The silver moon hung low over a quiet lake. The lake's water rippled softly.
The reflection broke and shimmered, turning into trembling silver lines that danced across the surface. It looked like liquid light.
At the lake's shore, white roses danced, their scent spreading with the wind.
On a nearby tree branch, a young man was sitting. He leaned against the trunk. The wind lifted his long silver-white hair, scattering it softly. His skin was snow white. If his body weren't a little muscular, people would have thought he was a stunning young fairy.
But thoughts churned behind his gaze, restless and unfocused. Fear and anxiety were hidden in the silver-blue of his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he calmed his restlessness.
Looking at the moon, his mind couldn't help but recall his past life.
"A joker was lying on a narrow road, blood gushing out from his abdomen."
He was originally a native of Blue Star but, after being stabbed to death by a robber, he was reincarnated.
"Hey System… it has been twenty years since you stopped answering me…
If you don't answer me soon… I might die in two to three days."
But no answer came.
"Alas… is there any way to survive without system help?"
The youth sighed.
"Xiao Fan… Xiao Fan… come home…
Dinner is ready."
From a nearby house, a gentle voice came.
Hearing the voice, all his worry withered.
"Coming, Mom… and couldn't you stop calling me Xiao? Now I'm a grown-up man… it's embarrassing, Mom."
His body leaped from the six-meter-high branch and landed steadily.
He started walking towards his house.
"Mom… what are we having?"
Entering the dining room, he stopped briefly and inhaled the scent.
"This is… Mom is the best."
While serving the dinner, she replied in a warm tone:
"Yes, you guessed right…
It's your favorite—chicken fried rice."
Taking a chair to sit, Zi Fan heard something.
His eyes narrowed. "That sound feels familiar."
He murmured in confusion, "I remember… that's…"
His murmur became a shout.
"Father…"
His body shot off like an arrow; in a moment, he was outside.
A bloody man, missing one arm and covered with many deep cuts from which fresh blood gushed, was walking towards his house with the help of a stick.
Looking at his father's condition, Zi Fan's heart skipped a beat.
His foot kicked the ground with all his force. He ran towards his father's side and grabbed his father's other arm.
"What… what happened?" His voice was fragmented.
"Aaahhh, husband…" Looking behind, Zi Fan saw his mother running towards him. Her clothes were messy.
Coming closer, Nuwa hugged her husband gently. Her white clothes turned red.
"How many… … I… I…" Her voice was stuck in her throat.
"Husband… what… happened… ?"
Feeling the warmth on his arm, his lips moved and kissed her on the forehead, whispering:
"Nothing will happen to me, my dear. Don't worry."
"Husband, why don't you listen to me? Look what happened to you."
Fragments of words came out of her mouth.
"Mom… go to the room. We have to stop the bleeding."
"Yes."
She left her husband's arms.
"Hey, hey, you! What are you doing?"
Zi Fan's father's voice was barely audible.
Zi Fan lifted his father onto his back and started walking towards the house.
"Father, your injury is too bad… you've lost too much blood… that's why you've stopped feeling the pain, father."
No reply came.
His footsteps were fast. Nuwa followed her son quickly.
Soon, Zi Fan laid his father on the bed.
Before his father could say anything—
"Father, don't talk."
Zi Fan's voice was hoarse.
"Zi Fan, listen. I fought many battles, so I know my condition. I need to talk to you and give you something before my death."
While talking, his hand shook for a moment, then became steady.
"What nonsense are you talking about, Dad?"
His eyes became red. Tears were visible but did not fall.
Nuwa was rushing back.
Her footsteps froze.
She heard it all.
"No, no, nothing, Husband!"
Her words were stuck. Some came out, some didn't.
She ran.
Boom! She slipped.
Fell to the ground.
Blood splashed out from her head.
"Mom!" Zi Fan shouted as he ran towards her.
Before he could reach her—
Nuwa stood up with a stumbling leg, ignoring her injury. She again rushed and came before her husband.
"Husband, husband, you… don't leave me."
Her consciousness was lost.
On the other side, Zi Fan's father, who was also losing consciousness, barely understood what happened. His eyes went blank.
On this side, Zi Fan was confused.
"What… What should I do now?
Father… wake up, don't… no, don't fall asleep!
Mother, mother, not… you!"
"What… Can I do ?"
Zi fan was an orphan in his previous life, he couldn't feel his parents' love..
Which he felt in the embrace of his new family...
However, right now, his father ...was dying right in front of him?
Panic surged within him..
"I .. CANNOT lose him here!"
System!
He muttered quietly.
"You wanted me to choose a goal 20 years ago didn't you? Fine.. I'll play your game...My goal in this life is to be the strongest of all"
"goal… I want to protect… family… no, it was rejected by the system before.
Yes, this… fantasy world.
I want to… be the strongest."
[Ding.The host has chosen his goal. The system is loading its function. It has been successful.
Seeing the host's condition, we changed the gift to a healing pill.
A gift has been given to the host.]
A cold and mechanical voice echoed in his mind, and a black pill appeared in his hand.
With misty eyes, he gave the pill to his father's mouth.
Entering the mouth, the pill melted away just like ice meeting fire.
His father's pale face became rosy. His hands grew strong again, and the flesh on his chest healed.
His father's closed eyes slowly opened .
"Am I in the underworld? But it looks like my house."
His father murmured in confusion.
"Father, finally you're awake… I was so worried about you."
"Zi Fan, am I not dead? Hurry, take this."
His father took out a card and gave it to Zi Fan.
"Father, don't talk. You only recover."
"Recover? How can I? My injury… What happened to my injury?"
His father's murmuring became louder.
"It's all fine… Nuwa! Nuwa, where is your mother, Zi Fan?"
With questions, his father rushed towards his mother.
"Wake… wake up… look… your husband is fine.
I'm sorry, sorry. I… never go again."
His father's broken voice echoed in the room.
He also rushed towards his mother.
"Mother… wake… up. Father is fine."
Zi Fan cleaned the blood from her forehead.
Nuwa finally woke up.
"Husband…"She scanned.
"Here, I'm."
She saw her husband's face, so close to hers.
She hugged her husband tightly.
"Oh, husband… I never… go again."Tears fell from her eyes.
"I will not go.Look, I found that thing.…Zi Fan… show her."
"I don't want to see it.Promise… you wouldn't go."
"Promise."
After some moments, she left her husband. Remembering her son was also here.
Her cheek became a little red.
Understanding everything, Zi Fan left the room.
After leaving, Zi Fan did not go to his room.
After some moments
He went to that tree and sat in the same position.
System…
[Yes, host.]
Introduce your function.
[The host can make his card and transfer other card power to it, and whoever cultivates with that card will inherit 20% of his power.]
The system answered him in a cold, mechanical tone.
"What is a card?And my card means?Dad also gave me a card?What…?"
And why is your system voice mechanical? Isn't it supposed to be a lazy girl's voice?
No answer came.System, system.
[Yes, host.]
Give me an answer.
[That is not my work.]
Zi Fan:…
Then at least tell me what happened to that girl's voice?
[She disobeyed the emperor's order.
She was executed.]
The system's cold voice was like a knife in his heart.
'So… she… protected us that day "
He fell silent.
After a long time, he took a deep breath.
"Thank you."
"Zi Fan! Zi Fan! Come home. Your father wants to talk to you."
His mother's voice came from his house.
"Coming, Mom."
He jumped, ran, and entered his parents' room.
His father was standing in front of the window, staring at the moon.
"You came.
Sit down."
His father spoke in a gentle tone.
"How did you heal me, Zi Fan?"
His father questioned him.
"I… found…"
"You don't have to tell me. It should be something that cultivators use. I don't know how you got it, but you shouldn't have used it on me. It could save your life."
Looking back, his father said to him,
"Father, please don't speak nonsense. Your life is more important."
"Alas.
That card I gave you.
That is called an immortal card.
After your birth, I had strange dreams. One of those dreams was about that card.
It could help a person contact an immortal and get his or her power through sacrificing something.
After knowing that, I searched for 20 years.
Finally, I found it.
And I had to fight an Umbryss to take it."
He came to Zi Fan's side. His hand landed on Zi Fan's shoulder and he said,
"Zi Fan, my boy, I hope you can be a powerful person. Use that card and awaken a powerful ability."
"Father, this…"
Tears fell from Zi Fan's eyes.
"Father, you constantly go to that forest for me.
Oh father… why does everyone only sacrifice for me?"
"Silly boy, that is my responsibility—to give you a happy life."
And that thing will work when you give a drop of your blood.
Then it will tell you what sacrifice you have to offer and what power you will get.
"Child, 20 years have passed, and Umbryss are appearing in the back forest.
I think soon they will attack the surrounding village. We are all mortal. I somehow escaped today, but when they attack the village, how could I, a mortal, protect you and your mother? So, child—
Awaken the immortal power, otherwise there will be no way of survival.
To be continued