1: Past Events

In Da Xin Country, Lin Family Village was surrounded by mountains. A ten-year-old boy stood upon a Flying Sword, his legs trembling and his hands clutching tightly to the hem of the Immortal's robe in front of him. With a look of extreme nervousness, he flew toward the outside of the mountains.

The boy's name was Lin Feng. He had just experienced his parents and the entire village being slaughtered by the Demonic Path, and tear stains still marked his face. Standing on the Flying Sword, Lin Feng was terrified, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on the Immortal's robe. To keep from being afraid, he dared not look down, instead shifting his thoughts to memories of the past.

Lin Feng was a person of Rebirth. In his previous life, he was a miserable workhorse on Blue Star. After ten years of struggle, he had finally saved up enough to buy a small house and was preparing to propose to his girlfriend of two years. Who would have thought that on the day he planned to surprise her, he snuck down to her office building only to find her passionately kissing a handsome, wealthy man in a sports car. Seeing this, Lin Feng's heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, as if struck by a lightning bolt.

Lin Feng dropped the flowers in his hand, stumbling away like a man whose Soul had been drained. He left in a state of heartbreak and confusion—what wasn't meant to be could not be forced! In that moment, Lin Feng understood. He decided to give up; for ten years, he had sacrificed too much to pursue his girlfriend.

That night, he drank himself into a stupor. It was the Qixi Festival, and the metropolis was filled with neon lights and revelry, but Lin Feng walked alone by the river. Gazing at the brightly lit city, his heart ached with bitterness. That was his white moonlight whom he had pursued since college—he had delivered breakfast early and late, whispered goodnight every evening! All he got in return was betrayal!

After years of endless fawning, his girlfriend had finally agreed to be with him two years ago. Remembering the day she agreed, Lin Feng had been as happy as a child, yet he never expected such an ending.

Holding a half-empty bottle of liquor, Lin Feng stumbled along the overpass, looking out at the big city. Because he had drunk too much, he leaned over the railing and vomited repeatedly below the bridge.

Carelessly, he fell from the overpass. Unable to swim, Lin Feng struggled desperately in the river, pained and helpless. At that moment, no one heard his cry for help, just as a simp would never listen to others advising him to be calm and rational. The river would not vanish because of his despair, and the simp met the fate of sinking to the riverbed! Just like that, Lin Feng ended his life as a simp, leaving behind only the heartbreak of his parents.

After his life ended, Lin Feng was reborn in Lin Family Village. In his previous life, he hadn't spent enough time with his family, so the young Lin Feng of this life was well-behaved and sensible, vowing to cherish his family this time around. He grew up slowly in Lin Family Village, always believing he had been reborn into ancient times. Today's events made him realize this was no ancient era—it was clearly a Cultivation World.

The ten-year-old Lin Feng was sensible; children from poor families mature early. Early in the morning, Lin Feng had gone to the mountainside to gather firewood. When he returned to the village with the firewood, the Lin Family Village before his eyes was in ruins, with corpses everywhere. He was on the verge of madness—his family, his neighbors, all of them were dead.

At this moment, a man appeared before him—the very same Immortal currently on the Flying Sword. He informed Lin Feng that the Lin Family Village had been slaughtered by remnants of the Blood Demon Sect practicing evil arts. Only Lin Feng had survived because he was out gathering firewood. As for whether there were any other survivors who had been away from the village, the man did not know, for he had already searched the surroundings and found no living Souls.

The Cultivator before him identified himself as Ye Zhiqiu of the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion. Seeing how pitiful Lin Feng was, he had originally intended to send Lin Feng to the mortal world controlled by the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion to be adopted by a family.

Seeing Lin Feng's frail appearance and the injuries on his body from accidentally falling while gathering firewood, Ye Zhiqiu helped examine his body. He discovered that Lin Feng actually possessed a Spiritual Root, though his Aptitude was very poor—it was a Five Elements Spiritual Root, a mixed Spiritual Root.

Seeing that Lin Feng was alone and helpless, Ye Zhiqiu asked if he was willing to follow him to Cultivate the Dao and become a Cultivator. Lin Family Village was no longer a place to stay, and Lin Feng did not know where else to go. To Ye Zhiqiu's inquiry, he naturally grasped it like a life-saving straw, and Lin Feng readily agreed.

Ye Zhiqiu told Lin Feng that his Aptitude was very poor and that he would only ever be at the lowest level of the Cultivation World, but it was still better than being here with no one to rely on. So, he should just come with him to the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion.

With Ye Zhiqiu's help, graves were built for the Lin Family Village. Lin Feng kowtowed several times before the graves of his parents and the villagers, swearing to avenge his parents. Then, with a face full of reluctance, he followed Ye Zhiqiu onto the Flying Sword and flew away from Lin Family Village.

Lin Feng's behavior at this moment was more sensible than what a ten-year-old child should have; he did not cry or make a fuss throughout the process, which greatly gratified Ye Zhiqiu, who stood at the front of the Flying Sword.

Ye Zhiqiu was an Inner Sect Disciple at the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion. The Cloud-Soaring Pavilion was different from other Sects. Although it was one of the Four Great Sects in Great Xin, it differed from the other three. The Cloud-Soaring Pavilion possessed a Sect base and had also established many markets in Great Xin, handling various businesses for Cultivators. It was also the Sect with the most shops for Cultivators in Great Xin.

With many industries, the Sect was naturally less strict about some Disciples entering. There were many Disciples like Lin Feng who entered the Sect at a very young age. Although their Cultivation Aptitude was poor, Cultivators nurtured from a young age had a sense of belonging to the Sect, which the Sect valued highly. This was the reason why Ye Zhiqiu was willing to bring Lin Feng into the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion.

For Cultivators like Lin Feng, who might lack Aptitude but were nurtured from a young age, it was entirely possible for them to secure a position as a menial servant within the Sect or its markets.

Ye Zhiqiu was a cheerful Foundation Establishment cultivator, dressed in a white robe adorned with cloud patterns. Seeing that Lin Feng was terrified standing on the Flying Sword and was only holding on through sheer willpower—his entire body stiff as a wooden stick from fear—he couldn't help but jokingly ask: "Little brat, once we enter the Sect, you can't call me Big Brother Ye anymore. You must call me Martial Uncle Ye, do you understand?"

Lin Feng looked up at the tall figure in front and nodded solemnly, replying: "Understood, Big Brother Ye. Don't worry, I won't call out wrongly in the Sect, Big Brother Ye!"

Ye Zhiqiu turned his head to glance at Lin Feng behind him and scolded with a laugh: "I don't know if you're actually sensible or just pretending! Once you enter the Sect, you must be sensible and know when to advance or retreat. If you run into trouble, remember to report the name of your Martial Uncle Ye!"

Lin Feng could feel that Ye Zhiqiu was deliberately talking to him to distract him and reduce his fear while on the Flying Sword. Lin Feng felt immense gratitude toward this Martial Uncle Ye; if not for him, he might still be alone, facing the slaughtered Lin Family Village.

Lin Family Village was filled with corpses. Lin Feng was only a ten-year-old child now; if he had stayed there, he would probably have gone insane. In his past and present lives, when had he ever seen an entire village slaughtered, including his own parents? Let alone a ten-year-old child, even with the Soul of a man in his tens, his heart would still be shattered.

Ye Zhiqiu was able to help him handle the bodies of his parents and the entire village, and take him to the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion to Cultivate. Therefore, at this moment, his heart was filled with gratitude. Lin Feng replied solemnly: "Don't worry, Big Brother Ye, if I encounter trouble, I will definitely report the name of Big Brother Ye."

Afterward, Ye Zhiqiu informed Lin Feng of some matters that needed attention in the Sect. The two continued like this—one explaining, one listening carefully—and time passed very quickly. Three hours later, Lin Feng arrived at a mountain gate with Ye Zhiqiu.

Looking at the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion, Lin Feng could not help but open his mouth slightly. This place was like a fairyland, with jade buildings and high terraces everywhere, dazzling Lin Feng. Just as Lin Feng was following Ye Zhiqiu, landing before the Sect's mountain gate and marveling at how beautiful it was like a fairyland, he was flicked on the back of the head.

Ye Zhiqiu grinned at Lin Feng and said: "Let's go. Since you've come to the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion with me, follow me into the Sect to register and have the Sect assign you a place to stay. Let's go! Your Junior Martial Uncle has nothing to do today, so I'll take you around the Sect."

Lin Feng silently followed Ye Zhiqiu around the Cloud-Soaring Pavilion, and at the General Affairs Hall, he received an identity token and a set of menial servant clothing. Ye Zhiqiu also brought Lin Feng to apply for a menial task that did not seem too arduous.

Lin Feng did not yet know that Ye Zhiqiu felt a sense of apology for his current plight. The Demonic Path villain he had been pursuing not only escaped being killed by him but also resulted in the slaughter of Lin Feng's entire village, with Lin Feng's parents unfortunately dying as well. It was because of this guilt that he had so readily brought Lin Feng to join the Sect.