Entering a new Face

In the next instant, Song Luoxu found himself in the heart of a dense jungle. Towering trees loomed above him, their ancient trunks twisted and gnarled, while relentless gusts of wind whipped through the underbrush.

As Song Luoxu surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings, a single thought weighed heavily on his mind—he could only hope that this timeline would be different. But when he looked down at himself, he was startled. His body… it was small, just like when he escaped his village. He realized with shock that he was in the body of his 11-year-old self.

"I hope the Time Bead worked as I intended," he muttered to himself. "It could have pushed me to the distant past or flung me into the far future… But I can't tell where—or when—I am."

At over a 1000 years old, Song Luoxu was a cultivator of the Martial King realm, a level few ever reached. Typically, someone at his level could only live up to a 500 years. But Song Luoxu had defied that limit, surviving an entire millennium thanks to the Time Bead he had stolen years ago. Using its power, he manipulated time, halting the aging of his body. Yet, with the bead's energy nearly depleted, he had one final use left—and he chose to move to a different timeline.

"In my past life, I could only grasp a fraction of what I was truly capable of," he reflected, his gaze hardening.

"But the Time Bead has given me a miraculous opportunity—a second chance. Why would I waste it? This time, I won't be bound by the same limitations. I won't walk the same path. I'll break through the abyssal mountain that once held me back."With that silent vow.

The next moment Song Luoxu opened his fists and placed them on his abdomen, sensing a faint presence of qi—the basic energy of Hengjie. "Even if the heavens are against me, I can still feel my qi. It's weak, but it's there. I still have something," he thought.

He stepped out of his meditation spot and into the dense forest, sensing the qi around him.

He touched his abdomen and he could feel that he has reached Qi concentration realm which was not a big deal , yet it is his first step into immortality again , it was refreshing feeling,by the end of it all he walked, and he could feel a faint trail leading toward a larger source of qi, likely a nearby town. But after a few steps, he heard a sudden cracking sound. Listening more closely, he realized it wasn't just random noise in the forest-it was the sound of a fight.

With a surge of qi in his legs, Song ran toward the source. When he arrived, he saw a brutal scene: a child lay bloodied and beaten on the ground, while three others, wearing the same gray and white striped sect uniforms, continued to kick and stab him. The poor quality of their robes marked them as outer disciples of some small sect nearby.

Despite the brutality before him, Song was unfazed. This was just the law of nature-the weak are always preyed upon.

But as he watched the one-sided fight, another thought took root. Since he had no place to stay for the night and needed to gather information, joining a sect might be his best option.

"Young Master Li Zhen, shouldn't we head back? This guy stopped breathing a while ago," said a tall, well-built young man, his voice uneasy.

"Yes... yes, we should get away as soon as possib' " added a fat disciple with a crooked, pale nose.

Both of them looked at Li Zhen, the young master of a small martial family from a nearby town. Li Zhen glared at them, then yanked his sword out of the fallen boy, who was around his own age.

"This punk... throw him over those thick bushes. Make sure the wild beasts devour him. Leave no trace behind."

With that, Li Zhen turned and walked away, leaving his followers to drag the dead body. But suddenly, Song, who had been observing, sprang into action. With qi circulating in his hands, he struk both of Li Zhen's followers.

"Who... who are you?" The fat looking one gasped, blood gushing from his wound, before he could speak more song louzu has already stabbed them to their hearts killing them both into silence .

Seeing his followers collapse lifelessly before him, Li Zhen fell to the ground, his hands and legs trembling uncontrollably. It was the first time in his life that he had felt fear so intimately—the cold, paralyzing dread of death hovering so close.Before he could react, the world seemed to split apart as Song Luoxu stepped forward, his gaze piercing through the terrified man."Tell me," Song Luoxu's voice was cold and unyielding, "which sect do you belong to?"Li Zhen stammered, his voice barely a whisper, "Th-The Blue Dagger Sect… in the town of Qingyuan."

The biting wind of the desolate mountains carried with it the echoes of a past long forgotten. He remembered his first encounter after escaping the deep snow—an encounter with the Blue Dagger Sect. It was there that he first met his master, Tianmo Qunchen, the lone Martial God remaining in this realm, if his memory served him right

In his mind's eye, he saw himself and his master kneeling before the statue of Heavenly Demon Heimo. The statue was a striking figure, tall and imposing, with two black blades in hand and eyes hidden by a long bandage, from which an endless stream of blood flowed. It was said that Heimo was the first to sever the heavens at will, his power so great that the Four Existences had to seal him away. His master, revered as a Martial God, had dedicated his life to worshiping this formidable figure until his final breath.

He recalled the moment he had asked, "Master, why do we bow before a sealed demon?"

Tianmo Qunchen's voice was calm and profound. "Heimo was not merely a demon; he was a force that defied the very heavens. We bow not out of fear but out of respect for the boundless strength he embodied. His existence teaches us that power and potential are limitless, and it is through reverence that we acknowledge the profound lessons he imparts."

The memory shifted to another scene—their departure from the cave. Tianmo Qunchen's eyes, filled with wisdom and experience, met his. "Song," he said, using his old name, "know this: in this world, there is no absolute good or evil. Every being acts according to their own motives. Even those who appear righteous are driven by self-interest. The so-called 'good' may seek peace, but when faced with peril, they too can betray their own kind. Conversely, those deemed 'evil' are often driven by their desires, yet they too have their own truths. Understand that karma is not a path for the righteous alone; it is a path that adapts and transforms according to how one navigates the rules of the heavens."

"Navigates the rules of the heaven,hmmm.."

He reflected on his master's words, their wisdom sinking deep within him. Despite everything, Tianmo Qunchen had possessed an unwavering resolve, a testament to his indomitable spirit. "If I am to follow in my master's footsteps, I must embrace his teachings," he resolved. "In this life, I will harness the ancient wisdom to cultivate my talent anew. Life offers but a few chances, and I shall seize them with the same determination that marked my master's journey."

As he contemplated the road ahead, he knew that the teachings of his master would guide him through the trials and tribulations to come, maybe the karma accumulated may lead to be against each other yet unwaverer song Luoxu was ready to accept it all.

Breathing steadily Song Luoxu snapped back to reality and no that he had the information he needed, his expression turned cold. Without a moment's hesitation, he seized the sobbing and terrified Li Zhen by the collar. The man's pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears. With a swift, merciless motion, Song Luoxu snapped his neck, silencing him forever.

Li Zhen's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, joining the others in the cold, unforgiving dirt. Song Luoxu didn't spare him a second glance as he turned away, his mind already focused on his next move.

After dragging Li Zhen's lifeless body for what felt like an eternity, Song Luoxu reached a deep fissure he had discovered earlier while scouting the area. Without hesitation, he began to channel his qi into his hands, a cold determination in his eyes. He knelt beside the body and, with precise control, carefully peeled away Li Zhen's skin using the deconstruction techniques he had studied long ago. As the lifeless corpse was tossed into the abyss below, Song Luoxu couldn't help but marvel at the dark irony.

"Who would've thought those techniques would come in handy in my new life? Truly, the world has a twisted sense of humor," he muttered.

With the skin in hand, Song Luoxu heated it over a small flame, softening it for the painful task ahead. Pressing it against his own face, he began the excruciating process of binding it to his flesh. His qi manipulated the skin as it fused with his own, altering his features to match Li Zhen's. The searing pain was unimaginable, his flesh burning and bones shifting beneath the false skin. Yet, Song Luoxu remained resolute. Compared to the suffering he had endured throughout his life, this was a mere discomfort.

"Ah..." he gritted his teeth, a low scream escaping his lips. The agony tore through him, but his mind stayed focused, stable. This was nothing compared to the torment he had survived in the past.

Finally, the transformation was complete. The face staring back at him was no longer his own. He had become Li Zhen, down to the last detail,After wearing the Sect Robes A new identity, a new mask to wear in his quest for survival and power.