War God's Rebirth: A Thousand Blades of Destiny

A Broken Body, An Unyielding Will

The rain had slowed, leaving only a thin mist clinging to the night air. Bai Tian gritted his teeth as he forced his aching body to stand, the rusty sword in his grip feeling heavier than it should. The pain was unbearable, his limbs stiff, his breaths shallow—but he did not collapse.

Xiao Yue looked up at him, eyes full of worry. “Young Master, your body is still weak… We should find shelter, rest, and—”

Bai Tian cut her off with a firm glance. “There is no time to rest.”

He flexed his fingers, feeling the blade’s weight, its imperfections. In his past life, he had wielded divine weapons that could split the heavens. But now, he held a chipped sword barely fit for a beggar.

Yet, in his hands, even a stick could become a weapon of war.

Xiao Yue clutched his sleeve. “You’re not the same as before… You’re different.”

Bai Tian’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “That’s right. The weak young master you knew is gone.”

A flash of lightning illuminated the distant Bai Clan’s stronghold, standing tall against the night sky. That place was his birthplace, his prison, and now, the first step in his path of vengeance.

But he wouldn’t walk into the lion’s den unprepared.

His dantian was still shattered, his meridians damaged. He needed strength—not just the skills of his past life, but a way to rebuild his foundation in this world.

For that, he needed weapons. Real weapons.

And he knew just the place to find them.

---

The Bandits of Blackwood Forest

Xiao Yue followed him through the muddy terrain, her delicate hands clutching her robes to keep them from dragging through the filth. "Young Master, where are we going?"

"The Blackwood Forest," Bai Tian replied.

She froze. "The bandits—!"

He nodded. "Yes, the Blackwood Bandits control the outer edges of this land. They raid caravans, rob cultivators, and hoard stolen weapons. If I’m to reclaim my power, I need a real sword—one worthy of a warrior."

Xiao Yue hesitated. "But… they’re dangerous! You don’t have cultivation anymore!"

Bai Tian chuckled, his grip tightening on his rusty sword. "Cultivation? A true warrior doesn’t need spiritual energy to kill."

His words sent a shiver down her spine. This wasn’t just arrogance—there was an undeniable confidence in his tone, as if he had already seen the outcome.

---

The First Kill

The Blackwood Forest was dark, its towering trees stretching high into the sky, their thick branches blocking out the moonlight. Bai Tian moved like a shadow, his steps light, his breath controlled.

In his past life, he had infiltrated the most fortified cities, slain kings in their palaces, and battled in wars that shook the heavens. These bandits… they were nothing.

The scent of burning wood and roasting meat drifted through the trees. He spotted their camp—six men, laughing around a fire, their weapons scattered carelessly nearby.

One of them, a burly man with a scar down his cheek, kicked a wooden chest. "Hah! That merchant thought he could fight back. Now we got his goods and his sword!"

A sword.

Bai Tian’s eyes locked onto the chest. That was his target.

He glanced at Xiao Yue, who hid behind a tree, fear in her eyes. "Stay here."

Without another word, he moved.

The first bandit barely had time to react before Bai Tian struck. The rusty sword flashed in the firelight, slicing across the man’s throat in a single, fluid motion. Blood sprayed across the dirt, and the bandit collapsed, his eyes wide in shock.

The others barely had time to register what had happened before Bai Tian was already upon them.

One reached for his weapon—too slow. Bai Tian twisted his wrist, driving his blade through the man’s ribs before yanking it free in a spray of crimson.

Another lunged at him with an axe. Bai Tian sidestepped effortlessly, his footwork as smooth as flowing water. He drove his knee into the bandit’s gut, then brought his sword down in a brutal arc, severing the man’s arm. The bandit screamed, but Bai Tian silenced him with a quick thrust to the heart.

The remaining three stumbled back, their faces pale.

“W-Who are you?!” one of them stammered.

Bai Tian wiped the blood off his blade, his expression unreadable. "Just a dead man reclaiming his life."

The bandits turned to flee. Bai Tian didn’t let them.

By the time it was over, the camp was silent.

Xiao Yue stepped out from her hiding place, her face pale. She had seen fights before, but this… this was something else. Bai Tian hadn’t just fought—he had butchered them with the efficiency of a war god.

She looked at him, her lips trembling. “Young Master… you…”

Bai Tian ignored her, kneeling beside the wooden chest. He pried it open, and there it was—a beautifully crafted longsword, its silver blade glinting in the firelight. It was no divine artifact, but it was well-balanced, sharp, and made for a warrior.

He picked it up, testing its weight, and a familiar feeling surged through him.

Yes.

This was just the beginning.

He turned to Xiao Yue, his eyes burning with determination. "Let’s go. The Bai Clan will soon learn that I am not dead."

With his new blade in hand and the scent of blood still thick in the air, Bai Tian took his first steps toward reclaiming everything that had been stolen from him.

And this time, he would not be stopped.