Chapter 1: Sword Rises in Caomiao Village

In the vast Central Plains, there is a mountain range called Qingyun.

Within this mountain range, clouds and mist swirl, Rainbow Bridges rise in all directions, waterfalls flow like rivers of silver from the nine heavens, mountains and rivers reflect the sun and moon in a rosy glow, and immortal cranes and azure beasts roam freely; it can truly be called a place of gathered spiritual beauty, with every detail manifesting the style of an immortal sect.

Even more renowned throughout the world, however, is the cultivation sect within this mountain range: the Qingyun Sect, one of the leaders of the righteous path in the current age.

At this moment, the sky was faintly bright. Amidst the clouds in the vast sky, a figure whistled past the mountain winds on a sword, finally landing before a grand and magnificent Daoist hall. After nodding slightly to a few guarding Disciples, the figure walked quickly into the hall.

Passing through the hall doors, the air was filled with shimmering spiritual energy. Above the hall, the dharma images and spirit tablets of the Qingyun Sect's ancestors were enshrined. Seated in the main hall were seven people wearing Daoist robes. The one sitting in the center was the Qingyun Sect's Sect Leader, Daoxuan Zhenren, and the six beside him were the Peak Masters of the various peaks of the Qingyun Sect, among whom was a female Daoist master.

"Disciple Song Daren pays his respects to the Sect Leader, Master, and all the Masters!"

Song Daren stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the Sect Leader and the group of Peak Masters.

"No need for such formalities."

Qingyun Sect Sect Leader Daoxuan Zhenren waved his hand slightly to gesture for him to rise, then looked at him with a serious expression and asked: "We are already aware of the matter at Caomiao Village. Have you investigated the situation as ordered?"

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, this Disciple rushed to Caomiao Village as quickly as possible, but was still a step too late. By the time I arrived, only a scene of tragic slaughter remained in Caomiao Village. Of the several hundred lives in the entire village, apart from three children and one villager who had gone mad, no one else survived."

Song Daren revealed a bitter expression as he truthfully reported the situation of Caomiao Village to the Sect Leader.

"Alas!"

Daoxuan Zhenren sighed softly, then looked around at the people present and said with regret: "As members of the righteous path, we should protect the common people. To think that such a thing, the cruel plundering of mortal lives, actually occurred within the territory of our Qingyun Sect—it is truly shameful!"

Upon hearing this, the several Peak Masters all showed expressions of shame and heavy hearts. As for the person involved, Song Daren, he felt even more guilty. He had rushed to Caomiao Village the moment he received the news, yet he still failed to save those innocent lives; possessing cultivation but failing to act was truly lamentable.

"Senior Brother, destiny is inescapable. The villagers of Caomiao Village were fated to suffer this calamity; we need not blame ourselves too much."

Cangsong Daozhang, sitting to the left of Daoxuan Zhenren, spoke up to console him.

"Enough, enough. Since things have reached this point, Daren, you have done your best. The dead are gone, and the living must go on. Where are those few survivors now?"

After composing his emotions, Daoxuan Zhenren looked at Song Daren and asked.

"I have brought them all back. Aside from the one villager who has gone mad, two of the three children are still unconscious and have not yet woken up. There is one child who is awake, and they are all currently arranged in the side hall."

Song Daren replied.

"There is still one child who is awake?"

Hearing this, Daoxuan Zhenren was slightly surprised, then thought for a moment and continued: "Have someone bring him over. Let us first see if there is anything we can do to compensate him."

A Daoist acolyte left at the signal to bring the conscious child to the hall to meet them.

Not long after, the acolyte brought a small boy over.

Everyone looked toward him; the small boy looked clear and delicate, and within his childishness, there was an inexplicable calmness.

Just as the others were observing him, the small boy stood calmly below the hall, blinking his curious eyes as he observed them all in return. He appeared to be contemplating their identities, showing not a hint of fear in this grand and solemn hall.

This point alone caused this group of cultivation practitioners to feel astonished.

By common logic, there exists a chasm-like difference between mortals and cultivators.

Therefore, upon seeing cultivators, everyone would hold a heart of reverence and be extremely respectful, let alone coming alone to the hall of these cultivators; they would have long since prostrated themselves under such pressure. Yet, this child came to the hall and, facing all these cultivators, still maintained his composure without showing the slightest sign of fear.

To look at and observe everyone without any pressure—this state of mind was already something that transcended countless people.

"This child seems somewhat extraordinary."

After observing the child for a while, Daoxuan Zhenren glanced at the group of Peak Masters beside him and said.

"I noticed it too."

Dazhu Peak Master Tian Buyi nodded, very much in agreement with Daoxuan Zhenren's view, and then looked at the child and said: "His heart is like a calm lake, showing no fear on his face. Such a temperament truly makes him a good seedling for cultivation."

"Child, what is your name? Which family's child are you in Caomiao Village?"

The only female among the Peak Masters, Shuiyue Dashi, spoke to the child. Her voice, usually cold, was replaced with a rare gentleness at this moment.

"Immortal Master Sister, my name is Su Zhangqing. I have been an orphan since I was young. I have no family in Caomiao Village; I lived in the dilapidated temple at the end of the village. The old physician in the village saw that I was pitiful and took me in as a medicine-gathering boy. I usually go up the mountain to gather herbs to trade with him for food and clothes to get by."

"Yesterday, I went up the mountain to gather herbs, but I never expected that upon returning to the village, I would see the disaster that had occurred. I wanted to flee, but I ran straight into this Immortal Master Daren, and then I came here."

Su Zhangqing bowed slightly and truthfully told them his situation.

What Su Zhangqing did not say was that the original owner had already died in the Caomiao Village disaster. He was now a transmigrator; coming from another world, he had woken up to find himself transmigrated into this world.

Opening his eyes, he saw the tragic scene of Caomiao Village, and then he encountered Song Daren, who brought him back to the Qingyun Sect.

Through this information, Su Zhangqing realized that he had transmigrated into a novel world, and this novel happened to be one he had read before.

Once Su Zhangqing said this, everyone was even more astonished, and within this astonishment was a touch of pity.

Growing up as an orphan is truly not easy, and to have survived such a great disaster—should one say he was born unlucky, or that he possessed a natural source of good fortune for self-preservation?

Perhaps it was also because he had grown up alone since childhood, and the hardships and dangers he encountered had tempered his character, which had forged his heart-like-a-calm-lake temperament.

"Zhangqing, we are already aware of the matter at Caomiao Village. For such a tragedy to occur within the territory of our Qingyun Sect, we Immortal Masters are also hard-pressed to shirk our responsibility."

"So, we wish to compensate you. Can you tell us what you would like?"

After considering it, Daoxuan Zhenren fixed his gaze on Su Zhangqing and continued: "If you wish to return to the mortal world, the Qingyun Sect can guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and glory. If you wish to stay here, the Qingyun Sect can take you as a Disciple to let you seek the Dao and cultivate immortality, or..."

After Daoxuan Zhenren spoke, the several Peak Masters instantly understood the Sect Leader's meaning and immediately looked at Su Zhangqing, curious about what he would choose.

And at this moment, a voice rang out in Su Zhangqing's mind.

【Ding!】

【Congratulations to the host for successfully transmigrating into the Xianxia world and successfully joining the Qingyun Sect. You may now activate the Against Heaven Comprehension System. Against-Heaven Comprehension, comprehend all laws, and achieve the supreme Dao!】

A system?! Having read plenty of web novels in his past life, Su Zhangqing naturally knew what this meant. It was the golden finger essential for a transmigrator that had arrived, and it sounded like this Against-Heaven Comprehension System was truly extraordinary.

Against-Heaven Comprehension, comprehend all laws, and achieve the supreme Dao! What was there to hesitate about? Of course, he would choose to join the Qingyun Sect and activate the system.

(End of chapter)