Mu Yan was now fourteen years old, a prime age for cultivation by ancestral world standards, where children typically began their training around that age. In the lower worlds, however, cultivation usually started around twenty, as infant bodies lacked the inherent aura pathways needed to safely guide Qi, risking severe deformities or even monstrous births if mishandled. The ancestral world was a distant legend here, spoken of only in whispers and myths, a place where the Dao flowed like a roaring river.
Despite its simplicity, the lower world held its own dangers and mysteries. Aware of the inherent weakness of his new, mortal body, Mu Yan slowly navigated the forest, his senses sharpened. After successfully catching a few rabbits and birds, he began tracing his way back to the village.
Mu Yan clenched his fists, determination hardening his gaze. "I will not be weak here. I will rise... and I will return." As he clenched his fists, something bit into his skin. He opened his scratched, aching hands and noticed the black coin had cut past his skin, drawing a bead of blood that now coated its surface. He transferred the coin to his other hand and continued his walk towards the village. He would examine the coin later, determined to unearth its mysteries. For something instrumental in bringing him back to life, it surely held other secrets.
The first few hours were a brutal awakening. Mu Yan's body, though young and vigorous, lacked the refined control of a true cultivator. His muscles ached from foraging through the dense forest, and his mind struggled to harness the spiritual energy that now lay latent within him. The spiritual energy here was manifold less in both quantity and quality compared to the ancestral realm.
In the ancestral realm, Lin Wei had refined his spirit to near perfection. But here, the cultivation veins were rough, untrained. The body he inhabited was that of a common man—one who had barely begun his path. This body had not been primed for cultivation from a young age or before birth. This presented both challenges and a unique opportunity to mold the body and lay new foundations as needed.
While tracing his path back to Stonehaven, he found a nearby stream, its water clear and cold. Kneeling by its edge, Mu Yan gazed at his reflection. The face staring back was unfamiliar—sharp features, dark eyes with a hint of something primal that vanished as if it had never existed, and a mess of unruly black hair. He reached out, tracing the contours of this new flesh, feeling the pulse of life beneath the surface.
"Who was I before? Who am I now?" The questions echoed in his mind like distant thunder. At least he could be thankful for this new lease on life and a handsome body. "I am Lin Wei, and I am also Mu Yan," he affirmed, a silent gratitude to the previous owner of this vessel. He would take care of the old grandma as a debt of gratitude to the past Mu Yan. He would ensure the heavens echoed with his new name, and it would be remembered through the ages.