Lin Shuan stood before the shop.
A narrow, forgotten street stretched behind him, swallowed by shadows and silence. Compared to the bustling main roads of Frostveil City, this place felt… abandoned.
Above the worn wooden entrance hung a faded sign—
"Ancient Map Shop."
The letters were barely visible, as if time itself had tried to erase them.
For a moment—
Lin Shuan didn't move.
Something felt… off.
A strange, subtle pull.
Not from the shop—
But from within him.
His hand instinctively rose…
touching the mark on his forehead.
It pulsed faintly.
"Strange…"
Without thinking further, he stepped inside.
The moment he entered—
The air changed.
It was heavy.
Old.
Filled with the scent of aged paper and forgotten history.
Wooden shelves lined the walls, stacked with countless maps—
some torn, some yellowed, some so ancient that their edges had turned brittle.
Each one seemed to carry a story.
A past.
A secret.
Behind a small wooden counter stood a shopkeeper, quietly sorting through scrolls.
But Lin Shuan's attention wasn't on him.
In the corner—
Sat an old man.
Dressed in simple white robes.
Calmly sipping tea.
His presence was… ordinary.
Too ordinary.
Lin Shuan lowered his gaze and began browsing through the maps.
But just as his fingers brushed across one of the scrolls—
The old man's hand froze.
A faint ripple appeared in his otherwise calm eyes.
"This… feeling…?"
A subtle chill spread through the air.
Barely noticeable.
But real.
The tea in his cup trembled slightly.
"This cold… this resonance…"
"It's familiar…"
The old man slowly stood up.
A thin layer of frost began forming on the wooden floor beneath his feet.
And in the next instant—
He disappeared.
WHOOSH—
Lin Shuan's body stiffened.
Before he could react—
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Cold.
Heavy.
A voice echoed behind him—
"Boy… could you be…!"
Lin Shuan turned instantly—
His eyes widened.
Both of them froze.
"Lin Shuan…!!!"
"Third Elder…!!"
Silence.
For a moment—
Neither of them moved.
This man—
Was none other than the Third Elder of the Lin Clan.
A man who was supposed to be dead.
The elder stepped back slightly.
Shock flickered across his face.
But beneath it…
Something else.
Fear.
Third Elder (low voice):
"Lin Shuan… didn't you go to Luo Academy?"
Those words—
Broke something inside Lin Shuan.
Memories surged like a flood.
His eyes turned red.
His voice trembled.
Lin Shuan:
"Third Elder… we were on our way to Luo Academy…"
He clenched his fists.
"At that time… an old man and his granddaughter approached us…"
"They insisted on taking us along…"
His breathing became uneven.
"When we reached the academy…"
"…only my younger brother Lin Sheng… and that girl were accepted…"
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"I… was rejected."
"Because… I couldn't cultivate."
Silence filled the room.
"I left Lin Sheng there… and returned…"
"That old man also went in another direction…"
His voice lowered.
Darker.
"But on the way back…"
"…they were waiting."
"Men in black robes… with dragon insignias…"
His hand slowly rose—
Touching the mark on his forehead.
"They surrounded me…"
"And attacked…"
A pause.
"But…"
A faint chill spread in the air.
"I survived."
The mark flickered faintly.
"And when I returned…"
His voice broke.
"…there was nothing left."
"…everything was gone."
"…everyone…"
Silence.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
"…so I came here."
"To become stronger."
The Third Elder stood quietly.
Listening.
His expression slowly hardened.
He stroked his beard.
Third Elder:
"Yu Long Sect…"
His eyes darkened.
"The destruction of the Lin Clan… was their doing."
Lin Shuan's heart shook.
Third Elder:
"At that time… a few of us survived…"
"…including me."
Hope ignited.
Sudden.
Desperate.
Lin Shuan stepped forward.
Lin Shuan (urgent):
"Then… my parents…!"
"…are they alive…?"
Silence.
The elder said nothing.
That silence—
Was louder than any answer.
Lin Shuan understood.
His body trembled slightly.
But his face—
Remained still.
Inside—
Something shattered.
The Third Elder looked toward the sky.
His voice turned heavy.
Third Elder:
"No one is left…"
"No one… to lead the clan…"
A deep sigh escaped him.
"And no one… to take revenge."
Then—
His aura flared.
"But I will gather strength."
"I will find allies."
"And I will erase the Yu Long Sect from existence!"
His voice echoed through the shop.
Lin Shuan's blood boiled.
His fists clenched tightly.
Lin Shuan:
"Third Elder… count me in."
His voice was steady.
Cold.
"Even if I am weak now…"
"One day…"
His eyes burned.
"I will take revenge."
"For my parents."
"For the Lin Clan."
The elder looked at him.
And smiled faintly.
But inside—
His thoughts were different.
"This child…"
"He has only half a life left…"
"If he cannot grow stronger…"
"He will die without meaning…"
"Such a cruel fate…"
But he said nothing of it.
Instead—
He changed the topic.
Third Elder:
"Why did you come here?"
Lin Shuan replied simply—
"For a map."
The elder laughed.
"Hahaha… you haven't changed at all."
But Lin Shuan's expression darkened.
Lin Shuan (quietly):
"I am not cursed…"
"I just… don't understand this mark."
For a moment—
The past resurfaced.
At the age of ten—
He had reached the peak of Luo Initiate Rank.
A genius.
But then—
Everything stopped.
No matter what he did—
He couldn't advance.
And one day—
That power erupted.
Freezing children around him.
Killing them instantly.
From that day—
He was no longer a genius.
He was a curse.
The Third Elder spoke—
"No one understands it."
"But hide it."
"Or it will bring disaster."
Lin Shuan nodded.
Lin Shuan:
"I need a map of the Eastern Ancient Forest."
The elder's expression changed.
"That place… is death."
"Even Immortal Seed warriors have perished there."
"You are not ready."
Lin Shuan's reply was immediate—
"That's why I must go."
Silence.
Then—
The elder sighed.
He picked up an old map.
Ancient.
Detailed.
And handed it to him.
"Return… when you are strong."
And then—
He vanished.
Just like that.
Lin Shuan stood alone.
After a moment—
He turned.
And walked out.
The city was alive.
Noisy.
Chaotic.
People moved everywhere.
Hunters.
Traders.
Warriors.
Life continued.
As if nothing had happened.
Suddenly—
A voice called out.
"Hey! Friend!"
Lin Shuan turned.
A boy stood there.
Wearing brown clothes.
Holding a shining sword.
"Look at this!"
"I bought it for 500 gold coins!"
Lin Shuan's eyes flickered.
That sword—
Was from the Lin Clan.
But he smiled.
"It's good."
"Strong."
"I have one like it too."
The boy grinned.
"I bought it for the Empire Warriors Tournament!"
"Are you joining?"
Lin Shuan paused.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"Great!"
"My name is Zu Lin!"
"Lin Shuan."
The boy laughed.
"Our names are similar!"
"Let's be friends!"
Lin Shuan looked at him.
For a moment—
He hesitated.
Then—
He extended his hand.
"Alright."
They shook hands.
"From today… we are friends."
Zu Lin smiled brightly—
"Then let's meet again…"
"…in the tournament."
Lin Shuan nodded.
"Goodbye."
And walked away.
Behind him—
Zu Lin watched silently.
His gaze shifted—
Toward Lin Shuan's forehead.
"That mark…"
"What was that…?"
The wind blew softly.
Far ahead—
The eastern horizon waited.
And beyond it—
The Eastern Ancient Forest.
A place of death.
A place of secrets.
And perhaps—
The beginning of Lin Shuan's true journey.
Will he survive what lies ahead…?
Or will he become just another forgotten soul…?