Chapter One: The Peach Blossom War God

Year 2085, Northern Kyoto Kunlun Academy, Class 1-3.

“Class, there’s no need to memorize rigidly the ancient formulas of the Five Tigers’ Escape and Five Rats’ Escape. Here, this old man has a method based on the Five Transformations of the Heavenly Stems—yang stems generating months and overcoming days. For example, if Jia and Ji combine to form earth, then the yang generating month would be Bing stem with Yin branch as the month’s head, and the yang overcoming day would be Jia stem with Yin branch as the hour’s head, and so on…”

Ding~ Ring ring~!!!

“All right, class is over for today. We’ll stop here. Tomorrow afternoon, we will focus on the guest-host judgment method in Qimen Xiangyi. Li Xiaoxue has distributed the lecture notes; make sure to review them carefully before bedtime!”

With that, the elderly man who called himself Zhang Zhendao, the sixty-sixth generation true heir of the Zhang Celestial Master lineage, grabbed his gourd and slipped away from the podium.

“Tch—So much for cultivating immortality. My father donated a spirit mine for me to come here, but all we learn are these tricky arts and scams!” Chen Meng leaned sideways against the window, sitting cross-legged, full of complaints.

“Exactly. We’ve been here a month, and all we learn is either fortune-telling or ethics. The spiritual energy has revived for over sixty years now, and ordinary people can already cultivate immortality on the spot. Yet here we are, going backward to basics!” Wu Siwei, Chen Meng’s deskmate, chimed in while tidying up the desk.

“Quiet! Professors at Northern Kyoto Academy are all great masters. We’re new here and must start with the foundations. Isn’t it better to learn the advanced subjects later in senior classes?”

“Oh, Xiaoxue, as a privileged insider and class representative for fate studies, you’re on a higher level than us. Afraid we won’t study Qimen Bagua and leave you all alone?” Chen Meng sat up straight and mocked loudly toward Li Xiaoxue, who was reviewing her notes in the front row.

Li Xiaoxue’s delicate face flushed crimson—whether from anger or embarrassment, no one could tell. Suddenly, she stood up with a thud, shook her head fiercely, and glared at the corner where Chen Meng sat. “Chen Meng! Watch your tongue! I’m eighteen or nineteen, not a little kid. No one cares about being a class representative. The teacher appointed me just because he glanced at everyone’s birth dates temporarily. If someone excels, there will be a new election. It has nothing to do with my father!”

“Hey—hey, I didn’t dare mention your teaching advisor, that was your own words!”

“You!!!”

Although Li Xiaoxue’s father was Li Chenqian, one of the four mighty generals of China’s Heavenly Gang, he had always been gentle and soft-spoken. Though anger boiled within her, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

Seeing the princess of high status silenced, Chen Meng’s hormones exploded. “Xiaoxue, don’t take it personally! I’m not targeting you or your uncle. I support you with all my heart and respect your uncle immensely! I just have issues with this course arrangement. As for you—tsk tsk, with your stunning face—uh—forget being my leader, I wouldn’t complain even if you rode on my head!”

At those words, the boys preparing to leave the classroom stopped, leering lasciviously. Chen Meng’s remarks seemed to awaken their own eternal cultivation ambitions, and one after another, they began to egg him on.

“Yeah, ride me! I can cultivate the Beast Riding Technique!”

“Woof~ Woof~ Woof~”

“Old Huang, you’re overdoing it. I haven’t even picked you yet, and you’ve already called me up. Haha!”

Li Xiaoxue bit her lip tightly as two tears slipped down gently. Born into privilege and beauty, always revered from afar, today she suffered humiliation before this so-called genius crowd of the academy.

“Enough!” With a sharp breath and the crisp slap of a desk, a frail young man stood up and turned around, clasping his hands tightly behind his back, trying to steady his trembling.

“Chu Linfeng!”

“His spiritual power has recovered?”

“No, that was just brute strength!”

Chen Meng was stunned for two seconds before relaxing.

Chu Linfeng stood there, eyes blazing, scanning the whole class. His voice was low but resolute: “We came here to learn supernatural abilities to slay demons and tame beasts, not to bully teachers or insult friends. Chen Meng, you’ve gone too far. Apologize to Li Xiaoxue.”

Chen Meng’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. He had not expected the usually taciturn Chu Linfeng to confront him so openly today. Yet after a moment, a sneer curled on Chen Meng’s lips as he spoke with disdain: “Chu Linfeng, you’re just a worthless nobody with no cultivation. Why should I apologize to you? Who do you think you are? Oh, do you still think you’re the Peach Blossom War God from three years ago?”

Three years ago, Chu Linfeng was a legend in Peach Blossom County, East Sea City. At three, he awakened his body and refined his qi; by six, he reached the Zhou Tian realm, able to sever trees from afar; at ten, he entered the Mountain-Shaking realm, splitting seas and moving mountains; at fifteen, he was halfway into the Ling Kong realm, scaling walls and walking on waves. Since the revival of spiritual energy in China, he ranked second on the Celestial Prodigy List. He single-handedly protected Peach Blossom County, slaying demons and driving beasts, undefeated in battle.

Peach Blossom County was famous for its hundreds of miles of peach blossoms. Some trees rooted in spirit mines absorbed spiritual energy, transforming into humanoid demons. At fifteen, in March, Chu Linfeng fought the Peach Blossom Lord in the peach forest. Countless vines were severed at the waist, petals rained down like snow. The battle was broadcast live by accompanying reporters, and Chu Linfeng’s stunning combat style earned him the title “Peach Blossom War God.”

“Admittedly, I once held you in some regard, but alas, it was just a fleeting moment. That old Zhang Zhendao said something wise—ah yes, ‘The wise are taken by heaven, the proud perish first!’” Chen Meng said as he pressed his palms together in mock reverence.

As Chen Meng said, a sudden misfortune soon robbed Chu Linfeng of all his spiritual power and cultivation. During the battle in the peach forest, the Peach Blossom Lord’s consort, the Peach Blossom Demoness, fled to the East Sea, seducing the overlord of the East Sea—the Deep Sea Flood Dragon—to avenge her. The flood dragon is a beast species among demons, possessing lower intelligence than demons but far greater physical strength, posing a greater combat threat to humans. This flood dragon had reached the peak of fifth rank, sixth layer.

Human cultivation and beast cultivation differ slightly in ranks. Humans have nine realms split into five layers, while beasts have ten ranks and ten layers. Human cultivation roughly corresponds to one rank and two layers above that of beasts. A fifth-rank, sixth-layer beast is comparable to a human at the third layer of the fourth realm, Ling Kong.

“Tsk tsk, a fifth-rank, sixth-layer flood dragon! Even someone as strong as Li Tiangang would have to be cautious. You’re only halfway into Ling Kong, not fully there yet. Jumping into the sea to fight? Won’t the waves bury you? Poof—there goes your Qi Sea!” Chen Meng said, flailing his arms while pointing at his dantian.

“But you’re lucky too. Having the River General Shen Luoxi, one of the Four Mighty Generals, take a liking to you and rescue you from the East Sea means you can laze around at Northern Kyoto Academy. Even as a cripple, you can brag for a lifetime!”

“Chen Meng, shut up! Stop it—already!” Li Xiaoxue finally could no longer hold back, tears streaming down her face. “Anyone with eyes knows the Peach Blossom Demoness abducted Chu Linfeng’s brother to lure him into the sea. Doesn’t Chu Linfeng know that? Why do you rub salt into his wounds? Being brought back to the academy by Sister Shen was an order from the academy. Staying here is thanks to his previous achievements in slaying demons and taming beasts!”

Though anger burned in Chu Linfeng’s eyes, he remained calm. He was even surprised that Li Xiaoxue’s reaction was stronger than his own. Though he defended her, that was only because his father cared for him since his arrival, and Li Xiaoxue had unknowingly shown concern. To him, it was merely a kindness.

The atmosphere in the class grew tense. Those unfamiliar with Chu Linfeng’s past now grasped some of the history from their exchange. The students cast varied looks: some who suspected Chu Linfeng feigned injury to hide his strength, waiting to see if he would explode; others, mere onlookers eager for drama, hoping to see the spoiled weakling get his comeuppance; and some female students silently worried, hoping their idealized figure could gracefully retreat and avoid conflict.

At this moment, Chen Meng’s deskmate Wu Siwei seized the opportunity to fan the flames: “Chu, the prodigy, if it were me today, I wouldn’t have tolerated it. I’d have kicked Old Chen flying with a single step, haha!”

Chen Meng suddenly extended his leg from his cross-legged position, kicking Wu Siwei to the ground and glaring, “Who do you think you’re with?”

Wu Siwei got up, dusting himself off with an awkward smile. “Meng, just joking. I know that guy wouldn’t dare fight back. I was just teasing him, don’t take it seriously.”

Chu Linfeng took a deep breath, his clenched fists creaking.

“Chu Linfeng, don’t!” Li Xiaoxue sensed the tension and hurried to stop him before a fight broke out.

Chu Linfeng glanced back at Li Xiaoxue, nodded softly, and unclenched his fists. Turning his gaze to Wu Siwei wiping his face and Chen Meng who had stood up, he spoke slowly: “Chen Meng, I know you have completed the Great Cycle and your cultivation nearly reaches the Zhou Tian realm. I admit I can’t beat you. But I advise you: in this era of cultivation, every flower and blade of grass has spirit, every demon and beast is awakened. Our mission is to rapidly enhance our cultivation, unite in the future to slay demons and tame beasts, and protect China! Not to slander and fight amongst ourselves.”

Chen Meng’s face flashed with embarrassment but quickly returned to his usual sneer. “Hmph, Chu Linfeng, you’re still so arrogant. But since you admit you can’t beat me, I have no reason to pick on you. Still, I advise you to mind your own business, or next time I won’t be so polite!”

Chu Linfeng ignored him, picked up his scroll, and left the classroom toward the dormitory. As he walked, he pondered Chen Meng’s words. His loss of cultivation had become a vulnerability for others to attack. He had to find a way to restore his Qi Sea and condense his energy again. Otherwise, in this cultivation era and even in this academy, he would have no standing!

“Chu Linfeng!” A familiar voice called from behind. Chu Linfeng turned to see Li Xiaoxue hurrying toward him.