1 Reborn

Within the Glory City, the sound of a bell echoed, a signal of the end of the classes in the Holy Orchid Institute. The students on the Fighter Apprentice Class slowly got out, celebrating the end of today lesson.

At the back of the class, a student slowly woke up. Startled, he looked around.

"Where the heck am I?"

As he realized he was in a classroom, he noticed that his body was not how it used to be. His hands were smaller, he wasn't as tall as before. He was a young boy again.

"I'm sure I died fighting that dammed Sage Emperor, what's going on?" -He mumbled, visibly confused.

It didn't take long for his head to hurt, and memories started to appear. A life he didn't live started to unite with the life he lived as Chang Li. At that point, he wasn't sure who he was. Was he Tian, an orphan without Clan or Chang Li, the Alchemist from the Toxic Forest?

Chang Li lived a long life, as such, he was sure of his own identity. As a Master able to stand against the Sage Emperor his mental strength was outstanding. The soul that struggled to maintain the body he owned was easily devoured. Chang Li was thus reborn in the body of Tian.

"These are the memories and body of an orphan named Tian, from Glory City. But wait, didn't that Nie Li said that Glory City was raged by Demonic Beasts?"

At that point, with the memories of Tian, he realized what had happened. As he died, his soul somehow managed to travel time and space and be reincarnated on the body of another person.

"Tian, I'm sorry but from now on, I will have to live your life."

Chang Li, no, Tian had no other choice. Who would waste a chance to live again after death? Tian couldn't just leave and do whatever he wanted. He knew nothing about Glory City but the few details that Nie Li spoke the few time they meet. He looked through the scrambled memories that Tian left.

Tian was an orphan on Glory City. As he didn't have any Clan, he had to gain money to eat by doing odd jobs. However, everything changed as they tested his Soul Realm and realized he had an Orange Soul Realm. He had the makings of a rare talent. However, seeing that he didn't have any backup to support the fee of the Holy Orchid Institute. They offered him a deal. He would be a Library Clerk, where he would earn a salary of 300 Demon Spirit Coins per month. The Institute would collect the fees first and give him the rest, which would be 50 Demons Spirit Coins. Thus, he would be able to study at the Institute and gain something to survive.

"Well, at least I can eat" -Tian realizing his situation sighted- "Still, it could be worse"

Tian went outside of the Holy Orchid Institute and the view startled him. He visited Glory City as he explored the Divine Continent, only to find it on ruins. He knew of the calamity but now seeing this flourishing city, he could only sight. The ruined city now was lively and filled with people instead of Demonic Beasts. The buildings stood high instead of crumbled in ruins.

Recalling Nie Li, the only person he knew from Glory City he looked for the Heavenly Marks Clan.

"Such beautiful city, such waste for it to be ravaged by Beasts" -Tian would muster every now and while as he explored the city.

He didn't know the city therefore, it took him a while until he found their territory. There he noticed a group of children playing hide and seek.

"Uh, such childish demeanour" -Tian muttered.

Inside the Toxic Forest, children couldn't do as they wanted. When touching a random herb could kill you, playing hide and seek had certain danger, much more if one ventured inside the forest. On the plaza, they could play, but still, they were restricted by the merchants. His body shivered. He recalled his youth.

"Oh, the Trials of the Body of Poison"

The Trials of the Body of Poison, a rather cruel tradition. Living in the Toxic Forest was difficult, and to survive a long time, one must develop some resistance to poison. As such, when children reached the age of 10, they would have to pass through the Trial of the Body of Poison. Where they would have to ingest 10 poisonous herbs.

Children died by the hand of the chief as they ingested the herbs. If one could survive, they would step on the 10 Poisons Body of the Body of Poison. A Cultivation Technique that would allow the user to be resistant to all kinds of poisons. A much-needed skill inside the Toxic Forest.

Of course, it was better to die on the hands of your parents than the claws of Demonic Beasts. It wasn't like the survival rate was low, but that the pain was excruciating. Still, it was the Body of Poison that allowed Tian to survive in his past life.

Tian continued thinking reminiscently of his childhood as he watched Nie Li and his friends play, like a grandpa seeing his nieces playing on the park.

Did Tian hold in contempt the Sage Emperor for his death? No. Did he hate Nie Li for leading him to his death? Neither. After all, he accepted and went out of his own free will. He did see the Sage Emperor as an enemy, but he didn't hate him for killing him, after all, he would have done the same. Did someone try to kill him? He would strike without hesitation.

Tian intention by fighting the Sage Emperor was for his collection of rare and extinct herbs. He wanted those herbs and if he had to fight the Sage Emperor, why not do it with a group of people who actually were good at fighting? After all, he was an alchemist, not the most fighting oriented of the bunch.

"What shall I do with this new life? With this new start?" -Tian pondered.

He had already lived a life, there was little he had left to do. Going against the Sage Emperor was the limit anyone could hope to reach. Shall he try again but with a better start? He didn't know. Going against the Sage Emperor was perilous. Nor he had the strength Nie Li showed on his fight against the Sage Emperor. He just reached the top due to the money Alchemy gave him.

"Shall I explore the different Realms? Na, I have already done so"

"Shall I reach the top of cultivation? Na, I'm not that competitive"

"I may as well just try to have another life, a better one"

Tian resolved himself. He didn't have a happy life. Always struggling to survive. Fighting those who wanted to be at the top of the food chain, just to continue living.

"Now, I don't have to fight to learn nor to have a powerful Cultivation Technique. I have already done it. Now with my knowledge, everything should go smoothly, right?"

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