Chapter One: Rebirth in a Merciless World
The darkness was not emptiness—it was a cold sensation devouring the remnants of his weary soul. Rhine, who had never believed in good or evil, only in power alone, floated in this void, replaying his final moments. The betrayal that shattered his calm philosophy was not merely a stab in the back but irrefutable proof of the truth he had tried to escape: *"Power alone makes the laws."*
Suddenly, this darkness was torn apart by a searing sensation.
He felt air rushing into lungs that were not his own, and a sharp pain coursed through every bone of a body that was not his. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find himself lying on cracked, stone ground, the scent of damp earth mingled with blood filling his nostrils.
*"Alive…?"*
The word was whispered by unfamiliar lips, but the thought was his own. He sat up, ignoring the pain wracking his bones. He examined his small hands and his frail body, clad in tattered rags. This was not his body, and this was not his world.
*"So, this is my second chance."* He said it aloud, but his tone held no hope or joy—only the realization that the game was not over. It had merely begun anew, with far more brutal rules.
He looked around and saw a dense forest of towering trees with strange colors he had never seen before. The sky above was a faint purple, and the very air carried an odd energy, as if it were breathing. This was the new world—a world ruled by sects, *Qi*, monsters, and gods. A world with no place for the weak.
*"A world that suits me perfectly,"* Rhine muttered with a cold smile. He had decided to abandon everything that tied him to humanity—no faith, no kindness, no mercy. Only his own interests, his strength, and his unstoppable ascent.
He tried to stand and felt a faint hum emanating from his bones with every movement. Focusing his awareness, he sensed a subtle energy flowing through pathways he hadn't known existed. This was *Qi*—absorbed by the body from the external world. He had been reborn as a *"Spiritual Farmer,"* a term he instinctively understood, as if it were part of this body's inherited memories.
*"Bone Refinement Stage…"* Rhine assessed his condition. His body was sturdy but not yet balanced. He was midway through this stage. A long road lay ahead to reach the peak before advancing to *Muscle Refinement*, where the body would transform into a combat machine.
Before he could finish evaluating his situation, he heard rustling in the trees. Three men emerged, dressed in ragged leather, their eyes gleaming with the hunger of wolves who had found prey.
One of them laughed roughly, *"Look what we've got. A brat from the abandoned *Falling Leaves Sect*. Must've survived the beast attack by some miracle."*
The second one drew a rusty knife. *"His clothes are torn, but his shoes look decent. Hand over everything you've got, kid, and we might let you die in peace."*
Rhine stared at them with utter indifference. He showed no fear. In his past life, he might have tried to negotiate or remained neutral, hoping to be left alone. But the old Rhine had died with his betrayal. This new creature saw them only as tools or obstacles.
*"Weaklings…"* he whispered contemptuously.
He didn't answer them. Instead, he bent down slowly and picked up a sharp-edged stone from the ground—an unexpected move that puzzled the men.
Their leader laughed. *"You gonna throw a rock at us, idiot?!"*
At that moment, Rhine lunged forward. He wasn't exceptionally fast, but his movements were calculated with terrifying precision. He didn't target the closest man but instead charged at the one in the middle, exploiting his momentary confusion. He drove the sharp stone into his neck with all his strength. Warm blood spilled over his hand, but Rhine didn't flinch.
Before the other two could react, Rhine yanked the knife from the dead man's belt and rolled to dodge a sword slash from one of them. His bones screamed in pain, but his *Bone Refinement* body endured the impact.
He sprang up swiftly, the knife in hand, a mad glint flashing in his eyes—the kind that appears in times of chaos. The frail boy was gone; in his place stood a cold predator.
*"You made one mistake,"* Rhine said in a quiet, chilling voice. *"You saw me as weak and thought you had the right to take what was mine."* He moved fast, capitalizing on their fear. He stabbed the first in the thigh, sending him crashing down with a scream, then turned to the last man, frozen in terror.
*"In this world, just like in my old one,"* Rhine said as he approached the terrified man, *"power decides who lives and who dies. And you… are far too weak."*
He finished it quickly, without hesitation. Standing among the three corpses, blood smeared across part of his face and clothes, he felt no remorse—only a strange satisfaction. He had confirmed the validity of his new law. The world was a game, and he would either win or be devoured.
He looked up at the purple sky again, his final decision made. He would crush everyone in his path and build his own order atop the ruins of this world. There would be no place for weakness or falsehood in his domain.
*"Now,"* he said, wiping the blood from the knife, *"let's reach the peak of Bone Refinement."*