Datian Golden Scale Primordial Spirit Emerges

The air was cool in September, hinting at the coming autumn.

At dawn, as night gave way to day, Datian Town slept soundly amidst the thick fog. Only a few diligent hunters were beginning their trek into the mountains. The occasional crow of a rooster or bark of a dog couldn't disturb the town's peaceful slumber, quickly fading back into the silence.

Living off the mountains and rivers, Datian Town, nestled against Xiaoyu Mountain, bore a name that evoked the beauty of tilling fields. However, due to scarce and infertile land, the townsfolk had been forced to hunt for generations.

After the third crow of the rooster, the sky brightened, and figures gradually appeared on the streets. Sounds of training shouts, "Hah! Hah!", echoed through Datian Town.

Most of these shouts were childish, coming from the young boys training in the morning. Gritting their teeth, they harbored the goal of surpassing Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang, training diligently.

Among the youths of Datian Town, besides surpassing Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang, there was a dream, almost illusory, of being accepted as disciples by the Immortals of Xiaoyu Mountain. They aspired to master incredible skills, or at the very least, become excellent hunters.

In a rather grand courtyard at the west end of Datian Town, their rival, Qin Haoxuan, was still fast asleep in bed.

Among the children of Datian Town, Qin Haoxuan possessed the most outstanding skills. He slept until the sun was high each day, yet he was invincible among his peers. Besides his exquisite hunting techniques and methods, he could occasionally bring rare medicinal herbs to sell to the town's apothecary, earning a considerable sum of money to supplement his family's income. He was not only admired and envied by many peers but also praised by adults, who admitted they couldn't match him.

No one noticed a colorful little snake quietly slithering into Qin Haoxuan's room. It skillfully climbed onto his bedside table, then lay motionless by his pillow.

The snake was about half a foot long, with a vibrant, multi-colored skin covered in numerous dense bumps. It felt rough to the touch, neither scales nor smooth skin. Its head was not the typical conical shape of most snakes but rather somewhat square, making it look extremely peculiar.

"Mmm..." Qin Haoxuan rubbed his eyes and sat up. Seeing the colorful, motionless little snake by his bedside, he wasn't surprised. Instead, he casually took a yellow object from the snake's mouth. This object, about the size of a pinky nail, emitted a faint, elegant fragrance. He then tucked the motionless little snake into his embrace.

This small yellow object was a precious piece of Solomon's Seal. From its appearance, it looked like a yellow pebble. While its presentation was unappealing, its fine texture and the refreshing, subtle fragrance it emitted indicated its extraordinary nature. It was no wonder Old Man Chen at the apothecary had been talking about it for years, certain it would fetch a good price.

Qin Haoxuan reached into his embrace and felt the cold little snake against his chest. His thoughts drifted, recalling scenes from years past.

His ancestors had once held official positions. Later, after relocating to Datian Town, his ancestors established a rule for their descendants: they must study but not pursue official careers. Now, his father only farmed, earning little, and his mother did laundry and washing in town to earn some money to support the household.

Having studied since childhood, Qin Haoxuan understood from books that reading was for gaining wisdom, not for achieving fame. Thus, maturing earlier than his peers, he began hunting with the adults at the age of eight. Through danger and struggle, he honed his skills. Dissatisfied with the adults taking the larger share of the hunted game, he started hunting alone at the age of ten.

Although he often encountered danger, Qin Haoxuan repeatedly escaped peril. The only injury he sustained was being bitten by a strange little snake when he was twelve. That single bite completely changed his life.

It was a summer morning. After four consecutive days of heavy rain, the mountain paths were muddy and difficult to traverse, breeding miasma. With no rice left to cook at home, Qin Haoxuan had to go up the mountain at first light to search for prey.

However, the prey in the nearby mountain areas had already been heavily hunted. After wandering for the entire morning, Qin Haoxuan found nothing. Just as he was at a loss, a roe deer darted past. Without a second thought, Qin Haoxuan gave chase.

The roe deer was extremely cunning, darting in and out of the bushes. Qin Haoxuan missed with several arrows, and the deer led him deeper into Xiaoyu Mountain.

The people of Datian Town had hunted for generations, but they always stayed on the outskirts. Even with prey becoming scarcer today, no one dared venture deep into Xiaoyu Mountain. Some brave hunters had gone deep into the mountain, but they were never seen again.

Legends said that Xiaoyu Mountain was inhabited not only by Immortals but also by many ferocious demons and monsters.

Qin Haoxuan was skeptical of the legends about demons and monsters in the deep mountains. However, he knew the deep mountains were surely filled with miasma and countless fierce beasts. Therefore, he had always hesitated to hunt deep within Xiaoyu Mountain. But if he didn't bring back prey soon, his father, mother, and he would starve together.

Qin Haoxuan gritted his teeth and pursued. He relentlessly chased for a long distance and finally shot and killed the cunning roe deer. By then, he had ventured deep into Xiaoyu Mountain. This place was deserted. Ancient trees, thick enough to be embraced by several people, blocked out the sun. Dense undergrowth thrived, and the damp ground was covered layer upon layer of decaying leaves. He could only vaguely determine the direction of Datian Town and tried to retrace his steps from memory.

After stumbling around for a long time, Qin Haoxuan couldn't find his way back. Instead, he arrived in a small valley.

Compared to the ancient trees outside, this was a small valley with only red flowers and green grass. The environment was serene and beautiful, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers.

Besides hunting, Qin Haoxuan had specifically learned to identify medicinal herbs from Old Man Chen at the apothecary. He immediately recognized that many valuable herbs grew here. If he could bring some back to sell to Old Man Chen, he could earn enough money for a month's worth of food, and his mother wouldn't have to work so hard.

Seizing the opportunity, Qin Haoxuan, disregarding the dangers of the deep Xiaoyu Mountain, began to gather medicinal herbs in earnest.

As Qin Haoxuan was happily picking herbs, a colorful little snake suddenly darted out from the grass and bit the base of his right thumb.

Qin Haoxuan felt a sudden dizziness, and with a thud, he fell to the ground, losing consciousness.

After an unknown period, Qin Haoxuan, who thought he was surely going to die, woke up from his coma. He was shocked to find that the once-green grass had become as large as ancient trees, and the small valley, which hadn't been that big, suddenly seemed much wider in his eyes.

He moved his body, feeling an unprecedented agility, weaving through the grass that resembled towering trees.

Wait, why wasn't he walking? His body was on the ground, slithering?

By a clear pool of water, Qin Haoxuan saw that his body was no longer his familiar human form but a colorful snake. Not far away, his own body lay sprawled in the grass, devoid of heartbeat and breath.

Could it be that he was dead? Possessed by this little snake that had bitten him?

A terrifying thought flashed through Qin Haoxuan's mind. He quickly slithered to his own body, imagining his soul transferring back.

Suddenly, a powerful suction force emanated from his "corpse." Qin Haoxuan felt a wave of dizziness, his soul being pulled away. Moments later, he opened his eyes again. He was back in his human body, while the strange little snake, which his soul had previously possessed, lay motionless on the ground.

With another thought, a strong suction force pulled his soul back to 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. He was overjoyed, as if he had found a priceless treasure.

This commotion had already lasted until nightfall. The poisonous miasma in Xiaoyu Mountain began to spread. If a human inhaled it, they would surely die. This little snake had lived in Xiaoyu Mountain for a long time, so the miasma likely posed no threat to it.

Qin Haoxuan willed it, and his soul possessed the little snake. As expected, the miasma rising from the valley posed no harm to him.

He moved his body and discovered another magical benefit: wherever the snake's body passed, it left a special scent. No matter how far he traveled, he could follow this scent to find his way back. This meant he could use it to find his way home.

While searching for the way home, Qin Haoxuan also discovered the many advantages of the snake's body, such as being immune to all poisons and being exceptionally sensitive to certain spiritual herbs and exotic plants. Leopards and wolves would turn and flee at the sight of the little snake.

From then on, Qin Haoxuan often possessed the little snake at night, venturing deep into Xiaoyu Mountain to find rare medicinal materials. He would then sell them to Old Man Chen at the apothecary, earning far more money than hunting. His family's life improved day by day, and he himself became a model of excellence among the youths of Datian Town.

Although searching for treasures by possessing the little snake was magical, each possession left a side effect: he would be utterly exhausted the next day, lacking energy and only wanting to sleep.

After changing his clothes, Qin Haoxuan left his house with the Solomon's Seal. With dark circles under his eyes, he looked tired and managed a weak greeting to acquaintances he met on the road.

Just as Qin Haoxuan was on his way to the apothecary, a scream reached his ears.

"Ah... Boss Zhang, I truly have no money! Boss Zhang, spare me... Ah!"

Several young men were viciously kicking two boys who were writhing on the ground. A young man in fine clothes watched calmly, seemingly enjoying the screams, occasionally letting out a cold laugh. This was Zhang Kuang, as famous as Qin Haoxuan.

Many teenagers were watching. Some were angry, some sympathetic, and some indignant, but none dared to speak in front of the young man in fine clothes.

"All of you, watch carefully! This is the consequence of not paying your protection fees on time!" Zhang Kuang's subordinate declared triumphantly, stepping on the face of one of the boys on the ground.

At this moment, another young man finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "Thief, Zhang Kuang, you thief, may you die a horrible death!"

Zhang Kuang, who hadn't made a move yet, showed a ferocious expression. He quickly walked forward, about to kick the young man in the mouth. It was easy to imagine that if the kick landed, the young man would lose most of his teeth.

"Hey, surnamed Zhang, can you not see me?" Qin Haoxuan, who happened to be passing by, said without even lifting his eyelids. "If you dare to kick him, I'll tie you up and throw you on Xiaoyu Mountain to be fed to the wolves!"

Among the youths in Datian Town, Qin Haoxuan was truly an anomaly. Having taken on the family burden and gone hunting in the mountains at the age of eight, he rarely mingled with his peers. Zhang Kuang, who was equally famous, naturally became the leader among the youths.

Zhang Kuang's father was the most skilled hunter in Datian Town, and Zhang Kuang himself was exceptionally talented. At the age of twelve, he had killed two starving wolves with his bare hands, marking him as a young prodigy.

Yet, this formidable character, who could reign supreme among the children of Datian Town, was utterly terrified of Qin Haoxuan. Last year, he had been severely beaten by Qin Haoxuan, breaking four ribs and lying in bed for three months before recovering. Since then, he had never dared to offend Qin Haoxuan again.

Qin Haoxuan's voice was like an invisible shackle, forcing Zhang Kuang to retract the foot he was about to kick. He looked at Qin Haoxuan, and though he wished he could tear him to pieces, he dared not show any of it on the surface.

He knew Qin Haoxuan meant what he said. If he actually kicked the boy, Qin Haoxuan would definitely tie him up and throw him into the mountains to feed the wolves!

Filled with immense resentment, Zhang Kuang's expression shifted, a hint of frost still lingering in his eyes. "Surnamed Qin, these two broke my rules. Shouldn't I teach them a lesson?"

Qin Haoxuan merely sneered inwardly. Since when did extortion become a rule? He couldn't be bothered to say more to Zhang Kuang, managing only to squeeze out a single word: "Scram."

Zhang Kuang's face darkened at the word, but he knew that confronting Qin Haoxuan would only lead to trouble. He cursed Qin Haoxuan a thousand times in his heart, unable to understand what Qin Haoxuan was thinking. A person who had studied since childhood should deeply understand the meaning of "gain and loss." Teaming up with him would allow them to dominate the local area, so why did he insist on opposing him in everything?

Seeing Zhang Kuang's sullen face, Qin Haoxuan knew what he was thinking. He sighed inwardly and chided himself: Qin Haoxuan, Qin Haoxuan, you've understood reason since you were young. You should know the meaning of "gain and loss," and you should know to stay away from such villains. Why can't you help yourself when you encounter such matters?

Thinking this, Qin Haoxuan gave a wry smile. Although his studies had taught him reason, they had also instilled in him some of the stubbornness of a scholar. He knew that sometimes, staying out of other people's business would allow him to avoid many troubles, but he simply couldn't suppress this sense of "justice" in his heart.

One of the sharp-eyed youths noticed something in Qin Haoxuan's clenched fist that seemed to emit a faint, pleasant medicinal fragrance. "Hmm... that smells good! Brother Qin, what good stuff did you get today? Are you heading to Old Man Chen's pharmacy to sell it?"

"Nonsense, when has anything Brother Qin brought out not been good stuff?" Before Qin Haoxuan could speak, a young man chimed in, responding obsequiously. This quickly earned him a chorus of agreement.

"Brother Qin, I heard that two outsiders bought all the precious medicinal herbs from Old Man Chen's pharmacy today. They even said that if anyone else has precious medicinal herbs, they'll offer a much higher price to buy them!"

"Yeah, I heard that too. Brother Qin always has a lot of good things. If they take a liking to it, you might strike it rich!"

Qin Haoxuan's heart stirred, and he felt lucky. He promised heartily, "Let's see. If the price is good, I'll treat you all to drinks."

Amidst cheers, Qin Haoxuan was surrounded by the young men as they headed towards Old Man Chen's pharmacy.

Zhang Kuang, who had attracted all the attention upon his arrival and was now left with only a few loyal followers, gritted his teeth. "Soon it will be the day the Immortals from the mountains come to select disciples. I must be chosen by an Immortal to get revenge for this humiliation!"

I have Kunlun in my heart, where countless Immortals and Buddhas reside. This is a Xianxia novel I've poured my heart into. Here, sects are no longer just stepping stones for the protagonist. I want to write a slightly different Xianxia, with a touch of celestial aura, the proper rules of cultivation, and the unique grandeur that Xianxia novels should possess.

I am writing this novel with great composure. In this novel, only the protagonist is growing.

In this novel, the sect the protagonist belongs to is a three-dimensional entity. Please read on patiently. There is not only ruthlessness here, but also warmth.

Here, the supporting characters are no longer static symbols. They will all grow and undergo various changes, for better or for worse.