"Someone... someone help us! My son is crushed beneath this carriage!"
On the edge of a cliff in the greenlands of the human empire, a man in his late 40s, wearing noble clothes—a simple white tunic with golden buttons and a deep red overcoat, was trying to lift the noble carriage under which his son was trapped and unconscious. He pushed the carriage with all his strength, but it didn't move. His servants and the coachman had already fallen off the cliff.
The man then looked around, searching for someone to help his son—but there was no one. Only a thick forest behind, and a deadly cliff in front. Why did we end up like this?
Before this mess happened, the man and his son, along with some servants, were traveling through the forest. But suddenly, they were attacked by a wounded mutated wolf. The horses panicked and ran wildly toward the cliff. The coachman and horses fell off the cliff, but the carriage got stuck on a large rock near the edge. From the other side of the carriage, the servants lost their balance and fell off too.
The wounded wolf ran away. The only ones left were the man and his son.
But now, the son was crushed under the half-tilted carriage—and the father didn't have the strength to push it off him.
The man stopped trying to push the carriage and dropped to his knees, crying. He joined both hands tightly and started praying to God with a trembling voice,
"Hey God, please save my child! I'll do anything... he's the only one left in my life after his mother died. Please, God... save him. Send your angel or come yourself!"
He didn't hear any answer but a growling sound from behind him. His eyes opened wide, trembling from fear. Behind him was the wounded mutated wolf. Why...is he back? His legs started shaking, he couldn't move even a finger. His breath started becoming heavy, sweat began forming on his forehead.
Am...I going to die? I'm a failure as a father, I couldn't save my son and now dying to a wolf. If...only if I had trained my body...just enough to push this carriage off my kid, only that much would've been enough...but... I'm...I'm foolish...
The wounded mutated wolf charged at him, trying to tear his body in half with its claws. The man closed his eyes in fear. Sorry, Wan! Kang!
Fzzzz!—The man waited, closing his eyes and accepting his death, but nothing happened. He could only hear the high-pitched sound of wind tearing and two things clashing. What's happening? Why isn't that wolf eating me?
He slowly opened his eyes. In front of him was a yellow divine-energy barrier. What is this thing? He looked around and then up at the sky, where he saw a young man, around eighteen or nineteen. His hair was black, and he wore a long black cloak over his shoulders. Who is he?
The young man charged at the wounded mutated wolf. The wolf tried to defend itself and tore at the boy, but the boy dodged. He jumped behind the man, lifted the carriage with ease, and threw it at the wolf—the same carriage the man couldn't even push.
Is he a cultivator?
The wolf dodged the carriage and started charging at both of them. The man closed his eyes again, bracing for the worst. But just like before—nothing happened. As he slowly opened his eyes, he saw the same barrier had protected them again.
The young man jumped high into the air, forming a magical staff in his hand. He threw it upward. "Extend!" he shouted.
At his command, the magical staff grew—expanding in both girth and length—becoming large enough to crush the mutated wolf alone. It came down with a powerful strike, smashing the wolf under its immense weight.
Then, the staff shrunk back and returned to the young man's hand. He let out a low whistle, then smirked. "This Ruyi Jingu Bang is better than most weapons I've used."
Young man joined both hands for the mutated wolf, "Om shanti", and started leaving but the man called him from behind, "Wait! Please save my son! He is dying from blood loss!" His eyes trembling with fear of losing his son.
Young man walked toward the man's son and placed his hand on the boy and closed his eyes. After a moment, the kid's wounds started healing and he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his son alive, the man embraced him tightly. Young man looked at them and smiled, then started leaving.
"Sir, we are lost here, we don't know where we should go. Can we come with you only for this night?" the man asked, stopping the young man again.
Young man squinted his eyes, acted like he was thinking about it. Then nodded to himself, "Yeah, you can." His voice was deep and calm.
The man's eyes lit up in happiness, he started following the young man while carrying his son on his back. "Who are you, sir? A cultivator?"
Young man glanced at him, "I'm Rayen Omiosen, a failed cultivator."
They reached closer to the home of Rayen. Outside the house, old man was sitting. He saw Rayen coming home with a man and a kid, he tilted his head in confusion.
As they reached the house, the man and old man went inside, and the man told him about his situation—how they were going to another city through the mountain route but got attacked by a wounded mutated wolf, and Rayen saved them. Old man knew it was the same wolf that survived and ran away when he was teaching Rayen how to survive among mountain beasts.
But he didn't tell the man. Outside, Rayen and the kid were playing with little lambs, laughing and running. Old man nodded, but then the man asked, "That boy Rayen, he was strong enough to defeat that wolf. I believe he is a cultivator, but he said he is a failed cultivator. Why?"
The old man strokes his beard and said, "He has been cultivating since he was three, and now he's nineteen, but still, he hasn't cultivated his skills to a level even an average person could. The power you saw—even an average ten-year-old monk kid who has been cultivating for four–five years can do that."
Rayen has spent most of his time cultivating and training. I taught him everything I could. He has only mastered life force among elemental magic, spirit, summoning, martial arts, and life force. He's not even at the advanced level, let alone mastered it.
Old man looks outside from window, at rayen. He thought, His physical body is ten times stronger than an average cultivator, but it's not enough. His control over life force isn't enough for him to be considered a cultivator. But still, I've never seen this kid depressed about it… instead, he always smiles and laughs… Even if he's a failure, even if the situation isn't right. I sometimes really think… what are you thinking, Rayen?
---
The house door creaked open, and Rayen stepped inside. The old man and the other man were still sitting on the chairs, while the child remained outside, playing with the little lambs. Rayen walked toward them.
The man stood up and spoke, "Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier—I was too focused on my son. I'm Jing Yi, and my son's name is Jing Kang."
He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. "Once again, I'm truly grateful to you. Without your help, my son wouldn't have survived."
"No worries." Rayen casually picked up a fruit from the basket, sat down on a chair, and took a bite.
Damn it… because of me, his servants and the coachman fell off that cliff. They're probably already dead. And his son... he almost died too. All because of my weakness—because I let that mutated wolf escape. If I had just killed it back then, none of this would've happened. Those people didn't deserve to die.
He stared out the window, eyes fixed on the fading evening sky.
I've spent nearly sixteen years cultivating... and over seven years studying martial arts, elemental magic, and spirit control. And yet, I still can't use any of them properly.
Before I was reincarnated, I was the strongest player in WuXhun Online—someone who nearly conquered everything. After being reborn here, I thought I'd rise to the top again with ease.
But now... even the thought of me being the strongest in this world feels disgusting. Cringe.
I can't even stand against another cultivator my age. Killing weak mutated wolves doesn't make me strong. It just proves how weak I really am.
---
Rayen stood up, placing the half-eaten fruit back into the basket. He looked at the old man and said, "Make a portal for me."
The old man raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want me to make a portal?"
Jing Yi turned to the old man in surprise. "You can make portals? If that's true, then please—make one that connects to the City of Mira. Our home is there."
Rayen added, "I want to go to the City of Mira too. I'm tired of this quiet, peaceful life. I need a change of pace... a cooldown. I'll go with Jing Yi and his son."
The old man nodded slowly, agreeing to their request—but a hint of doubt lingered in his mind.
What are you planning, Rayen...?