Chapter 1

Mount Tai, the foremost of the Five Great Mountains.

Majestic and grand, with a powerful and imposing presence, it has been a place of imperial sacrifices since ancient times, holding a special sacred significance and symbolism in the thousands of years of Chinese civilization.

There are also ancient legends that Mount Tai is a place close to the divine.

This has added a layer of mystery to this "First Mountain under Heaven."

The magnificent and grand Mount Tai, with its majestic and solemn presence, is not lacking in ethereal and mysterious qualities. Clouds and mists envelop it, waterfalls flow, and ancient pines stand tall... truly a rare and beautiful scene in the world.

Indeed, every year, tourists from all over the country and even the world come to Mount Tai in an endless stream, countless in number. Everyone wants to experience the magnificent scenery of "reaching the peak and overlooking all the lesser mountains."

"Mount Tai truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost of the Five Great Mountains and the 'First Mountain under Heaven'! It is indeed magnificent and grand. This trip was not in vain..."

A tourist stood at the summit of Mount Tai, looking down at the towering mountains below, gazing into the distance at the winding Yellow River, and observing the lush pines and cypresses nearby, unable to help but exclaim.

The other tourists nearby all nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, the tourists felt a slight tremor under their feet, as if the entire Mount Tai was shaking. Some small rocks were dislodged and rolled down.

The tourists on Mount Tai were all panic-stricken.

"What's happening? Is it an earthquake?"

"How could an earthquake happen here? It's impossible..."

The tourists on the mountain tightly grabbed the railings or other fixed objects nearby. Those lower down, seeing the rocks dislodged, hurriedly took cover.

At this moment, a brilliant light suddenly burst forth from the base of Mount Tai.

The dazzling light shot into the sky, enveloping most of Mount Tai. The tourists on the mountain were instantly stunned, their faces filled with amazement as they gazed at the magnificent and spectacular scene before them...

What is going on?

Everyone held their breath, their eyes filled with shock and surprise.

The light from the ground suddenly changed color, and in an instant, almost the entire Mount Tai was enveloped in white, green, black, red, and yellow light.

The five colors each occupied a part of the mountain. If there were experts in Yi Xue (I Ching) or Qimen Dunjia (a form of divination) present, they would recognize that the positions of the five colors corresponded to the five elements.

Buzz!

The mountain suddenly shook violently. In the next moment, all the light disappeared as if it had never been there. However, the tourists in the mountain were still in a daze, staring at the sky.

"Wow!"

A moment later, when the tourists finally came to their senses from the immense shock, Mount Tai immediately came to life.

Everyone was eager and even incoherent, discussing the magnificent and spectacular scene they had just witnessed with people they knew or didn't know...

In a crevice on Mount Tai, covered by vines, a slender, pale hand suddenly appeared, pushing aside the vines and branches. Then, a man stepped out of the crevice.

The man looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a 'retro' moon-white robe, with his hair tied up and a hairpin in it. He was tall and slender, about 1.85 meters tall. His face was handsome and refined, with sharp features. He had arched eyebrows and star-like eyes, deep and mysterious like the stars.

"Finally back..."

Yin Xiu gazed at the majestic and grand peak of Mount Tai, taking a deep breath of the familiar yet unfamiliar air. His deep eyes revealed a hint of genuine emotion, a mix of the hesitation of a wanderer returning home and the excitement of a long-lost son finally coming home.

"Chirp~"

A clear and somewhat puzzled chirp suddenly came from Yin Xiu's chest.

Soon, a very cute little head poked out from the front of Yin Xiu's robe, with two small paws resting on his chest, looking around curiously.

"Alright, Xiao Man, come out. We're home." Yin Xiu withdrew his gaze and looked down at the little creature poking its head out, a smile appearing on his face.

"Chirp, chirp..."

The little creature chirped twice, grabbed Yin Xiu's robe with its small paws, and with a push from its hind legs, quickly leaped onto Yin Xiu's shoulder, rubbing its head affectionately against Yin Xiu's neck.

Xiao Man was only about the size of a palm, but it had a fluffy tail that was even larger than its body.

At first glance, it looked like a squirrel, except for the five differently colored tufts of fur on its chest. Additionally, at the tip of its tail, there were five corresponding colored tufts of fur.

Xiao Man only looked like a squirrel. In fact, its true 'identity' was a Five-Element Gold-Devouring Treasure Rat, also known as a Five-Element Gold-Devouring Rat or Five-Element Treasure Rat.

It was one of the rarest and most extraordinary spirit beasts in the world.

Yin Xiu had obtained Xiao Man by chance five years ago. When he found Xiao Man, it had not even opened its eyes, having just been born.

As for Xiao Man's mother, she had been killed by another spirit beast while protecting the newborn Xiao Man. Yin Xiu had just happened to discover this and promptly killed the other spirit beast, saving Xiao Man.

Yin Xiu had raised Xiao Man for more than five years, but Xiao Man was still in its growth phase, far from adulthood. The growth cycle of a Five-Element Treasure Rat was usually quite long, typically taking two or three decades.

"Let's go home!" Yin Xiu gently patted Xiao Man's head, saying.

Xiao Man stood on Yin Xiu's shoulder, chirped, and its little eyes darted around, full of curiosity.

"I wonder what the world has become. The chaos of those days should have ended, I suppose."

"Eighty years, time really flies. I wonder how the younger generations at home are doing. Is my younger brother still alive..."

Yin Xiu's thoughts were many, and he couldn't help but recall the events of eighty years ago.

At that time, it was a chaotic era, with warlords dividing the land and foreign invaders attacking. China was weak and in turmoil. Yin Xiu, a martial arts enthusiast since childhood, had reached the pinnacle of martial arts at the young age of twenty, becoming the unparalleled master of the land.

To further his cultivation and break through the limitations of martial arts, Yin Xiu went through great hardships, traveling across the land, reading countless ancient texts and inscriptions, and finally found a path to a higher realm.

It was an ancient teleportation array left from a bygone era, capable of crossing the vast starry sky to reach the other side, a holy land of cultivation!

Yin Xiu ultimately activated the teleportation array without hesitation, leaving Earth and heading to the other side of the starry sky.

This journey took eighty years!

For Yin Xiu, these eighty years were filled with hardships and trials, but in the end, he managed to become an unparalleled powerhouse and a dominant figure in the cultivation world of the other side of the starry sky, all within just eighty years, despite being a mere solitary cultivator.

It's worth noting that when Yin Xiu left Earth, his cultivation was only at the peak of the Transformation of Essence stage.

In the secular world of Earth, such a level of cultivation was considered extraordinary and unmatched. However, in the cultivation world, it was merely the beginning, not even considered to have entered the inner sanctum.

Yin Xiu spent eighty years cultivating in the cultivation world of the other side of the starry sky, reaching the peak of the Union stage, a speed that would leave anyone speechless.

However, Yin Xiu's cultivation was now stuck at the peak of the Union stage, unable to advance further to the Tribulation stage.

After numerous attempts, Yin Xiu finally determined that his inability to break through to the Tribulation stage was not due to his cultivation techniques or true essence.

Due to some opportunities, the cultivation techniques Yin Xiu now practiced were among the best in the entire cultivation world, not inferior to anyone or any sect.

The only thing holding him back from breaking through to the Tribulation stage was his emotional attachment. His mind was not yet complete.

His attachment was to his homeland, Earth, and some 'old friends' there.

So, Yin Xiu returned.

He returned through the same starry sky teleportation array he had used to leave.

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