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

Shen Yuchen and Lin Xinyi stood in front of the ancient altar, the atmosphere thick with silence and tension. The symbols on the altar glowed faintly, as if waiting for something monumental to unfold. Shen Yuchen's gaze moved between the symbols, his thoughts as tangled as the light streaming from them. His heart was heavy, caught between the uncertainty of the future and his growing trust in Lin Xinyi.

"Lin Xinyi…" Shen Yuchen spoke softly, his voice rough with emotion, "What does all of this mean? Why has fate pushed me into this abyss?"

Lin Xinyi sighed softly, her eyes reflecting a depth of sorrow. "You were chosen by fate, Yuchen," she said, her tone both gentle and resolute. "This path, whether you want to walk it or not, will be one you have to face."

"But I don't understand…" Shen Yuchen furrowed his brow, frustration creeping into his voice. "You make me go through all this danger, all this hardship, but you've never told me the truth. You always hide the truth, only to bring more suffering."

Lin Xinyi looked at him with a pained expression, but quickly masked it. "I never meant to make you suffer, Yuchen. But there are some things you are not yet ready to understand. If I were to tell you everything now, you might collapse under the weight of it."

"What do you mean by that?" Shen Yuchen's heartbeat quickened, and a mix of anger and helplessness filled his chest.

Lin Xinyi didn't answer immediately. Instead, she stepped closer to the altar, her fingers grazing the ancient symbols. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as if communicating with some invisible force.

"What you see now," she said softly, her voice low and filled with weight, "is the trial set by fate. Every person who has come this far has had to face a choice, a decision they cannot escape."

Shen Yuchen froze, the weight of her words settling over him like a storm cloud. His pulse quickened. "A choice? What choice do I have left?"

Lin Xinyi turned to him, her expression unreadable. "If you choose to step forward, you will face the truth, the whole truth. But the truth you seek may not be what you expect, or what you are ready to accept."

Shen Yuchen felt a chill run down his spine. He had always known that his journey had been guided by some invisible hand, but now, standing before this altar, the reality of it all was closing in on him.

"If I choose not to?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Fate does not leave you with choices," Lin Xinyi replied. "No matter what, you cannot escape this path."

The moment she finished speaking, the symbols on the altar blazed to life, and the air around them vibrated with an intense energy. The ground trembled, and Shen Yuchen could feel the pulse of power surging through the space, overwhelming him with a strange, powerful sensation.

"Step forward, Yuchen," Lin Xinyi said, her voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around them. "This is the moment where everything changes. Once you step onto this altar, there's no going back."

Shen Yuchen hesitated. His mind raced, the confusion and doubts overwhelming him. But despite his fear, a part of him knew he had no other choice. The faint memories, the voices calling to him, had led him here, and now, it seemed as though the final moment had arrived.

"I… I'm ready," he said finally, his voice filled with resolve.

Lin Xinyi's eyes softened, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever happens next, Yuchen, know that you are not alone."

Shen Yuchen nodded, his heart still heavy, but his mind set on the path ahead. He could feel the weight of his decision, but at the same time, a part of him felt lighter—freer, as if this moment had been inevitable all along.

He stepped forward, placing one foot onto the altar. The moment he did, the air around him seemed to shimmer, and the light from the altar flared blindingly. The world around him shifted, bending, as if reality itself was changing.

Suddenly, a powerful force surged through him, pulling him deeper into the altar's glow. His body felt weightless, as though he were floating between worlds. For a moment, there was nothing but blinding light and an overwhelming silence.

"Yuchen…" a voice whispered through the void, familiar yet distant. "It is time."

His mind snapped back to reality. The altar was gone, and he was standing in a vast, empty space. The ground beneath him was made of smooth, translucent material, and the air was thick with a strange, otherworldly energy. He couldn't tell if he was dreaming or if this was some sort of reality—a reality that had been waiting for him all along.

In the distance, he could see a figure standing alone. The silhouette was familiar, yet he couldn't place it. As he walked toward the figure, the air seemed to shift around him, as though the space itself was alive.

"Who are you?" Shen Yuchen called out, his voice echoing in the emptiness.

The figure slowly turned, revealing a face he had seen in his dreams, a face he knew intimately. It was his own face, yet different. This version of himself had eyes filled with ancient knowledge and sorrow, as if he had lived a thousand lives.

"You have come," the figure spoke, its voice deep and resonant, "but the truth is not as you imagined."

Shen Yuchen's heart raced. "What is this place? Why am I here?"

"This is the place where your destiny will be decided," the figure said. "You must decide who you will become. Will you follow the path set for you, or will you forge your own?"

Shen Yuchen's mind spun. The questions, the confusion, the weight of everything he had experienced, now felt like they were all leading to this one moment. He had to choose. But how could he possibly know what to choose?

"Is this my only option?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt.

The figure nodded. "The path is yours to choose. But remember, once you make your choice, there will be no turning back."

Shen Yuchen took a deep breath. The choice before him was as vast as the universe itself, and yet, despite the fear and uncertainty, he knew that this was the moment he had been preparing for all his life.

He stepped forward, his heart calm, his resolve firm.

"Then I choose," he whispered.

The figure nodded approvingly, and as Shen Yuchen moved forward, the ground beneath him glowed with an intense light. The world around him blurred, and his body was consumed by a force unlike anything he had ever felt. He was no longer just a person, but a part of something much larger, something that transcended time and space.

As the light enveloped him completely, Shen Yuchen understood: this was the beginning of something much greater than himself. And no matter what happened next, he was ready to face it.