Xiao Ning studied the status panel, his brows furrowing.
"An ordinary system interface... No hidden inheritance, no unusual features."
He had encountered similar systems in the upper realms. Some were ancient artifacts left behind by extinct sects, while others had been created by powerful cultivators to assist with cultivation. Xiao Ning had even forged one himself.
His former system had been built around a pocket dimension sustained by his spiritual will. It could manipulate time, nurture nascent spirits, and simulate powerful combat techniques. Compared to that creation, the interface before him was primitive.
Still, something about it felt strange.
He extended his divine sense, carefully examining the runic structure beneath the interface. Its design was simple but precise, and a mysterious lock guarded its deeper functions.
"This wasn't made by Li Feng," he murmured. "And it doesn't belong to this realm either."
The lock responded faintly to his soul, as though it had been waiting for him.
Xiao Ning tried to investigate further, but the deeper layers remained inaccessible. He withdrew his divine sense and examined the status panel again.
There was nothing remarkable about it. No hidden bloodline, no mysterious seal, and no trace of the jade book that had brought him into this world.
Had the book abandoned him after the transfer?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, a sharp pain erupted in his skull.
Crimson lightning flashed across his vision. The status panel flickered violently, its golden characters dissolving into dark, blood-red runes.
[WARNING: ANOMALY DETECTED.]
[ETERNAL PARADOX CODEX ACTIVATED.]
The interface changed completely.
Host: Xiao Ning
Current Body: Li Feng
Soul Integrity: 37%
Cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm (Unstable)
Remaining Lifespan: 116 Years
Xiao Ning stared at the unfamiliar name.
"Eternal Paradox Codex?"
Before he could investigate, another warning appeared.
[WARNING: THE GRAND DAO IS ABOUT TO DISCOVER THE HOST.]
An ancient pressure descended upon the chamber.
Xiao Ning's expression changed. This wasn't the aura of a cultivator. It felt as though the universe itself had noticed something that shouldn't exist and was preparing to erase it.
He had faced countless powerful enemies in his previous life, but this sensation was entirely different. The Grand Dao wasn't simply searching for him. It was trying to determine whether his existence should be allowed to continue.
A new message appeared.
[EMERGENCY ABILITY: PARADOX MERIDIANS]
Effect: Conceal your true existence.
Cost: 8% Soul Integrity.
[ACTIVATE? YES / NO]
Xiao Ning had no idea how the ability worked, but he had even less desire to discover what would happen if the Grand Dao found him.
"Activate!"
Crimson chains appeared within his mindscape, twisting around his fractured soul. Pain tore through his consciousness as his meridians began to change.
For a brief moment, he felt as though his cultivation foundation had ceased to exist. His spiritual energy scattered into countless overlapping possibilities before settling into an unfamiliar state.
[SOUL INTEGRITY: 37% → 29%.]
Xiao Ning gasped, struggling to remain conscious.
His cultivation was still at the Nascent Soul Realm, but his aura had changed. To an outside observer, he now appeared to be a Core Formation cultivator.
The Codex had concealed his true cultivation—and perhaps something far more fundamental.
Before he could examine the change, a beam of golden light swept through the chamber.
The light passed through the stone walls without leaving a mark, carrying an overwhelming heavenly pressure. When it reached Xiao Ning, he felt it penetrate his body and probe his soul.
He couldn't move.
For one terrifying instant, he was certain the disguise would fail. The light seemed to linger over him, searching for the contradiction hidden beneath his borrowed identity.
Then it moved on.
[ANOMALY CONCEALED.]
The pressure gradually disappeared.
Xiao Ning collapsed onto the stone bed, coughing blood. His body trembled, and several blood vessels had ruptured under the strain.
He had escaped detection, but the cost was severe.
Eight percent of his already damaged soul had vanished in a single activation. With only twenty-nine percent remaining, he couldn't afford to use the Codex carelessly.
Yet before he could recover, another wave of pain struck his mind.
[WARNING: SOUL COLLAPSE IMMINENT.]
Xiao Ning's face darkened.
The damage caused by the first ability was worse than he had anticipated. His consciousness was beginning to scatter again, and he could feel his soul approaching the point of disintegration.
He tried to gather his thoughts, but even that simple action was becoming difficult.
Was he really going to die a second time after finally escaping the Grand Dao?
Another message appeared.
[EMERGENCY ABILITY: PARADOX GAMBIT]
Effect: Reverse three seconds of your own time to stabilize your soul.
Cost: 14 years of lifespan.
Xiao Ning stared at the description.
Fourteen years.
For a cultivator who had once possessed a lifespan measured in thousands of years, the sacrifice might have been acceptable. But his current body was damaged, his soul was fractured, and he had no idea how long it would take to regain his former strength.
Every year mattered.
Unfortunately, he had no alternative.
"Activate!"
Time twisted around him.
For an instant, Xiao Ning saw fragments of different moments: his lifeless body lying in darkness, a younger version of himself standing beneath the sun, and an older figure struggling to draw breath.
The visions vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
He felt an invisible force seize his scattered consciousness, dragging its fragments back together. The process was painful, but gradually, the pressure inside his mind began to subside.
A few seconds later, he could finally breathe normally again.
[SOUL STABILIZED.]
[REMAINING LIFESPAN: 102 YEARS.]
Xiao Ning lay back against the stone bed, drenched in cold sweat.
He had survived, but fourteen years of his lifespan were gone, and his soul remained dangerously weak.
As he slowly raised his hand, he noticed something strange. His shadow followed his movements a moment too late, as though it no longer belonged to the same flow of time.
He watched it for a while before lowering his hand.
Another mystery to investigate.
For now, he had learned enough about the Codex to understand its basic nature. It possessed abilities capable of saving his life in desperate situations, but using them came at a terrible cost.
He would need to learn more about its limitations before risking another activation.
"Cough!"
Blood rose into his throat, interrupting his thoughts.
Xiao Ning wiped his mouth and attempted to regulate his breathing. His current body was already in poor condition, and the damage from the Codex had only made matters worse.
Just as he began gathering what little spiritual energy he could control, the chamber door opened.
Mei Lin hurried inside.
The moment she saw Xiao Ning slumped against the stone bed, his face pale and his clothes stained with blood, she froze.
"What happened to you?!"
She rushed to his side and examined him with her spiritual sense. Her expression grew increasingly alarmed as she discovered the extent of his injuries.
Xiao Ning wanted to explain, but he barely had the strength to speak. How could he tell her that the Grand Dao had nearly erased him, or that he had sacrificed fourteen years of his lifespan to save himself?
He didn't even fully understand what had happened.
For now, he could only remain silent and hope she wouldn't ask too many questions.
As his vision began to blur, the Codex flickered faintly at the edge of his consciousness.
[HOST CONDITION: CRITICAL.]
Xiao Ning closed his eyes and sighed inwardly.
His second life had barely begun, and already he was facing problems that could cost him everything.
It seemed that surviving in this world would be far more difficult than he had expected.