Valerius continued walking along the narrow forest path, wiping the last smear of blood from his fingers. The bodies of the bandits behind him were already fading, dissolving into thin streams of warm spiritual essence that flowed into his opened spiritual veins.
His cultivation was still at the Spirit Vein Realm, 1st Stage — Vein Awakening.
But after absorbing the bandits' essence, he felt the difference. His veins opened wider, and the spiritual energy inside him moved more freely—like a river clearing its own path.
He breathed slowly.
"Good. I'm progressing."
The forest grew quiet. Too quiet.
A gentle wind brushed past his face—clean, fresh, unnaturally pure. It carried a faint glow, like sunlight trapped in air.
Valerius frowned.
A presence approached.
A bright one.
A presence that made his skin tingle.
He stepped into a clearing—and stopped.
A young man stood there, his back turned, long white-gold hair shining softly under the filtered sunlight. His cloak shimmered with silver threads, as if woven from morning light. Even the air around him seemed brighter and cleaner.
Valerius felt something strange in his chest.
A tug.
A pulse.
As if some invisible thread connected the two of them… even though Valerius had NEVER seen this young man before in his entire life.
He didn't know him.
He had no memory of him.
But something deep inside whispered:
"This person… your path will cross his again."
The young man turned around slowly.
His golden eyes glowed with calm strength.
Valerius didn't know his name, but he could FEEL his presence. The aura of someone born with a special light.
Behind him stood two old men.
One carried a wooden staff marked with ancient carvings, his closed eyes hiding a storm-like aura.
The second had long silver hair, hands folded behind his back, and no aura at all—which was even scarier. Only true experts could hide their energy that perfectly.
Valerius kept his guard up.
The glowing young man stepped forward slightly, studying him with curious eyes.
"You're… a traveler?" he asked gently.
His voice was soft but carried a natural warmth, like sunlight spreading across cold skin.
Valerius nodded. "Passing through."
The young man smiled politely, but there was something behind his eyes… that same strange feeling. Like he, too, sensed a connection he couldn't explain.
He looked at Valerius more deeply.
For a moment, both of them simply stared—
not in hostility,
not in fear,
but in a quiet, unsettling familiarity.
A familiarity without memory.
Destiny without a past.
The young man spoke again.
"My name is Lucian Sunvale."
Valerius didn't react, but the name stuck in his mind immediately.
Lucian.
Sunvale.
A name glowing with importance.
Lucian continued calmly, "We're heading east. This forest is dangerous. Bandits, beasts, corrupted creatures… you should be careful."
Valerius looked directly into his golden eyes.
"I can handle myself."
Lucian smiled, but Valerius saw something shift behind that smile—a recognition of strength.
"You have an interesting aura," Lucian said slowly. "Dark… but not evil."
"And you," Valerius replied, "have light that is too bright for a normal cultivator."
Lucian's guardians finally spoke.
The staff-holder opened one eye.
"Oh? He senses it."
The silver-haired elder nodded. "Not many can perceive young master Lucian's nature."
Lucian raised a hand gently, calming them.
Valerius continued studying him.
Lucian's cultivation was easy to feel—steady, strong, and bright.
Spirit Vein Realm — 3rd Stage: Vein stabilization .
Three whole stages above Valerius.
He was clearly a prodigy.
A chosen one.
And Valerius had never met him before.
Yet their energies reacted to each other like opposite poles of a magnet.
Lucian walked a little closer—slowly, carefully, with no hostility.
When Valerius didn't move back, Lucian stopped a meter away.
"Strange," Lucian murmured. "I feel like… meeting you means something. I don't know what, but… it feels important."
Valerius felt the same.
A silent chill ran across his skin.
"I feel it too," Valerius admitted. "Like our paths aren't done."
Lucian's lips curved into a small, almost sad smile.
"Then fate is watching us."
They walked past each other slowly.
Light brushing against shadow.
Shadow breathing beside light.
Their auras touched for the first time—
and the world trembled.
Leaves shook.
Air rippled softly.
Birds took flight.
The staff-holding elder muttered, "Destiny threads…"
The silver-haired guardian whispered, "A convergence point."
Valerius ignored them and kept walking.
Lucian did the same.
When Lucian passed him, a faint golden glow flickered around Lucian's body—so quick it disappeared instantly.
But Valerius caught it.
It wasn't pure light.
Something deeper hid underneath it:
Something powerful.
Something forbidden.
Something not meant for normal cultivators.
A secret buff.
Lucian turned slightly, surprised that Valerius noticed, but he didn't comment. He only offered one final sentence:
"I hope our next meeting answers the question of why this moment matters."
Valerius replied without turning around.
"It will."
And then they walked away from each other.
The forest welcomed Valerius again with rustling leaves and fading sunlight. His mind burned with thoughts he couldn't ignore.
Lucian Sunvale…
He didn't know him.
He had no history with him.
Yet their energies reacted like fire and wind—
different, yet destined to clash again.
Valerius clenched his fist.
"I won't lose to him. Not now. Not ever."
He remembered his cultivation:
Spirit Vein Realm — Stage 1: Vein Awakening.
Still early.
Still weak compared to Lucian.
But the essence from the bandits had strengthened his foundation. His veins were expanding, preparing for Stage 2.
He felt his system pulse faintly within his soul.
"Host's progression accelerating. Continue absorbing essence and pushing the limits."
Valerius smirked.
He didn't have guardians.
He didn't have heavenly blessings.
He didn't have light or destiny.
He had his system.
His will.
His second chance.
He would carve his name into the world with force alone.
No light.
No heroism.
Only determination.
As he walked deeper into the forest, a sudden rustle caught his attention. Valerius paused, senses sharpening instantly.
Behind a thick tree, a small girl trembled, clutching a dull dagger. Her knees shook like she could collapse at any moment.
Valerius sighed.
"I'm not here to harm you," he said plainly.
The girl peeked out, her voice shaky. "A-are you a cultivator?"
"Yes."
"Then… then please leave me alone."
Valerius walked past her without slowing down. "If you want to survive here, stop trembling. Beasts love chasing weak prey."
The girl blinked in shock, watching him disappear down the path.
Valerius didn't care.
He wasn't a hero.
Lucian looked like the hero type.
But Valerius?
He didn't protect strangers.
He protected only his path.
And after meeting Lucian Sunvale, that path felt sharper, heavier, and more focused.
He looked up at the sky.
"Lucian Sunvale… The next time we meet, fate won't let us walk away so easily."
His steps became firm.
His aura grew colder.
The forest whispered softly around him.
Another chapter of destiny had begun