Chapter 2: Fang Che

The morning sunlight of summer, piercing through the gaps in the branches, filtered through the window, casting dappled shadows on the bedside.

Dust particles in the air blended with the light, swirling and rising, forming arrows of light that seemed almost tangible, falling from the sky and landing on Fang Che's face.

Slowly, he felt the warmth on his face and gradually woke up.

He opened his eyes, then instantly closed them again.

His eyelids could still sense the light shining through.

He exhaled contentedly.

He was truly alive.

The moment he closed and opened his eyes, it was as if he had traversed lifetimes.

Closing his eyes, he was a soul sinking into the darkness of death; opening them, he was reborn, touched by the boundless world.

The slight burn from the sunlight was the feeling of being alive.

...

He got up, dressed, tidied up, and washed his face.

He laid out paper, ground ink, moistened his brush, and began to write.

...

"Silence is Golden"

With a few hammering sounds, a plaque was nailed to the wall opposite the desk.

Fang Che stepped back a few paces, looked up, and nodded slightly.

Behind the chair at the desk, there was another plaque.

"Prudence in Words and Deeds"

On the desk stood a wooden frame, and inside it were four characters: "Value Words as Gold"

In the living room.

"Too Much Talk Leads to Mistakes"

Fang Che nodded seriously: "From now on, I must always remember to be a person who is serious and cautious in words and deeds!"

Then he fell silent.

He frowned: "Why am I thinking this way?"

"Who was I in my previous life?"

Fang Che tapped his forehead.

He had been reborn in this body for three days.

In those three days, he had sorted out his memories and integrated his soul. However, the strangest thing was: he knew he was a reborn soul, he knew he had taken over this body, he knew many things he had experienced, and he knew this was six hundred years after his time.

Everything from his past life was clear in his mind.

But he had forgotten who he was!

Fang Che found this incomprehensible.

However, he had no resistance to being reborn as another person. He accepted it almost instantly.

What more could he ask for if he could live again?

Squinting his eyes, he looked at the sunlight that shone directly into his eyes, a hint of confusion on his face, and sighed softly: "Sigh, I wonder how they and those girls are doing."

Then he paused: "They? Girls? Who are they?"

...

The name of this body was Fang Che.

His personal details were as follows:

Fang Che.

Not fat, not thin, very handsome, and very strong.

One meter seventy-eight tall, one hundred and fifty-six kilograms, very upright.

His eyebrows were slightly thick, with the ends slightly raised. His lips were a bit thick, his eyes slightly sunken, and his double eyelids not very noticeable, only becoming apparent when he smiled.

Oh, he had monolids.

His gaze was very sharp.

Looking at his face, Fang Che couldn't help but analyze his predecessor: This guy must have been extreme and prone to extremes.

Fortunately, I'm not like that.

However, this cold and proud demeanor suited his current persona of being a quiet and reclusive person.

He wore a white robe—Fang Che frowned, not liking it much, and decided to change it.

Seventeen years old.

A Ninth-Rank Warrior Apprentice.

Healthy, with superior talent.

An outsider to the Fang family, taking his mother's surname. He grew up in the Fang family—this point puzzled Fang Che a bit.

He died while breaking through from a Warrior Apprentice to a Warrior.

Breaking through to the Warrior rank would allow him to participate in the Martial Academy examination.

This was the first 'Dragon Gate Test' in a martial artist's life.

It was well-known that the best way for a Warrior Apprentice to break through was to continuously fight someone with higher cultivation, refining their realm through continuous battles. Most could smoothly break through during these battles.

Then, riding the momentum, they would continue to stabilize their realm through further battles until the end, completing the breakthrough process.

This was a simple and common knowledge. No one should die during this process.

So, the family sent their eldest nephew, the eldest son of the family head, who was specially trained, to return from the Martial Academy to fight and refine Fang Che's realm.

This was the most stable approach.

The eldest nephew, Fang Qingyun, was already a high-ranking Martial Master, very familiar with the realms of Warrior Apprentices and Warriors. He could safely guide Fang Che into the Warrior realm.

But an accident happened.

His predecessor died because of it.

The enthusiastic eldest nephew struck his cousin's dantian with a palm, using his own cultivation to stimulate the energy in his cousin's dantian... and his cousin fell silent, collapsing to the ground, dead!

...

The eldest nephew was stunned on the spot.

Did I kill my own cousin?!

This was unbelievable!

The entire Fang family mobilized, begging and pleading, inviting all the best doctors in the city to save his cousin—thus, Fang Che was reborn.

His cousin seemed to be alive.

But the eldest nephew was now being whipped by his uncle.

It was said to be a brutal scene.

...

Fang Che used his limited spiritual energy to carefully examine his meridians and finally discovered... there was indeed something unusual in his dantian.

Although his current spiritual energy couldn't detect specifics, based on Fang Che's experience, it could only be the Five Spirit Worms of the True Doctrine Sect.

The so-called Five Spirit Worms were said to be worms that targeted the cultivation of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth in the human body.

They were poisonous worms that harmed people, but they were also a secret technique. If the spirit wasn't devoured, it would gain certain qualifications and could assist in cultivation...

In short, if you survived, you would become stronger.

This was also a selection process, but with life and death as the stakes.

This was a common tactic of a certain sect.

Once the Five Spirit Worms entered the body, no cultivation could purge them!

Where did these Five Spirit Worms come from?

Fang Che searched his memories.

It seemed... it was that guy?

He remembered that before the breakthrough, a 'good friend' of his predecessor had given him a bottle of 'high-grade' Blood Qi Pills?

And his predecessor had already consumed them all in his attempt to break through. There were no other abnormalities.

It was almost certain that this was the case.

"What a good friend!"

...

Thousands of miles away.

A man in white was rushing towards this place.

"Three hundred Five Spirit Worms, all dead? Only one survived? And this one is thriving? Who is this? This direction... Bibo City?"

"A small setup, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise."

He smiled with delight and quickened his pace.

It seemed that not only could he complete his mission for the sect, but he might even gain a disciple to pass on his legacy?

...

Fang Che had a list of questions.

Without a doubt, the plots and schemes, as well as the unknown interests entangled with his predecessor, were numerous. The threads were tangled and hard to unravel.

"This is too deep, brother, you can't handle it," Fang Che sighed softly.

He looked up at the 'Prudence in Words and Deeds' plaque he had just hung up and said softly, "Let me handle it."

What could a seventeen-year-old boy know?

But now, I'm here.

I am Fang Che.

I want to see just how powerful these demons and snakes are.

He squinted his eyes, looking at the blinding sunlight outside the window, his face calm.

This omnipresent, penetrating sunlight reminded him of the spear that fell from the sky in his previous life.

When he saw it, it was unstoppable, with no place to hide!

...

Bibo City was located in the east of the continent, five thousand miles south of the vast Cloudtop Mountains.

It seemed that he had been active in this area for a long time...

It was here that he pursued and killed the Thousand Toxin Demon King, slaying him at the Hundred Toxins Peak, a thousand miles outside Bibo City!

It was said that this was the Demon King's lair, but he didn't have time to enter it before he was killed. At that time, he didn't care about the treasures of a minor cultivator and left directly.

But now, he desperately needed them.

According to his memory, this area should belong to the Great Yong Dynasty, right?

Now it's the Great Zhao Dynasty?

It seems the Great Yong Dynasty is gone?

Replaced by the Great Zhao?

This happened without my consent.

...

A knock on the door sounded.

"Fang brother, are you feeling better?"

A young man walked in, smiling, with a hint of hidden scrutiny in his eyes. He was handsome, but his eyes and brows had a sinister look.

In Fang Che's eyes, there was an indescribable malice.

"Yes, thank you," Fang Che replied, his eyes flashing, but he remained calm.

This was Su Yue!

The second son of the Su family in Bibo City.

He was the one who gave him the Blood Qi Pills laced with the Five Spirit Worms.

He was the true culprit who killed his predecessor, and was also his predecessor's so-called 'best friend' and 'best brother.'

Fang Che had been skeptical, but after seeing this man's face and eyes, and connecting the memories, he was certain.

"You have to admit, your eldest nephew was really ruthless. He didn't treat you like family at all," Su Yue said casually, sitting opposite Fang Che. In his heart, he was thinking that the Fang family must really care about this grandson to be able to suppress the Five Toxin Worms.

He sat relaxed, showing that his relationship with the original body had reached a certain level.

Fang Che's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Yes, he was quite daring."

Su Yue said, "But this was expected. After all, you're just a grandson, an outsider, not a direct bloodline. And... well, it's normal for them to treat you badly, as we had anticipated, right?"

Fang Che's face was grim as he looked at Su Yue and said calmly, "I didn't expect a bastard to try to kill me!"

In his heart, he was thinking, the worst is this dog bastard! How can I kill him?

A life-and-death grudge must be avenged quickly and ruthlessly, that's the true meaning of life.

"Don't worry, I'll help you get revenge," Su Yue said enthusiastically.

Fang Che smiled sincerely and said slowly, "Brother Su, your great kindness, I will never forget. I will repay you thoroughly in the future."

Su Yue laughed, "Between brothers, what are you talking about!"

But in his heart, he felt something was off about this statement.

Su Yue looked around to make sure no one was around, then lowered his voice, "Fang Che, do you remember the Earth-Rank cultivation technique I mentioned last time, which is very suitable for your constitution?"

"Hmm?"

Fang Che raised an eyebrow.

An Earth-Rank cultivation technique? What's the big deal about that?

Well, I'm reborn... no problem.

"Yes, I've found it for you," Su Yue said softly.

"I've already obtained the Heart Cultivation Token. As long as you can complete one condition, find the location of the Fang family's treasure map, or just some information, you can get the Earth-Rank cultivation technique, and... you can be guided into the True Doctrine Sect, becoming a seed disciple."

He said eagerly, "Brother, this is your future. If you become a seed disciple, all the resources of the sect will be open to you!"

"A shortcut to success. At that time, what will the Fang family... not be at your mercy? Besides, the Fang family treats you like this..."

Fang Che frowned, "Treasure map?"

"Yes, the treasure map of the Golden Saber Martial Marshal, which the Fang family has been hiding," Su Yue said urgently, "Don't you remember?"

His eyes couldn't help but show some dissatisfaction.

Hiding?

Fang Che's mind raced, and he smiled coldly without any hesitation, "What Golden Saber Martial Marshal, you've all been fooled."

"Hmm?"

Su Yue's eyes widened instantly.

Fang Che leaned in, lowering his voice mysteriously, "In my coma, I overheard... my grandfather discussing it. It's not the treasure of the Golden Saber Martial Marshal, but something else."

"Something else?"

Su Yue's eyes bulged.

"Of course!" Fang Che said confidently.

He remembered the Thousand Toxin Demon King he had killed in his previous life.

He suddenly understood the other party.

Because with the cultivation of the Thousand Toxin Demon King, he was invincible in the Bibo City area, or even within thousands of miles!

Releasing a bit of poison was enough to devastate a thousand miles.

So he set up his lair here—there was no threat!

But now... hehe...

His revenge on this Su Second Young Master was about to begin.

Thousand Toxin.

Perfect!

Su Yue immediately perked up, deceived? Not the Golden Saber Martial Marshal?

The Fang family was indeed cunning!

To be able to mislead others so thoroughly.

No wonder no one had obtained specific information for so many years.

"The location isn't in the Broken Saber Gorge, three thousand miles away, is it?" Su Yue asked, seemingly confused but actually probing further.

"No! You've all been fooled, it's not the Broken Saber Gorge!" Fang Che said decisively.

"..."

A wave of shock surged in Su Yue's heart.

This is also a lie?

"What's really going on?" he asked urgently.

"I didn't understand it clearly, but I vaguely heard something about a place within a thousand miles...," Fang Che pretended to think hard, "It seems to be the legacy of the Absolute Sword Lord, not a treasure. They went a few times but couldn't find it, and the place is full of toxins, extremely dangerous. One time, they encountered a Master-level venomous snake, and they had to return empty-handed."

Su Yue was overjoyed.

A legacy!

This was more valuable than a treasure.

And it was the legacy of the Absolute Sword Lord.

This was far more prestigious than the Golden Saber Martial Marshal.

More importantly, with just this one sentence from Fang Che, he had revealed almost all the information!

The Absolute Sword Lord, legacy, within a thousand miles, full of toxins, extremely dangerous, Master-level venomous snake!

For an experienced person, this was almost like a map!

"Is this true?!" Su Yue asked excitedly.

"I don't know, but I overheard my grandfather in my coma. I can't guarantee its authenticity. And when I opened my eyes, my grandfather stopped talking," Fang Che said ambiguously, shrugging. "It needs further investigation and verification."

In his heart, he thought, I've already given you such a clear hint. If you still can't find it, you're useless.

The more Su Yue thought about it, the more he believed it was true.

The more he thought, the more excited he became.

He looked at Fang Che, feeling smug.

This little fool probably didn't realize how much he had revealed.

Ha ha ha...

This trip was worth it.

He was about to leave, but how could Fang Che let him go so easily?

The Five Spirit Worms and the Heart Cultivation Token, what did they represent? How could an experienced person like him not know?

Fang Che casually asked, "Hey, that Heart Cultivation Token... did you really find it?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Su Yue took out an iron token from his pocket.

Fang Che naturally reached out to take it.

Su Yue: ??

How did he... just take it?

Fang Che looked at the iron token in his hand and immediately understood.

It was indeed the lowest-level token of the True Doctrine Sect, a sect that had caused chaos in the world.

Damn, in this rebirth, he had encountered an old enemy?

The True Doctrine Sect wanted to guide this boy? Or did they have other plans?

In his previous life, he and his brothers had fought the True Doctrine Sect all their lives. He knew how powerful they were.

The most difficult thing about this organization was that as long as they didn't expose themselves, no one would know they were part of the True Doctrine Sect.

Their public identities could be martial artists, scholars, alchemists, or ordinary people...

Their disciples were spread throughout the world, like stars in the sky. Once one of them erupted, it would be a disaster.

The history of the continent was almost a history of the war against the True Doctrine Sect.

These people had firm beliefs, gathered many experts, and were extremely difficult to deal with, impossible to eradicate.

Even the guardian of the three major powers, Xue Fuxiao, had once sighed that if the True Doctrine Sect didn't have internal strife, it would be almost impossible to completely eradicate them!

Not only was it impossible, but they were growing stronger.

In recent years, the True Doctrine Sect's power had grown even more, moving from hiding to openly challenging the guardians, and even surpassing them.

If they ever came out of the shadows, it would be a great disaster for the world.

The guardians had sent countless spies and elites, but to no avail. Once exposed, it would lead to severe retaliation from the True Doctrine Sect.

The True Doctrine Sect was too powerful, and even the best spies couldn't infiltrate the higher ranks.

The Heart Cultivation Sect was one of the subordinate sects of the True Doctrine Sect.

Fang Che's mind raced: Internal strife?

Internal conflict?

A sudden thought flashed in his mind.

Heart Cultivation Token?

Five Spirit Worms?

He casually put the token in his pocket and said, "Thank you, Brother Su."

This Su Yue would certainly report this legacy of the Absolute Sword Lord to his family and go to find it.

Such a great achievement, how could Su Yue let it go?

In that case, no one who went would return.

He might as well keep the token himself, or it would be missed.

Su Yue saw Fang Che put the token away, a bit confused, but thought that he would eventually guide this person into the sect, so it didn't matter if he kept it for now.

Besides, he was already eager to go.

"I'll take my leave, Brother Fang. Take care. I'll come back in a few days."

"Okay."

Fang Che pondered, "I'll gather more information in the meantime. We can go find this legacy together next time."

"Great! I'll be waiting for you."

Su Yue laughed, but in his heart, he was disdainful.

You still want to go find it?

In a few days, it will be ours!

You, this fool, the Fang family treats you so well, and you turn against them just because of a few words from me. You deserve to be used!

"Safe travels, Brother Su."

"Don't bother seeing me off. Your information today was useful."

"No problem, this is a small repayment for Brother Su's years of care," Fang Che said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Su Yue laughed and turned to leave.

Fang Che smiled as he watched Su Yue leave, his eyes mysterious, his lips curling slowly.