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In 189 AD, Great Han.

After Dong Zhuo deposed the emperor and installed the King of Chenliu in his place, his tyranny provoked the dissatisfaction of lords across the realm. At the call of Cavalry Commandant Cao Cao, they raised their armies to punish Dong Zhuo.

Heroes from all corners of the realm gathered, eighteen warlords in total. With Yuan Shao, Governor of Bohai, as their alliance leader, they led an army of several hundred thousand to the gates of Sishui Pass.

Yet this tiny Sishui Pass blocked the allied army of several hundred thousand.

First, Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei, greedily sought merit and sent his younger brother Bao Zhong to lead troops along a side route to attack Sishui Pass. He was cut down beneath Hua Xiong's horse.

Then Sun Jian, the alliance vanguard, was defeated by Hua Xiong after Yuan Shu withheld provisions. At the same time, Zu Mao, one of Sun Jian's great generals, was also slain by Hua Xiong.

Two battles, two victories—Hua Xiong's momentum surged even higher.

Today, Hua Xiong had even led his army out of the pass and come before the allied camp to curse at them and demand battle!

When Yuan Shao, leader of the alliance, learned that Hua Xiong was outside the camp cursing and challenging them, he flew into a rage. He summoned the eighteen warlords, hoping someone would fight Hua Xiong.

Yu She, a fierce general under General of the Rear Yuan Shu, was the first to volunteer. Yet he could not even last three exchanges against Hua Xiong before being cut down beneath his horse.

Then Han Fu, Governor of Jizhou, sent his top general Pan Feng to battle Hua Xiong. Before long, Pan Feng too was cut down beneath Hua Xiong's horse.

With two great generals lost in succession, the allied army's morale plummeted. The eighteen warlords felt mounting pressure and did not know what to do.

After all, if even a mere Hua Xiong was this difficult to handle, what would they do when they later encountered the even more powerful Lü Bu?

"Which of you generals dares to fight Hua Xiong?"

"Whoever dares to fight him will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and a hundred fine horses!"

Seeing that everyone had been frightened by Hua Xiong, Yuan Shao immediately offered a lavish reward.

Just then...

"Horse archer Guan Yu requests permission to fight Hua Xiong!" A solemn, weighty voice rang beside everyone's ears.

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a man step out from behind Liu Bei, the magistrate of Pingyuan, who had previously been granted a seat by Yuan Shao due to his status as a member of the Han imperial clan.

The man was nine chi tall, with a face like a ripe date, a beard two chi long, phoenix eyes, silkworm brows, and a Green Dragon Crescent Blade in hand. He was none other than Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang, famed in later generations.

Faced with the gazes of the gathered warlords, Guan Yu showed not the slightest fear. Instead, there was a faint, barely perceptible arrogance on his face.

"Hmph!"

Yuan Shu, General of the Rear, immediately said coldly, "A mere horse archer dares to speak such wild words? Do you think our coalition lacks great generals? Men, throw him out!"

"Wait!"

At that moment, Cao Cao, the Cavalry Commandant and initiator of the alliance, suddenly rose to his feet. "Brother Gonglu, please calm your anger! Since this man dares to volunteer, he must have something to rely on!"

"If we send a horse archer into his first battle, Hua Xiong will surely laugh that our alliance has no one capable of fighting him," Yuan Shao said from the seat of honor.

Cao Cao immediately replied, "This man has an extraordinary bearing and looks imposing. Hua Xiong will certainly not know that he is merely a horse archer. Let him give it a try!"

"If I fail to take Hua Xiong's head, then take Guan's head as atonement!" Guan Yu declared.

"Liu, Guan, and Zhang are brothers who live and die together. If my second brother cannot win, then take the heads of all three of us." Liu Bei, magistrate of Pingyuan, quickly stood and spoke in support of Guan Yu.

"Hmph. Then let him try!" Yuan Shu said with a cold snort.

Though he did not care about Liu Bei and his two brothers, he still had to give Cao Cao some face.

At that moment, Cao Cao had already poured a cup of fine wine, intending to send Guan Yu off with it.

"Leave the wine poured. Hua Xiong is nothing—Guan will return in no time!"

As soon as the words fell, Guan Yu strode out of the tent with the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in hand.

A moment later, thunderous drums sounded outside the tent, accompanied by the cheers of soldiers within the camp.

But at that moment, Cao Cao beside them froze slightly.

"Ding! Welcome to the Myriad Heavens Chat Group!"

Mount Hua, also known as Mount Taihua, lay within Shaanxi. It bordered the Qinling Mountains to the south and overlooked the Yellow River and Wei River to the north. Since ancient times, it had been known as "the most perilous mountain under heaven."

Mount Hua, headquarters of the Mount Hua Sect, inside a magnificent great hall.

A plaque between the beams of the hall bore the four words "Control the Sword with Qi." Long swords hung on either side, their scabbards dark and their tassels worn with age. They were the swords of the Mount Hua Sect's predecessors throughout the generations.

Inside the hall, two figures were conversing. They were the famed "Gentleman Sword" Yue Buqun and his wife.

"Senior Brother, weren't you too harsh on Chong'er this time?"

Ning Zhongze, a beautiful woman in her thirties, could not help but persuade him. "He merely sneaked down the mountain to drink some wine, yet you want to punish him with three months of seclusion!"

"Junior Sister, it is not that I am too harsh on them. It is that our Mount Hua Sect now needs even more outstanding younger disciples!"

Yue Buqun sighed, then said earnestly, "Ever since the Sword-Qi Conflict, our Mount Hua Sect's standing has worsened day by day! First, the leadership of the Five Mountains Alliance was taken by the Mount Song Sect. Later, our master passed away as well. The entire Mount Hua Sect has been left to just the two of us to support!"

"Ever since I became the sect leader, I have always been deeply worried—worried that the Mount Hua Sect would continue declining in my hands. Fortunately, the two of us supported one another. After achieving success in martial arts, we took in several outstanding disciples. Now, our Mount Hua Sect finally has a foundation to survive in the martial world once more!"

"However, our Mount Hua Sect still has too few experts! Chong'er is extraordinarily talented and cultivates at an astonishing speed, but unfortunately, his nature is too carefree, and he is addicted to fine wine!"

"One day, the Mount Hua Sect will have to be handed over to him!"

Yue Buqun said with heartfelt gravity, "I am stricter with him now mainly to temper his character, so that he can devote himself to cultivation in the future and shoulder the banner of our Mount Hua Sect as soon as possible!"

"Senior Brother!"

After hearing Yue Buqun's words, Ning Zhongze could not help reaching up to gently touch his face. "These years have truly been hard on you!"

"Is that so? Then, Junior Sister, you..."

Yue Buqun was about to take Ning Zhongze into his arms when a voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Ding! Welcome to the Myriad Heavens Chat Group!"

In Earth's outer space, an ancient bronze coffin was being pulled toward Ancient Mars by nine lifelike divine dragons.

Inside the coffin.

"How could there... be one more person!"

"Who... who is it?"

A group of people asked in trembling voices.

Within the pitch-black coffin, everyone had turned on their phones and gathered with people they knew, afraid of encountering an unfamiliar face.

After everyone gathered, they quickly confirmed one another's identities. They were all classmates and friends, leaving only the final figure in the corner.

"You... who are you?"

"Are you human or ghost?"

They had merely climbed Mount Tai, only to be sucked into an ancient bronze coffin. How could ordinary people like them have ever experienced something so bizarre?

Their nerves had long been stretched taut. Upon seeing an unfamiliar figure, they quickly assumed he was the culprit behind this strange ordeal.

"I... I..."

Pang Bo's heavy coughing came from the dark corner. Then he swayed to his feet, his body somewhat weak. "I'm Pang Bo! What kind of place is this? Are we inside that bronze coffin?"

As he spoke, Pang Bo walked toward the others.

He had always been bold, but in such an utterly bizarre place, he was still worried and afraid. Naturally, he wanted to gather with everyone else.

But at that moment, everyone stopped Pang Bo from approaching.

"Stop! Don't come any closer!"

Unable to identify Pang Bo, everyone remained highly vigilant. They raised their phones to shine light ahead, seemingly trying to confirm who he was.

Only his friend Ye Fan was the boldest. He was the first to part the crowd and walk toward him. "Are you really Pang Bo?"

"Of course it's me!"

Pang Bo said irritably, "Yezi, can't you even recognize my voice?"

"I don't believe it!"

Before Ye Fan could reply, someone behind him said shakily, "Pang Bo never came to this gathering. You... who exactly are you?"

"Of course I'm Pang Bo!"

Pang Bo continued forward, trying to let everyone see his face clearly as he shouted, "Who brought water? Give me a bottle already. I'm dying of thirst!"

"I believe he's Pang Bo."

Ye Fan strode up to Pang Bo and handed him the bottle of mineral water in his hand.

After Pang Bo took the bottle from Ye Fan, he gulped down several mouthfuls before recounting his experience. "I really didn't attend the gathering earlier because there was something going on at home. Later, I heard everyone was coming to climb Mount Tai. Once I finished dealing with things at home, I rushed over without stopping. Who could have expected to run into something this bizarre?"

Hearing Pang Bo speak of many past experiences, everyone finally dispelled their doubts. They gathered together and used the light from their phones to inspect their surroundings.

But at that moment, Pang Bo froze slightly as a voice suddenly appeared in his mind.

"Ding! Welcome to the Myriad Heavens Chat Group!"

Yellow Maple Valley, before the great hall of the Hundred Mechanisms Hall.

"Martial Uncle Ye!" An honest-looking young man respectfully bowed to an elderly man.

"Martial Nephew Han!"

The elder surnamed Ye said slowly, "Regarding our Foundation Establishment Pill transaction last time, could you delay the remaining items for a while? I am preparing to refine Qi Harmony Pills recently, and funds are a little tight. It is truly inconvenient for me at the moment."

"However, rest assured, Martial Nephew. In a year or so, I will be able to return every item I owe you!"

"Martial Uncle Ye, what are you saying?"

After hearing the elder's words, Han Li froze briefly before hurriedly replying, "Since it is inconvenient for you at the moment, Martial Uncle, give as much as you can. As for the rest, let it be this junior's offering of filial respect to you!"

"Martial Nephew, what do you mean by that!"

Elder Ye immediately said in a deep voice, "Do you think this old man is someone who breaks his promises? Rest assured, I will definitely hand over every item I promised you. It is only that the timing may be a little later!"

Upon hearing this, Han Li had already begun cursing inwardly, but the expression on his face became even more sincere.

"Martial Uncle Ye, you have misunderstood this junior!"

Han Li said earnestly, "This junior merely feels that having just joined the sect, the things you mentioned are far too extravagant for me. So please keep the remaining items with you for now, Martial Uncle. This junior will have no use for them in the short term anyway."

"Martial Nephew Han, that does make quite a bit of sense!"

Elder Ye immediately said, "If new disciples like you rely too much on external objects, it will indeed hinder your cultivation! Since that is the case, we shall do as you say. I will hold the remaining items here for now. Come collect them whenever you need them in the future!"

"Also, if the herb garden assignment you just accepted does not suit you, you may come to my Hundred Mechanisms Hall at any time to exchange it for a new assignment!"

"Then I shall trouble you, Martial Uncle Ye!" Though Han Li was immensely frustrated inside, he still showed an honest smile on his face.

"Haha, it is nothing!"

Elder Ye was in high spirits and laughed. "Let us first handle your assignment, Martial Nephew!"

Next, with Elder Ye's help, Han Li quickly completed all the procedures and received the jade token for the herb garden assignment. He then left the Hundred Mechanisms Hall.

Only after leaving the Hundred Mechanisms Hall did the expression vanish from Han Li's face.

"That old bastard is far too hypocritical!"

Han Li thought to himself, He already got an enormous bargain by trading for my Foundation Establishment Pill, yet in the end he even withheld most of my items!

This incident further strengthened his belief that the cultivation world was a place where the strong preyed on the weak!

Hmph, this matter will not end like this!

Han Li secretly made up his mind. Once I am strong enough in the future, I will go to that old bastard and take back the rest of my things!

Thinking of this, Han Li could not help touching the Little Green Bottle in his robes.

Though his aptitude was poor, with the help of the Little Green Bottle in his possession, he still had a chance to become stronger!

But at that moment, the voice that rang in his mind made his expression stiffen.

"Ding! Welcome to the Myriad Heavens Chat Group!"

This is my first time writing several worlds with frequent switches between them. I am far less familiar with them than I am with Swallowed Star. Although I had planned things out beforehand, the pace has still been a little slow. The next chapter will be a bit later.

P.S. Although there are only two chapters a day, each is over three thousand words, so the amount is not small...