Chapter 2: A World Within an Inch
“I’m back…”
The searing agony of being consumed by flames seemed to linger in his body. Li Shun lay flat on the bed for a long while before the pain gradually receded.
Once his mind settled, he abruptly sat up. His expression turned solemn as he intoned in a low voice,
“I examine myself thrice each day.”
As the words fell, a translucent, illusory high crown condensed above his head. At the same time, his coarse linen clothes transformed into a wide, flowing robe.
The events of the “previous day” flashed rapidly through his mind like a revolving lantern, finally freezing at the moment he was mercilessly engulfed by towering flames.
Only after the “daily self-examination” concluded did the illusory crown and robe dissolve like ripples in water.
Li Shun let out a long breath, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.
“The world is growing more chaotic by the day. Especially here in Lengshan County, a remote frontier with weak defenses.”