Chapter 1: The Failed Crossing

Indeed, I am Hu Gao

The old man shook his head in silence; he truly hoped he was mistaken. However, how could he possibly be wrong about such an important ninth ritual, a matter that concerned the survival and demise of the family

Having the complete original memory is certainly good, but how can one navigate without the memories of this body

"Hu Gao, are you alright? Do you feel anything unusual?" The old man seemed to have calmed down from the recent shock, and he asked the frail young man in front of him with concern, hoping to hear something from his lips

Hmph, is this the perfect sacrifice that the esteemed priest has held in high regard for three years? A peculiar one that can actually survive after the ritual!" To the right of the white-haired man stood a person with the same hair color, looking at least a decade younger, whose voice was as hoarse as that of a drake.

As he watched the greenish glow before him gradually extinguish, an old man with a face marked by deep creases spoke in a tone that was almost one of despair

The boy, who had finally managed to stand on the ground like a zombie, suddenly showed a slight reaction upon hearing these words, and his head, which had been drooping, slowly began to lift.

That is good, that is good indeed. Heaven has opened its eyes, and our Hu family in Ningcheng has been saved. As long as Hu Gao can grow smoothly, the Lang family in Yuecheng will no longer be a major concern for us. Under the leadership of the successor, our Hu family in Ningcheng will surely embark on the path of revival

It was a face with perfect curves, stunning like the reincarnation of a fox spirit, with a delicate little chin and lips as thin as a cicada's wing, slightly curled like a new crescent moon, immediately blooming with a hint of subtle and alluring smile that touched the heart.

Even the so-called refined gentleman Hu Gao, who was known in his previous life at school, could not help but utter a curse; he was completely stunned by the scene before him. As a senior intellectual from the Huaxia nation, he would naturally not be foolish enough to think that he was filming a scene on a movie set.

The crowd erupted in an uproar, as they failed to discern the difference between the two Hu Gao. In their minds, they had already concluded that this youth was still the so-called failed "sacrificial offering" they had spoken of.

What are we to do? According to the family secret history, the failure of the ninth sacrifice indicates that the guardian deity has abandoned us! Are we really going to be exterminated this time?

Although only three thousand two hundred and ten seconds have passed since arriving in the present, Hu Gao is certain that he possesses no inheritance whatsoever! Has anyone ever seen an inheritor who is utterly powerless and has a blank mind?

However, it was a stroke of misfortune; Hu Gao found himself silently searching for a long time, only to discover that it was all memories from his past life

The gaze of the crowd suddenly refocused on the *illustration* book, and they saw that the corpse before them indeed began to move slowly. For a moment, the scene appeared exceedingly eerie

This truly is an extraordinary opening for a time travel event! Hu Gao, slightly excited, clenched his fist and exclaimed in a barely audible whisper

The young man calmly glanced at the elder before him, who was dressed in a black robe adorned with golden edges. The elder's eyes were distinctly black and white, his skin sagging, and his body covered in age spots. His lips twitched in a manner reminiscent of some repulsive creature, evoking a sense of disgust. He truly resembled a person who could collapse at any moment.

"Hu Gao! Speak honestly, have you received the inheritance from our ancestors?" The old man with white hair suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Hu Gao's hand fiercely and asking urgently.

"He is definitely not a guardian spirit!" Another man with white hair suddenly stepped forward and said emphatically, his tone carrying a hint of hostility

However, from any perspective, this journey of mine has truly been a complete failure

Hu Gao felt as if he had been played a huge joke by fate from the very beginning, a feeling akin to a beautiful woman throwing herself at you, only to discover in the end that she is a stone woman... unable to enter

The aura emanating from these devout followers below is not something that can be portrayed by the kind of extras who earn a mere hundred coins a day

Behind the old man stood a group of panicked individuals, and as the youth glanced over them to the surroundings, he was astonished to find himself on a high platform. Below him, a multitude of people knelt densely on the ground, softly chanting hymns. Their hair colors varied, combining to create a breathtakingly large oil painting.

However, looking at the expression of the white-haired elder, which seemed almost predatory, Hu Gao could only maintain a calm demeanor and nodded gently

Ancestral inheritance? What does this mean? Reflecting on his state when he had just awakened, as well as the environment he is currently in, Hu Gao felt as if he was beginning to understand. Could it be that these individuals from an unknown dimension are attempting to conduct some sort of ritual to obtain a form of inheritance?

Speaking of which, the extremely incredible event of time travel did not cause Hu Gao to panic and lose his composure. In the Huaxia nation, at his age, who hasn't struggled through a pile of time travel novels? Whether it is reincarnation, beast transformation, solo travel, or group travel, they are all merely minor occurrences. Even if he is no longer called Hu Gao, but suddenly has a surname like Lin Longxiao, it is still reasonable.

As soon as Hu Gao finished speaking, an elder with long green hair, who had been standing behind the white-haired elder, stepped forward and expressed his sentiments repeatedly

We have succeeded! The Guardian Deity has descended!" A middle-aged man with silver hair and white clothing suddenly shouted loudly, his tone resembling that of a poor person who has suddenly come into possession of a box of gold

The old man let out a soft sigh, his eyes narrowing into a thin slit as he stared directly at the humanoid "corpse" lying on the altar ahead, his heart nearly breaking.

Oh, look, he is still alive," someone suddenly exclaimed.

Sir Priest, could it be that there are inaccuracies in the records of the secret history, leading to errors in the sacrificial process

Hu Gao glanced at the elder with green hair and suddenly felt a sense of wanting to laugh. This guy clearly seemed to be one of his own kind, and in the future, he should get to know him better.

The last image lingering in his mind was of himself as a graduate student in biology at Qinghua University, conducting research on white foxes at a peculiar species base in Shennongjia. Suddenly, a loud thunderclap echoed through the sky, and he made a dazzling entrance into this strange world

What? How is that possible! Wasn't it said that the ninth attempt would surely succeed? Behind the old man, a crowd of over a dozen people surrounded him, speaking in unison, their tone filled with terror

My head hurts a lot, as if something has drilled into it! Ah! The young man clutched his head with both hands, his expression contorted, as if he were experiencing immense stimulation, and he let out a roar like that of a fierce tiger.

Watts' Law!

With a hint of warm smile, the young man finally opened his eyes. They were a pair of bright aquamarine eyes, shining like the sun in the dark of night, as if all the light in the world emanated from those eyes

I have a serious lung condition

An old man stared at the young boy with long green hair, who had just stumbled to his feet from the altar. With a trembling voice, the boy asked, "Hugao! Are you Hugao?"

Thus, they also began to shout loudly and chaotically. The shouts grew louder and eventually the entire venue was engulfed by the hoarse cries.

Failed

The rising and falling chants converge, resembling a stirring battle song, deafening and resonant, akin to the rhythmic advance of war drums on an ancient battlefield, nearly causing the already unstable youth to stumble before the bronze giant cauldron.

According to the first law of time travel summarized by countless predecessors, Hu Gao understood that the most important thing for him now was to integrate the original memories of this body, clarify what kind of dimension this world truly is, and ascertain the relationship between these people before him and himself

As his call echoed, those who had been kneeling and chanting below suddenly stopped. They believed that the guardian they had longed for had finally arrived. To them, the boy's roar represented the cry of their family's revival

At this moment, deep within the heart of this young man, a soul from the Huaxia nation of Earth has awakened.