Chapter 1

In the Great Qi, in the Donghai Commandery, at the Changluo Marquis’s residence.

Cherry blossoms bloomed, and apricot buds burst forth. Amid the warm sun and sparse shadows, a screen depicting ink-washed mountains and rivers stood in the garden. In front of the screen, a huanghuali wooden couch was placed, covered with a thick, snow-white velvet blanket.

A young man in a white robe embroidered with golden cloud patterns sat there, holding a book of immortal and supernatural tales, reading it carefully.

This young man was clearly well-fed and well-clothed, but his figure was somewhat thin, his face pale, and his lips almost devoid of color. As he read the stories, he would occasionally press his hand to his chest, a look of endurance on his face.

This young man was none other than Fang Yunhan, the only son of the Changluo Marquis, who was eighteen years old.

He was also Fang Yunhan, an extreme sports enthusiast from the 21st century on Earth, who had been reincarnated in this world for eighteen years.

Being reincarnated as the only son of a marquis, and one who enjoyed a life of luxury far from the emperor’s reach, should have been considered a stroke of great luck.

Unfortunately, perhaps all his luck had been used up by being born into such a good family.

In this life, Fang Yunhan fell seriously ill at the age of twelve, suffering from intense internal pain and sometimes even vomiting blood.

After the Changluo Marquis invited various renowned doctors to diagnose him, it was determined that he had a condition known as blood dryness.

The cause of this condition was unknown, and there was no cure. According to ancient texts, no one with this condition had ever lived past the age of twenty.

Thus, from the age of twelve, Fang Yunhan had to take blood-nourishing pills every day, and his diet was carefully managed. The Changluo Marquis hoped that with such meticulous care, his son could live a few more years. He himself became obsessed with Buddhism and Daoism, often residing in various ancient temples and Daoist observatories to pray for blessings.

However, Fang Yunhan gradually came to terms with his situation.

Living an extra life was already a bonus. Even the pain that made him want to harm himself gradually became bearable after the initial few months. There was nothing to fear.

Rustle!

The sound of paper turning, Fang Yunhan flipped a page in his book.

It seemed to be another ordinary day.

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a strange wind swept across the sky. A faint mist seemed to spread for thousands of miles, drifting over the mountains and rivers.

The change in the sky was too fast and too intense.

The sunlight vanished, and Fang Yunhan could no longer see the words on the book in front of him. He looked up and saw that the once bright sky had turned as dark as ink.

The pure blackness made the clouds in the sky seem heavier, as if they were frozen, showing no signs of movement.

This phenomenon was clearly not something that could be explained by the gathering of ordinary storm clouds. As Fang Yunhan looked up, he even began to worry that the sky, which now looked like a vast sheet of black glass, might suddenly fall.

He could somewhat understand the protagonist of the story "The Man Who Worried About the Sky Falling."

As countless people across the land looked up at the sky, a red light suddenly appeared in the darkness.

The red light, initially the size of a grain of rice, quickly expanded hundreds of times, becoming as large as a basin, surrounded by a tumultuous crimson flame, like a cold, red sun in the sky.

Everything was bathed in the cold red light. Fang Yunhan caught a glimpse of red droplets falling from the flowers in the garden.

The crimson star descended further, leaving a dark trail as it fell toward the west.

Fang Yunhan still had his head tilted back, blinking, a bit dazed.

To be honest, in his previous life, he had seen all sorts of rare celestial phenomena, meteor showers, and annular solar eclipses, thanks to advanced astronomical instruments that revealed the most beautiful corners of the universe to humanity.

But none of that could compare to the shock and... excitement he felt just now.

Fang Yunhan raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Why did he have such a strange feeling? It was as if he was certain that something new, exciting, and unprecedented was about to happen.

Such a celestial phenomenon was a terrifying omen for the people of Great Qi. Many had already taken out copper gongs and were banging them, as they did during the ancient custom of the "dog eating the sun." The streets and even the Changluo Marquis’s residence were in chaos.

Amid the cacophony, a clear voice sounded in Fang Yunhan’s ear.

[Activating martial arts character template, first trial about to begin, energy reserves being checked]

[Energy reserves sufficient, activation complete, trial begins.]

Is this... a穿越者外掛 (穿越者外掛 translates to "穿越者" meaning "穿越者" (穿越者) and "外掛" meaning "external aid" or "cheat" in the context of games, but in this context, it refers to a "穿越者外掛" which is a term used in Chinese literature for a "cheat" or "power-up" that a protagonist receives in a story, often in the form of a system or ability that grants them special powers or knowledge)? Is this real?

Snap!

The book fell to the ground, and Fang Yunhan patted his ears, trying to determine if he had just hallucinated. Before he could figure it out, his vision was filled with a blinding white light.

The young man’s body glowed, and he vanished into thin air.

When a group of maids, worried about disturbing the young master, rushed into the garden to find Fang Yunhan, the garden was already empty.

In later years, the first volume of the "Qishi: Xuandao" recorded: "During the Anyuan period of the Great Qi, the emperor ruled with ease, the barbarians submitted, and the people were prosperous. Suddenly, one day, the sky turned as dark as ink during the daytime. Shortly after, a crimson star fell to the west, and the people were astonished. From then on, strange tales began to spread throughout the land."

...

Ancient trees towered, their branches lush and green. A simple, ancient house hidden in the forest had been severely damaged.

The doors and windows were broken, and the walls were riddled with holes of various sizes. Fresh blood splattered the ground, seeping into the soil through the cracks in the rocks.

Dozens of bodies lay scattered among the houses and under the trees.

Fang Yunhan felt the scene before him suddenly change, his eyes stinging, and his head feeling dizzy. He closed his eyes for a moment to rest, and when he opened them again, he saw this bloody scene.

"This..."

"Am I reincarnated again? Or have I been transported to some other place? Or did I lose a part of my memory?"

Fang Yunhan tried to clear his thoughts, despite the chaotic pain in his chest. Suddenly, a roar came from behind him.

"Villain! Take this!"

Fang Yunhan turned his head and saw a burly man with messy hair stride out from the forest.

The man leaped like a fierce tiger charging down a mountain, jumping nearly ten meters, his hand whistling like a giant iron fan as he struck down at Fang Yunhan.

Fang Yunhan saw a blur of darkness, his eyes filled with blackness, and his ears ringing from the wind.

His mind buzzed, and a strong sense of fear gripped his heart.

'What the hell, did I just activate my golden finger and am about to die? Or am I going to be killed so pointlessly?!'

'Is this reasonable?'

'No, I won’t accept it!!'

In his daze, Fang Yunhan let out a scream that hurt his throat and swung a punch.

I can accept dying from this wretched illness, but if someone wants to kill me, then I, will, also, kill, you!

With this thought, a surge of energy, like a burning current, rushed through his veins and into his fist.

Then, the collision!

Bang!!

The burly man trembled, stumbling backward.

Fang Yunhan fell to one knee, the rock beneath him cracking, his fist red with blood.