Chapter 1

In the vast expanse of the Yi Guo Gong Mansion, Chu Li rowed a boat on the lake, the cool lake breeze refreshing and invigorating.

The Yi Guo Gong Mansion was a massive lake, with ninety-nine islands. The Wuyi Hall he was heading to was eighteen miles away from the East Garden.

On the small boat, he was of medium build, wearing a flowing blue robe. Though his appearance was ordinary, he exuded a heroic aura. Gazing at the vast lake, his thoughts drifted far away.

Nineteen years, two months, and three days, it has already been nineteen years, two months, and three days!

A high-energy physics researcher with a bright future, a top student, and a future great scientist, a small mistake in an experiment led to an explosion, and he was reborn in this world, starting anew!

A tall building came into his view.

A hundred-meter-tall building, shimmering with bronze, heavy and solemn, exuding the grandeur of the mansion.

This bronze building was the Wuyi Hall!

In front of the Wuyi Hall was a spacious training ground, paved with red clay, where hundreds of people were practicing, some with knives, swords, fists, or palms, or sparring with each other, creating a lively scene.

Chu Li docked his boat and stepped onto the training ground. After a few steps, a handsome young man suddenly appeared. He had a face like a jade crown, eyebrows like swords, and a radiant demeanor.

He was tall, a head taller than Chu Li, and he folded his arms, looking down at him. "Chu, what are you doing here?!"

Chu Li frowned. "Move aside, a good dog doesn't block the way!"

The handsome young man chuckled. "Do you want to practice martial arts?"

Chu Li looked at him coldly and continued walking. "Zhuo Feiyang, if I fall and scream, will you be able to handle the consequences?"

The mansion guards prohibited private duels and self-mutilation. The guards were divided into martial and literary categories, and private duels were strictly forbidden. The penalty for a minor offense was a demotion, and for a major offense, expulsion from the mansion.

Chu Li was an unranked guard, while Zhuo Feiyang was an eighth-rank martial guard. It was a taboo for a martial guard to attack a literary guard. If Chu Li fell and screamed, even if Zhuo Feiyang was a genius, he would face severe punishment.

Zhuo Feiyang's brows furrowed. "Chu, you're really shameless!"

Chu Li continued walking.

Zhuo Feiyang stepped aside, his handsome face dark. "Chu, you can only use these petty tricks!"

Chu Li snorted. "To deal with a fool like you, petty tricks are enough!"

Zhuo Feiy glared at him, his fists clenching tighter and tighter, as if ready to strike at any moment. Chu Li, however, looked at him lazily, his challenge clear.

Zhuo Feiy suddenly smiled brightly and waved his hand. "Zhao Shimei!"

In the distance, a graceful and beautiful young woman walked over. She had skin as white as snow, almond-shaped eyes, and willow-like eyebrows, with a gentle and tender demeanor.

Chu Li's expression changed slightly. Zhao Ying, who had entered the mansion at the same time as them, was beautiful, kind, and gentle. He liked her very much and wanted to win her heart!

"Zhuo Shixiong?" Zhao Ying walked over lightly, surprised. "Chu Shixiong?"

Chu Li inhaled the faint fragrance she brought and smiled. "Zhao Shimei, it's been a while."

Since he was assigned to the East Garden, he spent most of his time in the library, hoping to change his fate through knowledge, rarely visiting the Wuyi Hall.

This time, he came to the Wuyi Hall because he encountered problems while practicing the Small Pulse Cleansing Technique and wanted to look at related manuals and practice notes.

Zhao Ying smiled. "Chu Shixiong, congratulations, the East Garden is a good assignment."

Chu Li nodded with a smile. "It's not bad."

The East Garden belonged to the third miss, Xiao Qi, on the Jade Qi Island. There were only two guards, Chu Li and Li Yue, and the assignment was leisurely. There was also a chance to meet the third miss, and if she favored him, his rise to prominence would be imminent.

Zhuo Feiyang took a deep breath. This guy had too much luck, and he had even been assigned to the East Garden. The heavens were truly unfair, and he had to teach him a lesson!

"Zhao Shimei, don't pay attention to this waste of space. I just mastered the Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique, let's spar?"

"Zhuo Shixiong—!" Zhao Ying frowned, finding Zhuo Feiyang's words offensive.

"Alright, alright, I won't call him a waste of space!" Zhuo Feiyang quickly smiled, glancing at Chu Li. "But he is a waste of space!"

"Still saying it!" Zhao Ying glared at him, clearly displeased.

"Zhao Shimei, it's fine," Chu Li smiled. "There's no need to take this arrogant fool seriously."

"Chu Shixiong!" Zhao Ying scolded.

Chu Li raised his hands in surrender. "Zhao Shimei, come visit the East Garden. The scenery is beautiful, and Li's cooking is excellent."

"Sure." Zhao Ying smiled. "I've always wanted to see it, the East Garden..."

"Hmph, what's there to see!" Zhuo Feiyang sneered. "Just flowers and plants. You should practice martial arts instead, or you'll lose your way!"

"According to you, the third miss and the eldest son are also losing their way, right?" Chu Li smiled sardonically. The West Garden belonged to the eldest son, Xiao Tiejun.

Zhuo Feiyang's face turned red, and he laughed coldly, deciding not to argue with him.

"Zhuo Shixiong! Chu Shixiong!" Zhao Ying scolded. "Can you both stop for a moment? ... Chu Shixiong, I'll come to visit. You can go about your business."

Chu Li looked at her deeply. "Zhao Shimei, some people have a good appearance but are selfish. Time will reveal their true nature. Don't believe others easily."

"Chu, what do you mean!?" Zhuo Feiyang sneered.

Chu Li ignored him and bowed to Zhao Ying with a smile.

Zhao Ying quickly pulled Zhuo Feiyang, who reluctantly turned around. As they left, taking advantage of Zhao Ying's distraction, he suddenly reached out.

"Slap!" His palm struck Chu Li's face.

Zhao Ying quickly turned to look.

Chu Li's expression remained unchanged, as if the slap had not hit him.

He had seen Zhuo Feiy's intentions in advance but deliberately did not dodge, enduring the slap.

Zhuo Feiyang smiled sardonically and bowed. "Oh, I'm really sorry, I was too careless. Chu Shixiong, are you alright?"

"Good trick!" Chu Li stared at Zhuo Feiyang, smiling disdainfully.

The mansion rules prohibited private duels. By pretending it was an accident and immediately apologizing, and since it was just a slap, it would be difficult to punish him.

The slap was skillfully delivered, loud but left no mark, purely to humiliate him, trample his dignity and face, and make him lose face in front of Zhao Ying and the crowd.

"Zhuo Shixiong—!" Zhao Ying's face turned serious.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to." Zhuo Feiyang quickly bowed and smiled. "I'm sure Chu Shixiong won't mind, right, Chu Shixiong?"

Chu Li turned his head and said coolly, "Zhao Shimei, forget it."

Zhao Ying looked at him awkwardly and quickly pulled Zhuo Feiyang away. If they stayed any longer, they would surely fight!

Chu Li stared at Zhao Ying's graceful back, touching his burning left cheek, and activated the Great Wisdom Mirror to suppress his boiling anger.

He liked Zhao Ying and wanted to win her heart, but deep down, she still looked down on him and pitied him!

For a man, it was unbearable to be looked down upon by the woman he liked!

Zhuo Feiyang, the Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique...

He laughed coldly, walked through the crowd on the training ground, and entered the Wuyi Hall.

He unfastened the wooden plaque from his waist and handed it to the young man at the entrance. The young man's eyes were sharp, and he nodded, allowing him to enter.

Inside, rows of bookshelves lined the walls. He walked casually, occasionally stopping, reaching out to pull a book, flipping through it quickly, and putting it back before continuing. He stopped again, pulled another book, and flipped through it.

In an hour, he had flipped through twenty-two books.

It seemed he knew the exact locations of these books, but it was his first time visiting. He had read the Small Pulse Cleansing Technique in the library.

The entire Wuyi Hall was now imprinted in his mind, every row of bookshelves, every book's title, clear and vivid.

He walked to the second floor, directly to the third row of bookshelves, and pulled out the Illusion-Breaking Sword Manual from the second shelf, flipping through it. Then he pulled out seven more manuals, which were practice notes for the Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique.

When he left the Wuyi Hall, thirty manuals, twenty-two practice notes for the Small Pulse Cleansing Technique, one Illusion-Breaking Sword Manual, and seven practice notes for the Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique were imprinted in his mind.

He rowed the boat on the lake, the gentle breeze cooling him, and the intense anger he had felt earlier had dissipated.

The thirty manuals in his mind began to integrate.

---

The midday sun was scorching, and he returned to the East Garden with a dark face.

The East Garden was a small island, two miles in circumference, divided into flower beds, each with a different rare flower, and the entire island was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

There was only one small courtyard on the island. Chu Li pushed the door open, and a cool breeze greeted him. A large tree shaded half the courtyard, driving away the heat.

He entered the west wing, picked up a green sword, and began practicing in the center of the courtyard, moving slowly like Tai Chi. Soon, he was sweating, his forehead glistening.

He had a photographic memory, and the manuals he had read were imprinted in his mind. The Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique he had learned from the Wuyi Hall was indeed powerful but also extremely energy-consuming.

"Creak..." A robust young man with a round face and small eyes walked out of the main hall.

He swayed like a black bear, stretching and yawning before speaking lazily. "Brother, you're back so early?"

Chu Li, focused on his practice, only grunted in response.

Li Yue, a ninth-rank guard, was responsible for the East Garden with Chu Li. He had a good appetite, excellent cooking skills, and was skilled in martial arts but feared death and did not challenge the Nine-Rank Tower, content to be a guard.

The guards and martial guards in the mansion were divided into nine ranks, with a tenfold difference in pay.

The guards had lower pay and had to earn their ranks through seniority: three years for ninth rank, ten years for eighth rank, twenty years for seventh rank, forty years for sixth rank, and seventy years for fifth rank.

The martial guards' ranks were based solely on martial arts skills, challenging the Nine-Rank Tower, and advancing one rank for each floor conquered.

The pay was higher, and they could frequently leave the mansion to complete tasks, living a colorful life, unlike the guards who were confined to the mansion. Anyone with some ability chose to be a martial guard.

Li Yue stretched his neck and legs, his joints cracking, and then began practicing, his punches swift and powerful.

"Brother, stop practicing the sword and practice boxing with me!" Li Yue couldn't stop talking.

Chu Li remained silent.

"You can't practice internal skills, so just practice a set of boxing to strengthen your body. Why practice the sword?"

"Shut up!" Chu Li spat, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

In this world, martial arts were highly developed, and training began in childhood.

From eight to eighteen years old, during the developmental stage, one practiced foundational techniques to strengthen and toughen the meridians. Otherwise, they would not be able to withstand the impact of internal energy, risking their life.

After the age of eighteen, once the meridians were set, even the most miraculous techniques would be less effective, requiring several times the effort to lay the foundation.

Before the age of eighteen, he had studied the Great Wisdom Degree Sutra at the Qiu Ye Temple, missing the opportunity to lay the foundation.

His spirit was twice that of a normal person, and his mental strength was formidable, allowing him to finally master the Great Wisdom Degree Sutra and achieve the Great Wisdom Mirror.

With his strong mental strength, his practice duration far exceeded that of ordinary people. With the Great Wisdom Mirror, he could observe in great detail, and thus his progress in the Small Pulse Cleansing Technique was rapid, taking only five years to lay the foundation.

"Hehe... Your sword can't even kill a chicken, why are you practicing so hard?"

Chu Li suddenly sheathed his sword and snorted. "Want to spar?"

He was panting and felt weak, leaning on the sword to support himself. The Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique was extremely energy-consuming.