Chapter 1

In the year 2657 AD, Earth was riddled with scars, and humanity discovered the first extraterrestrial life-bearing planet, establishing the Human Federation and ushering in the interstellar era.

In the year 3910 AD, the Human Federation discovered the 36th life-bearing planet, with human footprints spread throughout the galaxy.

Over 1,200 years of interstellar exploration and colonization, due to the harsh interstellar environment, explorers suffered heavy casualties.

In the year 3920 AD, the Federation's exploration team discovered a planet of divine stones, using it as a server.

After eighty years, the large-scale virtual online game "Honghuang" was born.

In the year 4000 AD, a new era began, and "Honghuang" entered public testing.

Thirty-six life-bearing planets, trillions of Federation citizens, countless game studios, and large organizations gradually moved in, making Honghuang flourish!

...

In the vast starry sky, a transport fleet was traveling.

In the transport ship, there were goods bound for the Federation's 35th planet, including ten thousand "Honghuang" game login devices.

Interstellar pirates appeared, and a fierce battle ensued, resulting in the destruction of the transport ship.

A spatial rift appeared on the battlefield, and a login ring survived by chance, disappearing into it, unseen.

...

Jiuzhai County.

Heimu Village.

Heimu Village was nestled by mountains and water, with the vast and clear Yang River to the south, and mountains to the east, west, and north. Heimu Village was situated at the foot of Heimu Mountain to the north.

On this day.

Lu Qingfeng irrigated the five acres of terraced fields on the western mountain, dragging his tired body back to Heimu Village.

His sister, Lu Qingyu, carrying two empty buckets, chattered incessantly behind him.

"Second Brother must be so comfortable today, not having to work all day."

"Gui Zhen Sect is so unfair. If they had come in the morning, Second Brother wouldn't have been able to slack off in the afternoon."

"With Second Brother's small build, he definitely won't pass Gui Zhen Sect's test. Even if he did, we won't let him go!"

Lu Qingyu was thin and small, tanned from the sun and wind, looking like an underdeveloped little black girl. She appeared to be only seven or eight years old but was actually almost twelve.

On the way, many villagers in rough linen clothes were working hard. They looked pale, with no vitality in their faces, like walking dead.

Lu Qingyu's spirited chatter stood out in stark contrast to the surroundings.

She carried the empty buckets, swaying, with no trace of worry on her face.

"Really good."

A gentle feeling welled up in Lu Qingfeng's heart, and he reached out to take the buckets from Lu Qingyu.

"No need!"

"Big Brother, I can manage. I'm not like Second Brother."

Lu Qingyu nimbly dodged, her face beaming with pride.

"Don't let Second Brother hear that, or he'll be so upset he won't be able to eat." Lu Qingfeng couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmph!"

"Better if he can't eat. Then Big Brother and I can eat more."

Lu Qingyu wrinkled her nose, her attitude toward her big brother and second brother starkly different.

Just as Lu Qingfeng was about to say more, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen ran up to them.

"Zhou Quan!"

Lu Qingyu's face changed, and she quickly grabbed a blackwood hoe from the empty bucket, looking wary. "What are you doing here!"

Lu Qingfeng tightened his grip on the machete in his sleeve and looked at the boy.

"No! No!"

The boy, called "Zhou Quan," shuddered, his eyes secretly glancing at the sleeve of Lu Qingfeng's left arm. "Lu Qingfeng, I'm here to bring you good news. Your brother, Lu Qingshan, has been chosen by the immortals of Gui Zhen Sect and is about to go to Huangzhi Mountain!"

Zhou Quan rubbed his hands and smiled sheepishly, not daring to meet Lu Qingfeng's eyes.

When he was young, Zhou Quan often bullied Lu Qingfeng and his sister because of his size. But after Lu Qingfeng hit him with a machete, he lay in bed for more than two months.

Since then, he never dared to provoke the Lu siblings again, and he would avoid Lu Qingfeng whenever he saw him.

This time, Lu Qingshan had a stroke of luck and was chosen by the immortals of Gui Zhen Sect, with a good chance of becoming an immortal himself. Zhou Quan's parents were worried that Lu Qingshan might hold a grudge, so they asked Zhou Quan to approach Lu Qingfeng and show goodwill.

"Second Brother was chosen by Gui Zhen Sect?"

Lu Qingyu's eyes widened, and she shouted at Zhou Quan, gripping the hoe tightly. "You're lying!"

"Qingyu!"

Lu Qingfeng stopped Lu Qingyu and looked at Zhou Quan. "I understand."

Lu Qingyu stood behind Lu Qingfeng, still glaring at Zhou Quan.

"Is there anything else?" Lu Qingfeng frowned when Zhou Quan didn't move.

"I..."

Zhou Quan felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Lu Qingfeng. The words his parents had told him to say were stuck in his throat.

"Stop stalling!"

Lu Qingyu waved the hoe at Zhou Quan, threatening him.

However, Zhou Quan was afraid of Lu Qingfeng, not this girl.

"Move if you're not going to speak!"

Lu Qingfeng was impatient.

"I'll speak."

"Lu Qingfeng, isn't Lu Qingyu about to turn twelve? My parents..." Zhou Quan mustered his courage and started to speak.

"Get lost!"

Lu Qingfeng took a step forward and shouted loudly.

Zhou Quan shuddered, catching a glimpse of the half-exposed machete in Lu Qingfeng's sleeve, and fled back to the village, too scared to say anything.

"Big Brother, what does it matter if I turn twelve? Is this guy looking for a fight again? This time, I'll take care of him with Second Brother, no need for Big Brother to lift a finger!"

Lu Qingyu, though small and unremarkable, spoke with a surprising contrast. She waved the hoe, looking fierce.

"It's fine."

"Let's go home."

Lu Qingfeng ignored Zhou Quan's words, took the empty buckets from Lu Qingyu, and hurried back to the village. Lu Qingyu blinked and ran behind him.

...

The two quickly returned to Heimu Village.

In Heimu Village, it was rare to see such a lively scene. The villagers' faces showed more expressions. When they saw Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu return, they greeted them enthusiastically.

"Lu Qingshan joining Gui Zhen Sect will make him an immortal in a few years. As his only brother, these people are trying to curry favor with me."

"Zhou Quan came to bring me good news, also as a gesture of goodwill."

"Even, he had designs on Qingyu!"

Lu Qingfeng was clear-headed, perceiving the intentions of others.

Unwilling to tangle with these people, he led Lu Qingyu straight to their home.

"Lu Qingshan being chosen by the immortals of Gui Zhen Sect means he's made it."

"Indeed! Who would have thought that after Lu Shitou left, he left such a capable son!"

"Forget it! This Lu family's eldest is a tough character, but the second is far from it. Who knows if he'll even survive in Gui Zhen Sect!"

The villagers watched as Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu passed, whispering among themselves.

Most of the houses in Heimu Village were made of wood and stone.

At the center was the residence of the landlord and the village manager. The house of Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu was on the outer edge of the village. If wild beasts attacked, they would be the first to suffer.

With the outer buffer, the people in the center had time to respond.

Their house was built with blackwood from the Blackwood Mountain to the north. The blackwood was sturdy and solid, providing shelter from the wind and rain, though it was somewhat oppressive.

There were two rooms inside and out.

The inner room was a bedroom with two beds, one large and one small. The outer room was a kitchen, quite simple.

"Big Brother!"

As soon as they entered the blackwood house, they saw a boy who looked about 50% like Lu Qingfeng, squatting at the door with his chin in his hand. He immediately jumped up when he heard the commotion.

This boy was about thirteen or fourteen years old, looking a bit simple and also a black boy. He was Lu Qingfeng's younger brother, Lu Qingshan, and also the "Second Brother" in Lu Qingyu's mouth.

"Big Brother!"

"I don't want to go to Huangzhi Mountain!"

Lu Qingshan was scared and at a loss, grabbing Lu Qingfeng's arm, his voice hoarse and on the verge of tears.

"Men don't cry!"

"If crying could solve problems, I'd cry every day!"

Lu Qingyu angrily threw the hoe into the corner and shouted at Lu Qingshan.

"Big Brother, help me! I really don't want to go to Huangzhi Mountain! The people in Gui Zhen Sect are all bastards, I don't want to go!" Lu Qingshan ignored his sister and pleaded with Lu Qingfeng.

"Stop talking about hating Gui Zhen Sect. Just remember it in your heart."

Lu Qingfeng glanced outside, his face stern, and Lu Qingshan immediately stood up straight.

Lu Qingyu squatted in the corner and said brightly, "Exactly. Big Brother has taught you many times, but you still don't listen. Revenge isn't just about talking. You need to remember it in your heart and prove it with action!"

"Who said I don't remember!"

Lu Qingshan was so angry he couldn't speak.

"Alright, Qingyu, be quiet." Lu Qingfeng stopped Lu Qingyu from retaliating and looked at Lu Qingshan seriously. "Gui Zhen Sect selects disciples and servants every year. You passed the selection, and there's no way to escape. If you don't want to go, you still have to. Now, you have little time to pack. I'll ask, and you answer. Listen to me and don't interrupt, understand?"

Lu Qingfeng grabbed Lu Qingshan's shoulders, trying to stay calm and not show his panic in front of his brother.

"Big Brother, I... I'll listen to you."

Lu Qingshan's eyes were red, and he nodded heavily, holding back his tears.

"Qingyu, don't interrupt either."

Lu Qingfeng looked at Lu Qingyu, who was squatting in the corner.

"I understand." Lu Qingyu nodded her small head.

"Qingshan, were you chosen as a disciple or a servant?"

Lu Qingfeng then turned to Lu Qingshan and asked.

"Servant."

"The person from Gui Zhen Sect said my talent is average, so I can only be a servant in Gui Zhen Sect."

Lu Qingshan was both afraid and lost, answering whatever Lu Qingfeng asked.

"Servant!"

"I knew it!"

Lu Qingfeng's brows furrowed, and his heart sank to the bottom.

In Gui Zhen Sect, there were formal disciples and servant disciples. Formal disciples were highly regarded and had a significant status in Gui Zhen Sect.

Servant disciples, however, were like slaves in Gui Zhen Sect. Although they were given cultivation techniques, they had to work for Gui Zhen Sect, tending to medicinal fields or handling various mundane tasks.

If they offended a formal disciple, an elder, or an official, they could be killed without any consequences.

The lives of servant disciples were the cheapest!

If Lu Qingshan joined Gui Zhen Sect as a formal disciple, he might have a teacher to protect him. But as a servant disciple, he would have to rely on himself, striving to enter the path of cultivation and escape the servant status.

But entering the path of cultivation was no easy task!

"Qingshan, listen carefully. From today on, don't show any hatred for our father's death to anyone. In Gui Zhen Sect, focus on cultivation. This is both a crisis and a challenge. If you can enter the path of cultivation and become a formal disciple of Gui Zhen Sect, there will be hope for revenge."

"So, before the great revenge is achieved, don't do anything impulsive or emotional!"

"Only if you survive in Gui Zhen Sect can I and Qingyu survive, and there will be hope for avenging our father!"

Lu Qingfeng's face was extremely serious.

At only sixteen years old, his body was somewhat hunched from long labor, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and determined.

He had lived two lives and could survive by any means.

But his younger brother, Lu Qingshan, was just a fourteen-year-old boy. Gui Zhen Sect was not a good place, and showing any hatred could have unpredictable consequences.

He had to be cautious in his instructions.

"Brother, I... I'm scared."

Lu Qingshan's voice trembled, holding back his tears, and looked up at Lu Qingfeng.

"Men don't fear anything."

"Whoever bullies you, just wait until you're strong enough to hit back!"

Lu Qingyu couldn't help but interject.

When they were younger, the three siblings were often bullied by Zhou Quan and couldn't fight back. In the end, Big Brother used over twenty coarse grain cakes to trade for a machete from Zhang the blacksmith, and that's how they scared Zhou Quan away.

So, Lu Qingyu knew from a young age...

If you're bullied...

Hit back!

Even if you can't now, remember it and hit back when you're strong enough!

Lu Qingshan, after being shouted at, didn't argue with Lu Qingyu as usual. He just looked up at Lu Qingfeng and said softly, "Big Brother, I'm not scared anymore."

"Gui Zhen Sect is dangerous, but there are many servant disciples. If others can survive, so can you!"

Lu Qingfeng patted Lu Qingshan's shoulder and comforted him, "The servant disciples' food is supplied by the family. I'll bring you food every seven days."

...

In the end, Lu Qingshan followed the "immortals" of Gui Zhen Sect and left Heimu Village.

Lu Qingfeng saw him off.

Seeing the "immortal" from Gui Zhen Sect, who was tall and muscular, carrying a mountain-cutting saber on his back, he looked fierce and had no trace of a divine aura.

He walked with a powerful gait, each step covering two or three yards.

Lu Qingshan and the other new servant disciples had to run to keep up, finding it quite strenuous.

Lu Qingfeng had seen these Gui Zhen Sect disciples before. Each time, he felt a sense of helplessness from the bottom of his heart.

This feeling was despairing.

The one who took Lu Qingshan was just an ordinary disciple. It was said that there were even more powerful elders and sect leaders on Huangzhi Mountain, famous throughout Guangyuan County. They moved swiftly, almost like immortals.

Such a Gui Zhen Sect, mastering cultivation techniques and controlling tens of thousands of people in Jiuzhai County, was called "immortals."

And Lu Qingfeng?

He was just a weak teenager who had lived for sixteen years in this world, unable to achieve anything, not even able to eat enough or stay warm.

The gap between them was immeasurable!

Night fell.

Lu Qingfeng lay on the hard bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Since his father's death, he had been living with his younger brother, Lu Qingshan, and his younger sister, Lu Qingyu. This was the first time in over three years that he and Qingyu were alone in the blackwood house for the night.

"I wonder how Qingshan is doing."

Lu Qingfeng's mind was full of thoughts about Lu Qingshan.

This younger brother had always followed him, and the bond between them was very strong. Suddenly being separated, Lu Qingfeng was very uncomfortable and extremely worried.

"What a damn world!"

Tossing and turning, Lu Qingfeng sat up and recalled the past sixteen years.

Lu Qingfeng was not a native of this world.

In his previous life, he was an Earthling, born in China, with a successful career, and considered a promising young man. During a trip, he was involved in a car accident and lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he was a crying baby, born in the cramped Heimu Village.

At the age of four, his mother died in childbirth after giving birth to his younger sister, Lu Qingyu. His father, Lu Shitou, raised the three siblings.

However, fate was unpredictable. When Lu Qingfeng was thirteen, their five acres of land were destroyed by mountain rats, leaving no harvest.

No harvest meant they couldn't pay the tribute to Gui Zhen Sect.

When Lu Shitou went to Huangzhi Mountain to plead for leniency, he was whipped ten times by the external affairs officer of Gui Zhen Sect. Already weakened by overwork, Lu Shitou couldn't survive the beating and passed away, leaving behind a thirteen-year-old Lu Qingfeng, an eleven-year-old Lu Qingshan, and a nine-year-old Lu Qingyu.

From then on, Lu Qingfeng worked day and night, leaving early and returning late, barely managing to feed himself while raising his younger siblings.

Three years passed in a blink.

Now, Lu Qingfeng was sixteen, but he was still struggling in Heimu Village.

This world was extremely dangerous. Outside Heimu Village, there were all kinds of fierce beasts. With Lu Qingfeng's small build, he wouldn't last five miles before being eaten by a beast.

Moreover, Gui Zhen Sect ruled Jiuzhai County, enslaving its people. If anyone tried to escape, they