, massive and majestic, prowled in the distance.

"What... where am I?" he whispered, the words barely audible.

Pain flared in his skull, sharp and unrelenting. He clutched his head as memories—fragments of a life not his own—flooded his mind.

A boy's voice, younger and rougher, echoed within him: Mo Tian. A farmer’s son from a remote village, surrounded by a world of cultivators who wielded power beyond imagination.

Then came the voice.

"Welcome, chosen one. You have entered the Realm of Infinite Ascension."

The words reverberated through his very soul, cold and indifferent. Mark staggered back, his heart racing as the weight of the truth pressed down on him. This wasn’t Earth. This wasn’t a dream. He had transmigrated into another world—a world where the strong thrived, and the weak perished.


---

A low, guttural growl snapped Mark out of his daze. He turned, his blood running cold at the sight of a pack of wolves emerging from the shadows. They were unlike anything he had ever seen—massive creatures with silver fur that glinted under the twin suns. Their eyes glowed crimson, filled with a predatory hunger.

Mark’s instincts screamed at him to run. Without hesitation, he bolted, the adrenaline coursing through his veins giving him speed he didn’t know he possessed. The wolves gave chase, their powerful legs tearing through the terrain with ease.

He darted through the dense foliage, his feet barely keeping ahead of the snapping jaws behind him. The air burned in his lungs, the sharp branches cutting into his skin.

Ahead, a jagged cliff loomed, its sheer face offering no escape. Desperation surged through him as he spotted a narrow crevice hidden at its base. He dived into it, the wolves’ snarls echoing behind him.


---

The space was tight, the jagged rocks scraping against his back. Mark pressed himself deeper, his breath shallow as the wolves clawed at the entrance. Their massive paws dislodged chunks of stone, each impact bringing them closer.

"No, no, no!" he whispered, panic rising.

His gaze darted around the dark crevice, his eyes catching a faint glow emanating from deeper within. The light pulsed like a heartbeat, steady and inviting. With no other options, he crawled toward it, his hands and knees scraping against the rough ground.

The narrow tunnel opened into a cavern, its walls lined with crystals that bathed the space in an ethereal light. At its center stood an altar, and atop it rested a sphere of radiant energy, its glow mesmerizing.

Mark approached cautiously, drawn to the sphere as if by an invisible force. The moment his fingers brushed against it, the cavern erupted in light.


---

"Bearer of the Eternal Dao Seed, you have been chosen."

The voice was no longer cold; it was commanding, reverent. Knowledge flooded his mind—ancient cultivation techniques, profound martial arts, and the esoteric truths of the universe. He saw visions of endless battles, of gods and demons clashing across the heavens.

The light subsided, leaving Mark trembling. No, he was no longer Mark. He was Mo Tian now, his very soul transformed. His body radiated power, every cell brimming with vitality. His senses expanded; he could hear the wolves outside, their breaths heavy with frustration.

The sound of stone cracking brought his attention back. The wolves had broken through, their snarling forms filling the entrance.

Mo Tian didn’t hesitate.

Raising his hand, he willed a blade of energy into existence. Its edge glimmered like starlight. The first wolf lunged, and with a single, fluid motion, Mo Tian cleaved it in two. The others hesitated, their instincts screaming at them to retreat. But Mo Tian wasn’t merciful.

He moved like a specter, faster than the eye could follow. Each strike was precise, ruthless. When the final wolf fell, the cavern was silent once more, save for the sound of Mo Tian’s steady breathing.


---

Mo Tian stood amidst the carnage, unflinching. The man who once hesitated at confrontation, who sought peace over conflict, was gone. In his place was someone new—someone who understood the harsh reality of this world.

“I will not be weak,” he muttered, his voice cold. “I will carve my path, and no one will stand above me.”

The cavern trembled as if in agreement. The crystals on the walls shattered, their energy converging into the altar. A single word appeared, etched in glowing light: Ascend.

Mo Tian stepped forward, the ground beneath him glowing with each step. He was no longer a mere spectator in this world. He was a force to be reckoned with.

And this was only the beginning.


---

End of Chapter 1

Chapter end