Chen Xiaofan — Chapter 1
At six in the evening in Jiang City, a man thundered, "Chen Xiaofan, how dare you breakb your brother's vase? If you've got the guts, get out that door and don't ever come back!"
Chen Xiaofan had been unloved by his parents since he was little. Tonight, because he'daccidentally bumped his brother's vase and it fell to the floor, his father's scolding wouldnot stop.
That vase wasn't worth much—just a few dollars—yet his parents treated it as if it weremore precious than Chen Xiaofan himself. His chest tightened with a cold, aching hurt.
This wasn't the only injustice. Once, he'd only broken a bowl and received nothing but icystares. Once, he told his brother, "Don't watch the iPad so much; studying is important," and his parents snapped, "What do you know? Your brother can do whatever hewants—he's more important than you!"
His brother could watch the iPad; Chen Xiaofan could not. His brother could play games;he could not. His brother could eat meat; he could not. It was favoritism—plain and unbearable. Memories of these small cruelties stung like salt.
That night, he reached his limit. "I'm leaving," Chen Xiaofan announced, voice shaking but firm. "From today on I'm cutting ties. I'm running away—and I won't come back." "Get out, and don't come back!" his parents roared.
He didn't look back. He walked out the front door and left.
He stayed out until midnight—cold and hungry—until suddenly his vision blurred and everything went black. When he opened his eyes he felt as if he had been transmigrated to another place.
This new world smelled of Immortal Qi; it was clearly a Xuanhuan realm. Rain hammered down and thunder split the sky. Chen Xiaofan stood in the downpour, white clothes clinging to him, when a flood of memories poured into his head. He realized what kind of world he'd landed in: a place where countless wuxia novels and schools had fused together—Shifting Flowers Palace, Wudang Mountain, Qingcheng School—empires named Great Qin, Great Han, Great Ming, and more.
A savage roar ripped through the forest—more fearsome than the thunder. The lion's cry shook him to the marrow. It was the King of Beasts, fiercer than any tiger.
Footsteps thundered closer. Chen Xiaofan's face went pale. He was only seven years old here—too weak even to tie a chicken. Would he become the lion's next meal? Was he going to die right after transmigrating?
A cold, mechanical voice sounded in his mind.
#(( *Ding!* *You have gained the favor ofChaos, received the blessing of the Chaos True God, and obtained the Heaven-DefyingComprehension Ability.*))#
"A system!" Chen Xiaofan cried inwardly. "This is the sign of a transmigrator!" Joy flooded him. He understood at once what Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability meant:
his comprehension was maxed out. He could learn anything at a glance—outstripping evenpeerless prodigies.
Another roar rolled through the trees—closer, angrier. #((*Ding!* *By listening to the lion's roar you perceived its essence, analyzed its technique, and comprehended the Lion Roar skill.*))#
"Roar!" The thunder of lions answered; the sound came again and again, deafening. With each hearing the system granted more. *Ding!* The Vajra Lion Roar skill was formed.
*Ding!* The Lion's Heart King Roar. *Ding!* The Jingang Lion's Heart King Roar.
Chen Xiaofan's grin widened. Heaven-Defying indeed—this ability was absurdly powerful.
A dark shadow burst through the trees—a massive, sleek lion leapt at him, claws bared.
Instinctively, Chen Xiaofan opened his mouth and let out a single, thunderous cry: the
Jingang Lion's Heart King Roar.
The impact was cataclysmic. The lion was hurled backward as if struck by an invisible meteor, smashing through a row of trees, digging a tunnel through a mountain, and disappearing beyond the ridge.
Chen Xiaofan stood stunned. He had not expected his roar to be so devastating. He hurried after the trail to see the damage.
Beyond the ridge, at the mountain's base, the lion lay bleeding from seven orifices, its bulk splayed and broken. A group of people in white stood nearby, whispering in alarm.
"Who could strike it like this?" someone breathed. "All its bones are shattered—this must be the work of at least a Great Grandmaster!"
Chen Xiaofan's heart leapt. According to the memories in his head, cultivation realms on the Kyushu Continent ranged from Third-rate up to Terrestrial Immortal—Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, Acquired, Innate, Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, Terrestrial immortal—each split into Early, Middle, Late, Great Perfection, and Peak. If his roar could shatter a lion and be mistaken for a Great Grandmaster's power… then this Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability was nothing short of incredible.
Nearby, the group's conversation moved on. A man in white, waving a folding fan, scoffedat the idea of Sword Flight. "Isn't it simple?" he said. "Pick up a sword, stand on it, do this and that—then you fly."
*Ding!* Chen Xiaofan's mind recorded the longest thread of explanation. *Due to yourlistening to Sword Flight, you captured its essence, analyzed the technique, and comprehended Immortal Art: Sword Flight.*
Chen Xiaofan could hardly contain his excitement. If he could master Immortal Arts now, why bother with ordinary wuxia? He would become an immortal—far stronger than any martial artist. He decided at once to head for Wudang Mountain and seek Terrestrial Immortal Zhang Sanfeng.
The man in white continued, smiling faintly—until he noticed a seven-year-old watching from not far off. Irritated, he demanded, "What did you say? That I'm bragging? If you cando better, prove it!"
Those gathered turned to the child in disbelief. A child arguing with a Senior Brother? Thevoices swelled, insisting the boy demonstrate or he would not be allowed to leave.
Chen Xiaofan merely smiled. He drew a sword he had been carrying—three feet long and razor-sharp. With a flick, the sword hovered beneath his feet. He leaped, and the swordsoared. A white light tore through the rain and he flew.Gasps went up. "He's flying!" people cried. "A seven-year-old can do Sword Flight?"
The man in white's smugness collapsed. He had been bluffing; there were indeed legends of a few who could fly with sword technique, but they were almost mythical. Chen Xiaofan completed a graceful circle, then flew off without waiting for applause.
He planned to go to Wudang. Immortality, he told himself, would let him return to his old life and finally put his family in their place.
In just a few breaths he covered more than a hundred miles—faster than any car in his former life. Below him, scenes shifted. In his previous home, Chen Xiaofan's father frowned as evening deepened. "Why isn't he back yet?" he asked.
"Don't worry," his mother Zhang Juan replied, dismissive. "He's throwing a tantrum. He'll come back tomorrow."
His eldest brother, ten years old and already cruel, vowed, "If he comes back, I'll beat him black and blue."
In the martial world below, Chen Xiaofan spotted a gathering where two burly men clashedswords on a greenish stone. Sparks flew with each strike. The crowd cheered their skill, and
Chen Xiaofan, hovering nearby, peered down to observe.
He absorbed the movements instantly. *Ding!* Drifting Snow Swordplay—comprehended.
*Ding!* Hu Family Swordplay—comprehended. His Heaven-Defying Comprehension fused them into Drifting Snow Dragon Scale Swordplay, then refined them further into a brand-new art: You Feng Lai Yi Swordplay.
He tested it in his mind: the form did not require internal energy to activate and was evenmore potent for it. Chen Xiaofan could only laugh at how strong it all was.
A shout split the air. The Blue-Clothed man lay defeated; the Purple-Clad man boasted that
his Hu Family Swordplay was supreme. The crowd praised him. The purple-clad man
caught sight of Chen Xiaofan's cool, mocking expression and demanded satisfaction.
"You little brat," he snarled. "If you have the guts, strike your sword!"
Chen Xiaofan only scoffed. "Alright," he said calmly. "You asked me to show—don't be
frightened."