Side Story - Final Reincarnation (1)

A/N: This a side story that gives a glimpse of the background of the mc and the setting. I will not hold for too long, enjoy the story fellow Daoists.

....

In the distant past, an ant was born.

Unlike its brethren, this tiny creature was born with eyes that glimmered with the brilliance of ancient wisdom, as if it had lived through numerous ages and witnessed the ebb and flow of life itself.

Deep inside, it possessed a shrewd intellect that set it apart from the rest of the colony.

As such, it knew not to follow the swarm of ants and instead ventured forth on its own to scavenge for food.

What's more, it always found its way back to the dwelling with unerring accuracy.

It was a marvel how such a small creature could possess such remarkable abilities.

Truly, this ant was a wonder of nature.

But fate is a cruel mistress.

One day while the tiny creature was going about its business, a colossal shadow fell across its path. In an instant, it was crushed underfoot, its physical form obliterated.

Even though its body was utterly destroyed, however, the consciousness of the ant remained in the spiritual realm and was cast into endless reincarnation, its soul experiencing one existence after another.

Until its final reincarnation before becoming human.

...

In the stillness of the twilight, the air was bitter with its chill that pierced to the bone while the stars twinkled above.

South of High Land.

Inside a stable, various animals slept soundly. But a mare was in labor. It panted weakly, trying to bring forth new life.

As time passed, the mare's contractions grew more intense until, with a final push, a tiny head emerged, followed by a sleek, damp body.

The foal was born, its coat gleaming with amniotic fluid, and its legs shaking with the effort of standing.

But there was something remarkable about this foal, particularly its eyes.

At first, it was dazed and bewildered, but it quickly grew calm, scanning its surroundings as if familiarizing itself with the environment.

"I cannot precisely recall how many times I have been reborn. Regardless of how I meet my end, I always return to this world. I recall nothing of my past lives, except that I have never been human and have always been a reincarnator."

The foal lifted its head.

Three humans stood before it.

Are they my masters?

Due to innumerable reincarnations, its understanding was so high that not even heaven could measure it.

It knew that it was now reborn as another creature, a horse.

The stable master nodded with satisfaction, pleased that a newborn foal was born in his stable. After instructing the laborer to depart, he turned to the child behind him.

The child clutched the corner of his father's garment, eyes fixed on the foal with curiosity.

Seeing his son's expression, the stable master patted the child's head. "Son, you have passed the initial screening of Tian Yun Sect and are now one of the only ten individuals to do so in High Land. I recall my promise. You always wanted a horse. How about this little guy? From now on, you will take care of him."

"Really, father?" The ten-year-old child could not believe it. He said excitedly, "You're not taking it back! This foal is mine from now on!"

"That's a promise," the father chuckled, finding his son's antics a bit silly. He added, "Why not name it now?"

The child suppressed his excitement upon hearing his father's words. He stepped forward and knelt in front of the foal. Staring into its eyes, he noticed that the foal was also staring back at him, expressing a calmness that belied its age.

This surprised the stable master.

Although the child did not notice the changes, he vaguely realized that this foal was special. He patted its wet head and said, "Hao, you will be called Hao. You will be my companion and friend, the one that will follow and witness me on my path of martial arts."

Hao did not emotionally understand what the child had sworn; only time would tell.

Five years later.

In the middle of the night, when the stars were shining brightly in the sky, a young man rested on a pile of straw, a healthy brown horse standing next to him.

"Hao, are you ready? The assessment day of Tian Yun Sect is tomorrow, and my nerves can't calm down at all."

"Mehhhh," the horse cried out, as if confused about his master's profound words.

The young man did not speak for a long time as he sighed, his eyes staring at the boundless sky.

"Beyond this small land that we live in, there is an extraordinary world that exists.

"Three thousand realms, infinite lower worlds, and the high and mysterious chaos... A moth dreams of stepping into such unknown territory, brave and unyielding, yet in the end, only cultivators roam them freely and widely. Oh, the difference between heaven and earth. How enviable, cultivators."

The young man recited the poem that a scholar had once spoken, which deeply resonated with his current situation.

"Hao, do you know that my dream is to become an immortal practitioner? To travel the world is my pursuit, and martial arts... the key to fulfilling my goal!"

"That is why everyone dreams of being one of the candidate disciples of Tian Yun Sect, an almighty sect belonging to one of the three thousand upper realms, which governs our Lesser Star Realm."

"Five years ago, I was fortunate enough to pass the initial screening of Tian Yun Sect. This time there's no luck involved. The assessment that will happen tomorrow is the real deal. Hao, if I fail, I don't think I can face you, my family, or the village when that time comes."

The young man's voice became incredibly weak at the end, yet somewhere within his words, there were traces of determination and burning desire expressed.

It was vast and boundless, as if the young man's desire transcended the heavens themselves.

Hao, the horse who had been listening quietly in the corner, felt visibly shaken by such words.

Is this the desire of a human?

Even though the memories of its past lives had disappeared and been forgotten, it still retained some important factors of its identity.

A reincarnator - someone who had experienced immeasurable reincarnations since the dawn of time, living upon millions of millions of different lives.

That was its identity.

Yet, someone with such an ancient origin was shaken by the words of a mere human child?

Is it because I don't have desires like my master has that I cannot become a human?

What is desire? How can I feel it?

Many years had passed, and Hao had already lost track of its reincarnation.

But this question...

Perhaps even in its past lives, no one could have answered it.

Hao gazed at its master who was resting on a pile of straw. There was a glimmer of hope in its eyes.

Desire...

Perhaps it held the key to breaking its curse.

Hao eagerly awaited the next day.

Morning arrived, and something incredible happened in the sky above the Lesser Star world.

The heavens thundered, and the clouds dispersed, golden light bathing the surroundings. The cries of celestial creatures and the chimes of immortal bells echoed throughout the land. Then a path opened up in the heavens, and a majestic gate made of golden light appeared.

Bang!

The gate swung open.

Following that, golden staircases materialized, creating a path towards the golden gate.

"Tian Yun Sect's assessment day officially begins. Participants who pass the first phase shall gather at the designated location within a month to take the test. Failure to attend on the specified date is considered a failure."

A voice boomed from the sky. Looking up, one could see a human figure floating in the air.

Undeniably, this was an immortal cultivator, whom everyone aspired to become.

"Whose voice is that?"

"An immortal?"

The people across the Lesser Star World were astonished. The voice traveled across the land, touching every nook and cranny. Those who were unaware of the existence of Tian Yun Sect were the most affected.

"So it finally begins."

In a small village, a young man opened his eyes. Next to him stood a horse that was staring at the sky, at the human figure enveloped in golden light.

So that's a cultivator?

For the first time in its life, Hao felt a strong emotion. It was hard to describe what state of emotion it felt. But after following its master for five years, it could somewhat identify what emotion it was experiencing.

The emotion of interest.

Interest in immortals.