Chapter 1: The Golden Scale’s Emergent Soul

It was the ninth month, and a faint chill of autumn was in the air.

At dawn, as night gave way to day, Datian Town lay sleeping in a thick fog. Save for a few diligent hunters heading up the mountain and the occasional crowing of a rooster or the barking of a dog, nothing disturbed the town’s slumber; the sounds were quickly swallowed by the silence.

Living by the mountain, the people of Datian Town relied on it for their survival. Although the town’s name carried the beautiful wish for fertile fields, the scarcity of arable land and its poor quality had forced generations of its inhabitants to become hunters.

After the third crow of the rooster, the sky began to brighten, and figures gradually appeared on the streets. From time to time, shouts of “Ha! Ha!” from martial practice echoed through the town.

Most of these voices were still tinged with the immaturity of youth. They were the young boys of the town, training diligently with gritted teeth, all sharing the goal of surpassing Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang.

In the hearts of Datian Town’s youth, besides overtaking Qin Haoxuan and Zhang Kuang, there was another dream-like aspiration: to be chosen as a disciple by the immortals on Small Islet Mountain. They dreamed of learning the skills to soar through the skies. Failing that, they hoped to at least become outstanding hunters.

Meanwhile, in a rather impressive courtyard at the west end of town, the very person they aimed to surpass, Qin Haoxuan, was still sound asleep.

Among the children of Datian Town, Qin Haoxuan’s skills were the most outstanding. Despite his habit of sleeping until the sun was high in the sky, he was unrivaled among his peers. Not only did he possess superb hunting techniques, but he would also occasionally produce rare medicinal herbs to sell at the town’s pharmacy, earning a good sum of money to support his family. He was not only admired and envied by his peers but also praised by the adults, who often admitted their own inferiority.

No one noticed a small, multi-colored snake slithering quietly into Qin Haoxuan’s room. With practiced ease, it glided onto his bed and came to a stop by his pillow, remaining perfectly still.

The snake was about half a foot long, its skin a vibrant, multi-colored pattern with countless tiny, scale-like bumps that felt rough to the touch. Its head was not the typical tapered shape of a snake but was somewhat square, giving it an extremely odd appearance.

“Ugh…” Qin Haoxuan rubbed his eyes and sat up. Seeing the motionless, colorful snake by his bed, he showed no surprise. Instead, he calmly reached out and took a yellow object from the snake’s mouth. It was about the size of a small fingernail and emitted a faint, clear fragrance. He then tucked the still snake into his robes.

This small yellow object was a piece of precious Yellow Essence. Though it looked like a simple yellow pebble, its smooth texture and the refreshing, heart-lifting fragrance it exuded marked it as something extraordinary. It was no wonder Old Chen at the pharmacy had been talking about it for years; it would surely fetch a good price.

Qin Haoxuan reached into his robes and gently touched the cool snake, his thoughts drifting back to the events of a few years ago.

His ancestors had once included government officials. After they moved the family to Datian Town, they established a rule for their descendants: they must study, but they must not become officials. Now, his father earned little from farming, while his mother took in laundry to help make ends meet.

Having studied since he was young, Qin Haoxuan understood from his books that the purpose of study was to understand principles, not to seek fame and official rank. Being more mature than his peers, he began hunting with the adults at the age of 8. Through constant danger and struggle, he honed his skills. Dissatisfied with the adults taking the largest share of the hunt, he started hunting alone at the age of 10.

Though he often encountered danger, Qin Haoxuan always managed to escape unscathed. The only time he had ever been harmed was at the age of 12, when he was bitten by a strange little snake. That single bite changed his life completely.

It was a summer morning. After four consecutive days of heavy rain, the mountain paths were muddy and treacherous, and a miasma had begun to form. With no food left in the house, Qin Haoxuan had no choice but to head up the mountain at the crack of dawn to search for prey.

However, the game in the nearby mountain regions had long been hunted to scarcity. After wandering for a whole morning without success, just as he was about to give up, a roe deer darted past. Without a second thought, Qin Haoxuan gave chase.

The deer was extremely cunning, weaving through the thickets. Qin Haoxuan loosed several arrows, but all missed their mark. Worse, it was luring him deeper into Small Islet Mountain.

The people of Datian Town had hunted for generations, but they always stayed on the mountain’s periphery. Even now, with game becoming scarcer, no one dared to venture deep into Small Islet Mountain. Some bold hunters who had tried were never seen again.

Legend had it that Small Islet Mountain was home not only to immortals but also to many ferocious demons and monsters.

Qin Haoxuan was skeptical about the legends, but he knew for certain that the deep mountains were filled with miasma and countless fierce beasts. He had never dared to hunt so deep, but now, if he returned empty-handed, his parents and he would go hungry.

Gritting his teeth, Qin Haoxuan pressed on. After a long chase, he finally shot and killed the cunning deer. By then, he was deep within Small Islet Mountain, in an area untouched by human feet. Towering, ancient trees blotted out the sun, and dense shrubs grew everywhere. The damp ground was covered with thick layers of decaying leaves. He could only guess the direction of Datian Town and had to rely on memory to find his way back.

After wandering lost for a long time, Qin Haoxuan didn’t find the way home but instead stumbled into a small valley.

Compared to the towering ancient trees outside, this valley was filled only with red flowers and green grass. It was a serene and beautiful place, fragrant with the scent of flowers and alive with the chirping of birds.

In his spare time, Qin Haoxuan had learned to identify medicinal herbs from Old Chen at the pharmacy. He recognized at a glance that many valuable herbs grew here. If he could bring some back to sell, it would be enough to buy a month’s worth of grain, and his mother wouldn’t have to work so hard.

Without hesitation, Qin Haoxuan forgot he was in the perilous depths of Small Islet Mountain and began eagerly gathering herbs.

As he was happily harvesting, a small, multi-colored snake suddenly darted out from the grass and bit him on the web of his right hand.

The world spun around him, and with a thud, Qin Haoxuan fell to the ground, unconscious.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but when he awoke, believing he was dead, he was shocked to find that the once-small blades of grass now towered over him like ancient trees. The small valley now seemed immensely vast.

He tried to move and found his body was more agile than ever, weaving through the tree-like grass.

*Wait, why am I not walking? Why am I slithering on the ground?*

By a clear pool of water, Qin Haoxuan saw his reflection. It was not his familiar human form but a colorful snake. Not far away, his own body lay sprawled in the grass, without a heartbeat or breath.

*Could it be that I died? And my soul has possessed the snake that bit me?*

A terrifying thought flashed through his mind. He quickly slithered over to his body and imagined his soul transferring back.

Suddenly, he felt a powerful suction from his “corpse.” A wave of dizziness washed over him as his soul was pulled away. A moment later, he opened his eyes again. He was back in his human body, and the strange snake his soul had inhabited lay motionless on the ground.

With another thought, a powerful force pulled his soul back into the snake.

After switching back and forth several times, Qin Haoxuan finally confirmed that his soul could travel freely between his own body and that of the snake. Overjoyed, he beamed with delight.

By now, night had fallen, and the poisonous miasma of Small Islet Mountain began to spread. Inhaling it would be fatal for a human, but the little snake had lived here for a long time and was likely immune.

With a thought, Qin Haoxuan’s soul entered the snake. As expected, the rising miasma in the valley had no effect on him.

As he moved, he discovered another wonderful ability: the snake’s body left a special scent wherever it went. No matter how far he traveled, he could follow this scent back the way he came. This meant he could find his way home.

On the way back, Qin Haoxuan discovered even more advantages of the snake’s body. It was immune to all poisons, exceptionally sensitive to spiritual herbs and rare plants, and even beasts like leopards and wolves would turn and flee at the sight of it.

From then on, Qin Haoxuan often possessed the snake at night, venturing deep into Small Islet Mountain to find rare medicinal herbs. He would sell them to Old Chen for far more money than he could ever make from hunting. His family’s life improved day by day, and he became a model for all the youths in Datian Town.

But this miraculous ability had a side effect: after every soul possession, he would be completely exhausted the next day, listless and overwhelmed with the desire to sleep.

After changing his clothes, Qin Haoxuan left the house with the Yellow Essence. With dark circles under his eyes, he looked utterly exhausted as he listlessly greeted the acquaintances he met on the street.

On his way to the pharmacy, a cry of pain reached his ears.

“Aiyah… Boss Zhang, I really don’t have any money! Please, spare me… Aiyah…”

Several boys were viciously kicking two others who were rolling on the ground. A youth dressed in fine clothes watched with an air of detached amusement, clearly enjoying the screams and occasionally letting out a cold laugh. He was Zhang Kuang, the only one whose reputation rivaled Qin Haoxuan’s.

Many other boys stood by, watching. Some looked angry, some sympathetic, and some were filled with righteous indignation, but none dared to speak up in front of the well-dressed youth.

“All of you, take a good look! This is what happens when you don’t pay your **protection money** on time!” a follower of Zhang Kuang shouted triumphantly, planting his foot on the face of one of the boys on the ground.

At that moment, another boy could no longer bear it and cursed loudly, “You robber! Zhang Kuang, you’re a robber, and you’ll get what you deserve!”

Zhang Kuang, who had been standing aside, his face twisted into a ferocious scowl. He strode forward, raising his foot to kick the boy in the mouth. It was clear that if the kick landed, the boy would lose most of his teeth.

“Hey Zhang, are you pretending I’m not here?” Qin Haoxuan said, not even bothering to lift his gaze as he passed by. “If you dare kick him, I’ll tie you up and throw you into Small Islet Mountain to feed the wolves.”

Among the youths of Datian Town, Qin Haoxuan was an anomaly. Having shouldered his family’s burdens since he was 8, he rarely associated with his peers. As a result, Zhang Kuang, whose fame was equal to his, naturally became the leader of the town’s children.

Zhang Kuang’s father was the best hunter in Datian Town, and Zhang Kuang himself was exceptionally talented. At the age of 12, he had killed two wolves with his bare hands, a remarkable achievement for his age.

Yet, this formidable character, who could rule over the other children, was terrified of Qin Haoxuan. The previous year, Qin Haoxuan had beaten him so severely that he had suffered four broken ribs and was bedridden for three months. Since then, he had never dared to cross him again.

Qin Haoxuan’s voice was like an invisible shackle, forcing Zhang Kuang to stop his kick mid-air. He looked at Qin Haoxuan, his heart burning with the desire to tear him to shreds, but on the surface, he dared not show a trace of his hatred.

He knew Qin Haoxuan meant what he said. If his foot landed, Qin Haoxuan would absolutely tie him up and leave him for the wolves.

Filled with venomous resentment, Zhang Kuang’s expression shifted, though a frosty edge remained in his tone. “Qin, these two broke my rules. They have to be taught a lesson, don’t they?”

Qin Haoxuan sneered inwardly. *Since when did extortion become a ‘rule’?* He couldn’t be bothered to argue with Zhang Kuang and simply spat out a single word: “Scram.”

Zhang Kuang’s face turned ugly, but he knew that confronting him now would only lead to his own suffering. Cursing Qin Haoxuan a thousand times in his heart, he couldn’t understand him. A person who had grown up reading books should understand the concepts of profit and loss. If they joined forces, they could do whatever they wanted in this town. Why did Qin Haoxuan have to oppose him at every turn?

Seeing Zhang Kuang’s sour expression, Qin Haoxuan knew what he was thinking and sighed to himself. *Qin Haoxuan, oh Qin Haoxuan, you’ve studied since you were a child to understand principles. You should know what’s good for you and stay away from villains like him. Why can’t you help but interfere in these matters?*

Thinking this, Qin Haoxuan gave a wry smile. Though his studies had taught him principles, they had also instilled in him the stubbornness of a scholar. He knew that sometimes it was best to mind his own business and avoid trouble, but he just couldn’t ignore the principles of what was right.

One sharp-eyed boy noticed something in Qin Haoxuan’s clenched fist that emitted a faint, clear fragrance. “Ooh… that smells good! Brother Qin, what treasure did you find today? Are you heading to Old Chen’s pharmacy to sell it?”

“Nonsense! When has Brother Qin ever brought back anything that wasn’t a treasure?” another boy quickly chimed in with a fawning reply, which was immediately echoed by a chorus of agreement.

“Brother Qin, I heard that two outsiders bought up all the valuable herbs at Old Chen’s pharmacy today. They even said they’d pay a much higher price than Old Chen for any rare herbs!”

“Yeah, I heard that too! Brother Qin, you always have good stuff. If they’re interested, you could make a fortune!”

An idea sparked in Qin Haoxuan’s mind. Feeling his luck had turned, he made a cheerful promise. “We’ll see. If I get a good price, I’ll treat you all to drinks.”

Amid a chorus of cheers, Qin Haoxuan was escorted by the crowd of boys towards Chen’s pharmacy.

As Qin Haoxuan instantly became the center of attention, Zhang Kuang, now left with only a few loyal followers, gritted his teeth. “Soon, the immortals from the mountain will come to choose their disciples. I will be chosen, and then I’ll get my revenge!”

Author’s Note: I hold a Kunlun in my heart, home to countless immortals and buddhas. This is a Xianxia novel I’ve poured my heart into. Here, the sect is not just a stepping stone for the protagonist. I want to write a slightly different kind of Xianxia—one with a touch of immortal aura, with rules befitting cultivation, and with the unique style of Gao Lou Da Sha injected into it.
In this novel, I am writing with a relaxed pace. The protagonist is not the only one who grows.
In this novel, the sect the protagonist belongs to is a very three-dimensional entity. Please be patient as you read. There is not only ruthlessness here, but also warmth.
The supporting characters are no longer static archetypes. They will also grow and change in various ways—for better or for worse.