One of the houses in Jiandan Village has three individuals eating their lunch. From the window, you can see one of them engaged in conversation with their tablemate, while another remains quiet, focused on their meal.

"Based on what Sister Xiao Yun mentioned earlier, that's when you'll start cultivating once you achieve the early stage of Qi condensation, because at that stage, you'll choose what kind of cultivator you want to be."

"From the types of cultivators I've heard about, there are only two that caught my interest. One is the body refiner, who focuses on refining their physical body to make it incredibly strong and durable. They might practice body tempering techniques and use special exercises to enhance their strength, speed, and endurance."

"The second one is the sword cultivator, someone who practices and specializes in the art of swordsmanship. They dedicate themselves to mastering various sword techniques, harnessing spiritual energy, and advancing through levels of cultivation to become powerful warriors with extraordinary skills in wielding a sword."

"If I awaken my bloodline and acquire the Sharingan, these two would be more beneficial for me compared to the others mentioned, because:

Enhanced Perception: The Sharingan improves the user's overall perception, enabling them to see and react to movements at a much faster rate than normal. This heightened perception is not limited to visual stimuli alone; it also includes the ability to discern subtle changes in an opponent's chakra.

Predicting Movement: The Sharingan allows the user to predict an opponent's movements by observing their body language and chakra flow. This predictive ability makes it easier for the user to evade attacks and counter them effectively."

"And most of the body refiners or body cultivators that I've read about in xianxia novels tend to be somewhat extroverted because they want to show that they are strong. They always want to be the center of attention and have hot-headed personalities, so the main characters often find themselves in trouble. I haven't come across a body cultivator whose personality is introverted."

"For me, if you were an introvert in your past life and transitioned to being extroverted, that would be challenging."

"The same goes for sword cultivators whose personalities are introverted; they prefer to be alone and serious, which you can see in their faces. Swordsmen are also recognized for their ability to control their emotions. I also don't recall any swordsmen with an extroverted personality, and if there are any, they are not true swordsmen because the first xianxia novel I read featured an introverted main character who was a swordsman."

"When it comes to power output, the sword cultivator is known for having the highest offensive capabilities but is weak in terms of defense. On the other hand, the body cultivator is renowned for having the highest defensive stats and is slightly weaker than the sword cultivator when it comes to offense."

"Nevertheless, being a swordsman, even if their defense is weak, they have heightened intuition and sharp perception, just like body refiners who can withstand strong damage with the assistance of their physical body or body art technique."

"Overall, it still depends on the user whether they will excel in their chosen cultivation path."

While he was lost in his thoughts and comparisons, he suddenly snapped back to reality upon hearing Li Lu's voice.

"Madara, are you okay? I've been watching you for a while now," she asked.

"Ah, sorry, Li Lu. I was just thinking. And Mrs. Li, thank you for the meal you prepared," he replied, holding an empty plate.

"That's nothing Madara, and you are the first one Li Lu invited to our house, so I hope you visit often because I think my daughter will always be delighted," Li Mei said while looking at her daughter.

"Mom, please," Li Lu replied, her face slightly blushing as if trying to hide the flush on her cheeks.

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"Alright, Li Lu, Mrs. Li, I'll go ahead. Thank you for the invitation."

"He was about to stand up when he heard a voice from behind.

"I'll accompany you to the door, Madara," Li Lu offered, and he immediately responded.

As they approached, he was about to reach for the door handle when he felt a tug on his clothes, causing him to turn around.

"I know you were just forced to come here because I brought you here without telling you, so I'm sorry," she said while bowing her head.

Upon hearing this, he smiled slightly and gently placed his right hand on Li Lu's head.

"I'm not angry about what you did. Instead, I was surprised because it's the first time I've been invited like this, so don't be sad, okay?" he replied, still patting Li Lu's head.

Upon hearing this, she slowly raised her head and let go of his clothes.

"Thank you," she said while smiling at him.

"I'll go ahead; Sister Yun might be looking for me," he remarked to Li Lu as he headed towards the door.

He hadn't gone far when he heard a noise from Li Lu's house, causing him to turn. Not far away, a little girl could be seen waving outside their house.

"Take care, Madara! See you again tomorrow!" she shouted to him, and upon hearing it, he smiled slightly once more.

A moment later, he continued walking and glanced to his left, as the sun was slowly setting, signaling that it was already evening. He quickened his pace, and after a few minutes, he reached his home, which is a simple two-story thatched-roof house. He entered quickly, and the first sight that greeted him was his older sister preparing dinner.

"Oh, how was your stroll?" Xiao Yun asked him while cooking.

"I had lunch at Li Lu's house," Madara replied as he headed towards the dining area.

"Alright, get ready, and let's eat," she said.

After a few minutes, they were eating when Madara asked her, "Sister, I only recently heard about your father because you haven't told me. May I know what happened to him and your family as well?" He asked politely.

When Xiao Yun heard this, she paused in her eating and responded, "My father was a guard in an empire, and its name is the Yun Empire (Cloud Empire). He died in battle against beast monsters to protect the citizens within the Yun Empire."

"His cultivation stage was at the late stage of the Foundation Realm, and his sword intent was at the late stage of Intermediate Sword Intent." She briefly paused, took a deep breath, and continued her story.

"My mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me, and I grew up here in Jiandan Village."

As she narrated this to him, sorrow was evident on her face, and he noticed it. After she finished telling the story, he immediately spoke.

"I'm sorry, sister, if you shared that with me. You never used to tell me about what happened to your parents and why you chose to stay here in Jiandan Village."

Upon hearing that, She immediately held his hands.

"Nevertheless, I am grateful to have someone like you, Madara."

She said it with a smile, and upon hearing that, he quickly responded.

"Don't worry, sister. When I become stronger, I'll be the one to protect and take care of you." he assured her.

Upon hearing this, she smiled and invited him to continue their meal. Afterward, she informed him to go to sleep early as it marked the beginning of his cultivation journey, so he went straight to his room.

While lying down, he stared blankly at the ceiling of his room and whispered,

"I've been in this world for 7 years, and I still don't know the name of this world, where Jiandan Village is on the map, or that empire Sister Xiao Yun mentioned. Where could they be?"

"I have so many questions, but at least the first thing I focused on was writing, reading, and mastering the language they use, rather than where I am right now or what's happening outside our village. Nonetheless, what's important is appreciating each day with your loved ones."

As he pondered that, he felt drowsy, and eventually, he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, he felt the light on his face, causing him to wake up. It was the sunlight coming through his window, so he quickly got up and took a bath. Afterward, he put on a loose-fitting ankle-length black robe (a simple black hanfu without design) with black hanfu shoes; he preferred to wear all black.

He quickly went downstairs and greeted his sister, Xiao Yun, who was preparing breakfast.

"Wow, you look handsome in that outfit, Madara," his sister complimented.

"No, I'm not handsome,' he insisted."

"Alright, if you say so, hahaha. Anyway, let's eat so we can go."

They quickly had breakfast, and after finishing, they went out to head to the place where a child of his age would undergo body cleansing techniques. After a short walk, they found the location, right in the middle of their village.

Many children can be seen arriving every passing minute. As he observes them, a sudden tap on his shoulder makes him turn around.

"Hello Madara hehehe, good morning," says Li Lu with a smile. He responds with a nod.

Behind Li Lu is her mother, Li Mei, engaged in a conversation with his sister. After a few minutes, everyone stops talking as an elderly man with a cane, referred to as Oldman Chief Bai Yun, approaches them. He orders every child aged 7–10 years old to line up properly, resulting in eight rows and eight columns.

Madara is standing next to Li Lu in the fifth column of the third row. When they are all in their designated positions, Oldman Chief Bai Yun instructs them to sit cross-legged.

As soon as he says this, they all comply.

"This is the beginning," he mutters to himself while sitting cross-legged.