Chapter 1: The Dragon Falls to Earth, the Killer is You

[In the first year of Kaiyuan, your father Jiang Yuan established the kingdom, named Jing, and you, born in the same year, were appointed as the crown prince. Unfortunately, you were kidnapped by villains, but fortunately, a wise man saved you, allowing you to escape the danger. You received a survival reward—the cultivation technique "Dao Fa Zi Ran Gong."]

[In the second year of Kaiyuan, the wise man, Qingxu Daozhang, brought you to Longqi Temple. You encountered your senior brother practicing martial arts and nearly died, but were saved by your second senior brother, allowing you to escape the danger. You received a survival reward—the martial art "Shen Ying Tui."]

[In the fourth year of Kaiyuan, an earthquake struck the capital, causing Longqi Temple to collapse. You nearly died from being crushed by a beam, but were saved by your senior brother, allowing you to escape the danger. You received a survival reward—the martial art "Jiu Xun Tianlong Bu."]

[In the fifth year of Kaiyuan, a severe cold swept through the capital, causing an influenza outbreak. You unfortunately fell ill but were cured by your third senior sister, allowing you to escape the danger. You received a survival reward—the miscellaneous skill "Chunqiu Yidian."]

[In the sixth year of Kaiyuan, the founding general Cao Hubao rebelled and was suppressed. He hid in Longqi Temple and was discovered by you. Cao Hubao attacked you, but you were saved by your master, allowing you to escape the danger. You received a survival reward—the magical tool "Qilin Fuchen."]

...

At dawn, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the continuous mountains, dispelling the darkness and shining on the top floor of a pavilion. A large ancient bronze bell hung in the air, and beside it, a young Taoist was lost in thought.

This was Jiang Changsheng, twelve years old. Every morning before ringing the bell, he would reflect on his past experiences to boost his spirits.

A night of martial arts practice had left him drowsy, but his duty was simple: to ring the bell on time every day, reminding the temple residents to rise and recite the Taoist scriptures. Since he took on this task at the age of six, he had not encountered any more hardships, and his life had become peaceful. However, with the cultivation techniques, martial arts, and medical skills he had already obtained, his life was not boring.

Jiang Changsheng's survival system came from his previous life. In his past life, he was a game developer who created a game with the premise: "If you could live forever, how long could you survive in the world of cultivation?"

Players had infinite lifespans but could be killed. On the path of cultivation, they would encounter various trials and temptations. Jiang Changsheng himself had tried it and lived for over ten thousand years, finding it very challenging.

This game was not a simple choice-based game but required actual operation and exploration. Even if you stayed in one place, you might still encounter natural disasters. In short, life was unpredictable.

The game quickly became popular after its release. Due to the excitement of seeing the backend data and the long hours of work, Jiang Changsheng died suddenly in front of his computer and was reborn in this life.

In this life, he could not guarantee whether he would truly live forever. He needed to wait a few decades to find out. Before then, he had to rely on survival rewards to become strong enough to face life's challenges.

The "Dao Fa Zi Ran Gong" was stuck at the second level, but he had fully mastered "Shen Ying Tui" and "Jiu Xun Tianlong Bu." The "Chunqiu Yidian" was profound, and he had only memorized its content without applying it yet. As for the magical tool, he had not cultivated enough spiritual energy to use it. It was stored deep in his mind, and he would be able to use it once he reached the fourth level of "Dao Fa Zi Ran Gong" and cultivated spiritual energy. Currently, he only had true qi, which enhanced his martial arts.

The sunlight shone on him, and Jiang Changsheng yawned. He gripped the wooden pole beside him and began to ring the bell.

Dong—

The bell sound echoed through the mountains, long and resonant, as if urging the passage of time. It harmonized with the green mountains and clear waters, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

He rang the bell once, paused for five breaths, and repeated this ten times before letting go.

"Another day of slacking off begins."

Jiang Changsheng hummed a tune as he started to go downstairs. He wore a gray-blue Taoist robe, and the sunlight made the hem of his robe flutter in the wind, giving him a touch of immortality.

As he descended the stairs, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old Taoist ran over, stopped in front of him, and panted heavily, sweating profusely. He said urgently, "Junior Brother Changsheng, something terrible has happened... A guest died in the temple last night, and Master has summoned you to Mingxin Hall..."

Death?

Jiang Changsheng frowned. He knew that court officials had recently come to visit, but he did not expect someone to die. From the senior brother's reaction, the deceased must have been of high status.

He had a habit of practicing martial arts quietly at night, and Longqi Temple was not small. He had not noticed any abnormalities last night.

Without much thought, he followed the senior brother to Mingxin Hall.

"Junior Brother Changsheng, you don't know how amazing that top scholar is. He deduced the time of death, cause of death, and the deceased's activities before death just by examining the body..."

"The deceased was an official from the Ministry of Personnel, and it seems he had considerable power. Someone dared to assassinate an official in the capital, tsk tsk, truly outrageous..."

Listening to the senior brother, Jiang Changsheng almost rolled his eyes.

Outrageous?

I am the first crown prince of the Jing Dynasty, and I was even swapped with someone else. The most critical part is that no one discovered it, and the imposter is now sitting on the throne, known throughout the land.

Is my situation not outrageous?

Jiang Changsheng sighed inwardly.

This was a world similar to ancient China. Jiang Changsheng could hear sounds from outside while still in his mother's womb. The language spoken in this world was Chinese. Learning that he was born into the royal family, he was very excited, especially since it was during the early years of the dynasty. When his father and mother announced that he would be the crown prince while still in the womb, he felt that his life would reach its peak.

His mother and father were a married couple who had accompanied his father from the grassroots, enduring hardships and conquering the world to establish a new dynasty. Under such circumstances, he believed that once he ascended the throne, he would have a fulfilling life.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and the villains were despicable!

The past is past, and Jiang Changsheng no longer dwelled on it. His name, Changsheng, reflected his current aspirations.

After half an incense stick's time, Jiang Changsheng followed the senior brother to the front of Mingxin Hall. Mingxin Hall was not very large, and the courtyard was crowded with temple disciples, numbering over a hundred. The hall's entrance was guarded by the guests' servants, about twenty to thirty of them.

Seeing Jiang Changsheng arrive, the disciples looked at him. Although he was very low-key in Longqi Temple, his handsome appearance made him stand out.

"Junior Brother, go in, Master is waiting for you."

A female disciple said. Longqi Temple was not a traditional Taoist sect but more like a martial arts school, with both male and female disciples.

Jiang Changsheng nodded and walked into the hall.

He immediately saw the body covered in white cloth on the ground. On the right stood Qingxu Daozhang and his three senior brothers, and on the left were six guests visiting Longqi Temple. The one at the front was a scholar, the top scholar Chen Li, whom Jiang Changsheng had heard about on his way.

As soon as he entered, Chen Li began to observe him.

Jiang Changsheng approached Qingxu Daozhang and bowed, saying, "Master."

Qingxu Daozhang, who had saved him as a child, was someone he greatly respected. Despite his stern appearance, the rules in the temple were not strict, and all the disciples were his students, with no distinction in seniority, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Qingxu Daozhang, holding a duster, with white hair and a sage-like demeanor, nodded slightly and said, "Changsheng, tell Chen Layman where you were last night."

Jiang Changsheng turned to Chen Li and said, "I was practicing martial arts last night. My roommate and Master know about this habit of mine."

How could he hide for six years? He had been practicing martial arts since the age of six, and at the end of that year, Qingxu Daozhang had caught him. He claimed he had figured it out on his own, and since his movements were not yet fluid, Qingxu Daozhang did not think much of it and even gave him some pointers. Over the years, his senior brothers and sister also discovered this, but they did not reveal it to the other disciples, allowing him to practice at night.

To ordinary disciples, Jiang Changsheng was just a low-key fellow disciple.

To the three senior disciples, he was a martial arts prodigy, capable of creating his own martial arts at a young age.

His senior brother Li Changshao had created a boxing technique in his youth, which was now taught to younger disciples.

Chen Li asked, "May I ask where the young Taoist practiced?"

Jiang Changsheng replied, "In front of the bell tower. I have the habit of going up to ring the bell after practicing and then listening to the Taoist teachings during the day."

He was very natural and not at all nervous, as he had not killed the person and did not even know the deceased.

A middle-aged man beside Chen Li said, "I see that the young brother has smooth, tender skin and no calluses on his hands, which doesn't seem like someone who practices martial arts. I wonder what kind of martial arts the young brother practices?"

His tone was aggressive, and it sounded harsh to Jiang Changsheng.

Chen Li smiled and said, "Young Taoist, don't take it to heart. We have been investigating for an hour, and the people around me have already proven their innocence. They are ordinary people and do not understand martial arts, so we have to search within your temple. Of course, we are not suspecting your temple; it could be that the culprit disguised himself as one of your disciples."

Disguise?

Jiang Changsheng had never left the capital since childhood and had not left the temple since joining. He did not know the level of disguise techniques in the outside world.

He replied, "I practice internal cultivation."

All disciples who reached the age of six could choose their own names and learn the internal cultivation techniques of Longqi Temple. Jiang Changsheng pretended to learn but actually practiced the cultivation technique "Dao Fa Zi Ran Gong."

Why practice martial arts when you can cultivate?

He said he practiced internal cultivation because his martial arts were all leg techniques. If the deceased had died from such techniques, it would be a coincidence?

Chen Li asked with a piercing gaze, "It is said that the 'Zhenxin Jing' of Longqi Temple is unparalleled in the martial arts world. When the emperor's power was weak, Qingxu Daozhang used the 'Zhenxin Jing' to save the emperor in a crisis. When the 'Zhenxin Jing' is activated, the eyes become abnormally bright, like pearls in the dark. The young Taoist has been practicing for years and should have made some progress. Can you demonstrate?"

Senior Brother Meng Qiuhé laughed and said, "My junior brother is a genius, and his internal cultivation has already made progress, perhaps even reached a small level of mastery. Changsheng, show them."

Jiang Changsheng was embarrassed.

He had never practiced the 'Zhenxin Jing,' and Qingxu Daozhang did not check the disciples' practice status.

The 'Zhenxin Jing' has special effects?

I didn't know that.

Jiang Changsheng started to brainstorm.

Hearing Meng Qiuhé's words, the disciples outside began to discuss. Could Jiang Changsheng really be a martial arts prodigy, as praised by the second senior brother?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Jiang Changsheng could only admit, "Sorry, I don't practice the 'Zhenxin Jing.' I like to create my own martial arts, and my internal cultivation is still in the exploration stage. As for martial arts..."

Chen Li interrupted, "You happen to practice leg techniques, right?"

Jiang Changsheng was stunned and looked at Chen Li in surprise.

Chen Li bent down and lifted the cloth, revealing a young, strong man with a jade ring on his finger, indicating that it was not a robbery but a murder.

Chen Li opened the man's chest, revealing a sunken sternum with a long wound, as if he had been heavily stomped on.

What a coincidence?

Jiang Changsheng finally realized that he was in trouble. After six years of peace, misfortune had finally come.

The deceased was an official, and if he were caught, Qingxu Daozhang could not protect him, which would cause significant trouble.

When Qingxu Daozhang saved him, the villains had seen his appearance, indicating that they knew his whereabouts.

During the time he was kidnapped, Jiang Changsheng had also heard about their identities, including both civil and military officials, even founding heroes. This was a deep and shocking conspiracy, and they were waiting for him to leave the temple.

Qingxu Daozhang had saved Emperor Jiang Yuan in the past and was rewarded by the emperor, making Longqi Temple the only martial arts school in the capital. The authorities could not investigate without permission, and the military could not enter without authorization.

"Little Taoist, why are you not speaking? Could the killer be you?" Chen Li stared at Jiang Changsheng with a piercing gaze.

New book release, welcome to invest, and I will continue updating after changing the signing status. This book is as always, enjoyable without being overly harsh.

(End of Chapter)