In a broad gazebo, surrounded by a myriad of purple flowers, lay a single man with a perplexed expression. He twirled a cup of wine between his fingers, trying to make sense of what he was witnessing.
His name was Ling Tianlei, a low-ranking disciple of the Thunder Sect who never expected trouble beyond training drills and petty sect chores.
But now, there was a beauty, one he had never even had the pleasure of seeing from a distance. Red hair, burning crimson eyes. Yet she was asking for his hand in marriage?
"Ling Tianlei, do you dare refuse me?" she harrumphed. "Or should I show you your place again?"
"Feifei... please, let me dress up. I promise to entertain your whims shortly," Ling replied as he put down the cup of wine and rolled over, quickly putting on a pair of robes.
He wasn't a drunk, but his vision was blurry. There was a gap in Ling's memories, and no matter how much he thought back, he couldn't recall how or why he ended up in a gazebo naked.
My juniors must've played a prank on me again... Ling sighed, flicking back a strand of his black hair behind his ear and glancing back toward Feifei.
"Are you finished?" Feifei asked, crossing her arms and furrowing her brows in disapproval. "Your attire is stained. Did you go to a brothel, dear Lei?"
God knows where I went.
Ling showed a faint smile. "Feifei, as the Red Phoenix, don't you think this is a little inappropriate? I am just a simple disciple of the Thunder Sect, yet I haven't even broken through to the First Stage Tempered Body. I do not deserve you."
She scoffed, stood up, approached him, and sat right beside him. "I choose who I marry, foolish Lei. And I wish to marry you."
There was a faint glimmer in her eyes, one Ling couldn't quite make out. Yet her presence twisted the very air around them, as if the world itself was bending to her beauty.
But her words didn't do much to ease his confusion.
"But why?"
"You know why." Feifei frowned, crossing her legs. She reached for his cup of wine and downed it in an instant before turning to him.
"You have no merits. You have no good qualities. That's why you serve as the perfect husband," she explained, puffing her chest. "If this beauty marries you, then she will no longer need to worry about any consorts the Sect Master might send my way."
As a Core Disciple of the Thunder Sect, she possessed a Low-Grade Heaven Root. That also meant she was one of the most important and powerful disciples in the entire sect.
And here I am... No talent, no money... Ling trailed off. The only thing that stuck with me since the beginning is this...
Name: Ling Tianlei
Lifespan: 50 years
Talent: No Talent
Cultivation: None
Legacy: None
Bloodline: None
Physique: None
It was a floating blue interface which detailed his 'progress'. Evidently, there was no progress, even after a begrudgingly long 19 years of his life. This was all he was able to accomplish.
Therefore, he stood up and stormed out of the gazebo.
There was no way he would accept her offer. After all, becoming her husband would put a bounty on his back, which would be claimed within minutes. It was a death wish.
He'd barely taken five steps before Feifei reappeared in front of him. Her red hair was hovering as though it were an actual flame, causing him to flinch.
"Do you dare embarrass me like this?" Feifei asked, narrowing her eyes. "This is a good opportunity for you to gain a solid reputation, and yet you refuse me. Again?"
"Yes," Ling replied as he looked up to the sky. "I'm going to leave the Thunder Sect today."
"What?" Feifei's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Why would you do that?"
"My days are numbered," Ling said flatly, gesturing at the surrounding disciples.
There were several dozen disciples roaming the sect grounds, their flowing robes catching the breeze as they crossed floating bridges and spiraling paths etched with intricate runes.
A few of them spotted Ling and Feifei talking. That was why, if he were to stay here, then he'd be dead by tomorrow.
"I refuse this..." Feifei muttered, clenching her fists hard. "I will—"
"Feifei, what are you doing here talking with this thing?" Elder Xu said, appearing from behind them and pushing Ling aside.
"Elder." The two bowed in unison, showing respect.
But Ling found this to be the perfect moment to tell the elder what he wanted.
"Elder, I wish to leave the sect."
"Hm? Leave then." Elder Xu scoffed, not even sparing Ling a second glance as he turned to Feifei. "The Sect Master has called for you. There's a new martial art he has found, and it could boost your cultivation potential, dear Feifei."
Feifei shot Ling one final glance, but given the situation, she simply followed after the Elder.
Their footsteps echoed in the surprisingly dull place, almost as though they were resonating with Ling's heartbeat.
He had imagined something quieter, maybe even bittersweet. Instead, it felt hollow. In fact, he had done so much for the sect that he was a bit sour the Elder didn't even acknowledge his existence.
Heck, he was the person the Outer Disciples turned to for help with their cultivation. Yet in the end, they all went on to surpass him, leaving him in the dust. He had no choice but to leave this supposed family behind.
I'm disappointed... but there was no other choice...
He strolled toward the massive stone archway that marked the exit of the Thunder Sect. To the side was a jade scripture on which the names of all past geniuses were etched.
His name wasn't there, obviously. It never would be.
Ling tore off the sect engravings on his robe, tossed them on the ground, and took his first step out. It was liberating, yet at the same time, oddly sad.
Nonetheless, his journey would only start from here—
"Get him!" a burly man shouted, running straight toward Ling.
Ling's eyes widened as he decided to take a step back into the Thunder Sect. However, almost as if the bandits were expecting that, they dashed in front of the entrance.
While his attention was drawn to the sect's gateway, one of the men put a giant bag over his head and slung him over their shoulder like a sack of grain. He thrashed and kicked, attempting to break free. However, it was of no use.
"Hahaha! We got him!" a bandit cheered. "Take him in. Oh, and knock him out! Just hearing this trash breathe makes me want to gut him here and now. I wonder why they're collecting these things?"
"Now, now..." a deeper voice chimed in. "You know he's most likely going to die during the trial period, right?"
"Pft... hahaha! You're right!" a loud laugh resounded, followed by a dull pain at the base of his neck. It began expanding, until finally, Ling's body turned limp, and he slowly began losing consciousness.
This is not how I thought I'd start my journey...