Ch. 10 - The Story Begins

“Brother Zimo, just let me have a bite, pleeeease~” Liao Ruyan whined, putting on her cutest act. “You wanna eat? Fine. Flatter me a little, maybe I’ll consider it,” Xu Zimo snorted. “I refuse!” Liao Ruyan said seriously. “I’m not the kind of person who grovels for food. I will never lie just to fill my stomach.” She looked at him with wide, sincere eyes and continued, “I’ve always believed that language is the most beautiful art in the world. But your handsomeness goes beyond words, just looking at you feels like a sin. Oh no, is this… love? Turn away, quick! Don’t let me see your face! My heart’s beating too fast, what if it beats itself to death?” “Don’t speak such harsh truths,” Xu Zimo joked with a glare. “Fine, you’ve earned a drumstick later.” On the side, Lin Ruhu and Zhang Zhongtian silently muttered: “Shameless, the both of them. One’s bold enough to say it, the other actually takes it in stride.” … The fire was extinguished, and the dishes were brought over. The braised Alchemy Sage-Fowl was golden and crispy, mouthwatering at first glance. The steamed one, when the lid was lifted, released an intense spiritual aroma, as if every drop of its essence had melted into the pale broth. “Come on, drink up!” Xu Zimo raised his bowl. “Here’s to chicken soup!” The moment the meat entered his mouth, he could feel warm energy flowing through his entire body, rich, dense spirit energy coursing through his veins. His cultivation nearly broke through to the Spirit Meridian Realm on the spot. Everyone devoured the feast. By the end, they felt invigorated, bursting with energy, like they’d ascended to immortality. “Where’d you buy this chicken? It’s amazing!” Liao Ruyan asked while gnawing a drumstick. “I’ll have my grandpa buy me some too.” “Stop talking and eat,” Xu Zimo barked. “Can’t your mouth stay busy with food for once?” … At that moment, atop Green Mountain, a woman descended from the sky. She wore flowing purple robes, her slender figure accentuated with every step. Her long hair was tied up in a bun with a blue ribbon. Her face was exquisite. Her aura icy and commanding, so intense it made others avert their eyes. “Sixth Grand Elder, is something the matter?” Xu Qingshan turned to ask. This was the Sixth Grand Elder of the True Martial Sacred Ground, known as the Moonlight Fairy, real name Xiao Yuexuan. The First to Fifth Grand Elders had all cultivated for millennia before reaching the Empyrean Meridian Realm, combining seniority and experience to earn their spots. But the Sixth and Seventh Grand Elders, along with Xu Qingshan, had taken a different path. They had shocking natural talent, ascending to the Empyrean Meridian Realm in just over a hundred years. Their current status had been forged through sheer power and determination. “Vice-Lord,” Xiao Yuexuan said coldly, “I may be leaving the sect for a while.” “Before I began cultivation, I lived with an elder sister,” she explained. “But when I committed myself to the martial path and joined the sect, we lost contact.” “Now that I’ve reached this point, I find myself thinking about her often. I want to go find her.” “No problem. Go,” Xu Qingshan waved his hand. The True Martial Sacred Ground was a tightly-run organization. Disciples needed permission to leave. Inner and Outer Court Elders had to report to their superiors. But among the Seven Grand Elders, they typically just informed the Sacred Lord or Vice-Lord and were free to go. Of course, Xu Qingshan didn’t make things difficult. It was mostly a matter of protocol. The sect was a place of belonging for many, but it was also a place of rules. You couldn’t just come and go as you pleased, unless one day, you were powerful enough to ignore all rules. … After leaving the sect, Xiao Yuexuan flew eastward. She glided through the air with grace and purpose, her purple robes fluttering in the wind, her aura vast and unshakable. As she passed over a forest, the beasts below all trembled in fear. … Back on South Goose Mountain, Xu Zimo stood at the summit, gazing into the eastern sky. “Chu Yang… you should be beginning your cultivation journey right about now,” he murmured with a twisted smile. “The protagonist is about to appear, and the heroines will soon take the stage. The grand story is finally unfolding.” He stared into the horizon, thoughts drifting to memories he’d rather forget. “Bai Lixiao, oh Bai Lixiao… in my past life, you used me for so long, then kicked me into the abyss. This time, we start over. Now, I hold the controller.” … Xu Zimo laughed as he descended from the peak and made his way to Green Mountain. He wasn’t worried. In fact, he felt a strange excitement. After all, every story needs a hero and a villain. Heroes were always blessed by fate, surrounded by miracles, protected by destiny. They had plot armor, cheat items, charisma boosts. Even if they fell off a cliff, they wouldn’t die. Instead, they’d find some legendary artifact or a mysterious grandpa who’d teach them martial arts. Beautiful women flocked to them. They had harems full of powerful women who adored them, often with backgrounds that could shake continents. And villains? Villains were always tragic. They played every hand wrong and ended up with their family destroyed, just a stepping stone on the protagonist’s path to greatness. … But Xu Zimo believed that heroes only rose because villains were written to be idiots. They had the power to kill the protagonist outright, yet always sent disposable minions instead. They fattened the protagonist up, until he could fight back. Xu Zimo chuckled. “Wasn’t I one of those brain-dead villains in my last life?” … He now knew everything about Chu Yang. Even the little village he currently lived in. If he wanted to, Xu Zimo could kill him right now, no need for underlings. He could ask his father, Xu Qingshan, a Empyrean Meridian Realm powerhouse, to take action personally. Protagonist or not, ten lives wouldn’t save him. Yes, protagonists had fate’s protection. But even that protection had limits. If there were no limits, they wouldn’t need to grind their way up from nothing. They could just stroll into the top sects at level one and live forever. One attack from an Empyrean Meridian cultivator, even if Chu Yang had some mysterious old grandpa or a reincarnation cheat, he wouldn’t survive.