C1 The First Spirit Bead

"Ah, no!" In a dormitory at Heavenly Sea University in Heavenly Sea City, Hua Country, Fei Liang jolted awake from a nightmare, drenched in sweat and panting heavily in the darkness.

"What's wrong?" Lee Shanfeng flicked on the light and asked with concern.

As the de facto leader of the dorm, Lee Shanfeng's imposing figure, with a square jaw and towering over 1.9 meters tall, was all muscle—a quintessential strongman.

Noticing the worried glances from his two other roommates, Fei Liang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and tried to steady his nerves. "It's nothing, just a bad dream," he said, pausing briefly before adding, "Sorry for the disturbance, everyone. Go back to sleep."

"Don't worry about it," Yuv Henn shot back with a stern look. "Are you sure you're okay?" Standing around 1.7 meters, Yuv Henn had a demeanor that was cool and seemingly fragile. To strangers, he appeared aloof, but to his friends, he was warm-hearted.

"Yeah, as long as you're okay, that's what matters," chimed in Mao Yuntian, with his youthful, baby-faced expression.

A wave of warmth washed over Fei Liang. He had never known his parents and had seldom felt genuine concern from others. His life had been a series of struggles, familiar with the world's cold indifference. Yet, in less than a month with these roommates, his keen instincts told him they didn't judge him for his humble origins. They treated him with true brotherhood.

"Yeah, I know. It's just a dream. What's there to worry about? Let's get some sleep. We've got military training tomorrow."

"Alright, as long as you're fine. Let's all try to get some rest," Lee Shanfeng said, turning off the light as they all settled back into bed.

Fei Liang lay there, eyes closed, but rest eluded him. His mind kept replaying the dream that had haunted him since his arrival at Heavenly Sea University.

In his dream, Fei Liang encountered a familiar yet majestic figure born in an enigmatic and formidable place. This figure braved countless challenges, advancing to an even mightier realm. Before long, he crossed paths with a stunning woman and ascended to the ranks of the unparalleled masters. Then, for reasons unknown, he found himself in combat with another formidable adversary, followed by a series of increasingly fierce battles with several more. The valiant figure stood his ground against these opponents, gravely wounding one and slaying another, until, overpowered, he showed a weakness and was blindsided by an attack. The adversaries had invaded his domain and launched an assault. In a moment of dire peril, as the mighty figure teetered on the edge of defeat, a lithe silhouette intervened, shielding him from a deadly strike, and suddenly, Fei Liang awoke. What in the world was happening?

Fei Liang was utterly confounded. Could it be that he was the chosen one of a deity, or had a divine being visited him in his dreams?

With this thought, Fei Liang couldn't help but chuckle at himself. What nonsense—deities in this world? Charlatans were more like it; not even in dreams would gods bestow such favors, much less in reality.

Shaking his head, Fei Liang discarded the absurd notion.

Yet, since his arrival at Heavenly Sea University some twenty-odd days ago, Fei Liang had been plagued by these peculiar dreams every night, with this particular one recurring most frequently, dominating his slumber. And now, to wake from it so abruptly—what did it mean?

And what of the girl in his dream, the one who had taken the lethal blow meant for the mighty figure, and those other immensely skilled adversaries? What was the truth behind it all?

Fei Liang couldn't make heads or tails of it, tossing and turning, sleep eluding him...

The following day, Fei Liang rose and headed to the field to line up as he always did, though his spirits were notably dampened.

But no sooner had he arrived than he was jostled by someone, stumbling back several paces to step on an object that sent a piercing pain through his foot, nearly toppling him.

"Hmm, what's the matter?" Fei Liang was certain there hadn't been any large objects in the vicinity.

A chorus of laughter erupted as Fei Liang's near fall became the butt of the joke. "Hahahaha…"

"This guy is clearly a slave to his desires!" someone declared unabashedly.

Fei Liang shot a glance their way but chose to ignore the comment. Driven by curiosity, he bent down and picked up a nondescript, black, round object the size of a fingertip that resembled a pebble.

The moment Fei Liang picked up the stone, a subtle and peculiar glimmer flashed and disappeared. Looking at the stone again, it remained unremarkable, which was quite curious.

During the scorching heat of July, the sunlight made the ordinary-looking, dull black stone in Fei Liang's hand feel like a precious piece of soft jade.

"Hmm, is it just my imagination? But why does such a tiny stone give me such an intense sensation, as if I've been pricked by a needle?" Fei Liang wondered to himself. On impulse, he didn't discard the slightly warm stone; instead, he slipped it into his pocket.

Fei Liang's subtle action, however, caught the attention of some onlookers with ulterior motives.

"Hey, you there, what are you scavenging for?" As soon as Fei Liang pocketed the stone, an obnoxious and arrogant voice rang out, "Haha, a poor man remains a poor man. It's just a worthless rock, and yet you're hiding it as if you've found a treasure. You must be desperate for money!"

Fei Liang stayed silent.

With Fei Liang not responding, the voice grew more smug. "Listen here, if you're broke, just admit it. Picking up stones won't make you rich. But since we're both from the same university, if you call me 'grandpa' a few times to my satisfaction, I might just give you a little something—say, a thousand or so, hahaha..."

Peals of laughter followed from ahead.

Without even looking up, Fei Liang knew the source of the voice was that 'bastard.'

'Bastard' wasn't his real name, but rather a fitting nickname others had given him. His actual name was Qin Qiang, rumored to be the second son of the prestigious Qin Family from the capital. His nickname suited him, as he took pleasure in preying on the weak and was known for his lascivious behavior. Just during the recent military training at Heavenly Sea University, he had ruined numerous girls. Some were swayed by vanity, but others were outright assaulted by him. Those who could be silenced with money were, and those who couldn't simply vanished without a trace. These were just some of the notorious acts Fei Liang had heard about Qin Qiang since arriving at Heavenly Sea University, and his reputation in the capital was likely even more deplorable. Qin Qiang was undeniably the epitome of scum.

Fei Liang found himself in Qin Qiang's crosshairs purely by association. Just three days earlier, Qin Qiang had run afoul of Lee Shanfeng near the school cafeteria. After a clash that left Qin nursing a bruised ego, he harbored a grudge. Unable to exact revenge on Lee Shanfeng, Qin redirected his animosity toward Fei Liang, who had a good rapport with Lee. Consequently, Fei Liang had endured a relentless barrage of bullying and humiliation over the past couple of days.

A freshman at Heavenly Sea University, Fei Liang possessed a refreshing spirit, unremarkable looks, and an average build. His family circumstances were hardly worth mentioning, for he had none. He was the sole survivor of his family, making him, in essence, an orphan.

Fei Liang's life was a testament to resilience. Having never met his parents or other relatives, he had scrapped with stray dogs for scraps of food and jostled with beggars for a meal. His struggle to obtain an identity card and his eventual admission to the prestigious Heavenly Sea University were nothing short of miraculous. Yet, this was no fairytale turnaround, as Qin Qiang had set his sights on him once more, making Fei Liang the focus of his vindictive schemes. Given Fei Liang's vulnerable position, Qin Qiang could easily crush him—if he so chose. But for now, Qin seemed to be holding back, possibly due to some reservations.

Fei Liang was acutely aware of his precarious standing. After a dismissive glance at Qin Qiang, he resumed his place to ponder his next move. The recent collision was likely orchestrated by Qin Qiang, who, despite being a pampered heir, was not to be underestimated. Thus, Fei Liang had no choice but to bide his time; he was in no position to confront Qin Qiang head-on.

The instructor's arrival did nothing to alleviate the tension.

Qin Qiang, however, was irked by Fei Liang's defiant stare. It was the ultimate affront, compounded by Fei Liang's previous disregard for him. Qin's fury simmered. In his mind, he should have been able to trample over someone like Fei Liang at will. The repeated slights were unprecedented. Never before had Qin Qiang been so blatantly disrespected, and he was not about to start tolerating it, instructor or no instructor.

"Damn it, kid, what's with that attitude?" Qin Qiang stepped forward, cursing, "Ungrateful bastard. You need a lesson to learn your place. Attack!"

With a wave of his hand, Qin Qiang commanded, "Hit him! Hit him hard. I'll take the fall for anything that happens. Beat him senseless!"

Immediately, over a dozen people burst from the formation and encircled Fei Liang, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks. Then, noticing the instructor halt and head towards another, one more joined in the assault on Fei Liang.

At first, Fei Liang managed to retaliate a few times, but outnumbered and overpowered, he was quickly brought down, unable to defend himself any longer.

"Stop, stop it! He's going to get killed!" a female student screamed through tears.

"Damn, still fighting back? Hit him harder!" Qin Qiang's voice rang out.

Following his command, the blows raining down on Fei Liang intensified, and he gradually slipped into unconsciousness.

Before blacking out, Fei Liang faintly heard someone call for a halt, then felt a foot pressing on his face, accompanied by what seemed to be a string of curses.

Barely able to get a glimpse, Fei Liang was certain of the assailant—it was Qin Qiang!

And then, darkness took him.

Unknown to Fei Liang, as he lay unconscious, the small stone in his pocket began to glow with a sinister light upon contact with his blood. It bathed his entire body in its eerie luminescence, slowly initiating a transformation...

By the time Fei Liang regained consciousness, two days had already passed.