Er Lengzi lay on his back, staring wide-eyed at the blackened thatched and mud-plastered ceiling of the hut. The old quilt covering him had long turned a deep yellow, its original color indistinguishable, and it emitted a faint, musty odor.

Next to him, his second brother, Han Zhu, slept soundly, snoring rhythmically, with his snores varying in intensity.

About half a zhang (roughly 1.6 meters) away from their bed stood a wall made of yellow mud. Time had left its mark on the wall, as several fine cracks snaked across its surface. Through these cracks, faint murmurs of their mother's complaints could be heard, occasionally mixed with the distinct sound of their father puffing on his dry tobacco pipe: pa-tap, pa-tap.

Er Lengzi slowly closed his slightly dry and tired eyes, forcing himself to drift off to sleep. He knew all too well that if he didn't sleep soon, he wouldn't be able to wake up early the next day. And if that happened, he wouldn't be able to join his companions in the mountains to gather firewood.

Er Lengzi's real name was Han Li. His parents, however, couldn't have come up with such a proper name on their own. It was given to him by Uncle Zhang, an elderly man from the village, in exchange for two cornbread buns.

Uncle Zhang had once served as a companion reader for a wealthy family in the city during his younger days. He was the only literate person in the village, and thus, half of the children in the village had their names bestowed by him.

Although Han Li was commonly called "Er Lengzi" by everyone in the village, he was neither foolish nor slow. In fact, he was one of the smartest children in the village. However, aside from his family, hardly anyone called him by his proper name, "Han Li." Instead, the nickname "Er Lengzi" stuck with him to this day.

The nickname "Er Lengzi" came about simply because there was already another child in the village called "Lengzi."

This didn't bother him much. After all, the other kids in the village were called names like "Doggie" or "Eggy," which weren't much better than "Er Lengzi."

Thus, while Han Li didn't particularly like this nickname, he consoled himself and accepted it.

Han Li had a plain appearance, with tanned skin that made him look like an ordinary peasant child. However, his inner thoughts were far more mature than his peers. He longed for the wealth and splendor of the world beyond the village and dreamed of leaving this small place one day to see the vast world Uncle Zhang often talked about.

Han Li had never shared this ambition with anyone. Otherwise, the villagers would surely have been astonished: how could a mere child still wet behind the ears harbor such a bold idea? After all, other children his age were content with chasing chickens and playing pranks around the village. The thought of leaving their birthplace never even crossed their minds.

Han Li's family consisted of seven members: his parents, two elder brothers, an elder sister, and a younger sister. Han Li ranked fourth among the siblings. He had just turned ten years old this year. The family lived a harsh life, barely scraping by, and could only afford a few meat dishes throughout the entire year. They teetered on the edge of subsistence.

At this moment, Han Li was in a half-asleep, half-awake state. A lingering thought remained in his mind: when he went up the mountain tomorrow, he must gather more of the red berries his beloved little sister loved to eat.

By midday the next day, Han Li was trudging home under the scorching sun. On his back, he carried a bundle of firewood as tall as himself, and in his arms, a cloth bag filled to the brim with berries. He had no idea that a visitor had arrived at his home—someone who would change the course of his life forever.

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This important guest was none other than his third uncle, a close relative by blood.

It was said that this third uncle worked as the head manager at a tavern in a nearby town, someone his parents often praised as a "great man." In the last hundred years, the Han family might only have had this one relative of such standing.

Han Li had only met his third uncle a few times when he was very young. It was this uncle who had found his eldest brother a job as an apprentice to a blacksmith in town. The uncle frequently sent food and other necessities back to the family, taking good care of them. For this reason, Han Li had a good impression of his third uncle and knew that, though his parents seldom voiced it, they were deeply grateful to him.

The eldest brother was the pride of the family. Being an apprentice blacksmith not only provided food and lodging, but also earned him thirty copper coins a month. Once he completed his apprenticeship, he would earn even more as a full-fledged craftsman.

Whenever Han Li's parents talked about his eldest brother, their faces lit up with pride, as if they were entirely different people. Though still young, Han Li felt a deep envy. He had already set his sights on what he considered the best future for himself: being noticed by a skilled craftsman in the town, taken in as an apprentice, and becoming a respectable person who earned his living through his craft.

So when Han Li saw his third uncle—dressed in fine satin clothes, his round face adorned with a small mustache—he was thrilled.

After placing the firewood behind the house, Han Li shyly went to the front room, greeted his uncle with a polite bow, and obediently said, "Hello, Third Uncle." Then, he stood quietly to the side, listening to his parents chat with their guest.

His third uncle smiled as he looked Han Li up and down, complimenting him with words like "well-behaved" and "sensible." Then he turned to Han Li's parents and began discussing the purpose of his visit.

Although Han Li was too young to fully grasp everything his uncle said, he understood the gist.

It turned out that the tavern where his third uncle worked belonged to a martial sect called the "Seven Mysteries Sect." This sect had both inner and outer disciples. Recently, his uncle had officially become an outer disciple of the sect and was now eligible to recommend children aged seven to twelve for the sect's inner disciple recruitment test.

The Seven Mysteries Sect held this recruitment test every five years, and the next one was scheduled for the following month. Without children of his own, the sharp-minded third uncle naturally thought of Han Li, who was of the right age.

Han Li's father, who had always been an honest and simple man, was hesitant when he heard unfamiliar terms like "martial sect" and "inner disciple." Picking up his dry tobacco pipe, he took a few hard puffs, sat silently, and pondered.

In his third uncle's description, the Seven Mysteries Sect was a renowned and prestigious martial sect within several hundred miles. Becoming an inner disciple would provide not only free martial arts training but also food and lodging. Additionally, each disciple would receive over one tael of silver as a monthly allowance. Even if a child failed the test, they could still have the chance to become an outer member, managing the sect's business like his third uncle.

Upon hearing that there was a possibility of earning a monthly income of one tael of silver and becoming a respectable figure like his third uncle, Han Li's father finally made up his mind and agreed.

His third uncle was delighted to see Han Li's father agree. He left a few taels of silver behind, instructing the family to feed Han Li well over the next month so he could be in good condition for the test. After giving Han Li's head an affectionate pat, he bid the family farewell and returned to town.

Although Han Li didn't fully understand all the details of what his uncle had said, he grasped one thing clearly: going to the city meant the chance to make good money.

The possibility of realizing his long-held dream filled Han Li with excitement, and he was so thrilled he couldn't sleep for several nights.

A little over a month later, his third uncle returned to the village as promised to take Han Li away. Before leaving, Han Li's father repeatedly advised him to be honest, patient, and avoid conflicts with others. His mother, on the other hand, urged him to take care of his health, eat well, and rest properly.

Sitting on the cart, watching his parents' figures gradually fade into the distance, Han Li bit his lip, determined not to let the tears welling up in his eyes fall.

Though Han Li was more mature than most children his age, he was still only ten years old. Leaving home for the first time filled his young heart with a mix of sadness and apprehension. Deep down, he made a quiet vow: once he earned enough money, he would return immediately and never part from his parents again.

Little did Han Li know that after this departure, the amount of money he earned would no longer matter. He was about to embark on a path far removed from that of ordinary people—a path of immortality that would lead him to a life of cultivation and beyond.