In the great Tianchao kingdom, there existed many cities and towns. However, our story begins far, far away from these urban sprawls. In Bishui River Village.1

‘It has been 1824 days since I was reincarnated in this world,’ Yang Xuan monologued, “I have learned much about this world. In this world, the Strong2 reign supreme! The weak are akin to dogshit the strong step on while out taking a walk!”

Yang Xuan had been reincarnated here with his memories of Earth almost 5 years ago. His soul had transferred into the body of a child. His parents had died soon after his birth, so he lived in their small house alone, with the village elders caring for him. Because he was a grown man in the body of a child, he had gained a reputation in Bushi River Village as a prodigy. Thus, the village elders had called in on an old favor to some cultivators; his cultivation potential was to be tested today.

‘I am confident that I am a genius, but should I allow those cultivators to test me? The wise conceal their abilities, while fools put them on display3! I must hide my power, but I need to learn how to cultivate.’

Yang Xuan continued contemplating this great problem, and ultimately concluded that taking a risk was necessary here. He waited in his tiny house - training his body to pass the time - and eventually a knock came. The cultivators were here.

Yang Xuan opened the door and bowed, “Greetings, Elder Li. Have they arrived?” The elder slightly lowered his head back at him - Yang Xuan was the village’s golden goose, after all - and replied, “Yes. Come, now.”

Yang Xuan obliged. He followed Elder Li to the village center, where some villagers had set up some shops. However, right now it was so empty it seemed deserted.

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‘All the villagers have hidden, it seems,’ thought Yang Xuan. This was going to be his first encounter with a cultivator, or so he thought. In reality, this was not even close to the first time.

In this central hub of activity - if you could call what happens in the village ‘activity’ - there was a large space in the middle for events. A group of people stood in this space. Though, to call them ‘people’ would be to underplay their achievements. They had ascended their humanity, had become something more, They had defied the Heavens.

There were two men, one woman, and one young girl, about ten years older than Yang Xuan. Looking at them, Yang Xuan felt awe. It was involuntary; he could not help it. They stood above him in the food chain. ‘Not for long,’ he thought.

Yang Xuan looked at the young girl. She seemed different from the others in some way, besides her age. Her skin looked as if it had been sculpted from jade. Where the others seemed like merely improved humans, she almost seemed like a different species altogether.

She had a beauty so extraordinary it defied belief. This was outside the realm of “a beautiful human.” This was something much greater.

A human could not be so perfect. The Heavens would never allow it. But they were cultivators - they made a living in defying the Heavens. Yang Xuan bowed, “This one greets the mighty cultivators.” Yang Xuan knew. Simply by being in a cultivator’s vicinity, your life stopped belonging to you. It belonged to said cultivator’s whims, to play with and end as they pleased. He had learned as much in his time here.

One of the men gestured for him to stop bowing, “Stand straight. Elder Zu might be an old friend of mine, but I am in a hurry. Come, quickly.”

Yang Xuan obeyed immediately. He walked over to the group and stopped in front of the man. “I am tired. You assess this child, Liu,” The man commanded. It seemed there was a hierarchy here. The other man - Liu - placed his hand on Yang Xuan’s head. Immediately, Yang Xuan started feeling strange. It was like a storm was raging inside of him. Peculiarly, he felt detached from it. Almost as if it was in another dimension.

“This… Child, speak your name,” Liu ordered. “My name is Yang Xuan!” Yang Xuan answered. ‘He must’ve discovered my overflowing talent,’ he thought.

“Yang Xuan, you are extraordinary! You completely lack potential! It is utterly impossible for you to ever cultivate!” Liu declared.

“Huh?” Yang Xuan spurted blood!