The grand hall of the Lian Clan buzzed with excitement.
Six years earlier, Lian Ziran's birth was celebrated with magical fireworks and blessings from the gods. As a child, he amazed everyone: understanding sword skills at three, memorizing ancient training books at four, and beating older students at five.
"A genius who will become immortal!" the elders declared.
But on his sixth birthday, during the Elemental Power Test, disaster struck.
Ziran placed his tiny hands on the glowing stone pillar. The crowd—his father, four older brothers, and guests—waited eagerly to see his fire, wind, earth, or water powers.
The pillar lit up.
Silence.
No flames. No wind. No earth or water.
Nothing.
The crowd gasped, then laughed.
"A useless person! The gods cursed him!"
His father scowled. The elders looked away. His brothers—Jian, Wei, Hao, and Feng—smiled cruelly, like wolves eyeing weak prey.
Years later.
Ziran's life turned miserable. Fancy decorations were stripped from his room. He got only scraps to eat. Students who once praised him now bullied him, pushing him into mud or burning his books.
His brothers were the worst.
"Look! The Useless Young Master is here!" Jian mocked, kicking Ziran's sword into dirty water.
"Even clan dogs have more magic power!" Wei jeered, shoving him downstairs.
Ziran clenched his fists, nails digging into his skin.
(Why… why am I like this?)
At twenty, Ziran was invisible in his own home. Forgotten, ignored—a disgrace the clan erased.
One night, he sat in the empty family shrine, the only place no one mocked him.
Suddenly—
"Listen, boy."
A voice, sharp and cold.
Ziran jumped. "Who's there?"
The darkness shifted, as if something old awoke.
"Your blood reeks of betrayal… it sickens me."
Ziran froze. "What do you want?"
"To give back what you lost." A pause. "Power. A second chance."
"What's the cost?" Ziran whispered.
"A favor… but you're too weak now." The voice chuckled darkly. "Grow stronger. Then we'll talk."
Before Ziran could reply—
BOOM!
Black lightning and shadows exploded. Pain surged through him—not death, but rebirth.
Ziran awoke, gasping.
He looked in the mirror.
He was five again.
Same home. Same arrogant family. The same Elemental Test awaited.
But now—
He stared at his small hands. A shadowy power swirled around his fingers.
The voice echoed:
"Don't waste this gift, child of shadows."
For the first time in two lives…
Lian Ziran smiled.