Chapter 001: In the Peach Blossom Valley, the heart falls into dust, as the Pisces and Dragon patterns howl in the dreamscape

With a smile full of imagination, Luo Yu slowly drifted into a dream.

However, in the span of just two years, Luo Yu has not wasted his time. Under the dazzling ruler wielded by the Master, he has stubbornly learned those peculiar characters.

At this moment, he was gently waving a bamboo fan in his right hand, while seemingly muttering something under his breath.

Inside the Lotus Pond Cottage, the lights have long been extinguished. At this moment, Luo Yu is in a deep and sweet slumber

Luo Yu thought this in her heart, but did not dare to utter a single word of complaint.

Although Master Qian's teachings on etiquette and law are strict, he also shows considerable care towards him in daily life. Not only does he patiently teach him his studies, but he also often uses the ruler with a sense of 'affection'.

Until the fluorescent thread gradually faded away, those small hands had already returned to their original state

He quickly responded, "Yes, I acknowledge, the disciple takes his leave."

At this moment, in the most tranquil part of Peach Blossom Village, there lies a shimmering lotus pond. Beside the pond, there is a simple bamboo fence enclosing a quaint and elegant cottage. On a summer night, the sound of insects chirping fills the air, accompanied by the rare gentle breeze, creating a comfortable atmosphere

Withdrawing his hand swiftly, he felt the waves of pain emanating from his palm at that moment. Luo Yu secretly raised his eyes and looked complexly at the master, who was pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed. In his heart, he muttered, 'I really don't understand, how many times must this be practiced to achieve such precision? The teacher's eyes are clearly closed; could it be that he has developed a third eye?'

No ! ! !

At the hour of Wu, the night was deep and dark

After a brief moment, two strands of glowing silk extended from the 'birthmark' on his arm, resembling the growth of vines, entwining around his small hands

He let go of his sleeves, pushed open the window frame, and gazed at the broken yet enormous silver moon. At this moment, Luo Yu found it difficult to sleep.

Every spring, this place is filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms competing in the valley, with peach petals dancing in the valley breeze, perfectly blending with the misty green mountains, creating a harmonious scene. In this area of a hundred miles, it is indeed a rare paradise.

Master Qian, with his profound knowledge and moral standing, naturally has disciples under his tutelage who are often present to receive his teachings. The eldest disciple, Tao De, is the village chief of this village, the son of Tao Zheng, and has now completed his studies and graduated. The second disciple is the young scholar before us, Luo Yu, who is currently fanning himself while reciting his lessons.

The present self can only follow the teachings of the Master of Wealth day by day, studying and learning propriety. In this life and the next, transcending the world and entering it, one does not know where to go or what to do. Gazing at the unfamiliar night sky outside the window, he feels a sense of confusion in his eyes at this moment

After Qian Fuzi finished speaking, he closed his eyes and took a short rest, saying no more.

Upon seeing this pair of swimming fish, he was not surprised; instead, he smiled and asked, "Have you come again?"

Luo Yudun immediately waved his hand and said: "No! He is my teacher, I respect him as a father...!"

Upon seeing this, Luo Yu naturally could not refuse the request, as there was no reason to decline

At that moment, Qian Fuzi's slightly subdued voice sounded: "Reach out!"

Gazing at the piles of bamboo slips and a few solitary paper manuscripts placed on the desk, Luo Yu irritably turned away and looked out at the night sky, sighing inwardly: "Alas, look at this backward civilization, it hasn't even fully popularized paper. It seems that returning to the original world is hopeless... I wonder how my parents are doing now..."

... ...

Gazing at the pair of "birthmarks" on his arms, he murmured in confusion: "Why is it that ever since I acquired these birthmarks, I frequently experience similar strange dreams? What kind of world is this Divine Gift Continent?"

The ruler landed precisely in the center of the palm, immediately leaving a deep imprint of its edge

As Luo Yu reached out to grab them, at that moment, the two little fish, seemingly startled, swiftly darted away and surprisingly came to a halt not far away

At this moment, Master Qian opened his eyes, glanced at the smiling Qian Ling'er, and said to Luo Yu: "You, your heart is not calm, how can you achieve anything? Enough... it is getting late, let us conclude for today, go back and rest."

The sound of flowing water!

Having spoken, he respectfully placed the green bamboo fan into the outstretched palm of the Master, and did not forget to cast a fierce glare at Qian Ling'er, who was currently reveling in misfortune.

Turning around, Luo Yu respectfully bowed to the Master and then slowly took his leave.

Upon seeing this, he was not angry; instead, he smiled and asked, "Are you the ones who have healed my hands?"

Upon reaching this point, Luo Yu sighed with concern, "I do not know whether this is good or bad"

Looking back at myself, when I first acquired this body, I did not have this pair of 'birthmarks'. However, for some unknown reason, they gradually appeared over the past two years! It would be fine if the colors were the same, but they are different on each side, which is quite frustrating!

At this moment, Qian Ling'er was under the candlestick, using the faint flickering candlelight to sew the sole of a shoe, one stitch at a time. The awl pierced into the thick sole, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly. Although she had a thimble to assist her, she still appeared to be struggling immensely.

Before Luo Yu could finish speaking, the two small fish, Xuan Bai, unexpectedly transformed into dragon shadows and roared in unison, "Silence! You dare to regard this insignificant creature as your father? I will surely kill it!"

Gradually regaining my composure, I reflected on the past two years spent studying under my master, and could only shake my head and bitterly smile in self-mockery: "Studying, studying, I, of the Luo family, was originally from a lineage of scholarly tradition, yet having fallen to this state, I have instead become an illiterate who cannot recognize even a single character..."

He has been in this place called the Divine Gift Continent for more than two years. To be precise, it should be his own soul that has been reborn in the body of this child, also named Luoyu! Perhaps this is what is known as soul possession in legend

However, this 'birthmark' is not without its merits! Ever since I had this pair of 'birthmarks', my swollen hands have been able to return to their original state overnight after waking up!

He glanced at the Master, who was still resting with his eyes closed, and at the ruler raised high, glimmering with a cold light. He lowered his head, gripping his hands tightly, revealing a look of distress. After struggling for a moment, he slumped his shoulders and slowly extended his already swollen left hand. However, before his hand could extend halfway, he quickly switched to his right hand, which appeared somewhat "slimmer".

Whenever he gazed out of the window at night, he could see the enormous crescent moon occupying nearly half of the night sky, continuously emitting a soft and gentle glow. Although this moon appeared somewhat oversized and fragmented, it evoked a sense of warmth and familiarity within him

Not waiting for Luo Yu to be astonished, why can this little fish speak? That white little fish actually opened its mouth and said: "Yes! It should die!"

Two small fish swim slowly, showing no signs of change, as if they have not heard anything at all

Yet this scene elicited a burst of pleasant laughter from beneath the candlestick. Upon hearing this, Luo Yu felt a surge of anger in his heart, thinking to himself, 'I showed concern for you out of kindness, and as a result, I am punished. Now, instead, I am being mocked! How is this reasonable...

Luo Yu, at the tender age of ten, is an orphan without parents, taken in by Master Qian. Master Qian has no sons or daughters; since he secluded himself in Taohua Village ten years ago, he has only had a granddaughter by his side, named Qian Ling'er. Now twelve years old, Qian Ling'er is a picture of beauty, petite and charming, just at the age of blossoming into womanhood

The elder's surname is Qian, and his given name is Jieyin. He is respectfully referred to as "Master" by all in the surrounding ten miles and eight villages. It is said that Master Qian is a successful candidate in the imperial examination, possessing profound knowledge and understanding of both ancient and modern times, with no subject he does not know. In the Qingqiu Town and its vicinity of several hundred miles, his reputation is even more widespread, known by all and recognized by everyone

Divine Gift Continent, Zhao Realm, at the northern foothills of Qingqiu Mountain, in the Peach Blossom Valley

Upon thinking of this, Luo Yu smiled faintly, but when he saw the pair of "birthmarks" on his arm, his brows furrowed slightly, and he muttered in frustration, "After finally regaining my youth, I ended up with these two birthmarks, which really affects my appearance"

In a previous life, I grew up on a continent of technological civilization. The nights there also featured a bright full moon, yet it was neither as large nor as shattered as this one. In comparison, it is truly a world apart.

Setting aside the matter of the 'birthmark', after calming down, Luo Yu will also contemplate how to proceed in the future. In such a strange foreign world, if one wishes to achieve something, it seems that the only option at present is to study diligently in hopes of attaining fame and success. ... If one can obtain such fame, in the flourishing literary environment of the Zhao Kingdom, securing a position or office, and then passing on the family line ...

Returning to his small room, he lay back on the cool and comfortable bamboo couch. In his bright eyes, the twinkling stars of the night sky outside were reflected.

... ...

In the quiet of the night, Peach Blossom Village is enveloped in stillness

Looking at her swollen little hands, Luo Yu sighed dejectedly: "Ah, since I have come, I might as well make the best of it and achieve great accomplishments, so that my journey in this other world will not be in vain. As the ancients often said, 'Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world.' Governing the country and bringing peace to the world, hahaha~ how imposing! Uh... heh, perhaps I should just forget it! The difficulty is too great, but as for cultivating oneself and regulating the family, I can at least make a half-hearted effort..."

He initially thought that by returning to ancient times, armed with his knowledge of history, he would be foresighted and perceptive. Not to mention being able to gain titles and lands, at the very least, he could lead a prosperous life without worries about food and clothing. However, was the moon in ancient times really this large? Was it this broken? When he discovered the heavy bamboo slips inscribed with strange characters resembling tadpoles, he realized that the civilization he came from had never encountered such bizarre writing; at least, as someone who loved literature and history, he had certainly never seen it. It was only then that he began to sense that this was not ancient times at all! It was clearly an unknown new world. He confirmed that the civilization he came from had never seen such strange characters; at least, as someone who loved literature and history, he had certainly never encountered them. It was only then that he began to sense that this was not ancient times at all! It was clearly an unknown new world. This small mountain village called Peach Blossom Village is located on the northern border of the Zhao Kingdom in the Divine Gift Continent.

... ...

When the fluorescent thread passed through that swollen little hand, a miraculous scene unfolded! The swollen area gradually diminished at a speed visible to the naked eye, returning to normal!

Jian Qianling'er continued to gaze at herself with a smile, while Luo Yu was about to lose his temper. However, before he could take any action, he heard the low, stern voice of the teacher reprimanding them. Luo Yu quickly pretended to be serious, kneeling and listening attentively.

In the dimness, there remained a profound silence, as two small black-and-white fish simply stared at him without moving an inch

Luo Yu raised his eyes to glance at Qian Ling'er, then looked at the remarkably thick sole of the shoe. Subsequently, the verses that were already difficult to recite gradually became slower and more subdued, while a hint of concern subtly appeared on his face

However, the affairs of the world are unpredictable. During one of my travels, I unfortunately encountered an earthquake. The last scene I saw was that round moon, high in the night sky, swaying continuously, followed by a complete darkness. And then... there was nothing that followed.

In fact, it is not that Luo Yu was uneducated in the past; rather, he simply could not understand this 'tadpole script'

A young student sat near a bamboo chair, leaning against an elderly man in a coarse linen robe, whose hair had turned gray and who had entered his twilight years. At this moment, the old man appeared at ease, with his eyes closed, enjoying the gentle cool breeze that wafted from the bamboo fan held by the young student.

Suddenly, Luo Yu, who was wandering outside of himself, was startled back to his true self

Suddenly! On his arms, that pair of 'birthmarks' actually shimmered with a faint glow

Awakening from a nightmare, Luo Yu was drenched in sweat. He exhaled a breath of foul air and, still feeling apprehensive, said: "It was those two little fish dragons again, fortunately it was just a dream"

In the elegantly lit small residence, there was a young scholar dressed in blue. This young scholar was indeed quite handsome, but on both of his exposed little arms, there were birthmarks the size of broad beans. Strangely, these birthmarks were identical in shape, differing only in color. One hand bore a white mark, while the other had a dark red one, contrasting sharply against his fair skin.

The end of July, the Great Heat

An ancient saying goes, "As the sun blazes during the peak of summer, the heat is suffocating, and one sits idly, troubled by flies and mosquitoes." During the season of great heat, the oppressive heat is indeed hard to endure, especially in the Peach Blossom Valley, which is particularly humid and stifling. Yet, within this serene and misty Qingqiu Valley, there lies a tranquil little village—Peach Blossom Village.

Luo Yu opened his eyes, and before him was a scene of dimness. Beside him were two small fish, each the size of a thumb, swimming slowly around him. As the fish swam, they brought a sense of tranquility to the mind.

One finds oneself in a state of daze, as if having taken a nap, only to awaken and discover that one has unexpectedly "returned to youth"

Snap

Just when Luo Yu felt that the surroundings were so quiet it made him uneasy, suddenly! From that dark-colored little fish, a sound like a dragon's roar emerged: "That old man has harmed you repeatedly; he should die!"