In the Eastern Wilderness, at the Ziyang Mansion…
Under the clear blue sky, the official road was bustling with the clatter of horses and carts. The convoy was enormous, with more than ten carriages speeding down the road, driven by eager horsemen cracking their whips.
A young man clad in silk garments lifted the carriage curtain, his pale face desperately gasping for a breath of fresh air.
“Cough…”
“Man, traveling in ancient times can be a real killer, cough.”
As he pulled back the curtain, a cloud of dust rushed in, making him cough a couple more times.
“Young Master, we still have two days of travel to reach the Qingyuan Sect,” the coachman chuckled nervously.
He added cautiously, “Our family’s horse-drawn carriage is quite comfortable for the road.”
“Fine.”
Li Mo replied, letting out a sigh in his heart.
Nothing beats the comfort of high-speed trains and airplanes!
Just two days ago, he had cracked the mystery of his past life and awakened those memories.
He had lived in a place called Blue Star, where advanced modern technology flourished.
Da Yu, however, was a whole different story.
This was a world where everyone revered martial arts, and power belonged to the individual.
He hadn’t even enjoyed enough of the leisurely life of an ancient noble family before his father shoved him onto a carriage, sending him off to the Qingyuan Sect—one of the three major sects of Ziyang Mansion—for entrance examinations.
“Martial arts, huh…”
Li Mo’s eyes sparkled with longing as he gazed at the three suns hanging high in the sky.
He had heard from other youths on the way to the Qingyuan Sect that in this world, even people as tall as his father were merely stubborn, bronze-level martial artists.
It was said that the three suns in the sky were the transformed essences of two Emperors of Da Yu.
This wasn’t just a myth; it was a historical fact with clear records.
An hour later…
As dusk fell, the convoy managed by a protection agency slowly came to a stop at the relay station.
Just as Li Mo jumped off the carriage, the curtain of the carriage behind him was flung open.
A girl dressed in indigo cloth appeared, her skin delicate like white porcelain under the moonlight.
In her delicate years, she was quickly approaching Li Mo’s height, despite the exhaustion and pain of days of travel that had blemished her stunning features with a hint of fragility. But she was still strikingly beautiful.
Though worn out and dressed plainly, her mere presence made one believe that her ethereal beauty was not just a mere description.
Li Mo’s mind conjured her name.
Ying Bing.
The Li and Ying families had been close friends since their grandfathers’ generation.
In their generation, the elders even intended to arrange a marriage between the younger generation to strengthen the bond.
“What would you like to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare something,” Li Mo casually suggested.
The girl ignored him completely, her mirror-like eyes not deigning to glance at him as she slipped past into the inn, leaving only a lingering fragrance behind.
“Miss Ying also recently suffered a family tragedy, so…”
“Don’t bother explaining. I was just too outrageous before.”
Li Mo sighed helplessly.
What a mess!
He switched to a new world, and somehow became a total brat.
He came from a well-off family and was spoiled by everyone, so he had done his fair share of mischief.
Like peeking at the maid while she bathed or hiding firecrackers in the woodpile…
A few years back, when the Disaster Beasts invaded the city, Ying Bing was the only survivor left from her family. His father had let her stay in the Li Mansion for a while.
He had bullied her intentionally a few times but secretly liked her.
It was sort of like a middle school kid liking a girl and then pulling her hair to get her attention…
“As we all know, the ones who have family tragedies to honor usually aren’t simple folks.”
Being a novel enthusiast in his past life, Li Mo couldn’t help but speculate.
“Chicken soup is here!”
The innkeeper cheerily arrived with a tray.
Li Mo’s mouth twitched, muttering:
“How come I’ve lived two lives but still don’t have a golden finger or anything…?”
“Hello, you do have one.”
“Who’s talking?!”
Li Mo jumped up like a cat with its tail stepped on.
“Young Master?” The coachman looked confused, wondering what was happening now.
“Nothing, I must have misheard.”
Li Mo frowned, and just as he began doubting his sanity…
The voice echoed in his mind again:
“Since the host sincerely asks, the system must appear.”
Li Mo: “…?”
So, if I didn’t ask, you wouldn’t show up in this lifetime?
Alright, that’s not the point.
“What’s the use of you, system?”
“The system is an investment return system.”
“You, host, can invest in any subject. The stronger the ‘Fate’ of the invested subject, the better the rewards.”
“If the investment subject achieves a significant breakthrough, you can also gain extra rewards.”
Li Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.
Any subject?
“So, can I invest in myself?”
“The system grants the host a Fate Divine Eye. Whether you possess investment value is for you to judge.”
So, it’s possible then.
As Li Mo contemplated, he suddenly felt something obscure occupying his mind. He couldn’t see or touch it, but it definitely existed.
He didn’t know the specific nature of this thing, but he discovered he could somehow use it.
However, the vague information was cryptic, neither sound nor text.
Fate Divine Eye?
Li Mo furrowed his brow; he couldn’t decipher it either.
In the next moment, a panel suddenly appeared before him, seemingly undergoing a user-friendly modification.
【Name: Li Mo】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: None.】
【Realm: Mortal.】
【Fate: Gray (Inherent deficiency, a tumultuous fate)】
【Evaluation: Naturally deficient, leading to weakness and fragility. Not suited for martial arts training. Aside from being somewhat handsome, having a good father, what else do you have? What’s the point?】
【Recent Encounter: Met the system.】
Li Mo: “…”
So real.
Much to my chagrin, there’s genuinely no investment value at all.
“There must be a few good prospects among those headed to the Qingyuan Sect from the county.”
Li Mo lost all appetite for food and lifted his head, his gaze darkening, looking at the other youths in the hall who were munching their meals.
【Name: He Yong】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: None.】
【Realm: Qi bl**d Stage (One Pulse).】
【Fate: White (Commonplace grass).】
【Evaluation: Just another ordinary person, barely noteworthy.】
【Recent Encounter: Grew up collecting firewood; currently brokering debts and stressing over repayment.】
……
【Name: Chen Qian Yan】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: None.】
…..
After scanning through a few, most had white Fate, and the best was only green.
Until Li Mo set his sights on a corner, where a hint of azure emerged.
【Name: Wang Hu】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: Tiger Arm, Leopard Waist.】
【Realm: Qi bl**d Stage (Three Pulses).】
【Fate: Blue (Some innate talent).】
【Evaluation: A bit of talent; with diligent practice, he might achieve great things in the future. However, he’s narrow-minded, vengeful, and arrogant, making him prone to deviant paths.】
【Recent Encounter: At an impasse in his fist technique, desperately needs sparring for a breakthrough.】
…..
In summary, there was nothing particularly worthy of investment.
The only seemingly decent one was Wang Hu, who also had a conflict with him.
At that moment…
“Guest, your chicken soup has been prepared with ten-year-old ginseng as you requested. I’ll take it to your room upstairs.”
The inn’s waiter greeted him and was about to head upstairs with the food.
“Wait.”
Li Mo suddenly felt inspired and called out to him, “I can take it myself.”
The waiter looked puzzled as Li Mo grabbed the food tray.
His gaze turned towards the room at the end of the second floor.
I wonder what her Fate would be like?
Knock knock—
After a moment, a faint voice called from inside:
“Come in.”
The girl sat quietly by the window, moonlight pouring in through the gauzy curtains onto her flowing black hair, illuminating her eyes with a dim glimmer.
As she recognized Li Mo, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
Li Mo, however, had no time to observe her expression; he was totally stunned where he stood.
Before him immediately appeared her information:
【Name: Ying Bing】
【Age: 16】
【Root Bone: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Body.】
【Realm: None.】
【Fate:…..】
At this point, the Fate Divine Eye showed signs of disturbance, as though it was overwhelmed by the weight of her Fate, resulting in a slight glitch.
After a few seconds, the subsequent information slowly appeared.
【Fate: Red (Inheritor of Imperial Bone, Xuanbing as fate, Qiushui as spirit, has the Phoenix Sky as a symbol.)】
【Evaluation: Fate entangles many tribulations, yet she always turns misfortune into blessings. At this moment, her feathers are yet to be fully formed. When the winds of change arise, she will surely soar in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and Phoenix will grace the Eight Wastelands.】
【Recent Encounter: Before the Taiyin Moon Phoenix Body opens its meridians, it externally presents as an absolute barren body, enduring extreme cold torture daily until she fully masters the Taiyin power.】
Li Mo: “?”
Oh, I see. No color at all, just straight-up extraordinary features.
According to the judgment of the Fate Divine Eye, the order of Fate from low to high was:
Black, Gray, White, Cyan, Blue, Purple, Gold.
Above gold, there was also red Fate.
Such a Fate wasn’t merely defined by color; it carried various anomalies.
The Founding Martial Emperor—who set the foundation for the human race in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, establishing the Da Yu Dynasty—was explicitly recorded in history as having a sky turn dark and the celestial stars shift at the time of his birth.
In hindsight, this was also the so-called anomaly of Fate.
Could it be that the bride yet to enter his home is a being who could rival the Founding Martial Emperor in the future?
Well, that’s a bit… shocking.
Little Li suddenly fell into deep thought, questioning the very essence of humanity.
“Uh… drink the chicken soup while it’s hot.”
Bang—
The door slammed shut.
“So it comes down to this day.”
“Rebirth, so this is what it means.”
Ying Bing picked up a piece of chicken and threw it out of the second-floor window into the backyard.
The guard dog devoured it quickly, and after a moment, there was no sign of anything unusual.
Just your average chicken soup?
It’s not like she held a grudge. Apart from her closest kin, all the distant loves and hates were mere memories long faded for her.
Yet, recalling how Li Mo often delighted in childish tricks to tease her brought a smile to her lips.
Why did he send chicken soup today?
“Ding dong—”
At that moment, a clear sound rang in her ears.
“Who?”
Ying Bing instantly narrowed her eyes.
That voice seemed to completely disregard her alertness and rang out again:
“System binding complete.”
“Victory makes you a king, defeat will have you eating dust… Are you ready?”
