The morning sun seeped through the dense foliage, creating a mosaic of light and shadow on the valley floor.
The bone-chilling cold air of the night had given way to a gentle warmth, carrying the scent of dew and freshly bloomed wildflowers.
Chen Xuwu opened his eyes, not with the familiar feeling of exhaustion, but with a refreshing sensation he had never experienced in his life.
He rose, his body feeling as light as cotton, every muscle rejuvenated. There was no more backache, no more wrist pain, no more heaviness in his head.
This is the perfect body, just as I always dreamed of amidst those damned piles of work.
He stretched out a hand, feeling the sunlight penetrate his skin, warm and soothing.
"This... is real," he murmured, his own voice sounding unfamiliar to his ears, deeper and more resonant.
No longer the hoarse voice of an exhausted man. This is truly the new me.
He glanced at his palms. There were no more calluses from the keyboard, no more ink stains from pens.
His skin was clean, his fingers slender, as if they had never touched rough work. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
A new beginning. Truly a new beginning.
[System: Good morning, Guardian of Leaves. The Qi energy around you is incredibly abundant. Take this opportunity to strengthen your connection with nature.]
Chen Xuwu sighed, this time not a sigh of exhaustion, but a sigh of relief.
The system is still here. So, none of this is a dream. I really am in another world.
Last night, after the strange encounter with Lin Qianyu and the chatty mushroom, he had slept soundly under the shade of a giant tree, surrounded by forest creatures who felt comfortable near him.
He dreamed of piles of documents and demanding bosses, but woke up with the realization that it was all just the past.
He decided to explore the valley further. Every step felt light, as if his feet barely touched the ground. It felt like floating.
He tried to touch every plant he passed, feeling their pulse of life. A withered wild flower by the roadside, he touched it gently.
SFX: (A soft rustle, swoosh, like petals slowly opening, followed by a gentle rustling of energy, crackle-crackle)
Instantly, its petals fully opened, its colors became brighter, and its sweet fragrance spread through the air.
[Skill 'Touch of Life' Lv.1 used. Effect: Heals withered plants, enhances vitality.]
[+5 Exp.]
"Wow," he mumbled. This isn't just talking to nature, but also being able to influence it.
Amazing! He saw a small rabbit hiding behind a bush, trembling with fear.
Maybe it's because of me. I need to make it comfortable. Chen Xuwu slowly crouched down, extending his hand.
"Don't be afraid," he said softly, his voice filled with a strange calmness. "I won't hurt you."
[Rabbit: 'Your aura... is so comforting. Like fresh grass after rain!']
The rabbit slowly approached, sniffed his fingertips, then jumped onto his lap, rubbing its head affectionately. Chen Xuwu laughed.
In my old life, I didn't even have time to keep pets. Now, the animals are keeping me.
As he was engrossed in playing with the rabbit, the sound of trickling water caught his attention.
SFX: (The clear trickling of water, gurgle-gurgle, from the calmly flowing river)
By the clear riverbank, not far from him, Lin Qianyu was sitting on a large rock, her back to Chen Xuwu.
Her long green hair flowed down her back, and she seemed to be meditating, surrounded by a faint green aura. Chen Xuwu hesitated for a moment.
Should I approach? She looks so peaceful. But... I'm curious. And there's a strange connection with her, perhaps because she's also a nature cultivator.
"Lin Qianyu?" he called softly.
The girl flinched slightly, then turned around. Her clear eyes widened a little when she saw Chen Xuwu, and a faint blush returned to her cheeks.
The rabbit on Chen Xuwu's lap jumped down and ran towards Lin Qianyu, rubbing its nose against the girl's robe.
SFX: (The sound of the rabbit rubbing its nose affectionately, nuzzle-nuzzle, followed by a soft purr, mrrrp)
"This rabbit... it's never been this close to a stranger," Lin Qianyu said, her voice full of astonishment. "Your aura... is truly extraordinary."
Chen Xuwu smiled awkwardly. "Yes, I just found out too. It seems I have... a special connection with nature."
So special that even mushrooms can complain to me.Lin Qianyu stood up, her robe gently fluttering.
SFX: (The rustle of the robe, whoosh, as she moved)
"Special connection? That's an understatement. Your aura is far purer and stronger than our sect elders who have cultivated for hundreds of years.
You... are like the embodiment of nature itself." She approached, looking at Chen Xuwu with an intense gaze.
"I am Lin Qianyu, core disciple of the Green Sky Sect. Your name is Chen Xuwu, right? Where do you come from? I've never heard of a cultivator like you on Zhongyao Continent."
Chen Xuwu sighed. Here it comes. The question I dreaded. How do I explain this without sounding insane?
"I... am from a very distant place. A place where nature has been forgotten. I... died there, and somehow, I woke up here."
Lin Qianyu frowned. "Died? Woke up? That's... strange. Did you experience an extreme Dao enlightenment?"
"Dao enlightenment?" Chen Xuwu shook his head. "I don't even know what Dao is. I just... an office worker."
Lin Qianyu was silent for a moment, then a small laugh escaped her lips.
SFX: (Lin Qianyu's crisp little laugh, hehehe, like wind chimes)
"Office worker? What is that? Is it some kind of profession in your world of origin?"
"Yes," Chen Xuwu nodded. "A profession that killed me." He smiled bitterly. "I just want to live peacefully now." And never see a computer again in my life.
"Living peacefully on Zhongyao Continent isn't that easy," Lin Qianyu said, her expression turning serious.
"This world is filled with Qi, spiritual energy that allows us to cultivate, become stronger, and even achieve immortality.
But it's also filled with dangers. Spiritual beasts, evil cultivators, and conflicts between sects." She pointed towards the dense forest in the distance.
"This valley is one of the remote areas rich in Qi, where our Green Sky Sect often trains.
We focus on nature cultivation, absorbing Qi from plants and elements. But even here, danger lurks."
Suddenly, Lin Qianyu pointed towards the bushes not far from them. "Look at that."
Chen Xuwu followed her gaze.
There was a small tree, its leaves withered and its trunk blackened, as if burned from within. The Qi around it felt chaotic.
"A Qi tree. It should be radiating vital energy, but it's sick," Lin Qianyu explained. "Perhaps it was poisoned by a beast or evil Qi that passed by.
I've tried to heal it with my 'Touch of Life,' but my Qi isn't pure enough to dispel the poison."
Chen Xuwu approached the tree. He felt the turbulent Qi within the tree, an invisible suffering.
This is different from the withered flower earlier. This is deeper, more severe. It feels like a high fever.
[New Mission: Heal the Poisoned Qi Tree. Time limit: Until sunset.]
[Warning: The poison is very strong. Use 'Empathic Leaf Knot' to understand the poison, then 'Touch of Life' to purify it.]
Chen Xuwu nodded, unconsciously following the system's instructions. He placed both hands on the blackened tree trunk. He closed his eyes,
activating 'Empathic Leaf Knot'. Instantly, he felt a strange sensation. Not just the tree's Qi, but also a destructive foreign Qi, black and cold, spreading through every fiber of the tree. He could feel the tree's "scream," a piercing pain.
SFX: (A soft hissing sound, sssshhh, like destructive negative energy, followed by a low vibration, hmmmmm)
"This... is Yin Qi poison," he murmured, his eyes still closed. "Very concentrated."
Lin Qianyu stared at him in disbelief.
"You can sense the type of poison just by touching it? Even our elders need special concoctions to detect it!"
Who exactly is this man? He's far more mysterious than I thought.
Chen Xuwu ignored her. He focused his 'Touch of Life,' visualizing pure green energy from his body flowing into the tree, engulfing the black Yin Qi.
A battle of Qi occurred within the tree, feeling like clashing waves of heat and cold in his palms.
SFX: (The sound of turbulent energy, ziiing-ziiing, then slowly subsiding into a gentle rustle, syyyuutt)
Slowly, the Yin Qi began to recede, weaken, and finally disappeared, absorbed and purified by Chen Xuwu's natural energy.
The blackened tree trunk slowly turned green again. The withered leaves expanded, their color becoming vibrant green, even more alive than before.
Small flowers bloomed on its branches, emitting a strong, sweet fragrance.
SFX: (The sound of leaves and flowers blooming rapidly, pop! pop!, followed by a fragrant aroma, hmmm-hmmm)
[Mission Complete: Healed the Poisoned Qi Tree. +300 Exp. Skill 'Touch of Life' leveled up to Lv.2. New skill: 'Aura of Nature Purification']
Lin Qianyu gasped. She approached the tree, touching its leaves in awe.
"This... is impossible! You actually healed it! Even made its vitality stronger than before!" She turned to Chen Xuwu, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"You... who exactly are you?" He... he really is the embodiment of nature!
Chen Xuwu smiled faintly. "I'm... Chen Xuwu. Just a guardian of nature." And I'm starting to like this role.
He looked up at the blue sky, feeling the wind caress his face. In this new world, he was no longer a slave to work.
He was a guardian, a healer, one connected to nature. A purpose far more meaningful than just chasing deadlines.
This world awaits me, he thought. And I'm ready to face it. And for the first time in a very long time, he felt... alive.