Heiter felt his consciousness dissipating. His life flashes before his eyes. From the moment he is born, to when a truck crashes onto him.

He doesn't have much regret in life. He thought, he had tried to live his life humbly and didn’t do too bad.

...

Suddenly he felt himself no longer confused or afloat. Instead, he feels tangible. As if his soul, finally has a body. He's quite confused and tried to move. He could. But it felt like he's trapped.

One day, he finds himself squeezed out. He even thought he is being born.

On this day, all the experts in the realm look at the heaven and earth phenomenon happening. Many took their chance to understand the Dao they are practicing.

A solar eclipse is forming. The birds circle the sky, as if welcoming a deity descending. Half of the land experience terrible rain and storm, but the other half of the land only has thunder while the sun still shines onto them.

An Elder who is secluding himself rushed out of the cave to observe.

"The heaven and earth resonated? The elements of the earth is active? And the chi..."

He can feel the chi in the air thickening significantly. He doesn't know what phenomena is happening but it is a blessing. He can feel he can breakthrough his bottleneck. He quickly meditated and finally going to step into the Nascent Soul stage. He thanked the heaven for this opportunity.

He can feel his core filled with rich Qi and breaking the limit. A tribulation of thunder welcomes him as he wants to break the shackle placed by heaven.

Thunder resounded all over the realm due to tribulations occurring all over.

Boom!

The thunder struck continuously. Surprisingly all cultivators who is breaking through manage to breakthrough safely. The Emperor of Dragon Empire is ecstatic at his success of breakthrough to Nascent Soul stage and survived the tribulation and he only receive light injury. And soon enough he receives the news of the Celestial phenomena from the scholars and reports from various elders and families.

It's as if the Heaven and Earth is celebrating something.

When the solar eclipse complete, Heiter finally is born.

The dim light outside still blinds him so he closed his eyes.

Slowly he finally able to open his eyes and sees the outside world. Both the sun and moon, the clouds and the birds returned to their original position, as if there’s nothing happened. Heiter didn’t notice anything amiss at all.

He sees himself surrounded by people and eventually an old woman picked him up and cleaned him.

The old woman shed a tear, not looking at Heiter but to someone behind him.

Heiter felt confused.

"My child...". A woman spoke weakly from behind him.  The old woman gives him to the weakly and sick woman.

Heiter looks at the pale and thin looking person.

This is mother...?

Sun Yun caress Heiter's cheek.

"I am sorry Shao Ai. Mother can't last long...".

Heiter felt startled. This person, who's supposed to be his new mother seems to lose her energy and is dying. She tenderly caressed his cheeks, and closed her eyes… forever.

Heiter still felt really sad and his baby body still cried out of sadness, knowing his new life starts like this.

The weather had cleared up and the chi concentration returned to normal. Shao Ai was then brought up in an orphanage. Mother Su who’s the one handling the orphanage diligently raise him, including others.

Mother Su also teach each of the children how to write and read.

When he is 3 years old, he can already speak surprising mother Su.

"Shao Ai, you are born with a smart head. I am sure you can be scholar!". But mother Su has her worry. She doesn’t have enough money to send him to school.

In this world there's 2 schools. One is concerned with mortal world. Another one is concerned with martial arts.

Mother Su didn't think about martial school for now because as someone who only has commoner lineages their roots are basically inferior unless by luck, heaven bestowed them with superior root.

Shao Ai grinned and feel proud when praised by Mother Su.

But a scholar huh...

Shao Ai did feel interested. He noticed the world is quite underdeveloped. For sickness they often rely on Chi filled spiritual herbs instead of normal ones because of their magical property. And food is especially underdeveloped. There’s not even sugar in this land, and it’s imported from the east but that’s consumed by nobilities.

The orphanage has some entertainment donated by people. Shao Ai read books slowly and mastered reading and writing.

Reading the epic journey of a commoner to become an immortal who controls law of heaven and earth, he feels ecstatic. It entails the journey of the Heaven Chosen who had repelled invasion of demons from the outer realm and saved the Azure realm.

He's not sure if it's a biography or some fiction. He figured this world is a cultivation world where some people even become immortal through cultivation. And this world this divided into 2 realms. The upper and lower realm. There’s also heaven realm, which is somewhat a secret. But those in lower realm definitely doesn’t know about it.

Shao Ai knows it's difficult to cultivate. Cultivation requires talent, resources and ultimately luck to get started and luck to grow to be strong even if you have talents and resources.

He doesn’t have high hopes for it, and he really is not interested in immortality and power so, he doesn’t really care. He just wants to live carefree.

When he is 6 years old, he is walking around town with mother Su who is shopping. But Shao Ai sees a familiar plant being sold in a market.

"Mother Su, is that sugarcane?".

"Hmm? I have never seen the plant sold here. It seems to be imported".

'Hello miss! I have rare product shipped from eastern land. This sugarcane is especially really sweet!'.

"It's expensive...". Mother sees the price tag.

Shao Ai felt sad. He had this idea because there's no sugar in their land yet. It's always imported from other land and is really expensive. So, he never gets to taste sugar. This sugarcane gives him idea.

"Since the boy seems eager to try, I will give you a discount. How about it? Only 6 yuan for this small cane".

'Hmm...'.

The shopkeeper make a very thin slice of the sugar cane.

“Here. Chew it first. It’s really sweet’.

Mother Su and Shao Ai took it and chew it. It’s really sweet!

Mother Su relent and gave 6 yuan to the shopkeeper. She wanted to give a treat to all the children.

"We will share with everyone okay?".

Mother Su pat his head.

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"Mother Su! I... I want to plant it...".

'Hmm? But... Can it grow?'.

"It should be able to grow still".

'Oh. It's that kind of plant'.

"Alright then...". Mother Su doesn't want to argue. Even if it doesn't grow, they can just take it back and eat it.

Shao Ai feels happy and holds the sugarcane in his hand.

He thought of growing many sugarcanes and cultivate lots of it in the future.

He returned to the orphanage and walk alone to small stream of water only tens of metres from the orphanage. This small river is very suitable to cultivate sugarcane.

He quickly digs up the ground and plant it.

He's not sure if this is right. But hopefully it is. Now he just needs to wait, he supposes.

After months, the sugarcane he had split in two does show sign of growing. But it's quite slow. It may take a year or so to mature for harvest.

Shao Ai still feel happy. He wonders what he should do in the future. Although, he can't be a cultivator, he maybe could still be successful as a scholar. He also wonders about medicine in this world, with acupuncture and all. He is quite interested.

As for cultivation, that’s his last interest. Cultivation world is cruel after all. If you are rude to some Elder, your body would turn to dust in the next second. If you are a genius and defeated a young master from a big sect, suddenly the whole sect is coming at you for revenge.

He doesn’t like it much. And what's the point of immortality and power? At the end of supreme power, one only ends in loneliness. Unless your whole family is immortal. But in cultivation world, everyone has limit on their talent. Most people can't breakthrough after cultivating to a certain level and never achieved immortality. So, to hope everyone to become immortal is a dream only.

So, most people that pursue immortality had to steel their heart to be lonely.

Shao Ai didn't understand it's true purpose unless you wanted revenge and need power for something.

But let say, just let say, some evil cultivator swoop in and launch some martial art technique and kill everyone in the orphanage... Maybe he would journey through the path of a cultivator for the sake of revenge. But... He prays that won’t happen. He just wants to live life peacefully.

...

"High river martial art school is welcoming talented student! It seems the headmaster has broken through nascent soul stage and wants to welcome talented student from the commoner background. Any of you want to test your talents?".

Mother Su had gathered all the children in the orphanage.

"I want to destroy enemy with Chi from my palm!". Wu Hai proudly exclaimed to mother su.

She twitched her eyebrows, looking at this 8 years old boy, Wu Hui.

Who is the enemy? He already has an enemy?

" I don't really want to be a martial artist but I am curious if I have talent".

Shao Ai spoke too.

'We commoners need luck from Heaven to have talent. Don't have your hopes too high. And even if you have talent, mother Su hopes you can decide for yourself if you want to be a cultivator. The life of a martial artist is harsh compared to normal people...'.

"Yes mother Su!". Wu Hui said in excitement.

Eventually everyone followed her to the martial artist school in town, 15 minutes of walking away.

Many people line up in front. An Elder simply walk and observe before shaking his head.

Then another line formed.

So, the elder simply looks, Shao Ai thought.

The queue moves quickly and in 6 minutes it's the children from orphanage turn. Even mother Su joined the queue.

The elder walk by and stops. He looks briefly at the cute boy with white and black hair, and heterochromia. But his root looks inferior like most commoners.

He points at Wu Hui.

"Come forward". Upon closer inspection, he is surprised to see a better superior root.

"You have a deep fire root. Very suitable to practice martial art in the path of flame and cultivation resource is also relatively easier to get… Are you interested in becoming a cultivator?".

Wu Hui felt really excited and screamed in excitation.

"Yes!".

Elder look at the lines full of children and look at mother Su.

"You are their caretaker?".

'Yes elder'. She bowed respectfully.

"I am taking him as a student of my martial art school. All expense will be covered. He will live in the dormitory for his learning environment".

'I am leaving Wu Hui to elder’s care...'.

The elder nods.

"Student Wu Hui. You will enroll in next month. Bring this scroll at that time".

Wu Hui is firm. He wants to walk the path of cultivator.

"Mother Su. I promise I will become a great martial artist and pay you back". Mother Su shed a tear. It's as if she’s letting go another child of hers soon.

"Make sure to learn and put in hard work in school later".

'Yes, mother Su!'.

The elder is about to return to his usual spot but felt something unusual for a split second. He looked at Shao Ai for 10 whole seconds, observing him closely. His appearance is really unique. Usually, physical uniqueness is a side effect of having unique constitutions.

But he can't see anything unusual, it's just a common inferior root. Maybe it's his imagination because his appearance is too unique so he returned to his spot and sees the next group of commoners.

Shao Ai felt a little sad that he didn't have any talent but doesn’t really mind after a while.

While they are walking back to the orphanage, a middle-aged man is observing everything. He carried an aura of mystery, as if he comes from a realm beyond.

"Oh heavens!". He muttered while looking Shao Ai. His breath becomes weak out of surprise.

'Yin and Yang body!? 5-elemental harmonic bones!?'. And what’s more, even a peak nascent soul would miss this heaven bestowed talent if they just looked and sees him at a glance. He looks like an ordinary human with inferior root because his constitution blends in with nature itself!

"Can't believe in this lower realm such a heavenly root can exist...".

He took interest and silently followed the children and mother Su to the orphanage.

"It might be fate to meet me...". The Heavenly Father, who had the seat in heaven to control rain and thunder had been living in the lower realm for thousands of years, pretending to be an ordinary person. He returned to the basic as he had reached the very peak in the heaven realm. He remembered the news few years ago, about heaven and earth celebrating something causing the whole realm chi concentration to increase for a while.

Is it him? His birth?

He suspects it heavily. To think a root even more superior to his is born.

He knocks on the door to the orphanage. Mother Su opened and sees a middle-aged man.

"Yes...?".

Heaven Father released a wisp of his aura.

Mother Su immediately kowtowed.

"Oh! Elder! What business do you have here...".

'Stand up. I am interested in one of your children'.

"Yes elder...".

Mother Su quickly gathered all of the children.

"You. Come here".

Shao Ai felt nervous and scared. He still walks forward and meet the middle-aged man.

“I will talk to him alone outside”.

Mother Su watched them talk far away from them. She felt anxious.

"You have talents that heaven used most of its luck to bestow on you. Are you willing to be my disciple and become a cultivator?".

Shao Ai didn't prepare for it and felt hesitant.

"I... I am not sure...".

Hmm. He doesn't seem to have enough motivation. Most people would have gladly said yes in an instant.

"Why do you think cultivators go through the path of cultivation?".

Shao Ai carefully thinks and form his words. He wants to reject him respectfully with his own honest reasons.

'I think, cultivators’ path is to improve one own strength and increase life span, and reach immortality”.

“Why do they want strength and eternal life?”.

“To gain power is to keep peace or have revenge... To live forever is to avoid death. And cultivating is to also reach enlightenment and find reasons and understand the very heaven and earth to fulfil their desire to understand the world".

Heavenly Father is really astonished. Aside from strength and immortality, this boy also adds a reason for knowledge. There's also another one reason, that is fate. But he is already satisfied with the answer.

'Are you not interested in power, immortality, or knowledge?'.

"I am satisfied even with a limited lifespan. And as for power, as long as my family and I am safe like now, I don't need power. As for knowledge, I am not curious nor wants to seek them. I just... I want to live an easy and peaceful life, that's all".

Heavenly father understands this reason.

Cultivation path is harsh. And there would be many enemies you could offend just by existing as a genius, unless they go under a great elder like himself that is. But he already made a decision.

For Shao Ai, his cultivation path is due to Fate because he met him, one of the Heavenly Father.

He sees mother Su and the other children seems anxious.

"True peace can only be brought by having ultimate power. Don't you want to guarantee peace?".

If some random cultivator went to kill them all there would be no peace. That logic doesn’t seem to be so logical in Shao Ai’s head though because if that happens, he would consider it as a natural disaster, like an earthquake or a typhoon.

'Its... Too heavy of a responsibility... Too heavy of a path... I am afraid I can't do it'.  Shao Ai spoke solemnly.

Heavenly Father nods is agreement. Only those who knows about the true harshness of cultivation path can be a great cultivator. And he found the right person.

"Your root and talent lie in way of yin and yang, heaven and earth pairing, and the elements that complement each other. Your martial paths are not meant for violence and killing, but harmony. It includes both lifesaving and killing paths".

Shao Ai is confused hearing the elder's words.

"I happened to have a very suitable cultivation method from ancient time that I compiled. I will pass it to you. But it's your decision if you want to cultivate them or not. The cultivation method focused on to be in harmony with heaven and earth. You have multiple paths... Whether it's alchemy, medicine, formations, way of the sword, and much more. I am giving you an opportunity to be my disciple".

‘Elder… I…’.

Heavenly Father sees his hesitation. He understands he can’t decide yet.

'I pass onto you this cultivation method for your own study for now. This is a talisman that contain a part of my power. Even those at my level would be injured. Use it in an emergency'.

Shao Ai felt burdened and confused. He didn't say yes? Is he shoving these onto him? For what reason?

The elder make some seal and formation and place it onto shao ai body.

Shao ai felt some warmth and it disappear. And a mark with the shape of a swirling water appears on his chest.

"This will hide your cultivation to most people in the lower realm. You don't have to worry. You can try to start cultivation to reach Chi Gathering stage".

'Elder...'. shao ai is not sure what to say.

“Elder is only giving you an opportunity. It's up to you, whether you want to take it or not. I am not forcing you to take the cultivation path. Elder hope you can make a decision for yourself... If you decide to become my disciple one day, you can call upon me with the talisman'. The elder turned around and leave mysteriously.

Shao Ai and others looks at the elder departing, waking calmly and disappears. Of course, he had to put up an act to appear mysterious.

Shao Ai look at the heavy book he received along with a jade talisman. He went to mother Su and explained everything.

Mother Su didn't say anything. The elder is very mysterious, even she had to kowtow feeling his immense aura and power. The opportunity that the child received must be immense.

Shao Ai went to the bed room to contemplates on this.

Mother Su ask everyone to give their brother some space. Because it's quite heavy for him.

Meanwhile, Shao Ai opened the book that he received. This is his beginning.