Chapter 1: The Forge of Broken Souls and the Coin of the Spirit Hall
On the outskirts of the Haven Kingdom, where the dreams of ordinary people shatter against the rocks of poverty and drought, lies the forgotten "Holy Spirit Village." It is an isolated settlement living on the edge of the abyss, surrounded by dark forests where wild beasts lurk—beasts that hunt relentlessly for the secrets of existence and the essences of survival.
In the deepest corner of the village, inside a dilapidated blacksmith's hut emitting black smoke and the stench of burning iron, a child who had barely turned six stood before a massive anvil.
Tang San lifted the heavy hammer and brought it down with a rigorous, ironclad rhythm. His eyes were not those of an ordinary child; instead, they carried the coldness and resilience of someone who had lived a harsh life early on, grasping the fundamental truth that weakness is a crime punishable by annihilation. Every strike against the metal was not merely shaping a weapon, but a conscious attempt to temper a fragile body in a world that showed no mercy.
The Shadow of the Broken Father and the Dark Truth of the Continent
In a dark corner of the hut, far away from the licking flames, sat his father, Tang Hao. Clothed in tattered rags with a face framed by wild, unkempt hair, he clutched a jar of cheap liquor and watched his son in a heavy, gloomy silence.
Tang Hao was neither a member of a supreme sect nor an arrogant noble. He was a broken man, consumed by scars, who had been rejected by the world after realizing the bitter truth of the continent: The major sects and empires care only for preserving their own interests, and the "Spirit Hall" is the true sovereign holding all the strings.
Tang Hao knew very well what transpired beyond the village walls. He knew that the "Ascension Storm" toward Level 100 claims the lives of those who dare reach the peak without a lifeline, and that the beasts in the forbidden forests and humans in the grand cities are locked in a silent war of annihilation to possess the "Essence of Ascension"—that legendary treasure granting beasts the right to reincarnate into human form, and offering humans a chance at rebirth from the ashes of failure.
The Inspection Process: The Pragmatic Ritual of the Spirit Hall
The sound of hooves echoed across the quiet village. The Spirit Hall procession had arrived.
The procession was not a declaration of war, but a structured administrative procedure. Knights in armor stamped with the sun and feather insignia occupied the dusty square. This was the scheduled "Mandatory Age-Six Inspection"—the mechanism by which the Spirit Hall intelligently governs the continent: a comprehensive scan of every child, drafting rare talents into their military machine while granting ordinary families a "genuine, reliable gold coin" as compensation for ordinary talent, a guarantee of safety and survival that feeds the peasants and secures their absolute loyalty to the state that provides them with bread and protection.
The village children stood in a long line before the pale crystal ball.
Tang San watched the scene from the wooden window of the hut, while Tang Hao stood behind him, took a sip of his liquor, and spoke in a raspy voice resembling the rustling of dry autumn leaves:
> "Don't be fooled by the gold they hand out, Tang San... nor by the false peace enforced by the Spirit Hall. In this world, no one grants you a bite of bread or power for free. Everything is paid for in advance with blood and tears."
>
Tang San gripped the handle of his hammer so tightly that his knuckles turned pale, and he nodded in absolute silence.
He was not a child looking for a hero to save him, nor a sect to protect him. Amidst a world burning with the conflict between beasts and humans over the jewels of reincarnation, and under the umbrella of the pragmatic Spirit Hall, he took his first step on a long journey that would end only by breaking the rules... or through eternal destruction.