Chapter 1

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Crack!

A crimson bolt of lightning illuminated half the sky, striking down like a startled swan.

In the face of impending disaster, an invisible energy shield suddenly appeared in the air. With a thunderous boom, the lightning instantly shattered into a sky full of red stars, and ripples spread across the heavens.

The earth shook, and boulders rolled down the mountain cliffs.

Chen Mo dodged with great difficulty and in a wretched state, nearly falling off the hundred-foot cliff several times, risking his life. Drenched in sweat, he clung to the rugged and steep cliff face like an ant, struggling to climb.

He was in this dangerous 'Small Cavern Heaven' to search for some precious natural treasures.

Boom, boom, boom, several more crimson bolts of lightning struck, causing the mountains beneath him to tremble even more. Chen Mo crouched under a protruding rock to avoid the falling debris.

The environment here was terrifying. From his slanted view, the entire Small Cavern Heaven was only half. Yes, only half. The sky, mountains, earth, and molten pools were all cut in half by a smooth, straight line, as if sliced by a giant blade.

On the other side of the cut, there was a vast, pitch-black abyss, boundless and endless. It resembled a monstrous beast with a gaping maw, ready to devour and scatter souls, preventing them from ever being reborn.

Beyond the transparent sky wall, several large, blood-red vortices were swirling. They looked like bloodshot eyes on the sky, causing chills and a sense of insignificance.

The bolts of lightning originated from these bloodshot eyes.

All of this left Chen Mo in awe. It was said that the Small Cavern Heaven was formed from the shattered spatial realm of the ancient Light God Clan, which once dominated the universe. Even a small, shattered space could form its own small world, truly worthy of being called a godly clan.

The surrounding environment became increasingly dangerous.

But he had to climb down.

He knew that in this Small Cavern Heaven, the more remote and hard-to-reach places were more likely to contain valuable treasures. However, they were also more likely to be fatal.

The appearance of the Small Cavern Heaven near the family's mountain range was both an opportunity and a crisis. The entrance had a mysterious force that only allowed those under sixteen years old to enter.

With his initial-stage Spirit Apprentice strength, entering the Small Cavern Heaven was extremely dangerous.

Just a short while ago, he had seen two family members from outside the clan fall off the cliff, swallowed by the endless void.

This made him both terrified and furious. All of this was due to a crystal-like, luminous white cocoon floating in his consciousness.

In his childhood, the light cocoon was only the size of a grain of rice, causing no trouble except in his dreams.

However, when he turned twelve, his bones and meridians began to strengthen, and he could start cultivating. The drawbacks then became apparent. Every time he worked hard to cultivate a bit of mystic energy, eight or nine-tenths of it was absorbed by the light cocoon, slowing his progress. After three years of hard training in the "Green Wood Technique," he was still only at the initial-stage Spirit Apprentice level, far from the intermediate stage.

"If only I had Qu Xinghe's strength."

Thinking of the legendary super-strong, Chen Mo's handsome face showed a hint of envy.

Though he was a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which translates to "time traveler" or "transmigrator" in English) who had lived two lives, he was still amazed by the power of the world's strong. As a child, he and his uncle went to Heavy Profound City and luckily saw the city's lord, Qu Xinghe, from a distance.

His uncle said that Qu Xinghe could punch through city walls, split the earth with his feet, and fly and teleport at will.

Just the ability to fly was enough to make Chen Mo envious. If he could do that, why would he have to suffer so much?

The gale-force wind cut his face like a knife, trying to tear him off the mountain. His fingers were torn and bleeding, and his meager mystic energy was almost depleted. But his resolve never wavered. He would rather die in the Small Cavern Heaven than not find something valuable.

This time, he must exchange a 'Nourishing Pulse Pill' for his elder brother, Chen Hao, to help alleviate his pain and heal his damaged meridians.

Chen Mo gritted his teeth, his handsome face flushed with anger and shame, and his thoughts drifted back to a short while ago.

...

It was a morning.

A slender and graceful woman, dressed in an ice-blue dress, stood at the hall entrance, her long skirt fluttering in the wind, ethereal and otherworldly. Her face was exceptionally beautiful, her star-like eyes looking into the hall, her chin slightly raised, exuding a hint of pride.

Beside her was a handsome man, tall and robust, dressed in a blue robe, his hair tied back, looking calm and composed. His side profile was visible, blocking the entire entrance of the hall.

"Iceyan, finish it quickly," the man said without turning around, his voice calm, filling the hall with a sense of oppression.

Nangong Bingyan nodded obediently, replying softly.

"Chen Hao, I have come here to ask for something, and I hope you will agree." She said "ask," but her head was held high, showing no sign of begging.

Chen Hao, in his wheelchair, remained expressionless, his eyes cold, and said nothing. On either side were Chen Mo and his sister, Huo Wu, their fists clenched. The situation was clear, and some words were just formalities.

"Break the engagement."

Her voice was clear and beautiful, floating down from above.

Silence. No one spoke. Chen Hao looked at them calmly, his hands resting on the armrests, as if sitting in a grand chair.

"Chen Hao." Nangong Bingyan's lips curled slightly, her chest raised, breaking the silence.

"Originally, our two families didn't owe each other anything, but—" She paused, then clapped her hands, and a crisp sound echoed. From the side entrance of the hall, many servants carrying red boxes entered, some carrying them in groups of three or five.

Though many people carried each box, they were sweating profusely, indicating the contents were extremely heavy.

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, she pursed her lips and let out a light hum, a hint of mockery in her eyes. She could see the contempt and anger in the faces of the three siblings. But would this broken family still have any pride left after seeing the value of what she brought?

Seeing Chen Hao's lack of reaction, she was not in a hurry, and she walked gracefully to the front of the crowd, casually lifting the smallest piece of red cloth.

"Boundless Sea Coral."

As soon as the item was revealed, someone recognized it.

Most of the onlookers were members of the Chen clan, all related to Chen Mo. Logically, they should have been on Chen Mo's side, but since this branch of the family had no strong elders, Chen Hao was already a cripple, and Chen Mo and Huo Wu were still young and not core disciples, they watched with a sense of schadenfreude.

There were still some who recognized the value of the item, and they gasped in amazement. The Boundless Sea Coral was extremely difficult to harvest and greatly benefited those cultivating water-based mystic arts. Even a low-grade one was highly sought after by nobles.

This coral was red and round, like blood about to drip, with a faint purple glow, clearly not just a high-grade but an exquisite one. Moreover, it was not just one but three.

Ignoring the gasps and envy, Nangong Bingyan smiled even more sweetly, lifting the largest piece of red cloth, revealing a "Linglang Tree." This item was invaluable for treating various chronic diseases and greatly benefited those cultivating wood-based mystic arts.

Everyone except the three Chen siblings sucked in a breath, as this item was sometimes even unattainable with the wealth of the imperial family.

"Chen Hao, these treasures are worth more than a hundred times the dowry your family provided. All you need to do is sign this document of regret."

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a commotion. Although they had guessed why Nangong Bingyan had come, the brazen and disrespectful way she broke the engagement was still hard to accept. The hall was filled with gasps and various comments.

"Heh, he still thinks he's the genius he once was, a toad dreaming of eating a swan. He even wants to marry a Nangong family lady."

"Now, she's bringing her lover to break the engagement. If it were me, I'd throw the things in their faces and tell them to get lost."

"Who would give up such valuable things? Selling them would be enough to live a comfortable life in a wheelchair. One must be practical."

Seeing the once-revered genius now fallen and humiliated, the onlookers felt more schadenfreude.

Chen Hao listened to the whispers, his eyes growing colder, his hands gripping the wheelchair so hard that the veins on his hands bulged like angry worms. His face turned pale and then red, his anger reaching its peak.

Just as everyone thought Chen Hao would explode, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, seemingly using all his strength to suppress his anger. His voice was cold and calm: "Fine."

The word "fine" caused a change in everyone's expressions.

The troublemakers were disappointed or jealous, and some began to have other thoughts.

Nangong Bingyan's proud face showed a hint of relief, but also a hint of disdain. Indeed, what was a little pride compared to these treasures?

Chen Mo and Huo Wu, however, were filled with shame and anger, their faces red with indignation. Just as they were about to rush forward and curse, Chen Hao grabbed them tightly.

"Brother!" Chen Mo whispered, seeing the pain in Chen Hao's eyes and his forced smile.

This made Chen Mo's heart ache as if cut by a knife. If he hadn't been so young and impulsive, how would his brother have been crippled protecting him?

"This Heavenly Return Pill is a personal compensation for you, thank you for being so cooperative," Nangong Bingyan said disdainfully, tossing a small jade bottle.

Chen Hao caught the bottle, his face remaining calm.

The Heavenly Return Pill was a fourth-grade spirit pill, highly effective for treating various internal and external injuries. Even the Chen clan would be severely weakened to obtain one. This single pill, though not miraculous enough to bring the dead back to life, was more than enough to heal Chen Hao's crippled legs, at least allowing him to stand and live a normal life.

"Indeed, it's a good thing."

Chen Hao picked up the small bottle, his face expressionless, and held it out to Nangong Bingyan, saying, "Thank you."

Then, he signed the document of regret with a flourish, his voice calm and cold, "Nangong Bingyan, from today on, we are strangers."

"Brother!" Chen Mo watched, his heart aching, feeling a strong sense of injustice. He knew why his brother was so restrained. It was for the family, for him and Wu.

Huo Wu's delicate face also turned red and then white, clearly thinking the same thing.

His heart was filled with rage, wanting to kill Nangong Bingyan and her lover. But he couldn't, lacking the strength, destined to be humiliated.

Nangong Bingyan, having obtained the document of regret, felt a mix of contempt for Chen Hao's lack of pride. However, a precious part of her heart seemed to shatter, causing a faint pain. But since he had accepted the compensation, she felt justified.

"Second brother, see them off," Chen Hao said coldly.

Chen Mo, his heart burning with anger, walked over and said coldly, "Nangong Bingyan, you've achieved your goal. Leave, we don't welcome you here."

Looking at her beautiful face, Chen Mo felt a deep hatred. He had once called her sister-in-law and considered her family, but now the thought made him feel sick.

Nangong Bingyan raised her proud head, looking at Chen Hao from above, "Chen Hao, don't be bitter. This is the most practical choice for you."

"Didn't you hear my second brother? We don't welcome you," Chen Hao said coldly, suddenly crushing the bottle and the pill in his hand, the fragments scattering like mist, not affecting his calm expression. It was as if he had crushed a piece of trash, not a precious pill.

"Wow~"

The onlookers gasped in disbelief. That was a fourth-grade spirit pill, worth at least ten thousand gold. Just like that, it was destroyed? Even if he didn't use it, selling it would make him rich for life.

Seeing his brother's outburst, Chen Mo felt a mix of pain and satisfaction.

"Chen Hao, you..."

Her name came out through her ice-like teeth. As a proud and spoiled daughter of the Nangong family, she had never experienced such humiliation.

Her lips trembled, her chest heaving, and she forced out a few words, "Fine, very fine. You have pride." She turned and left.

Chen Mo, after the initial shock, felt a surge of boldness. He finally understood why his brother had signed the document of regret. It was indeed about the dowry.

It wasn't that he lacked pride, but that he wanted to keep the dowry to exchange for resources for his cultivation.

Shame, anger, and gratitude swirled in Chen Mo's heart. He picked up the gift list and said coldly, "Miss Nangong, wait. You forgot something."

Nangong Bingyan, still angry, turned back, confused.

Chen Mo coldly threw the gift list back at her, "Please take these things back."

Nangong Bingyan's face turned shocked and disbelieving, "Xiao Mo, you..."

"Miss Nangong, please be mindful of your words," Chen Mo said coldly, "My brother signed the document of regret not because of your treasures. Please take them back, they're taking up space in our home."

Throughout the exchange, Chen Mo did not insult her or look at her with contempt.

But he had pierced Nangong Bingyan's pride, making her face flush with anger, "Fine, fine. Since your Chen family has such pride, I'll grant it to you. Don't regret it later."

In a fit of anger, Nangong Bingyan left, her proud companion giving Chen Mo and the others a cold look, a flash of cruelty in his eyes, before turning and leaving.

The servants hurriedly carried the items away, leaving in a hurry.

The onlookers were shocked, sighing and discussing the young people's impulsiveness. So many valuable treasures, any one of which could make them rich for life, and they were so foolish? They forgot their own earlier cruel words.

Seeing no more entertainment, they dispersed.

After they left, Chen Mo said guiltily, "Brother, I was too impulsive. But I know you wanted to keep the dowry to exchange for more pills for my cultivation. But, even if I became a Spirit Master or even a先天 (先天 means "innate" or "natural-born" in Chinese, which translates to "natural-born" in English) strong, my heart would never be at peace."

Chen Hao looked at him for a long time before smiling, "Good, you're worthy of being my second brother. I was too petty. Wu, bring some wine, I want to have a drink with my second brother."

Chen Mo looked at his brother's sunny smile, knowing his brother was being kind to him, feeling even more guilty. If his brother hadn't saved him, would he have ended up like this?

Seeing the blood marks on his brother's wheelchair, he wondered how much restraint it took to suppress his rage when Nangong Bingyan brought her lover to break the engagement.

He did it all for him. Otherwise, with his pride, he would have fought to the death rather than accept such humiliation.

A burning flame rose in Chen Mo's heart, igniting his blood, burning fiercely.

Brother, rest assured, I, Chen Mo, will find a way to heal your legs, no matter what it takes!

And Nangong Bingyan, and that guy, one day, I will make you regret it. His heart roared and screamed!

...

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