Pioneering Wasteland

On a nameless continent, one day, the sky was clear and vast, without clouds or wind. A blazing sun hung in the sky, casting boundless radiance.

Suddenly, a ring-like object flashed into existence from the sky. No one knew where it came from; it simply appeared abruptly, as if it had just pierced through space-time. It hurtled down towards the mountain peaks below at extreme speed, emitting a strange "whooshing" sound.

Normally, anything falling from the sky would be accompanied by a trail of thick smoke, a roaring sound, and be visible to the entire world.

However, this object only made a sound for a fleeting moment before a "plop" sound echoed as it burrowed deep into the rocks of the mountain peak, disappearing without a trace.

The duration was so brief that it didn't elicit any reaction from any living creature; even the nearby mountain birds didn't have time to take flight.

Subsequently, the startled birds circled a few times in the air before fluttering down, resuming their own lives, completely unaware that a mysterious object had just appeared on the continent.

And then, after who knows how many years, with the seas turning into mulberry fields and fields into mulberry trees, and everything changing, that mountain peak subsided and transformed into a hillside. Many areas also became flat land, and gradually, people began to settle there. Some even lived around this hillside. What exciting stories could this mysterious ring bring? Zhang Xiaohua was very happy, a look of bliss on his face.

His eyes were burning as he stared at the patch of wasteland before him, as if it were a delicious piece of streaky pork belly.

In truth, it was more of a hillside than wasteland, as the land was located halfway up a slope. However, the slope was relatively gentle, and only about a quarter of it could be cultivated. But even this small plot of land was the result of Zhang Xiaohua's father painstakingly negotiating with the village chief for nearly two months. Zhang Xiaohua also knew that while the village had many barren mountains, land suitable for growing crops was scarce, so everyone wanted to find new places to produce food beyond their existing plots.

Most people in the village looked for wasteland near the river. Their family, however, had no money to bribe the village chief, so they had to look further afield, searching for places that others didn't want, and eventually found this piece of land.

The village where Zhang Xiaohua lived was called Guo Village. It was about four li in circumference, surrounded by mountains on two sides. These mountains weren't high; calling them hills would be more appropriate. A large river flowed past the village entrance, and a small bridge over the river connected to a path leading to a neighboring village. Guo Village was home to about forty households, half of whom were surnamed Guo. They formed a small clan and lived in the center of the village, while others were scattered around the outskirts. People in rural areas are honest but also pragmatic. Most matters in Guo Village were handled by the Guo family's patriarch. Although they lived in the same village, their surnames differed, and when the patriarch handled affairs, he inevitably showed favoritism towards his own clan members. The best residential locations within the village and the best farmland outside were mostly held by the Guo villagers. However, as they were all neighbors, despite constant minor squabbles, major disputes never occurred in this small Guo Village. The people of Guo Village felt they lived a tranquil life, like in a utopia.

Zhang Xiaohua's mother, Guo Sufi, was from Guo Village, a descendant of a collateral branch of the Guo clan. Her family had once been "prominent," but by her generation, there were no male heirs left except for Guo Sufi. Furthermore, Zhang Xiaohua's maternal grandfather, Guo Shan, had his daughter late in life. By the time Guo Sufi was of marriageable age, her parents were already elderly. To support them, Zhang Xiaohua's father, Zhang Cai, married into the Guo family.

The level of prosperity in a rural family often depended on the labor force. Guo Shan, having no sons, had wanted to adopt a boy from a relative before Guo Sufi was born, but various issues prevented it. The household was supported solely by Guo Shan, indicating their impoverished circumstances. However, Zhang Cai proved to be capable. After joining the Guo family, he was skilled in farming and far surpassed his father-in-law, Guo Shan, in increasing the family's labor force. Within a year of their marriage, Guo Sufi became pregnant and gave birth, providing Guo Shan with a grandson, whom they named Zhang Xiaolong. Guo Shan and his wife were very pleased with the birth of their grandson. Just as the whole family was looking forward to a bright future, Guo Shan fell ill from overwork and could no longer get out of bed.

Illness was undoubtedly a devastating blow to a poor family. To pay for his father-in-law's treatment, Zhang Cai sold everything valuable he owned, but it was still not enough to save Guo Shan, whose life was like a candle flickering in the wind. When Zhang Xiaolong was just over two years old, Guo Shan passed away. What brought him some peace was that his second grandchild was about to be born. Before he died, Guo Shan had already named the child: a boy would be named Zhang Xiaohu, and a girl, Zhang Xiaohua. After Guo Shan's death, Zhang Cai's mother-in-law's health also declined steadily. Fortunately, the birth of Zhang Xiaohu somewhat eased the old woman's grief, thus preserving the family's simple life.

The lives of rural folk revolved around working in the fields and eating at home. Land was their lifeline. In the past, when the Guo family had few descendants, there was enough land for their use. As Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu grew, Zhang Cai constantly worried about having enough land to cultivate. Initially, he and his wife, Guo Sufi, along with Zhang Xiaolong and holding Zhang Xiaohu, went to the patriarch's house to pay their respects. Perhaps out of respect for Guo Shan, they were given a small plot of arable land by the river, which temporarily eased Zhang Cai's "urgent need."

Zhang Xiaohua was born when his elder brother was seven years old. By then, the family had two and a half laborers, and their poverty had slightly eased. Zhang Xiaohua's birth was also quite miraculous. The weather had been dry for over two months, but on the night of Xiaohua's birth, a heavy rain suddenly fell. The rainfall in the mountains increased dramatically, and the river outside the village even overflowed its banks, crossing the small bridge. The scene was quite frightening. Moreover, Guo Sufi saw a sky full of falling flowers when she gave birth to Xiaohua. Therefore, Zhang Cai had very high expectations for Xiaohua. He even invited a scholar from a neighboring village to help with the naming, suggesting many names like Zhang Zhen, Zhang Yu, and Zhang Xueyou. However, after much deliberation, he became indecisive. Finally, thinking of the rain of flowers and his deceased father, Guo Sufi overruled all objections and gave Zhang Xiaohua this widely acclaimed name, even though Zhang Xiaohua was a typical boy.

By this time, Xiaohua was twelve years old. Children from farming families matured early. Years ago, Xiaohua had already been helping his father and two elder brothers with farm work. Zhang Cai hadn't considered sending his children to school to learn to read and write, hoping they could pursue official careers. However, Guo Village was a small village, and there were no scholars in the clan to support a small school. The school in the neighboring village belonged to another large clan, and the fees for children from Guo Village were high. Xiaolong and Xiaohu were out of the question. The family was poor at the time, and Zhang Cai was willing but unable. Xiaohua had also attended school for a few days when he was young, but according to the teacher, Xiaohua's aptitude was average. At best, he could learn to read and write, but achieving literary fame was as likely as catching the moon in the water. Zhang Cai weighed his empty purse, looked at Xiaohua's thick eyebrows and bright eyes, and abandoned his fleeting hopes, taking his son back to Guo Village to continue the primary occupation of farming. His mother, however, seemed to remember the auspicious signs of Xiaohua's birth and occasionally hired young literate people from the village to teach Xiaohua some things. Although Xiaohua enjoyed following his brothers in farm work, his mother's insistence helped him learn many characters, enabling him to read some things. He became the literate person in the family, and any matters involving writing were handled by Zhang Xiaohua.

This was Zhang Xiaohua's first day farming independently. His father had told him yesterday that this piece of land was for him, his own livelihood. Although it was currently land that showed no signs of being farmland, Xiaohua remembered a scholar in the village saying that with a goal, one could begin, and with a beginning, half the success was achieved! With success, your hopes would not be far away, and Xiaohua's hope was to eat a delicious piece of streaky pork belly.

November had already marked the beginning of winter. The sun cast a bleak light and heat overhead, and the mountain wind blew through the slopes, rustling the treetops with a mournful sound. Everything signaled a silent chill.

However, Zhang Xiaohua had no time to notice these things. Holding his hoe, he diligently worked on this quarter-plot of land. According to Zhang Xiaohua's plan, he would first dig an oval or rectangular boundary around the middle of the hillside plot, then remove the rocks from the land, clear away small stones, deal with the weeds, and once it started to take shape, he would meticulously cultivate the entire field, preparing it for sowing seeds. Farm work always took time. By the time Xiaohua had cleared the surroundings and was preparing to move the larger stones, it was already noon. Xiaohua stopped working, wiped the sweat from his forehead, walked to the edge of the field, took a jar of water his mother had prepared, and gulped down half of it. He stretched his back, which had been bent for a long time, feeling a wave of comfort. Indeed, although he had worked with his father and brothers before, as the youngest, they never let him do too much, and he hadn't felt too tired. Now that he was shouldering the work himself, he understood its hardship. However, thinking of his grandmother, his mother, his family, and his future, he felt it was all worthwhile.

Zhang Xiaohua learned characters from the young scholar. Although he wasn't always attentive, he often heard them talk about abstract concepts like the future, life, and love. He retained some impressions and would occasionally ponder his own life while working. However, these thoughts were quickly shattered by reality, and he would return to facing the land. Thinking about these things now was probably just daydreaming, stealing a moment of leisure amidst his labor.

As Zhang Xiaohua was lost in thought, his stomach rumbled continuously. It seemed it was time to eat. He usually ate at home with his mother, but now he was establishing his own household and cultivating land. When he left that morning, his mother had said she would bring him lunch to the field. Looking at the time, she should be arriving soon.

As expected, a voice called from below the slope, "Xiaohua~ Come help your mother a bit." The path down the slope was quite steep and slippery. Zhang Cai had fallen there the last time he visited the field. Zhang Xiaohua quickly replied, "Mom, wait a moment, I'll be right down. Don't come up yourself." As Zhang Xiaohua walked down the slope, he saw his mother waiting for him by the roadside, carrying a bamboo basket. Zhang Xiaohua took the basket and carefully helped his mother up the slope, letting her sit on a rock at the edge of the field. He then lifted the cloth covering the basket, revealing a bowl of streaky pork belly and a few coarse steamed buns. Xiaohua, being sensible, asked his mother if she had eaten. Her answer was as he expected; she had already eaten. Seeing Xiaohua devour the food, Guo Sufi felt a pang of heartache and said to him, "Eat slowly, don't choke. Drink some water quickly."

"Mom, why did you suddenly make streaky pork belly?" Xiaohua asked.

"Today is your first day working on your own. Your father instructed me yesterday to make streaky pork belly to reward you," his mother said, looking lovingly at her youngest son. "It's hard on you, Xiaohua. You're only twelve this year. Look at the children in the neighboring village your age, they're still studying in school, while you're out here working in the fields."

"Mom, what are you saying? Didn't my eldest brother start working with Dad when he was ten? What's this for me? Besides, this land is mine, and my second brother is still working with Big Brother. I'm happy enough." Seeing his mother start to nag, Xiaohua continued, "What about Grandma? Did she eat the streaky pork belly?"

"Your grandmother is over eighty years old, how can she eat this? I made her millet porridge," his mother said. "You only remember your grandmother now? Your grandmother was thinking of you all morning."

Xiaohua scratched his head sheepishly. He really hadn't thought that far ahead.

Speaking of Xiaohua's grandmother, Guo Sufi's face clouded over. The family's life had gradually improved as the children grew, but Xiaohua's grandmother's health had deteriorated. Although being over eighty was considered a rare longevity for rural people, who wouldn't want their elders to stay with them longer? Recently, Xiaohua's grandmother had also lost her sight. Guo Sufi and Zhang Cai had discussed having a doctor examine her, but Xiaohua's grandmother adamantly refused, saying it was normal for someone her age to lose their sight and she didn't want to spend money on it. The couple couldn't persuade the old woman and agreed. Now, the elderly woman still did chores around the house, feeding chickens and pigs in the dark, and other tasks she could manage.

Seeing Xiaohua finish his meal and drink his water, Guo Sufi said, "Xiaohua, work a little less in the afternoon and come home early. Grandma misses you. I still need to take food to your father and brothers." Xiaohua was stunned. "Mom, then, I ate all the streaky pork belly, what will Dad and my brothers eat?" "It's okay, there are other dishes. Remember to work a little less in the afternoon and don't catch a cold," Guo Sufi said, affectionately stroking Xiaohua's head, looking at her blushing, anxious youngest son as if he were still a little child clinging to her.

As Zhang Xiaohua helped his mother down the slope, he watched her receding figure, feeling very guilty. Alas, how could he have eaten all the streaky pork belly?

Extremely Important PS: Readers who are impatient can directly read the first volume. When you have free time, you can read the preface. The preface describes Zhang Xiaohua's rural life before practicing martial arts and serves as the foundation for the entire book. You can start reading directly from chapter sixty-five. Extremely Important PS: Readers who are impatient can directly read the first volume. When you have free time, you can read the preface. The preface describes Zhang Xiaohua's rural life before practicing martial arts and serves as the foundation for the entire book. You can start reading directly from chapter sixty-five.