Chapter 1, Arrival.
Opposite him was a remarkably burly figure, also clad in protective gear, with his face concealed behind a helmet. His gaze was fierce, yet held a hint of mockery: "Hey! BOY, are you stunned by my name, Ichabod? If that is the case, then you have one last chance; I will allow you to surrender, which could spare you some suffering"
Tao Ran was momentarily taken aback, the luster in his eyes gradually returning to clarity, while the crimson patterns on his face quickly faded away
When he turned around, he discovered a black teenager, around fifteen or sixteen years old, with light black skin and naturally curly hair, standing breathlessly behind him
"Louise? Louise Linden?"
From the moment these complex thoughts began to emerge in his mind, Tao Ran had already realized this. His spirit was severely injured, and the fusion with the remnants of 'Li Mochen's' soul led to significant flaws in his nearly perfected state of mind and cultivation.
The comprehensive cold weapon competition and the comprehensive unarmed combat competition organized by the National High School Sports Association are large-scale fighting events that attract attention across America, second only to the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
The heavy rain poured down like a deluge, drenching Tao Ran completely from the inside out. At this moment, it was early winter, and the cold wind was biting; however, the damp chill that penetrated his skin could not extinguish the heat that surged within his chest, nor could it even slightly cool him down.
Tao Ran clenched his teeth tightly, his hands digging deeply into his flesh. A faint red line appeared at the center of his brow, spreading like a spider web, quickly covering his entire face.
At this moment, a female voice announced over the intercom in the corridor they were walking through: "Match 5 of P12, Ichabod Wood vs. Andre Lee Wiltonstein, starting at 20:15"
Tao Ran: Born in the realm of the original dome, he entered the Shenshao Sect to cultivate at the age of ten, and within half a month, he guided qi into his body; he established his foundation at thirteen; attained innate status at sixteen; at twenty-two, he achieved the convergence of the dragon and tiger, refining the golden elixir; at thirty-seven, he attained the primordial infant; at sixty-four, he reached the great completion and was conferred the title of 'Shenshao Wujizixu Xianwang' by the Langya Heavenly Dynasty. His accomplishments in the Dao are praised by contemporary immortals as unparalleled in history, with no successors to come.
Boom
According to the memories of the original owner of the body, this is the back street of the Atlanta Storm Sports Arena. He is here today to participate in a competition—the comprehensive cold weapon fighting tournament organized by the American NHSAA (National High School Sports Association)
NHSAA, which stands for the National High School Athletic Association, is an association comprised of tens of thousands of high schools across America. Its primary activities include various sports league competitions held annually.
Louise Linden, the sole direct heir of the Linden family in Atlanta, is currently sixteen years old. She is a student at Linden Academy, where she serves as the president of the student council and the president of the melee combat club.
This great teaching of the Central Plains, which has been passed down for six thousand three hundred years and entrusted to him by his master, is now facing internal strife and external threats, riddled with countless wounds, and is in danger of complete extinction of its doctrinal lineage
William rolled his eyes and then forcefully pulled his 'friend' inside, saying, "Ah Mo, you have no idea. Elena and John Richardson suddenly announced they were transferring schools right before the competition started, and they just forfeited. Our club lost a total of fifteen out of nineteen individual matches today. If this continues, we won't be able to gather enough points to participate in the team qualification matches next semester. How can our young lady bear this? Linden Academy's ranking in the points across all of America will plummet to the bottom."
In Tao Ran's mind, memories of this person also surged forth in an instant
Tao Ran felt that this name was somewhat familiar, and he couldn't help but murmur it softly. At the same time, a scene quickly flashed through his mind.
William Jacques raised his hands, wearing a look of surrender: "Can we go back now? Your match is set to start in no more than five minutes. If you forfeit again due to absence, our Lady Louise is likely to be furious."
Especially when he extended his finger, attempting to concentrate his magical power at the tip, he was immediately engulfed by the weakness surging from his spirit and the excruciating pain that felt as if it were tearing him apart.
After borrowing a body to be reborn, the divine soul is severely injured, and the true essence is depleted, making it unlikely to return in a short period of time
As blinding flashes of lightning tore through the sky of Atlanta, the entire city, home to millions, was illuminated in a shade of dark blue. Heavy rain began to pour down, and fine lines of rain quickly enveloped the whole city. The booming thunder followed in succession, cracking through the clouds and shaking the ground, deafening to the ears.
Understanding is one thing, but being able to control and suppress this inner demon is another matter entirely
A strange world, such a rich essence of the primordial spirit
"OK, OK! Mo Chen, A Mo! I know you don't like me calling you Andrei"
Li Mochen: Citizen of the United States of America, aged 16, also known as Andre Lee Wiltonstein, of mixed heritage, currently a student at Linden Academy in Atlanta, and a Level 3 Mage Swordsman. His father, Li Chunchu (deceased), and mother, Elena Wiltonstein (deceased), he ranks nineteenth in the Wiltonstein family inheritance line. Fifteen minutes ago, he died suddenly for unknown reasons
Within Ke Taoran's heart, there arose an inexplicable sense of displeasure, which was directly reflected in her brows and eyes
In the Nine Heavens, the demonic figure Dugu Tianyi is already dead, yet his five demonic sons remain, still capable of wreaking havoc upon the world. Within the sect, there are still internal traitors who have not been eliminated, controlling the central hub of the mountain. Furthermore, the current emperor of the Langya Heavenly Dynasty harbors great apprehension towards the Shenzhao Sect and has long desired to eradicate them. Additionally, the 'Tian Dao Sect' in the south has suffered almost no losses during the demonic tribulation; after this calamity, it is feared they will inevitably develop covetous intentions towards the numerous spiritual veins in the Central Plains.
Louise Linden is not only the eldest daughter of the Linden family but also the future owner of Linden Academy
She was a girl with waterfall-like light golden hair, her features nearly flawless, exquisite and beautiful like a Barbie doll
This is William Jacques, a close friend who lives in the same neighborhood as the original owner of the body. Not only is he the same age, but they also attend the same school. With their similar bloodlines, after Li Mochen transferred to Linden Academy, the two quickly became inseparable friends
As the fragments of memories surged in his mind and gradually became clear under the organization of 'Tao Ran', he couldn't help but feel a slight irritation as he rubbed his temples, while simultaneously raising his head to gaze at the unfamiliar world before him
By the time he regained his senses, he had already donned a complete set of armor-like protective gear and was holding an unopened one-handed sword, having been pushed onto the arena by William Jacques
For the numerous private schools in America that take pride in cultivating and nurturing more magic practitioners, their rankings and achievements in the two competitions are a matter of life and death—affecting their reputation, student enrollment, and government funding allocations
William stopped talking nonsense and pulled Tao Ran forward as they ran wildly. The latter remained in a daze, overwhelmed by the information surging from the depths of the original owner's memories. However, Tao Ran thought to himself that this was better than his current chaotic thoughts, which could lead him to madness.
Moments later, the expression in Tao Ran's eyes became exceptionally rich. In addition to shock, there was more of annoyance, regret, disappointment, and unease, even a sense of bewilderment
This is a heart demon
At that moment, someone gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder: "Andrei, you damned fool, what are you doing here for no reason? Even if you want to calm down, you don't need to come out here in the rain, do you? Do you know I've been going crazy looking for you?"
In the forty-seventh year of the Honghua era of the Langya Celestial Dynasty, a great calamity arose in the realm of the original void, with dragons and snakes emerging on land. The Divine Land was in turmoil, and for twenty-four years, the leader of the Shenshiao Sect led various immortal sects in battle, vanquishing numerous demons. In the final confrontation, he shattered the barrier of the heavens, entering the boundless void alone to daringly pursue the demonic entity, Dugu Tianyi, from the Nine Heavens.
This individual, for the sake of a noble cause, has chosen to abandon the prestigious Four Great Noble Academies, which are frequented by the elite, and instead enroll at Linden Academy. He bears the mission of reversing the recent decline of Linden Academy in the realm of cold weapon comprehensive combat and securing a rightful ranking for the institution
In this world where magical energy flourishes and various abilities are prevalent, these two combat sports can be considered the foremost sports in all countries across the globe, with their related events boasting the largest audience groups.
In a narrow and dim alley in the southern part of Atlanta, a pale-faced youth stands beside a puddle, staring blankly down at the unfamiliar face reflected on the water's surface
Among them, the most notable are the Mixed Old Steel (MOS, Comprehensive Cold Weapons) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA, Comprehensive Unarmed Combat) groups
At this moment, if one were to regard his soul as a city, then all the walls of this city are in a state of collapse, allowing all manner of demonic thoughts to enter and exit freely.
William Jacques said with a bitter smile, "But even if you lose, you absolutely cannot forfeit. No one in the club expects you to win against him, but if you dare to withdraw, I bet the scholarship you want will definitely be out of reach. Our Lady Louise is just looking for a place to vent. Hey, hey, Amo, at least give some reaction, why are you like a wooden man? Are you too nervous? OH, shit!"
This thought emerged with unparalleled clarity in Tao Ran's mind, causing his emotions to become exceedingly tumultuous
Unfortunately, the ending is not very pleasant. Although he ultimately defeated the demon with great effort, he himself fell into a situation that was nearly one of mutual destruction.
This is a narrow alleyway, flanked on both sides by tall, square buildings, from which bright light emanates through the windows. Not far away, several shop back doors are also adorned with colorful neon lights that flicker. Thus, even under the cover of a torrential rain night, this place remains clearly visible
Your opponent this time is Ichabod from Cadiga Academy. I have inquired about him, and he is already a Level 4 Magic Swordsman with exceptional swordsmanship. Last year, when he was in the tenth grade, he reached the top sixty-four in the individual competition across all of Atlantia. Although luck played a role in that, a year has passed, and his strength must have grown even stronger by now. Therefore, I am not very optimistic about the outcome of your battle.
Tao Ran, in a daze, followed him forward; at this moment, his mind was already filled with a plethora of information
"Who else could it be but Louise?"