On the Old Debts of a Former Self

In an instant, Sui Ming felt the atmosphere around him grow cold and desolate, as if a bone-chilling presence had descended over the land.

“You… you’re really… that Young Master of the Xi Family?”

Bai Ling’s voice trembled—Sui Ming couldn’t tell whether it was from fear or excitement, but it sent shivers down his spine.

“H-Hey, come on! Don’t freak out on me, I’m just an upstanding citizen here!”

“Heh… hehehe, Mr. Sui Ming—”

Bai Ling lowered her head. Despite their height difference, Sui Ming still couldn’t see her expression.

A bead of cold sweat slowly trickled down his forehead.

Suddenly—the girl moved!

At this distance, he had no time to react! All he could do was close his eyes, uncertain of what awaited him.

Then… a piece of paper was shoved in front of his face.

Sui Ming reopened his eyes, confused.

“Autograph, please.”

“???”

At that moment, it felt like a bunch of turtles were aimlessly circling inside Sui Ming’s brain. He was completely baffled.

“Uh… okay?”

After a moment, he finally asked, “My dear fan… what is the meaning of this?”

“Because I’m your fan, duh! Super simple.”

“When you personally sliced down the Regent of the Mingxi Empire with a single stroke—ugh, that was so cool! 🔥”

“And that moment when you held your blade to the First Princess’s neck, when she tried to avenge the regent—mmm mmm mmm! Iconic!”

Thud!

“It’s over… everything’s over…”

Sui Ming collapsed to his knees like a man who had lost the will to live.

Why is it that other transmigrators get easy mode—dying and reviving, starting with god-tier equipment, biting golden apples like they’re candy?

But me? I get nightmare mode from the start! And there’s a royal princess out there who probably wants to chop my head off and use it as a fruit bowl!

Life was hard. Sui Ming sighed.

“Right, no wonder I didn’t recognize you at first.”

Bai Ling suddenly pulled out a freshly printed, pale-yellow piece of paper from her pocket.

Sui Ming weakly took it, glanced at it, then let himself collapse back onto the ground.

Wanted Poster – Red Class – Sui Ming (Xi)
Bounty: 100 million Fal
Status: Capture Alive Only

But the person in the wanted poster looked… different.

Unlike Sui Ming’s current snow-white hair and blank white eyes, the person in the poster had golden-blond hair and blazing golden eyes—he looked exactly like one of those punk “golden-haired delinquents” loitering in front of your girlfriend’s house.

Yep, it was a full transformation—from radiant golden idol to washed-up has-been.

“Hey… do you think I could just… turn myself in?”

“Uh… I don’t think they’d even recognize you anymore, young master.”

“ARGHHHH! I don’t wanna live anymore! Can someone send the god of death to come get me already?!”

“Even a dump truck would do!!”

On Sui Ming’s right hand—unnoticed by anyone—a soft glow flickered from the faint purple ring, then quickly vanished.

“…By the way, Mr. Sui Ming, how did you end up like this?”

“Well, you see…”

Sui Ming tried to cook up a half-believable excuse. But due to his limited imagination, what came out was:

“I… sigh, it’s a long story…”

“I offended some really bad people on my journey to becoming stronger. Then, just when I was about to break through, they ambushed me. My power collapsed. That’s why I’m like this now.”

A classic cultivation novel cliché. Sui Ming knew it well.

Anyone with a brain could see it was a flimsy lie.

“Boohoohoo—Mr. Sui Ming, that’s so tragic—!”

“To think such a righteous and noble person would be forced to hide in a small city, living like this… it’s just… so heartbreaking!”

Wait, she believed it?

Really? Is she just… incredibly naive?

Then again, she was a young dragon girl. It made sense she wouldn’t know all the tropes of fantasy novels.

Sui Ming suddenly felt like one of those parents who had tons of money but insisted on pretending they were poor to teach their kid humility.

This was his first time lying to a child. He felt… kind of guilty.

But he had no choice. He had no idea what kind of trouble the former Sui Ming had stirred up to get into this mess.

Just how hated was this guy? His aggro level had clearly maxed out before I even arrived!

“Well, Mr. Sui Ming, don’t worry. With how you look now, no one could recognize you—unless they were looking up close.”

“As for your safety—just leave that to me, the Grand Leader of the Sui Ming Support Squad!”

Sui Ming glanced at Bai Ling’s chubby arms and legs. She didn’t look very strong. He was skeptical.

She seemed to notice his doubtful stare. “Hey! I’m a [Mortal Dust] Tier 5 Blesser, okay?! At my age, that’s super rare!”

“Uh… dare I ask, how old are you?”

“I’m three. Why?”

Good grief. So this is what dragonkind is like?

Sui Ming had trained his body and mind for over ten years, and he was still only about as strong as a toddler dragon girl.

He started wondering if he needed to get with the times and actually learn this world’s power system before someone roasted him with a surprise fireball.

“Blesser… what does that mean, exactly?”

And so, Sui Ming reluctantly tossed aside his pride and decided to let a three-year-old be his guide.

Bai Ling, not even questioning why a supposedly legendary genius didn’t know such basic things, earnestly explained:

“A Blesser is someone who manifests the form of their soul to enhance themselves.”

“Everyone’s soul is different, which means the powers granted to each person are also different.”

“These powers have varying strengths, known as Blessing Levels, which are: [Mortal Dust], [Gold Vein], [True Manifestation], [Immortal], and [Near-God].”

“Are people born with different soul strengths?”

“Of course!” Bai Ling puffed up proudly.

“Most people awaken at [Mortal Dust] Tier 1. The talented ones might start at Tier 3. And the really lucky ones chosen by fate can awaken at Tier 4.”

“And me? I was born at [Mortal Dust] Tier 4! Cool, right?”