Chapter 1: Dream and World

"Dong, dong, dong", "Woo woo—". A giant of massive stature hammered the war drums earth-shakingly, gusts of fierce wind were blown up by the huge dark horn, sound waves reaching the heavens, the cloud layer blown apart in an instant!

Soldiers clad in metal runic armor, wielding war halberds, lined up neatly on the boundless earth. Squadrons riding divine-demonic strange beasts, draped in dark red cloaks, knights with armor masks wrapping their faces. Countless army battle formations, stretching beyond sight in a single glance, inexplicable battle flags fluttering in the howling wind.

In midair there were also countless warships, these colossi actually floating in the sky. On a towering mountain peak moored a pitch-black dragon ship, a ferocious dragon head, sails like dragon wings, feeling that once unfurled they could seemingly cover an entire world.

A man of indifferent yet majestic bearing stood at the ship's prow, his blood-red cloak lifted by the sound waves, the dark red armor beneath the cloak like viscous blood stuck to the armor, constantly writhing, already so thick it approached black! Strangely, everyone around looked at him with reverence, not the slightest bit finding him nauseating. The majestic man was like a black hole drawing one into the abyss, attracting those around him, like moths flying into the flame toward light!!

Behind the clouds above the nine heavens was not azure sky, but one indistinct light sphere after another, the light spheres humanoid in shape, like divine beings. The light spheres' indistinctness was a kind of void and ethereality, deeper within lay a hint of coldness, lofty and superior, as if the people below were mere ants, stinking bugs, the sense of coldness making one tremble. Behind the divine beings were also armies, golden armor silver swords, sharp sword light tearing the surrounding void, on every face a trace of pride.

The central light sphere was also the most towering, its gaze piercing through the entire void, fixed on the majestic man at the ship's prow, its eyes carrying a thread of admiration. The majestic man's front could never be seen, only his back from behind. It was easy to see the majestic man was not looking at the light sphere divine beings above, his head not the slightest intention of lifting, eyes levelly gazing ahead, treating the divine beings as nothing.

The light sphere divine being, humiliated into anger, snorted, shattering the entire heaven and earth. Immediately the armies behind the divine beings began to attack, countless flying swords seizing the initiative, silver-white flying swords forming a sword-stream waterfall, descending from the sky, as if the Milky Way's waters were pouring down in reverse.

The army below was not frightened back by this terrifying sword-stream waterfall, soldiers holding runic shields stepped forward one step, the rest of the soldiers stepped back one step, mysterious runes activated and lit up, giant light films linking together, a huge turtle-shell light film full of ancient charm enveloping the battlefield. The sword-stream waterfall frantically slammed into the turtle-shell light film, "Bang bang—" sounds filling the entire battlefield, after the sword stream's impact it flew back into the sky and descended straight down again. The light film flickered bright and dark from the beating, but still blocked that terrifying sword stream.

The sky gradually darkened, red dots appearing in the sky one by one, rapidly enlarging, covering the heavens. They were countless meteors crashing toward the ground, the largest among them falling toward the dragon ship. The huge meteor carried suffocating scorching flames, the majestic man bearing the brunt did not sway in the slightest, his blood-red cloak merely lifted slightly by the meteor's passing wind.

The army's archer soldiers all collectively nocked arrows and shot at the meteors, countless meteors shattering in midair like fireworks, meteor fragments also blocked outside by the turtle-shell light film. That meteor smashing toward the dragon ship no one went to block, scorching heat rushing at the face, the meteor plummeted straight at the dragon ship, terrifying firelight already filling the entire field of vision!!!

……

"Ah!!!!", Ning Ze had been tormented by this dream for twelve years, every time the same repeating scene, likewise every time scared awake by the meteor filling his vision! He himself had never figured out the dream's meaning.

Ning Ze had been in this world for twelve years. He was originally an utterly ordinary fresh university graduate on Earth, seeking excitement, seeking a so-called ideal life, ran off to the wilderness for adventure travel. Heaven has unpredictable storms, men have sudden misfortunes; by ill luck while sheltering from rain under a tree, boom—a thunderclap struck Ning Ze charred inside and tender outside.

"Damn heavens, what heaven-defying thing did I, Ning Ze, do, that you had to strike me with lightning!!!" This was Ning Ze's final resentment before death.

When Ning Ze regained consciousness, before his eyes was an old man feeding him medicine. Wait, why did the posture feel wrong! Even being fed medicine should be supporting the back, but the current posture was clearly being held in an embrace. Ten thousand grass-mud horses galloped in Ning Ze's heart; being held by a beautiful woman would be fine, why did it have to be an old man. That's right, Ning Ze had become a little infant again, his heart both uncomfortable and sorrowful.

In the old man's eyes, little Ning Ze's sorrowful look with brows furrowing repeatedly was extremely cute. The old man couldn't know Ning Ze had so many thoughts in his heart; who would think an infant's body contained an adult's soul.

"Little Ning Ze, the medicine isn't bitter at all, look, Grandpa tasted a sip, not bitter." Finished speaking, the old man drank a sip, his face instantly turned black, hurriedly spat it out, cursing hatefully: "Old Ge this old geezer, only makes dogshit stuff, paired with such bitter medicine! How can a child drink it down."

Ning Ze was defeated by this old man, both annoyed and amused, could only silently ponder the current situation: who was the old man before him? How did he become an infant? What exactly happened after being struck by lightning?

As an infant, Ning Ze obviously lacked the stamina to think so much; after a mouthful of bitter medicine was fed into his mouth, he pursed his lips, little brows knitted into a ball, and fell asleep.

Before being struck to death, Ning Ze grew up in an orphanage, twenty-plus years never finding his parents; now struck by lightning and transmigrated, after university graduation wanting to repay the orphanage there was no chance either.

As he grew up, Ning Ze gradually accepted a fact: he had come to another world. His soul possessed a newly born infant, also abandoned by someone; fortunately the name was still the same, nothing changed. After asking the old man many times, Ning Ze finally knew why he was still called Ning Ze. In his past life it was because the orphanage dean surnamed Ning, hoping he would grow up to benefit all living beings. This life, it was because when the old man picked him up by the river, there was a jade pendant with the character "Ning" written on it. The old man was illiterate, called a literate old teacher to give a name.

The old teacher said, Ning Ze was picked up by the river, so gave a single-character name "Ze". The old man naturally had no objection. As for Ning Ze still drinking medicine when he just woke up, it was because the old man didn't take good care of little Ning Ze, who caught a cold. How could a tiny infant endure it; fortunately the other Ning Ze's arrival continued this life.

This world was very similar to ancient China, ancient monarchical system. But different was that this world was also filled with immortals, gods, ghosts and monsters, not fake; immortals who cultivate longevity truly exist; every so often cultivators would come to recruit disciples, this made Ning Ze full of yearning for the mysterious immortal-god world.

The old man was the village's old bachelor; he wasn't originally from the village. Decades ago he ran to the village, afterward lived in the village, never found a wife, lived alone for decades; Ning Ze's joining actually added a trace of liveliness to the old man's home.

The village was within Xia Yu City's jurisdiction, but actually a remote mountainous area where mountains are high and the emperor far away; the people here have lived here for generations. According to the old teacher who named Ning Ze, this village is called Bei Cang Village; who exactly named it can no longer be verified. Xia Yu City belongs to Min Country; most Bei Cang villagers never go far in their lives, the farthest place they've been is Xia Yu City. Of course except the old teacher; according to villagers, the old teacher traveled many places when young, only returning to the village in old age.

The village structure simple but basically complete; most make a living by hunting, living off the mountains; the rest plant some grains at home. But in this world, because one can cultivate, basically everyone's physical constitution is not bad; likewise various insects, animals and plants are also extraordinarily powerful. Ordinary grain planting simply cannot feed a family; just the pests in the fields are enough for ordinary people to suffer.

The old man though looking very old, is very formidable; goes into mountains to hunt in daytime, returns by evening, always alone entering the mountains, unlike others who enter in teams of two or three. Every time returning from hunting, the most bountiful is always the old man; villagers are used to it, Ning Ze also didn't ask.

Since Ning Ze turned five, when the old man went into mountains to hunt, Ning Ze would herd cattle and cook at home; villagers clicked their tongues in wonder, all saying the old man picked up a treasure. Every early morning, Ning Ze would go to that river where he was picked up to herd cattle and stare blankly, pondering why he came to this world, pondering his origins, fantasizing about becoming an immortal god, riding a sword flying in the sky.

"Cow oh cow, when I Ning Ze succeed in cultivation one day, will I ride a sword flying, or choose to ride clouds and drive mist? Standing on clouds, hooking up with fairies, if like TV drama Hu Ge, simply too beautiful." Ning Ze asked the old cow with anticipation.

"Moo—" the old cow chewing grass, seemingly glanced at Ning Ze.

Ning Ze didn't care about the old cow's reaction, self-absorbedly fantasized, "No, later I'll sit inside a golden phoenix carriage, have others carry me, pretend to be a profound grandmaster, hahaha!!!"

Feeling the old cow already powerless to retort, what kind of person is this, still wanting to be carried, little brat! Hair not even fully grown, already fantasizing about becoming immortal and god.

Ning Ze grew day by day, the village all accepted this new member; compared to other village children, Ning Ze was too obedient and sensible, villagers all loved this little guy. Compared to other little brats, Ning Ze's maturity, they had no comparability. Except for the herding-cattle fantasies...