Zanxing

Chapter 1 – Transmigrated (1)

At the end of summer, the heat was not over. The sun on Dusu Mountain was scorching above the people’s heads.

The path on Dusu Mountain was steep, with towering rocks. Between two cliffs, a stream of water was running from the top to bottom. The sloshing stream hit the black rocks and tiny water droplets were sent flying.

A carriage had stopped under the shade of a tree next to the running water. The people and horses were drawing water from the stream to keep themselves cool. This was the carriage of Yue City’s Wang Clan and it was on its way to a major cultivation school in Duzhou—on the way to Taiyan Sect’s disciple selection.

Taiyan Sect was one of the major cultivation schools in Duzhou. They had one discipline selection trial every ten years. Outstanding cultivators from various cities across Duzhou would gather for this to display their talents—just so they could stand out in the trial. Once they did, they could further their journey in cultivation.

Wang Shao, a young master of Yue City, was sitting in the carriage and enjoying the open air at the moment. He was 17 years old. He was already in the middle-stage of Foundation Establishment, and he was only one step away from Foundation Establishment’s Third Rank. There were about ten days to go before the trial at Gufeng Mountain. In these next few days, as long as he used spirit elixirs and spirit pills for nourishment every day, along with constant cultivation, he might be able to enter the late-stage Foundation Establishment before the trial began.

Wang Shao was Yue City’s entire hope.

Yue City was a border town that could not even be found on a map of Duzhou. There had not been a cultivator from the city who had successfully entered the Gold Core stage for many years. Wang Shao entered Qi Refining at 10 years old and then Foundation Establishment at 12 years old. It took five years for Wang Shao to go from Foundation Establishment’s First Rank to Foundation Establishment’s Second Rank. If he could make a successful breakthrough this time, he would be the first genius in Yue City who could enter the late-stage of Foundation Establishment before the age of 18. If he could successfully enter the Taiyan Sect and become a disciple, everyone in Yue City would be elated.

Therefore, all the spirit stones, spirit elixirs, and spirit pills in Yue City were taken and given to this genius.

Sitting next to Wang Shao was a pretty girl in green. This was Wang Shao’s fiancee, Yang Zanxing, the eldest miss of Yue City’s Yang Clan. At this moment, she was accompanying Wang Shao to the Taiyan Sect’s trial. Eldest miss Yang did not have a strong interest in cultivation. She was about the same age as Wang Shao, but her foundation stopped in the early-stage of Qi Refining. For a woman from Yue City, instead of bothering to practice cultivation, it was better to marry a husband who was a cultivator. The woman would not only have honor, but also not worry about necessities and be respected by others.

“Ah Shao, have some tea.” Eldest miss Yang smiled and held a cup of tea to Wang Shao’s lips.

Wang Shao’s eyes looked the other way. He stood up and declared, “I’m going out for a bit.”

He flung his sleeves as he went down the carriage. Eldest miss Yang looked at the direction he was walking. The dainty face immediately became a bit contorted. She gritted her teeth and hissed, “That fox spirit!”

The servant girl, Hong Su, came forward and asked anxiously, “Eldest miss, the young master won’t take in that woman, right?”

“She’s dreaming!”

Wang Shao walked for a while. He stopped and looked at the girl in the yellow dress sitting against the tree. The girl was about 16 or 17 years old and she was very pretty and elegant. Her skin was a little pale, and the frail look made her more attractive. Wang Shao looked at her and he suddenly plastered on a smile. He asked, “Miss Liu, it’s so hot outside, would you like to sit in my carriage?”

Liu Yunxin was a little afraid of him and replied timidly, “Thank you so much for your kindness, young master. There is no need, it’s fine here.”

Liu Yunxin was accompanied by her brother, Mu Cengxiao, who was taking part in the Taiyan Sect’s trial. Mu Cengxiao and Liu Yunxin were not biological siblings. In the past, Liu Yunxin’s parents took in the orphaned Mu Cengxiao. After the death of their parents, the brother and sister depended on each other to survive. Wang Shao had already taken a liking to Liu Yunxin’s beauty, but she had a poor background. It was not compatible with his identity, so it was impossible for her to be a wife. However, it was more than enough for her to be a concubine.

Unfortunately, Liu Yunxin was ungrateful and turned a blind eye to his goodwill again and again. Not only that, her brother, Mu Cengxiao, also guarded against him like he was a thief, and didn’t let him have an opportunity to do anything to her.

At this point, he had only said a few words to Liu Yunxin. Upon seeing this, Mu Cengxiao, who was getting water, immediately marched up to Wang Shao to block him and angrily asked, “Wang Shao, what are you trying to do?”

Wang Shao looked at Mu Cengxiao in front of him.

The young man had thick and straight eyebrows like swords, and handsome facial features. Although the clothes he wore daily had patches, he appeared to possess a clear and resolute qi. It was said that he reached Qi Refining at eight years old. He was once favored by the people of Yue City in the past when they thought he was another prodigy. But up to now, he had not reached Foundation Establishment.

“Miss Liu, I heard that you are not in good health.” Wang Shao was not angry, but smiled gracefully at Liu Yunxin. He said, “Perhaps your brother wants to enter Taiyan Sect’s school for the spirit elixirs and spirit pills to cure your illness. I can understand that you have a deep sibling bond, but—” He glanced at Mu Cengxiao with disdain. “Don’t you think it’s a little naive to pin your hopes on rubbish that has not even reached a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment? You might as well be my woman. When I enter the Taiyan Sect in the future, you can use as many spirit elixirs and spirit pills as you like…”

“Shut up!” Before waiting for him to finish, Mu Cengxiao interrupted him and angrily shouted, “Shameless!”

“You’re rubbish. Do you have the right to speak?”

The two men were at odds with each other and were about to pull out their blades when there was a sudden cry coming from the stream. “Young master, it’s horrible! Y-you have to come and see!”

The two men who were in a disagreement just now looked at the stream at the same time.

The skies were clear and there was no wind. The stream water was like a waterfall, spiraling down into a hole. There seemed to be a faint shadow moving around under the water surface. At the next moment, several dark shadows shot up from the water and penetrated into some of the people’s shadows. Immediately after, there was a series of screams.

“It hurts—”

“AAaah! Help! What is this?”

“My eyes! My eyes!”

The carriage’s horses were frightened and wanted to run forward. However, the reins were tied to a tree. The people in the carriage fell out. Eldest miss Yang scrambled up and ran. She hid behind Wang Shao and questioned in a panic, “Oh my gosh, what is that?”

“That is the demonic beast ‘Hu’,” Mu Cengxiao muttered.

“What is ‘Hu’?” Wang Shao frowned.

“It is a legendary monster that hides in the water and stealthily inflicts harm on people. The mouth of the Hu contains sand and will shoot people with it. People who are shot at will get skin ulcers, and those whose shadows are shot at will die!” Mu Cengxiao did not look back and started running to the stream. “I will save those people! Wang Shao, protect Yunxin! Do not let it touch your shadow!”

Wang Shao looked at My Cengxiao’s back. He pulled Liu Yunxin away, and did not forget to mock him. “I have never seen a fool who is in a hurry to get himself killed!”

At this time, the water from the stream’s source between the two cliffs suddenly increased. The water was instantly overflowing and reached their feet, as if it was submerging the ground they were on. Meanwhile, the shadow under the water became more distinct. Only a few “pupupu” sounds could be heard. The surrounding maids and attendants shrieked, and a large area of the stream was dyed red.

Wang Shao covered his head and ran away in fright without caring about his fiancee and Liu Yunxin. Liu Yunxin was already sick and weak. She was out of breath after fleeing a few steps. Eldest miss Yang saw this and her eyes flashed with darkness. She was about to take Liu Yunxin’s shoulder with one hand and push her into the water.

A small drop of water came out from the splashing stream and shattered a mossy rock, but in an instant, it returned to the shape of a dewdrop.

Liu Yunxin screamed and her eyes widened.

A hand grabbed her arm.

Liu Yunxin turned around and saw eldest miss Yang gripping her arm firmly. Her eyes contained honest concern. “Are you all right?”

She was shocked and was about to speak when she heard someone bellowing behind her. “Yunxin, run! It’s behind you!”

The water suddenly rose. They were definitely standing on the ground, but being in the splashing stream was like being in the raging sea. Liu Yunxin looked back and saw the true appearance of “it” that was similar to a blurry round shadow. It looked like an enormous beetle that was shrouded with the overpowering fishy smell of water.

“Be careful!” There was a girl’s cry next to her ear.

Liu Yunxin felt a force pushing her away. To her side, the figure in green was instantly swallowed by the shadow.

The water gradually calmed down. The damp ground that was overflowing with the stream water became exposed to the sun. A faint rainbow appeared, and everything seemed to be an illusion.

Liu Yunxin murmured, “Eldest miss Yang… is gone.”