Chapter 1: The Pearl Of Life And Death

In the vast Miliandy Kingdom, every state and county housed martial arts halls, their presence woven into the fabric of each city. As long as a child reached the age of ten and possessed the aptitude to cultivate martial arts, they could enroll as a student, embarking on a path of strength and discipline.

These halls were not merely places of training but institutions established by the powerful sects governing the county of Zorvania. Their purpose was clear—to scout exceptional talent and infuse fresh blood into the ranks of the sects, ensuring the continuous evolution of their legacy.

Novaridge City, Xandoria County – Martial Hall

A sharp gasp cut through the silence.

Dustin Li jolted awake, pain searing through his body like a blade raking across his ribs. He instinctively clutched his chest, fingers trembling as he tugged at the front of his shirt.

"The bead… it's gone!"

His exclamation sent another wave of agony rippling through his torso, forcing him to grit his teeth against the pain of his broken rib. Sweat beaded on his forehead as fragments of memory flooded his mind.

He recalled Emery Liu, the girl who had long captured his heart, caught in an unwanted confrontation with Joshua Zhang—the notorious playboy of the Invinciblean School. In his reckless attempt to intervene, Dustin had paid the price. Joshua and his cronies had beaten him mercilessly, leaving him crumpled on the ground like a discarded rag doll.

The last thing he remembered before darkness claimed him was Joshua's foot slamming against his chest, the brutal force shattering his ribs. And in that moment—impossibly, inexplicably—his treasured bead, the one he had carried since childhood, had slipped into his very body.

Dustin came from humble origins. His parents were common folk, unblessed by the gifts of martial cultivation. His father, Jace Li, made a living by gathering herbs in the mountains, struggling to provide for their small family. That bead had been Dustin's most cherished possession, a relic of his youth—a smooth, black-and-white sphere that pulsed with warmth regardless of the season.

And now, it was gone.

Or rather… inside him.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

Before he could dwell on it further, an unbearable pressure crashed down on his skull. His vision swam, darkness engulfing his senses, and then—

Boom!

A thunderous tremor shook his very soul.

When Dustin came to, he was no longer in his room. He stood in an endless void, a realm of nothingness stretching infinitely in all directions.

"Where… am I?"

Fear crawled up his spine. This was beyond anything he had ever known, beyond the realm of logic and reality.

Then, from the abyss, a light flickered.

It was small at first, a single point of brilliance, but it grew—swelling into a luminous orb that radiated an eerie black-and-white glow. Suspended in the void, it pulsed with an enigmatic energy, a presence both familiar and alien.

Dustin's breath caught.

His bead.

The realization barely had time to settle before the orb surged forward, a streak of light that pierced through his chest.

His consciousness exploded.

A flood of knowledge, vast and unfathomable, poured into his mind. Visions of the cosmos, of countless worlds teeming with life and death, of something ancient and boundless—

And then, a phrase echoed through his soul:

The Pearl of Life and Death. The Eight Wastes of the Universe. The Myriad Heavens. Billions of Souls… The Life Vein Diagram.

Dustin clutched his head, reeling from the overwhelming tide of information. It was madness—impossible knowledge searing itself into his very being. But within the chaos, a spark of understanding ignited.

Time passed—he did not know how long—before he finally opened his eyes again.

He sat cross-legged on his bed, his breathing steady despite the storm raging within him. He could feel it now—deep inside, the bead had fused with his soul, an inseparable part of him.

Closing his eyes, he focused.

And there, in the depths of his mind, a vision took shape.

A luminous figure—his own body—woven together by glowing white threads of energy. These threads, pulsating and interwoven, formed an intricate diagram: his Life Vein Diagram.

He studied it, noticing dim, flickering veins—marks of his injuries from Joshua's brutal assault. According to the knowledge imparted by the pearl, these were his lifelines, and when damaged, they hindered both healing and martial progression.

But then came a revelation—one that defied reason.

If he could channel Inner Energy into these weakened veins… he could repair them.

Could it be true?

Dustin's pulse quickened. He had nothing to lose.

Closing his eyes once more, he willed his Inner Energy to flow. The moment he did, an inexplicable sensation washed over him—his body felt lighter, almost weightless. The energy coursing through his meridians transformed, brimming with vitality.

And then—

Pain faded.

Bruises dissolved.

His broken rib, which should have taken weeks to mend, healed in moments.

Dustin's eyes snapped open, disbelief warring with exhilaration.

"This… this is incredible."

The pearl had bestowed upon him a gift beyond measure. The power to heal, to transcend human limitations.

With a sudden surge of excitement, he sprang from the bed. His body, once battered and broken, was now whole—stronger than before. He flexed his fingers, clenched his fists, testing his newfound vitality.

His Inner Energy was drained, but that didn't matter. He could recover it easily. What mattered was the realization taking root in his mind—

He had changed.

No longer was he just another nameless student, struggling at the bottom ranks of the martial world. The Pearl of Life and Death had set him on a new path.

A path of power.

A path of destiny.

And for the first time, Dustin Li felt it in his bones—his fate was no longer in the hands of others.

He would forge it himself.

To be continued…