the rise of the useless son-in-law of a wealthy family

hurt me

Su Jian woke up gasping for air. The soft morning light streamed through the gaps in his window. He clutched his chest, trying to convince himself it had only been a dream. But as he opened his robes, there it was—the sword-shaped tattoo, identical to the one from his vision.

“Is this... real?” he whispered, disbelief clouding his voice.

There was no time to dwell on it. A knock on his door broke his train of thought.

“Su Jian, get up already! We’ve got to clean the garden this morning!” one of the servants shouted from outside.

“Oh... yeah, I’m coming!” Su Jian hurriedly put on his clothes, ignoring the tattoo as best he could. *It’s nothing important,* he told himself. *Besides, who would believe me? Even I don’t understand it.*

The day went by as usual. Su Jian performed his duties as the “burdened husband” in the Xia household. The servants still sneered at him, some even deliberately assigning him harder tasks just to humiliate him. But Su Jian was used to the mistreatment.

Even so, something felt different. Whenever he approached heavy objects, like a large flower pot or a bucket of water, he could feel an unusual strength coursing through him. His once-weak hands now lifted these items with surprising ease.

“This... is strange,” he muttered, staring at his own hands.

Not wanting to draw attention, Su Jian pretended to struggle with his tasks as usual. Yet deep down, he couldn’t ignore the growing awareness that something had change.

That evening, Su Jian sat on his bed, staring at the tattoo on his chest. The more he tried to dismiss it, the more he felt its significance. The words of the man in his dream echoed in his mind: *“This power comes with responsibility.”*

“What does he mean by responsibility?” Su Jian thought aloud. “I don’t even know what to do with this power.”

Suddenly, faint footsteps echoed outside his door. The sound was soft, almost as if someone was sneaking around.

“Who’s there?” Su Jian called out, but no answer came.

He stood up and opened the door, only to find an empty hallway. A chill ran down his spine. Something wasn’t right.

Closing the door, Su Jian sat back down, but the eerie feeling of being watched lingered. He couldn’t shake the unease.

That night, when Su Jian fell asleep, he found himself back in the same dream world. This time, he stood in a vast meadow under a star-filled sky. In the distance, the silver-haired man awaited him.

“We meet again, Su Jian,” the man said, a faint smile on his lips.

“What do you want from me?” Su Jian demanded, trying to sound firm despite the tremble in his voice.

“It’s not about what I want from you,” the man replied. “The mark on your chest is a key—a key to unlocking the potential that has always been within you.”

“I have no potential,” Su Jian shot back bitterly. “I can’t even cultivate like others.”

“That’s what you believe,” the man smirked. “But the truth is, you possess something even the strongest cultivators lack. That’s why the sword chose you.”

Silence hung between them. Su Jian’s confusion and curiosity deepened.

“From now on, you will face many challenges,” the man continued. “But remember, your power is not just for yourself. Use it to protect those who matter most to you.”

Before Su Jian could ask more, the dream world dissolved again. He woke up with a mix of dread and anticipation, unsure of what to believe.

The next morning, Su Jian began his day with a strange heaviness in his heart. He didn’t know if his dream was mere imagination or something far more profound. But one thing was clear—his life had shifted.

The mark on his chest pulsed faintly, as if reminding him of his altered fate. Yet Su Jian wasn’t ready to face it.

“I hope this is just a long nightmare,” he muttered, stepping out of his room.

Deep down, though, he knew something immense awaited him—something he could not escape.

“Hurry up, Su Jian! This bucket needs to be filled again!”

Exhausted, Su Jian nodded weakly, dragging himself to the well. His trembling hands gripped the heavy rope as he hauled the water. Each step felt like walking on burning coals, his body growing hotter with every move.

The servants snickered behind him.

“Someone like him isn’t worthy of being Miss Lengyi’s husband. Even simple tasks like this nearly kill him,” one whispered, loud enough for Su Jian to hear.

He didn’t respond. The pain in his body overshadowed their mockery. What disturbed him more was the searing heat radiating from his chest. The sword mark he tried so hard to ignore was now throbbing, as if something within him was trying to break free.

When Su Jian finally filled the bucket, his legs gave out. He collapsed onto the ground with a thud, drawing the attention of the servants.

“Goodness, did he faint?” one asked, feigning concern as they approached.

“Leave him. He’s probably faking it to get out of work,” another replied with a smirk.

Su Jian tried to rise, but his body refused to obey. The world spun around him, and his consciousness began to slip away.

**A Fever That Shakes the Soul**

When Su Jian awoke, he was back in his small room. His body felt like it was on fire. He tried to touch his chest, but a sharp pain stopped him.

“No... what’s happening to me?” he whispered weakly.

The sword mark on his chest glowed faintly blue, each pulse sending a searing sensation through him. It felt as though something inside him was tearing its way out.

Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled into darkness. Panic surged through him, but he couldn’t resist. The world around him vanished, replaced by a vast sky filled with swirling white clouds.

“Where am I?” he asked, his voice echoing in the boundless space.

A gentle yet commanding voice replied, “At last, you’ve returned, Su Jian.”

He turned to see a man in golden robes. The man’s face resembled his own but radiated wisdom and power.

“Who are you?” Su Jian asked, bewildered.

“I am your true self,” the golden-robed man replied. “Su Jian, the celestial wanderer who descended into the mortal realm to ascend his cultivation.”

“What?” Su Jian frowned. “I’m just an ordinary person. I don’t even have the ability to cultivate like others.”

The man smiled faintly. “That’s because you chose to seal your power and memories as part of a trial you must endure. But now, that seal is breaking. The sword mark on your chest is proof that your destiny is awakening.”

Su Jian stood silent, trying to grasp the meaning of those words. “I... don’t understand. What is actually happening to me?”