[A / N: I'm writing my first Fanfic. I'm using Apps to Translate from Portuguese to English, so if any mistakes are frequent let me know, I'll try to fix them.]
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[Glory City!]
The soft morning light filtered through the thin silk curtains of the room, dancing across the serene face of a young cultivator.
His long white hair, tied into a ponytail with a jade hairpin, swayed gently with the breeze coming from the half-open window.
Two strands framed his delicate features, highlighting the almost ethereal beauty of his fair skin. His long lashes rested on his cheeks, concealing the mystery behind his eyes.
He sat in a lotus position atop a silk cushion embroidered with intricate symbols and inscriptions. His broad shoulders were adorned with white pauldrons, each bearing the design of a white wolf's head with blue eyes.
The white outfit he wore, trimmed with gold and blue, resembled armor, yet looked far too refined for ordinary use.
It was clearly not just any set of clothes.
The air was laced with the gentle scent of sandalwood incense, creating a calm atmosphere ideal for meditation.
The young cultivator breathed deeply, his lungs filling with the fresh morning air. He could feel soul energy flowing through him, warming his body and strengthening his spirit.
His slender, elegant fingers moved in a slow and steady rhythm, forming complex hand seals.
Each gesture carried meaning, channeling the soul force around him and directing it into his soul realm — the core of his power. He could feel the qi, the life force, circulating through his body, fortifying his muscles, sharpening his senses, and expanding his awareness.
Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes and, without thinking, took a small piece of crystal from his storage ring, injecting his soul force into it.
The soul crystal gradually began to glow, growing brighter and brighter, illuminating his delicate, yet slightly matured face. Bright dots of light began to dance inside the crystal.
"Finally... 90 soul strength points." The young man smiled, showing gleaming teeth. "Today or tomorrow, I will be the first of the students to become the first Demonic Spiritualist, reaching the one-star bronze level."
That young man was Xiang Yun — heir of a noble family, the Xiang Family.
The Xiang Family was one of the key forces behind the research and development of many spiritual inscription scrolls after numerous ancient texts had been lost to time.
Its founder, Xiang Muwu, was a genius inscriptor who once sealed a minor gate of Glory City from a demon beast horde using an inscription barrier, saving thousands of lives.
For centuries, the Xiang family had dedicated itself to forging tools and crafting inscriptions, mastering the art of embedding them into weaponry like few others could.
Unlike other families that focused solely on soul force, the Xiang balanced spiritual power with technical refinement and commercial influence. This earned them economic stability, respect from the Alchemist Association, and political clout within Glory City.
Unfortunately, like all families, their glory began to fade over the years as many of their geniuses were lost — nearly falling back into the status of an ordinary aristocratic house. Luckily, twelve years ago, a new genius was born into the Xiang family.
And that genius was Xiang Yun.
Of course, that genius also carried the soul of another teenager.
Xiang Yun arrived in this world one week ago. In his previous life, he had read the novel he was now inside — but it had been years, and he wasn't sure which timeline he was in.
He knew he was in Glory City, nearly thirteen years old, and part of the same generation as Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er.
He was certain of that because their families were relatively close — the Snow Wind Family visited every few months to purchase weapon or armor sets. But overall, he had no idea whether this was the timeline where Nie Li returns from the future — or the one where Glory City falls.
If it were the first, that would be fine! Nie Li, with his knowledge, could help save the city from the Demon Beast Horde and the Dark Guild. But if it were the second... he was screwed.
Even as a so-called "protagonist," Xiang Yun had no golden opportunity, no wishes, no system. Not even the cultivation technique he used was compatible with his attributes, meaning that with his current talent, he might — at best — reach Ye Mo's level: the Legend rank.
The technique he practiced was his family's core method: [Technique of One Hundred Thousand Inscriptions]. It wasn't weak, but it wasn't exactly strong either. Its main element was fire, one of Xiang Yun's natural affinities — but only one.
From what Xiang Yun could tell, he had the form: [Chaotic Spatial Soul of the Five Elements], and possessed all five elements. But using only fire would hardly be enough to reach the Legend rank.
Still, even reaching Legend wasn't enough to face the enemies lurking nearby — let alone the Sage Emperor, who intended to refine the entire Demon Ruins Realm.
If this really was the first timeline, he would need to grow stronger fast and then risk exploring the Endless Desert to find the Desert Palace — where the Temporal Demon Spirit Book was kept.
"Don't let me down, Nie Li. I'm counting on you to make this life peaceful and free of unnecessary drama." Xiang Yun shook his head, then stood up and picked up the cushion beneath him.
In a flash, the cushion was sucked into his space ring, and he left the room, then the house.
Since arriving in this world, life hadn't been bad. Other than missing the technology he was used to, this world had its perks.
Skills, weapons, magic, freedom.
As the son of a powerful family, money was never a problem. So after several hours of training, he usually went out for some fresh air and a good meal.
How did he die in his old world? No clue.
How did he arrive here, and why? No answers. He simply woke up — and he was here.
He still remembered his friends, family, school, and job. Everything was fresh in his mind. But he tried not to think about it. Since he was likely dead there, his family would probably mourn and move on — and he'd try to do the same... or at least not dwell on it too much.
Maybe, if one day he became strong enough, he could return—
Xiang Yun shook his head. That was unrealistic.
On the way, he passed roadside merchants selling demon beasts — snakes, wolves, and lizards — all supposedly "Rare Beasts with Great Potential," as well as weapons and armor "Used by Legendary Figures of the Past."
Of course, most of it was fake. And even if it weren't, the beasts had poor bloodlines or the tools were too damaged to be useful.
"As the son of a weaponsmithing family, I don't need any of this," Xiang Yun thought.
The outfit he wore alone was a complete Bronze-grade set, worth more than 500,000 Demon Spirit Coins. He ignored the cheap goods and headed straight for the food stalls.
"Hey, uncle! Give me a portion of that demon beast meat!" Xiang Yun called out, instantly drawing attention.
"Of course, right away, Young Master. Just a moment!" the vendor replied with a flattering smile, hurrying to prepare the dish.
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"Hey, look! Who is that boy?"
"No idea, but he's gorgeous. What's he doing in a place like this?"
"I don't know, but look at his clothes. He's probably from an influential family."
"That... can't be right, can it? Who from a noble family would eat here?"
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People — especially the women — whispered among themselves, occasionally sneaking glances at Xiang Yun.
Xiang Yun, on the other hand, ignored them. He grabbed his plate, sat down at the stall, and ate until he was full — stunning the onlookers.
'Doesn't he know demon beast meat is rich in spiritual energy? Isn't he afraid of exploding from overeating?'