A year had passed.
Feng Chan had survived death and earned a second chance at life.
But when he set foot back on the soil of the Northern Wastes,
he realized something bitter—the world still saw him the same.
---
When a Hero Returns… But No One Was Waiting
People stared.
> "Isn't that him? The one whose fiancée dumped him?"
> "Ran away after his engagement broke. Said he'd become a cultivator—look at him now, still dressed like a beggar!"
> "Loser."
Feng Chan stayed silent.
He neither argued nor showed his power.
There was a quiet smile on his face—but in his eyes, a fire burned.
---
His Family
Even his clan wasn't happy.
They saw him as shame, a burden.
Only his mother came forward and embraced him.
> "You're alive… That's all that matters."
Feng Chan held her hands tightly and whispered,
> "Mother… next time I return, I'll be the pride of the Feng Clan."
---
To the Mainland – A New World Awaits
That night, Feng Chan packed everything.
He had only a small bag with some herbs and a jade token—a mark of the divine inheritance.
> "Mainland… I'm coming,"
he said, eyes gleaming with purpose.
---
First Glimpse of the Mainland
Crossing the border was like stepping into another realm.
Towering mountains with sects built atop them…
Flying boats, beasts used for travel…
The spiritual energy in the air was thick and overwhelming.
Here, cultivators at the Core Foundation Realm served as guards.
---
> "This world… is on a whole different level,"
he thought to himself.
He passed a large board that read:
"Heaven's Gate Trials – Only for the Talented and Brave."
People laughed as he approached.
> "You think you can try too?"
Feng Chan didn't respond.
He clutched the jade token tighter.
> "I'm here to carve a name into this world.
If they want to bring me down, they'll have to force the heavens to bow first."
---
Ying Yue's Echo
That night, beside a flickering campfire, he found himself thinking of her again.
Ying Yue.
Her violet eyes still burned in his memory,
and her words rang in his heart—
> "Seven years. Become worthy."
> "I will return… and you'll come to find me,"
he murmured.