The Hidden Pagoda
"I've been here for a few days, but I still find it hard to believe a world like this exists," Lucas whispered to himself.
He woke up full of energy and dressed quickly. For days, his aunt and grandfather had kept him confined to the manor, insisting his condition was still unstable. However, after relentless persuasion, he had finally secured his grandfather's permission to head into town. His mind was racing with curiosity; his first stop would be the village library to find a starting point for his new life.
While sitting on the edge of his bed, he tried once more to meditate and connect with his Grimoire. Despite his repeated attempts over the last few days, nothing had changed. In his mind's eye, the mysterious black book remained tightly bound by golden chains.
He had tried every trick he could think of to open it, but the book wouldn't budge. Just as he was about to give up, a sudden heat bloomed in his chest. Startled, he looked down and pulled a necklace from beneath his shirt. It was a black stone—the only thing his mother had left him.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary, roughly carved stone on a silver chain. But looking closer, Lucas realized its structure was far too precise to be common. It was a Dao item, disguised as simple jewelry.
Lucas stared at it, stunned. He remembered the webnovels he used to read on Earth—the heroes often encountered items just like this. He hesitated, then decided he had nothing to lose. Following the old tropes, he bit his finger and let a single drop of blood fall onto the black stone.
At first, nothing happened. Disappointed, he started to tuck the necklace away, but a sudden, blinding light erupted from the stone. Lucas shielded his eyes, and when he opened them, the bedroom was gone. He was standing in an infinite, white void.
He walked through the featureless world for what felt like hours, his anxiety growing with every step. Finally, a tall pagoda appeared on the horizon. He rushed toward it, hoping to find another soul, but the interior was silent and empty.
The pagoda was filled with ancient treasures and priceless antiques. As Lucas examined a relic, a violent tremor shook the building. Bricks and debris began to rain down. With his newfound reflexes, he dodged the falling masonry and dove into a corner. When the dust settled, he gasped.
In the center of the room stood a woman.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, with flawless skin and a figure more perfect than anything Lucas had seen in his previous life. Her white hair flowed like a starlit lake, but her eyes were a piercing, cold violet. Most shocking of all was her lower half: instead of legs, she possessed a long, exquisitely scaled white serpent tail.
"A human?" she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "It has been ages since I've seen your weak kind. I see you are all still at the bottom of the ladder with such puny strength."
Lucas froze. The tension in the room was suffocating. After a long, silent standoff, the lady let out a heavy sigh.
"Tell me," she demanded, staring him down. "How did a weakling like you enter this place?"
Lucas could only stare back, mesmerized.
"Are you going to speak," she said calmly, "or do I have to tear that mouth off your face?"
"I... I don't know," Lucas stammered.
"Think! It is impossible for a human as weak as you to activate a Dao item of this level," she snapped.
"Wait, the Dao item? Do you mean the black necklace?"
"So your brain still works after all. But how did you activate it? Only those people have the ability. No—even among them, few possess a force pure enough to wake it." She looked troubled. She knew no ordinary person could bypass the protections placed on the item unless they were a descendant of a specific, powerful clan. But this boy looked... mediocre.
Lucas felt her judging eyes scanning him. He felt powerless under her gaze.
"What is your name, boy?"
"Lucas. Lucas Dy Morningstar," he answered politely.
"Morningstar, hmm? A descendant of that servant, then. That still doesn't explain how you got here." She reached out. "Give me your hand."
Lucas frowned but obeyed; he knew he couldn't resist her. She grabbed his hand, her touch surprisingly warm, and sent a pulse of energy through his body. She searched him like an experimental subject, but after several minutes, she found nothing. His constitution was completely normal.
"I can't find anything useful in this crappy body of yours! Ugh!" she hissed in frustration. She calmed herself and leaned in close. "Tell me about yourself. And don't lie—I can read your mind if I wish."
Terrified, Lucas realized he couldn't tell her he was from Earth. Instead, he explained his current life: his inability to summon his Grimoire and how he had used his blood to activate the necklace.
"Nonsense! That shouldn't have worked for you," she muttered. She paused, contemplating for a moment, before her eyes sharpened. "Let's try one more thing."
She grabbed his hands again, but this time, her Qi was far more potent. She didn't target his veins; she sent her power straight into his soul.
Her eyes suddenly went wide with shock. 'This seal! I recognize this mark! Only one person in this sanctuary could have inscribed this... How can this brat be his descendant?'