As Yun Xi steadied his mind to enter the Moon God Realm, Dongfang Xiaoxue and Zhao Wanjun had already left the hospital, hurrying toward Xiaoxue's apartment.
*"Hurry, hurry! Ning Fangyuan's raid on the Slaughter Hall is about to start! Last I heard, his score was 11,810! If he clears it this time and earns another 300 points, he'll be even closer to the 20,000-point threshold! Twenty thousand! That's the baseline for Eight-Star clearance! Do you know how rare that is? Even among mid-stage Transcendents! And Ning Fangyuan's only twenty-eight! Xiaoxue, how is he *this* strong? How does he train like that? We're fourth-tier now, and we still can't even clear the First Layer for a One-Star clearance!"*
Xiaoxue sighed. Wanjun wasn't just a fan of *"Heaven's Blade"* Ning Fangyuan—she was *obsessed*. Every rumor, every feat, every statistic—she devoured them all.
*"Wanjun, the Slaughter Hall doesn't open until 8. It's only 7:41. And even if we rush, we can't *join* the raid. At best, we'll get updates two hours later—*if* his team shares the footage. Otherwise, we'll wait even longer. Panicking won't help."*
Wanjun's face fell. Just as Xiaoxue considered comforting her, the girl suddenly flailed her arms.
*"Aaaah! This is so unfair! If only I could fight beside Ning Fangyuan in the Slaughter Hall!"*
Passersby glanced at her outburst, then chuckled and shook their heads.
The Moon God Realm.
Every citizen on Earth knew it. Unless you were an infant or a child too weak to channel mental energy, any first-tier warrior could access it via a neural link. It was a colossal virtual world, woven into reality itself—a lifeline in this monster-infested era where traditional communication towers were impossible.
And with its rise came new idols—young prodigies like *"Heaven's Blade"* Ning Fangyuan, whose fame eclipsed the celebrities of old.
*"Wanjun, instead of stalking his raids, why not train harder? Reach seventh-tier, and you'll have the strength to leave Starcrest. You could even go to Sacred Sword City and meet him properly."*
*"Seventh-tier…"* Wanjun groaned. *"Do you know how impossible that is? Starcrest's a Tier-3 city with thirteen million people across its satellite towns. Less than *one percent* are high-tier warriors. Getting to seventh-tier? Might as well wish to sprout wings."*
Breaking through to fourth-tier was hard enough—only one in ten made it. But sixth to seventh? That was a chasm.
Fourth-tier warriors were elites. Seventh-tier? They were *leaders*—equivalent to majors or colonels in the military.
Their chatter meandered—supermarket sales, academy gossip, saving up for an apartment—until they reached Xiaoxue's home.
Then, abruptly, Xiaoxue frowned. *"Wanjun… did Dongfang seem *different* today?"*
Wanjun blinked. *"Oh! Now that you mention it—*yes*! Normally, he'd snap back if you scolded him. But today? He just… *listened*. It's *weird*."*
*"Exactly. Even injured, he'd never act so… *docile*."*
Wanjun gasped. *"What if nearly dying changed him? When Dragonrider Che Fu brought him in, the doctors said he was *gone*. Him surviving *is* a miracle! Maybe facing death shocked him into reforming!"*
*"You really believe that?"*
*"Why not? He *did* listen to you today. Old Dongfang would've cursed you out. This *has* to mean something!"*
Xiaoxue scoffed. *"I prefer the old saying: 'A leopard can't change its spots.'"*
---
Starcrest First People's Hospital
Room B-203
Yun Xi adjusted the neural link, closed his eyes, and waited.
*"Beep. Moon God Realm access initiating. Mental energy synchronization in progress…"*
A soothing female voice hummed in his ears. Then—his consciousness *lifted*, drawn along an invisible channel toward something vast, eternal, divine.
But before he could cross into that world, the pull *vanished*.
*"Beep. Anomaly detected. Mental frequency mismatch with registered user. Access denied. Connection terminated."*
*"Beep. If this is a user-side error, recalibrate mental state and retry. If this is a hardware malfunction, contact your nearest Moon God Temple branch for assistance."*
Silence.
The reason was simple.
The soul in this body wasn't *Dongfang* anymore.
It was *Yun Xi*—a swordsman from 422 years ago.
"Dongfang, why do you look so exhausted? Don't tell me you actually thought your third-tier strength was enough to challenge the Moon God Realm's First Layer! I've been a fourth-tier warrior for over a year, and I still don't have full confidence in clearing it. How could you be so reckless?"
Dongfang Xiaoxue frowned, her delicate brows knitting together in disapproval.
Yun Xi shook his head.
To accelerate his recovery, he had spent the entire night channeling his meager qi to stimulate cellular regeneration, inevitably draining his mental energy.
The Moon God Realm receiver that belonged to the body's original owner—Dongfang—was unusable to him. But that didn't mean he would give up. His immediate priority was restoring his physical condition before figuring out how to obtain an unbound receiver.
"Really? You didn't try?"
Xiaoxue eyed him skeptically, her doubt palpable.
"I didn't enter the Moon God Realm."
His tone left no room for argument.
"Then what *were* you doing all night?"
Yun Xi remained silent.
His uncharacteristic response only deepened Xiaoxue's irritation.
Her brother had always been unremarkable—mediocre in martial talent, lazy in training, yet absurdly arrogant. He acted as if the world revolved around him, though he was far from being a true prodigy.
And yet, their father had still bequeathed him the family's Three-Star Glory Badge, entrusting him with its legacy. Xiaoxue was certain that if *she* had inherited it, she could have elevated their family's standing further—to Four Stars, even Five or Six.
But her father's will was absolute. Resentful as she was, she had no choice but to push Dongfang harder, straining their relationship to the breaking point. Their daily arguments had become routine.
"Progress demands constant effort! Every warrior enters the Moon God Realm nightly to hone their skills. Skip a day, and you fall behind!"
Yun Xi studied the girl's determined face, unsure how to respond.
He couldn't very well say: *Your brother is dead. I've taken his body, and the receiver rejects me.*
"Hey! Are you even listening? If you can't discipline yourself to clear the First Layer before twenty and claim our family's glory from the city lord, then just hand the badge over to me! I'll support you—you won't have to worry about your future. Think about it!"
With that, she gathered the empty bowls and stormed out.
"..."
Though harsh, Yun Xi recognized her underlying concern. She wanted the *real* Dongfang to rise above his flaws and honor their family's name.
But the boy she knew was gone—lost to the Nightblood Forest over a girl's careless taunt.
Silently, Yun Xi refocused on healing. Restoring his body and refining qi were his top priorities.
That evening, Xiaoxue returned to find him meditating. Assuming he was asleep, she left dinner without a word.
The next day passed in the same tense quiet. Yun Xi spoke little; Xiaoxue avoided mentioning the badge again. Pressing further would disrespect their father's wishes—a line she refused to cross.
By the third day, Yun Xi's injuries had improved enough for basic movement. When Xiaoxue arrived with lunch, he cut straight to the point:
"I've recovered enough. I can be discharged."
"Discharged?" Her disbelief was palpable.
"Yes."
"You're *sure*?"
"Absolutely."
For the first time, Xiaoxue sensed something different about him. The old Dongfang would have milked his injuries for weeks to skip training. Yet here he was, *asking* to leave?
Unthinkable.
"*Really* sure?"
He nodded.
"Fine. Come with me for the paperwork."
"Thank you."
"Ugh, stop that. You saying 'thank you' is *creepy*."
She quickened her pace, putting distance between them.
"..."
The discharge process was smooth. Though puzzled by his eagerness, the staff honored his request.
"Let's go home."
Yun Xi followed her out—and finally saw the city in full.
*Crowded.*
That was his first impression.
Towering skyscrapers dominated Starcrest, their heights dizzying. Buildings packed tightly together, sacrificing space and sunlight for sheer occupancy.
In this monster-plagued era, safe zones were priceless. Even these cramped apartments were coveted by those in vulnerable satellite towns. A high-tier city like Starcrest, guarded by Transcendents, offered security worth any discomfort.
The streets teemed with pedestrians. And this wasn't even downtown—just imagining the central district's congestion was overwhelming.
The people themselves were a spectacle. Some wore modern work attire; others dressed in archaic robes or even full knight's armor, their hardened gazes betraying combat experience.
Transport was equally varied. Ground vehicles dominated, but horses, tamed beasts, and even winged creatures soared overhead—all met with casual acceptance by the crowds.
To Yun Xi, it was surreal. This city felt at once familiar and alien, blurring the line between 2014 AD and New Era 419.
*Monsters. Megastructures. The Moon God Realm. Four hundred years...*
*What happened to this world?*
"Ah—!"
A sharp shriek pierced the air.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
From inside the room came the clatter of overturned furniture.
Yun Xi: "..."
"Uh..." Dongfang Xiaoxue stood awkwardly in the hallway. "Wanjun dresses... casually at home. I didn't expect you'd ask to be discharged today, so I didn't warn her to prepare..."
Yun Xi shook his head. "It's fine."
Minutes later, Zhao Wanjun reopened the door, now properly dressed, her cheeks still faintly pink. Without a word, she tossed her hair and retreated into her room.
"Go do whatever. I'll check on Wanjun." Xiaoxue left Yun Xi in the living room without ceremony.
The apartment—inherited from Dongfang's father, a ninth-tier warrior once awarded Starcrest's Three-Star Glory—was spacious by modern standards: 110 square meters.
After surveying the kitchen and bathroom, Yun Xi turned to the three closed doors. One was Wanjun's guest room. The other two...
He pushed open the unadorned left door, assuming it belonged to the male original owner.
He was wrong.
The room was simple—bookshelf, wardrobe, desk, bed—but undeniably feminine. A school uniform hung by the bed; a white sundress lay folded nearby.
"Dongfang! What are you doing?!"
Before he could retreat, Xiaoxue's furious shout rang out. A gust of wind—her palm strike—shot toward him.
Bam!
The brief clash sent Yun Xi stumbling back three steps, his injuries protesting.
Slam! Xiaoxue yanked the door shut. "I told you never to enter my room!"
Yun Xi exhaled. Without Dongfang's memories, he'd misjudged. No arguing—he retreated to his actual room and closed the door.
Wanjun emerged, wide-eyed. "What happened? Did he—?"
Xiaoxue scowled. "Snooping in my room. I forgot to lock it."
Wanjun, still embarrassed from earlier, clenched her fists. "Teach him a lesson! Use your fourth-tier skills!"
"I did. Hit him with Cloud-Pushing Palm's opening move, but..."
"Cloud-Pushing Palm?! Even Liu Rendao hasn't mastered that! Did it work?"
Xiaoxue paused.
Her strike should have landed. Yet at the last moment, his body had shifted subtly, diverting the force. Impossible for a wounded third-tier.
"Maybe... he got lucky?" Wanjun offered.
Xiaoxue frowned. "Or maybe..."
She knocked on Yun Xi's door.
"Come in."
"Come in?" Since when did Dongfang say please?
Hope flickered—until suspicion snuffed it. This act won't last.
Inside, Yun Xi sat reading, calm as still water.
"Need something?"
Xiaoxue studied him. No tells. Just... quiet.
"Earlier, when I struck you—"
"I'm fine." He glanced up. "Thanks for asking."
Thanks?
This wasn't Dongfang.
Her eyes dropped to his book. "History? You're studying?"
"Yes."
She hesitated, then blurted: "For next month's exams? I aced that class. I could... help."