Chapter 1

Zhong Wen had a dream in which he encountered a drowning girl and, without hesitation, jumped into the lake to save her.

The girl, who couldn't swim, panicked and struggled desperately in the water, striking Zhong Wen's nose with her elbow, causing him to see stars. With his already mediocre swimming skills, he suddenly forgot how to swim.

As he sank to the bottom of the lake, only one thought crossed his mind.

Women are terrifying!

Then came suffocation, cold, and endless darkness.

Just as he was about to freeze to death, he felt a warm current enter his body, spreading through him and driving away the bone-chilling cold. Soon, his body felt warm, as if he were in his mother's embrace as a child.

Relaxing, he fell into a deep sleep again.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhong Wen finally opened his eyes.

What a long dream, he thought, rubbing his aching head. Fortunately, it wasn't real; otherwise, the story of a hero saving a beauty and being knocked into the lake to drown would surely become a laughingstock in the underworld. Just thinking about the expressions of the ox-headed and horse-faced guardians and the King of Hell after hearing the story, he might as well go to the Bridge of Sighs and ask the Lady Meng for a bowl of soup to drink.

"You're awake!" A girl's soft and sweet voice came from beside him, sounding very pleasant.

Zhong Wen turned his head and saw a delicate and adorable little girl, about eight or nine years old, with long black hair reaching her shoulders. She was wearing something similar to the costumes in ancient dramas on TV, but not exactly the same.

Seeing Zhong Wen awake, the little girl seemed very happy, her face breaking into a sweet smile that made Zhong Wen's heart melt.

"Little sister, who are you...?" Zhong Wen searched his memory carefully, confirming that he didn't know this little girl.

After all, such a cute little girl would never be forgotten, even if he drank the Lady Meng's soup.

"My name is Lin Xiaodie. You can call me Xiaodie. What's your name?" she asked.

"Hello, Xiaodie. My name is Zhong Wen," he replied with a gentle smile, despite the pain in his head.

As for why his smile was forced, it was because his head was throbbing as if it were about to split open.

He touched his forehead with his right hand. Thankfully, it wasn't hot. Zhong Wen calmed himself and looked around.

This wasn't a hospital, he concluded.

The room had an ancient drama feel, with wooden beds, tea tables, and desks. An incense burner on the desk emitted a unique fragrance that refreshed the mind. A landscape painting hung on the wall, looking like a traditional Chinese painting but more realistic and less poetic.

What surprised him most was the lighting fixture hanging from the ceiling. It wasn't a modern LED light or an ancient candle, but rather a porcelain basin hanging from the ceiling with a palm-sized stone inside that glowed, illuminating the room brightly.

"How do you feel? Does anything hurt?" Lin Xiaodie asked, her eyes blinking with concern.

If only I had a daughter as cute as her in the future, Zhong Wen thought to himself as he sat up, stretched his neck, twisted his waist, and extended his limbs. He felt that, apart from the pain in his head, the rest of his body was normal.

"Fine," Zhong Wen replied gently. "By the way, Xiaodie, where are we? How did I end up here?"

"This is the 'Falling Flower Palace.' I found you," Xiaodie said proudly.

"What?" Zhong Wen was confused.

"When I found you on the back mountain, I thought you were almost dead. My senior sister and I carried you back, and my master used her powers to heal you."

Falling Flower Palace? Master? Senior sister? Healing with powers?

What kind of martial arts drama is this?

Am I still dreaming?

Or have I traveled back in time?

Zhong Wen's mind grew increasingly chaotic, and his headache worsened. He clutched his head and asked a ridiculous question, even to himself: "What dynasty is it now?"

"Dynasty? What's a dynasty? Oh, do you mean the era? It's the 296th year of Xingling..."

At this moment, Zhong Wen was dazed and couldn't hear what Lin Xiaodie was saying. Her voice seemed to float in the air, coming and going.

"Ah!!!"

Finally, the pain reached its peak, and Zhong Wen screamed, fainting again.

"Zhong Wen! Zhong Wen!" Lin Xiaodie's anxious voice echoed faintly in his ears.

When Zhong Wen woke up again, it was daytime. The stone-like "light" in the room was no longer glowing, and sunlight filtered through the window paper, casting a warm glow. The sounds of birds and insects could be heard.

The headache had subsided, and Zhong Wen felt refreshed as he sat up and stretched.

He noticed that the adorable Lin Xiaodie was sleeping soundly by his bed, her face puffed up cutely, making him want to pinch her cheeks.

Not wanting to wake the little girl, Zhong Wen quietly slipped out of bed, tiptoed to the door, and gently pushed it open. The bright sunlight hit him, making it hard to open his eyes.

"Huh? What's this?"

As he squinted, Zhong Wen saw a bookshelf.

A seven-story, wide, and incredibly large bookshelf.

The bottom meter of the bookshelf was a solid panel, on which were written five golden characters in regular script.

New! Hua! Zang! Jing! Ge!

This name, a mix of ancient and modern styles, must have been thought up by some genius.

Zhong Wen's lips twitched, and he had a strange premonition.

His eyes quickly adjusted to the sunlight, and he looked outside. The door led directly to a spacious courtyard surrounded by ancient-style buildings. The main gate was open, revealing a green forest, all enveloped in a thin mist, giving it a fairy-like atmosphere.

Taking a deep breath, the fresh air invigorated him, and he felt a surge of energy, refreshing his mind.

"Hey, you're awake!" Lin Xiaodie's voice came from behind him.

"Xiaodie, were you with me all night?" Zhong Wen turned around, seeing Xiaodie's excited face, which lifted his spirits.

"Yes, you suddenly fainted last night, and Master wasn't home, which scared me to death," Xiaodie nodded and patted her chest, still looking shaken. "Fortunately, Senior Sister gave you a 'Little Revitalizing Pill.'"

"Thank you," Zhong Wen felt warmth in his heart and couldn't resist patting the little girl's head.

The "head pat" made the little girl close her eyes, looking very content, like a kitten.

"Xiaodie, after I woke up, my mind was hazy. I only remember my name, Zhong Wen, but nothing else," Zhong Wen lied. "Can you tell me about this place? Maybe it will help me remember something."

"Sure! You're in the Southern Province of the Great Qian Empire. This place was originally an ancient relic found by our Great Grandmaster. Seeing the abundant spiritual energy here, she settled down and founded the 'Falling Flower Palace.' The current palace master is my master..." The little girl seemed to enjoy chatting with Zhong Wen and chattered on non-stop.

Zhong Wen occasionally interjected, guiding the conversation. In less than an hour, he had a good understanding of the situation.

He was certain he had traveled through time.

Time travel wasn't scary; what was scary was that he finally remembered that the drowning dream was real.

He had been knocked into the lake by the girl he was trying to save, which gave him the opportunity to travel through time.

Thinking about his previous death, Zhong Wen felt an urge to die again.

How embarrassing!

"Have you remembered anything?" Seeing Zhong Wen lost in thought, the little girl thought he was trying to regain his memory.

"Um... I think I have a clue, but I can't quite remember," Zhong Wen came back to his senses and continued to deceive the little girl. "Do you have any books or documents about this world... the Great Qian Empire? They might help me remember."

"The library only has cultivation techniques, spiritual skills, medicinal arts, and novels. But Aunt Wang often brings old 'Great Qian News' to my master. I'll go get some for you," the little girl said and hurriedly left the room.

What a kind little girl.

Zhong Wen felt guilty about deceiving Lin Xiaodie but had no choice.

Based on their conversation, he concluded that this world was not from any known historical dynasty but had a martial arts and cultivation flavor. The historical knowledge he had from his previous life was useless here. Being a weakling, he needed to gather more information to survive.

After all, his previous death was unjust...

Without a phone or Wi-Fi, Zhong Wen paced around the room, bored.

Unintentionally, he came to a mirror.

"Is this... me?"

Looking at the mirror, he saw a handsome young man of about seventeen or eighteen, and he was shocked.

Touching his face, the young man in the mirror did the same.

In his previous life, Zhong Wen often wished he could return to eighteen when he was busy and exhausted. Now, he had achieved his wish through death and rebirth.

Staring at his handsome face, Zhong Wen was increasingly satisfied, thinking he was no less attractive than the young actors on TV.

"Zhong Wen, Zhong Wen!" The little girl rushed into the room, waving a stack of "Great Qian News."

The "Great Qian News" was a newspaper smaller than A3 paper, printed on both sides.

"Thank you, Xiaodie," Zhong Wen smiled as he took the newspapers.

His smile quickly froze.

Damn! The characters on the paper were incomprehensible.

Everyone else brings a wealth of knowledge when they travel through time, but I've become illiterate!

In this world that values martial prowess, not only was he powerless, but he couldn't even read. Zhong Wen felt like crying.

"Is something wrong? Are you still not feeling well? Do you want to lie down?" Lin Xiaodie asked, concerned.

"I... I can't even read the characters," Zhong Wen awkwardly blamed his "memory loss."

The little girl looked at him with sympathy. Her master had said that Zhong Wen had no spiritual energy and wasn't a cultivator. Now, he couldn't even read. She wondered how he would survive.

"Maybe... I can teach you to read?" the kind little girl hesitated.

She was still young and often skipped her studies, so she lacked confidence.

"Then I'll have to rely on Teacher Xiaodie," Zhong Wen hesitated but decided to learn the language of this world.

Who knows if he could return to his original world?

Hearing "Teacher Xiaodie," the little girl's eyes lit up, and she patted her small chest, declaring, "Leave it to me. From now on, you're my student. If you have any questions, just come to me. I'll take care of you."

Seeing Lin Xiaodie's serious yet adorable demeanor, Zhong Wen couldn't resist patting her head again.

At that moment, light footsteps were heard at the door.

"You're awake?"

Zhong Wen turned around and saw a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl standing by the door. She was graceful and elegant, with a cold, clear voice that gave the impression of a lily in a secluded valley. She wore a loose, milky white robe that couldn't hide her well-proportioned figure.

In the internet-saturated world of his previous life, filtered beauties were common, but a natural beauty like this girl was rare. Zhong Wen was immediately impressed.

"Sister!" Lin Xiaodie ran over, pulling the girl's sleeve, and introduced her, "Zhong Wen, this is my third senior sister, Yin Ning'er. She gave you the 'Little Revitalizing Pill' when you fainted yesterday."

"I am Zhong Wen. Thank you for saving my life with your pill," Zhong Wen looked at Yin Ning'er, finding her more and more attractive.

"You don't need to thank me. I was just bothered by Xiaodie. If you want to thank someone, thank her," Yin Ning'er seemed uninterested in befriending Zhong Wen, her tone cold. "Also, the Falling Flower Palace doesn't keep male guests. Once you're better, please leave the mountain."

What a high-and-mighty goddess.

Zhong Wen sighed, thinking about how to stay a bit longer. It wasn't about the beauty, but in this unfamiliar environment, he needed to gather more information before venturing out.

"Senior Sister, Zhong Wen is badly injured and can't remember many things. He can't even read. He's not a cultivator. How can he survive if he leaves the mountain now?" The little girl, worried about losing her student, pleaded.

Traveling through time as a useless person, Zhong Wen felt very depressed.

"Xiaodie, the Falling Flower Palace is for women. Keeping an unrelated man on the mountain is inconvenient and could cause rumors," Yin Ning'er frowned.

"But I've already promised to teach him to read," the little girl tugged at Yin Ning'er's sleeve, "Can't we wait until he can read before he leaves?"

"Even if I agree, Master won't," Yin Ning'er seemed to dote on the little girl, her tone softening.

"I'll ask Master when she returns. She's so kind, she won't let Zhong Wen starve to death," the little girl continued to plead.

"Fine, do as you wish," Yin Ning'er finally gave in, "I'll leave it to Master."

"Senior Sister is the best!" The little girl jumped up, hugging Yin Ning'er's waist.

"You..." Yin Ning'er's cold voice softened, and she glanced at Zhong Wen, "Mr. Zhong, you can stay for a few days until Master returns. The Falling Flower Palace is for women, so please be cautious and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

"Thank you, Miss Yin," Zhong Wen breathed a sigh of relief, "And thank you, Teacher Xiaodie."

"Oh, don't be so formal. It's my duty as a teacher to take care of my student," the little girl, flattered by being called "teacher" by someone older, waved her hands.

"I'll leave now. Xiaodie, don't slack off with your morning and evening lessons while Master is away," Yin Ning'er reminded her and left gracefully.

"I'll get the textbooks," the little girl bounced out of the room.

Watching Lin Xiaodie's happy back, Zhong Wen sighed. Her kindness was a heavy debt he might never repay.

Closing his eyes, Zhong Wen studied the "New Hua Zang Jing Ge" in his mind.

Observing closely, he noticed that the bookshelf was clearly labeled with categories such as "Cultivation Techniques," "Spiritual Skills," "Spiritual Patterns," "Spiritual Medicines," and "Spiritual Artifacts." The horizontal rows were divided from bottom to top into "Bronze Tier," "Silver Tier," "Gold Tier," "Platinum Tier," "Diamond Tier," "Star Spirit Tier," and "Holy Spirit Tier."

Who came up with these categories...

Looking at the horizontal labels, Zhong Wen felt a headache.

Searching the entire bookshelf, Zhong Wen found only a "New Hua Dictionary" in the "Tools" category and the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature—*Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Journey to the West*, *Water Margin*, and *Dream of the Red Chamber*—along with a bunch of self-help books in the "Miscellaneous Studies" category.

All other categories were empty.

Isn't this just like the bookshelf in my old home?

Zhong Wen focused on *Journey to the West*, and the text appeared in his mind.

"Chapter 1: The Origin of the Sage and the Birth of the Great Way

Poem: In the chaos before the division of heaven and earth, no one could see. Since Pangu split the universe, the clear and turbid were separated..."

The original text flashed through Zhong Wen's mind, and he felt as if he had reread the entire novel, remembering every word.

However, after reading it, Zhong Wen waited for a long time, but nothing extraordinary happened.

Apart from being a way to pass the time, it seemed to have no practical use.

Full of hope, Zhong Wen was disappointed, expecting some powerful ability.

"I'm back!" The little girl held two bound books, her voice filled with excitement, "Let's start the lesson. Call me Master!"

"Student greets Master Xiaodie!" Zhong Wen couldn't help but laugh at the adorable little girl.

What if...

I let the people of this world experience the charm of Chinese culture?

His eyes twinkled as he thought of a way to use the "New Hua Zang Jing Ge."