lost in this new world (douluo dalu)

Someone lay on a bed with a relaxed and contented face. Suddenly, his eyes shot open, and he sprang up.

He looked at his body as if it were foreign to him.

"Why do I feel so energetic? It's like I just had the best moment of my life. I can't describe this feeling!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down, testing his newfound energy.

"You just escaped death, and now you're acting like a lunatic. Sit down and let your body adjust, or you'll end up hurting yourself," Lena said, her tone sharp but filled with concern. (It's better not to tell him about the method I used to save him. Keeping him uninvolved in my matters is for the best.)

"M-Mom?! What happened to me? I feel… different," Sai stammered, struggling to articulate the changes he felt in his body.

"You succeeded in opening the first point in your body. As for what you're feeling, your spirit power increased significantly, making you naturally stronger," Lena explained.

"You're right! I can feel it—my spirit power has almost tripled. That means I'm at level 3! Cultivating feels so easy now!" (Advancing by two levels in one go… as expected of me. Wait a second—why didn't she correct me when I called her 'Mom'?)

"Don't get cocky. The burst of energy you feel is because you used the energy from my elixir. Using unrefined energy like that will get you killed, so you must never do it again. Do you understand?"

"I understand. Do not use unrefined energy, right?" Sai nodded obediently.

"As long as you understand. Now, it's time to start your journey toward level 10."

"Please, have mercy! I just woke up! How long will it take to reach level 10?" Sai pleaded.

"To let you know, you were asleep for two weeks. You need to hurry up and increase your level. At the very least, I want you to be at the same level as your peers. As for how long it will take…"

She rested her chin on her hand, her expression thoughtful.

"It will take you approximately one year to reach level 10. I can guarantee you'll reach level 30 before you turn 12, as long as you follow everything I say."

"Level 30 before 12? What am I, a prodigy?" Sai's eyes widened. In his knowledge, no one had ever reached such heights at such a young age.

"A prodigy? Think whatever you want. But I'll warn you now: the next six years will be at least ten times harder than anything I've trained you on in the last six years," Lena said, barely holding back laughter.

Sai's face turned red from embarrassment as he noticed her amused expression.

"Fine! No matter the training, I'll endure it and become the Spirit Douluo King!" Sai declared impulsively.

Lena couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter.

"The Spirit Douluo King? You sure picked a grand title for yourself," she said as she calmed down.

"Let's start now!" Sai said, trying to suppress the mix of anger and shame he felt. (I was reborn into a new world. Am I not allowed to dream big?)

"That's the spirit! Let's begin," Lena nodded with approval.

One Month Later

A boy in tattered clothes walked through the village streets. His disheveled appearance and weary gait drew pitying looks from the villagers. A month ago, he had been a lively young man. Now, he resembled a homeless old man.

The boy stumbled into the house at the center of the village, barely able to stand.

"Grandma… save… me…" he muttered before collapsing onto the floor.

"Who are you?" Grandma Na asked, her voice filled with suspicion as she stared at the stranger before her.

"It's me… Sai…" he whispered, his legs twitching slightly.

"Sai? You're Sai? What happened to you?" Grandma Na exclaimed, shocked by his condition.

"It's her… the demon mother. She's going to kill me," Sai said, his expression lifeless.

"Who? Lena? That's impossible! She's not the type of person to…" Grandma Na trailed off, reconsidering her words. (Then again, that's totally possible for Lena to do.)

"Grandma, please… help me escape. Find a carriage to take me anywhere—anywhere but here," Sai begged.

As he lay on the floor, Sai's eyes widened in terror. He saw a demonic figure looming over him.

"Grandma… help! The demon is here!" (Oh God, please let this be a hallucination.)

"Oh… Lena," Grandma Na said.

Hearing his grandmother's words, Sai felt his hope shatter. He knew he had been abandoned.

"Going around calling me a demon? Looks like you still have enough energy to continue training," Lena said, her tone icy.

To Sai, Lena's figure transformed from a mere demon into a demon god.

He started crawling, desperately trying to escape, but Lena caught him effortlessly.

As a last resort, Sai looked to his grandmother, pleading silently for help.

"Lena, don't be so harsh on him," Grandma Na said, her voice calm but firm.

In Sai's eyes, his grandmother was a saint.

"Hmph. How dare he try to run away? I'll teach him a lesson that will put him on the straight path for his future," Lena said, her expression darkening.

"Hang on there, Sai…" Grandma Na intervened gently, and Lena eased up.

Sai sighed in disappointment, knowing his reprieve was temporary.

"You heard me—prepare yourself mentally," Lena said with an evil smile.

To Sai, Lena's form shifted once again, evolving from a demon god into an evil deity. Even the term "evil god" seemed insufficient to describe her.

(Someone… anyone… save me…) This was Sai's final thought as he lost hope in everything.