PHANTOM GOD
Author: Yun Tiankong
Chapter 1: First Arrival in the Otherworld
Crack... crack... crash!
Purple lightning blanketed the night sky. The grassland, which had been pitch black, was illuminated with stark clarity in an instant. On the muddy plains, under the glow of the purple lightning, a dark figure struggled forward with great difficulty.
Looking up at the purple lightning that filled the night sky and feeling its world-destroying power, he couldn't help but be awed by the sheer might of nature. At this moment... he felt incredibly small and weak.
He wiped the rain from his face with difficulty and looked up at the sky, but the torrential downpour instantly lashed into his eyes, obscuring his vision. This rain... was simply too heavy!
The young man was named Li Yi. He was sixteen years old, from Shanghai, and had just been admitted to high school this year—an ordinary new student, as average as they came.
As for why he had appeared on this vast grassland, to be honest, he didn't understand it himself. He had originally planned to take advantage of the time before school started to relax in the suburbs, but unexpectedly, as soon as he set out, he ended up on this grassland.
In his memory, the outskirts of Shanghai didn't seem to have such a lush grassland. Furthermore... looking in all directions, there wasn't a single tall building in sight!
Squelch... squelch... squelch...
Dragging his heavy feet, he struggled in the direction he had chosen. The rain poured down, soaking his clothes completely. The freezing rainwater washed over him mercilessly.
Heaven does not betray the diligent; thanks to his perseverance, he finally found a path hidden within the muddy grassland—a path so muddy that one could not possibly imagine anything worse.
Looking at the muddy road filled with puddles of rainwater, he couldn't help but give a bitter smile. Then, his vision suddenly went black, and he finally lost consciousness.
In his haze, the jingling of bells echoed in his ears. Then... he felt someone lifting his body... and he lost consciousness once more.
He knew he had caught a cold. His body was burning up, and his illness was severe. It was hardly surprising; for a frail sixteen-year-old youth to be drenched in the freezing rain for nearly a day, it would be a miracle if he didn't get sick.
Slowly opening his eyes and looking around, he found himself lying on a stone slab inside a room. The walls were unpainted, and there wasn't even a window. There were only two ventilation holes in the ceiling, through which light shone directly onto him, bringing a faint sensation of warmth.
He parted his lips with difficulty, feeling an intense thirst. Just as he was about to call out for someone to bring him a cup of water, the door creaked open, and someone walked in.
As the door opened, a young girl dressed in white and a strangely dressed middle-aged man quietly entered, walking straight toward him.
Staring unblinkingly at the middle-aged man, he had to admit that the man's attire was truly bizarre. In all his years, this was the first time he had ever seen someone dressed in such a way.
The man's clothes were made entirely of tough, rigid leather. Because they had been worn for so long, the outer surface had become as glossy as armor, marred by uneven patches of grime. Upon closer inspection, the outfit looked baggy and extraordinarily filthy.
Yet, that wasn't even the most repulsive part. What truly turned his stomach were the seams and joints of the armor, which were actually caked with bits of raw meat stuffed into every crevice. It was utterly sickening, reminding him of dirt packed tightly under a fingernail. The sensation was much the same.
He didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he sensed an unsettling aura radiating from the middle-aged man. Although he had no idea what the man did for a living, from his appearance, he looked very much like a butcher—someone who slaughtered pigs or cattle. From his body—no, more precisely, from his armor—there wafted a faint odor. Yes, it was the smell of fresh blood!
“How do you feel? Do you feel hot?” While he was lost in thought, a slender, cool hand was placed against his forehead, and a gentle voice sounded in his ear.
Feeling the cool yet gentle touch, a sense of profound comfort welled up from deep within him. At the same time, a sweet fragrance wafted directly into his nose.
His dazed gaze shifted from the dagger at the middle-aged man's waist to the girl dressed in white. In that instant, he couldn't help but marvel.
The girl's facial features were quite ordinary... What startled him was her clothing. It was an outfit unlike anything he had ever seen before—so incredibly strange!
He hadn't gone to fashion school, nor could he describe its design. In short, although the outfit was entirely white, the tailoring was completely different from anything he had ever known. It was both divine and elegant, appearing incredibly pure and pristine.
Nodding in understanding, the girl withdrew her hand and spoke softly to the middle-aged man beside her in an accent and tone that closely resembled Shanghainese: “Don't worry, he was merely invaded by the water element. The fire element in his body is automatically resisting it. He will be cured very soon.”
Although he couldn't understand every single word clearly, about eighty percent of it sounded like Shanghainese, allowing him to grasp the gist of it. Honestly, if someone weren't from Shanghai, they wouldn't have a clue what she was saying. It would sound even more incomprehensible than a foreign language.
Fortunately, he was from Shanghai. Although her speech differed slightly from the local Shanghainese dialect, he could still deduce eighty to ninety percent of her meaning. That was just how China was—a vast land with abundant resources and countless local dialects. Since Shanghainese itself had so many variations, perhaps her speech could be considered one of its sub-dialects.
While he was lost in thought, the dark room suddenly lit up. Turning his head in confusion, the scene before him instantly left him slack-jawed and utterly dazed.
At this moment... the woman in white wore a solemn expression, her hands gently clasped in front of her chest. At the same time, a soft orb of white light rapidly materialized in her hands.
What... what was that called? Magic? A superpower?
As he watched in awe, the girl gently pushed her hands forward. Instantly... the white orb of light drifted slowly toward him. From within the white glow, a drizzle of white light fell upon his body.
He watched in astonishment as the white drizzle vanished upon contact with his skin. Instantly, the alternating sensations of hot and cold inside him disappeared, replaced by an incredibly warm and comfortable feeling that welled up within his body.
It was fast, incredibly fast—perhaps only three or four seconds had passed before the orb of light vanished. At the same time, strength surged back into his body, and his senses quieted down. Heavens! His condition had actually improved completely. Aside from a lingering hunger, he felt absolutely bursting with strength!
Overjoyed, he was about to thank the woman in white, but she spoke first. Frowning slightly, she said with concern, "Chakesi, this child's body is too weak. You must teach him well from now on. It's truly unbelievable; his constitution is worse than that of an eight or nine-year-old. He won't be able to survive in this world like this."
Hearing her words, the middle-aged man's face flushed slightly. He scratched his head in embarrassment and said, "Wensha, listen to me, this child isn't..."
Frowning, the woman in white cut Chakesi off impatiently, "Alright! I know this child isn't from your village and that you rescued him on the road. But regardless of whether you did it out of kindness or for some other reason, please put some effort into helping him. Surely you don't have the heart to watch him die?"
Seeing the wry smile on the face of the woman in white, Chakesi nodded helplessly and said, "Alright, Wensha. You have never asked me for anything, yet you've saved my life countless times. Originally... I didn't want to get involved, but since you've asked, I will definitely do everything in my power to help him!"
Hearing Chakesi's words, Wensha smiled and nodded, turning to look at him once more. By the time he snapped out of his daze, she had already turned and gently walked toward the door.