Chapter 2

The village of Rendeng Temple is located in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, at the edge of the ancient primeval forest of the Qinling Mountains. Nestled against the mountains and beside the water, it is shaded by lush trees and boasts rich vegetation and beautiful scenery. The villagers are simple and honest, making the village resemble a utopia, well-known throughout Shaanxi Province. The village is named after the ancient Rendeng Temple, which dates back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties and is situated on the hill behind the village.

The sun was about to set, casting a warm glow over Rendeng Temple Village.

It was mid-summer, and the mountains and fields were a sea of green, the scenery like a painting, beautiful enough to make one's heart ache.

A tall, strong teenager with thick eyebrows and large eyes was walking out of the village's only livestock slaughterhouse, a fresh piece of pig liver in a grass basket, a faint smell of blood lingering on him. He had a blade of grass hanging crookedly from his mouth and was humming a tune.

The teenager's name is Li Mu, and he is fourteen years old.

In July of this year, Li Mu graduated from junior high school with the top score in the entire school's entrance exam.

Li Mu is an orphan, both of his parents having passed away. When he was very young, he was adopted by the abbot of Rendeng Temple. The temple was run by the abbot alone, and this so-called abbot was not a monk but a traveling old shaman.

The old and young lived together in this ancient and dilapidated temple, depending on each other for survival.

When he was not in school, Li Mu lived in Rendeng Temple, drinking mountain spring water and observing the ancient Buddha. The old shaman had considerable prestige in Rendeng Temple Village, and Li Mu, with his thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a tiger-like appearance, was very popular among the villagers. He grew up eating and drinking at various neighbors' homes, essentially raised on the village's collective food and clothing.

Starting at the age of ten, during winter and summer vacations, Li Mu was forced by the old shaman to work part-time at the village's slaughterhouse, killing pigs. By now, he had been doing this job for four years.

The old shaman's reasoning was to cultivate Li Mu's killing aura.

"Why would a junior high school student need killing aura? Besides, if killing pigs could cultivate killing aura, Uncle Qin, the village butcher, would have been a world-class killer long ago... The old shaman must have water in his brain."

Thinking about this, Li Mu felt a bit frustrated.

After killing over a hundred pigs in four years, Li Mu felt his hands were stained with blood, as if he had committed a great sin.

"Woof woof... woof!"

A chubby, lively, and strong husky with mismatched eyes followed him, wagging its tail.

Li Mu had picked up this husky three years ago at the school gate. It was a few months old, abandoned and nearly starved to death.

Li Mu brought it to Rendeng Temple and raised it until now.

In three years, the husky grew fat and strong, with an unusually large frame, like a small calf. It had become a major nuisance in the village, the leader of over sixty dogs, both domestic and wild, often leading its pack to wreak havoc, chasing chickens and ducks and causing feathers to fly everywhere. If not for the good relationship between Li Mu and his grandfather with the villagers, this fat and mischievous husky would have been lynched and turned into dog meat hotpot long ago.

So Li Mu named it General.

The general of dogs.

"Woof woof woof!" General stared at the fresh pig liver in Li Mu's hand, drooling and barking affectionately, jumping around him in a pleading manner.

It took about twenty minutes to walk from the slaughterhouse to the ancient temple on the hill.

The scenery along the way was breathtaking, with the sunset like gold.

Encountering returning villagers, Li Mu greeted them warmly and proactively.

The uncles and aunts in the village had been good to Li Mu since he was a child, treating him like family. He had eaten at every household, and he was filled with gratitude for these simple and kind villagers.

The villagers also liked Li Mu and responded with smiles.

As the sun set, someone sighed as they watched Li Mu and General disappear down the mountain path.

"Alas, what a pity. Li Mu is a good student, with a certain kind of spiritual quality. He was the top student in the school's entrance exam, the best student in our village. I don't know why, but the Great Master refuses to let him continue his high school education."

"Yes, I heard that the principal of the best high school in the city personally went to Rendeng Temple, offering to waive tuition and admit him to the Rainforest Class, even providing a monthly living allowance... but the Great Master refused all of it."

"Maybe the Great Master wants Li Mu to inherit his legacy."

"In modern society, the Great Master's skills in feng shui, health, exorcism, and ghost hunting are not very useful. How can he make Li Mu a shaman to catch ghosts and exorcise demons? The Great Master has real skills, but he is said to have mental illness. When his condition flares up, it can be quite scary. Poor Li Mu has to be careful around him."

The villagers discussed this, all feeling sorry for Li Mu.

...

...

"Old man, I'm back."

Li Mu called out loudly as he entered the temple gate.

There was no response from the old shaman in the back courtyard, as usual.

Li Mu didn't mind, kicked General to play on its own, and went straight to the kitchen.

In the entire Rendeng Temple, there were only he and the old shaman, living in a serene and quiet environment.

Li Mu had run back to Rendeng Temple, and he was slightly sweating. In the kitchen, he first hid the pig liver in a jar to prevent the mischievous General from stealing it, then scooped a bucket of well water from the well at the kitchen door and drank it to cool off.

Putting down the bucket, Li Mu went to the open space in the temple to practice his martial arts and qigong.

The martial art was the True Wu Fist.

The qigong was the Pre-Heaven Qigong.

The names sounded impressive.

Both were taught to Li Mu by the old shaman.

Since he was a child, just learning to walk, Li Mu had been forced by the old shaman to practice these two arts. The True Wu Fist was a martial arts routine, and the Pre-Heaven Qigong was a breathing technique. He had practiced them for eleven years, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, making it a routine.

According to the old shaman, the True Wu Fist was a divine fist, and mastering the eighteen forms could shatter mountains and break stones. Even a small achievement could easily destroy an armored car with one punch. The twelve levels of the Pre-Heaven Qigong were even more remarkable, capable of purifying the body and transforming it, allowing one to enter the Pre-Heaven realm and fly like a god.

However, after eleven years of practice, Li Mu couldn't even break a piece of wood with the True Wu Fist, and the only effect of the Pre-Heaven Qigong on him was increased lung capacity. The enticing powers described by the old shaman were nowhere to be seen.

The old shaman had his own explanation for this.

According to him, the Earth was in the end times of the path of immortals and martial arts, with the cosmic energy depleted and no spiritual elements in the air, making it impossible to practice. Therefore, the two divine arts he taught could not be mastered.

Such a ridiculous reason.

Cheater!

Li Mu was long tired of exposing the old shaman's lies.

What made him angry was that if the old shaman admitted it was impossible to practice on Earth, why force him to do it?

In the first few years, the six-year-old Li Mu tried to resist but was beaten until he was bruised and bleeding, forcing him to continue with tears and snot. As he grew older, the old shaman couldn't beat him anymore, so he resorted to acting crazy and running naked in the mountains when Li Mu disobeyed. Li Mu, caught between laughter and tears, had no choice but to submit and continue practicing.

Over time, Li Mu got used to it.

After all, practicing these arts was somewhat beneficial for his health, so he treated it like doing two hours of children's radio calisthenics every day.

Huff huff huff!

After finishing a round of martial arts and qigong, Li Mu felt his whole body warm.

Especially his internal organs, which felt like they were on fire, but it was a comfortable heat.

Li Mu was used to this.

After finishing his evening practice, he went to the back courtyard's meditation room with his shirt off.

"Old man, I've finished my practice. What do you want for dinner? I brought back some fresh pig liver from the slaughterhouse. How about making your favorite winter melon and pig liver noodle soup...?" Since he was six, Li Mu had been forced to cook by the unscrupulous old shaman. Over the years, he had been the cook for both of them.

"Today is a big day. Don't worry about dinner yet. I have something very important to tell you."

The old shaman's unusually serious voice came from the meditation room.

"Big day?" Li Mu was taken aback. He rubbed his forehead, thinking. Today was July 14, 2017, not a legal holiday, traditional festival, or international memorial day... It was just an ordinary day. What made it a big day?

"Sit down at the door of the meditation room and listen to me. What I'm about to say is very important. Don't interrupt me until I'm done."

"Okay, sure." Li Mu sat down at the door, feeling uneasy.

He had a bad feeling.

Every time the old shaman said something important, it usually meant he was having a mental breakdown.

This time was probably no different.

"To put it simply, here's what's happening. In the solar system, in the Ziwei Star Domain, several major martial arts sects are building a large-scale teleportation array to facilitate the development of the southern Galactic region. The array's energy pulse will pass through Earth, so Earth will be demolished. I'm sending you away from Earth. Before you go, I need to tell you some things to help you adapt to your new planet."

What... What... What?

Li Mu was stunned.

Earth demolition?

Ziwei Star Domain?

And major martial arts forces?

Sure enough.

The old shaman was having another episode.

And this time, it seemed particularly severe, spouting such nonsense.

If he kept going, he'd probably talk about aliens from the five major star systems invading Earth to steal pandas.

"Cough, old man, hold on... I think we should put the Earth demolition on hold and focus on your health. You might have a fever. How about I take you to the hospital for a shot to cool down?"

Li Mu tried to sound sincere.

Past experience told him that when the old shaman had a breakdown, it was best to go along with him and not deny him outright, or the old man would only get worse.

Bang!

A slipper flew out of the meditation room and hit Li Mu on the forehead.

"Brat, I told you not to interrupt. The array is already activated, and time is precious. You're trying to drive me crazy. Shut up and listen... I'm not crazy; you're just narrow-minded, a frog at the bottom of a well... shut up!"

Li Mu wiped the shoe print off his forehead, feeling both amused and exasperated.

The old man was having a particularly bad episode today, so agitated that he was even speaking English.

"Okay, okay, calm down. You continue, I won't interrupt..."

The old shaman, still angry, continued, "To cut to the chase, the major martial arts forces in the Ziwei Star Domain are notorious for their ruthlessness. The so-called demolition is just a cover to appease public opinion. In the end, they will likely destroy Earth. The good news is that building the large-scale teleportation array will take some time. According to Earth's time, it will be about twenty years. I'm sending you to a low-level martial arts planet in the Ziwei Star Domain to hone your skills. If you can master the True Wu Fist and the Pre-Heaven Qigong to a high level within twenty years and gain the power to break through the planet's constraints, you might be able to save Earth."

"Ah... I see. Got it, old man. Don't worry. Even if it's not for Earth, for you and the villagers of Rendeng Temple, I will definitely practice the two divine arts you taught me..."

"Good, I'm glad you understand."

The old shaman's relieved voice came from the meditation room, then he continued, "Brat, we've been through a lot together. You're on your own now, and I have a few more things to remind you. Do you know what's most important for a martial artist wandering the galaxy?"

Oh, the old shaman was really getting into character this time.

Li Mu was speechless but had to play along.

He pretended to think seriously and said, "A martial artist must be ambitious and strive to overcome any difficulties. In the galaxy, one must prioritize righteousness, be willing to take a bullet for a friend, and never back down from evil, even at the cost of one's life..."

Before he could finish,

Smack!

The second slipper flew out and hit Li Mu on the forehead.

"Stupid... fool, what have I taught you? Take a bullet for a friend? Sacrifice your life? Wrong! Dead wrong! You're driving me crazy. Remember, the first rule of wandering the galaxy is to run if you can't fight, and if you can't run, surrender and call them dad... Always prioritize your life. Safety first. Living is the most important thing."

The old shaman was furious, sounding disappointed and frustrated.

Li Mu: "What the...!"

The old shaman continued earnestly, "Child, over the years, I've taught you all my incredible skills. I've been strict with you, forcing you to do things you didn't want to, robbing you of a perfect childhood, but it was all for you. Once you're on that low-level martial arts planet, you'll understand how valuable the skills I taught you are, and you'll be grateful to me..."

Li Mu pursed his lips.

Honestly, if he didn't know the old shaman was just spouting nonsense, he might have been moved.

The old man was so ill, how could he convince him to go to the hospital?

Just then, the old shaman said, "That's all. Don't disgrace me when you go out into the world... Come in, I'll send you away."

Li Mu chuckled.

A good opportunity.

He would go in and find a way to tie up the old shaman and take him to the hospital.

Li Mu lifted the curtain and walked into the meditation room.

But as soon as he entered, he felt a sudden dizziness. The floor behind the curtain was not solid, and it felt like he had stepped into an abyss. His feet lost their footing, and he fell headfirst. His ears were filled with a strange buzzing sound, and he was in a state of weightlessness...

"Damn, how despicable. Old shaman, you're crazy! You actually dug a deep pit in the meditation room..."

Li Mu shouted in anger.

But his voice was cut off abruptly.

It was as if he had disappeared from the world.

"Ha ha ha, success... I spent ten years engraving this [Nine Stars to Heaven Array] and used half of my spiritual blood to activate it. This brat got off easy. I finally got rid of this burden and am free... Ha ha, I can finally return... Changing the array coordinates... Ha ha, I don't want to stay in this spirit-depleted place for a moment longer... Ha ha..."

The old shaman's maniacal laughter echoed in the meditation room.

But at that moment, footsteps were heard outside the temple.

"General, is Brother Xiaomu in the meditation room?" A pleasant female voice asked.

Outside, the husky General, wagging its tail and looking flatteringly, was leading the way.

Behind it was a beautiful girl of about thirteen or fourteen.

The girl was tall, nearly 1.7 meters, with long black hair, a beautiful face, and fair skin. She smiled charmingly, and her figure was well-proportioned, with a hint of curves under her white T-shirt and tight jeans, making her look like a budding beauty. The quiet and cold Rendeng Temple seemed to brighten up with her presence.

If Li Mu were there, he would recognize her as Wang Shiyu, the class monitor and school beauty, his former desk partner.

"Woof... woof." General jumped excitedly, wagging its tail and leading the way into the meditation room.

Wang Shiyu followed closely, not thinking much, and stepped in, smiling, "Brother Xiaomu, are you in there? Teacher Chen sent me to find you. He hopes you'll continue your high school education..."

But in the next moment, the girl and the dog's screams echoed in the meditation room.

Then, their voices and movements disappeared completely.

After a long silence, the old shaman's voice, filled with regret, finally sounded—

"No... Damn stupid dog... Ah, little girl... How did you get in here... Damn, I'm too weak from blood loss and couldn't stop you or adjust the array coordinates in time. The array was reactivated... Oh no, a mortal girl and a stupid dog were also teleported away, wasting all my remaining spiritual blood... Ah, what a disaster. What should I do? This is a one-time array. Without the array and the spiritual blood, I'm trapped on Earth. Heaven, are you playing with me?"

The old shaman was in a frenzy.

After a while, the old shaman's voice came from the meditation room again.

"Brat, this is going to be interesting. Your dog and your girl are also teleported over... Your meeting on that planet will be quite something... You must push the Pre-Heaven Qigong to its limits within twenty years and break through the planet's constraints to save me. Otherwise, I'll be stuck here and die with Earth."

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