Chapter 1: Chaos and Rebirth

However, as more and more defenders from the Central Plains fell under the blades of the Black Hu, a large number of Black Hu ultimately stormed the city walls and surrounded Li Lin.

The boy was covered with two layers of a worn-out felt blanket, which had numerous patches. During this era of the Great Chen Dynasty, cotton had not yet been introduced, and clothing and bedding were primarily made from linen. In cold weather, there were no quilts; better-off families used felt blankets and laid down animal skins. However, this boy's bed was not covered with an animal skin mattress, but rather with another equally tattered felt blanket

This youth appears to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, with a waxy complexion. Although he cannot be described as emaciated, it is evident that he is significantly lacking in adequate nutrition, and he also seems to be suffering from an illness

As this divine power flowed into his meridians, a faint white light began to emerge from Li Lin's body in the darkness. Wherever the golden divine power passed, the cold and sinister energy that had been lurking within his body dissipated rapidly, like snow melting in boiling water, and his muscles and tendons began to undergo swift changes.

The paper on the window frame has also rotted with many holes, and the cold wind occasionally seeps into the room through the fallen paper, making the interior feel particularly chilly

Li Lin's mind suddenly sparked with inspiration as he closed his eyes and entered a state of introspection. The condition of his body immediately surfaced in his consciousness, as if his soul were meticulously examining his physical form inch by inch. After observing this, Li Lin let out a sigh.

When Li Lin awoke again two days ago, he was astonished to find that he had returned to the body of his fifteen-year-old self from over twenty years ago. For a moment, he was unclear about what had actually happened and how he had been reborn in the body of his fifteen-year-old self

Ah! Young Master! You have finally awakened! The young girl exclaimed, but immediately tears streamed down her cheeks. Unable to hold back, she put down the soup spoon and covered her mouth as she began to cry. Her frail body seemed to suddenly lose all its strength, collapsing beside the bed, burying her head in the crook of her arm, her delicate shoulders trembling with sobs.

At the same time, countless spears of the black barbarians were thrusting towards Li Lin. Even with heavy armor, he could not withstand these sharp spears. All he could hear was the sound of spearheads piercing flesh, and everything in front of Li Lin was stained with a layer of blood.

Logically, those who can afford blankets should not be in the position of poor tenants or household servants. However, this worn-out bedding cannot be considered the property of a wealthy family. Compared to the Li family members in the surrounding courtyards, the living conditions of the youth are truly incomprehensible.

Li Lin suddenly opened his eyes, and a gleam of light, almost tangible, flashed in his gaze, as if it were about to pierce through the roof and shoot into the sky.

The old Taoist, as if struck by lightning, suddenly released one hand that was gripping the incantation. A considerable amount of fresh blood flowed from his palm, and his entire face twisted, filled with expressions of astonishment and uncertainty. As he focused his gaze into the air, Li Lin's soul had already vanished, leaving the old Taoist in utter shock, completely unaware of what had transpired or how such a sudden change had occurred

If it were not for a small, dilapidated hut used as a kitchen, even at this moment, with a faint glow from the stove, it would be hard to imagine that anyone still resides here

In the ninth month of the seventeenth year of the Dachen Tianyuan era, a manor covering several acres loomed like a monstrous creature in the pitch-black night in the western part of Lan County, Xuzhou

After thoroughly understanding his current situation, Li Lin revealed a faint cold smile on his sallow face, accompanied by a hint of relief. In the icy room, a weak yet chilling voice echoed: "My dear second brother! I have not died after all, so now it is time for you to repay your debts, isn't it"

He can no longer be considered entirely himself. For reasons unknown, after his death in a previous life, his soul became intertwined with that of a divine spirit named Zhou Yuan, who had crossed over from another dimension. This divine spirit inherited the legacy of a mountain deity and inexplicably traversed to this realm, merging with his soul, ultimately allowing for a rebirth within his body at the age of fifteen

The night enveloped the entire land, and the Li family village was largely shrouded in darkness, with only the occasional sound of barking from the guard dogs; apart from that, no other sounds could be heard.

This process left Li Lin quite confused. After two days of sorting through it, he still could not understand the reasons behind it. However, he did manage to grasp some other matters, namely that he had now become a monster. His physical body was still that of Li Lin, but it had merely returned to over twenty years ago.

Li Lin stared with his blood-red eyes at the scene below the city. Among the formation of the black-haired soldiers, there stood an old Taoist priest who appeared to possess an ethereal demeanor, also gazing at Li Lin on the city wall.

He lay in bed with his eyes closed for a full two days, enduring the torment of a splitting headache throughout this time. However, he never opened his eyes, nor did he utter a single sound, as if he were still in a state of unconsciousness.

As for why he is lying here now, having been possessed and reborn by the soul of a previous life, it is because he remembers that just three days ago, he was deceived out of the estate by someone sent by his second brother, and was made thoroughly drunk by several of his brother's friends. On the way back, he was suddenly pushed into the icy river by a servant under his brother's command, inhaling a considerable amount of water and nearly drowning on the spot.

There is no light in the room, as there are no candles at all. The only source of light, along with the books, is a string of withered castor beans, which has already been burned halfway.

The soldiers defending the city faced a large number of black-haired soldiers swarming up like ants, their faces revealing expressions of despair. Nevertheless, they continued to make a futile final resistance, either killing the fierce black-haired soldiers off the city walls or being killed by the black-haired soldiers who had climbed onto the walls.

Within his body, he unexpectedly discovered dozens of strange golden auras swirling around his chest and abdomen. Could this be the divine power brought to him by Zhou Yuan's spirit? Li Lin became quite curious.

A sense of power, unlike any he had ever experienced, began to permeate every part of his body. Except for his bones, which had yet to be transformed, as the golden divine energy coursed through him, his muscles, tendons, and internal organs were continuously being strengthened. The moisture in the void gathered towards him, and the almost imperceptible spiritual energy from the unseen realm also began to converge upon him, seeping into his body through the pores of his skin, assisting the divine power in supplementing and transforming his physique. His muscles, tendons, and internal organs were continuously being strengthened, the moisture in the void gathered towards him, and the almost imperceptible spiritual energy from the unseen realm also began to converge upon him, seeping into his body through the pores of his skin, assisting the divine power in supplementing and transforming his physique.

Li Lin lay on the bed, his eyes closed, yet his mind was filled with a crimson hue. Countless cavalrymen of the Black Hu rushed past beneath the walls of Luoyang, their arrows raining down upon the city walls like a torrential storm. Large groups of Black Hu were setting up ladders, swarming up the walls to assault this ancient city that had stood for a thousand years, the sounds of shouting and killing echoing throughout the skies of Luoyang.

Almost visible to the naked eye, black gas swirled above the city of Luoyang, with countless ghosts merging into the dark clouds at every moment. Every second, someone fell victim to the enemy's cold weapons, and the city walls were nearly stained black and red with blood. Corpses piled up on and around the city walls.

Two people, separated by a great distance, locked eyes with each other. Li Lin suddenly let out a hoarse shout: "Why? ... ..."

However, at that moment, a dazzling flash suddenly appeared in the overcast sky, followed by a tremendous roar of thunder. A massive bolt of lightning stretched across the heavens and the earth, spreading out in all directions like a spider's web, dispersing large swathes of dark clouds

It was not until this moment that she noticed Li Lin was actually awake, gazing at her with a look filled with warmth and gratitude, which startled the young girl. She let out a gasp, and in her surprise, her hand trembled, causing the medicinal soup from the spoon to spill onto the bed

She gently placed the bowl of soup on the edge of the bed, picked up a wooden ladle, stirred the medicinal soup, scooped out a spoonful, and prepared to bring it to Li Lin's lips to feed him the medicine.

Surrounding the manor is a wall over one zhang high, enclosing the entire estate within. On the eastern side of the estate, there is a large gate in the wall, above which hangs a plaque. Flanking the plaque are two lanterns, their faint light illuminating the plaque above the gate.

At this moment, the sky had already begun to show a fish belly white, and the small hours had passed just like that. The faint morning light started to shine on the tattered window paper, and the dark room began to brighten a little. The naked eye could gradually see things more clearly. Li Lin turned his head to glance at the dilapidated room, a hint of a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth

The entire estate is divided into several small courtyards, each inhabited by members of the Li family or their servants and laborers. In one corner of the estate lies the dwelling place of the Li family's tenants, where the houses appear somewhat disordered and low, and also somewhat dilapidated. Adjacent to this corner where the tenants reside, there is a small courtyard that looks utterly run-down, having not been repaired for many years. In some places, the earthen walls have partially collapsed, and a layer of yellowish earth salt has formed on the wall at the corner, emanating a faint yet unpleasant dampness.

A myriad of chaotic information filled his mind, causing him excruciating headaches. After two full days of sorting through it all, he has finally managed to clarify some matters.

When the last bodyguard fell under the chaotic blades of the Black Hu, Li Lin finally became exhausted, unable to wield his long knife any longer. Countless Black Hu, with fierce expressions, surged towards him, brandishing their swords and guns.

It is now the latter half of the night, and the members of the Li family, along with the household servants and tenants in the village, are still in deep slumber

The black dragon, which was originally flaunting its power amidst the dark clouds in the sky, was struck in the middle by a massive golden lightning bolt. Instantly, half of its body was severed, and the severely injured black dragon let out a mournful roar, retreating into the distance while whimpering. Even that blood-red hand was hit by the golden lightning, losing three fingers on the spot, retracting as if it had been electrocuted.

Li Family Village is a prominent family in Lan County, regarded as a significant household in the area. The village has been established for nearly 200 years, thus holding a certain level of prestige locally. However, looking at the entire Da Chen Dynasty, there are likely not thousands but close to ten thousand such family villages like Li Family Village. Compared to the renowned families in various regions, it is still far from being considered significant.

And between the chest and abdomen where divine power is stored, this should be the inner palace! Li Lin, with great interest, was counting these golden auras, contemplating how to utilize this divine power

Li Lin's soul coldly gazed at the golden hand reaching for him, his eyes filled with a sense of despair. He finally gave up the last struggle and closed his eyes

A trace of divine power was quickly consumed, merging into his physical body. He then immediately drew another trace of divine power from within, infusing it into his body to continue enhancing his physical strength

After searching through countless memories in his consciousness, his expression brightened slightly as he finally found a solution. He made a decisive decision and silently recited a spell in his mind, drawing a thread of golden divine power from within his inner palace. He then began to channel it into the meridians of his body, circulating it throughout various parts of his being.

In one of the rooms, there stood a dilapidated wooden bed, and the room was essentially devoid of any decent furnishings. Against the wall was a small table, on which lay a few tattered books, the number of times they had been read and the many hands that had touched them are unknown, resulting in their current state of disrepair

His azure soul slowly drifted away from the already dilapidated body, ascending towards the sky above Luoyang City. Among the black-haired army below, an old Taoist with piercing eyes suddenly shone with brilliance. He gestured with his fingers to cast a spell, murmuring incantations. In the invisible void, a golden hand appeared, reaching heavily towards Li Lin's soul.

Unlike the Li Lin lying on the bed, the Li Lin in his thirties, clad in heavy armor and wielding a long sword, charged left and right on the city wall, leading the last of his guards as he slaughtered wave after wave of the black-haired barbarians atop the wall

Looking at the little girl who was crying and collapsed in front of the bed, Li Lin felt as if his heart had been pierced by a needle, causing a pain so intense that he nearly groaned. This was the softest part of his heart, completely touched; he had never felt such pain before, leaving him at a loss for what to do.

The boy's breathing is rapid yet shallow, indicating that he is still unwell and quite weak. However, he is not asleep; instead, he has his eyes closed and is in a state of light slumber.

However, his soul has been transformed into a divine spirit that integrates Zhou Yuan's consciousness, possessing divine power and magical abilities. Even he himself cannot ascertain whether he is still an ordinary person or if he has now become an extraordinary existence

A young maid, dressed in a tattered yet clean servant's outfit, approached the bedside with a weary and haggard expression. She carefully held a bowl containing medicinal soup, gently blowing on the hot liquid as she walked.

The plaque prominently displays the three large characters "Li Family Village"

Looking at his brand new body through introspection, he could hardly suppress the urge to let out a long howl to relieve this sense of pleasure and strength. This was a power he had never experienced before; he now felt as if he could lift mountains and rivers, possessing an inexhaustible strength that left him feeling utterly fearless

Upon re-examination, he discovered that his physical body had undergone a tremendous transformation. Although the external changes were not significant, merely making his physique appear somewhat more robust, internally, both his muscles and organs seemed completely renewed, becoming exceptionally resilient and filled with strength

In the small courtyard, there are several dilapidated houses. Although the roofs are made of blue tiles, they have not been maintained for many years, and are covered with thatch, with even a small cypress tree growing on top, giving it a very desolate appearance

Li Lin's eyes widened in fury, his body drenched in blood, and his long sword had already broken in half, yet he continued to roar and fight fiercely, slaying one black-haired man after another atop the city wall

Later, as he lay on the brink of death, with his soul about to depart from his body, the soul from his previous life seized the opportunity to take over and be reborn. This enabled him to ultimately crawl ashore, gradually making his way back to Li Family Village, where he was finally rescued and survived

In the past few days, he has been continuously contemplating this issue, and now he finally has an answer. He is still himself, just with some additional unknown abilities.

This small courtyard, within the Li family village, appears to be out of place compared to the other courtyards, as if it has been forgotten. However, in the bed of this room lies a young boy.

This process was swift, yet it seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Li Lin lay motionless on the bed, continuously drawing strands of divine power from his inner reservoir and infusing them into his physical form. It was only after a strand of divine power had circulated through his body without further consumption that Li Lin ceased this transformation process, retracting the unused divine power back into his inner reservoir.

The door suddenly creaked, and a slender figure entered the room, holding a coarse porcelain bowl steaming with heat and exuding a medicinal aroma.

At present, his body at the age of fifteen is truly in a terrible state; the bones are acceptable, but the muscles are withered, the skin is dry, the tendons are thin, and there is a deficiency of vital energy. Within the internal organs and throughout the bones, there is a pervasive chill lingering. Such a body is utterly dreadful, to the point of being described as having no strength to even bind a chicken.

The emaciated muscles quickly became filled out, starting to appear plump. Under the nourishment of the golden divine power, the tendons began to grow robust and resilient.

Lying on the bed, Li Lin let out a comfortable and satisfying moan. In his life, he had never felt such comfort before; his body had never been as warm as it was now, as if he were soaking in hot soup. His sweat pores were completely open, and a trace of cold air was expelled from them, along with many impurities from his body, resembling black sweat, forming a layer of dirt on his skin.

However, what is invisible to the naked eye is a faint white light curtain, several zhang above the Li family village, enveloping the entire village. Only those possessing the ability to perceive the aura can witness such a scene.

Yet in the fields outside the village, there were some invisible spirits wandering about, but none dared to approach the protective light curtain that enveloped the Li family village. This was the village's protective spiritual light, specifically designed to repel spirits and safeguard the people within the village from their attacks. It was a protective power granted to the villagers by the ancestral spirits of the Li family.