The Peaceful Woods was a forest located in the southern part of Red Flower City. The rumor says that there was a lake in the deepest part of that forest. This lake helped most of the common people without any cultivation to enter to the early-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering, allowing them to become a cultivator.

In the deepest part of the forest, Ye Xue was carefully looking for the rumored lake. Hearing such rumor after arriving at Red Flower City, he hurriedly directed towards the Peaceful Woods the next morning.

Ye Xue was a simple commoner. Both of his parents were simple villagers from a remote village without any special talent for cultivation. They were poor and could not afford Ye Xue to waste money in studying cultivation techniques. The chance for him to become a good cultivator was low but even so, he did not give up and has always dreamed to leave the village one day once he gets the opportunity, to achieve his dream, becoming a cultivator.

The death of his parents a month ago, gave him the opportunity to leave the village, increasing his desire to become one even further. Now that he could achieve his dream, Ye Xue intended to take this opportunity by any means possible, even if it was not on his own capability.

After walking in the depth of the forest for more than three hours, Ye Xue finally found the rumored lake. The blue water as clear as sapphire and the golden sands shining within it as if they were stars in the night sky confirmed him that it was truly the rumored lake that he heard back in the inn of Red Flower City.

“Let’s get started!” Ye Xue said excitedly.

He hurriedly took off his clothes and started to bathe in the lake. Although Ye Xue never felt the qi within his body since his birth, nevertheless, he was still able to feel a relaxing energy entering within him. He guessed that it was probably the qi within the lake which started to enter his body.

“I can finally...finally become a cultivator!” Ye Xue affirmed high-spirited.

Ye Xue was normally someone who was quite prudent, but since he was about to realize one of his wildest dreams, he failed to notice that a huge and terrifying monster was heading towards him beneath his feet.

Only when the giant aquatic snake leaped from the water, did he finally realized that he was in a terrible life-or-death situation. But it was already too late for him, the giant aquatic snake already opened his wide mouth, charging towards him.

With a *Gulp* the giant aquatic snake swallowed Ye Xue, before returning from where he came from, the depths of the lake.

♦

In his unconscious state, Ye Xue was slowly descending into the stomach of the giant aquatic snake. The stomach of the giant aquatic snake was extremely strong, if one was to fall into the gastric acid of his stomach, one’s body will end decomposing in a rapid state while still being alive, dying in less than 10 seconds.

Either it was due to fate or being extremely lucky, the moment Ye Xue was about to enter in contact with the gastric acid, becoming the food of the giant aquatic snake, his body entered in contact with a small black stone floating upon it. The moment the small black stone entered in contact with him, a massive qi energy leaked from the stone. The energy was too tremendous for the giant aquatic snake's stomach, upon entering into contact with the giant aquatic snake's skin, the massive qi exploded, killing the giant aquatic snake on the spot. The lake which was normally calm suddenly became agitated by such occurrence.

This black stone was made from enchanted obsidian, one of the most solid and strongest stones in the world. Fused with Ye Xue's body, the massive qi did not threaten him. The small black stone was, in reality, an ancient artifact made by a celestial scholar before giving it to his descendant. The reason why was such a mythical artifact was there is unknown, but it did not change that the artifact has chosen Ye Xue as his owner, saving his life when he was on the verge of dying.

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Woking up from his unconscious state, Ye Xue stood up and noticed that he was back to the surface, not far away from his clothes. Confused, he tried to recall what exactly happened but before he could, he suddenly had a huge headache, directly collapsing him on the spot.

Several hours have passed since Ye Xue collapsed. The sun was already starting to set the moment he wakes up. But after waking up, he immediately understood that the small black stone within the giant aquatic snake’s stomach, not only saved him but also fused with his body as well.

That small black stone was an ancient artifact of one of his ancestor, Ye Zheng. It was probably the reason why the small black stone fused with his body. Not only his ancestor was a celestial scholar living in the Heavenly Realm, he was the direct disciple of the celestial emperor’s tutor as well. He was someone who was out from the reach of even the strongest cultivator in this world, not even to mention himself who was a mere mortal without any cultivation.

‘At least, until now.’ Ye Xue smiled wryly. Thanks to the ancient artifact, not only did he finally entered to the early-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering, allowing him to become a cultivator, he also gained the massive amount pieces of knowledge Ye Zhen had when he was still alive. That small black stone was truly a blessing to him.

“I should head back before the night comes. Yuan Xiang must be worried about me...”

After reorganizing his thought, Ye Xue looked at the sky and decided to head back to Red Flower City.

During the day, the beasts in the Peaceful Woods were weak. Even a simple villager with a little bit of fighting experience could beat them, they were small beasts such as frenzied squirrels, horned-rabbits, or wolves. But during the night, it was a completely different matter. Not even the cultivators who were at the late-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering could be spared, no need to mention those below them and mortals.

Dressing his clothes, Ye Xue hurriedly directed towards Red Flower City.

♦

During that time, several hours ago...

In front of the Warm Red Flower Inn, Yuan Xiang hurriedly entered the inn. When he saw Fan Meng leisurely eating on the counter, he walked towards him infuriated.

“Fan Meng! You...I heard that you make a bet with big brother Xue if he dared to go to the Peaceful Woods alone. Is that true?”

Yuan Xiang was Ye Xue’s childhood friend as well as his best friend, they shared the same feeling of brotherhood with each other. After that he learned about the bet between his big brother and Fan Meng, he directly went looking for Fan Meng to confirm the truth. 

“Humpf, so what? It can’t be helped if your big brother is a fool. He dared make such a losing bet. Thanks to him, I can eat my fill tonight, since there is no way such rumor is true.” Fan Meng coldly said.

Fan Meng was at the middle-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering. He entered the early-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering on his own and believe that hard work is the only key to become a cultivator. There was no way that someone who believes in such a bullshitting rumor could become a cultivator. He wanted Ye Xue to make a fool of himself after returning.

“Fan Meng… You… If ever something happens to big brother Xue, I, Yuan Xiang swear on my name that you will regret this!” With a cold glare, Yuan Xiang was about to leave the inn to search for his big brother, Ye Xue. But before he could, the inn’s entrance opened.

Turning his head, a young man approached them and excitedly said, "Yuan Xiang, I’m back. And guess what? I succeeded! I entered the early-stage of the Elementary Qi Gathering, I've finally become a cultivator!”

It was obviously Ye Xue who returned from the Peaceful Woods.

After examining his Ye Xue, when Yuan Xiang confirmed that he did not even a single scratch on him, he sighed in relief. Finally comprehending what Ye Xue just said, he stared blankly at him for a moment before showing a wide smile, saying, “Congratulation big brother Xue! I knew that you could do it!”

Hearing Yuan Xiang’s words, Fan Meng nearly spurted blood.

Yuan Xiang…You… How can you be so thick-skinned!