Chapter 1: The End and the Beginning

The sound of shattering glass filled the tiny apartment as Ethan Blake stood in front of his trembling sister. Her face was streaked with tears, a purpling bruise already blooming on her cheek. The man who had caused it—her boyfriend—towered over them, fists clenched, his drunken rage filling the room like a storm.

Ethan's hands shook, his fists balled so tightly his nails dug into his palms. He was no fighter, no hero. Just a nineteen-year-old trying to do what he thought was right.

"Leave her alone," Ethan said, his voice firmer than he felt.

The man sneered. "Or what? You think you can stop me?" He shoved Ethan, sending him stumbling backward.

But Ethan didn't back down. He caught his balance and stepped forward again, placing himself between his sister and the man who had hurt her. "I won't let you touch her again."

The man growled, his patience snapping. A flash of motion, a sharp pain, and Ethan crumpled to the ground, clutching his side. Blood seeped through his fingers, but he didn't stop. Summoning every ounce of strength, he pushed himself up, lunged, and shoved his sister toward the door.

"Run!" he shouted.

The last thing he saw was his sister's tear-streaked face as she disappeared into the night. Then, darkness filled his eyes.

Ethan woke up startled.

Except he wasn't Ethan anymore.

The sky above was a brilliant shade of blue, far clearer than any sky he had ever seen on Earth. Towering mountains framed the horizon, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and wildflowers. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming.

But then the memories came flooding in—not just his, but someone else's. A boy named Lin Yun, heir to the prestigious Lin family, a clan renowned for its martial arts prowess. A boy who had been blessed with extraordinary talent in cultivation, destined to rise to greatness.

But Lin Yun's life was anything but a dream.

Ethan—or Lin Yun, as he now was—sat up and clutched his head. The memories were vivid and overwhelming. He remembered the crushing weight of expectations, the pride of his family in his rapid cultivation progress… and the jealousy that followed.

Jealousy had a name: Shen Kai.

Shen Kai, the prodigious young master of the Shen family, had seen Lin Yun's talent as a threat. During a sparring match, Shen Kai had struck with a forbidden technique, shattering Lin Yun's Qi Core. Without it, Lin Yun could no longer cultivate. In a world where strength was everything, he had been reduced to nothing.

Ethan—no, Lin Yun—grimaced as the weight of his new reality settled in. He was a cripple, powerless in a world that valued only power. His family had been disappointed, their pride in him turning to shame. He had been cast aside, barely worth acknowledging.

But Ethan wasn't the kind of person to give up. Not on Earth, and not here.

He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as he adjusted to this new body. It felt unfamiliar yet strong, even without the Qi that had once flowed through it. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath, the crisp air filling his lungs.

"If I can't cultivate the way they do," he muttered to himself, "then I'll find another way."

The world around him was vast and brimming with energy. Even without a Qi Core, he could feel it—the pulse of life that surrounded him, the raw power that permeated the land. There had to be something out there, some forgotten technique or hidden knowledge that could help him rebuild what had been taken from him.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp voice.

"Lin Yun, what are you doing out here?"

He turned to see a girl about his age striding toward him. She wore the traditional robes of the Lin family, her posture stiff with authority. Her name came to him instantly—Lin Mei, his cousin. She had been one of the few who hadn't openly mocked him after his fall from grace, but her pitying glances had been just as painful.

"I was just… thinking," Lin Yun replied, his voice steadier than he expected.

Lin Mei's eyes softened slightly, but her tone remained firm. "You shouldn't wander off alone. Father wants to see you."

Her words sent a pang of unease through him. Lin Yun's father, the patriarch of the Lin family, had been devastated by his son's loss of talent. He had barely spoken to him since the incident, his disappointment evident in every glance.

"I'll be there soon," Lin Yun said.

Lin Mei hesitated, as if she wanted to say something else, but finally nodded and walked away.

Lin Yun watched her go, his mind racing. This wasn't just his second chance—it was a challenge. A world of martial arts, filled with dangers and opportunities, lay before him. And he would face it on his terms.

For Ethan Blake, protecting his sister had been worth dying for. Now, as Lin Yun, he would fight to reclaim his strength—not just for himself, but to stand against those who would trample on the weak.

"The first thing they'll learn," he muttered, a determined glint in his eyes, "is never to underestimate me."

And with that, Lin Yun took his first step toward an uncertain future, the beginnings of a plan forming in his mind. If the world wouldn't give him a path, he would carve his own.