1 The very beginning

The spring rain quietly fell on Qing Mao Mountain.

It was already late at night, with a slight breeze blowing alongside the light rain.

Yet, Qing Mao Mountain was not enveloped in darkness; from its side down to the foot of the mountain, dozens of tiny lights shone like a bright band. These lights emanated from tall buildings, and although they couldn't be compared to ten thousand lights, there were still a few thousand in number.

Situated on the mountain was Gu Yue Village, adding a rich touch of human civilization to the vast, lonely mountain. In the middle of Gu Yue Village stood a magnificent pavilion. At this moment, a grand ceremony was taking place, and the lights were even brighter than before, radiating with glory...

The ceremony aimed to bestow blessings upon the next generation of the Gu Yue Clan. Thus, the clan's Patriarch was deeply immersed in prayer towards the ancestors for the emergence of gifted youths...

But Fate, the fickle thing that it was...had completely different plans.

Because at the very same moment, two pairs of clear eyes quietly looked at the same lights sparkling in the night, full of complex feelings inside.

One pair belonged to a man who had relinquished everything to elude mediocrity, a traveler who navigated the currents of time in pursuit of a second chance, a seeker of everlasting life determined to attain it at any cost...

And the other set belonged to a humble traveler from beyond the extradimensional void...whose ambitions may have encompassed complete dominance over the entire world...

'Alas...let the games begin...'