The Blue Wolf silently stopped behind him. After a long silence, it finally raised its head, and from its slightly open mouth came an unmistakably human voice:

  "Master... You came back from hell just to see him, didn't you? So why, now that you've finally met him, do you refuse to acknowledge him?"

  "What does it matter whether I acknowledge him or not...?" The blue-haired man’s voice was light and indifferent, fading away into the wind. "I am nothing more than a wandering ghost who should have ceased to exist long ago. What right do I have to disrupt his life? I only wish to watch over him from afar... to wait for the day he defeats me. Then, I can finally close my eyes in peace and return to where I belong. The only thing I can do is give him a reason to grow stronger, a purpose to pursue."

  To give him a reason to grow stronger… That was the only reason he was still alive.

  The Blue Wolf remained silent. After a brief hesitation, it spoke again.

  "Master... Have you not noticed? It seems… he has already recognized you."

  The blue-haired man slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were as lifeless as still water.

  "The person I am now is no longer who I once was. My life, my body… everything has changed, except for this broken soul. Even I can no longer recognize myself. He… he wouldn't either."

  "But—"

  "Lan Po, let’s go." His voice was cold, his footsteps rising as he walked toward an unknown future.

  A shattered heart…

  A shattered life…

  A shattered soul…

  He was nothing but a lone, wandering ghost, struggling back from the depths of hell.

  A lone wolf.

  A solitary wolf.

  Nameless.

  From light to dusk, then into utter darkness.

  Guo Guo’s voice rang out, caught between panic and excitement. The wind howled past, sharp as blades slicing against their skin.

  For anyone plunging into a bottomless abyss, the instinctive reaction would be to squeeze their eyes shut, thrash in fear, and scream in terror. But Ye Tianxie remained motionless, as if stunned. There was no shock, no fear, no panic—only a dazed, vacant expression.

  In his mind, the blue-haired man’s departing figure lingered… that silhouette…

  He shook his head violently, trying to convince himself—

  It couldn’t be him. It was impossible. He was dead, had been dead for many years… And even if he were alive, his appearance was completely different—he never had blue hair. He couldn't be an NPC in this world; they were two people who should never have intersected.

  But why… why did his eyes feel so familiar? So familiar that they pierced his heart like a blade. When he saw that departing back, the realization struck him like lightning.

  That year. That silhouette. The last sight he had of him. He would never forget it. Because that was the last time he saw the one who had always protected him—the one who had given his life to save him.

  And yet, a voice deep inside whispered—

  A person’s face can change. Their body can change. Their voice, their hair, even their identity can change.

  But the soul in their eyes, and the back that belongs only to them—those never change.

  "Ahhh! Master! Master—ahhh!! It’s so high, so dark, so scary!"

  Guo Guo’s frantic cries finally snapped Ye Tianxie out of his daze. Though she kept shouting about how terrifying it was, there was no real fear in her voice—if anything, she sounded more excited than scared.

  The abyss… where was this place?

  The wind had been howling past his ears for what felt like an eternity. Darkness enveloped everything, and yet, the bottom was still nowhere in sight. This bottomless chasm was terrifyingly deep.

  From this height, he should have already died dozens of times over.

  Why did he bring me here? And why did he deliberately push me down?

  "Whoa! Master, master! So scary!"

  Guo Guo’s tiny body was floating effortlessly—normally, she could fly, so this kind of freefalling was something she had never experienced. The only reason she was falling now was because she was clinging onto Ye Tianxie’s hair for dear life. The sharp pain almost made him tear up.

  Listening to her excited shrieks, Ye Tianxie could already picture her flailing in the air with wide eyes. Little girls loved thrilling things, and Guo Guo was no exception. Was she really scared of falling? Even a ghost wouldn’t believe that!

  "Where is this place?" Ye Tianxie frowned. Even in a situation that could break anyone’s will, he remained eerily calm. In a moment like this, the more one panicked, the closer they were to death. Only by staying composed could one grasp the faintest sliver of hope.

  His voice, distorted by the wind, still reached Guo Guo clearly.

  "Dunno! Master, where are we?"

  "……" If I knew, why would I be asking you!?

  Ye Tianxie’s frown deepened. Right now, figuring out his location wasn’t the priority. Why he had been brought here and pushed down no longer mattered. What mattered most… was how to survive this fall!

  No matter how deep an abyss was, it had to have an end. And at this height, the moment he hit the ground, he would undoubtedly die.

  The deafening wind drowned out all other sounds. Remaining completely calm in this situation was nearly impossible. As he continued to fall, Ye Tianxie narrowed his eyes, scanning his surroundings… but all he saw was darkness. Then suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. He swiftly reached into his inventory and pulled out a scroll, crushing it instantly.

  Ding… You have used the skill scroll—Nether Mist. You have obtained the skill [Nether Mist]. When activated, it conjures a mist infused with the power of death, cushioning the body and slowing descent. Consumes 20 MP. Duration: 5 seconds. Can be canceled anytime. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

  Nether Mist… a skill that slowed falling speed. It was a seemingly useless ability dropped by a young Undead Monarch. Yet at this moment, it had become his only lifeline.

  Ye Tianxie didn’t activate it immediately. Instead, he focused, shutting out the wind and Guo Guo’s shouting, concentrating on the airflow beneath him. If he used Nether Mist too soon, its effect would wear off before he landed… and if he was still in freefall during the cooldown, the result would be catastrophic.

  His best chance to survive was to time it perfectly—activating the skill so that the effect ended just as he touched the ground.

  But in complete darkness, with no way to see the bottom, how could anyone time it so perfectly?

  Closing his eyes, Ye Tianxie shut out everything, relying entirely on his senses. He focused on the airflow beneath him. When an object falls, it creates a downward draft. The closer it gets to the ground, the more the airflow changes.

  One minute.

  Two minutes.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Three minutes…

  Three minutes had passed, yet he was still falling. The terrifying depth of this abyss far exceeded his imagination. But he remained motionless, utterly focused—because this was the moment his life depended on. No matter where he was, even in a game world, he would never accept his own "death."

  The wind roared on. When five minutes had passed, a faint disturbance in the air made Ye Tianxie’s nerves tense. His brow furrowed slightly.

  Half a second… One second… Two seconds…

  Ye Tianxie’s eyes snapped open, and his lips moved.

  "Nether Mist!"

  A pale gray mist materialized beneath him. His body, once in freefall, immediately slowed as the mist cushioned him.

  "Eh?" Guo Guo blinked in surprise. "What happened?"

  His fall slowed—slower and slower. The ground was near.

  Three seconds… Four seconds… Five—

  BANG!

  His entire body shook violently. For a split second, he thought his bones had shattered.

  But he was alive.

  His health bar? Almost completely empty—only 12 HP remaining.

  Was this sheer luck?

  Dragging his sore body upright, he exhaled.

  A disaster avoided. But now, it was time to figure out—where was this place? And why had he been sent here?

  At the bottom of the abyss, there was no doubt—nothing but absolute darkness, devoid of the slightest glimmer of light. No radiance could possibly seep through. However, just as Ye Tianxie took out the Light Element Lamp given to him by the little girl Sasha in Fallen Wind Town, Guo Guo's voice suddenly drew his attention.

  “Huh? Master, look! There’s something shining over there, twinkling… just like the little stars in the sky.”

  Even in the midst of this darkness, Ye Tianxie strangely realized that he could see Guo Guo’s figure clearly. It was as if her body was emitting a peculiar glow, making her fully visible. Yet, curiously enough, this light didn’t affect her surroundings—the area around her remained pitch-black.

  In this dark world, a tiny girl, no larger than half an adult’s arm, floated around curiously. The scene momentarily stunned Ye Tianxie. There was no denying it—too many mysteries surrounded Guo Guo.

  Following the direction she pointed, Ye Tianxie immediately spotted the light. In this world of absolute darkness, such a singular glow should have been easy to notice, but it was so minuscule that it was nearly imperceptible. This either meant that the light was emanating from an extremely tiny object or that it was very, very far away.

  “Let’s go check it out.” Ye Tianxie reached out, catching Guo Guo, who was twirling in the air and blinking curiously at her surroundings. Placing her on his shoulder, he stepped toward the light.

  To his surprise, the ground at the bottom of this abyss was unnaturally smooth. There were no uneven surfaces, not even a single loose stone underfoot. Ye Tianxie couldn’t help but grow suspicious. The natural bottom of such an abyss should have been rugged and irregular, not this unnaturally level surface… unless—someone had deliberately flattened it.

  His footsteps slowed slightly. A world of darkness, the depths of an abyss—could there be terrifying creatures lurking here? Or perhaps something even more extraordinary? After all, the very fact that he had been able to enter this map was a miracle, and its existence was unlikely to be purely incidental.

  Half an hour passed, yet the path remained smooth. Ye Tianxie hadn’t encountered any barriers, nor had he stumbled over anything. Meanwhile, the faint light ahead grew larger, unmistakably closer. A strange sensation stirred deep within him—an indescribable feeling, a subtle tremor within his body and soul, as if something within him was responding, resonating with the presence of that light.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  His footsteps echoed sharply in the stillness. As he drew closer, the speck of light expanded into a small glowing mass. Walking further, he suddenly found himself right before it—so close that he nearly touched it.

  This was…

  A crystal? A glowing crystal?

  It was a perfectly round sphere, about a meter in diameter, resting on a stone pedestal nearly as tall. Its entire surface was transparent and pristine, exuding a gentle white radiance from an unknown source. Though its glow wasn’t intense, in this world of darkness, it stood out strikingly.

  “Wow! Such a big glass ball! And it glows… Huh? That’s weird. Why does it glow?” Guo Guo hovered around the “big glass ball” in fascination. The mere presence of such an object in the depths of an abyss was brimming with an almost surreal sense of fantasy.

  “Huh?” Guo Guo let out a small exclamation, suddenly pausing mid-air before pressing herself against the sphere. “Master, look! There’s something inside this big glass ball!”

  “Mm, I see it,” Ye Tianxie responded, his brows furrowing as his gaze locked onto the center of the crystal sphere.

  Inside it, there was a slumbering creature.

  At first glance, Ye Tianxie could tell it was a fox—but not an ordinary one. His mind immediately conjured up an image of the rare and exquisite snow foxes he had only ever seen on television.

  Its entire body was covered in flawless white fur, so pure that not a single imperfection could be found. It was the kind of white that was utterly pristine, like freshly fallen snow. The small fox’s body was about the same size as Guo Guo’s. Its tiny, pointed ears stood erect, its black nose glistened like a black diamond, and its eyes were tightly shut. It lay curled up, motionless, within the center of the crystal sphere—how long had it been in this position?

  A snow fox, sealed within a glowing crystal at the bottom of an abyss… The sheer enigma of it all swirled in Ye Tianxie’s mind. He reached out his hand toward the sphere.

  “Do not touch it.”

  The voice wasn’t loud, but it was heavy—like a massive stone striking his heart. Ye Tianxie’s body jolted slightly, and his outstretched hand froze midair. He lifted his head, narrowing his eyes as he looked toward the source of the voice.

  Someone was standing before him, making no effort to conceal their presence.

  “Wow! A voice! Someone’s here!” Guo Guo’s excitement was evident, but it couldn’t compare to the tremor Ye Tianxie felt deep within. Just what kind of secrets lay hidden in this mysterious realm of Destiny?

  How intriguing.

  There were no audible footsteps, yet a figure emerged from the darkness, becoming increasingly distinct in Ye Tianxie’s vision. A man clad in a pitch-black cloak, which nearly enveloped his entire form. The hood obscured most of his face, making it impossible to discern his features. But one thing was certain—this was a living, breathing person.

  A mix of surprise and caution rose within Ye Tianxie. Adjusting his breath, he asked, “Who are you?”

  “That is a question I should be asking you.” The man’s voice was calm, yet devoid of warmth. “Human, I am surprised that you have managed to reach this place… but this is not where you belong.”

  Judging by the depth of his voice, he was likely an elderly man. Yet, the immense weight and pressure carried within his words made Ye Tianxie’s heart tighten.

  “We have never sought conflict with your kind, and I have no desire to make things difficult for you. Leave at once—there is nothing here for you.” The cloaked man slightly raised his head, his gaze flashing with a brief yet piercing coldness that sent a sharp tremor through Ye Tianxie’s heart.

  His words… He referred to him as “human.” He also said, “We do not seek conflict with humans.”

  The abyss…

  A sudden realization flickered in Ye Tianxie’s mind. He swiftly grasped onto the forming thought, focusing his consciousness.

  “You’re… a dragon?” Ye Tianxie’s voice carried a tone of question—yet within it, unmistakable certainty.

  At that moment, he sensed a slight fluctuation in the immense pressure surrounding him. The last sliver of doubt within him vanished. His gaze shifted toward the radiant crystal sphere as if deep in thought. At the same time, the image of a blue-haired man—his cold expression and lonely silhouette—flashed through his mind.

  So, this was what he meant by “helping” him…

  But how had he known? Even Ye Tianxie himself hadn’t been aware of this before meeting Kong Xiu.

  “…But you are not a dragon,” the elder’s voice responded. However, he no longer told Ye Tianxie to leave. It seemed that his words had sparked genuine interest—or perhaps, after so many years of solitude, he simply did not wish for the first person he could converse with to leave so soon.

  “How do you know I’m not?” Ye Tianxie asked with a smile.

  The elder fell silent.

  A few seconds later, the powerful aura suddenly vanished. The figure before him slowly raised his head, revealing an utterly ordinary yet unforgettable elderly face. His eyes, clear and devoid of any murkiness, locked onto Ye Tianxie.

  "It seems that years of solitude have dulled my spiritual perception. I didn't realize it before, but your body carries the power of dragons… Though your blood is not of pure dragon lineage, we dragons have never shunned the union with humans. Tell me, what is your name?"

  A union between dragons and humans? Ye Tianxie’s mind stirred. Kong Xiu hadn’t lied to him. Even this old man could sense the presence of dragon energy within him. But what truly caught him off guard was the implication in the old man’s words—that he was born from the union of a human and a dragon.

  He found the idea somewhat amusing but chose not to voice it. In a game, such notions might be acceptable, but in the real world, it would be outright ridiculous. Were his parents supposed to be dragons?

  Thinking of his deceased parents, Ye Tianxie’s expression dimmed momentarily before returning to normal.

  But why? Why had both Kong Xiu and this old man detected dragon energy within him? Was it some peculiar setting of this world, or was there a deeper reason? Right now, he had no answer.

  "Xietian," Ye Tianxie finally spoke, revealing his name in this world.

  "Xietian?" The old man murmured the name, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he asked, "Who was your mother? And your father?"

  Ye Tianxie remained silent for a moment, then shook his head indifferently. "They’ve been gone for a long time. I’ve already forgotten their names."

  "Then who guided you here?" The old man showed no surprise at his response, his tone as calm as still water.

  "Fate."

  "Good…" The old man nodded. The rigid tension in his expression eased for the first time. Taking a few steps forward, he stood directly before Ye Tianxie, his voice steady.

  "The hesitation in your gaze tells me that while you have arrived here, you do not fully understand why. In truth, though you carry the power of dragons, this is not a place where you belong. However, if fate has led you here, then I shall honor its will."

  Ye Tianxie lifted his head, meeting the old man’s gaze head-on.