The moon shone like a silver plate, dotted with countless stars. At the summit of the cliff, Xiao Yan lay lazily on the grass, a sprig of green grass tucked between his teeth, gently chewing as the subtle bitterness spread throughout his mouth. He raised a somewhat pale hand, shielding his face, his gaze passing through the gaps between his fingers, fixed on the vast, luminous silver moon in the sky. "Ah..." recalling the test in the afternoon, he sighed softly, then lazily withdrew his hand, resting both hands on his head, his eyes slightly blurred. "Fifteen years..." a quiet, flowing murmur suddenly spilled forth from the young man's lips, seemingly without end. In Xiao Yan's heart, there lies a secret known only to himself: he is not from this world, or rather, his soul does not belong to this world. He hails from a blue planet named Earth. As for how he ended up here—this extraordinary journey—he cannot explain it at first. Yet, after living here for some time, he gradually came to realize: he had crossed over! As he grew older, his understanding of this continent became somewhat clearer... The continent is known as the Qi Continent. Unlike the typical magic systems found in novels, this world features no distinct magical schools. Instead, Qi is the sole dominant force throughout the land! On this continent, the cultivation of Qi has, through the relentless efforts of countless generations, reached its peak. Furthermore, as Qi continues to evolve and proliferate, it has even spread deeply into everyday life among common people. Consequently, Qi has become inextricably intertwined with human daily existence, making its importance on the continent utterly irreplaceable. On the Qi Continent, the strength of a combatant is determined by three factors. First and foremost, one's own power. If a person's inherent strength is merely that of a one-star Qi User, then even if they have mastered a rare, high-tier celestial-level cultivation technique, they will still struggle to defeat a Qi Master who practices a yellow-tier technique. Second, the cultivation technique itself. Among combatants of the same level, if one's technique is significantly superior in rank to their opponent's, their advantages will become immediately apparent during a contest. Third, Qi Techniques—known as "Qi Skills." By name, these are special abilities that harness and manifest Qi. On the Continent, Qi Techniques also have a hierarchical classification, generally divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Azure, and Yellow. There are countless Qi Techniques on the Continent, yet most of the widely known and commonly practiced ones are at the yellow-tier level. To attain more advanced Qi Techniques, one must join a sect or enroll in a Qi Academy on the Continent. Of course, certain techniques derived from ancestral legacies through fortunate circumstances, or those accompanied by their own specialized combat skills, when combined, exhibit a notably enhanced power. Only under these three conditions can one truly determine which is superior. In general, possessing a higher-tier qi cultivation technique offers undeniable long-term advantages. However, it is rarely accessible for ordinary individuals. The cultivation techniques commonly passed down among the general populace are typically yellow-tier. Some more powerful families or mid-sized sects may possess techniques of the purple-tier. For instance, the family where Xiao Yan belongs boasts a top-tier technique—Kang Li Nu Gang—which is a wind-based technique of mid-purple tier and is accessible only to the family's patriarch. On the platform of the Earth Stage lies the Foundation Stage—yet such profound techniques may only be accessible to those transcendent powers and great empires. As for the Heavenly Stage... it has not appeared for several centuries. Theoretically, ordinary individuals find it exceedingly difficult to obtain advanced techniques. Yet, there are no absolutes. The continent of Qi is vast, home to countless ethnic groups. In the north, there are fierce, powerful tribes renowned for their immense strength, capable of merging with beast souls. In the south, there are various high-intelligence, elite beast clans. There are also the renowned dark races, famed for their enigmatic and ruthless nature. Due to the continent's vastness, many unnamed, obscure masters remain unknown. When these solitary individuals reach the end of their lives, they often quietly conceal the techniques they have created in some hidden place, awaiting a fortunate successor. On the Qi Continent, there is a well-known saying: If one one day falls from a cliff into a cave, do not be alarmed—just take a few steps forward. Perhaps, then, one will become a true strong one. This statement is not false. Over the past thousand years in the continent, countless tales have emerged of individuals rising to strength through sheer fortune and chance. The consequence of such stories has been the creation of a large number of dreamers who each day wait at the edge of cliffs, ready to leap and seek the world's most extraordinary techniques—though most of them return with arms and legs amputated. In short, this is a continent brimming with miracles, and one that continually creates them! Of course, to begin practicing the Qi Scripture, one must first become a true combatant—something that, at present, appears quite distant for Xiao Yan, who still stands at that distance. "Hey!" Spitting out a piece of grass, Xiao Yan suddenly leapt to his feet, his face contorted with rage, and shouted wildly into the night sky, "For heaven's sake, are you treating me like a piece of spare luggage? Seriously, what's the point?" In his previous life, Xiao Yan was merely an ordinary man among the common folk—money and beauty were lines parallel to his life, never intersecting. Yet, upon arriving on this Qi Continent, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that, thanks to his experiences across two lifetimes, his soul was significantly stronger than that of ordinary people. After all, on this Qi Continent, the soul is innate; it may grow slightly stronger with age, but no cultivation technique—no matter how exceptional—can specifically train or enhance the soul alone. This is simply common knowledge on the Continent. Xiao Yan’s enhanced soul not only granted him exceptional cultivation potential, but also earned him the reputation of a prodigy. When an ordinary, unremarkable person learns that he possesses the potential to become the focus of countless others' admiration, he often lacks the inner resolve to hold fast to his true self. Clearly, Xiao Yan, who was merely an ordinary person in his previous life, did not possess such extraordinary composure. Thus, upon beginning his cultivation of Battle Qi, he chose the path of becoming a celebrated prodigy rather than growing steadily and quietly. Had no unforeseen events occurred, Xiao Yan might indeed have maintained his status as a prodigy throughout his life. Unfortunately, at the age of eleven, his reputation as a prodigy was gradually eroded by sudden, unexpected circumstances—within a single night, the prodigy had become a laughingstock, ridiculed by the very people who once admired him! Shaking his head with a bitter sigh, Xiao Yan felt somewhat wounded. Though he had no idea what exactly had happened to his body, routine examinations had never revealed any abnormalities. His spirit had grown stronger with each passing year, and his ability to absorb Qi had even surpassed his peak performance just a few years ago. All these signs indicated that his innate talent had never waned. Yet, the Qi entering his body vanished without a trace—each instance was equally mysterious. This strange phenomenon left Xiao Yan deeply saddened. Though the cultivation of the Du Qi only has three stages, Xiao Yan's spiritual perception is far more acute than that of a five-star Du Qi cultivator. Even when he first mentioned his mother, he had already sensed a subtle movement within the forest. Staring at the middle-aged man, Xiao Yan's smile grew even warmer. Though he carried memories from his past life, since birth, this man had shown him boundless affection—never waning, in fact, even after Xiao Yan had fallen on hard times. Such devotion had made Xiao Yan willingly call him "father." "Yan-er, still thinking about the afternoon exam, aren't you?" Xiao Zhan stepped forward and smiled. "Hmm, what else could there be? It was exactly as expected," Xiao Yan shook his head with a composed demeanor, though his smile remained somewhat strained. "Ah..." gazing at the still youthful, refined features of his son, Xiao Zhan sighed, paused in silence, and then suddenly said, "Yan-er, you're fifteen, aren't you?" "Yes, Father." "In another year, it seems... the coming-of-age ceremony should take place," Xiao Zhan remarked with a wry smile. "Yes, Father. Just one year away!" "Gently tightening his grip, Xiao Yan calmly replied. He was very clear about what the coming-of-age ceremony meant—once it was completed, if he lacked the potential for cultivation, his qualification to enter the Qi Pavilion in search of Qi techniques would be revoked, and he would be assigned to manage various ordinary affairs across the family's estates. This was a strict family rule, and no matter how powerful his father was—as the clan's head—the rule would remain unshakable. Indeed, if he hadn't become a Qi User by the age of twenty-five, the family would simply not recognize him. "Xiao Yan smiled and comforted his father. "One year, four stages? Hah, back then, that might have been possible. But now... basically, no chance at all..." Though he spoke words of comfort to his father, Xiao Yan's heart was filled with self-mockery. Xiao Zhan, equally well aware of Xiao Yan's capabilities, only sighed and nodded in agreement. He knew how difficult it was to advance four stages of combat energy within a year. Gently patting Xiao Yan's head, he suddenly chuckled, "It's getting late. Go rest now. Tomorrow, there will be a distinguished guest at the family. Don't let your manners slip." "A distinguished guest? Who exactly?" Xiao Yan asked curiously. "Tomorrow we'll find out," Xiao Zhan said, winking at him, then laughed and departed, leaving Xiao Yan with a sense of resignation. "Don't worry, Father. I'll do my best!" Touching the ancient ring on his finger, Xiao Yan looked up and murmured softly.