Empowerment by Collected Memories

Mo Ling's physical condition was deteriorating rapidly, and he knew that he couldn't hold on for much longer. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he resorted to using his ultimate trump card, "Empowerment by Collected Memories." As he activated this ability, his thoughts were pulled back to a moment that had left him petrified with fear:

⸻

Mo Ling could feel his heart racing inside his chest as he cowered in a small cave, listening to the sounds of the beast king boar digging relentlessly outside. He and his father had been out hunting when they stumbled upon the ferocious beast. In the blink of an eye, his father was gone, leaving him defenseless against the beast. Though the boar had yet to notice his presence, he could feel his fear rising by the moment.

Then, almost by instinct, he noticed a nearby cave, just the right size to fit him but not the boar. Without hesitation, he ran towards it with everything he had. However, his desperate escape quickly caught the attention of the boar, who charged after him with a deep rage in its eyes. It seemed as though this was the end for him, when suddenly as if fate had other plans. As the boar charged towards him, one of its hooves caught on a nearby log, sending it flying into the air and crashing into Mo Ling's back with enough substantial force to throw him into the safety of the cave.

As he landed, his ankle gave way with a sickening snap. The excruciating pain tore through his body, and a scream of agony escaped his lips. Despite his relief at being alive, the pain for such a young child felt all encumbering, he wanted to be home with his dad and mom, talking about all the things he learned that day, however as he comforted himself with those thoughts, the beast king boar began ramming its head against the entrance.

Just when all hope seemed lost, a small flickering light caught his attention. Instinctively, he reached out and took hold of it. In a flash, a wealth of knowledge flooded his mind, revealing secrets of both emotion path and the soul path.

Then the ground around Mo Ling began to glow, nurturing his body and soul with a warm, healing energy. At that moment, he felt a profound sense of calm wash over him, replacing his fear with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

With his newfound knowledge and resolve, he sprang into action. Squatting down, he plunged his hand into the muddy ground and retrieved an unusual-looking Gu, resembling a glowing sphere filled with other spheres of light. Crushing it with a firm grip, he released a swarm of Hope Gu that enveloped him, some flying away while most stayed, and when it was all said and done, he had successfully awakened a B-grade aperture.

Without wasting any time, he dragged himself to the farthest end of the cave, where he pulled out a collection of flowers, each containing a Gu that needed refining. With great care and precision, he began the arduous process of refining each one, while also cultivating his aperture in the process.

The very first thing he learned that day was, life does not go the way you want it.

⸻present⸻

Mo Ling's mind regained its former clarity in an instant. With a burst of energy, he attempted to activate his killer move, 'Confusion,' but before he could make a move, a round ball hit his defense, releasing a thick cloud of smoke.

Undeterred, he exclaimed confidently, "You think cheap tricks will work on m...", but he was suddenly cut off by a powerful blow to his chin, throwing him off his feet and disorientating him.

While still in midair Mo Ling desperately tried to regain his bearings. But before he could even regain his sense of up and down, a hand emerged from the smoke and grabbed him by the collar, pinning him down to the ground. A shower of punches rained down on him, and blood spattered the ground as his attacker's fists began to crack under the force of the blows.

A smile crept onto Mo Ling's face as he noticed that his opponent lacked the means to break through his defense. Without hesitation, he readied to unleash his killer move once more, however, disaster struck. One of the critical Gu required for the technique unexpectedly refused to cooperate, unleashing a fierce backlash that not only cracked his defense but also left him defenseless from the onslaught of the punches.

It was then that his mind went back to the time of his first life-and-death battle:

⸻

Facing the ferocious beast king boar, Mo Ling remained calm and collected. He gracefully dodged the boar's charge and retaliated with his signature move, 'Soul Shake,' causing the boar to stumble and crash into a nearby tree.

Approaching the injured boar to strike again with 'Soul Shake,' he was caught off-guard by a sudden flash of blinding light that pierced through his shoulder. Despite the excruciating pain, he gritted his teeth and powered through, regaining his composure, he readied himself for another 'Soul Sha...

⸻present⸻

Brought back, Mo Ling could feel his mind being squeezed, and his vision swirled before him, until he was staring directly into his attacker's eyes. As his consciousness began to slip away, he heard the man mutter, "I should make a solid alibi. That one called Hai Yi should be more than useful."