The stream babbled, reflecting the sky, clouds, and the figure of a young boy running along the bank.
"Brother! Look how fast I'm running!"
Chu An ran barefoot by the stream, his new legs strong and agile, splashing water with every step.
He chased a kingfisher, his face beaming with pure joy.
The kingfisher seemed to be playing with him, sometimes flying low over the water, sometimes perching on a reed to peck at its feathers.
By the reed bed, Chu Yue leaned against a bluestone, her slender fingers weaving a grass ring.
Her Rebirth right hand was incredibly nimble; the grass stems flew between her fingers, quickly forming a delicate ring.
She held the grass ring up to her eyes, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the blades, casting dappled light on her face.
"Second Brother, look, it's even better than the one I wove with my left hand."
Chu Yue said softly, her voice filled with unconcealed surprise.
Chu Yi leaned against a willow tree, his gaze shifting between his younger siblings.
Chu Yi watched this scene, the smile on his lips deepening; he understood this feeling all too well. When he experienced Rebirth after losing his finger, he was just as uncontrollably excited.
Without tasting the bitterness of loss, without experiencing the ecstasy of regaining what was lost, one can never truly empathize with the preciousness of surviving a catastrophe.
"Be careful, don't fall."
Chu Yi called out to Chu An, his voice carrying the unique concern of an older brother.
The shadow of the willow tree covered half of his face, with sunlight and shadow drawing a dividing line across it.
His smile gradually receded, and Chu Yi's eyes deepened.
To long-term protect such beauty, mere heartfelt expectations are far from enough; one must also possess sufficient strength.
Past memories surged like a tide.
The days of begging on the streets, the nights of being chased away with sticks, the scenes of fighting for a piece of moldy bun... every moment was as clear as if it were yesterday.
"Big Brother?"
Chu Yue had unknowingly walked up to him, holding the newly woven grass ring in her hand, "For you."
Chu Yi came back to his senses, took the grass ring, and placed it on his head.
The fresh scent of grass entered his nostrils, carrying the unique aroma of life.
He ruffled his sister's hair and noticed she was looking at him with worried eyes.
"I'm fine."
Chu Yi said softly, "Just thinking about some things."
Chu An also ran over, sitting down beside them, panting.
The shadows of the three of them stretched long in the morning light, overlapping.
"Big Brother, from now on..."
Chu An hesitated, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Chu Yi knew what he wanted to ask.
After Awakening their Aptitude, they finally had the possibility of changing their destiny.
But this world was far more complex than they imagined.
"First, let me clarify some things."
Chu Yi said, closing his eyes and silently asking in his mind: "How many yi points does it cost to understand the complete information of my current world?"
A line of faintly glowing text appeared before his eyes: 【30 yi points】
"So much?"
Chu Yi couldn't help but gasp; this price was much higher than he expected.
Previously, limb Rebirth only cost 6 yi points, and now merely obtaining information would cost almost six times that amount.
He looked at his yi points balance 【1004】 and began to weigh the pros and cons.
Obtaining world information would cost 30 yi points, which was indeed not a small sum, but to better acquire yi points and formulate a reasonable plan in the future, this information was indispensable now.
"What's wrong?"
Chu Yue keenly noticed her brother's abnormality.
Chu Yi opened his eyes: "Nothing, just making a decision."
After much hesitation, Chu Yi gritted his teeth and silently thought: "Obtain information about this world."
【-30 yi points】
【Remaining yi points: 974】
In an instant, Chu Yi felt as if his brain had been struck by a heavy hammer.
A massive amount of information surged in like a breached flood, countless images, texts, and sounds exploding in his consciousness.
He saw vast lands, towering mountains, and bustling cities;
He heard the clashing of weapons and the cries of battle on the battlefield, the morning bells and evening drums in ancient mountain temples;
He felt the flow of True Qi within a Martial Artist's body, and the operation trajectories of various Cultivation Techniques...
"Big Brother!"
Chu An and Chu Yue's panicked voices seemed to come from a great distance.
Chu Yi held his head in his hands, his temples throbbing, and cold sweat soaked his clothes.
His body trembled uncontrollably, and his teeth chattered.
After an unknown amount of time, this storm of information finally subsided.
Chu Yi slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground, his younger siblings anxiously watching over him.
Tears welled in Chu Yue's eyes, and Chu An tightly clutched his sleeve.
"I'm fine."
Chu Yi forced a smile, his voice hoarse and unlike his own.
He had been too careless, thinking it was just receiving some information, completely unprepared for the content to nearly burst his head.
The brain capacity of ordinary people was truly limited, and trying to fully accept all of this was indeed a bit strenuous.
He propped himself up, leaning back against the willow trunk, "Give me some time."
In his mind, the newly acquired knowledge was gradually being sorted into shape.
This world was even vaster and more complex than he had imagined.
The Wu Dynasty's Thirteen Provinces — Qing Province, Hongru Province, Ji Province, Central Province, Yun Province, Lei Province, Xu Province, Yang Province, Bing Province, Liang Province, Jiao Province, You Province, and Yi Province.
Ping An County, where they were located, was merely a small county town on the border of Qing Province, and Qing Province itself was only a mid-to-lower-tier existence among the Thirteen Provinces.
To the north lay vast grasslands, where nomadic tribes lived by following water and pasture.
These horse-riding people were skilled archers and horsemen, and every autumn when the horses were fat and strong, they would raid the south.
To the south was the mysterious Ten Thousand Mountains, said to be inhabited by ancient clans and various fierce Yao Beasts.
To the west was a chaotic land of warring states, where conflicts raged year after year.
Further west was the Endless Sea, with scattered islands inhabited by reclusive communities.
But what concerned Chu Yi the most was the Martial Dao system of this world.
The First Realm: 【(Martial Dao Foundation Establishment)】: Six minor Realms: Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Tendon Refining, Bone Refining, Marrow Refining, and Blood Exchange.
After completing Mortal Body Cultivation, one can enter the Second Realm of Martial Dao: 【Transcendent Great Realm】: Innate, Qi Sea, Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, up to the legendary True Martial Realm.】
【Each Great Realm is further divided into: Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Great Perfection, 4 minor Realms.】
"True Martial Realm..." Chu Yi murmured.
That was an existence at the Peak of Martial Dao, with only a handful of such individuals in the entire Wu Dynasty.
They either lived in seclusion in deep mountains or held sway over a region, each a giant capable of influencing the world's pattern.
Across the vast lands of the Wu Dynasty, six major forces carved out territories, balancing each other and collectively forming the magnificent and tumultuous landscape of the Jianghu.
Undoubtedly, the Wu Dynasty's Imperial Family had the deepest foundation and the strongest power, controlling an immense empire and deterring all quarters.
The Imperial Family was based in the Central Province, overtly governing the Thirteen Provinces. Its accumulated foundation over thousands of years was unfathomable, with countless experts and talented individuals in its court.
Of course, the most powerful deterrent that allowed the court to suppress the Thirteen Provinces was its army.
A military formation composed of tens of thousands of Martial Artists possessed immense power, such that even True Martial Realm giants had to avoid its edge.
To deal with criminals, the court established the Jingwu Division, comprising accomplished Martial Dao experts who maintained order and peace in the Jianghu.
Dragon Tiger Mountain, as a Daoist Holy Land, was the ancestral court of Daoism, where countless Daoists devoted themselves to Cultivating Daoist arts.
It was proficient in many subjects such as health preservation, Yin and Yang, governance, and military strategy, making it the undisputed leader of Daoism and enjoying extremely high prestige in the Jianghu. In times of chaos, it often helped the world and saved people, earning deep respect and love from the common people.
Tianlong Temple, as the supreme sect of Buddhism in the world, gathered many eminent monks. Their Buddhist Cultivation was profound and unfathomable, and they were even more skilled in meditation and spiritual practice, with their body tempering techniques being unparalleled in the world.
Upholding the philosophy of compassion, they propagated Buddhism and saved all sentient beings in the Jianghu.
Incense smoke curled in the temple, Buddhist chants echoed, and eminent monks meditated and enlightened the Dao, resolving the suffering of the world with compassionate hearts.
The Limitless Sword Sect was a group of "madmen" who lived for the sword.
They poured all their efforts into the study and Cultivation of the Sword Dao, known throughout the world for their sharp sword techniques.
Every Disciple had an ultimate pursuit of swordsmanship; the sword in their hands was not just a weapon, but an indispensable part of their lives, a spiritual anchor for their Souls.
They constantly explored the world of the sword, pursuing the highest Realm of the Sword Dao.
The Burial Soul Demon Sect, as the supreme sect of the Demonic Path, acted strangely and mysteriously, making it unpredictable.
Its Disciples were skilled in bizarre and unfathomable Cultivation Techniques, behaving erratically and wantonly, without any discernible pattern, acting entirely on personal whim.
They stirred up countless waves in the Jianghu, striking fear into all who heard of them.
The Demon Sect's strongholds were hidden in the darkness, and its Cultivation Techniques were sinister and Weird, often clashing with Righteous Path forces.
Piaomiao Peak, the Martial Dao Holy Land in the hearts of all women, and also a fairyland that countless men dreamed of.
The sect only accepted female Disciples with both beauty and excellent Aptitude, each possessing an icy skin and jade bones, with an ethereal temperament.
Its unique «Jade Maiden Heart Sutra» emphasized using softness to overcome hardness, with Moves as ethereal as a Fairy, standing out in the Jianghu.
Although the sect rules strictly prohibited men from entering, every year countless Jianghu talents still lingered at the foot of the Peak, just to chance upon a Piaomiao Fairy descending the mountain for experience.
Of course, in addition to these six major forces, there were also first-tier, second-tier, and countless third-tier and unranked forces, like stars in the sky.
These forces were distributed in every corner of the Jianghu, collectively forming this rich, colorful, and complex Jianghu world.
Chu Yi silently committed this information to memory. He understood that from now on, the fate of him and his two siblings would be closely intertwined with this complex and exciting world.
Chu Yi slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
This information was truly too shocking, making it difficult for him to digest it all at once.
He and his two siblings were merely beggars on the border of Qing Province, as insignificant as ants compared to these colossal entities.
But thinking of his Heaven-Defying Aptitude, the corners of Chu Yi's mouth curved slightly upward, forming a faint arc, and his face showed an unprecedented brilliance and sharpness…