Chapter 1

"Rushing water!"

The roaring sound of water and the rising mist, a waterfall like a giant dragon rushed down from a thousand-foot cliff, the water impacting Zheng Shiyi's frail body as if it were a heavy mountain, pressing down so hard he could barely breathe.

But Zheng Shiyi still gritted his teeth and stubbornly held on under the waterfall.

Because Zheng Shiyi knew that to reclaim what he had lost, he had to work ten or even a hundred times harder than others.

What Zheng Shiyi had lost was his martial soul.

Anyone who possessed a martial soul was a favorite of heaven and earth, and among millions, there might not even be one. Zheng Shiyi, without a doubt, was the luckiest of these lucky ones.

He possessed the Supreme Martial Soul, one of the top ten king martial souls in the world!

Just the aura emitted by the martial soul could make countless martial artists bow in submission.

In the millions of years of history on the Hanwu Continent, there were only a few people who truly possessed the Supreme Martial Soul, and all of them eventually walked the path to their own legends.

Originally, Zheng Shiyi could have become a true legend on the Hanwu Continent just like them.

However, a year ago...

Every year, the young members of the Zheng family would have a grand competition. The winner would gain the opportunity to enter the Xuanming Sect, where they could study profound martial arts and become a disciple of a major sect.

Last year was even more astonishing. Before the competition, the Xuanming Sect sent word that the first place winner of the Zheng family's competition this year might become an inner sect disciple.

When this news spread, the entire Zheng family was shaken. Everyone believed that this inner sect disciple position was reserved for Zheng Shiyi.

Because Zheng Shiyi possessed a Supreme Martial Soul, a once-in-a-thousand-years occurrence.

No one could have imagined that this inner sect disciple position would bring Zheng Shiyi the greatest humiliation of his life...

Before the competition, Zheng Song, who was second in popularity to Zheng Shiyi, secretly went to the ancestral land and told the first genius of the ancestral land, Zheng Tianyu, about Zheng Shiyi's Supreme Martial Soul.

Zheng Tianyu rushed over that night, suppressed the entire Zheng family with his own strength, and cruelly and forcefully took away Zheng Shiyi's Supreme Martial Soul.

The genius fell from grace.

The once-promising Zheng Shiyi became a waste in the eyes of everyone.

When Zheng Song entered the Xuanming Sect, his smug expression was like a whip, driving Zheng Shiyi to strive harder.

"I will take back what I have lost!"

Zheng Shiyi gritted his teeth and fought against the turbulent water.

"Eight breaths, nine breaths, ten breaths..."

Zheng Shiyi knew that every additional breath he could hold under the waterfall meant he was a little stronger than the day before. When he reached the twelfth breath, the violent water finally could not be resisted, and Zheng Shiyi was thrown up by the water, flying several dozen meters before landing heavily on the water surface...

"I have already reached twelve breaths..." Zheng Shiyi wiped the lake water from his face, looking somewhat disheveled, but his eyes were brighter than usual.

In a month, from eight breaths to twelve breaths, one day, he would be able to reclaim what he had lost...

"Hey, isn't that our great genius? What, are you secretly playing in the water again?"

"Do you think, if the great genius keeps playing like this, he might play himself to death?"

"Don't say that, the great genius will be unhappy if he hears it!"

"Oh, I'm so scared, hahaha..."

Several young members of the Zheng family, seeing Zheng Shiyi's disheveled appearance, laughed even harder. For these ordinary young people, seeing the once-revered family genius fall to a level below them was a cause for celebration.

However, as a fallen genius, Zheng Shiyi had long become accustomed to the coldness of human nature over the past year. The ridicule of a few young people was not enough to bother him. He simply wiped the lake water from his hair and turned to leave.

"Hey, you're ignoring us, are you looking down on us?"

But just as Zheng Shiyi turned to leave, a young man in white, with a sharp face and a monkey-like jaw, suddenly stood in front of him.

Zheng Shiyi remembered that this person was called Zheng Shan. Because he had pursued Tang Wanxue, he had often caused trouble for Zheng Shiyi over the past year.

"Move out of the way."

"Hey, you're still putting on airs as the great genius. I'm telling you, you're just a waste now. Stay away from Tang Wanxue, or even if she protects you, I'll break your legs."

"Just you?" Zheng Shiyi smiled calmly. "If I remember correctly, a few days ago, you were beaten up by Xiao Xue, breaking a few ribs. You recovered pretty quickly, didn't you?"

"Shut up!" Zheng Shan, who had intended to humiliate Zheng Shiyi, was now frustrated. "You, without a martial soul, are just a waste! Not only a waste, but a coward who hides behind women!"

Zheng Shiyi, wanting to practice, was too lazy to argue with Zheng Shan. He simply smiled triumphantly and replied, "Hehe, you're right. I am a coward, and I like to let Xiao Wanxue protect me. If you have the guts, stand behind her too."

Zheng Shan, seeing Zheng Shiyi's provocative smile, clenched his fists and was about to attack, shouting, "Without a martial soul, you're just a mouth. You're already scared to death inside, aren't you? Stop pretending to be tough in front of me!"

"Scared?" Zheng Shiyi glared at Zheng Shan, his eyes flashing with defiance. "Do I need to be afraid of a fool like you? Even with just a mouth, I can make you angry. You're even worse than a waste!"

"Looking for death!" Zheng Shan gritted his teeth, and his fist was about to strike Zheng Shiyi.

But at that moment, a light but angry voice suddenly came from nearby, "Who are you calling a death-seeker? Are you itching for a beating?"

Then, a girl in white, like a fairy in the sky, appeared where the voice came from.

Tang Wanxue! She was a girl so beautiful that she could make people gasp. Her appearance in any setting would instantly draw everyone's attention.

Zheng Shan's pride turned to fear instantly. Seeing the girl walking towards him, he inwardly called out, "Not good!" The place where he had been beaten by this girl last time started to ache again.

"Zheng Shiyi! If you have the guts, keep being protected by women every day." Zheng Shan left these words and quickly left with his group.

Zheng Shiyi smiled at Zheng Shan, "I'm afraid that if I do this, you'll die of envy..."

Zheng Shan, hearing this, stumbled and almost fell to the ground.

Tang Wanxue approached Zheng Shiyi, looking at his wet clothes and the mud on his body from falling, feeling a deep pain in her heart.

With his talent, if he hadn't lost his martial soul, he would have entered the Xuanming Sect and become an inner sect disciple, a certainty.

But fate was so cruel, making him, born in a branch of the Zheng family, fall from a genius to a waste in the eyes of others in just one night.

Zheng Shiyi, seeing Tang Wanxue's slightly moist eyes, smiled bitterly, realizing he had fallen to the point of being pitied by a little girl.

"Who bullied you? Look at your red eyes." Zheng Shiyi raised his hand and gently touched Tang Wanxue's nose. "I'll go and get revenge for you."

Tang Wanxue wrinkled her nose, pouted her small mouth, and said, "Who dares to bully me? If I don't bully them, they're lucky! I came to see you. Otherwise, if you were washed away by the waterfall, where would I find such a good brother?"

Her face was filled with happiness.

Four years ago, she was still a little girl with snot hanging from her nose.

The older boys not only didn't like her but also bullied her.

Only Zheng Shiyi, ignoring the ridicule of others, became her best friend.

From a genius to a waste, Zheng Shiyi, though he didn't say it, she knew he must be in pain.

Zheng Shiyi stroked her hair, "Little girl, I can handle this waterfall. Go back!"

"Okay!"

Tang Wanxue knew Zheng Shiyi's strong personality. If she showed too much concern, it might hurt his pride, so she quickly nodded and walked home with him.

After they parted, Tang Wanxue didn't leave. She clenched her fists and looked at Zheng Shiyi's back, "Brother Zheng Shiyi, I will definitely help you get your martial soul back!"

"Little girl, with your current strength, you can't help him get his martial soul back."

An old man with white hair appeared silently behind Tang Wanxue and said kindly, "Have you considered it? Only by accepting my proposal do you have a chance to help him..."

"I... I..." Tang Wanxue hesitated, "Uncle Qin, can you give me more time to think?"

"Ah! Alright!" Uncle Qin sighed, "Following me is your best choice. If this boy has any future, he will naturally have great development and can still find you..."

Zheng Shiyi walked into the courtyard, curiously looking at the people gathered there. Why had the family members suddenly gathered in the family courtyard? What big event had happened?

Zheng Desheng, the family head who rarely appeared, was pointing at a picture in his hand and speaking to everyone.

"I just received an order from the Qintian Sect, saying that this person stole their treasure and entered our Tianfang City. The Qintian Sect is sending people to search comprehensively."

"Whoever captures this person will not only receive a heavy reward but also have the chance to become an inner sect disciple of the Qintian Sect!"

"An inner sect disciple of the Qintian Sect? Did I hear that right!"

The Zheng family disciples, upon hearing this, all showed surprised looks.

"The Qintian Sect is a legendary sect on par with the five ancient countries! It is said to rule over a vast territory of millions of miles! They have existed on the Tianwu Continent for millions of years. Not to mention becoming their disciple, even finding their location is extremely difficult!"

"They always send people to recruit disciples from below, and the conditions for recruitment are extremely strict!"

"According to legend, among a million people, not even one can meet their conditions!"

"Even if you are recruited, you are only an outer sect disciple! You must go through multiple selections to become an inner sect disciple!"

"Who would have thought they would offer such a reward this time! Capturing that person directly makes you an inner sect disciple!"

"Becoming an inner sect disciple of the Qintian Sect, this... this... this is like ascending to the heavens!"

"I must capture that person!"

The Zheng family disciples' eyes gleamed, eager to capture that person.

An inner sect disciple of the Qintian Sect? Zheng Shiyi's breathing became heavy. If he could become an inner sect disciple of such a long-standing sect, he could easily crush Zheng Tianyu with that identity! Even the ancestral land would not dare to resist! I must take a good look!

Zheng Shiyi pushed through the crowd and walked over. When he saw the person in the picture, it was the person in his room, and he was stunned.