Chapter Text
Shen Yuan had lived 16 years altogether in the world. From the 6th year to the 16th year, he spent roughly 300 days a year in bed, because he suffered from severe heart disease.
Even so, he was quite open.
At the age of nine, he knew he would die at 16. At that time, he wished to enjoy the famous mountains and rivers of the world, and wished to do a lot of things while being treated. Pitifully, he had been to a few places, for he was in poor shape.
He had to be as obedient as a lamb in order to stop his father, the chairman of the board, his mother, the vice-chairman, from arguing because of his condition. He felt cold towards his parents who had not paid attention to him due to his weak constitution, seeing him as a useless burden in the family. It was only his brother, who was three years older than him, who was sincerely worrying him.
Since it was boring at hospital, he started to read all kinds of novels, including the world-famous books, the Four Great Classical Novels in China, some famous romantic and supernatural books.
His good brother would bring a bunch of books for him every two months.
He received many books again months before his 16th birthday.
When he skimmed through them, a book called Proud Immortal Demon Way caught his eyes. He originally thought it was a cool stallion book authored by Airplane Shooting towards the Sky, so given that his brother took it to him, he decided to read it. Even begging his brother to pay for the online novel because he couldn’t wait for the next volume to be published.
He was disappointed.
Even Shen Yuan is embarrassed at the author’s messy, dog-shit and unreasonably complex framework and plot. Okay, the first hundred chapters had him very invested in the story and he could relate the hype that was given to this book. But halfway through the story it had become senseless with repeated scenarios with everything being solved by the protagonist through papapa. Also, the foreshadowing is numerous, plot holes everywhere, mystery after mystery, layer upon layer of confusing fog. In the end – not even one can be solved!
Shen Yuan peacefully(?) died on the day of his 16th birthday while cursing that stupid book.
He had made his life worthwhile by living for sixteen years. But to his surprise, he got a rebirth!
He laughed, it was because he got a new life where he was quite healthy and this was one of those worlds where he could practice cultivation.
He cried, it was because...though he had a rebirth, he had to start again as an infant!
Being a baby was terrible, humiliating, mortifying enough that he wanted the ground to swallow his whole and never be seen again, he felt ashamed that he could not even do the simplest things by himself and had to rely on the woman that must be his mother in this world.
Shen Yuan, being helpless, can only resign himself to living out the next few years like this. It gave Shen Yuan enough time to adapt to the new world that he was living in. As a toddler that couldn’t contribute anything he can only observe the situation.
Judging from his surroundings, Shen Yuan can tell that he was born into a prestigious and wealthy family. The Shen family was a relative of the royal family that was currently the biggest power on par with the mortal emperor.
Much to his disappointment, his new parents doesn’t really care about his existence, again! The woman who had been taking care of him the entire time was a wet nurse while his mother wished to have nothing to do with her children. Rather, she became hysterical whenever she saw them. She was, after all, only forced to marry the man she hated. Which is very tragic.
His new father, on the other hand, never even bothered to look at him because he already had nine other children older than him. Plus, he was a child from the least favorite concubine, such cold treatment was to be expected.
It looks like Shen Yuan was just fated to not have parental love in his previous life and in this life.
The only good thing in this family was his ninth brother, Shen Jiu. He was the only sibling from the same mother. Like his brother from his previous life, he was the only one who had sincerely cared about him while his other brothers and sisters had looked at them with disdain, treating him as nothing more than a dirt on the side.
Shen Yuan had always regretted not being able to say goodbye to his dear brother in the past and showed him how much he had loved him. In order not to have those regrets again, he cherished his new older brother so much and never failed to show his brotherly love towards him.
It didn’t take too long for Shen Yuan to know that he doesn’t want to be part of all these scheming and backstabbing that was happening around him. Even if he and his brother was the child of the most powerless concubine in the family they weren’t exempted from any assassination attempts. Four times, Shen Yuan had almost died if not for his brother’s vigilance. The one time was because their mother was having a fit and Shen Jiu, who was only four years old at that time, protected him and took her beatings and ended up bed ridden from fever for a week.
Right then, Shen Yuan who was already two years old, had finally decided that when he was old enough, he would convince Shen Jiu to leave this dysfunctional family and join a sect to become cultivators. They can’t go on living like this anymore.
Unfortunately, things just won’t go as planned.
During the sixth autumn since he came into this world, Shen Household had become chaotic.
From what Shen Yuan could gather from the gossip of the servants through the years. The current emperor had always been wary of the Shen Family’s power. With years of scheming and planting many false evidence, the reputation of their family was slowly being dragged to the mud.
He had read many novels about political schemes in his past life, it goes without saying that with the downfall of their family, Shen Yuan knew what kind of fate awaits them. And judging from their current situation, the Shen Family had no way to turn the tables around. It was the end for them.
Shen Jiu, as a smart brother that he is, had planned the same thing that Shen Yuan had in his mind. He had stolen the keys from one of the servant belts and sneak to the treasury to steal money while Shen Yuan pack small things necessary for survival and taking them in the backwoods of the manor.
None of the servants found anything amiss when they saw them going to the woods, the brothers had always been playing in that area after their studies to avoid their other sibling’s mockery and their mother’s beating. What they didn’t know was there was a small pathway for them to sneak out of the mansion.
They already had a place in mind. Shen Jiu had discovered an abandoned temple back when he was taken out with their siblings. It wasn’t far from their house in the city but others avoided this place like the plague due to the rumored bad luck that it brings. The brothers huddled together with only a blanket around their shoulder to keep them warm inside that dilapidated temple.
Shen Yuan was unable to sleep. Not because of the cold and discomfort but thinking on what they should do now. Even if they had successfully escaped from the tragedy that befell the Shen Family, they were just two orphaned, powerless children.
He had no idea how they could survive from here on out.
From what he’d heard, cultivation couldn't be started until a certain age and he would need a cultivation manual and a master to guide them. There can be a chance encounter with traveling cultivators willing to teach them but that was unlikely to happen. Their best bet was to join a sect, but Shen Yuan hadn't yet heard people talk of any prominent sects in the area. Perhaps because they were in the imperial city and their family was more focused in politics that there hadn’t been any decent information available.
The next morning, it was clear that both brothers didn’t get a decent rest. For now, no one would bother them in this temple, but they both knew that this was just a temporary haven. Surely, there are still people looking for the remnants of Shen Family to be uprooted.
It was still early autumn, and with the few coins that they had managed to steal, it would be enough to keep them fed until they reach the nearest town in the capital before winter arrives. Changing out from the fine robes that they had to those of the servants, with a tacit agreement, the two decided to leave the imperial city.
There are a lot of street children walking all over the capital. Since they were always locked inside the house, only a few people knew of their appearance which was why no one paid attention to the brothers seeing them in dirty clothes they were just brushed off as one of those dirty street rats instead of the wanted young masters who was being hunted down.
The whole city was still gossiping about the recent events that had occurred. And there was a crowd gathered in the city plaza. It was just out of curiosity to what happened to their family that the brothers went to where people had gathered around.
What greeted them was a gruesome scene.
The corpse of their parents and brothers were hanged in the plaza. Their bodies were deathly pale and bloodied with telling signs that they had been tortured to death before they were hung down. They were made as a warning for those who wanted to rebel.
Turns out, no one had the time to care when the brothers had disappeared. The Shen Family had completely fallen the very next day they left the manor. Their father was accused of wanting to rebel and was executed along with their brothers and concubines while their sisters were sold off to the brothels.
It was too cruel.
It was one thing to display the corpse of the adults as an example but to even let the bodies of their siblings who were just a few years older and younger than them and had no involvement with the schemes of politics. Even if Shen Yuan had enmity with them he never once wished for this to happen to them. This was just too inhumane.
Watching his baby who held a horrified expression as he stared at the corpse of their family members, Shen Jiu couldn’t help but feel that Shen Yuan needed his protection despite the signs that his brother was not that simple.
Shen Jiu hadn’t noticed it in the early years but he could tell that his brother was special. Looking back, Shen Yuan had always been observant, as if the child barely a year old, understood what was going on around him. His brother was like an adult in a child’s body. It was even more apparent when Shen Yuan had learned to speak early on. Instead of playing like the children his age, he was more interested in learning and devouring books after books when he learned how to read.
The one time Shen Jiu thought Shen Yuan was playing when he saw his brother sneaking around with few items, his brother told him that he was preparing to leave Shen Mansion. He thought that time that it was cute because it just happened to be the time he had recovered from his fever after their mother beat him up but as he observed his brother more that he realized Shen Yuan didn’t do anything without reason.
It was probably when Shen Jiu also began paying more attention to everything around him. He didn’t treat his younger brother like a spoiled child who knew nothing and listened to his opinions no matter how incoherent it was sometimes because his baby brother was not the best at explaining things and he often had to guess.
Looking at Shen Yuan now. It was the first time in ages that Shen Jiu saw him as a helpless child. Now that they were orphaned and powerless, he knew that he had to step up as the older brother and make sure that his brother was safe.
Despite drowning in feelings of turmoil, Shen Jiu still quickly got to his feet. “Don’t look anymore.” he held Shen Yuan’s hand and began to drag him away from the plaza towards the gate leading out the imperial city.
The guards did not stop them from leaving seeing that they were just some dirt poor children. A really thoughtless act from those soldiers especially when they just recently put down a rebellion but the brothers didn’t question it. All they needed was to get out of the city before anyone recognized them.
They had already decided where they were heading. Huan Hua Palace was the closest and was just within the borders, but since they had ties with the emperor it was not safe for them to go in that place. It will be a bit of a distance but there was Zhao Hua Temple near Luo city. The names were strangely familiar but Shen Yuan doesn’t have the time to think about it.
After traveling continuously for three days straight, they weren’t even able to cover over half of their journey. The brothers realized that might have been too overly optimistic that this trip by foot would be easy and didn’t both were quite exhausted by the night came and as the day passed by their supplies were dwindling.
Fortunately, this mountainous area was relatively flat and lacked spiritual power, so there weren’t any dangerous large or medium beasts that would attack. The bandits around the area didn’t bother with them seeing that they had nothing to be stolen. That had made the journey relatively peaceful.
By the afternoon of the third day, they were close to reaching another city.
The small town they were passing through was clearly not prosperous as the imperial city. After eating a few breads and few rations they had during their journey, they subconsciously licked their lips when they smell fresh food being cooked in the nearest food stall. They also couldn’t resist staring, swallowing down a mouth full of saliva. The owner was about to shoo them away but when the brothers show that they can pay he gave them a few sticks of grilled meat.
As they continued traveling, the money he’d taken from home was almost completely gone. The brother had never known starvation before. True, they weren’t treated well in the household but they never once felt hunger.
In the end they had to give up reaching Zhao Hua Temple. They tried to join some small sects but all of them had closed their doors on them and pushed them away, not wanting to take up children from the streets. For the sake of survival they can only beg and learn how to hunt. Even then, it wasn’t easy.
The strong will always take advantage of the weak.
There are various gangs and groups around the town they were in and had a set of rules that they weren’t aware of. Because they were new faces, without knowing anyone, Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan were often tricked and bullied. It had even gotten far that they were getting beaten to death.
“Stop it!” A boy shouted at them.
“Why are you stopping us Yue Qi?” one of the bullies snorted “They were the ones who were stealing our spot!”
“Even so, you guys shouldn’t be violent.” “We’re all in the same situation and we should help each other.
What a pacifist. The brothers thought coldly and see that boy as someone so naïve despite the blatant show of harshness and cruelty of life as they rub the parts where they were beaten to alleviate the pain even just a little.
The other children clicked their tongue and left with demeaning boast at the boy had bribed them with a few coins he earned from begging around.
“Are you two alright?” the boy called Yue Qi asked as he knelt down in front of them to check.
“Thank you.” Shen Yuan said hoarsely trying to stop the tears due to the pain. This was the first time in his life that he was beaten black and blue. He never knew that even children could be so violent and cruel. “I’m somewhat alright but my Jiu-ge received more beating.”
Yue Qi turned to Shen Jiu to check his injuries.
“We don’t need your help.” Shen Jiu snapped at him. He was frustrated for being so powerless.
Fortunately, Yue Qi didn’t mind Shen Jiu’s attitude and still offered them his help despite his brother’s complaints and took him back to the place where he and other children live. It was an abandoned store by the slums, but it was far better than sleeping in the alleys of the street.
Joining the rag tag group of children in the slums had become a small solace for them as they learn how to survive. The brothers had hardened themselves in order to live. They learned the tricks around the area, who the gangs are that were in control and who to pay for protection, how to steal and extort rich people, how to fight and win even through underhanded means.
It was not an honest nor ideal lifestyle but it was a means of survival. Moreover, during their time there with the other children, even if there were bullies in the group, they had formed some attachment towards those who had treated them nicely.
Unfortunately, like all other things, those days of chaotic peace for them didn’t last.
One day, both Shen Jiu and Yue Qi came running back in a rush with frightened expression. Shen Yuan wasn’t even given a chance to ask a question before Shen Jiu had grabbed his arm and ran towards the river. He could hear a faint commotion in the distance.
Shen Jiu pushed him in an old, small boat of some random fishermen in town. “No matter what you hear just hide.”
“Jiu-ge.” Shen Yuan called nervously, he was confused with no idea what was happening. They were escaping from something but he didn’t know what.
Shen Jiu removed the rope that kept the boat anchored.
“There he is!” a voice shouted in the distance.
“Shit.” Shen Jiu cursed as he looked at the direction of the men approaching them.
“Jiu-ge, what’s happening?”
“I’ll look for you A-Yuan, so be safe.” Shen Jiu hugged him tightly. Shen Yuan didn’t want to let go for fear because this sounded like a farewell, but Shen Jiu had pushed him away making lose balance and fell on the boat. Before he could get up, Shen Jiu had pushed the boat away. The river currents were too fast and in just a few seconds he was far from where his brother stood.
Shen Yuan can only watch in misery as one of those men seized Shen Jiu, wrapping an arm around his neck and choking him. He cried and screamed for them to let go of his brother but they only scoffed as they drag his brother away and Shen Yuan was getting further away from them.
He didn’t know how long he had cried and stared longingly at the direction he came from. He had only snapped out of his trance when he felt that the boat stopped. By then the tears had already dried from his eyes.
Shen Yuan wobbled as he got off the boat and miserably fell down on the ground.
For the first time, Shen Yuan was truly alone in this world. He was scared and he couldn’t stop himself from trembling. His body had long been paralyzed from fear. Afraid that his brother had been killed. No matter what knowledge he had from the previous life he was still helpless.
He ended up in another village or town by the river, he didn’t know where, but it was fairly crowded with people rushing to pack up and preparing to go back to their homes with the setting sun. A lot of people had passed by Shen Yuan lying on the ground but none of them even bothered with him.
Shen Yuan could only let a hoarse laugh in disdain.
This world was too cruel.
He was reborn in this world with a strong body, unlike his previous life he had the freedom to be able to walk and run without worries, yet he was still weak and powerless.
He hates it, he hates this world!
He hated his parents for not loving them, their siblings who looked down on them.
He hated those who had taken advantage of them.
Hate those men who hurt them and separated him from his brother.
Shen Yuan hated and cursed everything.
He wanted to vent out this anger.
Shen Yuan suddenly felt a sharp pain on his side as if someone had kicked him and then there was a person who gasped on top of him “Woah!” followed by a loud thud on the ground with the sound of various books falling.
The two of them groaned in pain, it was already dark which was why Shen Yuan couldn’t see clearly who that person is, the most remarkable thing about that man was the red mark on his head.
“What the hell is a kid doing out here at this hour!?” the man grumbled.