It was the perfect day to breathe again. That was Master Wen’s first thought upon opening his eyes after millennia of wandering the void as a fractured spirit. Wet tree trunks, damp moss, flowers... He focused on feeling the cold breezes that carried the refreshing scent of forest along their swirling paths.

After savoring his recovered senses, he rose to his feet and headed to a nearby lake, grinning. 

He squatted down and reached out a hand to touch the muddy waters. When his fingers made contact with the lake, a ripple of pure blue light spread out in a small circle. The water became crystal clear, allowing Master Wen to see his reflection.

Disheveled hair, fresh bruises on the face, and dirty clothes...

Was this disappointment? The corners of his mouth dropped. 

He spent the greater part of his meager qi purifying a small area of water so he could compare his current appearance to his original one. However, he couldn't remember how he looked in his past life at all.

"I guess... there's only so much of me that remains."

It was then that he suddenly remembered something important.

"Kyvos."

Master Wen summoned a black cube out of thin air. 

"Restore my past life memories."

The black cube projected a blue screen: [ Not enough qi. ]

Kyvos could quantify Master Wen’s physical and spiritual qualities, but since the cube was part of his very existence, he didn't actually have to see the numbers. That feature was for something else.

“Restore this body’s memories.”

Retrieving memories from the past few years was a lot easier compared to his first command. Thus, Kyvos was able to execute this task for him.

When the black cube glowed with blue light in response to his command, a myriad of information entered his mind. These were all the life experiences of the original owner of Master Wen’s new body.

Chen Yuze, 21 years old. The firstborn of a local tycoon. After his father suffered a car accident and fell into a coma, his stepmother did everything to drive him out of their house. The schemes against him weren’t so harmful at the beginning but quickly grew malicious when his father didn’t show any signs of waking up.

Master Wen looked at his reflection in the water again. He touched the bruises on his face. 

***

Chen Mansion

Madam Xue was already in her late forties, but she looked young for her age. The over-the-top crystal necklace she wore conveyed a bold statement about her wealth and personality. She looked expensive, but the way she walked today didn’t have any trace of elegance one would expect from her stature. 

She couldn't help it. Every step she took made her angrier as she flounced into the corner of the living room where her garnitures sat. Everything in her collection was expensive, and yet, there was no hesitation in her eyes when she grabbed and threw one toward her brother across the room. 

“WHY!?” 

She screamed shrilly as she threw one vase after another. 

Nothing hit Xue Wong though, Madam Xue had a rather terrible aim.

“Sis, calm down!” 

Xue Wong implored with all his might while dodging all sorts of decorative items.  

“Dead men don’t talk!” he said. 

“Right! Because you f*cking killed him!” 

Madam Xue covered her face with her hands as she began to sob. 

“Sis, I just want to end your troubles. Why are you crying?”

Madam Xue suddenly grabbed Xue Wong by his shoulders, eyes bloodshot. 

“What if someone saw you!? What if you get caught by the police?”

“No one saw me, I’m sure…”

“What if you get caught? Am I your accomplice then?”

Xue Gang: “…”

She madly shook her head and said, “No, I didn’t order you to kill him. You killed him yourself!”

“Crazy b*tch! If I get caught, I’m taking you with me!” Xue Gang yelled and pushed his sister to the ground.

Madam Xue was taken aback. This was the first time his brother got angry at her. 

Ringtone ~~~

Madam Xue’s phone rang. Seeing that it was from their business lawyer, she picked it up quickly. 

Xue Gang watched the rapid changes in his sister's facial expressions during her call.

“R-Really? Chen Yuze sold off all his shares just now?” 

***

Shan Commercial Bank

Jun Hui, a man just a few years older than Chen Yuze, entered the VIP room. As a bank manager, he exuded an air of professionalism with his clean-shaven face, impeccably groomed hair, and neatly pressed suit.

He had developed a keen interest in socializing with rich second-generation, whom he saw as potential clients. As a result, he had become well-acquainted with Little Chen Yuze, whom he had known for some time.

"Young Master Chen, are you sure you don't want our corporate nurse to take a look at your injuries?" Jun Hui asked for the second time. 

Chen Yuze simply shook his head. 

“I understand. Here’s your purple-gold card then, young master,” he said and continued, "Your shares have been fully liquidated." 

"That's quite fast." Chen Yuze remarked.

"We've expedited the process for you, Young Master Chen." Jun Hui flashed a friendly smile.

"Thanks then." 

"Young master, you currently have around fifty million in your account. You might want to have a look at our high-yield bonds, it shoul-" 

"Jun Hui, that's a really nice jade ring you have there. Where did you get it from?" 

Chen Yuze had always been a keen observer of his surroundings, and it was this trait that led him to notice the small trace of qi in Jun Hui's jade ring. Seeing the jade ring confirmed his guess about planet Earth.

"I got it from a small antique shop in the city," Jun Hui replied, not at all offended that the young master interrupted his sales pitch and even went on to change the subject.

Chen Yuze's interest was piqued. He pressed Jun Hui for more details. "Can you tell me the name of the shop? I'm always on the lookout for good sources of jade pieces."

Jun Hui thought for a moment before nodding. "Sure, it's called 'Ancient Treasures.' The owner is a little eccentric, but she has a good eye for quality. I heard they acquired more than a dozen rings of this kind, so you should still be able to buy some, young master."

Chen Yuze thanked Jun Hui and made a mental note to visit the shop as soon as he exited the bank. He couldn't heal his injuries yet since he was lacking in qi and he couldn't replenish it through meditation alone.

Whenever a young planet began establishing a connection to the heavens, rare minerals were always the first to be infused with qi. Then earth, sea, air, and plants would soon follow suit. 

With spiritual energy conspicuously absent in the air, Chen Yuze couldn't help but think that Earth was still in the early stages of becoming a cultivation world.

"Here, young master, please sign these documents to acknowledge receipt."

Chen Yuze signed everything and bade Jun Hui goodbye.