It was September, and the autumn chill was faint.
At dawn, night and day were changing shifts. Datian Town, shrouded in thick fog, was still asleep. Apart from a few diligent hunters heading into the mountains, the occasional crow of a rooster or bark of a dog failed to disturb its sweet dreams, quickly vanishing into the silence.
Living off the mountain when backed by one, and off the water when beside it, Datian Town lay against Xiaoyu Mountain. Its name carried the beautiful hope of fertile fields, yet its scant, barren land had forced its people to hunt for generations.
After the rooster crowed three times, the sky gradually brightened. Figures began appearing in the streets, and cries of "Hah! Hah!" from training echoed through the skies above Datian Town.
Most of those training shouts still carried youthful immaturity. They came from the boys engaged in morning practice, gritting their teeth as they trained diligently, their hearts set on surpassing Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang.
In the hearts of Datian Town's youths, besides surpassing Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang, there was another dreamlike, illusory dream—to be accepted as disciples by the Immortals on Xiaoyu Mountain, learn the ability to soar high and dart low, or, failing that, become outstanding hunters.
In a rather imposing courtyard at the western end of Datian Town, Qin Haoxuan—the one they sought to surpass—was still sleeping in bed.
Among Datian Town's children, Qin Haoxuan was the most skilled fighter. Though he slept until the sun hung high every day, he was invincible among those his age. Besides his superb hunting skills and methods, he would occasionally bring out rare medicinal herbs to sell to the town apothecary, earning a considerable sum to help support his family. Not only was he worshipped and envied by countless peers, even the adults praised him endlessly and admitted themselves inferior.
No one noticed a brightly colored Little Snake quietly slipping into Qin Haoxuan's room. With practiced ease, it slithered onto the head of his bed, then lay motionless before his pillow.
The Little Snake was roughly half a foot long, covered in brilliantly multicolored skin. Its hide bore countless densely packed bumps, rough and knobbly to the touch, like scales yet not scales. Unlike the pointed head of an ordinary snake, its head was somewhat square and boxy, making it look exceedingly strange.
"Mm..." Qin Haoxuan rubbed his eyes and sat up. Seeing the brightly colored Little Snake lying motionless at his bedside, he was not at all surprised. Instead, he casually removed a yellow object clenched in its mouth. About the size of a pinky fingernail, it gave off a faint, delicate fragrance. He then tucked the motionless Little Snake into his clothes.
That small yellow object was a precious piece of Solomon's Seal. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a yellow pebble. Though it was not much to look at, its fine texture and the refreshing fragrance it emitted both proclaimed its unusual nature. No wonder Old Man Chen from the apothecary had talked about it for years—it was certain to fetch a fine price.
Qin Haoxuan reached into his clothes and stroked the cold Little Snake against his chest. His thoughts drifted, and he could not help recalling scenes from several years ago.
His ancestors had once produced officials. After moving the family to Datian Town, however, they had established a rule for their descendants: they must study, but could not become officials. Now, his father only tended a little farmland and earned little money, while his mother did laundry work around town to earn a bit more for the household.
Having studied since childhood, Qin Haoxuan had realized from books that reading was meant to understand reason, not to seek fame and rank. More sensible than ordinary children his age, he had followed the adults into the mountains to hunt at eight years old. Amid danger and killing, he had developed excellent skills. Dissatisfied that the adults took the lion's share of the hunting gains, he began hunting alone in the mountains when he was ten.
Though he often encountered danger, Qin Haoxuan repeatedly escaped calamity unscathed. The only injury he had ever suffered came when he was twelve, when a strange Little Snake bit him. That single bite completely changed his life.
It had been a summer morning. Four straight days of torrential rain had made the mountain paths muddy and difficult, breeding poisonous miasma. With not a grain of rice left for the pot at home, Qin Haoxuan had no choice but to head into the mountains at first light to search for prey.
Yet the prey in the nearby mountains had long since been hunted nearly clean. After wandering for an entire morning, Qin Haoxuan had found nothing. Just as he was at his wits' end, a muntjac darted past at high speed. Without a word, Qin Haoxuan gave chase.
The muntjac was extremely cunning. It weaved through the trees and brush, and several arrows Qin Haoxuan fired all missed. Worse, it led him toward the depths of Xiaoyu Mountain.
Datian Town had hunted for generations, but its people only roamed the outer regions. Even today, with prey becoming increasingly scarce, no one dared venture deep into Xiaoyu Mountain. There had once been bold hunters who entered its depths, but none were ever seen emerging again.
Legend said that not only did Immortals dwell in Xiaoyu Mountain, but there were also countless fiendish demons and monsters there.
Qin Haoxuan half believed and half doubted the legends of demons and monsters in the deep mountains. But there was certainly poisonous miasma everywhere within, along with innumerable savage birds and beasts. Thus, he had never dared hunt deep inside Xiaoyu Mountain. Yet if he did not bring prey home now, his father, mother, and he himself would have no choice but to go hungry.
Qin Haoxuan gritted his teeth and pursued it. After stubbornly chasing it for a long distance, he finally shot the cunning muntjac dead. By then, he had already entered deep into Xiaoyu Mountain. Human traces were scarce here. Ancient trees so thick that several people would be needed to encircle them blotted out the sky, dense shrubs grew everywhere, and the damp ground was layered with rotting fallen leaves. He could only determine the direction of Datian Town and rely on memory to feel his way along the route he had taken.
After stumbling about blindly for a long time, Qin Haoxuan failed to find the road home but instead arrived at a small valley.
Compared to the towering ancient trees outside, this was a small valley filled only with red flowers and green grass. The surroundings were secluded and beautiful, alive with birdsong and floral fragrance.
Qin Haoxuan had specifically learned to identify medicinal herbs from Old Man Chen at the apothecary during his spare time from hunting. At a glance, he recognized many valuable herbs growing here. If he could bring some back to sell to Old Man Chen, he could exchange them for a month's worth of grain money, and his mother would not have to work so hard.
He acted the moment the thought struck. Qin Haoxuan disregarded the fact that he was deep within the danger-ridden Xiaoyu Mountain and began gathering herbs in great quantities.
Just as Qin Haoxuan was harvesting with gusto, a brightly colored Little Snake suddenly shot out from the grass and bit the web between his right thumb and forefinger.
Qin Haoxuan felt the world spin around him. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground and fainted dead away.
After an unknown amount of time, Qin Haoxuan, who had thought himself surely doomed, awoke from his unconsciousness. To his shock, the green grass that had once been short now towered like ancient trees, while the small valley that had not seemed large before suddenly appeared far broader in his eyes.
When he moved, his body had never felt so nimble. He darted through the grass, which was like a forest of giant trees.
Something was wrong. Why was he not walking, but moving with his body pressed against the ground?
Beside a clear pool, Qin Haoxuan saw that his body was no longer the familiar human form, but a brilliantly colored snake. Not far away, his own body lay sprawled on its back in the grass, without heartbeat or breath.
Could it be that he was dead? Had he possessed the Little Snake that bit him?
A terrifying thought flashed through Qin Haoxuan's mind. He swiftly slithered to his own body and imagined his soul traveling back into it.
Suddenly, a powerful suction came from his "corpse." Qin Haoxuan felt dizzy and disoriented as his soul was pulled away. A moment later, when he opened his eyes again, he had unexpectedly returned to his human body, while the strange Little Snake his soul had possessed lay motionless on the ground.
With another thought, another powerful suction dragged his soul back into the Little Snake.
After several such cycles, Qin Haoxuan finally confirmed that his soul could travel back and forth between the Little Snake's body and his own, possessing either one. He immediately felt as if he had obtained a priceless treasure, beaming from ear to ear.
By the time this fuss was over, night had fallen. Poisonous miasma began spreading through Xiaoyu Mountain. If a human body inhaled it, death was inevitable. This Little Snake had apparently lived in Xiaoyu Mountain for a long time, so the poisonous miasma likely could not threaten it.
With a thought, Qin Haoxuan attached his soul to the Little Snake. Sure enough, the miasma rising through the valley could not harm him in the slightest.
As he slithered along, he discovered another marvelous trait. Wherever the snake's body passed, it left behind a special scent. No matter how far he traveled, he could follow that scent to find the path he had taken. In other words, he could use it to locate his way home.
While searching for the way home, Qin Haoxuan also discovered many other marvelous uses for the snake's body. It was immune to all poisons, exceptionally sensitive to certain spirit medicines and rare herbs, and hungry leopards and wolves would turn and flee the instant they saw the Little Snake.
From then on, Qin Haoxuan often possessed the Little Snake at night and entered the depths of Xiaoyu Mountain to search for rare medicinal herbs. He then sold them to Old Man Chen at the apothecary, earning far more silver than he could from hunting. His family's life steadily improved, and he himself became a model among Datian Town's youths.
Though possessing the Little Snake to hunt for treasure everywhere was wondrous, it left side effects each time—he would be utterly exhausted the next day, unable to summon any spirit and wanting only to sleep.
After changing clothes, Qin Haoxuan left home carrying the Solomon's Seal. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and his face was full of fatigue as he barely managed to greet acquaintances he met along the road.
Just as Qin Haoxuan was heading toward the apothecary, a series of miserable screams reached his ears.
"Ah... Boss Zhang, I really have no money! Boss Zhang, spare my life! Ah..."
Several youths were viciously kicking two boys rolling on the ground. A richly dressed youth stood calm and composed, seeming to greatly enjoy the others' screams as he occasionally gave a cold laugh. He was Zhang Kuang, who was as famous as Qin Haoxuan.
Many youths stood watching. Some were angry, some sympathetic, and some filled with righteous indignation, yet not one dared utter a sound in front of that richly dressed youth.
"Look carefully, every last one of you! This is what happens when you fail to pay your protection fee on time!" one of Zhang Kuang's lackeys declared smugly, his foot planted on a boy's face.
At that moment, another youth finally could not endure any longer and shouted, "Bandit! Zhang Kuang, you bandit! May you die a miserable death!"
A savage expression flashed across Zhang Kuang's face. He quickly strode forward and was about to kick the boy in the mouth. One could imagine that if the kick landed solidly, only a few teeth would remain in that boy's mouth.
"Zhang, did you not see me?" Qin Haoxuan said without even lifting his eyelids as he passed by. "If you dare kick him, I'll tie you up and throw you into Xiaoyu Mountain to feed the wolves!"
Among Datian Town's youths, Qin Haoxuan was truly an oddity. Having taken on his family's burdens and begun hunting in the mountains at eight, he rarely mingled foolishly with children his age. Thus, Zhang Kuang, who was as famous as he was, naturally became the leader among the youths.
Zhang Kuang's father was Datian Town's finest hunter, and Zhang Kuang himself was exceptionally gifted. At twelve, he had once killed two hungry wolves barehanded, so he could be considered an accomplished youth.
Yet such a fierce figure, who could lord it over Datian Town's children, was terrified of Qin Haoxuan alone. Last year, Qin Haoxuan had beaten him viciously, breaking four of his ribs. He had spent three months in bed before recovering, and from then on had not dared provoke Qin Haoxuan again.
Qin Haoxuan's voice was like an invisible shackle, forcing Zhang Kuang to withdraw the foot he had been about to kick out. He looked toward Qin Haoxuan. Though he wished he could tear him into ten thousand pieces, he did not dare reveal the slightest hint of it.
He knew Qin Haoxuan meant what he said and did what he promised. If his kick landed, then Qin Haoxuan would definitely tie him up and throw him into the mountains for wolves to eat!
The venomous resentment in Zhang Kuang's heart shifted his expression. Frost still clung to the corners of his brows as he said, "Qin, these two broke my rules. They should at least be taught a lesson, shouldn't they?"
Qin Haoxuan only sneered inwardly. Since when had brazen robbery become a rule? He could not be bothered to say much more to Zhang Kuang and squeezed out a single word: "Scram."
Zhang Kuang's face turned ugly, but he knew that openly falling out with him would only bring losses. He cursed Qin Haoxuan hundreds and thousands of times in his heart. He could not understand what Qin Haoxuan was thinking. A person who had grown up studying should deeply understand the words "benefit" and "harm." If they joined forces, they could run roughshod through the countryside, so why did Qin Haoxuan insist on opposing him in everything?
Seeing Zhang Kuang's sour expression, Qin Haoxuan knew what he was thinking. He could only sigh inwardly and silently admonish himself: Qin Haoxuan, Qin Haoxuan. You have studied since childhood and understand reason. You should know the words "benefit" and "harm," and you should know even better that you ought to stay far away from such evil people. So why can't you help yourself whenever you encounter something like this?
Thinking of this, Qin Haoxuan gave a bitter smile. Though his studies had taught him reason, they had also given him some of a scholar's stubborn bad temper. He knew that if a matter did not concern him, he could hang it high and avoid much evil, yet he simply could not suppress that single word—"reason"—in his heart.
A sharp-eyed youth spotted something seemingly clenched in Qin Haoxuan's fist, giving off a faint, secluded medicinal fragrance. "Mm... it smells so good! Brother Qin, what good thing did you get today? Are you hurrying to sell it to the Chen Family Apothecary?"
"Nonsense! When has anything Brother Qin brought out ever not been good?" Before Qin Haoxuan could speak, another youth took over, replying in a flattering manner and quickly drawing a chorus of agreement.
"Brother Qin, I heard that two travelers from out of town bought up all the valuable medicinal herbs at the Chen Family Apothecary today. They even announced that if anyone has precious medicinal herbs, they'll buy them at prices much higher than the Chen Family Apothecary offers!"
"Yeah, I heard that too. Brother Qin, you always have plenty of good things. If they take a liking to yours, you might make a fortune!"
Qin Haoxuan's heart stirred, and he secretly felt that luck was on his side. He readily promised, "We'll see. If it sells for a good price, I'll treat you all to drinks."
Amid a burst of cheers, Qin Haoxuan was surrounded by a crowd of youths as they headed toward the Chen Family Apothecary.
Qin Haoxuan had stolen every eye the instant he appeared. Zhang Kuang, now left with only a few diehard lackeys, gritted his teeth and said, "The day the Immortals of the mountain come to choose disciples is coming soon. I must be chosen by the Immortals and vent this resentment!"
Kunlun dwells in my heart, home to Immortals and Buddhas filling the sky. This is a xianxia story into which I have poured tremendous care. Here, sects are no longer merely stepping stones for the protagonist. I want to write a slightly different kind of xianxia—one with a touch of immortal aura, a touch of the rules cultivation should possess, and its own unique xianxia, towering like grand buildings built into the genre.
I have written this novel with great composure. In this novel, it is not only the protagonist who grows.
The sect to which the protagonist belongs is a very three-dimensional existence. Please keep reading patiently. There is not only viciousness here, but even more warmth.
The supporting characters here are no longer unchanging symbols. They too will grow, and they too will undergo all kinds of changes—becoming better, or becoming worse.
Before you continue