Immortal's Paradox

Lei sat cross-legged on a fallen log, the forest around him quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves. The Nanospirit's voice hummed softly in his mind as he circulated his qi. Despite his progress, his pace of absorbing qi from the environment was painstakingly slow.

"This is taking forever," Lei muttered, opening his eyes and glaring at Mao, who was sprawled lazily on a nearby rock.

"Patience is a virtue, mortal," Mao purred, not bothering to look up.

Lei huffed, frustration building. "You've got to know a way to speed this up. Don't celestial beings like you have all sorts of miraculous techniques?"

Mao finally opened one golden eye, smirking. "Oh, I do. But why should I share them with someone who hasn't earned it?"

Lei ground his teeth. "Let me guess. Another bribe?"

"Of course," Mao said, stretching luxuriously. "I'm feeling partial to delicacies lately. Perhaps a spirit hare this time? Or better yet, a vial of Moondew Nectar."

"You're impossible," Lei snapped, standing abruptly. He wasn't about to let himself be manipulated into running errands for the cat again.

"Suit yourself," Mao said with a shrug. "Enjoy your snail-paced progress."

Lei turned his attention inward, focusing on the Nanospirit. "Is there anything in this body—memories, knowledge—that I haven't accessed yet?"

Scanning… Detected memory fragments from previous host. Access restricted due to soul incompatibility.

Lei frowned. "Soul incompatibility? Can you bypass that?"

Limited access possible. Warning: Attempting to process foreign memories may destabilize the host's soul.

Lei hesitated. "What does destabilization mean? Will I die?"

Risk level: Moderate. Prolonged exposure to foreign memories may cause disorientation or temporary loss of self-awareness.

He sighed, debating the risk. "Do it. Begin processing the memories."

Processing initiated… Estimated time to completion: Unknown.

Lei's head throbbed as a flood of fragmented images and sensations surged through his mind—blurry figures, a grand estate, the metallic clang of swords, and the faint echoes of a man's voice shouting orders.

"What's happening?" he murmured, clutching his head.

Mao's ears twitched, and it hopped down from its perch, studying Lei with a curious expression. "You're poking at things you shouldn't be."

"These memories… they're from this body's previous owner, aren't they?" Lei asked, his voice strained.

Mao nodded. "Indeed. But they're not yours. The soul in this body has changed. The remnants of the old owner's memories will fade over time."

"Fade?" Lei asked, alarmed. "What if there's something useful in them?"

"Then you'd better extract what you can while they last," Mao said with a shrug. "But don't expect it to be easy. Soul differences make accessing such memories like trying to read a book written in a foreign language."

Lei gritted his teeth, focusing on the fragments swirling in his mind. Bit by bit, he managed to piece together fragments of knowledge: a cultivation technique used by the Zhao family servants and a rudimentary punch skill.

Acquired Mortal Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique: Zhao Qi Foundation Technique. Acquired Mortal Low-Grade Skill: Iron Fist Strike.

The knowledge settled into his mind, incomplete but usable. Lei immediately began testing the Zhao Qi Foundation Technique, finding it far more efficient at absorbing qi than his previous methods.

The Iron Fist Strike, while simple, was a step toward building a repertoire of combat skills. He practiced it a few times against a nearby tree, the force of his punches leaving faint dents in the bark.

"This is better than nothing," Lei said, exhaling deeply.

Mao leapt back onto its rock, looking smug. "See? You're not entirely hopeless after all."

A Village in the Forest

As they continued their journey, Lei found himself growing more confident. With the Zhao Qi Foundation Technique, his qi absorption rate had nearly doubled, and the Iron Fist Strike gave him a basic means of defending himself.

The forest began to thin, and the sound of voices reached Lei's ears. He slowed his pace, peering through the trees.

In the distance, a small village came into view. Wooden houses clustered together, smoke curling from chimneys. Villagers moved about, tending to crops and carrying goods.

Lei's curiosity was piqued, but he approached cautiously. "A village?" he murmured, glancing at Mao.

"Careful," the cat said, its tone unusually serious. "Not all mortals are as harmless as they appear."

Lei nodded, stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the clearing.

And with that, the next stage of his journey began.