The legend of Wei Zhan and the sealed power he once wielded had long faded from memory, lost to the passage of time. Yet fate has a strange way of touching lives—often without reason, and rarely with warning.
Yanzhi, an ordinary girl from the Langyun Clan, lived each day under the shadow of misfortune. Her cultivation never progressed, and she was often the target of ridicule, labeled the least talented among her peers. But this world, as always, hides its most unexpected turns where no one dares to look.
Without warning, an extraordinary force began to awaken within her—one that would reshape her bleak path into something far more dangerous… and filled with hope.
The mountain wind whispered through Yanzhi's dark hair as she stood at the edge of the cliff, staring into the thick mist that blanketed the forbidden valley.
"Sent to find some 'important herb for the clan,' huh?" she muttered, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"If it's really that important, why didn't they send one of the core disciples? Why me—the so-called least talented?"
She stomped on a dry twig beneath her foot with an irritated scowl.
"This is clearly Elder Yu's scheme. Trying to get rid of me in a 'graceful' way, is that it?"
With a flick of her sleeve, she marched into the narrow trail leading into the Dark Soul Forest, her steps fueled by frustration.
Along the way, she kept grumbling, as if arguing with the wind itself.
"Black Lightning Grass… only blooms once every twenty years, they said.
And yet, they sent me to find it. Meanwhile, Tianwu—that smug show-off—is probably sitting in the meditation hall, showing off his flashy techniques. Hmph!"
---
As she neared the valley, Yanzhi's eyes caught a faint bluish glow beneath the roots of a massive tree.
There it was—the herb. It shimmered with a crackling electric aura.
"Found it…" she whispered. "Finally—"
GRAAAHHH!!
A sharp, guttural roar shattered the silence.
Three spirit beasts emerged from the thicket—towering, horned creatures with jagged spikes running down their backs.
Their glowing red eyes burned like embers from the underworld.
Yanzhi stumbled back, her face paling.
"These things are the plant's guardians…? Monsters like these?!"
One of them lunged at her.
She dodged and leapt backward, nearly slipping on the wet stone.
"I only came here for the herb—not to fight demons!" she shouted, drawing the thin sword strapped to her back.
She launched a Shadow-Slicing Wind technique, but it barely grazed the creature's skin—leaving nothing more than a shallow mark.
"This is bad…" she muttered. "Their strength is way beyond mine!"
Without a second thought, Yanzhi turned and ran.
"If I knew this would happen, I would've left the clan ages ago!" she panted. "We even have to fight over training spots—how am I supposed to level up like this?!"
The beasts thundered after her, their heavy steps shaking the ground.
"I've never lived peacefully, never even eaten three full meals a day…
And now I'm being hunted by walking death machines?!"
One beast roared, baring lightning-charged fangs that shimmered like blades.
"Are those teeth or divine weapons?!"
She staggered—and then spotted a narrow cave behind a large boulder.
"If that's not your den, then maybe I'll live to see tomorrow..."
With the last of her strength, she dove into the cave. Her breath came in gasps.
But just as she tried to stand, searing pain shot through her left arm. Blood dripped—
right onto an ancient slab of stone covered in faded seals.
ZZZRRHHH!!
The seal shattered instantly.
Blinding white light erupted, spiraling wildly before shooting straight into Yanzhi's chest.
Her body was lifted off the ground, eyes wide as blazing energy surged through every meridian.
"Ah—what is this?!" she screamed, but her limbs no longer obeyed.
Her head dropped, yet her palm slowly rose on its own.
Winds began to swirl violently around her, forming razor-sharp currents.
Faint flames flickered along her skin.
The spirit beasts snarled, their roars shaking the cave. Flames burst high—but in a single swift motion, Yanzhi—or whatever was now controlling her—raised her hand.
WHOOSH!!
A blazing wave of fire roared forward, slamming into one beast and hurling it into the stone wall.
Its bones cracked loudly as red embers exploded from the wound.
The other two attacked from both sides.
But Yanzhi floated for a moment, then landed lightly—her movement graceful, divine, and impossibly fluid.
She flashed forward with speed that left fiery embers trailing in her wake.
With a flick of her wrist, spiraling flames sliced the air.
BLAAARR!!
One beast was cleaved in half.
The last one froze in fear… then turned to flee.
But Yanzhi moved faster.
She surged forward, her index and middle fingers joined together, pointing directly at the creature.
"Burn in eternal flame—
scorched by the wrath of the sacred dragon."
In a flash, a crimson blaze burst from her fingertips, engulfing the last beast in fire.
It let out a final cry… then turned to ash.
Silence.
Yanzhi collapsed to her knees, trembling. She clutched her chest, gasping for breath. Her soul still felt like it was vibrating… and suddenly—
"So weak. This body... pathetic."
She looked left and right. No one was there.
"D-Did I just talk?"
"That wasn't you. That was me."
The voice echoed inside her mind—cold, sharp, and clear. It wasn't her own.
"What the hell?! Why did my body move on its own just now?! Who are you?!"
The cold voice replied, calm and firm:
"I am a spirit long sealed, trapped deep within this cave. You awakened me—accidentally."
Yanzhi froze, still trying to process what was happening.
"A... spirit? What do you mean? Are you dangerous?"
"Whether I'm dangerous or not... that depends on you."
She clenched her jaw, trying to steady her breathing.
"Don't think I'll just hand over my body to you."
"Tch. Without me, you wouldn't have lived past that attack. You broke my seal. You woke me up. Now, you're my vessel."
"Vessel? Don't talk like this body belongs to you!" she shouted, hitting her chest. "Get out of me, now!"
"If not for my power, your corpse would be rotting at the bottom of this cave. Be grateful, human."
"Who asked for your help?! I didn't ask to be saved by some arrogant, creepy spirit!"
"Politeness? From someone who couldn't even protect her own life?"
Yanzhi took a deep breath, eyes burning with defiance.
"If you think I'm just going to let you control me… you're dead wrong."
"And if you think your body is worthy of holding my power, then you're even more foolish than I thought."
Her limbs still felt heavy, but her mind slowly cleared. She forced herself to stand, though her knees wobbled. A faint warmth still lingered in her veins—the remnants of the power that had taken over her.
Her eyes swept the cave. The spiritual beasts had been reduced to ash. The air still buzzed faintly with the aftermath of battle, but silence was returning.
Yanzhi clenched her fists.
"I'm not done here..."
She closed her eyes, trying to center herself. Even with a mysterious spirit inside her, her mission hadn't changed.
The herb. That's what she came for.
She growled softly and started walking, despite the weight dragging at her limbs.
"Listen, I don't know what kind of spirit you are, but I'm not anyone's puppet!"
"Not a puppet. Just a vessel. For now."
"You're insufferable!" Yanzhi hissed. "If you're so powerful, why do you even need someone else's body to return?!"
"My body was destroyed long ago in a war you couldn't possibly comprehend. But the heavens wouldn't let me vanish. Part of my soul was sealed—trapped in the void. Until the seal cracked... and I awakened inside you."
Yanzhi was silent. His words sounded too detailed to be a lie. But still, she shook her head, refusing to accept it.
"That's your problem, not mine. I don't want any part of it."
"Too late. The seal is broken, and part of my soul has already merged with your body. Until the time comes… we are bound."
"Bound?" she scoffed. "I don't even know who you are."
"...I don't remember."
"What?" she blinked.
"My memories were sealed along with the rest of my soul. But one thing I do remember: I once stood atop a mountain of bones… and my name was feared by all."
Yanzhi closed her eyes, then snorted.
"Great. So I got stuck with an arrogant, amnesiac spirit who looks down on everyone."
"And you… a weak, loudmouthed human with a temper."
Silence fell between them.
Yanzhi's heartbeat slowly steadied. Her breathing calmed. She stared at the ceiling of the cave—dimly glowing crystals scattered like stars above her.
"…If you really have to stay in my body," she muttered, "at least don't just pop out whenever you feel like it. This body is still mine."
"I have no interest in controlling it all the time. Too weak… too troublesome."
Yanzhi scoffed.
"If you're so bothered, feel free to leave."
"If you want a quick death, be my guest and kick me out."
"…Whatever." She began walking slowly toward the mouth of the cave. "I still haven't found the Black Lightning Herb. I'm not going back empty-handed."
"You're an idiot."
"I've been called worse. Still alive though, aren't I?"
The spirit went silent, but a faint vibration pulsed within her body—as if it was laughing.
Yanzhi's footsteps echoed through the damp forest, branches cracking beneath her boots. The only sounds were leaves rustling and distant thunder as dark clouds coiled above the jagged peaks.
She glanced at the wound on her arm. The blood had dried, but the pain still lingered.
"…If you can control fire and wind, why not just get rid of the pain too?" she grumbled.
"This body is yours. The pain is your responsibility."
"Seriously?" Yanzhi raised an eyebrow. "You nearly tore the cave apart showing off earlier, and now you're pretending you can't help?"
"You want more help?"
She immediately shut up. "Right. You're stingy."
Her steps halted near a tree with twisted black roots protruding from a crack in the cliff. Beneath the broken earth, a faint blue glow pulsed softly. There it was—the Black Lightning Herb. Its serrated leaves shimmered with energy, and its stalk throbbed like it held living electricity.
Yanzhi swallowed hard. "There you are…"
She glanced around quickly. Nothing. No spiritual beasts. No growls.
"If something jumps out now, I'm running first and thinking later," she muttered, crouching low.
She pulled a storage pouch from inside her robe and slowly reached for the stalk.
ZAP!
A spark jumped to her finger.
"Agh! Damn plant!" Yanzhi jerked back, hissing, but quickly bit her lip and reached out again—this time with both hands. "Calm down… this is for a peaceful life, for not getting thrown out of the clan…"
She carefully uprooted it. As the roots came free from the soil, the crackling energy dimmed—almost as if the herb realized it couldn't resist anymore.
Yanzhi slid it into her pouch and tied it tight.
"Got it…" she exhaled, slumping against the tree's roots.
"You got lucky."
"Not luck. Persistence."
"…Foolish."
She clicked her tongue. "Why don't you go back to sleep? I'd be way more at peace without your nagging voice in my head."
"…You're not a pleasant vessel, but we're already bound. So stop whining."
"Huh." Yanzhi pushed herself up. "Let's get out of here before real lightning strikes and fries us both."
She began her descent, following the narrow path winding down the mountain.
But in the distance… a thick fog started to slither forward, moving like it was alive. And within it, a dark figure stood beneath the shadow of an ancient tree, unmoving, watching the cave from afar.