Dimensions Journey

When Liang Chen entered the bathhouse, he headed straight to the elite section and ordered one of the servants to prepare a bath. The servant looked at him with obvious disgust, as the black impurities covering his body emitted a foul stench. However, he did not hesitate to obey.

In this world, the strong made the rules, and the weak had no choice but to comply. Even if one of the elites decided to kill him for fun, no one would hold them accountable.

Moments later, the bathtub was filled with warm water, and Liang Chen slowly immersed himself, letting the soothing heat seep into his exhausted body, washing away the traces of fatigue.

Sitting in the clear water, he ordered the servant to change it once more before leaning back, allowing his mind to drift into a whirlpool of memories.

"When was the last time I felt this relaxed?"

Images flashed before his eyes—his mother telling bedtime stories to him and his twin brother… his strict father punishing them for their mischief, only to later cry in their mother's embrace.

But everything changed on the day his talent awakened.

From that moment, he received nothing but contempt and neglect, while everyone celebrated his twin brother's extraordinary talent.

"I cried alone in my room while everyone cheered for him… No one even bothered to look at me."

Little by little, the warmth of family faded. His father regarded him with nothing but cold indifference, and while his mother still treated him normally, sorrow was evident in her eyes.

And his twin brother?

Nothing more than another bully—someone who never missed an opportunity to belittle him.

That was why he chose to leave.

But even when he left… no one searched for him.

"Did my parents hope I would leave on my own?"

Sorrow crept into his heart, but then he remembered the days he spent with his fellow vagrants. Those were the best days of his life.

They shared laughter, tears, and food—even if it was just rotten scraps.

But in the end…

He was the one who sacrificed himself to lure the beast away from them.

"Did they survive?"

He didn't know.

But he didn't want to die the same way again—a meaningless death without proving anything.

But why did he seek strength?

Was it just to prove to his family that he could succeed despite his talent?

Or was it simply because he never wanted to be weak again?

He was lost.

And suddenly, amidst these thoughts, he heard a familiar voice calling him:

"Hey, you. How are you?"

His body froze. Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes widening in shock.

Standing before him was someone who looked exactly like him.

He tried to move, but his body refused to respond.

"What is this? Why can't I move?"

The stranger smirked, tilting his head slightly.

"Why are you afraid?"

Liang Chen didn't answer. He gritted his teeth and asked,

"Who are you?"

The other chuckled lightly and said,

"I am you… and you are me."

Liang Chen's heart trembled. As absurd as it sounded, he felt it was the truth.

He asked cautiously,

"What do you want?"

The doppelgänger stepped closer and said,

"I came to guide you to the right path."

Liang Chen frowned. "What path?"

But the other didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smirked and said mockingly,

"If you were stronger, would you have died such a pathetic death, becoming nothing more than waste in a random beast's stomach?"

Liang Chen's body trembled.

"If you were stronger, would your parents have neglected you? Would you have slept in garbage, living like a rat?"

His words struck deep into Liang Chen's heart.

The doppelgänger remained silent for a moment before stepping even closer, whispering in a deep voice,

"You need to abandon your kindness, or you will die again."

"You must become ruthless… decisive… and pursue strength without hesitation."

"When you are the strongest, you can do whatever you want, take whatever you want, and never be cast aside to die such a miserable death again."

With those final words, he placed his hand on Liang Chen's shoulder…

And in an instant, everything vanished.

Liang Chen woke up suddenly, his body still submerged in the bathwater, but his heart pounded wildly.

"Just a dream?"

Yet, something felt different inside him. His thoughts were clearer than ever before.

---

After dressing, Liang Chen stepped out of the bathhouse, feeling more refreshed than ever. The sun cast its warmth upon his body, but he remained unaware of the subtle change that had taken place within him. His gaze had become colder, more determined—so much so that the servant waiting outside shivered involuntarily as he passed.

Ignoring this, Liang Chen headed straight to the study hall.

Upon entering, his instructor glanced at him with a scrutinizing look, sensing that something was different about his student, though he couldn't pinpoint what. After a moment of silence, he chose to ignore it and continued his lesson as usual.

The instructor began by asking the students about their progress. Most admitted they were still struggling to sense their internal energy, while a few had managed to perceive it but were unable to control it.

When it was Liang Chen's turn, he simply replied,

"I have only managed to sense it."

The instructor nodded and moved on, unaware that Liang Chen no longer needed his explanation—he understood everything more clearly than even the teacher himself.

After class ended, Liang Chen left the hall and headed straight to the training grounds.

There, he practiced his combat techniques, quickly noticing that his body had become more responsive. His movements were smoother, his strength more balanced than before.

Engrossed in his training, he failed to notice someone approaching until a confident voice spoke:

"Liang Chen, correct?"

He halted his practice and turned around slowly.

Before him stood a tall young man, around eighteen years old, with elegant features and a warm smile.

Yet despite that smile, there was something hidden in his eyes that Liang Chen couldn't ignore.

With a cold tone, Liang Chen replied,

"Who are you? Can't you see I'm training?"

The young man chuckled briefly and said,

"Apologies, I didn't mean to disturb you, but I come bearing a message."

Liang Chen raised an eyebrow but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"My name is Xiu Feng, and I serve the second young master, Xiao Lang."

Liang Chen remained silent for a moment before asking calmly,

"And what does he want from me?"

Xiu Feng's smile didn't waver as he replied,

"You have caught his attention, and he wants to recruit you into his service."

Liang Chen's eyes widened slightly before narrowing again. He hadn't expected this.

"Why would your master care about me?"

Xiu Feng's smile deepened as he said in a composed tone,

"Because you mastered the Blood Demon Sword and Blood Steps techniques in just three months."

Liang Chen froze.

"How did they know?"

He hadn't told anyone. So how did they find out?

Sensing his slight hesitation, Xiu Feng added reassuringly,

"There's no need to worry. We don't spy on people directly, but we have our eyes in the training grounds, always searching for talent."

Liang Chen stared at him coldly, considering all the possibilities. This meant that unseen eyes had been watching him all along.

But instead of feeling fear, he felt something else—something closer to a challenge.

He asked calmly,

"What benefits will I gain?"

Xiu Feng's eyes gleamed slightly before he said with a faint smile,

"I like you. Direct and sharp."

Taking a step closer, he added,

"If you accept, you will cease being just a Blood Warrior. You will be promoted directly to an Inner Disciple."

Liang Chen fell silent.

"An Inner Disciple?"

This was an opportunity beyond measure.

But at the same time, he had no desire to serve anyone.

Seeing his prolonged silence, Xiu Feng's expression changed slightly.

His once warm gaze turned colder, as if losing patience.

"I will return tomorrow for your answer."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.

Liang Chen watched his retreating figure before shaking his head and resuming his training.

"A decision like this… I cannot rush it."