Reborn as an AI: Helping My Past Self Become a Writer

Shen Yuchen stood frozen before the Hall of Fate, the massive stone bridge stretching endlessly beneath his feet. The void around him was vast and foreboding, an abyss from which no sound or light could escape. His mind raced with possibilities, memories surfacing like fragments of a broken mirror.

The man in the dark-golden cloak stood still, his expression unreadable. "You stand at the threshold of destiny. Beyond this hall lies the truth you've sought—but beware, truth is rarely kind."

Shen Yuchen clenched his fists. "I'm done with riddles. If there's a reason you brought me here, tell me!"

The man raised a brow. "You believe you were brought here? Foolish. Every step you took led you here. Denying your fate only delayed the inevitable."

Before Shen Yuchen could respond, the void shifted. The stone bridge trembled as glowing runes ignited beneath his feet, pulsing with ancient energy. The massive doors of the Hall of Fate creaked open slowly, their heavy groan echoing across the abyss.

"Enter, or remain lost in ignorance," the man intoned coldly. "But remember, the price of knowledge is never cheap."

Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuchen stepped forward, determination burning in his chest. He couldn't let fear control him—not now.

Meanwhile – The Desolate Ruins

Su Wanning cautiously emerged from the broken ruins, her energy daggers still faintly glowing in her grasp. The eerie silence settled around her like a suffocating shroud. The mysterious bell's toll still echoed faintly in her mind, a haunting reminder of the unknown forces at play.

Her sharp eyes scanned the crumbling stone structures, etched with faded symbols similar to those on the altar she and Shen Yuchen had discovered. Her breathing steadied, though her pulse remained quick from the earlier ambush.

"Who was that masked figure... and why retreat after hearing that bell?" she wondered aloud. The assassin's precise attacks weren't meant to kill—at least not immediately. It felt like they were testing her... or perhaps sending a message.

A sudden, distant sound of footsteps broke her train of thought. Instinctively, she ducked behind a collapsed pillar, her daggers ready. Slowly peeking around the edge, she saw a group of hooded figures advancing through the ruins. Their faces were obscured, and they moved with eerie synchronization, as if guided by a singular will.

"Followers of Fate?" Su Wanning whispered, her mind flashing back to old legends about ancient cults obsessed with destiny and its hidden power. She had thought such stories were myths... until now.

The group stopped at the center of the ruins, forming a tight circle around a strange, rune-covered monolith. Their leader, distinguishable by his crimson-lined cloak, raised a carved staff etched with glowing runes.

"In the name of the Forgotten Cycle, we invoke the bound threads," the leader chanted solemnly.

The ground beneath the monolith cracked, spilling eerie, shimmering light into the sky. The runes on the ancient structure pulsed like a living heartbeat.

Su Wanning's breath hitched as she realized they were conducting a summoning ritual—one that seemed dangerously close to completion.

Before she could retreat, her foot dislodged a loose stone. The sharp clatter echoed across the ruins like a death knell.

"Who's there?!" one of the cloaked figures shouted, turning sharply.

Su Wanning cursed under her breath and sprinted for cover. Behind her, harsh commands rang out as the group scattered, hunting for the intruder.

Her heart pounded as she weaved through the ancient labyrinth, adrenaline surging through her veins. Just when she thought she had lost them, an unseen force slammed into her side, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she rolled to her feet, only to find herself face-to-face with the crimson-cloaked leader. His piercing gaze burned with dark intensity as if he could see straight through her soul.

"You dare trespass upon sacred grounds?" he hissed. "You cannot run from fate, child."

Su Wanning steadied her stance, raising her energy daggers. "I make my own fate."

Their weapons clashed, sending shockwaves through the air. Though skilled and fierce, Su Wanning was quickly overwhelmed by the leader's raw power. Desperation ignited something deep within her—an untapped strength born from sheer will.

Channeling every ounce of her energy, she unleashed a blinding pulse, forcing the leader back just long enough for her to escape.

Panting, she stumbled through the darkened ruins, her mind racing. The ritual... the summoning... the ties to destiny—all of it pointed toward something far greater than she could comprehend.

She could only hope Shen Yuchen was still alive... and that somehow, their fates were still intertwined.

Back in the Hall of Fate—

Shen Yuchen stood in the center of the vast, echoing chamber, surrounded by towering pillars inscribed with glowing, shifting symbols. The atmosphere was heavy with ancient power, and faint voices whispered from the shadows.

At the far end of the hall stood a colossal stone throne carved with intricate patterns of destiny's cycle. Seated upon it was a familiar figure clad in radiant white—Lin Xinyi.

Her eyes glimmered with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "You've come... just as fate decreed."

Shen Yuchen's jaw clenched. "If fate is so absolute, why give me a choice?"

Lin Xinyi slowly rose from the throne, descending the steps toward him. "Because destiny is not a straight path. It bends and twists... and sometimes, those caught in its threads can reshape it—if they have the will to try."

Shen Yuchen met her gaze, defiance burning within him. "Then I'll break those threads... even if it destroys me."

The Hall of Fate trembled as the runes glowed brighter, and the whispers intensified into a deafening roar.

Lin Xinyi's expression softened. "Then your trial begins... now."

The world shattered into blinding light, consuming them both.