Chapter 1

In the far west of the Hunlan Continent, there lies a vast mountain range known as the Western Mountains. No one knows what lies beyond the mountains; some say it's an endless void, others claim it's a chaotic space-time, and still others believe it's a fierce gale that no one can withstand. There are many theories, but no one has a definitive answer. Scattered among the mountains, in less treacherous areas, are hundreds of small villages where countless people live.

The Bai Ling Clan resides in Bai Ling Town, a small town on a plain at the foot of a branch of the Western Mountains. The town is not large, with about a thousand households. Between the town and the forest lies a vast, lush green meadow. The setting sun's rays filter through the dense green leaves, casting a dappled light that makes the tender leaves shimmer with a brilliant luster, full of vibrant life.

At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, after a brief heavy rain, a mist rises from the forest, creating a scene that resembles a fairyland on earth.

In the forest, a clear pond is nestled among the dappled trees. From a bird's-eye view, it looks like a large pearl, shining brightly and attractively.

The mist over the pond is even thicker, and a graceful figure can be seen through the mist, swaying and elegant. Even from a distance, one can almost smell the unique fragrance of a young girl. Every movement stirs the pond water, which seems to touch the heart, making it beat faster and harder to control.

In the mist, one can vaguely see long, wet black hair lying on skin as smooth as white jade. Her face is delicate, with a touch of red on her lips, and her expression is one of restrained speech. Her beauty is like a pink peach petal, and her movements have the grace of a delicate orchid. However, a foot-long red scar on her back is striking and shocking. At this moment, it looks like a flower stamen blooming in the water, adding a touch of boldness to her gentleness.

In the quiet forest, the sound of water splashing, like pearls falling on a jade plate, is clear and crisp.

By the stream, the body of a snow wolf lies haphazardly on the ground. An arrow has pierced its right eye, and it is already dead. The arrow has been removed, leaving an empty, dark socket, stained with blood, looking fierce and terrifying. This must be a hunting trophy from one of the hunters in the Western Mountains.

One arrow, one kill, with excellent archery skills. Even experienced old hunters know that the snow wolves in the mountains are the most cunning. Not only are they hard to encounter, but even if you do, it's extremely difficult to shoot an arrow through the eye and skin the entire snow wolf. The difficulty is no less than surviving alone under the claws of a sixth-rank tiger king.

In the dense forest by the stream, a young man sits cross-legged on a tree branch, as light as a leaf, as if he were part of the tree. Occasionally, there are slight air currents around him, but they are very faint and hard to see. The currents swirl and move, as if he is practicing some kind of cultivation technique.

The enticing sound of water reaches the young man's ears, but he filters it out, as if he hasn't heard it at all. He is fully focused on his cultivation, practicing diligently.

After a while, the young man opens his eyes and takes out a small deer skin pouch from his chest. The pouch is not large, with a delicate bear embroidered on it, looking incredibly cute. The young man carefully opens the pouch and takes out a yellowed piece of paper, reading it intently. His brows furrow involuntarily, like two black dragons, exuding a powerful and graceful aura.

The paper, old and fragile, has few words, but they are ancient and grand, exuding a fierce and majestic spirit. Most of the page is a drawing of a naked man, with several broad black lines, like the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, flowing down.

The man in the drawing has a strange quality; such thick lines are not found in anyone on the Hunlan Continent.

"Is it right? Why can't I still do it?" the young man mutters to himself, carefully putting the paper back into the deer skin pouch, composing himself, and continuing to practice the technique described on the paper.

Behind the mist, in the pond, a girl bathes in the mist. The young man is focused on his cultivation, and both are silent, not speaking. Silence does not mean unfamiliarity; rather, it is a sign of familiarity and默契 (默契 means默契, which can be translated as 'rapport' or 'harmony').

After a long time, the sound of water gradually approaches the shore. In the layers of mist, the figure is blurry, but her movements are full of a youthful and unrefined charm. Just as she is about to twist her waist into a breathtaking rhythm, she stops abruptly. Despite this, it does not seem awkward; instead, it creates a unique and alluring beauty.

Suddenly, there is a loud "boom," and a dark shadow appears in the mist. The surrounding mist seems to be crushed, and nearby trees tremble slightly.

The young man hears the sound by the stream and leaps up from the tree branch like a nimble leopard, moving through the forest without disturbing a single leaf or speck of dust, arriving at the stream in an instant.

"Xian'er, what's wrong?" The young man sees a large, dark bear, drenched in water, shaking droplets onto the ground. The young man is not surprised by the bear's appearance; he walks forward, gently stroking the bear's head to calm it.

"Brother, there... there are bad people," the bear, though large and fierce, speaks with a clear and transparent voice, like a bell, more vivid than the sound of the stream.

"What? Are they wild beasts?"

"They are not wild beasts; they are people, and they have a killing aura."

"Quickly transform back, put on your clothes, and hide." The young man gently touches the bear's cheek with his own, speaking softly.

In the distance, the sound of curses and barking can already be heard, "Bu Li, you little bastard, where have you been?!"

"Bu Li, come out now!"

"Little bastard, you're in for it today!"

The chaotic curses are mixed with the barking of guard dogs, their voices hoarse and low, filled with fear, as if they have smelled the scent of a fierce wild beast, instinctively trembling in fear.

Bu Li has been in the Hunlan Continent for ten years and has seen this scene many times. After waking up from a car accident in his previous life, Bu Li found himself in a strange environment. To him, this world seemed as primitive as Pandora in Avatar. He is an orphan, both parents dead, and the people in the village treat him with a cold indifference, avoiding him as if he were a harbinger of bad luck.

After familiarizing himself with his surroundings, Bu Li began to strive for his survival. At eight years old, he faced one misfortune after another. Originally a prodigious youth, Bu Li became mediocre after waking up. He had a soul mark on his body, allowing him to use soul techniques, but Bu Li's soul mark inexplicably healed, making it impossible for him to use soul techniques.

Not everyone in Bai Ling Town ignored Bu Li. An old man who guarded the ancestral hall occasionally spoke to Bu Li, always saying strange things. Bu Li would often visit the old man's dark house to chat. The three pages of soul technique cultivation methods were given to Bu Li by this old man, but after so many years, Bu Li has not made any progress in his cultivation and still cannot feel any soul power.

Bu Li is often beaten and bullied by the children of Bai Ling Town. With a mature mind, he does not take these children seriously and simply stays far away in the mountains. At the age of ten, he found an orphan girl named Cai Xiaoxian in the mountains. A few years later, he found a newborn black bear, which he named Dahei. Despite the hardships, he enjoys his life. Cai Xiaoxian has an unknown background, with a natural soul mark in her soul. Whenever she encounters danger, she transforms into a bear, just as she is now.

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PS: I made significant changes, which took a few days. Please bear with me. I appreciate your support and recommendations. Thank you.