In Riverside Village, nestled at the base of Verdant Mist Mountain, dozens of villagers were laboring in the fields. It was a time of spring warmth and blooming flowers—the season for planting.
"Thud, thud thud…" Beneath the blazing sun, a young man swung his hoe, tending to a vast stretch of farmland alone. Sweat dripped down his youthful, unpolished face.
"Brother Evan!" A clear voice rang out from the distance.
The young man looked up and saw a girl with two braided pigtails running toward him, clutching a bowl of water. A sweet smile spread across her face. She wasn't especially beautiful—years of toil had roughened her skin and darkened her complexion—but her large, star-like eyes sparkled with life.
Reaching his side, she held out the water. "Brother Evan, you must be tired. Drink some water first."
"Thank you," he said, taking the bowl. Yet he didn't drink, instead gazing intently at his reflection in the water.
It was a fairly handsome face—slightly gaunt, with fair skin and a strikingly elegant nose. A nose, after all, is the most crucial feature; if it's attractive, the whole face rarely falls short. And this young man possessed such a captivating nose.
"I wonder if saving that person was the right choice or a mistake," he mused, staring at his reflection. Evan Reed slipped into deep thought.
He had once been an normal person on Earth, working in the organization. His father was a physician with his mother was a teacher in the Collage. Two years ago, he'd been stabbed while heroically saving a stranger—a woman he didn't know. That was when Evan Reed found himself in this new body.
Upon arriving, he discovered he was an orphan. The initial confusion and disorientation were soon eclipsed by the despair and agony of losing his parents. After a period of care from the villagers, Evan gradually adjusted to his new life and began working hard to fend for himself.
Two years had passed in the blink of an eye. He'd been in this world for so long already. How were his parents back on Earth faring now?
"Brother Evan, drink!" The girl's bright eyes blinked as she stared at his handsome face, urging him on.
"Oh." Snapped out of his reverie, Evan downed the slightly murky water in one gulp.
The girl beamed with delight as he drank. Glancing at the fields around them, she said, "Brother Evan, you can't manage all this alone. Let me help you."
She was about to start when Evan stopped her. "No need, Yaya. This acre is already half done. I'll finish it in two more days."
"But what about the three acres at the east end of the village? You can't handle it all by yourself."
"I've sold them," Evan replied calmly.
"Sold?" Yaya's eyes widened in shock. "You sold all your family's land? What will you do in the future?"
Evan didn't respond. Instead, a middle-aged man approached, patting Yaya's head affectionately. "Silly girl, haven't you noticed? Evan's heart isn't here. He wants to leave!"
Leave?
Yaya stared at Evan, reluctance clouding her eyes. "You… you're going to leave Riverside Village?"
In the Qixia Realm, a twelve-year-old girl was no longer considered young; marrying in a couple of years was perfectly normal. Though an orphan, Evan was remarkably sensible—his adult soul housed in a youthful body—and his striking looks made it unsurprising that the girl adored him.
Evan nodded. "Uncle Li's right. Next year, I'll sell the last two acres and leave this place."
"To do what?" Her voice trembled.
"To see the world beyond," Evan answered.
"What's so great about the outside world?" Yaya couldn't fathom his reasoning.
Uncle Li sighed. "Think it through, Evan. The world out there is harsh. Riverside Village may be poor, but it's peaceful. Leave, and life might not treat you kindly. The money from the land won't last long."
"I know, Uncle Li," Evan said evenly. "I've got hands and feet—I'll manage. Besides, I've still got a year, haven't I?"
Seeing his resolve, Uncle Li sighed again and fell silent.
Just then, a blinding light erupted in the distance, flaring like the rising sun and forcing everyone to squint. As it faded, a deafening rumble of thunder followed, shaking the earth. Yaya's face paled, and she stumbled, falling to the ground.
Everyone looked up. The distant sky had transformed—dark clouds churned, golden rays danced wildly, exuding an awe-inspiring presence. Amid the sea of clouds, two figures darted through the heavens, surrounded by swirling mists that rippled with earth-shaking force.
One glowed with golden light, like a god descended from above. The other, clad in flowing white, wielded a sword that unleashed cloud-like bursts of energy. Wherever the sword struck, countless trees on Verdant Mist Mountain snapped and tumbled.
"Lorian Vale, you can't escape! Even now, you refuse to yield!" The golden-armored figure thrust a massive hand toward the white-robed man, undeterred by the slashing sword light. Lorian Vale dodged with lightning speed, and the giant handprint crashed down, pulverizing a boulder atop Verdant Mist Mountain into dust. The entire peak quaked.
"Immortals? Are immortals fighting?" The villagers of Riverside Village gaped in terror. Some flung down their tools and bolted for nearby cellars.
When immortals clash, mortals suffer. For the people of Xia Realm, dodging the fallout of such battles was a survival instinct. Though Riverside Village was remote and spiritually barren, rarely visited by immortals, the villagers had still dug shelters for protection.
As the villagers fled to their cellars, Evan alone gazed at the distant immortals, his eyes blazing with fervor.
He whispered, "Immortals… so that's what they are?"
Since arriving in this world, he'd known cultivators existed, yet he'd never seen one. Tales of immortals had been mere legends, figments of his imagination. He'd yearned for them, but not enough to chase them relentlessly—until now.
Today, he saw them. High above the clouds, the two immortals wielded unimaginable power with every move. Their clash reduced the land to rubble, the ground trembling like an earthquake.
Is this the might of immortals?
Evan hadn't expected his first glimpse of immortals to be so breathtaking. In that instant, a fierce resolve ignited within him:
I want to cultivate immortality!
No reason was needed—none at all!
The sheer elegance of the immortals parting the clouds was enough to stir endless longing.
With that single glance, Evan vowed to pursue immortality, no matter the cost.
"Yes, this is why I came to this world!" he murmured.
Why cultivate? What kind of immortality? What even was cultivation?
He didn't care to ponder these questions.
None of it mattered.
Immortals were immortals—if they existed, he would seek them!
He strode toward the distant sky where the two figures battled.
"Evan, come back!" Uncle Li shouted, seeing his intent.
Evan called back, "Hide yourselves first! I'm going to check it out—maybe I'll find a chance to join an immortal sect!"
"That's impossible!" Uncle Li yelled. "Immortal sects are hard to enter, Evan—don't be reckless!"
Evan smiled.
He knew full well how daunting it was to join an immortal sect. The pursuit of power was a primal human drive—he wanted to cultivate, but who didn't? With everyone in the world craving immortality, the bar was impossibly high. It was like the civil service exams from his past life, only magnified beyond measure—a thousand armies crossing a single plank.
But that was exactly why he had to chase it!
Life spanned a mere century—how could he let it pass in mediocrity?
Reborn by fortune, he ought to strive boldly, seizing this gift from the heavens. Otherwise, how could he honor this second life?
The path to immortality might be grueling or perilous, but it was merely a flourish on life's journey—a vista to savor and embrace.
Turning to Uncle Li, he said, "I know—which is why I have to seize this chance!"
With that, he dashed toward the peak of Verdant Mist Mountain.
"No, stop—you'll die!" Uncle Li and Yaya cried out together.
The power of warring immortals was staggering. A mortal drawing near risked being shredded by the shockwaves. Charging in was tantamount to suicide.
Other villagers noticed Evan racing toward the battle and grasped his aim. They shouted, "Evan, don't be foolish! Even if you reach them, they won't take you!"
Evan only smiled faintly. "I know… but some things, if you try, might fail. If you don't, you'll never have a shot!"
With that, he bowed his head against the swirling clouds and surging energy, charging toward the place where his dreams awaited!