Chapter 1

Erlangzi opened his eyes wide, staring straight at the black roof made of thatch and mud. The old quilt covering him had turned a deep yellow, its original color long faded, and it emitted a faint, lingering musty smell.

Beside him, his older brother, Han Zhu, slept soundly, his snores varying in volume from time to time.

About five feet away from the bed was a wall made of yellow mud. Due to its age, several inconspicuous, long cracks had formed on the wall. Through these cracks, the muffled complaints of Han's mother could be heard, occasionally interspersed with the "puff, puff" sounds of his father smoking his pipe.

Erlangzi slowly closed his eyes, which had become somewhat dry, forcing himself to fall into a deep sleep as soon as possible. He knew very well that if he didn't fall asleep soon, he wouldn't be able to wake up early the next day, and he wouldn't be able to go into the mountains with his friends to collect firewood.

Erlangzi's real name was Han Li. His parents couldn't have come up with such a proper name; it was his father who had asked Uncle Zhang, the village elder, to name him in exchange for two coarse grain buns.

When young, Uncle Zhang had served as a reading companion for a wealthy family in the city, making him the only literate person in the village. Most of the children in the village had their names given by him.

Han Li, known as "Erlangzi" by the villagers, was not actually foolish or stupid. On the contrary, he was the smartest child in the village. However, like the other children, he rarely heard anyone call him by his real name "Han Li" outside his family. Instead, he was always called "Erlangzi."

The reason he was given the nickname "Erlangzi" was simply because there was already a child in the village named "Langzi."

It wasn't a big deal. The other children in the village were also called names like "Dogwa" and "Erdan," which weren't much better than "Erlangzi."

Therefore, although Han Li didn't like the nickname, he could only console himself with this thought.

Han Li was an unremarkable-looking child with dark skin, a typical peasant boy. However, his inner world was much more mature than that of his peers. From a young age, he had yearned for the prosperity and richness of the outside world, dreaming of one day leaving this small village to see the world that Uncle Zhang often talked about.

Han Li had never dared to share this dream with anyone else. If he had, the villagers would have been shocked. A young, inexperienced child like him shouldn't have such a bold idea. Most children his age were still chasing chickens and dogs around the village, let alone having the thought of leaving their hometown.

Han Li's family of seven included two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. He was the fourth child and was just ten years old. The family lived a very poor life, rarely eating meat, and always struggling to make ends meet.

At that moment, Han Li was in a state of half-sleep, his mind still lingering on the thought: when he went up the mountain, he must pick more of his favorite sister's favorite red berries.

The next noon, as Han Li, under the scorching sun, carried a pile of wood as tall as a person and a bag full of berries, he didn't know that a guest who would change his life had already arrived at his home.

This distinguished guest was his third uncle, a close relative.

It was said that he worked as a manager in a restaurant in a nearby small city and was considered a capable person by his parents. In nearly a hundred years, the Han family might have only produced one relative with some status, and that was his third uncle.

Han Li had only seen his third uncle a few times when he was very young. His older brother's apprenticeship with an old blacksmith in the city was arranged by this third uncle, who also often sent food and other items to his parents, taking good care of the family. Therefore, Han Li had a good impression of his third uncle and knew that his parents, though they didn't say it, were very grateful.

His older brother was the pride of the family. It was said that as a blacksmith's apprentice, he was provided with food and lodging and earned thirty copper coins a month. When he became a full-fledged blacksmith and was hired, he would earn even more.

Whenever his parents mentioned his older brother, they would become animated, as if they had become different people. Despite his young age, Han Li was also envious and had long decided that the best job for him would be to be apprenticed to a skilled craftsman in the small city, becoming a respectable person who earned a living by his skills.

So when Han Li saw his third uncle, dressed in new silk clothes, with a round, chubby face and a small mustache, he was very excited.

After putting the wood behind the house, he shyly greeted his third uncle, called him "Third Uncle," and stood obediently to one side while his parents chatted with his uncle.

His third uncle smiled at Han Li, looked him over, and praised him for being obedient and sensible. Then he turned to his parents and began to explain the purpose of his visit.

Although Han Li was young and couldn't fully understand what his third uncle was saying, he grasped the general idea.

It turned out that the restaurant where his third uncle worked belonged to a martial arts sect called "Qixuanmen." This sect had both outer and inner disciples. Recently, his third uncle had officially become an outer disciple and had the authority to recommend children aged 7 to 12 to participate in the Qixuanmen's inner disciple selection test.

The Qixuanmen's inner disciple selection test was held every five years, and the next one was to begin the following month. This shrewd, childless third uncle naturally thought of Han Li, who was of the right age.

Han Li's father, usually a simple and honest man, was hesitant when he heard terms like "martial arts sect" and "martial arts school," which he had never heard before. He picked up his pipe and smoked it fiercely, sitting silently.

In his third uncle's words, Qixuanmen was a great and prestigious sect within hundreds of miles.

Becoming an inner disciple meant not only free martial arts training and no worries about food and drink, but also a monthly allowance of one or two taels of silver. Even those who failed the selection test had the opportunity to become outer disciples like his third uncle, managing the sect's external affairs.

When Han Li's father heard about the possibility of earning one or two taels of silver a month and becoming a respectable person like his third uncle, he finally made up his mind and agreed.

His third uncle was very pleased when Han Li's father agreed. He left a few taels of silver, saying he would come back in a month to take Han Li away. He instructed Han Li's parents to feed him well and strengthen his body to prepare for the test. After that, he said goodbye to Han Li's father, patted Han Li's head, and left for the city.

Although Han Li didn't fully understand what his third uncle had said, he understood that he would be going to the city and earning a lot of money.

His long-held wish seemed about to come true, and he was so excited that he couldn't sleep for several nights.

A month later, his third uncle arrived on time to take Han Li away. Before leaving, Han Li's father repeatedly instructed him to be honest, to be patient, and not to quarrel with others. His mother told him to take care of his health and to eat and sleep well.

On the carriage, watching his parents' figures gradually fade into the distance, Han Li bit his lip, trying hard not to let the tears in his eyes fall.

Although he had been more mature than other children from a young age, he was still a ten-year-old boy, and his first long journey made him feel a bit sad and lost. He made a silent vow in his young heart that once he earned a lot of money, he would return immediately and never leave his parents again.

Han Li never imagined that after this departure, the amount of money he would earn would lose its meaning. Instead, he would embark on a path different from ordinary people, a path of cultivation and immortality.