A Different Path, New Resolve

Night was like indelible ink, gradually swallowing Wutan City's last glow. The lights of Xiao Family Mansion went out one after another like fireflies snuffed by the evening breeze. Only the lattice window of Xiao Yan's room still stubbornly let through a flickering candlelight, outlining a tiny patch of brightness in the heavy darkness. He reclined against the head of a bed covered in coarse bedding, an old cotton pillow at his back, while his fingers unconsciously rubbed the black Storage Ring on his index finger. The ring had a dull sheen throughout, its surface engraved with several ancient, indistinct patterns, as though time had worn away its edges. Against his skin, it carried the unique chill of jade. That sensation made his tangled thoughts clearer and made him truly realize that he had only been in this body for one day.

Xiao Ning's indignant defense of him during the day repeatedly surfaced in his mind like a vivid painting. The youth in dark blue fitted clothes had beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to confront those who had mocked him. Patting his chest, he had said, "When the time comes, I'll definitely stand with you." Such sincere protectiveness stood in sharp contrast to the Xiao Ning in his memories, who had always been mocking and opposed him at every turn. The two images gradually overlapped and separated in his mind, making him frown.

"How could it be so different?" Xiao Yan murmured, his fingertips swiping past the blurred patterns on the Storage Ring. The icy feeling spread from his fingertips to the depths of his heart. He clearly remembered that in the "original story" before his transmigration, Xiao Ning had been jealous of the original owner's talent in his youth. He had been even more unable to stand the fact that Xun'er still regarded the original owner highly after he had been reduced to "trash." Xiao Ning had always looked for chances to make things difficult for him—at the Training Ground, he would deliberately ram the original owner with Dou Qi and humiliate him before the clan; in the dining hall, he would say in front of everyone that he was "mud that couldn't be plastered onto a wall, wasting the Xiao family's resources"; and when Nalan Yanran annulled the original owner's engagement, at his most miserable moment, Xiao Ning had even joined the other juniors in jeering, cruelly shouting, "Trash isn't worthy of the pride of heaven."

But the Xiao Ning he had seen today was completely different. That morning at the Training Ground, someone had sneered, "Some people can't even break through the third stage of Dou Qi, yet they still cling to their engagement." The moment those words fell, Xiao Ning had rushed forward with his neck red, pointed at the other's nose, and retorted, "Xiao Yan advanced to Dou Shi at eleven. You're still hovering at the fourth stage—what right do you have to talk about him?" At noon, seeing that Xiao Yan had little appetite, Xiao Ning had even taken the initiative to put meat from his own bowl into Xiao Yan's, saying, "Eat more so you'll have the strength to cultivate. Don't listen to those loose-tongued idiots." In the afternoon, he had brought a jug of wine to find him, patted his shoulder, and said he would keep him company until they were "drunk and not going home, throwing all our troubles away."

This utterly different attitude hung wreathed around Xiao Yan's heart like a fog. He had only transmigrated into this body one day ago. From his bewilderment upon waking at the Training Ground that morning, to following Xiao Zhan around at noon to familiarize himself with the Xiao family, to chatting with Xun'er and Xiao Ning at the Training Ground in the evening, every scene and every conversation from that day remained clearly imprinted on his mind. He could even recall how, when he first saw Xiao Ning that morning, he had instinctively tensed up and prepared himself for the other's harassment. Yet Xiao Ning had merely smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Xiao Yan, you look pretty good today. Has your cultivation made progress?" That natural tone had left him at a loss for what to do.

"Could my arrival really have changed something?" Xiao Yan murmured again, his gaze falling on the swaying shadows of trees outside the window. Moonlight filtered through the lattice and cast the branches' shadows across the ground, like a tangle of wildly dancing ink lines, just like his current state of mind. He had only been here for one day. Perhaps some unintentional action by the original owner in the past, or perhaps the peace he had unconsciously shown when facing Xiao Ning today—instead of the original owner's self-conscious defensiveness—had quietly changed Xiao Ning's attitude toward him? If that was true, then could Xiao Ning's change be only the beginning? Would Nalan Yanran's impending annulment of the engagement also be completely different from the "original story"?

At the thought of Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan's thoughts drifted like a kite with its string cut, floating into the depths of memory. In the "original story," she had arrived at the Xiao family with disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect, dressed in white as pure as snow. With cold, sharp steps, she had entered the Xiao residence and, before Xiao Zhan and the elders, handed over the letter of annulment with an icy expression. Her words had been filled with disdain for "trash." That line—"Xiao Yan as he is now is unworthy of me, Nalan Yanran, and even less worthy of the Misty Cloud Sect"—had been like an ice-tempered blade stabbing viciously into the original owner's heart, becoming an inescapable humiliation.

But now, looking at the tree shadows outside, coated in silver moonlight, Xiao Yan suddenly felt that perhaps there was still room for change. If Xiao Ning's attitude could undergo such a drastic transformation, then perhaps Nalan Yanran was not as cold-hearted as she had been in the "original story." He recalled the later plot: when Nalan Yanran learned that, at the time of the annulment, the original owner had already noticed that someone had tampered with his meridians yet endured it in silence; when she learned that his later rise had been built on day after day of persistence and desperate effort; when she learned how much pain her former forcefulness had caused him—she had regretted it many times in the depths of the night. Even when the Misty Cloud Sect was controlled by the Soul Hall and stood opposed to Xiao Yan, she had borne the pressure of her sect and chosen to stand at his side, saying, "I was wrong back then. This time, I won't choose the wrong side again."

All of that showed that Nalan Yanran was not cold by nature. She had merely been swept along by the glory of the Misty Cloud Sect and the admiration of others in her youth, while the halo of being a "genius" had left her Unable to Breathe. That was why she had made such a reckless and hurtful choice regarding the annulment. If, when she came to annul the engagement this time, he could respond differently—not clash head-on with her, not let humiliation cloud his mind, but calmly explain his circumstances and let her see that he was not willingly sinking into ruin—perhaps he could make her waver, perhaps even... change the outcome of the annulment?

The moment that thought arose, even Xiao Yan froze. Then he could not help laughing softly, the sound exceptionally clear in the silent room. He lowered his head and looked at his still youthful hands. Faint calluses from that morning's cultivation remained on his palms, while the Dou Qi within him was still pitifully thin. According to the timeline of the "original story," he was still at the third stage of Dou Qi, inferior even to the Xiao family's outer disciples. Yet despite that, an inexplicable confidence rose within him. He knew every future development. He knew which hidden realms contained treasures that could rapidly raise his strength, which people were worth befriending, which needed guarding against, and, more importantly, that Nalan Yanran was not beyond redemption.

"If I can turn things around and make her willingly stay, that wouldn't be bad." Xiao Yan rubbed his chin, secretly pondering. Nalan Yanran possessed breathtaking beauty and extraordinary talent. At fifteen, she was already at the peak of Dou Zhe, among the finest of the Jia Ma Empire's younger generation. Not to mention, she and the original owner had grown up together. If he could resolve the rift between them and show her the potential of his rise, perhaps he truly could keep this "pride of heaven" by his side as support on his path to greatness, instead of letting her become, as in the "original story," a scar in each other's lives.

But soon, Xiao Yan's thoughts drifted farther away, toward the women in the "original story" whose lives had been deeply intertwined with the original owner's. He thought of Xun'er, the girl who always wore pale green dresses and seemed to have starlight hidden in her eyes. That afternoon, she had come to him carrying a food box and handed him warm Osmanthus Cake, softly saying, "Brother Xiao Yan, no matter what others say, I believe in you." Her gentleness and determination had flowed through the unfamiliarity and unease of his transmigration like a warm current. He thought of Xiao Yi Xian, the girl he had first met in Qingshan Town, dressed in simple clothes with a medicine basket on her back. Her eyes curved beautifully when she smiled, yet she bore the Poison Body of Calamity and endured a life of hardship. He thought of Yun Yun, the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, cool and ethereal as an immortal banished to the mortal world. When she stood atop a mountain in white robes, she seemed like a figure from a painting, yet she had opposed Xiao Yan time and again because of her sect, leaving behind endless regrets. He thought of Medusa, the Queen of the Snake People Tribe, whose red robes made her beauty unmatched beneath heaven, whose presence overflowed with dominance, yet who had given so much for Xiao Yan—from initial hostility to silent protection later on. And there was Qing Lin, the timid little girl with emerald vertical pupils, coveted by others for her special physique, once abducted and made to suffer greatly...

Each of these women possessed a unique charm, and every bond they shared with the original owner was moving, yet each was also marked by greater or lesser regret. The Xiao Yan of the "original story" had met and come to know them, but through all manner of misunderstandings and helpless circumstances, many beautiful moments had slipped away. Xun'er had traveled far and wide for the Ancient Clan and him, and they had gone years without seeing each other. Xiao Yi Xian had nearly fallen into madness because of the Poison Body of Calamity and had been forced to separate from him. Because of her sect's position, Yun Yun could only watch him leave in the end. Medusa had borne his child, yet rarely received a direct response from him. Qing Lin, meanwhile, had been lost by him at the time she most needed protection...

"In this life, since I have become Xiao Yan, I absolutely cannot let those regrets happen again." Xiao Yan clenched his fist, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, his eyes filled with resolve. He had only transmigrated here one day ago. There was still time for everything. With his understanding of the plot, he would prepare in advance: before Xun'er left the Xiao family for the Ancient Clan, he would gain enough strength to give her enough security so she would no longer have to worry for him; before meeting Xiao Yi Xian, he would find a way to resolve the Poison Body of Calamity so she would no longer suffer the pain of being feared by the world; when he met Yun Yun, he would hide less and be more honest, trying to resolve the conflict between her sect and personal feelings; when facing Medusa, he would no longer hesitate or retreat, but courageously shoulder his responsibilities and give her the tenderness and protection she deserved; and he would find Qing Lin earlier, keep her safe by his side, and never let her fall into the hands of evil people...

These thoughts spread through his heart like vines, carrying both hopes for the future and a desire to make up for the regrets of the "original story." Xiao Yan leaned against the headboard and slowly closed his eyes. The exhaustion from cultivating Dou Qi during the day intertwined with his longing for the future, gradually relaxing him. The wind outside grew gentler, like a lullaby hummed by a mother. As it brushed against the window lattice, it carried the fresh scent of grass and trees. From time to time, the Storage Ring beneath his fingertips gave off a faint warmth, as though responding to his thoughts and reminding him that Elder Yao, who could help him defy fate and remake his life, was still hidden within it.

In his daze, he seemed to see himself Holding the Black Heavy Ruler and racing across the Dou Qi Continent: gathering herbs beside Xiao Yi Xian in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, admiring the Sea of Clouds with Yun Yun at the Misty Cloud Sect, watching the sunset with Medusa among the Snake People Tribe, facing challenges hand in hand with Xun'er in the Ancient Clan, with Qing Lin skipping along at his side... Together, they would explore hidden realms and battle strong enemies. Together, they would share the joy of victory around a campfire and support each other through hardship. There would be no regrets, no missed chances—only the warmth and steadfastness of being together.

A smile unconsciously lifted the corners of his lips, and Xiao Yan's breathing gradually became steady and long. In his heart, he silently swore, Elder Yao, wake soon. Help me rebuild my meridians and become strong as quickly as possible. I will handle Nalan Yanran's annulment properly. If it can be undone, then it is fate; if not, I will not force it. But Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, Yun Yun, Medusa, Qing Lin... wait for me. In this life, I, Xiao Yan, will overcome every obstacle, protect you all, and together with you, see every mountain, river, lake, and sea across the Dou Qi Continent, living a life unlike any other.

As that final thought settled, Xiao Yan fell fully asleep. His brow gradually relaxed, and a faint smile remained on his face, as though he were having a sweet dream. In that dream, he seemed to have already reached the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent. The people he treasured surrounded him, a rolling Sea of Clouds lay beneath his feet, and endless clear skies stretched before him. All regrets had vanished, all hopes had been fulfilled, and only boundless joy and warmth remained. Meanwhile, beneath the moonlight, the black Storage Ring quietly gave off a faint halo, like the brightest star in the night sky, silently lending strength to his dream.

This was his first day after transmigrating to the Dou Qi Continent. Carrying hopes for the future and the resolve to make up for past regrets, he had found his own direction in this unfamiliar world and welcomed his first peaceful sleep since transmigrating.