Crossing into Another World

The moment Ning Xiaochuan opened his eyes, the blinding sunlight made him raise a hand to shield them instinctively. As his vision gradually cleared, he froze—this was not his college dormitory, but an antique room. Elaborate patterns were carved into the wooden furniture, and a faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.

"Where am I?" He abruptly sat up, only for a wave of dizziness to hit him.

"Young Master, you're finally awake!" A youth in plain green clothes pushed open the door, carrying a steaming bowl of medicine. "You've been unconscious for three days. The family head was nearly worried sick."

Ning Xiaochuan's eyes widened as a flood of unfamiliar memories suddenly poured into his mind—he, Ning Xiaochuan, was the third young master of the Ning Clan in Qingyun City on the Open Source Continent. Sixteen years old, he had been considered a waste by his family because he could not awaken a source soul. Yesterday, he had been knocked unconscious by Second Young Master Ning Yuan with a single palm strike at the training grounds...

"Wait, the Open Source Continent? Source souls?" A storm surged through Ning Xiaochuan's heart. I crossed over?

He lowered his head to look at his hands. They truly did not belong to his original body. They were longer and fairer, with distinct knuckles, though thin calluses from years of sword practice covered the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.

"Young Master, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" the servant asked worriedly.

"I-I'm fine." Ning Xiaochuan forced himself to calm down. "Go out first. I want some time alone."

After the servant left, Ning Xiaochuan walked barefoot to the Bronze Mirror. Reflected within it was an unfamiliar yet handsome face, with sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a high nose bridge. Only his complexion was somewhat pale. He pinched his cheek, and the pain was too real to deny.

"I really crossed over..." Ning Xiaochuan muttered, both shocked and inexplicably thrilled. As a veteran fan of fantasy novels, he quickly accepted the truth.

According to the original owner's memories, the Open Source Continent was a world where source souls reigned supreme. Everyone awakened their own source soul at the age of sixteen, and one's source soul determined cultivation talent and future achievements. The original owner was already sixteen years and three months old, yet had still failed to awaken a source soul, becoming the laughingstock of the family.

"Source soul..." Ning Xiaochuan clenched his fists. "Now that I'm here, I absolutely won't remain a waste!"

Just as he was thinking, the door was violently shoved open. A tall youth strode in. His features somewhat resembled those of the original owner, but his eyes were filled with contempt.

"Oh, the waste is awake?" The newcomer was Ning Yuan, the Ning Clan's second young master and owner of a high-grade Yellow-rank Iron Arm Ape source soul. "I thought my palm strike had killed you. That would've been such a loss for the family—one less freeloader."

Ning Xiaochuan suppressed his anger. According to his memories, this second brother had always delighted in bullying him.

"Second Brother is joking." Ning Xiaochuan forced out a faint smile. "My life is tough."

Ning Yuan snorted. "Don't think you can keep leeching off the family just because Father dotes on you. The source soul awakening ceremony in three days is your last chance. If you still fail to awaken a source soul, then according to clan rules, you'll be expelled from the family and sent to manage shops in some remote town."

Ning Xiaochuan's heart tightened. In his old world, he had been an ordinary college student, but here, there was no way for him to retreat.

"I'll attend the awakening ceremony." He met Ning Yuan's eyes, his voice firm.

Ning Yuan paused, clearly not expecting such a reaction from his usually cowardly third brother. He sneered. "Fine. I'll wait to watch you make a fool of yourself." With that, he turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him.

Ning Xiaochuan let out a long breath and sat back down by the bed. He had three days. He needed to prepare. According to his memories, source soul awakening required powerful spiritual strength and physical fitness. The original owner had been depressed from prolonged bullying, and his body was weak as well.

"First, I need to recover." Ning Xiaochuan made up his mind and began regulating his breathing according to the method in his memories.

Over the next three days, Ning Xiaochuan never left his room, focusing entirely on cultivating the clan's basic technique, the Qingyun Art. To his surprise, although this body's source soul had yet to awaken, it was extraordinarily sensitive to source energy. Every time he cultivated, he could feel a warm current moving through his meridians.

On the morning of the third day, Ning Xiaochuan stood in the courtyard, breathing in and out as he faced the rising sun. Three days of tireless cultivation had brought subtle changes to his bearing. His gaze had become sharper, and his body had grown noticeably stronger.

"Young Master, it's time to leave." The servant stood respectfully at the courtyard gate. "The awakening ceremony is about to begin."

Ning Xiaochuan nodded and straightened his brand-new green robe. Today would determine his fate. He was both nervous and expectant.

More than a hundred people had already gathered before the Ning Clan ancestral hall. Aside from Ning Clan descendants, representatives from other families in Qingyun City were also present. Source soul awakening was a major event, and every family sent people to observe so they could assess the strength of the younger generation.

Ning Xiaochuan's arrival stirred a wave of whispers.

"Isn't that the Ning Clan's useless third young master? I heard he's already sixteen and still hasn't awakened a source soul."

"Today is his final chance. If he still can't awaken one, he'll be thrown out of the family."

"Shh, keep your voice down. He's still a Ning Clan young master..."

Ning Xiaochuan ignored them and walked straight toward the square before the ancestral hall. Family Head Ning Zhantian sat on the elevated platform, his expression stern. When he saw Ning Xiaochuan, he gave a slight nod, though a trace of concern flashed in his eyes.

"The source soul awakening ceremony begins!" At the elder's command, the sixteen-year-old Ning Clan descendants stepped forward one after another.

Ning Yuan was the first to emerge. He cast Ning Xiaochuan a contemptuous glance and placed his hand upon the awakening stone before the ancestral hall. In an instant, the phantom of a towering Iron Arm Ape appeared behind him, unleashing a deafening roar.

"Ning Yuan, high-grade Yellow-rank Iron Arm Ape source soul, cultivation at the seventh stage of Source Warrior!" the elder announced loudly. The crowd below broke into praise.

Several more Ning Clan descendants awakened their source souls in succession, most possessing mid- or low-grade Yellow-rank source souls. When it was Ning Xiaochuan's turn, the murmuring in the crowd grew louder.

"Look, the waste is going up."

"I'll bet ten gold coins he can't awaken anything."

"Don't say that. What if a miracle happens?"

Ning Xiaochuan took a deep breath and walked toward the awakening stone. He could feel countless gazes upon him, some mocking and some sympathetic. The moment his hand touched the cold stone, a sudden change occurred!

At first, the awakening stone showed no reaction. Just as everyone prepared to laugh, it suddenly erupted with blinding golden light! The entire square was illuminated as brightly as day, forcing everyone to close their eyes.

Ning Xiaochuan felt unprecedented power surge from within him, as though something were taking shape behind his back. He heard cries of astonishment erupt all around him.

"Th-that... what source soul is that?"

"I've never seen it before!"

"Heavens, is that... a dragon?"

Ning Xiaochuan opened his eyes and saw a small dragon-shaped phantom floating behind him. Unlike the mighty, ferocious dragons of legend, this dragon was only the size of a puppy. It was snow-white all over, with a round body, watery eyes, two tiny horns on its head, and a pair of miniature wings on its back. It looked... incredibly adorable?

"This is... a dragon?" Even Ning Xiaochuan was stunned.

Even more astonishingly, the Little Dragon saw him and cheerfully cried, "Goo Chu~" Then it flew onto his shoulder and affectionately rubbed against his cheek.

The entire crowd fell silent.

The elder announced in a trembling voice, "Ning Xiaochuan has awakened... um... an unknown-ranked dragon-type source soul, temporarily named... Milk Dragon?"

"Milk Dragon?" Ning Xiaochuan nearly bit his tongue. The dragon source soul he had imagined should have been majestic and overbearing. Why had he ended up with such a cute little thing?

The Little Dragon seemed to sense what he was thinking. It gave a wounded "Goo Chu," then spat out a small clump of... milky-white source energy?

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly felt a warm current pour into his meridians, and his cultivation actually rose by a tiny amount!

"This..." He stared at the little fellow on his shoulder in shock. "You can assist cultivation?"

The Little Dragon proudly raised its tiny head and spat out another puff of milky mist. This time, Ning Xiaochuan clearly felt his source power increase by a considerable amount.

The discussions below exploded into an uproar.

"What kind of ability is that?"

"I've never heard of a source soul that can directly increase cultivation!"

"It looks like a dragon-type source soul, but its rank can't be determined..."

On the elevated platform, Family Head Ning Zhantian abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes gleaming. "Ning Xiaochuan's source soul is provisionally judged to be low-grade Mysterious rank. Its final rank will be determined after further observation!"

That assessment caused an enormous stir. Mysterious-rank source souls were extremely rare throughout Qingyun City. At present, the Ning Clan only had one person with a mid-grade Mysterious-rank source soul—the family head himself.

Ning Yuan's face turned livid. He could not accept that the younger brother he had always regarded as trash had suddenly surpassed him.

After the ceremony, Ning Xiaochuan was summoned alone to the family head's study. Ning Zhantian looked at him with a complicated expression. "Xiaochuan, your source soul is very unusual. I have never seen anything like it. It may appear weak, but its potential is astonishing."

"Father, I don't know what's going on either..." Ning Xiaochuan answered honestly.

"No matter what, this is your fortune." Ning Zhantian said gravely, "But remember, a jade invites trouble. Before you become strong enough, do not casually reveal your source soul's special abilities."

Ning Xiaochuan nodded solemnly. After leaving the study, he eagerly returned to his courtyard and began researching his Milk Dragon source soul.

The Little Dragon seemed able to understand his words, performing all sorts of actions at his command. Even more miraculously, the milky mist it exhaled could not only increase cultivation but also heal minor wounds. Ning Xiaochuan tried circulating the Qingyun Art and found that his cultivation speed was more than three times what it had been before!

"Little One, just what are you?" Ning Xiaochuan gently stroked the Little Dragon's head, and it narrowed its eyes contentedly.

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Ning Yuan barged in with two lackeys.

"Third Brother, congratulations." Ning Yuan said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "But having a source soul alone isn't enough. Actual combat is what matters. How about we have a spar?"

Ning Xiaochuan knew this was a provocation, but he also wanted to test the Milk Dragon source soul's combat ability, so he nodded in agreement.

The two took their positions in the courtyard. Without another word, Ning Yuan directly summoned his Iron Arm Ape source soul and threw a punch. Ning Xiaochuan responded hastily and was forced back several steps, his chest feeling tight.

"Is that all you can do?" Ning Yuan sneered. "Looks like your Mysterious-rank source soul is nothing special!"

Ning Xiaochuan gritted his teeth and tried to communicate with the Milk Dragon. The Little Dragon cried, "Goo Chu," and sprayed out a dense cloud of milky mist that enveloped him. Ning Xiaochuan immediately felt his strength surge, while his reaction speed increased dramatically.

When Ning Yuan attacked again, Ning Xiaochuan easily dodged and struck his opponent's shoulder with a backhand palm. Ning Yuan staggered backward, his face full of disbelief.

"That's impossible!" He roared and activated his source skill, Ape King's Wrath, causing his strength to rise once again.

At that critical instant, the Milk Dragon suddenly flew before Ning Xiaochuan and opened its tiny mouth, firing a milky-white beam of light that collided with Ning Yuan's fist. With a thunderous explosion, Ning Yuan was blasted backward and slammed heavily into the ground.

Ning Xiaochuan himself was stunned. He had not expected the little fellow to possess an attacking skill too.

Ning Yuan scrambled to his feet in humiliation, his eyes filled with venom. "Just you wait!" With that, he hurried away with his lackeys.

Ning Xiaochuan let out a long breath and gathered the Milk Dragon into his arms. "Thank you, Little One."

The Little Dragon affectionately nuzzled against him, then transformed into a streak of white light and merged into his body. Ning Xiaochuan felt a warm mass of energy appear in his source soul space, knowing that this was the sign of the source soul returning.

That night, as Ning Xiaochuan cultivated, he suddenly heard movement outside the window. He opened his eyes alertly and saw an arrow shoot through the window, embedding itself in the bedpost. A note was tied to the arrow.

"Meet me tomorrow at noon in the Green Pine Forest outside the city. It concerns the secret of your source soul. —Su"

Ning Xiaochuan frowned in thought. Su? He did not remember knowing anyone with that surname. Yet the other party had mentioned the secret of his source soul, and he could not ignore it.

The next day, Ning Xiaochuan arrived at the Green Pine Forest as agreed. The forest was empty. Just as he began to wonder what was going on, a white figure lightly descended from a tree.

She was a maiden of around seventeen or eighteen, dressed in white robes pure as snow. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her brows and eyes were picturesque, and a green longsword hung at her waist. What drew the most attention was the faint chill surrounding her body—her source soul was clearly related to ice.

"Are you Ning Xiaochuan?" The maiden's voice was cold and clear. "I am Su Linger, a disciple of the Tianyuan Sect."

Ning Xiaochuan's heart jolted. The Tianyuan Sect was one of the foremost sects on the Open Source Continent, far beyond a small place like Qingyun City.

"Why did Miss Su seek me out?" he asked warily.

Su Linger looked directly into his eyes. "Your source soul is not an ordinary dragon-type source soul. It is the legendary Sacred Spirit Young Dragon, which possesses limitless potential for growth."

Ning Xiaochuan was shocked. "How do you know?"

"I have my methods." Su Linger did not answer directly. "The Sacred Spirit Young Dragon appears once in a thousand years. Once it matures, it can alter the entire continent's balance. But it is still far too weak. If someone with ill intentions learns of it, you will undoubtedly die."

A cold sweat broke out on Ning Xiaochuan's back. "Why are you telling me this?"

A trace of complexity flashed through Su Linger's eyes. "Because... I need your help. My source soul, the Mysterious Ice Phoenix, has recently developed an abnormality. Only the Sacred Spirit Young Dragon's aura can stabilize it. In exchange, I can guide your cultivation and bring you into the Tianyuan Sect."

Ning Xiaochuan fell into thought. There had to be something hidden behind this sudden opportunity, but he truly needed guidance and resources.

"Why should I believe you?" he asked.

Su Linger sighed softly and extended her right hand. A crystal-clear ice phoenix appeared in her palm, but its form was unstable, shifting between blurry and distinct.

"Do you see it? This is the problem with my source soul." She withdrew it. "I could have simply kidnapped you, but I chose to be honest. The decision is entirely yours."

Ning Xiaochuan looked at the ethereal maiden before him. His intuition told him he could trust her. Besides, entering the Tianyuan Sect would greatly benefit his growth.

"Fine, I agree." He finally nodded. "But I have one condition—I want to know everything about the Sacred Spirit Young Dragon."

A faint smile appeared on Su Linger's face. "Deal. From today onward, we are partners."

And so, the threads of Ning Xiaochuan's and Su Linger's fates began to intertwine. What he did not know was that a storm destined to sweep across the entire Open Source Continent was already brewing, and he and his Sacred Spirit Young Dragon source soul would become the heart of that storm...