theways

In a world where power ruled and trust was a blade waiting to strike, Lu Yan walked alone. Not out of fear, not out of weakness, but because solitude had always been his greatest strength. As a plant summoner, the earth itself bowed to him. Forests obeyed his whispers, roots coiled at his command, and even the wildest of flora bent to his will. There was no need for allies—until he met them.

Fan Zhi. Lila. Jian Mo.

The strongest of the strong. A warrior whose blade could cleave mountains, a magician who wove destruction with a flick of her fingers, and his most trusted—his shadow—Jian Mo. Not a friend, not family, but the one person Lu Yan had allowed closest.

Their strength was undeniable. Their presence, unavoidable.

And so, for the first time, Lu Yan walked beside others. Together, they ventured into the final dungeon, an ancient ruin pulsing with power long lost to time. Every step deeper tested their skill, their will, their loyalty. They bled together, fought together, survived together. Or so he thought.

The betrayal wasn’t reckless. It wasn’t obvious. It was precise, patient—rooted in greed, waiting for the perfect moment to surface.

Every look, every word, every shared battle had been a thread in their web. They had studied him, learned the way he thought, anticipated his every move. They knew his strengths, but more importantly, they knew the weaknesses even he had overlooked.

So when the final trial came, when the dungeon itself trembled with the weight of the power they had sought, the trap was already set.

The air was thick with heat, the walls licked with molten fury, the ground unstable beneath their feet. And then, Jian Mo struck first.

A blade—not of steel, but of something darker, something ancient—sank into Lu Yan’s back. A paralyzing force surged through him, seizing control of his body, locking his power away in an instant. The one person he had trusted most had known exactly how to sever him from his strength.

Fan Zhi’s sword followed, slicing deep. Lila’s magic wrapped around him like a serpent, binding him in chains of searing energy.

They had calculated every detail. No dramatic speeches, no arrogance—just cold, efficient betrayal.

And then, without hesitation, they cast him into the abyss.

The last thing he thought about was Jian Mo’s face, expression unreadable as the molten depths swallowed him whole.

Pain.

Fire that melted flesh, burned bone, and tore through his very essence.

For the first time, Lu Yan truly knew what it meant to die.

But fate was not done with him.

In the heart of the inferno, something stirred. A force beyond comprehension. A power that did not belong to this world. The fire did not destroy him—it remade him.

The pain became something else.

Something worse.

Something greater.

Then, darkness.

When Lu Yan awoke, it was not to fire, nor stone, nor the ruins of the dungeon.

It was to a world reborn.

The sky above him was a fractured canvas of impossible colors, shifting and writhing like a living thing. The air was thick, charged with an energy that thrummed beneath his skin. And all around him, the earth pulsed—not as he had once commanded it, but as something wild, untamed, ancient beyond reason.

The plants here were not mere tools of a summoner’s will. They were alive in ways he had never imagined. And they watched him.

He was no longer the betrayed summoner.

He was something else.

Something far greater.

As he stood amidst the endless forest, his body still echoing with the power that had saved him, one thought burned brighter than all the rest:

if fate brought me here I would master it all. 

The winds whispered his name. The trees bent, waiting.

The Life begins with a seed 


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(Hello Author here, I'm open for any suggestions)

Forest Cultivator

Two days of rest were all Lu Yan allowed himself before returning to the outside world. His body felt rejuvenated, but his mind still buzzed with the lingering energy from his recent success. The air felt fresher, the world outside his temple more vivid. The trees swayed gently, their leaves whispering secrets to the wind. The moment he stepped beyond the temple doors, he knew something had changed—something was calling to him.

His senses sharpened, and his steps carried him toward the unknown, his mind both calm and alert. The path he walked was one he knew well, yet today it felt different. His heart beat in sync with the rhythm of the land, a quiet but unmistakable pull leading him forward.

A sudden flash of light from a crack in the ground caught his attention. Lu Yan froze, his gaze drawn toward the glimmer. His Qi surged, and the energy in the air seemed to vibrate, as if the earth itself had been disturbed. The light flickered again, growing brighter this time, revealing a small, intricately carved stone lying half-buried beneath the earth.

Curiosity piqued, Lu Yan approached cautiously. The stone was warm to the touch, its surface humming with energy. As he brushed away the dirt around it, he could feel the power embedded deep within the stone. This was no ordinary object—it was something far more significant, something that could change the course of his journey.

His fingers hovered over the stone, instinctively understanding that this was a treasure, one that could greatly enhance his cultivation. But what kind of treasure? A formation artifact? An alchemical ingredient? Or something far more profound?

The stone pulsed under his fingertips, and with a soft click, a compartment within it opened, revealing a glowing crystal. Lu Yan felt a surge of energy flow into his body, his Qi immediately responding to the crystal's presence. This was an ancient relic, its power ancient and bound to something far older than the world he knew.

Lu Yan carefully withdrew the crystal, his heart racing. This was the kind of opportunity a cultivator could only dream of—an artifact so rare, its very existence could reshape the understanding of cultivation itself.

Before he could take another breath, a voice echoed in his mind, deep and resonant.

Mission: Unlock the secrets of this Crystal. Discover its true purpose and integrate its power with your Qi. Reward: unknown

His heart pounded faster, not from fear, but from the thrill of the challenge. This wasn't just a chance to grow—it was an opportunity to push beyond the limits of his current understanding, to unravel the mysteries of cultivation itself.

He stood still for a moment, absorbing the gravity of the situation. The path ahead was clear—no longer would he remain confined to the temple's walls. The world had more to offer, and he was ready to uncover it.

Without hesitation, Lu Yan turned back toward the temple. His body may have rested for two days, but his spirit was just beginning to awaken. And now, with the power of the crystal in his hands, his journey had only just begun.

chapter 14 “Suddenly New Mission?”