"In the tenth year of Xuan Yuan, the stars misaligned, and during the night, stars fell like rain, destroying two houses and injuring one person." — Excerpt from "The Chronicles of Great Xia, Volume Thirteen"
In the Imperial Astronomical Bureau of the Great Xia Dynasty,
The Imperial Astronomer inscribed a matter-of-fact entry onto the bamboo scroll before proceeding with his other duties.
Though meteor showers were rare, they occurred every few years. Fortunately, most of the meteors that rained down on the city last night were intercepted by the court's protectors. Aside from a minor injury sustained by a less fortunate scion of a declining noble family, there were no serious consequences.
As the Imperial Astronomer, he needed only to record the celestial phenomena in the bamboo scroll. As for the unfortunate soul who narrowly escaped death by meteor, he did not even merit a mention in the annals of history.
In a residence across the street from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, several servants were carefully removing rubble and broken wood from the premises.
Last night, a meteor struck the estate, collapsing a house and injuring the young master, who remained unconscious.
At this moment, on a soft bed within the inner quarters of the mansion, a handsome young man stirred, his eyelashes fluttering.
Lin Xiu vaguely recalled that three days ago, he had made plans with a girl he met at a bar to watch the Perseid meteor shower together that evening.
When Lin Xiu was ready with steak, wine, candles, and about to adjust his telescope on the balcony, he suddenly saw a pinpoint of light through the lens.
The light grew larger and larger until it became a luminous ball with a long tail. The intense brightness blinded Lin Xiu, and then everything went black.
Thinking back, Lin Xiu slowly opened his eyes.
And then he saw a square face.
A man with a beard was looking down at him.
Seeing Lin Xiu's eyes open, the man exclaimed, "Young Master, you're awake!"
Eyeing the unfamiliar man, Lin Xiu was wary. "Who are you? Why are you in my home?"
Hearing this, the man was alarmed. "Young Master, don't you recognize me?"
A short while later.
A figure stumbled out of the residence onto the street, staring blankly at everything around him.
Passersby pointed and whispered.
"Isn't that Young Master Lin? I heard he was hit by a meteor last night?"
"He looks dazed, without shoes. Did the impact leave him senseless?"
The bystanders' comments reached Lin Xiu's ears, but he paid them no heed. His mind was a void as he stood there motionless, until he saw someone flying overhead, passing by him and disappearing into the distance.
"People can fly..."
Lin Xiu sighed in relief, a faint smile crossing his lips. He murmured, "It's just a dream..."
After a dizzy spell, Lin Xiu lost consciousness again.
How Lin Xiu wished that when he woke up, he would be lying in his own bed, next to the pretty girl he met at the bar. But when he opened his eyes once more, he saw the same square face.
The man exclaimed joyfully, "Young Master, you've woken up again!"
Lin Xiu gave a bitter smile. "Ha, still dreaming..."
The man grabbed Lin Xiu's shoulders and shook him vigorously. "Young Master, this isn't a dream. Wake up..."
The man's grip was strong, causing Lin Xiu's shoulders to ache.
Lin Xiu awoke, fully alert.
...
On the quaint streets, bustling with people, vendors' cries filled the air.
Sitting on the doorstep steps, Lin Xiu and the square-faced man rested their chins on their hands, watching pedestrians dressed in ancient attire pass by, their gazes unfocused.
The square-faced man beside him explained that this was the Great Xia Dynasty, and he was Lin Xiu, son of the Marquis of Tranquility. Last night, he had been knocked unconscious by a falling meteor.
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But in Lin Xiu's memory, he clearly came from 21st-century China. Last night, he planned to watch the meteor shower with a girl he had just met, and afterward, perhaps delve deeper into life's mysteries. Then, there was nothing after that.
He found himself in the Marquis of Tranquility's residence, transformed into Lin Xiu, son of the Marquis of Tranquility in the Great Xia Dynasty.
Lin Xiu vividly remembered that before losing consciousness, he saw an enlarged meteor through his telescope.
He seemed to have been struck by a meteor...
Lin Xiu didn't know what to say.
Aside from indulging in pleasures, he had no other flaws. He always donated generously to disaster-stricken areas and frequently participated in charity auctions. Even every month, he took his girlfriend to visit orphans at a children's welfare center—though each time, it was a different girlfriend.
Lin Xiu admitted that his love life was somewhat extravagant, but he could still be considered a good person.
Moreover, these relationships were consensual. Each romance ended amicably, and sometimes, his ex-girlfriends would introduce him to their friends...
It was unjust...
Half a day later, Lin Xiu sat on the steps, sighing deeply.
If he was going to be transported, so be it. At least he had a second chance at life, which was better than being killed by a meteor.
Being knocked unconscious by a meteor provided Lin Xiu with an excuse for amnesia, allowing him to ask the square-faced man various questions.
Through the square-faced man, Lin Xiu gained a preliminary understanding of the world he now inhabited.
This was a world vastly different from Earth. Besides humans, there were other races such as the Spirit Clan, Barbarian Clan, and Sea Clan, each with their own territories. It was uncommon to see them in human-populated areas.
There were five major dynasties among the human race on the continent, along with dozens of kingdoms. Lin Xiu resided in one of the five major dynasties of the human race, the Great Xia Dynasty.
The five major dynasties of the human race, relying on their formidable strength, established the rules of the continent. Within certain regions, they held absolute authority. The remaining dozens of kingdoms either formed alliances or served as vassals, somewhat similar to the geopolitical landscape of later eras.
Lin Xiu's father was a fallen noble of the Great Xia Dynasty. These past few days, he had accompanied his mother to her hometown and was not at home.
Although the Lin family was not prominent in the capital, they lived comfortably due to the blessings of their ancestors. Lin Xiu was the only son and heir of the Lin family.
What amazed Lin Xiu the most was that unlike Earth, this was a world with mystical powers.
People referred to these powers as "Abilities."
Each Ability possessed strange and powerful capabilities, such as controlling fire, summoning lightning, freezing ice, or even invisibility and flight—as Lin Xiu had witnessed earlier.
As an ordinary person, facing such supernatural powers, Lin Xiu couldn't help but feel envious.
In his heart, both Earth and this world had their advantages and disadvantages.
In 21st-century Earth, there was the internet, television, and countless forms of entertainment. If Lin Xiu were to be transported to ancient China, he would definitely be unwilling.
But in this world, although lacking such entertainment, it possessed Abilities. Spewing fire, spitting water, creating ice, and becoming invisible—if he could learn all of these, wouldn't he be even cooler than the Calabash Brothers? After all, which boy hasn't dreamed of having superpowers in his childhood?
Unfortunately, Abilities were not something anyone could cultivate. This power was innate and could not be acquired or changed later in life.
Furthermore, each person could awaken only one Ability. Lin Xiu's dream of becoming a super-powered hero was shattered.
Lin Xiu, son of the Marquis of Tranquility, was merely an ordinary person. Having reached eighteen, he had not awakened any Abilities. Generally speaking, the likelihood of awakening an Ability after adulthood was slim, and even if one did, there would be little prospect for success.
Having been transported, yet remaining an ordinary person—it seemed that Earth was still more entertaining.
Just as Lin Xiu felt regretful, the square-faced man beside him patted his buttocks and stood up, saying to Lin Xiu, "Young Master, let's go back inside. It's cold on the ground..."
In this world, those possessing Abilities were not abundant, but they were not uncommon. The square-faced man in front of Lin Xiu was an Ability Awakener, or an Ability Master.
His awakened Ability was "Strength." It was said that cultivating this Ability to its peak allowed one to move mountains and fill seas, shattering a mountain peak with a single punch.
Of course, awakening an Ability was merely the beginning of the journey. How far one could advance in cultivating an Ability depended on individual talent and effort.
The square-faced man before Lin Xiu, his personal guard, possessed ten times or even dozens of times the strength of an ordinary person. However, he was still far from moving mountains and filling seas.
Nonetheless, it was enough to make Lin Xiu envious for a while.
He wanted to stand up from the steps, but because he had been sitting for too long, his legs were numb. Just as he rose halfway, he lost balance and fell backward.
The square-faced man hurriedly stepped forward to support him.
Lin Xiu intended to steady himself with the man's assistance, but his movement suddenly froze.
The square-faced man asked in confusion, "Young Master, what's wrong?"
After a moment of hesitation, Lin Xiu snapped back to reality, his gaze turning to the square-faced man. Urgently, he said, "Give me your hand."
The square-faced man looked at Lin Xiu, hesitated for a moment, and then obediently extended his hand.
His hand was much wider and thicker than an ordinary person's, giving off a sense of immense strength. Lin Xiu clasped his hand, his heart stirring, and asked, "Do you feel anything?"
The square-faced man was taken aback, his face suddenly turning pale. He trembled, saying, "Young Master, you're a man, and I'm also a man. How could I possibly have feelings for you? I... I like women..."
He tried to pull his hand away, but Lin Xiu held it tightly.
Lin Xiu was his Young Master, and the square-faced man's body trembled, not daring to struggle anymore.
Fortunately, Lin Xiu only held his hand and did not make any further moves. The square-faced man gradually relaxed.
Fifteen minutes later.
Lin Xiu released a breath, slowly letting go of the square-faced man's hand.
In the next instant, the square-faced man dashed out of the residence, disappearing without a trace.
Lin Xiu ignored him, picking up half a piece of blue brick from the corner of the courtyard. With a slight exertion of force, the hard brick crumbled like a cookie, a corner breaking off under his grip...