Chapter One: Crossing Over, the Stone Statue, and the Southern Prince

“Darkness.”

Within his sight was endless darkness, the world around him preternaturally silent and cold. Liu Ji, his consciousness blurred, felt a searing, grinding pain in his back, so excruciating he desperately wanted to open his mouth and cry out in agony.

Yet not a single sound escaped him.

“Where is this place?”

“Am I dead?”

“Yes, I must be dead. After all, my cancer was terminal, beyond any cure. So this is what death feels like?”

“It’s… somewhat pleasant…”

Liu Ji sensed the harrowing pain in his back swiftly vanish, and in its place, a gentle, tranquil sensation began to seep through his limbs and bones.

The feeling… was truly soothing.

Like soaking in a hot spring, or being enveloped by a spring breeze.

Suddenly, a hazy light appeared before his eyes, and he felt himself floating, drifting toward that radiance. The closer he drew, the more comfortable he felt.

Before long, a vague silhouette emerged ahead. Before he could react, a thunderous shout erupted: “Retreat at once!”

The voice crashed over Liu Ji like muffled thunder, sending him plummeting downward. The serenity and comfort ebbed away like the tide.

What replaced it—

Was blinding, agonizing pain!

“Damn it all…”

That thought had scarcely formed when he felt a sudden chill on his cheek—a drop of icy liquid must have fallen onto his face.

The torment in his back forced him to open his eyes, letting rays of light pierce through the darkness.

The first thing he saw was a drop of liquid, rapidly enlarging as it fell, smacking right onto his eyeball with a sharp sting that made him bolt upright.

But the sudden movement only intensified the pain in his back, and he grimaced and howled involuntarily.

He hurriedly rubbed his eyes, and once the sting faded, he saw a gray human face barely a foot away.

Startled, he looked closer.

Only then did he realize it was just a stone statue, and he let out a breath of relief at his needless panic.

He looked around and discovered he was inside a cave. The steady drip, drip, drip of water echoed eerily.

So much so that his heart seemed to skip in time with each drop.

Once the pain in his back subsided, Liu Ji pushed himself up, carefully examining the statue. It reached only to his waist and was posed with a finger in its mouth. Judging by the features, it depicted a child of six or seven.

The statue was astonishingly lifelike, so much so that Liu Ji could see the confusion etched on its face. He couldn’t help but marvel—what master sculptor had created this? The craftsmanship was nothing short of perfection. It made him blurt out in admiration, “Incredible!” The statue looked so real, one could almost believe a living child had been turned to stone.

He moved to another statue close by. This one, no less vivid, was of a woman in her twenties. She wore armor and, like the child, was caught in a running pose, her face contorted in terror.

As if some great horror was pursuing them…

He reached out to touch the woman’s stone cheek and was surprised by how smooth it felt—not at all rough like ordinary stone.

He was taken aback.

He soon discovered many more statues in the cave.

Some young, some old, men and women alike—on their faces were expressions of terror, fear, or befuddlement, each carved with vivid realism.

Liu Ji couldn’t help but marvel again—whose masterpiece was this? Even if not the finest in the world, it had to be the best in the country.

Suddenly, he froze.

Now was probably not the time to be pondering the origins of these statues…

How had he ended up in a cave?

Shouldn’t he be in a hospital?

Could his parents, unable to afford a coffin, have simply left him in a cave?

He scratched his head in bewilderment.

Where… exactly was he now?

“Young master! Young master, where are you?!”

“Young master, give us a sign, will you?”

“Do you think the young master is, er, hiding with Miss Mu somewhere in the bushes… heh heh…”

“Heh heh my foot! Didn’t you see Miss Mu is also helping us look for the young master? If we don’t find him, we’ll all be dead when we get back!”

“Maybe Miss Mu killed him? I remember she was very against the engagement and always looked at him coldly!”

“Shh! Quiet! Is this really for us servants to discuss?!”

“Young Master Liu, where are you?”

“…”

Calls echoed outside the cave, one after another. Liu Ji hesitated to answer, but he had clearly heard “Young Master Liu.”

His surname was indeed Liu, given name Ji—were they calling for him?

But who still addresses someone as “Young Master Liu” these days?

Wouldn’t they just say “handsome guy” or something?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.

Had he… transmigrated?

His last memories were of his parents’ heart-wrenching cries, and his little sister’s tearful, pitiable face.

Then, only darkness, followed by a burst of light.

He had tried to float toward that light, only to be blasted back by a mysterious shout, left writhing in agony.

No wonder he’d wanted to curse.

When he opened his eyes again, he inexplicably found himself in this cave, surrounded by these uncannily lifelike statues.

If this had to be explained, then—

He had most likely transmigrated!

The thought made him anxious. In his panic, he accidentally bumped into the woman’s statue beside him. It toppled, its head striking the rock with a loud thud.

The stone cracked, but the statue’s head remained utterly unscathed—not even a scratch!

Just as his mind was reeling, a figure appeared at the cave’s entrance. Liu Ji tensed, hardly daring to breathe.

The newcomer spotted Liu Ji and, startled, called out in delight, “Young master! What are you doing here? Are you all right?”

“Hurry! Everyone, the young master’s here!”

…

On a narrow mountain path, a procession of carriages made its slow way forward.

Inside the ornately decorated carriage at the center, Liu Ji sat dazed. After turning things over in his mind, he was certain—he had indeed transmigrated.

As for what this world was like, he hadn’t a clue.

Nor did he dare to ask.

So be it, he thought, but couldn’t I at least inherit the memories of this body’s former owner? Without them, he was left feeling thoroughly lost!

Thus, he kept quiet along the journey, speaking as little as possible to avoid exposing himself. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice anything amiss.

“Young master, the sun is nearly down. We should hurry, or we’ll risk running into wraiths after dark,” came a servant’s reminder from outside.

Liu Ji murmured assent.

The convoy sped up and finally reached its destination before sunset. Lifting the curtain, Liu Ji saw a towering black city wall, coiled on the plain like a dragon.

It glared menacingly at the mountains behind.

“Prince’s convoy entering the city!”

“Out of the way, now!”

Suddenly, the servant’s shout rang out.

Peering through the curtain, Liu Ji saw the people crowded at the city gate hastily step aside, clearing a broad path.

The gate guards watched the convoy depart with deference.

“Tsk, tsk, look at that. Young Master Liu must have had another tryst with Miss Mu. What a life—makes one green with envy!”

“Heh, the Mu family is in decline, nearly driven out of Southern Prince City. In my view, they're trying to latch onto the prince’s household to secure their place and compete with the other great families!”

“And isn’t Miss Mu a true beauty, like a fairy descended to earth? She really deserves to be called the city’s finest!”

“So what if she’s the most beautiful? What’s it to you? You can’t even afford a bowl of rice, and you’re dreaming of a swan from the heavens?”

“What’s wrong with being poor? Can’t I dream?”

“…”

As the convoy departed, the people at the gate talked amongst themselves, gazes filled with envy and longing.

Inside his carriage, Liu Ji watched the city’s architecture with keen interest. It resembled the ancient cities of his previous world.

The streets were broad, wide enough for several carriages side by side.

After entering, the crowds forced the convoy to slow, giving Liu Ji more time to observe.

“…And then, the Prince of Southern Suppression, clad in black iron armor with a tiger-shaped helm, roared like a black tiger. And what happened?”

“The barbarian chieftain from the Northern Territories was so terrified by that roar he fell right off his horse! Who is the Prince of Southern Suppression, after all?”

“The moment he saw this, he drew his blade, led his ten thousand Southern Tiger Riders, and charged. In an instant, they shattered the barbarians’ three hundred-thousand-strong army, sending them fleeing in all directions!”

“After that battle, the Prince’s prowess became legendary throughout the Calamity Lands, and the Empire recorded his victory for posterity.”

“They call it—the Battle of Lake City!”

…

…