Sixteen Years Later

Sixteen years later, the first rays of dawn awakened the border town of Jiaqing County.

Inside the Lin Clan's small courtyard, beneath mottled brick walls and scattered green tiles, came the crisp sounds of fists and kicks striking a wooden post, interspersed with the immature gasps of a youth.

The youth's expression was resolute, his every move and stance striking the wooden post before him with rigid precision.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the exchange of blows. Before long, the youth's green shirt was soaked through with sweat, and a thick white mist of steam rose from his body.

"Yi'er, it's time to eat." A man's hoarse voice drifted leisurely from the room behind him.

Bang! Lin Yi landed a final punch, leaving a clear, visible indentation on the wooden post.

[Technique: Corpse Kui Rebirth Method (First Layer)]

[Proficiency: 525/1000]

[Qi Refining Path: Corpse Puppet Path]

[Realm: Subordinate Ninth Rank]

"Hoo..." Lin Yi exhaled deeply, raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his face, and replied without turning his head, "Alright, Uncle."

He narrowed his eyes at the void before him, where several lines of text gradually emerged.

[Destiny: Know Heavenly Fate, Jade Cicada Cocoon]

[Know Heavenly Fate: Seek good fortune and avoid calamity, observe the Aura of Fortune, clarify one's own state, and utilize Destiny Talisman Coins to initiate Strong Luck.]

[Destiny Talisman Coins: 15,000 units]

[Jade Cicada Cocoon: Inherited from the maternal Destiny [Molting Jade Cicada]. Once the fullness is reached, one may break the cocoon to awaken one's own Destiny.]

[Jade Cicada Cocoon Completion: 95%]

He had been in this world for sixteen years now.

Lin Yi had possessed memories and consciousness since he was a child, but his memories of the day he was born were truly blurred.

He only remembered that after he activated [Strong Luck], his consciousness had fallen into a coma; when he woke up, he had already escaped from his birth mother.

Afterward, he was adopted by this Lin family.

He knew nothing of what had happened during that time, but at least he had survived.

Over these years, Lin Yi had gained a clear understanding of this world.

It was a world similar to the chaotic eras of ancient times, yet it possessed extraordinary powers.

The cultivators here were known as "Qi Refiners," and the power they wielded was called "True Qi."

The realms of Qi Refiners ranged from the Ninth Rank to the First Rank, with the Ninth being the lowest and the First the highest.

The paths to the Dao differed, and the methods of cultivating True Qi varied as well; common ones included the Insect Path, Sword Path, and Soul Path.

The Corpse Puppet Path that Lin Yi practiced was a rare type, belonging to the heterodox schools of Qi Refining.

The methods of entering the Qi path derived from these various ways of seeking the Dao were also distinct.

However, the most mainstream path remained the Martial Way.

As for Destiny, it was an extremely special talent in this world, one that might appear in only one out of tens of millions of people.

Yet, Lin Yi was heaven-defyingly born with two—though one was still in gestation, its potential could already be called extraordinary.

But Lin Yi did not feel particularly fortunate; having an extra Destiny meant that from the very beginning, he was destined to lose certain things.

He raised his hand to brush the sweat-dampened hair falling over his forehead to the back of his head, revealing a youth's face that was peerlessly handsome, with red lips and white teeth.

Lowering his eyes to look at his reddened knuckles, he withdrew his thoughts and turned to enter the house.

Lin Yi's status in the Lin Clan was that of the son of Lin Hua's cousin.

When the Lin Clan was wiped out back then, Lin Hua's cousin did indeed have an infant, though that child had also died in that tragedy.

This happened to provide Lin Yi with an identity.

As long as the Lin family was willing to acknowledge it, outsiders had no way to distinguish the truth, making it the perfect cover.

Of course, apart from Lin Hua, no one else in the Lin family knew of Lin Yi's true origins.

Seeing Lin Yi enter, Lin Hua hurriedly picked up a cloth towel just wrung out from hot water and walked over. "Yi'er, wipe your sweat. Autumn is almost here; don't catch a chill."

"Thank you, Uncle." Lin Yi took it with both hands and offered his thanks.

"Tch, you're already a half-grown boy, why are you so delicate? Born in a chicken coop, yet they insist on raising you like a peacock; what is the meaning of this?"

A sarcastic female voice drifted over. Lin Yi glanced to the side and saw a plump, beautiful woman with delicate features but upturned eyes and excessive whites, standing with her arms crossed against a pillar, her expression carrying a hint of bitterness.

This was Lin Hua's wife, Chen Xu, and Lin Yi's aunt by name.

"Wife!" Lin Hua's brows knit together, and he gave a soft reprimand.

"Hmph!" Chen Xu frowned as she walked away, grumbling, "It's time to eat, and you still need to be urged three times!"

After saying this, she put her hands on her hips and walked straight away.

A look of apology flashed across Lin Hua's face as he looked at Lin Yi and said, "Xiao Yi, things have been busy lately, and your aunt has a bit of a temper..."

Lin Yi smiled. "Uncle, there's no need for such talk between family."

He naturally knew why Aunt Chen Xu looked at him with such displeasure.

After the Lin Clan was wiped out, Lin Hua had changed his name and gone into hiding, later marrying Chen Xu.

That year, Lin Yi had just turned one. Nominally, he was the son of Lin Hua's cousin, but the neighbors kept gossiping. Since Chen Xu did not know the history of the Lin Clan's destruction, she developed suspicions, assuming Lin Yi was an illegitimate son her husband had fathered with some unknown woman, and thus she was rather harsh toward him.

Later, as Lin Yi gradually grew up, this speculation completely vanished.

There was no other reason: Lin Yi was simply too outstanding. He was as handsome as if carved from jade, elegant and refined. From head to toe, aside from sharing the same gender as Lin Hua, there was not a single point of resemblance between them, so the theory of him being an illegitimate son naturally fell apart.

However, Lin Hua treated Lin Yi so well—so well that he even neglected his own son—which gave Chen Xu new reasons to be unhappy.

But then again, although Chen Xu was sharp-tongued toward Lin Yi, she was very upright in her actions and had never harbored any malicious intent in the shadows.

"That cultivation method, have you memorized it all?" Lin Hua asked in a low voice, a look of unease flashing across his face.

The cultivation method he spoke of was the Corpse Kui Rebirth Method that Lin Yi had practiced that morning, which had only been handed to him half a month ago.

Lin Yi nodded. "I have memorized the entire method and burned it as you requested, Uncle."

Lin Hua's expression relaxed slightly, and he nodded. "That's good. You must not let anyone know; this is our Lin Clan's secret transmission."

He did not ask how Lin Yi's practice was going.

For one, the manual was not meant for him to read; it had been veiled with a barrier, so it looked like garbled code to him. He only knew it was a technique, but had no idea what Lin Yi was actually practicing.

For another, it had only been half a month; what could one possibly achieve in that time? Back then, his own younger brother, who possessed Grade A Bone Structure and was considered a martial arts prodigy, had taken over two months just to enter the Martial Way and sense Qi. Asking too much would only add pressure to the child.

In the main hall, Aunt Chen Xu and the twelve-year-old cousin Lin Xiuwen were sitting at the table waiting, neither having picked up their chopsticks yet.

Chen Xu was sulking, while Lin Xiuwen stared longingly at the meat on the table.

With the Great Yan currently in the midst of war, taxes were high, and it was rare for an ordinary family to have a taste of meat.

Today's meal was exceptionally rich, making his mouth water uncontrollably.

Once Lin Yi and Lin Hua took their seats at the square table, Lin Hua spoke up. "Yi'er, come, let's eat."

As he spoke, he gently moved a plate or two of meat in front of Lin Yi.

"Eat more; you're still growing."

Chen Xu let out a cold snort and moved the remaining meat in front of her own son. "Xiuwen, you eat more too."

For a moment, the atmosphere at the table was somewhat awkward.

Lin Xiuwen snuck a glance at Lin Yi, and they shared a helpless smile.

This scene happened far too often; both of them were long since used to it.

Lin Xiuwen took the opportunity to change the subject, grinning. "Dad, what's the special occasion today? The meal is so lavish—is there good news?"

Lin Hua laughed upon hearing this. "Xiuwen asked at the right time. I was just about to announce two pieces of good news."

"First, our Lin Family Restaurant is opening tomorrow!"

Lin Xiuwen clapped his hands repeatedly, chuckling. "The restaurant is opening? Does that mean we'll have meat every day from now on?"

"You rascal," Lin Hua scolded with a smile.

Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle as well. The Lin family had originally run a tea and pastry shop, and having saved up some money over the years, they had wanted to expand the business. He had already guessed as much, seeing the whole family busy with the restaurant lately.

But just then, Lin Yi's smile stiffened on his face.

[Know Heavenly Fate]

[Recent Fortune: Great Misfortune]

[...]