Chapter 7

Remember, it was a cold winter, the imperial city was covered in snow, and Father was far away on a western expedition. He didn't even return for the New Year. Without Father, the Zi family home didn't feel like home at all. Feeling neglected, I went alone to Mother's grave, but on the way, I encountered him. At that time, Master was wearing a tattered robe, sitting cross-legged by the roadside, covered in snow. Out of kindness, I offered him the steamed bun I had prepared as an offering.

But he didn't take the bun. Instead, he lifted his head, looked at me, and said, "Eh?"

He seemed very curious.

When I saw his eyes, I felt an inexplicable fear, as if he could see through everything about me.

Especially when he said, "Born with knowledge," I almost fell to the ground in fright.

"Born with knowledge" was my greatest secret, a secret even Father didn't know. Since my soul came to this world, I had kept this secret, never daring to tell anyone, for fear of being considered a monster. But who would have thought that my greatest secret would be seen through by him at first glance.

At that moment, I understood Master's extraordinary nature.

"Don't be afraid. People born with knowledge are rare, but they do exist. However, your constitution, eh, is naturally deficient. You will likely never be able to practice martial arts..." At that time, Zi Chen thought of fleeing, but Master's next words dispelled his thoughts of escape.

There are others born with knowledge? Could there be other souls that have crossed over to this world?

At that time, Zi Chen didn't even pay attention to the issue of his naturally deficient constitution. After all, for years, he had been unable to unblock his meridians and had long given up on martial arts.

But Master's next words reignited his hope.

"However, a naturally deficient constitution isn't a big problem. I have a cultivation method that allows you to practice even if all your meridians are blocked." A monk who didn't call himself "old monk" or "poor monk" but "this seat" was a strange thing, but at that moment, Zi Chen didn't notice these details. He just asked hopefully, "Really?"

It was indeed true. With the memories of two lifetimes, he casually became his disciple, and he casually accepted Zi Chen. Everything was like a game, yet it felt so real and natural, as if it was all predestined!

In the end, he left behind a cultivation method whose name Zi Chen didn't even know, and then he left.

Before leaving, he told Zi Chen that he had three senior brothers.

From then on, Zi Chen never saw him again, and even now, he doesn't know the name of his sect...

As for those legendary three senior brothers, not a single one has shown up. Fortunately, this cultivation method has been useful to him.

At least since he started practicing, his appetite has grown, his strength has increased, and his physical strength far exceeds that of ordinary people. Especially after entering the Great Strength Realm, his body has undergone some wondrous changes. At least when he shattered a rock with a single punch, his body suffered no damage.

Just the Great Strength Realm has such power. He really doesn't know what it would be like if he reached the highest realm.

This cultivation method has three major realms: the Mortal Realm, the Mystic Realm, and the True Realm.

The Mortal Realm is further divided into three sub-realms: the Ordinary Strength Realm, the Great Strength Realm, and the Gigantic Strength Realm.

Zi Chen started practicing at the age of seven and has practiced for over ten years. He has only reached the third level of the Great Strength Realm. This is still the result of the first five years, during which his father's innate true qi nourished him, and he worked several times harder than ordinary people.

If his meridians were unblocked and he could practice martial arts, with his effort and talent, absorbing so much natural qi, he would at least be a先天武师 (先天武师 means "innate martial master," but it's a specific term in Chinese martial arts fiction, so I'll keep it as is).

But what about now?

Despite knowing that practicing this cultivation method is extremely difficult, Zi Chen has never given up. No matter how hard or bitter it is, at least it gives him hope, the hope of becoming a powerful person. From a young age, he has endured too much humiliation. He doesn't want to live a life of humiliation in this world.

This is not the life he wants!

Zi Chen suppressed the frustration in his heart, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began to practice the cultivation method taught by Master.

As he practiced, the natural qi in the world rushed into his body, continuously being absorbed by his bones and flesh. If a powerful immortal master were present, they would be surprised to find that his arm bones were no longer the usual white but a gray-black color, like rock.

As the natural qi entered, this gray-black color began to spread to his shoulders, but the speed of the spread was extremely slow. Even though he absorbed natural qi several times faster than other martial artists, the spread was still incredibly slow. After practicing all night, it only increased by a tiny bit.

When the first ray of sunlight appeared on the eastern horizon, Zi Chen finally stood up. However, he didn't immediately return to the city. Instead, he picked up the longbow that had been by his feet and went to the waist of Xiliang Mountain. There, there were more than ten bundles of arrows, each containing at least a hundred.

These were military arrows. Zi Chen drew an arrow, placed it on the longbow, and slowly raised the bow, aiming at a tree several hundred meters away. In the soft moonlight, if one approached, they would see a thumb-thick hole in the center of the tree. But from a hundred meters away, nothing could be seen.

Zi Chen had reached the third level of the Great Strength Realm, and his arm strength was already three thousand pounds, allowing him to draw this longbow made of star steel. His vision had also improved, and even in the soft moonlight, he could see the hole in the tree from a hundred meters away.

"Whoosh..." The bowstring was released, and an arrow shot out, instantly piercing the thumb-thick hole and passing through to the other side. The second arrow was already on the bowstring, and with another "whoosh," it also passed through the hole. Zi Chen's speed increased, and the actions of drawing the arrow, drawing the bow, and releasing the string became fluid. Arrows were continuously shot out, and eventually, they formed a line, as if being pulled by the first arrow, all piercing the hole.

In just a short time, Zi Chen had shot dozens of arrows, not a single one missing.

"Phew..." Putting down the longbow, Zi Chen exhaled a long breath. Although he didn't draw the bow to a half-circle, after shooting over a hundred arrows, the bandage on his tiger's mouth tore again.

Bright red blood seeped through the bandage, but Zi Chen didn't even look at it. He just shook his arms to relax them and began picking up arrows from the ground, practicing again...

In the quiet forest, the sound of arrows and Zi Chen's heavy breathing continued.

When he had shot over two hundred arrows, even with his stamina, he felt exhausted, and his clothes were soaked with sweat. But Zi Chen didn't return. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the ground, absorbing natural qi to replenish his strength.

When he had enough strength, he stood up again and continued shooting, repeatedly aiming at the hole in the tree, tirelessly drawing the arrow, drawing the bow, and releasing the string.

He knew he couldn't practice martial arts and had no true qi, so he couldn't use powerful martial techniques. Therefore, the bow and arrow were one of his strongest means.

Before his body was strong enough, he could only practice continuously, no matter the distance, whether moving or stationary, striving to achieve a one-hit kill.

If he couldn't become a powerful martial artist, he would become a deadly archer.

Thinking of the two arrows that killed the immortal master and Prince Wanyan Gu, and of Zi Lie's handsome but cold face, Zi Chen felt an urge to turn him into a pincushion.

But he knew that for now, this was just a thought.

He had to become stronger...

---

(End of page)