The bustling streets of Glory City were just as Ling Tian had imagined — noisy, chaotic, alive. Merchants hawked spirit stones and herbs. Young cultivators boasted of their talents.
Ling Tian adjusted the coarse tunic he wore. His memories from Earth were still sharp, but he had access to the knowledge of this body too — a minor branch of a forgotten family, barely scraping by.Perfect. Low profile. Easy to move without notice.
He smiled.First step: meet Nie Li before the Sacred Institute Entrance Test.
Second step: get strong — fast.He couldn't rely on the exact timeline from the manhua. His presence already changed things.
A commotion near the Training Hall caught his attention. A group of students mocked a girl standing alone. Her fiery red hair fell over steely eyes, proud even in solitude.Xiao Ning'er.
Ling Tian's heart skipped.He knew her fate — the arranged marriage, the bitterness, the loneliness.
Not this time.He strode forward, his steps deliberate.
"You lot should pick on someone your own size," Ling Tian said, voice calm but carrying weight.The bullies sneered — until he moved.A flash of movement — a simple technique from the Black Gold rank he memorized — knocked the leader flat on his ass.
Gasps.
Ning'er's eyes widened.Ling Tian turned to her, offering a hand.
"Are you alright?"
She hesitated.Then, slowly, she took his hand.
(To be continued...)