Chapter One: Struggle and Strange Encounter

  "Failed again... No matter how hard I try, the final result is still a sense of despair, as if I'm stuck in the nine heavens. What should I do? In ten days, it's the final sect test, and if I still can't enter the Concentration Mirror by then, I'll definitely die."

  At dusk, in a land of green hills and clear waters, a slender and delicate-looking youth with a refined face, appearing to be seventeen or eighteen years old, sat cross-legged on the grass, having just emerged from a state of meditation, his face filled with disappointment and discontent.

  It's not easy to travel through time once, coming to such a wonderful and infinite world full of miracles and high martial arts, why did I encounter such an unlucky thing!

  The boy's name is Xiao Chen.

  Three days ago, Xiao Chen was just an ordinary high school student on Earth, with average grades, average height and looks that were neither ugly nor handsome. He blended in so well that he could easily get lost in a crowd. After the college entrance exams, he went out with some close friends to relax and unwind, got drunk and didn't know where he ended up sleeping. However, when Xiao Chen woke up, he found himself inexplicably transported to a strange and unfamiliar world.

  It took Xiao Chen three whole days to understand and start adapting to his situation.

  He crossed over into a strange world that revered immortal martial arts, known as the Divine Demon Continent. Here, hundreds of tribes stood tall, martial arts flourished, and only the strong survived. The strong were respected, saints vied for hegemony, and immortals and demons coexisted.

  Those who truly possess the power of martial arts, have infinite might, can open up the sky and earth, overturn mountains and seas, in a single thought, traverse tens of thousands of miles, one sword can vanquish an army of millions, like gods and demons.

  Xiao Chen thought this was a good start.

  However, he soon discovered that after transmigrating, he unfortunately inherited a body that could not cultivate - attached to the body of a disciple named Xiao Chen who had just died in Yunjian Sword Sect and was almost useless. Coincidentally, this disciple's name was also Xiao Chen.

  The Xiao Chen of the past could be described with just one word ——

  Failure!

  He had been cultivating in the Icymoon Sword Sect for ten years, but he had almost no progress at all. With a weak personality, he was often bullied and became the sect's notorious waste material. After ten years of muddling along, he would soon face the sect's assessment test. If he couldn't pass the test, it would be a dead end for him.

  Because in the Ichirin Sword Sect, there is such a rule that if one becomes an official disciple of the Ichirin Sword Sect for ten years and still has not reached the Condensation Realm in the final test, the sect will send these disciples to feed the Soul Devouring Beasts as compensation for cultivating such trash disciples. This is the cruel manifestation of a world where strength is revered.

  Jing Shen Mirror is just an introductory practice in this world's cultivation system.

  The system of this world, whether it is magic or Taoism, is divided into nine major realms: Sensing, Refining Qi, Condensing Spirit, Spiritual Awakening, Merging with the Void, Leaping Fish, Virtual Mirror, True Mirror, and Shattered Mirror.

  Xiao Chen did not dare to indulge in the luxurious fantasy of the virtual mirror, the true mirror's powerful realm that could easily turn the world upside down. He only had the ability to refine his energy, concentrate his mind, shape the vortex, and become a qualified warrior.

  But fate was playing a trick on him, refusing to give him the opportunity to advance, he had been stuck in the Realm of Sensation for ten years already, and was regarded as the strongest abandoned son in history.

  "Am I supposed to just wait for death with my eyes open?"

  Xiao Chen looked up at the sky, with a strong sense of unwillingness in his heart. He felt that fate was simply playing a joke on him, allowing him to cross over and become a part of this magnificent world of immortal martial arts, yet making him a useless waste who couldn't even cultivate martial arts!

  "What's going on?! Good heavens, are you kidding me?!" Xiao Chen couldn't help but shout loudly.

  The sound spread far and wide, echoing between the mountains.

  Just at this time ——

  "Hey, isn't this Xiao Chen, the useless trash from our Yunjian Sword Sect who has been stuck at the 9th Heaven of Sensory for ten years?"

  A somewhat sarcastic and mysterious voice came from beside me.

  Xiao Chen turned his head and saw three people walking towards him from a distance.

  These three were all sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing the attire of registered disciples of Yunjian Sword Sect. The leader was a sturdy man with well-developed muscles and a face full of scars, exuding an aura that was difficult to conceal, named Zhang Jian. In Xiao Chen's merged memories, there was information about Zhang Jian, who was known for his tyrannical behavior, bullying the weak and relying on his strength to intimidate others. Many registered disciples of Yunjian Sword Sect who were weaker than him had suffered at his hands.

  Moreover, what's even more worth mentioning is that in the memories of the previous owner of Xiao Chen's body, his previous life was beaten to death by this sword. As for the reason, it was simply because the previous owner accidentally spat a mouthful of saliva onto his shoes and was beaten to death by Zhang Jian and a group of henchmen, which is why Xiao Chen had the opportunity to transmigrate.

  Of course, Zhang Jian and others did not know that the Xiao Chen they had known was already dead. They were completely unaware that this Xiao Chen was not the same as the one from before.

  At this moment, Xiao Chen saw Zhang Jian, a surge of anger from the soul, unstoppable in Xiao Chen's body - This is the last resentment of the previous owner of the body!

  "You little piece of trash, what's with the big mouth? A useless thing like you, barely clinging to life, losing face everywhere, no self-respect, no real power. If I were you, I'd have smashed my head against a tofu long ago. And yet you still dare to make noise here, disturbing my ears." Zhang Jian sneered at Xiao Chen with a condescending gaze.

  "It's all just a waste of the sect's food, they should have been thrown out to feed the Soul Devouring Beasts long ago!"

  "Haha, you're absolutely right, this guy is a complete waste of space, a piece of trash, a loser! He can't even cultivate his energy after ten years, I've never seen anyone so useless, just looking at him makes me sick."

  Two other young men from the Yunchuan Sword Sect, named Liu Ping and Xu Qiang, were also Zhang Jian's lackeys. At this moment, they surrounded Zhang Jian, who had a cruel and violent face, flattering him with fawning expressions, while ridiculing Xiao Chen with cold and merciless sarcasm.

  Facing the three young men's sarcastic and mocking gazes, Xiao Chen remained expressionless, not responding in any way.

  Because he understood a truth long ago, if a mad dog barks at you wildly, you can't bark back like him, because you are a dignified person, not a dog!

  "Huh? Zhang Shixiong, look at this kid's expression, he seems to be looking down on you?" Among the three of them, Liu Ping, with a pale face, had a sinister smile and intentionally stirred up trouble.

  "Huh? Is that so... You little piece of trash, daring to put on a profound face in front of me today?" Zhang Jian sized up Xiao Chen from head to toe, and Xiao Chen's calm expression suddenly made him feel inexplicably angry. He took a step forward, directly slapping Xiao Chen with his palm, "You little brat, just looking at your face makes me want to hit you! I won't be satisfied until I beat the crap out of you!"

  Bang!

  Xiao Chen spat out fresh blood and was pulled away at an angle.

  Zhang Jian's cultivation of the Qigong Mirror was a major realm higher than Xiao Chen's, and this palm was even more ruthless, containing true energy within. Xiao Chen was only at the ordinary level of perception, where could he hide? In an instant, he was beaten until his mouth spat out fresh blood, and half of his face swelled up high.

  "Ptoo!" Xiao Chen spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm, without making any unnecessary struggles. His eyes, however, were fixed intently on the three people in front of him, like sharp swords in the dark night.

  Such an expression was completely beyond Zhang Jian's expectations.

  Zhang Jian was taken aback, his anger burning even more fiercely. Looking at Xiao Chen's swollen face, he stepped on Xiao Chen's chest and sneered: "What? You're still not convinced? Get up and fight me if you dare! Do you know what it feels like to be a strong person? It's just one word - cool! That's exactly what I want! For some reason, slapping you has instantly improved my mood. Haha..."

  Xiao Chen clenched his teeth tightly and remained silent, but his fists were clenched even tighter.

  At present, I am far from Zhang Jian's strength. If I resist, there is only one dead end. Although Yunjian Sword Sect is a major sect, it does not care about the life and death of its outermost disciples like me. Now that it's dusk again, this place is even more deserted. Even if I'm beaten to death, the sect won't investigate my death.

  That's the cruel part of this cold world.

  "I know you're seething with hatred right now, but what's the point? It's not my fault that you're just too weak. A piece of trash like you is born to be beaten. Haha, I've got a great idea - from today on, I'll beat you up every day! Ha ha ha!" Zhang Jian turned his head and said to Xu Qiang and Liu Ping beside him, "Hey, you two listen up, if I ever forget to beat him one day, you must remind me."

  "Haha...... Don't worry, Elder Zhang, we will definitely remind you."

  "If Zhang Shixiong forgets to deduct his share, he can just make it up later with interest, haha! Four or five times the amount will do!"

  These two guys are shameless, gloating and saying.

  After finishing speaking, the three people humiliated Xiao Chen again, and only then did they leave with satisfaction.

  ……

  ……

  The night wind blows gently.

  The cliff edge was quiet once again.

  Xiao Chen slowly sat up, gently touching his swollen cheek, and a vengeful glint flashed in his eyes.

  Zhang Jian, you wait!

  A gentleman takes revenge, ten years is not too late. I am not your opponent now, so I'll tolerate it for the time being, but I will deeply remember this scene today, sooner or later, one day, I will make you pay back tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten thousandfold, and make you kneel in front of me to wail and beg for mercy, repenting for your actions.

  Night falls, stars fill the sky.

  A gentle breeze stirs, rustling the leaves and making a soft whooshing sound.

  The starlight was cold and deep, shining down on Xiao Chen's blood-stained face, making it look terrifying and miserable.

  Xiao Chen gazed up at the starry sky, and a strong desire he had never felt before surged up in his heart.

  Get stronger!

  No matter the cost, no matter how much suffering in the world, no matter how difficult it is, one must become stronger, a strong person who grasps their own destiny and dignity, and never again allow others to stand on their head and trample and bully them.

  Facing the starry sky, Xiao Chen made a wish.

  "Under the starry sky, witness my oath! I, Xiao Chen, make a vow here that from now on, no matter what price I have to pay, I will definitely become stronger and stand at the pinnacle of this world. With my fists and sword, all living things will tremble under my feet!"

  It seems as if everything is under the control of a higher power...

  The next moment, as if in response to Xiao Chen's wish, an unthinkable thing happened.

  Suddenly, in the midst of a pitch-black night sky, a dazzling red meteor appeared without warning, tearing through the darkness and leaving behind a long, crimson tail that streaked across the horizon towards Xiao Chen's direction, plummeting downwards at high speed.

  That red light was dazzling, even if it was just a flash, but wherever it passed, all the darkness retreated. Because of its brightness, all darkness could not block its way and could not cover up its light.

  A shooting star flashed across the sky, gone in an instant.

  "Am I... Has the starry sky responded to my vow?"

  Xiao Chen stared blankly at the scene, his heart extremely shocked, to the point where he forgot to dodge and was hit by the meteor that had reached an extreme speed. A wave of unprecedented heat surged into his body, and Xiao Chen didn't even have time to let out a cry of surprise before he fainted.

  ……

  ……

  "Hey! Wake up, Xiao Chen. How did you end up sleeping here?" Along with this melodious voice that sounded like a valley oriole's song, a slender and delicate white hand gently pushed against Xiao Chen's forehead, the movement very soft and gentle.

  "Huh?" Xiao Chen was awakened by that clear voice, and he opened his eyes with a dazed expression. He was somewhat disoriented, as the long sleep had made him slightly sluggish in reacting. However, when Xiao Chen saw the owner of this voice, he became completely awake in an instant.

  What kind of woman is this?

  Xiao Chen could only say that it was too beautiful, especially her eyes, which were too clear and too lively, just like the elegant snow lotus on the summit of the snowy mountain, as if a fairy had fallen to the mortal world.

  Shaking his head, Xiao Chen immediately sprang up from bed.

  The beautiful girl in front of me wore a pale yellow hakama, the uniform of the Ichi no Miya school, and her arms exposed outside her clothes were as white as snow. Her eyes seemed like a clear spring, and when she moved, she had an elegant and refined air about her that was irresistible.

  "Ling...Ling...Sister Ling, how did you get here?" Xiao Chen said in surprise.

  Xiao Chen knew this beautiful girl.

  Ten years ago, she and Xiao Chen entered the Izumo Sword Sect together, named Ling Shuiyan, who was also the object of Xiao Chen's secret crush back then. Even at this moment, perhaps the subconscious in his body had not completely dissipated, so when Xiao Chen saw this beautiful girl, he still couldn't help but feel a wave of infatuation.

  Once that Xiao Chen was infatuated and for the sake of helping Ling Shuiyan pick a spiritual herb, he rolled down a cliff and almost died.

  From that moment on, Xiao Chen opened Ling Shuiyan's innocent and simple heart with his life, it can be said that Xiao Chen occupies a very important position in Ling Shuiyan's heart.

  However, Xiao Chenxiu's talent was not up to par, and he remained in the nominal disciple area. On the other hand, Ling Shuiyan was a heavenly prodigy with exceptional talent, rising rapidly through the ranks, and is now a core disciple.

  According to the memories of his past life, Xiao Chen knew that Ling Shuiyan used to visit him frequently and even helped him practice his skills from time to time, wanting to break through his spiritual sense. However, he never succeeded. Zhang Jian had also been severely punished by Ling Shuiyan for bullying his previous incarnation, which was why he hated Xiao Chen and wanted revenge.

  However, since Ling Shuiyan became a core disciple, he has rarely come here, possibly because he is diligent in his cultivation or has too many things to do.

  So Xiao Chen was very surprised to see Ling Shuiyan, the proud and unattainable heavenly daughter who had been pampered by countless people, suddenly appear in this humble dwelling area of the named disciples.

  Looking at Xiao Chen's dazed expression, Ling Shuiyan said faintly, "I have something to attend to and need to go down the mountain. I'm just passing by here."

  "It was like that." Xiao Chen nodded, suddenly enlightened. Actually, he knew that this was Ling Shuiyan's excuse, and every time she came to see her previous body, she would say the same thing.

  He scratched the back of his head, and suddenly remembered what had happened last night. Ah, hadn't he been hit by a meteorite before? He was still alive, but it seemed like he hadn't suffered any injuries at all. As he looked around, he was shocked to find that there were no signs of the meteorite's impact on the ground, as if nothing had happened. Moreover, his face didn't feel swollen or painful at all, and everything seemed perfectly normal.

  Was I... just asleep for one night?

  Moreover, this sleep seemed to be very deep, resulting in some things that didn't come to mind at the moment of waking up.

  "Xiao Chen, junior brother, in ten days you will also be participating in this year's Outer Gate test, but..." Ling Shuiyan suddenly remembered something and stopped mid-sentence, because she could see that Xiao Chen's strength was still far too lacking.

  However, Xiao Chen did not notice all this.

  At this moment, Xiao Chen had not yet figured out what was going on when a voice suddenly appeared in his mind: "I need a Huafeng Dan."