Chapter Text
Shen Yuan had always known that he was different. From a young age, he struggled to keep up with his siblings and the other children in his neighborhood. Simple tasks like running, jumping, and climbing had been impossible for him since he would more than often pass out. His parents had taken him to countless doctors, but none of them could figure out how to make him better. As he got older, his condition only seemed to worsen. He found himself getting tired easily, and he often had trouble breathing at times. His family continued to take him to doctors, hoping that someone would be able to diagnose his condition at least, only to be told he won't live past 15. Shen Yuan continued to live his life to the fullest despite his condition and miraculously managed to live past the age of 15 despise being told otherwise.
He was determined not to let the fear of death consume him, and he found solace in books and web novels as well as his loved ones. As he grew older, Shen Yuan became more at ease with the thought of dying. He knew that his time was limited, but he refused to let that stop him from enjoying the present moment. He cherished every moment with his family because friends he got none, and made sure to tell them how much they meant to him in his own way. Still, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind never seemed to fade away. He couldn't help but think about the pain and sadness his family would feel when he was gone. He didn't want to be the cause of their suffering. As Shen Yuan's health continued to decrease, he found himself reflecting on his life and the people he loved. He thought about all of the things he had accomplished and all of the things he had yet to do. He realized that he had no regrets except for one: letting his family get so attached to him.
He knew that his death would be hard for them to bear, and he wished that he could spare them that pain. But he also knew that he couldn't control when or how he would die, so there wasn't anything he could do but try to die slowly so they could watch him pass away rather than find his decomposing body in his apartment.
But just what he said he wouldn't do he actually did, since he never bothered to learn how to cook most of the time he ordered takeout or he just bought food from convenience stores knowing that it wasn't exactly healthy. He also didn't look at the expiring dates because who does that right? So when he took a bite of a rather off-smelling bun while writing one of his most heated comments on Proud Immortal Demon Way's new chapter he didn't chew the bun enough because it got stuck into his throat making him choke on instant. He tried to spit it out somehow, but no matter how hard he punched his stomach it remained stuck in his throat with also a disgusting taste to it!
Dying from asphyxiation fucking sucked!! Don't recommend 0 out of 5!! Shen Yuan could feel his organs shutting off one by one and his consciousness slipping away. He could sense the panic and fear building within him making him more agitated, knowing that his time was running out.
And then, darkness. Shen Yuan was dead. But only for a moment.
When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by a beautiful yet peaceful forest, and he felt a strange sense of weightlessness, he no longer felt the ache deep into his bones or his sore muscles from doing the bare minimum daily. It took him a few moments to realize that he was no longer in his own body. Looking at the very blue and calm sky Shen Yuan felt his body weirdly around himself, he was laying on his back with the tall grass all around him. He was either too small or the forest was incredibly large. Looking around himself he moved his arms only to find them surprisingly small, hold up what's that fifth limb thingy moving from his ass?! Startled he looked down at himself only to find out he was in a body of a tiny white lizard!!
If he transmitted into another world shouldn't he get a system or something?! At least tell him where he is before puffing out of existence!! The horrible thought is what if he transmigrated right into that trash fire of a stallion novel Proud Immortal Demon Way just cause he was dying while reading it?! He'd rather die by asphyxiation again than be eaten to death by god knows what weird creature he comes across because he surely looks like a tasty snack ready to become BBQ!!
Looking around himself again, he realized that he was indeed deep inside a forest, and probably a normal-sized one too because his new body was definitely small. It was filled with vibrant and colorful trees, and there was a gentle breeze blowing through the leaves. He could hear the sounds of birds singing in the distance, and he felt a sense of peace and calm that he had never experienced before. This forest was surely trying to keep him here so he can be eaten up alive! Hell nah he just got reborn as a lizard maybe he can cultivate enough to get his own body or something! That surely was a thing in stallion novels, the amount of animal-turned-human Luo Bing-ge bedded definitely meant he could turn into a human too with enough cultivation!
He managed to turn himself around but couldn't stay on his tiny clawed arms trembled at the lack of strength. He needed to figure out how to move his new body and he had to do it fast before a creature more powerful than him appears and then he can say goodbye to his newly gained life. He tried to stand up but found that his legs were wobbly and unsteady, either unused or weak. After a few failed attempts, he managed to stand on all fours and take a few shaky steps forward. It was a strange sensation, moving on four legs instead of two, but he was determined to get the hang of it as soon as possible. As he walked, he noticed that his senses were heightened, or at least way better than how they were before, and he felt a strange but cool sensation coursing through his body, so this must be how Qi feels.
He could also hear and see things that he never could before, he could smell things he never noticed before, like the scent of nearby flowers and the musk of animals that have been here recently, and he felt more stronger and more alive than he ever had in his previous body, imagine being born weaker than a lizard. As he continued to explore the forest, his keen senses led him to a sound he recognized immediately, it was the sound of flowing water, a gentle and soothing melody that called out to him. He followed the sound, moving through the dense overgrowth grass until he reached the edge of a small river.
The water was crystal clear, he could see small fish darting around in its tiny depths, the water was moving gently with little pressure but the first thing he saw in the water was his own reflection. His body was definitely not that of a lizard, two small horns poked out of his head, with a slight pale green at the tip of them. Two big bright light green eyes stared back at him, his own eyes he realized a little later. Moving his head closer to the water he noticed the strange texture of his skin, actually it was scales, not skin, shiny tiny scales covered his slim snake-like body expected his lower parts. Realization hit him in a split second, he wasn't a lizard, he was, in fact, a dragon! How cool is that!!!
As he gazed in amazement at his new form, he couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration and excitement. He had always been fascinated by demonic or spiritual beasts and honestly, any type of monster was top-tier awesome in Shen Yuan's book, but of course, the protagonist was in the first place. But his excitement was short-lived when he realized he couldn't fly, sure Chinese dragon can fly but he had no wings and had no idea what exactly he needed to do to be able to fly. He looked up at the sky and saw small clouds drifting by, and he longed to soar through them already. He had to figure out how to fly, but how? He had no wings, just a long, slender body and a pair of small limbs and even smaller horns. He tried flapping his arms like wings, maybe that will do the magic and make him fly but it didn't work. He even tried jumping off a nearby rock, but he just fell flat on his face.
Ah, forget it! He'll learn how to fly at some point in his new life since he had all the time in the world and flying probably had something to do with cultivation, so if he could cultivate a golden core then surely that will make him fly. Opening his mouth as he watched his reflecting move as he did he hesitated to use his voice for a moment but nonetheless, he ended up doing so. "H-Hi?" As he spoke, his voice echoed back at him, his voice was just like the one he had in his old body when he was a child, around 8 to 10 if he remembers right. That reminded him of the family he left behind to find his rotting corpse in the apartment he begged for because he "can surely take care of himself" and that "no one needs to babysit him". Now his parents are going to blame themselves for not stopping him and Da-ge is going to argue against that saying it was all his fault while Er-ge and Meimei are going to laugh at how stupid he died.
His eyes started to sting and his ears started to ring, suddenly he was crying alone in the middle of butt fuck nowhere because he got combo killed by an expired meat bun and lack of chewing. Maybe it's the body's fault, because he's young it's making him act overly emotional, too emotional that it was embarrassing especially when mentality he is a grown man of 21! Even if the situation was sad he couldn't do anything about it so it wasn't worth crying over spilled milk! Trying to wipe his eyes was 10 times harder with tiny hands which aren't even hands! After getting quickly annoyed with himself, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
Looking down at his shaky reflection in the water he sniffed back his snot and took another deep breath now fully calmed down. The best thing he could do now was find shelter and food for when he eventually gets hungry so he picked himself up from the grass to make his way to where he thought the river was ending. As he walked towards the riverbank, he looked around to see more of his surroundings. The sun had long since raised, casting the landscape to be equally lit up. The tall trees were swaying gently in the cool breeze, and birds were chirping and singing in the distance yet close enough to think they were next to him.
He walked for a while, keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of life or civilization. Who knows maybe people will find pity on this poor 'lizard' and spear him shelter, but it was unlikely. After a few minutes, from the corner of his eyes, he spotted red fruits in a bush. Curiosity piqued, and he approached the bush going away from the small river for a moment to examine the fruit. They were small, round, with a burning red which made them look ripe, he smelled it leaving a sweet, tangy scent into his nose that made his mouth water. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was safe to eat, but Shen Yuan is sure dragons have great immune systems so even if it was poisonous he would survive after throwing it up. He took one fruit with his mouth since his hands weren't an option and slowly chewed it. The flesh was juicy and sweet, bursting with flavor in his mouth as he moaned in delight.
Definitely a good source of food and even if not it was just too good to not eat again!! Shen Yuan took a few more before turning at the edge of the river to follow it again. As he continued to walk more slowly, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness and isolation. He wondered if he would ever find his way back to his world or if he was destined to spend the rest of his days trapped in a tiny body of a dragon. He stopped himself again from thinking about the modern world he already longed for. He looked down at the river which was getting wider now, becoming a steady flow, Shen Yuan could see more fish swimming in the clear water. Looking back up he stopped in his track at the thing on the other part of the river, it was not a human.
It was clearly some sort of large animal, maybe a bear or a wolf but looked more like a combination of a brown bear and a mountain lion than anything else. The body was big with catlike feet but the size was that of a bear and the fur was of brown color. Shen Yuan felt a chill run down his spine as the creature looked back at him with classy eyes. The creature's eyes locked onto Shen Yuan's, and for a moment, they both just stood there staring at each other. The creature didn't seem to be threatened by Shen Yuan's presence, it just stood there, watching him with a curious gaze. Shen Yuan could feel his heart beating faster in his chest as he wondered what he should do. Should he just make a run for it? Should he try to communicate with the creature? Or should he just stand there and hope it doesn't attack him?
Suddenly, the creature took a step forward into the water and Shen Yuan tensed up, ready to run if necessary. But instead of attacking, the creature just sniffed the air and walked away, disappearing into the dense forest on the other side of the river. Shen Yuan let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he didn't have to face off against such a formidable opponent. But the encounter left him feeling even more alone in this strange world. He wondered what other dangers lurked in this wilderness and if he would be able to survive on his own.
As he continued his journey along the river, Shen Yuan kept his guard up, his eyes scanning anything moving or that looked too suspicious. Doing that he noticed a worn-out hut in the distance when the river was getting deep enough to be able to get water from it easily. Curious, he cautiously made his way toward it. As he drew nearer, he could see that the hut was missing half of itself and was made out of worn-out wood that was rotting in some places, the hut looked like it had seen better days and had been abandoned for some time to end up in such state.
No one was inside of it when Shen Yuan stepped into one of the holes in it. It had only two rooms which were rather small, the second room with a small window seemed to be a bedroom from the messy old blankets on the ground that remained there to gather dust while the other room seemed to be missing furniture and a few walls. While it wasn't in the best conditions it was still better than sleeping out in the wildness. So he made himself comfortable in a corner and set there to gather his thought and to think of what to do next. As he sat there lost in thought, he heard a rustling sound coming from outside the hut. His heart started pounding in his chest as he realized he wasn't alone anymore. He stood in the corner and didn't dare move, he would rather not know what was outside than risk becoming food you know! Even though the sun was still up in the sky he felt like he pulled an all-nighter and without noticing he drifted to sleep curled up like a loaf of bread.
When Shen Yuan woke up, the sun was shining high in the sky and the rustling sound had long since disappeared to his happiness. He stretched his limbs and rubbed his eyes, feeling a sense of relief that he had made it through the night unscathed. However, he knew he couldn't stay in the hut forever. He needed to figure out a plan on how to survive. As he stepped outside the hut, he made his way back to the river to drink some water since his mouth was sand dry, as he drank water like an animal would since he doesn't know how to use his new arms yet he thought about what to do next. He watched his reflection in the water as he continued to drink until he was satisfied.
He tried to wipe his mouth the best he could with his hands, paws? and made his way back to the abandoned hut when he finished. He went inside from the same hole he went out and moved around the blanket to see if anything was under it. To his surprise, he found a dirty pouch bag but Shen Yuan could see nice embroidery on it beneath all the dirt. Moving closer to it he tugged it open to find money in it, money!!! Whoever left this here better not come back for it anytime soon! He tried not to think that he was in fact stealing even if the pouch was abandoned or not but he gotta do something to survive so you can't blame him! Taking the pouch with his hand he went outside to bury it underneath the house for extra security.
After he worked hard to make a tiny hole he could fit the pouch bag into which took him more time than he thought it would he buried it and went to wash his hands at the river since he got dirt under his claws too. As Shen Yuan washed his hands the best he could, he couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for taking the money. However, he pushed those thoughts aside and reminded himself that he needed to survive. He looked around for any signs of another creature approaching, but all he saw was the vast wilderness. He knew he needed to start looking for food before nightfall even if he wasn't hungry at the moment.
He made his way back to the abandoned hut and started to search for anything else that could be of use. He grabbed the old rags and tattered cloth that he could use to make a makeshift bed or at least something close to it. He also found some small rocks around the hut that he could use to start a fire, but he would need to find some dry wood first and then try to see how he can start it in the first place. As the day went on, Shen Yuan searched the surrounding area but never went too far from the hut fearing he'll get lost and won't be able to find it again. As the sun started to set, he made his way back to the hut and started to prepare for the night. He gathered some dry wood and started a fire, using the rocks he found earlier. While it was hard to move things around he managed to do it even if his arms will be hurting after.
He managed to eat all of the tiny berries he found because he failed to catch a fish and even if he did the thought of cutting it open to take its insides out made his stomach turn. Since the berries didn't kill him then he thinks it was safe to continue eating them until he ran out of them, he had to find another source of food until then. While the rocks were placed in a small circle he placed the dry wood and started to do what he saw on tv whenever those survival channels appeared with the people in it had to make a fire. In the end, he couldn't start it because of the lack of mobility he had with his hands, now annoyed that it didn't work he tried to make a spark with two of his shiny claws. After a few tries he was about to give up when the dry wood finally caught the tiniest bit of fire.
He couldn't be prouder of himself as he watched the fire slowly start to burn and become a bigger flame by the second. He made a mental note about his newfound "power", the ability to make sparks with his claws wasn't really a power but hell take anything. He smiled at himself when the fire became big enough to produce warmth and made himself comfortable near it. Since it was probably summer it wasn't that cold at night but a few chill breezes passed occasionally making him shiver and move closer to the fire. As Shen Yuan sat there, basking in the warmth of the fire, his mind started to wander again. He knew he couldn't stay here forever, he needed to find a way to survive and maybe even find a way to turn back into his human form fast, while he should start to cultivate now before he grows too old to be able to, he either needs to find a manual or a master to teach him.
While he surely can't get the second he can't also get the first because even if he were to buy one who knows if it's just straight-up bullshit and if it ends up being he will surely die of a Qi Deviation and he can say bye-bye to his new chance on life and bye-bye to his chance on living as a cool cultivator!!! The best thing he could do is try to form a golden core on his own even if it was dangerous but it would be too dangerous to try other ways since he has no idea how dragons are treated in this world and he surely wouldn't risk finding out. He found himself yawning with all his mouth, he could barely hold his eyes open and couldn't even lift his head. He fell asleep with a dreamless night in a matter of seconds.
The next day, Shen Yuan woke up feeling refreshed and energized, the fire had long since died down and the sun was almost up in the sky, he got himself up and stretched his aching body for a few good minutes until he felt satisfied enough and ready to start his day. He remembered his plan to try and form a golden core on his own and decided that he needed to start preparing for it. He went to the river to wash his face and hands..? and then went back to the hut to see what he had available to him. He had absolutely nothing that could help himself form a golden core with, and while he knew it was going to be hard he read and saw enough dramas about the cultivation world to have at least a brief idea of what to do and since his current body can't do a lotus position he curled himself up as a snake would which was actually super comfortable.
Ok gather the Qi around you and put it in your body, pretty easy right? Qi was all around him and while he couldn't see it he could slightly feel it. He closed his eyes and focused on gathering the Qi around him. He took deep breaths, trying to feel the energy flowing through his body. However, he soon realized that it was not as easy as he thought. He couldn't seem to gather the Qi into his body, it was as if it was slipping through his fingers. He tried again and again but to no avail. He sat there after giving up for the moment, feeling frustrated and defeated. How was he supposed to form a golden core if he couldn't even gather Qi properly? He needed guidance, he needed someone to teach him. But who could he turn to? He was alone in this world, with no one to turn to for help.
Again he felt like crying but he stopped himself shed any more tears, it won't help him at cultivation if he continues to cry, he survived this long and Shen Yuan is sure he can continue to do so even if he is completely alone! Trying to reach for the Qi around him again he turned his breathing slow and steady and his mind remained unfocused as he finally caught a grasp of the Qi around him. He guided it through his body to where he knows the golden core is meant to be and slowly but surely he began to form a golden core. After what felt like a few minutes Shen Yuan felt something click, he couldn't believe it! He had actually formed a golden core on his own! He opened his eyes to be greeted by darkness and looked down at his body, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He knew that this was just the first step and that there was a long road ahead of him, but he was determined to keep going now that he formed a golden core by himself.
He stood up and stretched his body, feeling the energy flowing through his body but his stomach quickly made itself noticed by growling loudly. Shen Yuan realized he was starving and made his way to where he knows the bush of tiny berries is at. To his surprise the bush had small little friends bushes that lacked berries while the main bush was full of the small little barries, he was sure he ate the last ones yesterday how come the bush is full of them again? Unless... unless he time-skipped a whole ass year while cultivating! He knows that cultivation takes time but he didn't expect to time-skip a whole year. He shook his head, trying to push the thought aside, he had more pressing matters to attend to - like his hunger. He walked over to the bush and plucked a handful of the tiny berries with his teeth and chewed at them with the flavor bursting his taste buds with a sweet aroma that made him want more. He continued to eat until he was satisfied, then made his way back to the hut to rest.
As he lay there in front of the hut he couldn't help but wonder about the time-skipping incident. Was it really possible? To him, it really felt like a few minutes passed but in reality, he might have been cultivating for maybe years, he doesn't have the tiniest idea how to check. Thinking that he realized he had a way to tell if he had just time-skipped a few years! If his dragon body has gotten bigger then it surely passed years while he was cultivating. Running to the river he hesitated to look at his reflection but ended up gazing into the water. To his surprise, he saw that his reflection showed a dragon that was much larger than he remembered, face slightly mature and his size could match that of a normal fox. It was then that he realized he had indeed time-skipped and had been cultivating for much longer than he had thought he would.
He made his way back to the hut and decided to cultivate some more in front of the entrance, maybe if he cultivated enough he'll get himself a human from now, or at least he could try to get inedia faster than he planned to. He sat in the same position and closed his eyes, trying to get back into the cultivation mindset. He focused on his breathing and tried to gather the Qi once again. This time, it was easier. He felt the energy flowing through his body, and he guided it toward his golden core. He could feel it growing stronger with each passing moment. He continued to cultivate for hours until he was exhausted and his golden core had grown to a significant size. After his body gave up from exhaustion he set there trying to catch his breath, he dragged his body into the hut and set on the makeshift bed, and made himself comfortable on it.
Although he was hungry he could barely move his legs let alone go to eat more of the berries so he decided he'll rest first then go eat when he has enough strength to lift himself off the ground. He closed his eyes, trying to get some rest. His mind drifted off to other matters like how he hasn't seen any wild animal since that bear-like creature, while he was grateful he couldn't help but feel unease with the lack of predators and common animals in the area. It was strange for a forest to be so quiet, and it made him wonder if there was something sinister at work. But he dismissed the thought, thinking that he was just being paranoid. He tried to focus on his breathing and let himself drift off into sleep. As he drifted off into sleep, Shen Yuan's mind started to wander into his dreams. He found himself in a strange place, surrounded by mist and a thick forest. He could hear the sound of rustling leaves and the chirping of birds in the distance. As he walked forward, he could see a faint light in the distance. He continued to follow it, and the closer he got, the more he realized that it was a portal of some sort.
As he stepped through the portal, he found himself in a different place altogether. It was a beautiful garden with trees and flowers of every color he could imagine. There was a pond in the center, and he could see two koi fish swimming around in it. It was peaceful and serene, and he felt a sense of calm wash over him which left him feeling unease the next second. He explored the garden, marveling at its beauty. As he walked, he came across a big beautiful bridge. Curious, he approached the bridge and peeked and looked around for other people. A woman with long gray hair appeared in front of him with a bowl in her hands. She smiled warmly at Shen Yuan but didn't say anything, she only offered Shen Yuan the bowl.
Is this the legendary Meng Po?! And if so isn't it a little too late for him to drink the soup now?!? Shen Yuan was taken aback by the woman's appearance and the bowl she held. Sorry old lady but he would rather keep his memories than forgetting them now!! And as if she heard him she disappeared and the dream faded to black. Shen Yuan opened his eyes to find himself back in the hut. He couldn't remember a thing about his dream other than the feeling it was definitely weird. Since it was still dark outside he tried to fall asleep again but couldn't find a comfortable position so he gave up after a few minutes of endlessly tossing around. Shen Yuan got up and decided to check on his golden core to see if there had been any progress overnight. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, gathering Qi and directing it towards his golden core. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it had grown significantly since the last time he checked.
He could feel the energy coursing through his body, making him feel good about himself, he has no idea how it happened but he'll take it nonetheless! It saves him time from having to cultivate and train for days on end. Feeling energized, Shen Yuan decided to explore the area around the hut a bit more. He walked outside and looked around, noticing that the sun had started to rise in the sky. While the forest was quite peaceful and silent the birds made their presence known from time to time by doing their morning song throughout the forest. He continued to walk more behind the hut away from the small river, he noticed some blue echinaceas near a tree, hold up echinaceas?! What are these doing in ancient China?! And they definitely don't look like normal ones because normal echinaceas aren't blue!!
He walked up to them closer when a burst of sweet-like scent invaded his nose. It didn't look poisonous, and it also smelled surprisingly good for its strange color. He carefully picked two out of five with his mouth and walked back to the hut. Maybe he could dry the flower and make tea with it and sell it as a cough medicine! In a cultivation world, he'll make good money out of ripping people off with his half-assed medicine! As long as he doesn’t get caught he'll surely be living rich! While he lacks the needed stuff to dry it properly he broke a clean piece of wood from the hut and placed it in a sunny spot with the flowers on it. They probably won't catch fire so he decided he should do some meditation!
He set in his usual position near the river and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and clearing his mind. As he meditated, he focused on his Qi and how it flowed through his body. He tried to cultivate it further and strengthen it, focusing on the feeling of energy coursing through his veins. As Shen Yuan continued to meditate, he felt the energy within him grow stronger and more potent. He focused on directing it towards his golden core, feeling it expand and grow even larger. It was a wonderful sensation, and he felt like he could keep meditating for hours. But as the sun started to set, he opened his eyes and realized that he had been meditating for most of the day. Feeling a bit hungry, he walked back to the hut to check on the flowers he had left out to dry before heading out to eat from the berry bush again.
To his surprise they were fully dried, shouldn't plants like take at least a week to dry?? How come it dried in half a day! Or maybe.. maybe Shen Yuan made another time skip accidentally! Damn it Shen Yuan get your timing in control because at this rate you'll grow old before you can get yourself a human body!! Now that he thinks about didn't he get a golden core a little too fast? He is sure there were other stages he had to do first to get a golden core isn't it a little too weird he got it so quickly? Maybe it's because of his body, chinese dragons are surely filled with Qi from birth right? Plus their whole being means good luck and strength! Luck he already got from his previous life and now he got strength too!
Suddenly his stomach growled, reminding him that he had not eaten anything since yesterday or whenever was the last time he ate, he made his way to the tiny berries bush to feast on them for the time being, while he enjoyed his meal he couldn't help but feel like he had enough of the same thing since coming here but it's not like he has other choices. Fishes are hard to catch and while he could try his luck on some wild animal he doesn't think he has the heart to kill it, let alone skin it! At least the fruits tasted good. As he finished eating, Shen Yuan felt a sense of restlessness within him. He realized that he had been in this place for a while now, and while it was peaceful, he couldn't help but feel like he'll die at any minute so open in the wild!
He hurriedly walked back to the hut to go inside into the makeshift bed for comfort, his mind wondered on how he missed a good amount of chapters on Proud Immortal Demon Way, he suddenly missed the internet more than anything!! Oh how he'd love to read the newest bullshit Great Master Airplane wrote just so he could rip it apart piece by piece! Now saddened by his new life he decided he'll better just do simple Qi exercises to pass the time. He decided to try out some the basic Qi circulation technique he only read about, but how hard could it be to do it himself when he alone created a golden core! He focused on circulating his Qi through the meridians in his body. As he did so, he felt a rush of energy flow through him, and he could feel his Qi becoming more refined and pure. So this should have been the first thing to do, pretty cool!
As he continued to circulate his Qi, he became more aware of the flow of energy within his body. He tried to visualize it as a river, flowing through his meridians and nourishing his organs. With each cycle of Qi circulation, he felt his body becoming stronger little by little and more attuned to the energy around him. It was a satisfying feeling, like a cool glass of water in the middle of the night on a dry throat. But knowing that he was in control of his own cultivation and progress was the part that made him burst with pride, a little too much pride. After some time, he felt himself becoming fatigued and decided to rest for a while. All this circulating Qi made him awfully tired so he closed his eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep, feeling content with his new simple life in the forest.
When he woke up he felt like shit, literally shit. His whole body was on fire and while he was with his scales he found himself wet with sweat. Did he finally hit the bucket because he cultivated on his own?! Is this how a Qi Deviation is meant to feel like?? Shouldn't it be more 'I kill anyone I see' and not 'so sick feeling like a poor weak maiden'?! He is too young to die now!! His body is at least 12 years old!! Shen Yuan struggled to lift his head up and looked around the hut, trying to assess his situation. His head was pounding making his vision spin and his body feel weak and shaky. With a lot of effort, he managed to get up and stumbled outside the hut, feeling the fresh air on his face once before fading away. He walked slowly to the river and dipped his head in the cool water, hoping it would ease his throbbing headache.
After a few minutes, he pulled his head out to breathe and looked at his reflection in the water. He looked pale and sickly even for a dragon and his eyes were bloodshot as if he cried for hours. He knew he had to do something before it was too late but what to do!! He knows he shouldn't be using anything related to Qi in this kind of situation so what else can he do?? Shen Yuan realized after a little too much time that he needed to cool down his body and lower his body temperature. He looked around and saw some nearby trees with large leaves. He quickly made his way over to the trees and plucked the biggest leaf he could reach and used it to fan himself and create a cool breeze. The cool air helped to ease the heat and discomfort he was feeling, and he began to feel slightly better after some time.
He is sure this isn't what you're supposed to do in such situations but he doesn't know better!! As he continued to fan himself with the large leaf, Shen Yuan started to feel a bit better. However, the dizziness still persisted, and he knew he needed to rest. He made his way back to the hut to lay down on the makeshift bed, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to relax his aching brain. He tried to focus on his breathing, inhaling slowly through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. After some time, the dizziness began to fade, and he started to feel more alert. He realized that he had pushed himself too hard with his Qi cultivation and that he needed to be more careful in the future. He resolved to take things slow and steady, not wanting to put his health at risk again. He might not get a third chance if he ends up dying now, he'll also miss out on all the cool monsters that surely exist in the forest like that bear-like creature so he must continue to live on at any cost!!
As he lay there, Shen Yuan couldn't help but think about his past life and how much he had taken for granted. He had never really appreciated the little things like fast food, clean water, and a comfortable bed. Now, he was grateful for every small comfort that he had. He realized that he had been too caught up in his own world and had not appreciated the blessings he had been given. He missed the 10 minutes showers with hot water, but what he missed more was his bed full of fluffy pillows he could hug all day long. He made himself a mental note to get himself a king-sized bed when he was able to. The very thought of his own bed made him remember all the figures and posters he had in his room, his brothers would surely throw those away!!! At least his meimei would try to sell them off... hopefully.
Shen Yuan couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of his siblings fighting over his belongings. It was a strange feeling, knowing that he would never see them again. But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present. He needed to figure out how to survive in this new world, how to make a life for himself he couldn't get in his old life. He wondered if there were other dragons out there like him, stranded and alone. Maybe he could find them and they could help each other.. but that was just a silly thought to bring him comfort, he is sure if there were other dragons out there they wouldn't help him one bit considering he is out here all alone, maybe the old owner was outcasted into the forest to die a miserable and lonely death which the old owner surely did or else Shen Yuan wouldn't have been here in the first place.
Shen Yuan shook his head, trying to dispel the negative thoughts, may the old owner rest in piece! This new user will make sure your death wasn't in vain! He promised more to himself. That actually made him think, he was still a boy right?? How do you check if you have a dick or not in a dragon body??? The thought of being in a girl's body made his stomach turn upside down, he isn't mentally ready for that kind of life! He looked down at himself but couldn't find anything that could tell him if the body was a boy or not. Shen Yuan was feeling a bit embarrassed and awkward about the thought of checking his own body, but he knew he had to figure it out sooner or later. He took a deep breath and looked down at himself again, examining his scales and body. After some time, he finally noticed a small protrusion between his hind legs. He blushed deeply, realizing that he was indeed a male dragon. He let out a sigh of relief, glad that he wouldn't have to deal with the complications of being a female dragon.
He tried to forget about what happened and curled himself into a ball, as he laid back down to rest a bit more, he wondered what he should do with the hut. He can't continue to live like this in a half-collapsing hut, maybe he could try to fix it and make it better when he gets himself a body, plus with the hidden money he'll surely get himself a good amount of supplies to actually rebuild the hut, but now that he thinks about it it's pointless to try and fix it. Half of the wood was basically rotting! As he continued to lay there, Shen Yuan made a mental list of the things he would need to build a new hut. He would need new wood, nails, a hammer, and other tools to get the job done. He also realized that he needed to learn some basic carpentry skills if he wanted to do it right. He made a note to himself to start practicing as soon as possible.
He wondered where he could find the materials he needed. Perhaps there were other abandoned huts or buildings in the area that he could salvage from. But that would be too much of a hassle.. maybe he could move to another place entirely, probably near a city would be the best choice. It would be easier to get the mentioned materials that way, maybe he'll get people to do all the building! Actually, now that he thinks about it that would be expensive, sure he has money but he doesn't have that much to spend around carelessly. It's useless to think about this now because he doesn't even have a human body to go around with yet. It's a problem for future him. Feeling impatient he decided to cultivate despite promising to not push himself with cultivating, but what else is he supposed to do except cultivate! It became a nice way to pass the time, he almost always felt refreshed after a good while of cultivating.
He closed his eyes and started to do the usual stuff he did. As he focused on his cultivation, he began to feel a sense of calm and peace wash over him. He continued to cultivate for what seemed like hours, unknowingly losing track of time. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the sun had set and it was now dark outside. He surely just skipped a day. He sat up and stretched his limbs, feeling the soreness as he moved around. He wondered what he should do now. He could try to find some food, but he was still feeling a bit weak from earlier, and he didn't want to push himself too much. He suddenly remembered he had left the dried flowers in the spotlight for God knows how long! He walked out of the hut to the spot be left the flowers to dry, to his happiness they remained the same way they did the last time he checked on them.
He carefully picked them up with his hand and walked back to the hut. Since he doesn't have anywhere else to put them to make sure they remain in that place he dropped the flowers next to himself and looked around before digging into the ground to where he buried the pouch bag. As Shen Yuan dug the hole in the ground where the pouch bag was buried, he couldn't help but think about how odd it was to see a dragon using his claws to dig like a common animal. It was a far cry from his previous life as a human, where he would use at least a shovel to do such tasks, but he lacks the tool and the body to do it. He supposes he has already adapted to his new circumstances. When he was able to see the pouch bag he took it out shoved the dried flowers inside it before placing it back into the ground and buried it back into the ground.
After he finished burying the pouch bag, Shen Yuan sat down and sighed, his claws were dirty, full of dirt under his nails making his hands extremely uncomfortable. He looked up at the sky, noticing how the clouds were starting to turn a bright shade of orange and pink as the sun began to set. It was a beautiful sight, one he never really had the chance to appreciate back in his old life due to his time being used on trying to stay alive most of the time. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of having more free time to just relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. It was nice to just sit there staring at the clouds, watching them move slowly around the dark sky he accidentally fall asleep in that position but not for long.
He woke up abruptly like someone slapped him awake, he groans annoyed that he woke up so suddenly and sat back up, his back was killing him! Never again sleeping on the hard ground! He tried to rub the sore spot but his hands couldn't reach it so he sighed in defeat. As he stretched his arms and back to relieve some of the stiffness, Shen Yuan noticed a small bug crawling on his leg, unfazed he brushed it off without much thought. But as he looked around, he saw that he was surrounded by bugs of all kinds. They were crawling on the ground, flying through the air, and some were even climbing up the walls of the hut. Shen Yuan felt a shiver run down his spine at the sight of them. He didn't mind a few bugs here and there, but this was a bit too overwhelming.
He got up quickly and walked as far as possible, he made sure he didn't take a bug with him. It's not that he hated bugs, some of them were really interesting but he isn't a fan of things climbing his body without his notice. How come he hasn't noticed that the hut was infested with bugs? But it was only one more reason to move out of the hut as soon as possible. He sat back down by the river after making sure he won't be sitting on an insect and watched the hut quietly. As he sat by the river, he couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness. He knew that he couldn't stay out in the open forever, but the thought of returning to the hut filled him with dread. He needed to come up with a plan to deal with the bug infestation before he could even consider staying there again. But then again he only noticed the bugs now, surely they were just living outside since he is sure he would have noticed if they were inside the hut too.
After clearing his mind by drinking and eating more of the berries he is already fed up with he made his way back to the hut to examine the inside more thoroughly. He was in fact right that he hasn't been sleeping in the same bed with the bugs and that they were only staying in the other more worn-out room. Shen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that the bugs were only confined to the other room of the hut and let himself relax into his excuse of a bed. He should try to cultivate some more, he already started to miss the sensation of Qi running through his meridians. Shen Yuan closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, calming his mind and allowing his body to relax. He let his Qi flow freely, feeling it spread through his body and nourishing his meridians. It was a familiar sensation, one that he had practiced many times already that gave him great comfort.
As he continued to cultivate, he became more aware of the sounds around him. He could hear the gentle rush of the river, the chirping of birds, and even the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. It was a peaceful scene, one that he already gotten easily used to. After a while he decided he cultivated enough for today, he finished his cultivation session and stood up, stretching his stiff muscles the best he could. He walked outside the hut and took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling refined. Cultivating is surely addicting! He might as well continue to do it despite risking getting into a Qi Deviation.
Maybe that weird fever thing wasn't even a Qi Deviation and he just got sick like any normal person does because it sure didn't feel like a Qi Deviation. Shen Yuan shook his head, trying to push those thoughts out of his mind. It was pointless to dwell on what might have been. What he needed to focus on was what he could do now to continue cultivating and strengthening his body. Since he wasn't feeling either tired or hungry he cultivated some more until he eventually fell asleep by the comforting feeling.
When he woke up he felt good but tired, since he couldn't fall asleep again he decided it was best to go eat something first and then make his fill at the river with its fresh water. When he went outside the hut it was night but since it appeared to be a full moon everything was pretty lit up, well enough for him to see clearly where he was going. While he walked to the river he decided to skip eating since he wasn't exactly hungry, so after drinking the cool river water he went back inside the hut and started to cultivate since he couldn't fall asleep even if he wanted to. As he continued to cultivate, Shen Yuan felt the familiar sensation of Qi flowing through his meridians.
He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, allowing himself to fully relax and sink into the cultivation process. It wasn't until he felt a sudden jolt of pain in his chest that he realized something was wrong. He gasped in pain, trying to ease the pain, but it only seemed to intensify. It felt like his heart was being squeezed by an invisible force, and he couldn't make it stop. Panic set in as he struggled to regain control over his body, but it was too late. Everything went black as he collapsed to the ground.
When he woke up, he continued to feel a phantom pain in his chest only making him more aware of his surroundings. He lay there fearing if he were to move the pain will only increase. His body felt awful and strange, Shen Yuan lay there still for a few moments, focusing on his breathing and trying to calm his racing heart. The pain in his chest was still there, but it seemed to be slowly fading away. He gingerly sat up, wincing slightly as he did so, and looked around the hut. Everything seemed to be in its place, and there were no signs of any intruders or anything out of the ordinary.
Although.. he did feel a little too bigger than usual, and when Shen Yuan looked down at himself he was left in shock after seeing that his body was that of an actual human being!! Goodbye walking on all fours!! He felt excited but his excitement died down when he noticed he was in fact naked as the day he was born in. Feeling embarrassed and exposed he covered himself with his excuse of a bed. He couldn't believe what was happening. Was he dreaming? Or was this some kind of strange side effect from cultivating too much? Actually, he is glad of this so-called side effect now he can finally do things properly!
He tried to stand up only to fall back down, his legs giving up on him almost immediately, causing him to let out a groan of pain. He looked down at his legs and realized that they were much thinner and weaker than he remembered them being in his old life. He tried again, this time using his arms to push himself up, and managed to stand, still shakily. He stumbled around the hut, trying to get his bearings and adjust to this new body. After a few minutes, he was able to walk more confidently, and he decided to venture outside to explore his surroundings.
As he stepped outside, he was hit by a wave of fresh air and a blinding light. He shielded his eyes with his hand and looked around. The world seemed so much bigger when he was in a smaller body. He took a deep breath and walked towards the river, enjoying the sensation of the cool grass under his feet. As he reached the river, he found his reflection in the water to be a great surprise, while he looked almost identical to how he used to look like in his old life he was much healthier with his skin of lively color. He no longer had the pale sick appearance he used to have. And he was much more handsome too! Although he isn't that big of a fan of how long his hair was but he can live with it for now.
He decided to take a dip in the river to cool off and wash off the dirt and grime from never being washed and while he was still at it he cleaned the best he could the old rag he used to use as a bed and now was used as his clothes. As he stepped into the water, he felt a sudden rush of energy, as if he was connected to the very essence of nature itself. He cleaned himself with pleasure even if the water was a little bit too cold, and since he wasn't a big fan of walking around naked he decided it was best to squeeze out as much water as he could before wearing the rag again.
He spent the rest of the day exploring his surroundings and getting used to his new body while making sure he won't get too dirty. He climbed trees, ran around the river and the hut as much as he wanted to, and even tried to catch some fish in the river, although he quickly realized that he didn't have the necessary skills for that yet. As the sun began to set, he made his way back to the hut, feeling exhausted but exhilarated at the same time.
He got used to his body quickly so he felt proud of himself as he sat down on the floor in the more stable room. Luckily his so-called clothes dried off rather fast so he could sleep more comfortably. Sleep came to him fast because in a few seconds he found himself a step inside his dreams. After a few tosses and turns to find the best position to sleep in he yawned loudly and welcomed sleep with open arms.
He couldn't wait to move out of the hut and finally talk to people again after what felt like an eternity of loneliness.