Defying Fate?

Great Yan Dynasty, Yunzhou City.

Li Family Village.

The sky was so overcast it seemed water might drip from it.

A heavy, oppressive atmosphere shrouded this small village, which had endured the ravages of anomalies.

Qin Bo wore a scholar's long robe that had been washed until it faded white.

He stood before the ramshackle private school that belonged to him, his brows tightly furrowed and his heart weighed down with worry.

The private school had originally been an estate left behind by his "cheap" father.

But now that the Great Dao had collapsed and anomalies ran rampant, people could barely look after themselves. Who would have the mind to send their children here to read and write?

Even his predecessor's hopes of pursuing an official career had been shattered!

As for why he called him a cheap father?

That story began a week ago!

Qin Bo had been an archaeologist in the new century, leading a team to excavate an ancient tomb that day.

Who could have known that the moment they broke through the soil, he would fall inside with it?

He was swallowed by a sudden beam of light, and when he woke again, he had become this scholar who shared his name.

As for the original Qin Bo, he had guarded this dilapidated private school until he starved to death here seven days earlier.

Only then had Qin Bo been able to "borrow a corpse and return his soul"!

After transmigrating, Qin Bo had already been filled with confusion toward this unfamiliar world.

To make matters worse, he could no longer even maintain his basic livelihood.

He had originally planned to inherit his predecessor's learning, pass the imperial examinations, and return home in glory.

In this world where the Great Dao had collapsed and anomalies ran rampant, merely staying alive long enough to pass the examinations was already an extravagant hope.

Finding work that could earn money was even more difficult.

Qin Bo was consumed by anxiety, yet had no way out.

From his predecessor's pitifully few memories, he had learned that this world was plagued not only by anomalies, but also by powerful cultivators!

But just how powerful they were, his predecessor had no idea.

After transmigrating, Qin Bo had frantically searched through the books at home for cultivation methods.

But he could not find a single one. Apart from ordinary books, there were only ordinary books!

"Why did you make me transmigrate into a world like this?"

"After transmigrating, shouldn't I have gotten a system companion and a cheat paving the way for me?"

"What is this supposed to be?"

Qin Bo raised his head to the sky and let out roar after roar in his heart.

You might ask, why didn't he simply shout them aloud?!

What a joke. He still had his dignity, all right?!

If he had not been thick-skinned enough to go door to door begging for meals these past few days, he would have starved to death the moment he transmigrated.

But this was ultimately not a long-term solution. He gazed at the unfamiliar and dilapidated village before him, his heart full of anxiety and confusion.

This backward ancient world had none of the conveniences he knew, no internet, no phones, and not even the most basic means of making a living resembled those of the modern era.

"Am I really going to live this pathetic life?"

Qin Bo clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he recalled the ancient tales of doing business he had once read.

Those transmigrators had relied on their unique insight and bold decisions to command the commercial world.

"That's right, doing business!"

Qin Bo muttered to himself, a sliver of hope igniting in his eyes.

"Reborn: How I Made a Fortune in Ancient Times!!!"

His hope was soon shattered again.

In a world of demons, anomalies, and chaos, how could he do business without strength?!

Besides, he had studied archaeology and had no real abilities at all.

Other than taking people's money to ward off their disasters,

all he knew was how to dig up other people's ancestral graves!

He could not even afford a meal. Where would he get the capital?

The speaker might have been unintentional, but the listener took it to heart!

"Gurrgle..."

Qin Bo's stomach voiced its emphatic agreement.

Helplessly, he rubbed his sunken belly. Just as he was preparing to shamelessly beg another household for a meal, a burst of gongs and drums came from not far away.

"Ah, I nearly forgot. Old Li lost both his fortune and his life after encountering an 'anomaly.'"

"Stop growling. I'll take you to the funeral feast in a bit!"

Qin Bo rubbed his shriveled stomach, soothing it.

"Speaking of which, what exactly are these anomalies?"

Could they be terrifying things like the ghosts and monsters from his previous life?!

"If that's the case, could it have followed Old Li back?"

Qin Bo quickly connected the dots.

A chill crept through his heart. Though he had worked in this field in his previous life,

there were some things one still had to believe in.

But his stomach refused to cooperate, as if it had sensed that Qin Bo did not want to go.

It began growling again.

"Whatever. Even if I die, I'll at least die a well-fed ghost!"

With that thought, Qin Bo turned around, shut the door, and dragged his frail body off to mooch a meal.

As soon as he reached Old Li's house, he saw Old Li's son and daughter-in-law receiving the guests.

There were not many elaborate formalities between the households of a small village.

Whenever something happened to one family, the others simply sent people over to help.

Old Li's son, Li Dong, had grown up with "Qin Bo," so the two could be considered childhood friends.

The moment he saw Qin Bo, he hurried over to greet him.

"Little Qin, you're here!"

"Eat your fill later and build yourself up. Afterward, I'll pack some dishes for you to take home."

"Brother Li, thank you!"

Qin Bo was deeply moved.

These past few days, he had survived entirely thanks to the aid of his neighbors.

Li Dong patted Qin Bo on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

"What are you thanking me for? With the friendship between us, thanking me would be too formal!"

With that, he pulled Qin Bo toward the table laden with food.

Old Li's family had been butchers since the previous generation. They might not have had much else, but there was always enough meat.

Qin Bo looked at the meat on the table and swallowed involuntarily.

"Brother Li, wait. I'll go pay my respects to Uncle Li first. Otherwise, it wouldn't be proper for me as a junior."

Li Dong froze slightly, then smiled. "You sure are particular, kid. All right, I'll go with you."

The two circled around the lively crowd and entered the main hall.

The mourning hall had been arranged with solemn dignity. Old Li's coffin rested in the very center, with a large character for "Offering" hanging above it.

Qin Bo respectfully stepped forward, picked up a stick of incense, lit it, then held it in both hands and bowed deeply three times before the portrait.

He closed his eyes in silent mourning, and Old Li's appearance in life surfaced in his mind.

Back then, Old Li had always been cheerful. Whenever he saw Qin Bo, he would stuff some tasty food into his hands.

Qin Bo was immersed in his memories.

Suddenly!

A sinister wind swept past. The candle flame swayed violently several times and nearly went out.

Qin Bo opened his eyes, and from the corner of his vision, he caught sight of Old Li seemingly sitting atop the coffin.

But when he focused his gaze, everything had returned to normal.

Qin Bo wondered, Could I have become so hungry that I'm hallucinating?

Seeing that Li Dong's expression remained perfectly ordinary, he could only assume that hunger had muddled his head and caused him to hallucinate.

He stepped forward to place the incense.

The moment he drew near, he saw Old Li sitting atop the coffin again, his lifeless eyes fixed on Qin Bo.

"I can't see anything. I didn't see anything at all!"

Qin Bo consoled himself inwardly.

But curiosity got the better of him.

From the corner of his eye, Qin Bo saw Old Li pounce straight at him.

"Ah..."

He instantly cried out in terror.

But the moment that "Old Li" touched him, it vanished without a trace.

At the same time!

[ Ding: An anomaly has been detected ]

[ The Defying Fate System is activating... ]

[ This system exists to grant its host the ability to defy heaven and change his fate in this chaotic age of anomalies... ]

[ Binding host... 30%... 50%... ]

[ Realms: Body Tempering (Skin Refining, Organ Refining, Bone Forging), Blood Condensation Realm, Blood Burst Realm, Anomaly Control Realm, Spirit Fusion Realm, Soul Refining Realm, Illusion Breaking Realm, World Destruction Realm, Saint Realm ]