Chapter One: The Dreams of a Worthless Man

Page 1/3

Winter, dusk.

The blood-red remnants of the sun shone upon the battered gates of the Lei Family Fortress, casting its glow over a thin and pallid youth. He bore a bundle of firewood taller than himself on his back, his tattered coat soaked through with sweat, clinging tightly to his body.

"Lei Xiang, are you as slow as a pig? Only just now returning? Hurry to the back courtyard and report, and don’t forget to hand over my fifty pounds," shouted a plump boy in a brand-new silk cotton coat as he strode over.

Lei Xiang said nothing, keeping his head low as he quietly skirted past.

The chubby boy’s temper flared. "Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me? I think you’re itching for a beating. Three days without a thrashing and you start tearing the tiles off the roof!" He shoved Lei Xiang sideways, making him stagger back several steps before falling hard on his rear. Fortunately, the bundle of firewood cushioned his fall, or he would have been badly hurt.

Lei Xiang struggled to his feet, glaring fiercely at the chubby boy, his right hand clenched into a tight fist—yet he did not strike. He knew well that Lei Xiaowu was the legitimate grandson of the Lei family, and as an outsider, he could not afford to offend him. Besides, Lei Xiaowu was at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, two levels above him. Even if he tried, he would not win.

At that moment, Lei Xiaowu frowned. Normally, this cowardly wretch never dared resist, but today he seemed almost ready to fight back. He ought to be taught a harsh lesson. With that thought, Lei Xiaowu lunged forward, his right fist wrapped in a faint purple aura as he channeled his inner energy, and punched at Lei Xiang.

Sensing danger, Lei Xiang dodged to the side, not daring to take the blow head-on. Yet, burdened by over a hundred pounds of firewood, his movements were sluggish. The punch landed squarely on the bundle, scattering the thick sticks, and sent Lei Xiang flying. He landed face-down, blood surging in his chest and a bitter taste rising in his throat—he nearly vomited blood on the spot.

Lei Xiaowu strode over, looking down with contempt. "You freeloading bastard, five years and you’ve yet to break through—a worthless piece of trash. Hitting you only soils my hands. Why are you still alive? You’d be better off smashing your head on a block of tofu."

Trash? Bastard?

Such stinging words fell upon Lei Xiang’s ears, yet his expression barely changed. He seemed long accustomed to this life of silent suffering. Vacant-eyed, he rose, gathered the scattered firewood, hoisted it onto his back, and walked quietly toward the rear courtyard.

Lei Xiang was an orphan, taken in by Old Master Lei at age five. He trained in the Dragon Elephant Divine Art alongside the Lei family’s young masters, reaching the third level of Qi Refinement by eleven, but had not advanced since. No matter how hard he tried, he could go no further, becoming the butt of everyone’s jokes and the target of their bullying—especially Lei Xiaowu, who found new ways to torment him daily.

Now Lei Xiaowu’s eyes gleamed with a new idea. He caught up and kicked Lei Xiang hard in the lower back, sending him sprawling. Lei Xiang’s face scraped the ground, blood oozing slowly from the wound. Unsure what further torment awaited him, Lei Xiang simply stayed down, unmoving.

Behind him, Lei Xiaowu laughed wantonly. "Hahaha! Why bother getting up? Crawl to the rear yard like that. You can even take a shortcut through Da Huang’s hole—think how much time you’ll save!"

Faced with such humiliation, Lei Xiang buried his face in his arms and remained motionless, choosing once more to endure in silence. Lei Xiaowu thought to himself, This kid really can endure. Now I can’t even use this as an excuse for more fun, and impatiently waved him off. "Get lost!"

Page 2/3

Suddenly, Lei Xiaowu sensed something and his demeanor changed in an instant. Smiling, he stepped forward to help Lei Xiang up. "Oh dear, how careless of you! Here, let me help you carry the firewood to the back courtyard."

Lei Xiang, face pressed to the ground, was baffled by this abrupt shift—like the weather in June, changing in a heartbeat. Only when Lei Xiaowu lifted him did he understand the reason: a girl had appeared.

She was eighteen, dressed in a slim, spring-green coat, her features delicate and elegant, as pure and fresh as a lotus untouched by mud.

Lei Xiang knew her, of course. She was the only young woman in the fortress, and the only one of her generation who treated him kindly. Kou’er had joined the Lei Family Fortress half a year before, rumored to be a distant relative. The family patriarch, Old Master Lei, had three sons, all of whom were married and had produced seven grandsons, but not a single granddaughter. Thus, Kou’er became the focus of every young man’s affection, especially Lei Xiaowu, who considered her the girl of his dreams.

The moment Kou’er appeared, Lei Xiaowu’s face split into a wide smile, his little eyes nearly disappearing. Kou’er, however, merely glanced at him before turning to Lei Xiang. "Did you fall on your own, or did someone bully you again?"

A wave of warmth surged through Lei Xiang at her words. Even such a simple question moved him deeply. He hesitated, then replied, "I was careless and slipped. It’s nothing." He forced a bitter smile, revealing a small canine tooth at the corner of his mouth, lending him a touch of childish charm.

Kou’er pursed her lips, her gaze darting to Lei Xiaowu. "You really have a talent for getting hurt every day. Good thing cultivators have tough bodies. Hmph. But if I find out who’s bullying you, I won’t talk to him anymore."

Lei Xiaowu, embarrassed, quickly took her hand. "Kou’er, let’s go play in the garden. I borrowed a ride from my big brother—it’s a gift for Grandpa from one of the great sects, and I’ve never used it. I hear it can soar to the skies, a flying treasure for those below the Foundation Establishment stage!"

Kou’er, still a child at heart, brightened at the thought of something fun. She turned to Lei Xiang. "Finish delivering the firewood and go eat in the kitchen, then take care of your wounds. Oh, the master wants to see you about something important."

The master she spoke of was Lei Zhen’nan, Old Master Lei’s eldest son and the current head of the fortress.

Lei Xiaowu sidled over, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I know what it’s about. Grandpa’s spirit fruit was stolen. My uncle must want to question you. Lei Xiang, don’t say I didn’t warn you—the theft’s been discovered. You won’t be able to stay here much longer. You’d best run, or you’ll suffer even more every day."

"Spirit fruit?" Kou’er’s phoenix eyes blinked with interest. "Xiaowu, is the spirit fruit tasty? The name sounds elegant. Tell me about it."

Eager to show off, Lei Xiaowu puffed out his chest and raised his voice. "The spirit fruit is a legendary immortal fruit that ripens only once every three thousand years. Even in the cultivation world it’s a rare treasure. It can rapidly enhance one’s cultivation and is especially useful for breaking through bottlenecks." He glanced at Lei Xiang. "If you’ve failed to break through in five years, a single spirit fruit would instantly raise your level. Heh."

Lei Xiang’s expression remained unreadable, as if oblivious to the implication, but inwardly he was shaken. The spirit fruit was so precious that only close family members would have access to it—certainly not him. It was obvious Lei Xiaowu had stolen it himself and was framing him to avoid his grandfather’s wrath. It wouldn’t be the first time Lei Xiang was made a scapegoat. This time, the spirit fruit incident might finally get him expelled from the fortress. Even though Lei Xiang was seen as a worthless outsider, Lei Xiaowu always considered him a potential threat—a subtle but real one.

Lei Xiaowu, oblivious to Lei Xiang’s thoughts, was now wholly focused on Kou’er. "Come, let’s try out the ride and experience the feeling of flying." Kou’er, still distracted, let herself be pulled along by his chubby hand.

Watching their retreating figures, Lei Xiang’s pupils narrowed, a flash of blue light seeming to flicker in his eyes before vanishing. He turned and silently made his way to the rear courtyard.

Page 3/3

After handing in both his and Lei Xiaowu’s share of firewood, Lei Xiang rubbed his aching shoulders and slowly left the rear courtyard. Facing the biting northern wind, he walked toward the east hall, his steps slow as he pondered how to face the master.

"Are you measuring the size of this courtyard?" A booming voice startled Lei Xiang, making him jump. He looked up to see Lei Zhen’nan’s bronzed face. "Lei Xiang, come here. I have something to ask you."

Obediently, Lei Xiang walked up to the hall. Lei Zhen’nan’s voice was stern without anger. "A few days ago, during my father’s birthday, Wan Fu Chaozong sent several spirit fruits. Now one has gone missing. Do you know anything about this?"

Lei Xiang raised his head, meeting Lei Zhen’nan’s gaze calmly. "Master, Lei Xiaowu just told me about it. He said I stole it, but I haven’t even seen the spirit fruit, let alone stolen it. You can check—I haven’t been near the back hall these past days."

Lei Zhen’nan said nothing, his eyes fixed intently on Lei Xiang. In his heart, he considered: Lei Xiang was usually honest and responsible, not the type to do such a thing. But why would Xiaowu accuse him without reason?

After a long silence, Lei Zhen’nan finally smiled. "I’ll thoroughly investigate this matter starting tomorrow. The innocent will not be wronged, and the guilty will not escape punishment. You’re injured—take this Black Jade Rejuvenation Pill with warm water when you return."

Lei Xiang thanked him and returned to his small room. Once the door was barred, his entire body relaxed and he slid down against the wall. His eyes, now bright and alive, fixed on his outstretched left hand.

Resting there was a small, pitch-black pill—the Black Jade Rejuvenation Pill. Lei Xiang grinned, revealing his little canine tooth. The movement tugged at his wounds, making him grimace in pain, but he continued to smile, even laughing aloud as though he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Ah…" With a long sigh, Lei Xiang muttered to himself, "Just a moment ago I was competing in the finals of the World Special Forces Tournament, and the next instant my soul ended up in this godforsaken place, trapped in the body of a boy who gets beaten every day and has to rely on strange pills to heal. Is this fate’s mockery?"

He picked up the pill with two fingers and swallowed it in one gulp. Staring at the calluses on his index finger, he sighed again. If only I had a sniper rifle right now—never mind these Qi Refinement brats, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be dead in a flash!

Lei Xiang was no longer the timid, beaten child of a moment ago, but a seasoned special forces operative, honed by years of training. He was not one to whine about his fate, and quickly made up his mind: since he was here, he would adapt, cultivate diligently, and strive to craft a sniper rifle, becoming the greatest marksman in this world.

It was a mythic goal, an exhilarating ambition, but Lei Xiang remained calm. Years of training had taught him to control his emotions. For now, his first task was to deal with the spirit fruit incident—otherwise, he could not remain in the Lei Family Fortress. He knew that while the master treated him fairly, he had not been fully convinced of his innocence. Extraordinary measures would be needed.