The kicks kept coming.Shen Hao curled into a ball on the dirty ground, arms wrapped tight around his head. Pain shot through his thin body with every blow. His ribs felt like they were cracking one by one. Blood filled his mouth. He coughed and spit it out, but more kept coming.“Look at this trash!” Young Master Zhao laughed. His shiny blue robes stayed clean while he kicked. “You bumped into me with your dirty rags. Who’s going to pay for that, huh?”His two friends laughed and kicked harder.Shen Hao was only fourteen. He was small and weak. His body always hurt more than normal people. Even a simple fall made him feel like his bones were breaking. Right now it felt like the whole world was trying to crush him.But he did not cry out. He did not beg.His black eyes stayed open and angry.“Still looking at me like that?” Zhao snarled. He kicked Shen Hao hard in the stomach. “A nobody who can’t even cultivate dares stare at me? You’re nothing! You will always be nothing!”The kicks

Shen Hao sat under a tree after Uncle Gu left.He touched his forehead. The mark was invisible, but he could still feel a faint warmth there.“What is this mark really?” he muttered.A dry voice answered inside his head.“About time you asked, kid.”Shen Hao jumped. “Who’s there?!”“Think. Who else would leave a piece of himself in your soul?”“…Uncle Gu?”“Close enough. I’m a small piece of his soul. While the real one is gone, I will guide your cultivation and protect your spirit. That’s all I can do. Don’t expect me to fight your battles.”Shen Hao’s eyes lit up. “You’re still here. That’s enough. Please teach me, Master.”“Good attitude. Listen carefully. The Qi method you practice is rare and powerful, but gathering it in this lower world will be slow and hard. You will need resources, techniques, and real fights. Life as a cultivator is never easy. Get used to it.”Shen Hao nodded. The fire in his chest burned hotter.“I need a sect,” he said. “I have no money. A sect can give m

Shen Hao had no money for a horse, so he ran.His new body carried him fast. He pushed hard for long stretches, then slowed only long enough to catch his breath. By the next morning a small village appeared ahead.Something felt wrong.No one walked the streets even though the sun was already up. Low growls drifted on the wind. Shen Hao slipped behind a broken wall and looked carefully.Ten blood wolves tore at human bodies in the middle of the street. A bigger poison wolf stood in the center — the alpha. All of them were Tier-1 beasts. The alpha was at the peak of that level, strong enough that most Gathering Qi cultivators would run.The alpha’s ears twitched. It suddenly smashed through the door of a nearby house, dragged out a large wooden chest, and broke the lid with two heavy swipes.A small girl sat inside, shaking so hard she could not even scream.The alpha lowered its head, ready to bite.Shen Hao moved first.He stepped into the open and let out rough wolf-like howls. Ever

“This is my home,” Shen Hao said. “Well… now it’s our home.”He pointed at the small wooden shack with its single hard bed and holes in the roof. Xun Yu’s face went through several looks at once — thanks, surprise, and a little bit of horror. In the end she forced a smile.“It looks… nice, Brother.”They ate a simple meal. Xun Yu changed his bandages again. When the sky grew dark, Shen Hao stretched.“Time to sleep.”“Who gets the bed?”“Me, of course.”Xun Yu puffed her cheeks. “If you hadn’t gotten hurt saving me, I would make you sleep on the floor.”“Make me? How would a little thing like you do that?”“You’ll see.”Shen Hao almost laughed. He had never had anyone to argue with like this. It felt strangely warm.“Fine. You take the bed. I’ll take the floor.”He kissed her lightly on the forehead and lay down on the hard wood. A moment later Xun Yu quietly slid down beside him and curled up against his side. She was asleep in minutes.---The next morning they went to the Ancient Z

The blood-red Naga towered over them.Its scales shone like fresh blood. Yellow eyes full of hate locked onto the pile of dead Nagas. A long scream tore from its throat and shook the leaves around them.Ma Jiande’s face turned serious. “That’s a Tier-2 lord! Everyone form up! Don’t let it separate us!”The team quickly made a half-circle. The stronger cultivators stood in front. Shen Hao and the others stayed ready behind them.The red Naga did not wait.It shot forward like a spear. Its thick tail smashed the ground and sent dirt flying. Ma Jiande met it with his machete. Steel rang against hard scales. The force pushed him back three steps.Two other Qi Condensation fighters jumped in from the sides. Their swords and spears struck the Naga’s arms and shoulders. Sparks flew, but the scales only cracked a little.The Naga roared and swung one heavy arm. One fighter flew through the air and crashed into a tree. He did not get up right away.“Keep pressure on it!” Ma Jiande shouted. “Ai