Chapter 1: Interception

"Xian'er, make sure you sit tight in the car. No matter what happens outside, do not come out." Just as Mu Xian was about to ask what was happening, Ling Tian spoke up first to give his warning.

It is rumored that Mu Yuanshan's sworn brother, Ling Tian, possesses unparalleled combat strength, yet he is merely a reckless man. At the same time, as three sturdy horses fell to the ground, a man in red emerged from the dense forest two hundred paces away, his face full of mockery as he looked at Ling Tian with disdain

In this life, Mu Xian is the eldest son of the Mu family in Shitang Town, under the jurisdiction of Yunmen County. After his birth, he was diagnosed with a congenital severed meridian, with his meridians being dozens of times more fragile than those of ordinary people. He must periodically take medicine through secret methods to sustain his life, making it completely impossible for him to embark on the path of cultivation.

Having barely snatched back a life from the hands of fate, how could one possibly repeat the same mistakes and allow tragedy to unfold once more in their own life

Ling Tian's forehead bulged with veins upon hearing this. After taking a deep breath, he coldly questioned, "Red Wolf, this place is only a little over 10 miles from Shitang Town, and it is adjacent to our Mu family. Are you sure you want to offend our Mu family?"

Drive! Drive! Drive!

To be precise, Shenduan Mountain is a mountain range, and it is a very ancient one. The majestic Shenduan Mountain stretches continuously, connecting the Poison Fog Marsh with Yunmen County, while Shitang Town is situated between Shenduan Mountain and the Poison Fog Marsh.

In a previous life, Mu Xian was an orphan raised by the Dan Ding Sect, and he was the youngest and most outstanding alchemist of the sect, deeply favored by the sect master

This time, Mu Xian hurried back to the family from school because news had come that his father had died in the Poison Marsh Forest while searching for a life-prolonging elixir for him, and the family was in considerable turmoil.

The tall man stood at a height of nine feet, his body was muscular and sinewy, resembling steel forged into shape. His square face bore a solemn expression, deep and tranquil like water, revealing a hint of worry.

"Elder Liu, are you here to take me home?" Just as Ling Tian was about to retort to Mu Guitu, a clear and crisp voice suddenly rang out from behind him. It was Mu Xian, who had emerged from the carriage, her face filled with eagerness and hope, as if she still did not fully understand what had transpired.

The man in red let out a sneer upon hearing this, disregarding Ling Tian, and instead directed his gaze towards the back of the giant number beside him

Mu Xian had just come back to his senses from a myriad of thoughts when he heard a whistle from outside, followed by the carriage he was riding in coming to a swift and steady stop.

Three horses, each measuring ten feet in length and eight feet in height, with their entire bodies a deep black, galloped swiftly along the official road in a formation resembling the character "品". At the forefront, a robust and imposing man sat atop the leading horse.

Go with peace of mind; the dreams you cannot fulfill, I will surely accomplish for you. Your parents and relatives, I will also regard as my own family

Although Mu Xian successfully counterattacked and killed the senior brother before his death, the regret and resentment in his heart could not be resolved.

At this moment, Mu Xian had no time to respond to Ling Tian's words, for as soon as Ling Tian spoke, Mu Xian felt as if he were being targeted by a venomous snake, his body suddenly becoming extremely rigid

As soon as Mu Xian stepped out of the academy, he was met with a fierce ambush. Although all the enemies were dealt with by Ling Tian, a high-level practitioner of the Ningyuan realm, who was the burly man outside the carriage, Mu Xian, whose spirit was too weak, fainted from excessive shock. This provided an opportunity for his future self, two thousand years later.

What Mu Xian could never have imagined was that when he opened his eyes again, he found himself transported over twenty thousand years into the past. This was an era of flourishing martial arts, where a hundred schools contended for supremacy, yet it was also a time marked by strict hierarchies, the emergence of sages, and a brutal survival of the fittest.

In order to extend Mu Xian's life, his parents nearly exhausted all the resources of the family on him. After more than ten years of cultivation, Mu Xian has only reached the initial stage of the physical realm, with a body strength slightly superior to that of an ordinary person

The road to Shenduan Mountain and its flanks have long been controlled by the Fire Wolf Gang. Now, as night approaches, it is no wonder that Ling Tian is being so cautious

The only difference is that in a previous life, the senior brother was wary of his own strength, thus only daring to launch sneak attacks in the shadows. In contrast, the sixth elder of the family before him presents an air of superiority, completely disregarding him.

Mu Xian is the name from the memories of this body; in his previous life, he had another name. However, that name holds no significance for him in this time and place

From the整理的记忆中, Mu Xian learned that the forest ahead was the Shenduan Mountain, not far from Shitang Town

The same benevolent demeanor, the same amiable approach, the same sweet words concealing malice, the same act of repaying kindness with resentment; how similar the sixth elder of this family is to that senior brother of the Dan Ding Sect. Everything happening before my eyes is so reminiscent of a scene I experienced in my past life.

The blazing sun casts its fiery rays, turning the soil on the wide official road into a snow-white hue. With each step, a cloud of dust rises, and the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves billows like smoke from a wolf's den

"Mu Xian, considering the respect you have shown me on usual occasions, I will not make things difficult for you today. Please get out of the car and come home with me honestly. I assure you that no one will dare to harm a single hair on you or your child." Mu Guitu cast a faint glance at Ling Tian, then shifted his gaze to the interior of the car.

"Old dog, the master and his wife have treated you well, and Young Master has shown you great respect. Now that the master’s life is uncertain, it would be one thing if you did not help stabilize the family situation, but to actually lead a rebellion is beyond comprehension. Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?" Seeing Mu Guitu completely ignore his presence and speak to Mu Xian with an air of superiority, Ling Tian was infuriated and questioned sharply.

It is better not to think about these matters; once they come to mind, the face of the senior brother from the Dan Ding Sect inevitably emerges in Mu Xian's mind

After softly uttering this sentence, Mu Xian's body suddenly straightened a few degrees, and an enigmatic aura emanated from him, giving the originally delicate youth an added air of sharpness and ethereality

The person who merely feeds me the spiritual elixirs completely lacks an understanding of the principles of the Five Elements' mutual generation and mutual restraint. Among these seventy-seven spiritual elixirs, at least eleven have severely conflicting properties. Not only do they provide no assistance in stabilizing my meridians, but they may also cost me my life

In that fleeting moment, Mu Xian felt as if her heart was suddenly seized, her throat became dry, and her eyelids uncontrollably twitched sharply.

Behind the horse is a luxuriously and exquisitely decorated carriage, which glides smoothly as if on level ground under the control of a robust driver, without the slightest bump

Mu Xian was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this, and only then did he recall that the previous owner of his body held Mu Guitu in great respect, even treating him as a beloved grandfather. Furthermore, the previous owner's father, Xiao Yuanshan, and mother, Tang Qiluo, also held Mu Guitu in high esteem.

The young man possessed a pair of slender phoenix eyes, and his eyebrows resembled new moons. His features were exquisitely refined, making him a truly graceful and handsome youth

After Ling Tian intercepted three sharp arrows, he felt a sudden jolt in his heart, and his expression changed dramatically. Soon, the sound of horses' mournful cries reached his ears

Ling Tian, Mu Yuanshan has regarded you, an outsider, as a true brother, but I have never considered you a member of the Mu family. With your meager cultivation, you dare to chatter incessantly before me. Do you think you have lived long enough? Mu Guitu, who had originally maintained a calm demeanor, suddenly turned extremely ferocious upon hearing Ling Tian incessantly insult him as an old dog. A murderous intent instantly radiated from his body; if Ling Tian dared to speak another word against him, he was prepared to strike with lethal force.

Mu Xian devoted almost all his energy to alchemy and scholarship, to the extent that he was completely unaware of the ugliness of human nature. He did not realize the jealousy and resentment hidden behind the amiable facade of the sect's senior brother, ultimately falling victim to a scheme orchestrated by the senior brother he trusted and respected the most.

Having arrived in this world for half a month, after experiencing initial astonishment, fear, and confusion, Mu Xian has completely understood the world he is currently in and has accepted the fact of his transmigration

The youth's complexion, however, exhibited a morbid pallor, and a hue of ashen gray lingered in his eyes

This scene fell before Mu Xian and Ling Tian, causing both of them to feel a renewed heaviness in their hearts

Upon clearly seeing the appearance of the old man, Mu Xian and Ling Tian were both taken aback, for this old man was none other than Mu Family's Sixth Elder, Mu Gui Tu

The young man in the white robe cautiously tucked the handkerchief into his wide sleeves, a hint of unmistakable fatigue flashing in his starry eyes, while his mind was filled with a whirlwind of bizarre experiences that had befallen him.

Mu Xian did not become complacent due to his talent and achievements in alchemy. In addition to his research in the art of medicine, he did not waste any leisure time, thoroughly studying all the collections within the Dan Ding Sect. He excelled in both literary and martial skills, and his cultivation was also remarkable. Even the sect leader, who was usually very selective about his disciples, could find no faults in Mu Xian.

"You dare, thief!" Mu Xian discerned the hidden meaning behind the arrows, but Ling Tian, who was flustered by concern, failed to see it. With a loud shout, he leaped from his horse, and his long knife traced a phantom in the air, successfully severing the three arrows aimed at the carriage into two segments.

Meanwhile, the three sounds of "bang," "bang," "bang" resonated violently, tearing through the air, as arrows shot forth like meteors towards the carriage. To be precise, they were aimed at the three vital points of Mu Xian's upper, middle, and lower body.

In the carriage, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a white robe, leaned casually against a tiger-skin couch

However, whether it is the gaping wound on the back of the burly man with a long knife and the strong smell of blood, or the glaring knife marks and sword wounds on both sides of the carriage, they all tell the story of the unrest that the carriage has encountered along its journey

Amid the puzzled gazes of Mu Xian and Ling Tian, a hunchbacked old man slowly emerged from behind the tree

In fact, Mu Xian's parents did not expect him to achieve anything in martial arts; they never pressured him to study martial arts, but instead sent him to Yunyang Academy in the prefectural city to learn the teachings of various schools of thought.

Shen Duan Mountain is the essential route from Shitang Town to the Poison Fog Marsh leading to Yunmen County, where successive groups of adventurers have long established a passage through Shen Duan Mountain

The young boy held a handkerchief in both hands, with a small black bruise at its center. He gazed at the bruise for a long time, and a faint bitter smile appeared on his face: "Seventy-seven types of spiritual herbs, among which are the top-grade spiritual herbs such as Dragon Beard Ice Fire Fruit, Buddha Flame Root, and Black Heart Demon Soul Flower. Am I being treated as a medicine jar?"

"Not at all, the enemy's target is not me!" At the critical moment, Mu Xian discovered that the arrow shot at him bore no intent to kill, and his body, which was originally prepared to roll on the ground, steadied itself in time

Mu Xian extended his pale and slender hand, gently lifting a corner of the beaded curtain. It was only then that he realized the official road in front of the carriage had gradually disappeared, revealing a narrow dirt path that stretched straight into the dark, boundless forest.

After the appearance of Mu Geitu, the man in red immediately stood respectfully behind Mu Geitu, displaying an attitude of following Mu Geitu's lead.