Xu Kingdom, Black Lion City, the Chen martial arts lineage.
On a training ground, Chen Han tried to clench his fist with all his strength. Just as before, drenched in sweat, he struck the wooden post with all he had.
But the result was still despairing.
Before his five fingers could curl into his palm, a pain like shattered bones and torn sinews swept through his entire arm.
"Again!"
Pain twisted his features. He gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath.
Was I really fated to live another life only to be an insignificant nobody, unnoticed by anyone? This is... so unfair.
That was right. Half a month ago, Chen Han had transmigrated. In his previous life, he had been an utterly ordinary young man on Blue Star. The last thing his eyes had settled on was a pair of enormous spotlights.
When he regained consciousness, he had been reborn into the body of an ordinary young man in this ancient, chaotic world. He had no father or mother and was utterly alone.
Demons and monsters ran rampant in this world, and Exotic Beasts wreaked havoc. Everywhere they passed, blood flowed for a hundred paces, turning the land into a living hell.
Of course, there was a way to fight back: those who practiced martial arts—the Martialists!
With all trades in decline, the martial path had to stand tall.
The only thing the government valued more than production was martial arts!
But the world was in turmoil, and for ordinary people, life was agonizing no matter where they lived.
Gang rivalries, murder in broad daylight and robbery in the shadows, forcing women into prostitution—even on the streets of the city, none of it was unusual.
His predecessor had been born into a martial arts lineage and was once prized by the family for his exceptional talent. But an accident had shattered every bone and sinew in his body, leaving him crippled.
The family was now preparing to send him out into the secular world to fend for himself.
Put plainly, they were done supporting him. Since he could no longer practice martial arts and would be of little use to the family in the future, there was no reason to waste resources on him.
Chen Han wasn't surprised. In order to stand firm in this chaotic world, one needed ruthless methods and decisive action.
Being sent out into the secular world meant he would no longer have the family's protection. He would be little better off than a commoner.
And that made life fragile. In this turbulent age, every threat could make his life worse than death: food to survive, gang conflicts, and crushing taxes.
Besides, given the state of his body, one winter might be all it took for him to become a cold corpse.
Chen Han looked at the empty space in front of him, where a transparent panel visible only to him hovered.
A proficiency panel.
[Heaven rewards diligence; effort always bears fruit!]
[Name: Chen Han]
[Lifespan: 18/32]
[Skills: Mountain Breaking Fist (Minor Achievement) 20/100]
It had appeared when he transmigrated into this chaotic world, and it was the only hope he had.
Heaven rewards diligence; effort always bears fruit!
As long as he worked hard and put in the effort, he would inevitably reap the rewards. No bottleneck could stand in his way.
But so far, it hadn't truly come into play.
That was because, at present, Chen Han couldn't even throw a punch. He could barely eat without trembling, and even the physician had said he would never be able to do heavy labor again—let alone endure the rigors of martial arts training.
After a moment of silent sorrow, Chen Han suddenly murmured, "In my current condition, it seems I can only settle for practicing the Taiji Health Cultivation Technique."
The Taiji Health Cultivation Technique!
According to the family elders, if he maintained good nutrition and practiced this Health Preservation Technique diligently, his broken bones might heal, his sinews might be restored, and his body might recover. At the very least, he wouldn't have to struggle just to make a fist.
Chen Han took out an old book. Five large characters on the cover read: "Taiji Health Cultivation Technique."
To ordinary martial artists, this technique was of little use. But to him, it was his hope of returning to the martial path and living with dignity in this chaotic world.
When he opened it, he saw a lifelike figure demonstrating the movements—light and graceful, like a dragonfly skimming the water or falling leaves swirling through the air.
As Chen Han studied the illustrations, a smile gradually appeared on his face. "This Health Preservation Technique has no swift, forceful moves. Everything is unhurried and flowing, performed with ease. It suits me perfectly."
Chen Han studied it carefully for a while. Once he had grasped the general idea, he tried practicing it.
[Taiji Health Cultivation Technique +1]
[Taiji Health Cultivation Technique (Beginner) 1/50]
Sure enough, after about half an hour, the panel responded. At the same time, his body underwent a few changes so subtle they were almost imperceptible.
His bones and sinews felt a little looser.
This gave Chen Han hope, and he was overcome with joy.
"If I get enough nutrition every day and keep practicing the Taiji Health Cultivation Technique, I should recover most of the way within two years."
But once his excitement faded, Chen Han considered the difficulties he faced.
"Resources are scarce in this chaotic world. And I'm in a martial arts lineage, where resources are even more strained. I'm no longer a martial artist, so there's no way I can benefit from the family's resources."
Before long, Chen Han settled on a plan: he would try asking his old friends for help. Before his predecessor's accident, he had known many well-off friends.
If he asked them, surely they could help him through his current predicament.
He didn't waste time. Chen Han left the training ground at once...
But half a day later, despair had taken hold.
The "brothers" who had once called him their sworn friend, the uncles who had treated him so warmly—all came up with excuses to avoid him when they learned he was looking for them. Some had even brushed him off with just a couple of words. They were nothing like the easygoing friends he remembered.
Chen Han clenched his teeth, then let out a helpless sigh and gave a bitter smile. "Of course. Back then, it was all for show—just pleasantries and appearances. If I hadn't been injured, things might have been different. But to still think that way now... I was being naive."
Hoping against hope, Chen Han knocked on the last door.
Knock, knock, knock~
"Who is it?"
As the voice spoke, the door opened. A young man around Chen Han's age appeared before him.
"Brother Chen Lei, it's me."
Chen Han forced a smile.
They had been born in the same year and had been childhood friends, as close as brothers. They had started learning martial arts together from scratch and supported each other along the way.
When Chen Lei heard about his accident, he had rushed over to visit him and helped him resolve many problems.
"Chen Han, it's you. Come in and rest awhile. You've only just recovered from a serious illness, so don't strain yourself."
Chen Lei's face lit up when he saw who it was. But then he heard Chen Han address him as "Brother," a hint of deference in his voice, and his gaze faltered and dimmed.
"It's all right, we can talk here. I came to ask you for a favor. Since I can no longer practice martial arts and have to leave the family, do you know any important figures in the clan who could help me get a few months of martial arts training resources?"
Chen Lei sighed quietly, his expression shifting with indecision. He was a skilled martial artist himself and highly valued by the clan, but resources were terribly scarce right now, and there was little he could do.
Still, he found it hard to refuse.
In his eyes, Chen Han's current situation was simply a dead end. He wanted to use the family's martial arts resources to make a quick profit by selling them off.
After all, with his bones shattered, practicing martial arts again was no more than a fool's dream.
The clan's administrators would see that even more clearly than he did. If Chen Lei raised the matter, there was little chance they would agree.
After a moment, he hesitated before saying, "How about this? I'll ask around for you. If it works out, I promise I won't let you down, brother."
At last, Chen Han gave his first sincere smile of the day. This really is a brother worth having.
"Then I'm already grateful, brother. Thank you, Brother Chen."
Sure enough, that afternoon, Chen Lei came to find Chen Han and told him some good news.
"Chen Han, there's an opportunity. Do you know Chen Qiuyu?"
Chen Han froze slightly, complicated emotions flashing in his eyes. How could he not know this woman?
If not for his predecessor, this woman might have already gone to meet the Buddha.
That day, his predecessor had still been an exceptionally talented martial arts trainee. He had gone out with her on an errand when they were ambushed by a rival force.
Just as the two of them were about to be swallowed by a landslide, Chen Han had hurled her away, buying her several precious seconds to escape.
He himself, however, had been buried alive...
That was when the bones and sinews in this body had been shattered. When he woke again, Chen Han had transmigrated into it.
Afterward, she hadn't told the family what had happened. Instead, she had brazenly claimed that he had held her back, and the clan elders had believed her without question.
Later, he heard that she came from a wealthy family and that her parents held high positions within the clan. He had been furious but dared not speak up, so he could only swallow his anger.
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